The previous night had been a restless one for Ellie, but Joel didn't mind. It was mesmerizing to listen to her breathing all night and he found that it calmed him. Ellie had started seeing his face somewhere through the night, but Joel had been able -thankfully- to calm her down and somehow get her to get back in the bed again. She looked exhausted but she didn't complain. "Hey, Ellie." Ellie looked back towards him, expecting something to be chasing them. Joel pointed towards a town in the distance. It didn't look too big and they were running out of food and ammunition.
"Yeah, might be some stuff there." Ellie nodded, taking a deep sigh and changing direction towards the town, straying off of the cracked road they'd been heading on. They were getting closer to Salt Lake, very slowly, but the progress was visible. Ellie tiredly trudged towards the town through the grassy terrain, her feet dragging behind her.
Joel sighed, catching up with her. For some reason, she seemed more scared than she had been a week ago. David was coming back to her, both in physicality and mentally. Joel had caught Ellie staring in one exact spot for nearly a minute, her breathing quickening with each second. He managed to snap her out of it, but not without tears. I need to find something to fix this. Joel thought, begging the universe to give him something. He didn't know why she was feeling this way… maybe it was the oddly cold spring… maybe it was something else. But Joel would be damned if he wouldn't fix it.
As they approached the edge of the town, Joel screamed at himself to say something but he couldn't. His mouth was screwed shut against his will as they entered the town, scanning for something that could help them. If they kept running out of ammo and food, they'd be in a much worse situation in a couple of days. "Hey, what about that?" Ellie asked, pointing towards a tall building a few meters away. It looked like some sort of a bank with large marble steps and a stone exterior. "Might have something worth looking for."
"Yeah, reckon it will. Let's go see." Joel nodded, following Ellie up the grand steps towards the entrance. "Damn…" Joel groaned, pressing against the door to feel it not even budge. Ellie's eyes caught a small gap that she just might be able to fit through if she tried.
"Can probably squeeze in there." Ellie pointed towards the crack in the glass window, seeing Joel shake his head. "Fine, we'll just spend the next hour trying to get in." Ellie sighed, seeing Joel glare at her once again. He hated not being with her, even if it was just for her to open a door or get his ass through something. But she was right… they needed the supplies. And he really didn't like her being alone only for a second in her current state.
"You be careful." Joel grumbled, landing on one knee and holding his hand up. Ellie nodded, pushing her foot onto his hand and letting him push her up towards the gap with strength. Ellie gripped the grip, pushing herself through slowly and falling into the other side of the wall. "You okay?" Joel asked, trying to jump to see Ellie but failed.
"Ellie?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just fell." She grumbled, turning her flashlight on and looking towards the door. A large shelf had fallen, blocking it. She groaned, running her hands through her hair. "Fuck, you're going to have to hurry, I'm not gonna be able to lift this for long!" Ellie warned him, beginning to wrap her hands around the shelf. It must've been around two hundred fifty pounds, much heavier than she was used to. "Okay, now, go!" Ellie grunted as she lifted the shelf, pressing her back against it from below it. The door temporarily opened as she lifted it barely high enough for Joel to open it. Joel widened his eyes and quickly moved in, taking the weight from Ellie and they simultaneously dropped it. "Fucking christ, that's heavy." Ellie breathed, shaking her limbs off.
"Yeah, good job, kiddo." Joel smiled, brushing dust from her hair. Ellie smiled for a second, nodding and continuing in the building. Joel's flashlight turned on and she felt it heat the back of her head as they walked through the building. It was oddly silent as they went different ways, searching for anything.
"Hey, Joel, look. It's like the stuff you were talking about." Ellie held up a blueprint, smiling at him. Joel had told her about how he used to be a carpenter and styled homes. Ellie seemed to find it really interesting and was constantly asking him questions about it. Joel walked over, nodding with a smirk and looking down at Ellie.
"Yeah, look like some blueprints for the building. Still able to recognize some of this." Joel chuckled, rubbing the paper of the blueprints and remembering all the way to when Tommy and him used to fix up houses. "Y'know, Tommy and I fixed up some bank once."
"What happened to it?" Ellie asked, looking up at him as they continued through the building. It was way too quiet for such a big building and Joel felt himself run with caution and fear.
"Some explosion." Ellie's eyes picked up with curiosity but he shook his head, smiling a bit. "Nothin' exciting, just some gas leak."
"Did anyone die?" Joel shook his head and Ellie groaned, rolling her eyes. "Have you ever fixed something up where people died?" Ellie asked, clearly bored and wanting to keep her mind out of its own grip.
