Chapter 21: At the end of the day

Thanks to doomsta27 (Yep and Joel doesn't know yet), Kenny9x3 (even I couldn't make her eat that food thats why I give plenty of hunted food), kirbster676 (I know you are waiting for it to happen), Kuroi Kage X (Write something and send me a link!), MasterHollow (peaches are another brick joke), KuroiHanabixShenny (cannibaltown! Great name. Um.. at least 2. I know! I think I would rather die than have the 20 shots), mckoy12345678910 (I am glad they are almost offical. LMAO I thought I could have him creeping on her ass but in my head he is a boob man.) Gwenzilla (Yeah. He will just have to be kinky later. I can't have to perverts in one story right now). ThatChickontheInternet (Dont read the last section. Skim)

TAKE WARNING: This chapter is rated M and contains adult sexual themes. MAYDAY! *Sirens* It is at the bottom.

-...- (David)

James sighed again and looked at his leader hard. "I already told you how I feel about this. The others won't like it either."

"They didn't mind Ellie last night."

The girl had finally given in and went to dinner with him after he promised to make sure they brought something for Joel. At first, she was shy around the others, but soon she started cracking jokes, ate (it was something she caught in a trap), and whooped ass with cards. The others in meeting house seemed as impressed with her. The outsider was special and different like the first flower after a long winter.

Even she seemed to change a little. But what turned things around was his little gift. He sat it on the table in front of her with a smile. He had her walkman fixed and even add to her collection of tapes. Good stuff too. George Strait, The Beatles, and a little Bon Jovi. It was worth it too see those green eyes shine as she plugged in. She smiled softly and tucked her bangs behind her ears. She was beautiful. He couldn't let her go. She might be young now, but it wouldn't always be like that.

His kindness paid off, it earned him a hug and a thank you before she rushed off to tell Joel. He went to bed with the smell of her hair on his clothes.

She could adapt and be fine. It was Joel. Her dogged devotion to that man was beginning to be a problem.

"Ellie's not the problem." James echoed. He too seemed to develop a fondness for the fearless girl. "She would be great. You just have to handle this right. I am just afraid of what could happen. You heard what they did at the university. what would stop them now?"

"She is not stupid. They both need a place for the winter."

"We should have just let the Doctor blotch the job."

"George wouldn't do that."

"Maybe we can help. He still needs to take that medicine." It would not be hard at all to mix in something else.

James looked away. He didn't like where this was going, but he could see the point. They needed the girl. Sure, David was more involved than he should be, but it could work. They needed more people to survive and she had the skills.

"I mean if we could convince everyone that it was not the same man from the university. Or at least that he is not dangerous, just a survivor like us."

David nodded, but wished they could eliminate that problem all together. "We will work on it. He has at least another week before he becomes restless."

"Fine. But be careful with the girl."

"Of course." There was no way he was messing this up. God did everything for a reason. Even taking Jen. There was a reason maybe so she wouldn't have suffered through this winter. Jen was a wonderful young woman with soft brown hair, a quiet voice, and the kindest heart. She really did believe in everything they had worked for. But she developed a cough she couldn't shake and before he knew it she slipped through his fingers. Ellie filled that void in his heart. There was a reason they met that day. There had to be.

-...- (Ellie)

"ARG! This stupid book!" She tossed the book into the door. THUMP "STUPID!" She wanted to cry. It is so stupid.

Joel raised an eyebrow as he looked up from puzzle. He cautiously marked the next word. "I told you to look out for him."

"Nicholas Sparks can kiss my ass."

"Which book?" He continued to work on puzzle. They were both propped up in the bed sharing his pillow. It had been a lazy morning and it was nice. They were warm and comfortable.

"A Walk to Remember." She pouted. "She had the cancer and died! SHE DIED!" She couldn't believe it no happy ending. Even the 50 Shades of Grey ended good. This book was stupid and unfair. "I can see why they left it in the house to rot."

"Trust me. Most of his books are like that. Just sad." He shook his head.

"Like I said. Kiss my ass! I hope he got infected."

"Isn't that a little harsh."

"No. He just trampled over my heart with all that." That book was just too much.

"I'll make a note. If a guy breaks your heart, we will drop him on the outside of the fence and let him get infected." He teased.

"Shut up." She elbowed him. He elbowed back. She stood up and stretched. "I just wasted my day." She fixed her hair. "I'll be back soon. I have to reset the traps." Joel nodded. He told her what to do and it worked. Surprisingly. They had caught some small game like a chipmunk and a few beavers, but worked for her and he was glad. Even with him laid out they made a good team.

He propped himself up higher on the pillows. "David and James this time?"

"I don't know. Either way."

"Hm. I will be better soon enough to join."

"Can't wait. You have been sitting on your ass too long like a king bloater." She leaned in to give him a quick hug. He swatted at her lightly. She hugged his neck.

"Be safe." He said in his ear.

"Always am." She let him go. "It won't take too long."

