"Holy shit! Joel! What's going on?" Ellie exclaimed.

"I don't know." He said watching a line of soldiers fall to the horde of infected taking over the compound.

Another explosion along the west wall followed moments later. This caused more damage than the first. As the smoke cleared Joel could see hordes of infected coming through the new opening in the wall.

"They leaving?"

"Yeah. They are. This may be our only chance." Joel said as he stood up.

"Wait... You... You gonna go in there... Now?"

Joel was already half way down the hill and heading toward the west wall.

"What should I do Joel?" Ellie called out.

"Make every shot count!" He yelled over his shoulder.

Ellie pulled out the rifle and settled at a good vantage point, and began to follow Joel with the sight.

Joel bounded down the hillside. Once he reached the rubble from the train he slowed his pace. He stuck to the side of the train opposite to the compound. The air was thick with smoke, and the ground was littered with rubble and bodies when he reached the blast point of the west wall. Except for a few meandering infected, the area was clear. He stuck close to the few structures still standing. In the distance he could hear a soldier calling out a name.

"Jennings! Jennings!"

Joel recognized the name immediately and searched for the source of the voice. He headed through part of a burning building, and down a causeway to a flipped car.

"Wow! Jennings, let's go!" Called out the same solider Joel heard earlier.

"No! I have to get the woman, Just leave me a car."

"Alright sir!"

Jennings headed into a building that had people forcing their way out. Joel held back for a few seconds. He didn't want to risk being caught. As the last person hobbled out he slipped in. He spotted Jennings bracing himself against the wall, waiting for a group of people carrying out wounded on gurneys up the stairs. Joel hid behind a tall file cabinet, and waited for them to pass.

Once they cleared the building he looked down the hall and found no one in sight. He quickly darted down the hall and down the stairs. He could hear heavy foot steps below of him. He slowed his pace and made sure to keep at least one level above Jennings. The sound of a heavy metal door open and close suddenly filled the the stairway. He crept down the stairs and peered down. Finding no one, he came down and approached the door. Looking through the window he watched Jennings hobble down the hall and into a room at the end of the hall. Joel slowly pushed the door open, without a sound, and closed it behind himself.

Joel pulled out his pistol and made his way down the hall. Lights and computer screens flickered in the rooms as Joel passed them by. Eventually the lights gave out and the dim emergency lights kicked in. As he reached the end of the hall he could hear typing and mumbling. He leaned in closer so he could hear what Jennings was saying.

"Dammit! Fuck.. Fine I'll do it manually."

Jennings walked away from the panel and pulled out his gun. He then disengaged the deadbolt, kicked the door open, and took a few steps back.

"Alright come on you fuckers!"

The first Clicker cleared the door and lunged forward toward Jennings. With one shot to the head it was down. Another quickly followed and got the same treatment.

"Right then. Let's get this over with." Jennings said as he entered the cell.

June was still in the fetal position rocking back and forth, completely oblivious to what was going on around her.

Jennings reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring of keys and picked up the heavy padlock to insert the key. Before he could turn the key Joel came up from behind him and wrapped his arm tight over his neck, cutting off his windpipe. Jennings thrashed and gripped tight on Joel's forearm. Joel squeezed tighter, and with one quick movement broke Jennings neck. Jennings body fell limp and Joel dropped him to the ground.

Joel pushed Jennings body aside and picked up the ring of keys. When he stood up he finally got a look at June. She was in the fetal position rocking back and forth, with her face hidden in her arms.

"June... June... Can you hear me?" Joel whispered through the bars as he began to try one key at a time with the lock.

June did not respond to this. She just kept rocking back and forth.

"Jesus woman what did they do to you?" He mused as he tested another key.

After three more attempts he found the right key and unlocked the cage. With one swift movement tossed the lock behind him, and swung the door open. With the loud creak of the hinge June sprang to life. She crawled sideways and leaned into the bars screaming, "No. No more! Please!"

"June. It's me Joel." He said slowly approaching her.

She silenced her pleas, and cautiously looked over to Joel. She looked at him with wide eyes of came in closer and reached for one of her hands.

"It's okay. It's just..." Joel lost his train of thought the moment he saw Junes hands. "Shit." He said as he held her hand up to the light.

Her fingers were bent out of joint to the point she could not move them.

"Joel?"

"Yes. It's me."

"You came back for me?"

"Yeah. Now c'mon. Here."

He pulled off his bag and got out his jacket, and put it on her.

"I told you not to come for me. Are you crazy? Why would you..."

"Because I don't feel like crossing the goddamned states to find another doctor."

"Christ your an idiot... You know that Joel." June said as Joel buttoned her up.

"I know. I know. It's just.. Well your the only person I'd trust with Ellie's life."

June was struck by this comment and was at a loss for words. She watched him fumble with the last few buttons, and then smooth down the sleeves. She held her arms out straight to help him, but shuddered when she caught a glimpse of her hands.

"Oh shit!" She gasped as she observed the grotesque condition of her fingers.

"I can fix that for you, if your want."

"Heh. Yeah just get it over with."

Joel took her palm in his left hand, then lined up her four fingers together with his right hand.

"Ready... One... Two... Three!"

"FUCK! Owww... Shit! Where in the hell did you learn to do it like that?"

"I worked construction."

June rolled her eyes and held out her other hand.

"Better than doing one at a time."

She shook her head and closed her eyes.

"One... Two... Three!"

"Ahhh... Fuck. Ah. Man."

"Better?"

She held her hands out and tested her fingers by bending and wiggling them.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Do you think you can stand?"

"I think so. Let me try."

She took his hand and pulled herself up. Her legs were a bit shaky, but otherwise she was okay. Joel wrapped his arm around her side and helped her out of the room.

"How long were you in here like this?"

"Ever since I woke up after trying to get the boat."

"That was almost nine days ago."

She shook her head, and turned away from him and said, "let's just get the hell out of here please."

As they made their way up the stairs June became weaker. By the fifth flight she lost her footing and nearly caused them to fall forward.

"Christ woman. You okay?"

"No. I've been stuck in a cage for eight days and beat to hell for two. I am very far from okay."

"Alright." He sighed as he picked her up.

He carried her up the rest of the stairs and down the hall. He slowed his pace when he got to the lobby. Once at the front door, he noticed headlights.

"Shit!"

"What? Who is it?"

"Here, I'm gonna check. You stay here." He lowered her down onto the ground and peered around the front door.

As soon as he did this the car honked three times, then came closer to the door. The driver window opened and Ellie yelled out, "Joel! Hurry get in!"

"What the hell...Uh." He then turned over to June and picked her up.

"Was that Ellie?"

"Um-hum"

"When did you get a car?"

"I don't know. I told the girl to stay put back at the bluff."

"She never listens to you does she?"

"No, no she doesn't."