"There was this one house… right before the outbreak. People supposed it was haunted." Ellie suddenly broke out in laughter, surprised by the ridiculous fact. "Nah, it's true, it's true. Tommy wouldn't go in alone 'cus he was too damn scared." Joel smiled fondly at the memory, remembering Sarah make him burn candles each night after work, afraid he was possessed.
"That's the stupidest shit I've ever heard of." Ellie smiled warmly, continuing through the building and picking up the occasional shell or bullet. They still didn't have much food though. Ellie walked back towards the blueprints, shining her light on it. "Hey, this place is pretty big." Ellie realized. There were three floors, the third one having some sort of office. "Gotta have something here."
"Looks like the quickest way up to that office is that elevator." Ellie placed her finger on a small elevator in the blueprints, looking up to Joel. He nodded, giving a sigh. In the darkness, his amber eyes glowed in the flashlight and he rolled up the blueprint, storing it in his bag. Might be useful if we get lost.
"Yeah, reckon that'd be it." Joel nodded, making his way towards the elevator cautiously. It was still too quiet and Joel looked towards Ellie, frowning when he noticed her thoughts had taken her over again as she walked on auto-pilot. God… if only I'd woken up just a little sooner… I could've stopped that bastard. He's lucky she killed 'im, I woulda done so much worse. Joel dreamed of killing David, letting his blood spill onto the floor with a relief in him. Even though he was dead, he still lived in Ellie. In her nightmares, in her immense fear of the man.
Sarah had only ever experienced a cold, maybe a boy turning her down. She hadn't ever been raped. Joel didn't know how to make Ellie's pain just stop, and God, did he want to. If he could he would take all of her suffering and trauma and place it on his shoulders with no hesitation… but he couldn't. And everyday, she had to wake up and remember how he had failed her. One time, one of the girls had called Sarah a name at school. She came home crying… Joel smiled when she told him that she had punched the girl. She was always so damn tough… reckon she'd like Ellie.
"Here it is." Ellie whispered, waving Joel over. The door was cracked open a little bit less than a foot. "Looks like there's a ladder." Ellie thought aloud, seeing a large metal ladder leading up to another gap in the shaft. It didn't look too stable and Joel sighed, sitting down in the gap and slowly stepping down onto the metal. It groaned beneath him and his breath hitched. "Be careful." Ellie whispered, watching him slowly make his way to the ladder.
Eventually, Joel put his first foot on the ladder and slowly climbed up, step by step. Joel's safety was certified. "Okay, come on, baby. Be careful." Joel ordered softly, watching Ellie nod and replicate his movements, slowly dropping onto the elevator.
It made a louder moan this time and Ellie stopped, her breathing stopping for a second. It let out another groan, but gave no further complaints. "Okay, it's okay. C'mere." Joel spoke gently, looking up from the third floor. His hand reached towards her as she slowly made her way to the ladder. Her foot rose to the first step, and she instantly knew it was a mistake.
Ellie looked down as a horrible screech came from the metal and her eyebrows rose in fear when she felt the metal shake beneath her. "J-Joel?" Ellie asked, her hands gripping on the ladder. Joel paused, his breath stopping.
"Here, Ellie climb up, climb up before-" Joel was cut off as another deafening screech interrupted the silence in the air. Ellie felt the ground beneath her rumble and shake, quickly giving way. As quick as she could, Ellie jumped, reaching out for Joel's hand, desperate to get to safety… but she wasn't quick enough. The ground beneath her was no longer there and she began to fall, her skin illuminated in Joel's flashlight.
As she fell down two stories, Ellie stared at Joel's light, no longer able to see his face while she descended further and further. A horrible scream escaped her lips and then suddenly, she hit the ground with a horrible thud, momentarily losing the ability to see. She felt a metal cut her arm, making her let out another horrible cry for help. "ELLIE!" Joel roared, fearing the worst. He could barely make out her face and hair, but the rest of her body was chillingly still.
Ellie hadn't yet regained consciousness, which only -in Joel's mind- confirmed that she was dead "KIDDO?!" He hollered, tears dripping down the blood-chilling drop. "Ellie, please, please answer me, baby girl." He begged, part of him wanting to jump down after her. From where he was, he could see her body, her hair covering her still face. "Baby, please, answer. Please say something…" He whispered, not sure if he was even talking to her anymore or if he was just pleading with the universe not to do this again. His grip tightened around the floor and he felt another tear run down his face, laying in his beard. "Ellie!"