-...-

Ellie finished laying out the scraps of food to re-bait the traps. It takes a little to get a little when it comes to hunting. So far it had been a good haul with a couple racoons, but the forest was quiet. Just her and David walking through the winter's snow. It was first week in December and they had a long haul to go.

She smiled at their success. "We have enough time to find a new book. I still can't believe that book ended like that. What kind of writer just lets the characters suffer like that."

David hauled the food. "Life is like that sometimes. People you love die, but you have to move on."

"You sound like Joel." She said pouting as she tracked toward some homes. They might even find some more cans. She couldn't believe it when they went crazy for the peaches. They can have all the cans I find of that crap.

"At least, they are in a better place." David said softly. He looked old enough to be a dad... He probably lost someone like Joel had.

"I don't know if I believe that crap. It is just something people say to make you feel better about shit. It is not real." She wasn't lying when she told Henry. It was just hard to believe in anything after.

"People need hope. It keeps the living going." He took a breath. "That's part of the reason. Things might seem bad, but it happens to make you strong and ready."

"I wish I had your faith in it all." Hope. Hope was an idea she understood, but how did someone dying give you hope in anything? She wished they could change the subject.

"One day you will make peace with everything and the world will make sense. I'm sure even Joel has had that moment."

Ellie shrugged and led them to a house. She listened before kicked in the door feeling so badass.

"Hell yeah, this house hasn't been picked through." She clicked on her flashlight and wished she hadn't seen that the family that occupied the house was laid out on the couch dead and decomposed. "Sorry." She muttered to the family.

"I'll check out the kitchen..." She stepped through and picked through finding plenty of cans of soup, vegetables, and tomato sauce. Enough for a good week or two. It really was the jackpot.

"David! I need your bag!" She finished stuffing hers past capacity.

He returned. "I found some books. I left the Hunger Games and took Fahrenheit 451. Oh and I got some more adult books too." He offered.

"Thanks" she smiled. He dropped his bag and added the cans, while she studied the books. The Fahrenheit book had a cool cover of a paper man on fire... "Read it before."

"When I was a little older than you. It was good."

She smiled. "I don't think Joel ever read a book." She was pretty sure he tricked his girlfriend into reading them for him or just bullshited his way through any test. She imagined he was pretty badass back then (Even if he was a Jock).

"I read a few back in the day." He smiled sheepishly. "Not as many as you, but enough."

"I think we have enough to head back."

"Yeah. We should." He re-shouldered his bag and they left out of the back door. They trekked back weighed down by cans. She already began flipping the pages, lost in the book. It was a pleasure to burn* She shivered a little in the cold as more snow came to fall, but she couldn't stop reading the book.

They were back at the camp and he led the way to the storage room where the meat was butchered. She dropped her bag on the metal table and pulled out the cans stacking them as she went. Ellie couldn't shake the shivers even if the room blocked the wind.

"Come here." David told her.

"Hm." She froze for a second as he caught the back of her biceps in his hands. He brushed his hands up and down the sleeves of her coat. "We can go to the lodge and warm up in front of the fire."

"We should check on Joel first." The position was a little awkward, but she tried to calm down. She was just cold.

David studied her lips. "Even out here you look so beautiful."

"Um... thanks." She tried to pull back, but he stopped her from putting any more space between them. She couldn't have gotten away and he didn't seem like he would let her. "David?"

He leaned down and kissed her. On. The. Mouth...

Her eyes were wide open as he lightly kissed her mouth and then deepened it. His tongue slipped between her lips and he flicked it lightly against the back of her teeth. He moaned a little. Her hands were frozen on his chest.

He pulled back and smiled softly. "I have wanted to do that for a long time."

He voice caught in her throat. She couldn't move. She couldn't speech. She couldn't even take her eyes off of him.

He leaned in for another kiss and she had no choice. One of his hands slipped down her arm heading down brushing the side of her breast with enough pressure so she could feel it through the coat. His hands dipped down to her hips.

She broke the kiss. "David. I don't like you like that. You are very nice, but.."

He gave her a confused look. "You are not seeing the whole picture." He unzipped her jacket.

"I said-" He kissed her again backing her against the table. His hands pet her breasts brushing over the nipples and her body betrayed her, but she didn't want this. Not with him. Not at all. "David." She pushed on his chest, but he separated her legs. "David!" He bite on her neck.

"I bet you taste sweet." He muttered and she shivered in disgust.

One of his hands slipped into her jeans and she did not have enough space to stop this.

She tried to scream, but he would kiss her and stop the noise. With the door open she could see the snow and freedom, but nothing she was trapped trying to slap his hands away and he called her feisty. "You have been teasing me for the last few weeks." He purred. "Let me tease you now." His fingers dipped in as she pulled on his wrist trying to get him out of her pants. There was just too much of him.

A man passed the door and she tried to signal him for help. But he just shut the door leaving them in the darkness and half on the table.

A/N: Yep. We are going for full rape this time.