And then, he heard it: a small moan of pain. Ellie's consciousness slowly came back to her and she barely moved her fingertips. Her nerves were on fire with pain and although she was happy she was alive, her spine and legs hurt like they had been bashed in with hammers in the same spot a thousand times for each inch of her body. "Baby?!" Joel screamed, not even caring if the building wasn't clear, all he could see was Ellie's still unmoving body.
"J-Joel?" Ellie said, barely above a whisper. As she moved her hand, an ocean of pain swarmed over her. Though, the movement signaled to Joel she was at the very least, still breathing.
"Oh, thank God." Joel breathed for the first time, wiping his eyes and taking a second to close his eyes and thank whatever let Ellie survive. "Ellie, are you alright?!" Joel sounded back down, his voice bouncing off the walls of the chasm and making its way to Ellie. Ellie began to brush her hair from her face, her eyes shutting at the bright light. "Kiddo?" He asked, wishing he could be down there with her.
"I… fuck." Ellie softly whispered, knowing Joel couldn't hear her. "I-I'm alive!" She yelled back, not able to say she was alright when even blinking hurt her. Ellie wasn't able to get up, her pain was too great and her new level of exhaustion was taking over her, barely allowing her to move. Still, she did anyway, against her body's will.
"Oh God…" Joel muttered, wiping his eyes once again and watching her slowly pick her head up, squeezing her eyes barely open because of his light and the aching in her. "Fuck, can you see anyway to get back up?"
"Hold on…" Ellie weakly replied, trying to muster the strength to stand. The first time she tried she fell back down to the ground, letting a whimper out of her lips. Joel cringed, his hunger to jump down and comfort her growing. "Ow…" Ellie cried, pushing herself up back again slowly and dragging her feet, barely able to walk. Her left leg wasn't working and she had to use a piece of wood to stand. "Joel, I… I think my leg's broken." Ellie sobbed, looking up at his light.
Joel felt a million different memories hit him at once, but Ellie's subdued crying pulled him back out. "It's okay, it's okay, kiddo." Joel tried to comfort her but she could barely hear him and it wouldn't be a quick effort getting down to her only to carry her back up and fix her leg. Ellie's cries continued as she pulled up her leggings, seeing that her knee cap was popped and the bone below it was bending the wrong way. She wanted to puke at the sight and she looked up to Joel in horror.
"Joel, I-I'm scared!" She whimpered, her heart racing. Joel's heart fell into his stomach as he heard those three little words. Joel felt another tear fall into the chasm, landing beside Ellie. He screamed at himself in his head, blaming himself for not letting her go first. Selfish prick.
"I-I know, baby girl. I know. Listen, I'm gon' find a way down to you, okay? Give me a second here." Ellie nodded, whining and sitting back down, waiting for Joel to come up with something. Every inch of her body ache and bleed began to stain her sleeve where it had cut on the metal that laid beside her where she landed. It must've been at least a thirty foot drop. Joel pulled the blueprints of the bank from his bag, instantly swearing under his breath. The elevator's the only way down to her. Joel realized in absolute terror, looking back down to Ellie not so calmly awaiting his answer… waiting for him to tell her it would be okay and that he had a solution. But, he didn't. She's gon' need to get up to me.
There was a rope-pulley elevator, but it was only from the first floor to the third, not the opposite. She'd have to make her way to it, having nothing more than her knife in a pistol. Fuck, why didn't I give her another gun, fuck. If she runs into a bloater, she… she has no chance. I could try and jump down, but… it does no use to her if I'm dead. "Joel?" Ellie called up, her voice broken and terrified. Joel shook his head, his head knowing the words he had to tell her but he barely could. "Joel, please say something."
"Baby, there… there's an elevator a little ways away down there. There's no stairs for me to get to you, you… you need to find that pulley elevator." It took a couple of seconds for Ellie to realize he wasn't joking. She let out a horrible sob, shaking Joel like he was made of sticks. Ellie looked down at her leg then up to Joel's light again, feeling sick.
"N-no, Joel, please, please don't make me leave. I can't walk, I'll die." Ellie cried, seeing his light shake as the words left her mouth. "Please." Joel scrunched his features together, shaking his head in his own guilt for not being able to help her or take away any of her pain.
"I know, baby girl, I know, but it's the only way. Trust me, I wish there were another way, but there ain't." Ellie let out another whine, her breathing shaky and muffled as she clasped her hand to her mouth, using her other to hide it in her hair, applying force to her own head in fear. "Ellie, listen to me, you're gon' be okay. I think I can get down to the second floor, but you gotta get to that pulley elevator."
Ellie shook her head, looking down at her knee and cried, looking back up towards Joel's light. "I can't walk, Joel!" She hissed back in fear, temporarily getting up once and holding to the metal next to her. "Joel, I… I don't know if I can do this." Joel cringed, trying to get as close to her as he could.
"Listen to me, okay, baby? Listen to me." Ellie nodded frantically, standing and looking at him on her one good leg. Even though it wasn't broken, too, her other leg could not support the hundred pounds that she carried. So, she took a branch from the ground, shredded the twigs from it and placed it under her arm, using it as a temporary crutch. I can do this, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this… I can do this.
"W-where's the elevator?" She finally asked, wiping the tears from her face only for it to be replaced by new ones. Her leg hurt like hell and her back felt as if someone had snapped it in two like a twig. Joel felt his throat close around him as he looked down at the map, his hands shaking.
"You should see a door, kiddo." Ellie looked around her, searching for her bag. It had fallen off of her when the elevator had fallen and all she had was the gun in her jeans and the knife in her hand.
"Joel, I-I can't find my bag!" She frantically searched again, finding nothing in the darkness. Ellie checked the chamber of her gun, pressing the chamber and seeing two bullets gleam inside. She had next to nothing to defend herself. If something big came along, she… she stood no chance. "I can't find my bag, all I have is two shots."
"It's okay, it's alright, baby girl. Just make 'em count, okay?" He gently spoke, still making sure that she heard him. She let out a frantic nod, another cry escaping her lips. She was tired, she was scared, she was beyond hurt. She couldn't walk, she just wanted Joel to hug her and tell her he loved her again. "Do you see a door?"
"Um, y-yeah." Ellie responded shakily, taking in the sight of a rusty metal door ahead of her. A seemingly large scorpion crawled across the top of it, sending a shiver down her spine. What the fuck, why? This is a fucking nightmare. Ellie thought in horror, remembering to listen to Joel.
"Okay, it ain't far, just two rights and you're there, alright, baby girl?" Joel saw her barely nod with his light, looking up at him finally and seeing the top of his head, but not able to actually take in his features. "You got this, kiddo. I can pull you up once you're in." Ellie nodded, letting out a final sob as she prepared to say goodbye to Joel, knowing her chances weren't high if there were any Infected around. "You got this… I love you, kiddo."
"I love you, too…"
"Be careful, please, God. Please, be careful, baby girl." Joel begged her, watching her hope come crashing down. Joel was supposed to make her feel better about her chances, make her feel safe… but with that statement her worry only grew. She nodded, wrapping her hand around the door.
"I… I will." Ellie cried, limping through the door with her knife in her palm. And with that, both of them were separated and alone.
As Ellie made her way down the hall, she chanted the directions in her head, trying to keep her mind from the dull pain in her leg. The shock and adrenaline temporarily muted it just a little, but it still felt worse than anything she'd ever felt… almost worse than what David had done to her. She let out a small sob with her hand clasped over her mouth, trying not to make any noise. I can do this, I can do this. I need to get back… for Joel.
With that thought, she tried to move faster, seeing the first right approaching. Halfway. She thought as she turned to the right, instantly regretting it. A bloater was before her, sharing its territory with two clickers. Ellie felt the small amount of hope she had left quickly run from her, terrified. She didn't have that option.
The elevator laid vaguely to the right, barely in sight. Ellie was so close to surviving. After David, after those hunters, after everything, she wasn't going to let a fucking bloater take her out. Ellie scowled, crouching on her one good knee and scooting forward slowly and silently, not even permitting herself to breathe.
As she approached the first clicker, she slowly made her way to its neck and with that: the first clicker soundlessly was taken out and fell to the floor. A small amount of optimism began to enter Ellie, but she cut it off, not letting herself feel anything while she moved forward, focusing on nothing but the pain in her leg and the need to stay quiet.
Ellie barely had the energy to move, much less kill again. So, she passed the second clicker and realized with a horror that the bloater was right in front of the pulley elevator. It was a small space, maybe three of four feet big. She'd have to rely on Joel to pull her up, as she had no strength left. Though, she knew he was crouched by the second floor, waiting impatiently for her figure to be in his arms again. I just need to start pulling myself up and he'll do the rest.
She slowly began to move past the bloater, not breathing for a second. Her right hand was clasped over her mouth, trying to stay as silent as she could. Tears rolled off of her cheeks but she told her body 'no,' refusing to die here. And then, finally… she was there. Ellie climbed into the elevator, mere feet from the bloater.
Her hands clasped around the rope and she began pulling, letting tears escape her. Suddenly, Ellie felt the elevator go by Joel's grip from the second floor and she breathed… she let her arms fall to her side, and… her makeshift crutch fell from the elevator to the floor beneath it with a loud thud. Ellie's heart stopped as she looked down, instantly hearing the roar of the clicker and bloater, watching them rush towards the elevator.
Ellie felt the elevator sink as the bloater began pulling down on the rope, making a scream finally escape the girl's mouth. A tug of war began between Joel's grip and the bloater, one the bloater was slowly winning. Ellie could see a gap to the second floor that she could barely fit a hand in. Joel just needed a few more inches for Ellie to be safe. She heard Joel yell in anger and put nearly all of his weight on the rope, lifting Ellie just enough for her to squeeze through the gap. She couldn't see his head but could see below his neck and she made her way towards the gap, fitting her first half in. "Ellie, get out, baby, c'mon." Joel grunted, trying to keep the rope steady.
Ellie slowly pushed herself out, climbing agonizingly slow because of her broken leg. Finally, she was out, allowing Joel to drop the rope, burns slashing across his palms. "Ellie, oh my God, Ellie." It was quiet and Joel instantly dropped his bag, moving towards Ellie like a maimed animal.
She was frozen in shock, pain and exhaustion as Joel made his way towards her, cupping her face with his bloody hands. "Ellie, baby girl, it's okay. It's okay, you're safe now." Ellie nodded shakily, and then, she finally broke into a wave of gasped sobs, feeling Joel take her in his chest and hold her firmly without hurting her. Ellie let all of her pain come out in tears that ran down her cheeks, falling onto the floor. Everything hurt, both inside and outside. "I know, kiddo, it's alright. I'm right here. I'm right here, you're safe. You're okay."
Ellie's bawls were muffled by his shirt but they were still loud enough for Joel to cringe from, wondering if he could've prevented this. "Joel…" Ellie let the word slip out, making him quickly grow silent. She was so tired and hurt and she needed him right now. Joel hugged her tighter, hiding his head in the nape of her neck. Ellie cried convulsively, not giving it up. "Joel…"
"Oh, my baby girl…" Joel whispered, pushing his hands in her affectionately and brushing it with his palm. "It's okay, I'm right here."I don't deserve you, not at all. Pride swelled through him as he took Ellie from his arms, holding her in front of him. Ellie's eyebrows knitted together in pain and she held her leg and arm, not knowing which wound to mute.
"M-my leg, it… it's broken." Ellie lamented, watching Joel turn his light on and move her leggings up, cringing at what he saw. Ellie let her back fall onto the disgusting carpet, her exhaustion growing and growing. "Ow…" Ellie weeped, watching Joel dig through his bag for medicine, coming up with a moderate amount of medicine from when he had been sick. Poor baby. He cringed, hearing another squeal of pain escape her.
"I know, I know. I can fix this." Joel ordered himself to make her feel better. Thank God, the bones are still in place. Joel placed his hand on her knee, feeling cracks where the bone was supposed to be solid, still, they were all in their place. Need to cast this. "Okay, it's okay. This is fixable, baby girl." Ellie nodded,feeling Joel wrap her leg in bandages. These'll need to do. Maybe this 'nd a strap to release the tendons. "I'm right here, it's okay." Ellie whimpered again as Joel finished just above the thigh where a large cut lived.
Joel pressed a cloth to it, temporarily slowing the bleeding. He wrapped duck-tape around the cloth, pausing the blood dripping down Ellie's leg. "My… my arm. I… when I fell…" Ellie spoke in fragments, listening to Joel softly shush her. He rolled up her sleeve, seeing a mess of blood on her right bicep. Ellie groaned when he cleared the blood with a rag. He, once again, pushed a cloth tightly to the wound and bandaged it, pausing the bleeding.
His light shone onto her, illuminating her battered body. "Ellie?"
"Y-yeah, I… I'm here." Ellie whispered weakly, not even able to move an inch. Joel sighed, feeling his own tears live in his eyes. He shook them, knowing Ellie needed him to be strong right now.
"I'm gon' pick you up, okay? Might hurt a bit." As Joel wrapped his arms under her knee, she howled in pain, digging her nails into his shoulder. "I know, I know. We just need to find somewhere for you to rest, okay?" Ellie didn't respond, taken over by both her leg and the ocean of scratches on her body.
He's here now… I'm safe. Joel ran towards the exit, keeping Ellie still in his arms. His bag was slung around his shoulders and she clasped her hands around the handles, tightening her grip whenever the pain grew. Joel scrunched his features together, trying to deafen her cries. It felt like his ears were bleeding as they made it out of the dreaded building, a breath of fresh air going through them. It smelled heavenly and clear of blood, something that was rare after the nightmare they'd just experienced. "No… no more banks?" Joel almost smiled, nodding vigorously.
"I promise." Joel swore, looking around him desperately for anything that they could sleep in. Thank you, thank you. Joel's eyes settled on a single house a few meters away. He ran towards it, quickly breaking the door open and searching for anywhere to lay down. Her crying had quieted but long grieving gasps for air still escaped her.
Now that the adrenaline had left her, her body was left in a muddied state of nothing but screeching torment and agony. "Here we go." Joel whispered, climbing the stairs to a dirty master bedroom. There was a queen bed, one that Joel quickly laid Ellie down on. He left the room for a second to clear the house, knowing Ellie couldn't take any more stress.
After he had been gone for more than a minute, Ellie picked her head up slowly. "J-Joel?" She peeped, calling out his name softly. She heard him quickly making his way up the steps, coming to her side instantly. "Ow…" Ellie whispered once again, shutting her eyes momentarily.
"I'm right here, baby girl." Joel let her take his hand as he took three separate pills from his hand, placing them on the dresser beside Ellie. He took out his canteen, propping Ellie's head up. She shook her head in pain at the movement, making Joel's heart break into a million different pieces. "I know, but these'll make you feel better, kiddo." Ellie opened her mouth, letting Joel pour a small bit of water in and let her swallow the pills quickly with a wince. "It's okay, you just rest now for me… took a hell of a fall." Joel whispered, brushing hair out of her exhausted features.
"D…" Ellie let her sentence linger before finding the strength to continue. "Dad…" Ellie whispered, cracking her eyes open and searching for Joel, finding his face stare back at her in tragedy. He nodded, tears appearing in his eyes at the word. The word meant so much to both of them. Joel wanted to cry hearing it, not only because of Sarah but because he was afraid. He was horrified at the possibility of losing another daughter, still… pride swelled in his heart as he thought of himself as Ellie's father. That title was something he didn't deserve, he knew that, but he wore it with a magical grin.
Ellie was terrified of being left behind again… of being hurt. So many people had died surrounding her, had died because of her. She couldn't have Joel be the same, he swore on his life that he wouldn't leave her. And she believed him. For the first time ever, her fear of being left was subdued, though she knew that it would return at night.
"Yeah… I"m right here, baby girl." He promised, pulling a chair next to the bed and getting comfortable, knowing he wouldn't be moving until she was feeling better. Ellie whimpered again, taking Joel's hand and squeezing it as hard as she could. Pain bled through her and she mustered the strength for a few words.
"Can… Can you lay with me?" Joel nodded, slowly moving from the chair to the empty spot on the beside her. She tried to move but because of her leg, she couldn't turn over.
"It's okay, try not to move." Joel whispered, taking her in his arms, moving her as little as possible. She let out a small change in her breath. It quickened in pain and she sucked air in through her teeth. "I know… pain meds should kick in in a bit, baby girl. You'll have ta stay off that leg for a bit."
Ellie swore under her breath, knowing this would just delay their arrival to Salt Lake. She was so tired and she felt sleep slowly claiming her. "Okay…" Ellie whispered, not wanting to think about how many more people were getting Infected while she was stuck in bed due to her own stupidity. "I was so scared." Ellie suddenly uttered, catching Joel off guard. He looked down to her, seeing that horrible moment she fell replay in her eyes.
"I know, but I ain't gonna let anything happen to you, Ellie. I swear on my life…" Joel felt her hide in his chest, moving her head just slightly to tuck under his neck. His beard scratched the tip of her head, almost letting a smile creep on her lips. Thing's got a mind of its own. Ellie thought, but her smile died when another subdued push of pain ran through her leg.
"We stick together… no matter what?" Ellie asked, her voice raising in fear as she awaited his answer, worried if he'd be truthful or not. Joel nodded fiercely, looking down into her eyes and not allowing her to break the connection.
"No matter what, we stick together. We're a team now." Joel whispered. Ellie smiled subtly, falling asleep with that thought almost making the overwhelming pain in her tiny body quelm.