Part 18: Focus on the future
There was silence in the medical office as Johnny sat next to Ellies hospital bed. They were waiting to hear if everything was okay with Ellie after the fight up at the house. Johnny was looking at his hands remembering the anger he felt when he almost shot Abby.
"Hey," Ellie said getting his attention.
"Yeah, you feeling alright?" He asked sitting up.
"Yeah don't worry I have to throw up yet," she said smiling.
Johnny smiled a little as he remembered when they came back. Abby and her friends were being kept in the back truck when they got past the gate. Chris and Philip were the ones in charge of leading them to the police station. There were two cells and they were rarely used. There was one time when someone in Jackson attacked a member from Philips group for what they did back before they started working with Johnny. But before they could hit him again Johnny and Steven arrived and said they saw everything.
Johnny was called a fool for trusting them and Johnny had to stop Steven from punching the man for what he said. Luckily Maria arrived and plenty of people spoke up for the man from Philips group. The man was put in the cell for a night and was told to apologize the next day. They hadn't an incident like that ever again.
"Well hows the future parents doing," David said while walking over to the bed.
"So I really am pregnant," Ellie said.
"Yeah and if you two are good at looking out for a team then youll do just fine being parents," David said smiling.
"I don't know, Rachel did warn us of being kept up some nights," Johnny said.
"Not to mention diapers," Ellie said looking nervous.
"Like I said youll be fine, now Ellie given your pregnant you know what that means right," David said.
"I know, no going out on missions," she said before sighing.
"It's for the best," Johnny said holding her hand when the door to the building opened.
Tommy with a bandage on his forehead walked in with Maria. Also with them was Philip and Chris.
"So David you got some news for us," Tommy said.
"I thought you wanted to check on Maria tomorrow," David said.
"Wait your having a kid as well Tommy, that's great," Chris said happily.
"We don't know for sure yet," Tommy said.
"You should be happy little brother," said Joel.
"Looks like hes up," David said opening the curtain next to Ellies bed. Joel was in some pajamas brought from home thanks to Jessie who was sitting next to him. His leg that had been shot was sticking out with a large bandage over the wound.
"You okay Joel," Ellie said sitting up.
"Yeah I'm alright, I guess I should congratulate you two, again," he said.
"Will give you all the help you need," said Jessie, "First by helping you move to a new place," she said smiling.
"Fine but you better come visit, I want our kid to know you Joel," Ellie said.
"Looking forward to it," Joel said smiling.
"I hate to change the topic, but what about the prisoner being held in cells right now," Maria said looking serious.
"Sounded like you know some of them," Tommy said looking at David who sat down.
"Yeah I did, thought I didnt see them when me and my wife had to leave the hospital," he said before looking at Joel, "What happeend when you went to rescue Ellie?" He asked.
"I got it," Johnny said before telling the story.
"The man who tried to stop you was Abbys father, I didn't know him that well," David said.
"So shes out for revenge against Joel," Ellie said.
"Makes sense," Chris said.
"They could have been after me as well since I destroyed what was left of the serum," Johnny said.
"It was better of that way, without the notes they wouldn't have been able to make the cure we have now from what they had," David said.
"Maybe that's why theres others with him," Philip said getting their attention, "David you recognized Abby and Owen right?" He asked.
"Yeah I don't know the rest of them," said David.
"Abby probably told them Joel was the reason why they didn't have the cure," Tommy said.
"And they came along with her to get payback," Jessie said.
"You think they'll change their minds if they see the cure we have?" Maria asked.
"It could be worth to try, but they could have lost people between back then and now from the infection," Joel said.
"Not to mention Abby had more then reason to come after us," Johnny said looking serious.
"Well we cant keep them here forever," Philip said, "Group as big as theirs the others will think somethings up if their not back in a few weeks or a month," he said.
"Hes got a point and we cant go out for a long time now," Chris said looking at Ellie.
Ellie looked down before looking up determined, "I want to talk to her," she said making them all look surprised.
"You cant be serious," Johnny said.
"Iam, remember when you were filled with anger," she said.
"Yeah I know," Johnny said remembering back when they escaped from the city Leo and his group were from. He was about to leave Joel and Ellie before she reminded him that there was still people who cared about him.
"Alright but ill be in the room with you," he said and Ellie nodded.
"Ill go too, I may not have known her well but hopefully she will be calm with someone familiar," David said.
"Are you sure," Joel said before he noticed Jessie hold his hand.
"Don't worry ill go with them, they'll be safe," she said before kissing him on the forehead.
"Thanks Jessie," he said smiling.
Much later David lead Abby, who was in handcuffs to the interrogation room. Ellie was already sitting at the table with Johnny and Jessie standing behind her.
"So is he still alive," Abby said sitting across from Ellie.
"Hes fine, wont walk for a while but hes okay," Ellie said as David sat down next to her.
Abby looked at David, "I cant believe your working with them, you know what he did at that bunker," she said nodding her head at Johnny.
"I was told the full story, how Isaac betrayed his parents and tried to kill their son," David said.
"What about the fireflies with him," Abby said.
"They worked with Isaac and shot his mother when she tried to escape with him and then shot his father when he found out what happened," Daivd said.
"Then what about the ones he and Joel killed in Salt Lake City," Abby said looking serious.
"Well my last encounter with them didn't go so well," David said looking serious as well.
"You could have helped us make a cure," Abby said before David put a syringe on the table, "What is that?" She asked noticing the liquid inside it.
"A cure," David said sitting back.
"How did you make it," she said.
"Johnny went back to bunker and found that doctors Journal," Ellie said.
"Still doesn't change anything, he still worked with Joel," Abby said looking angry as she sat up, "You think this was going to change my mind," she said.
"No I just wanted to talk to you," Ellie said.
"They took you out of the hospital where's we were going to make a cure," Abby said. Johnny noticed Davids fist clenched.
"What would you have done, at least tell me that?" Abby asked sitting up.
"I would have asked you to find another way, because I had people I need to live for," Ellie said looking serious.
"What about all the people weve already lost, we could have stopped it," Abby said before David slammed his fists on the table.
"BUT AT WHAT COST," he yelled standing up making Abby look surprised.
"Sorry," he said before sitting back down, "Abby do you really think things would have gone better if they had used Ellie to make cure,".
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"The world wouldn't have gone back to normal after it, bandits as well as infected would have been still out there," he said, "Its thanks to Johnny that we were able to make cure without anyone dying,".
"Me and my wife had a daughter a while after we left Salt Lake City and I wished we could have done something for Ellie, that's why we were relieved when we saw her in Jackson for the first time," he said.
"Abby, killing Johnny or Joel wont change anything about what happened," Ellie said before looking at her stomach, "If they hadn't showed up in time I wouldn't be here pregnant with a child I want,".
Abby looked shocked by what she said, "Johnny was filled with rage even after what happened in the bunker," Ellie said.
"How did you change," Abby said looking at Johnny.
"I realized that there were still people in this world who cared about me," Johnny said.
"I'm sorry by the way, I noticed Owen is focused on Mel and its easy to tell who the father is," David said.
"That cure really works," Abby said looking at the syringe.
"Yes we saw it work," Johnny said calmly. Not moving from where he was standing.
Abby looked at the table as she shut her eyes, "What am I supposed to do now," she said.
"We could help you focus on something else," Johnny said stepping forward, "With you here we don't have to be enemy's with the WLF, we could get peace between the groups," he said.
"You'd do that, after what I almost did," Abby said looking over at Ellie.
"We all do things differently when were only filled with anger and only focused on one thing," Johnny said calmly.
"For what it's worth, I am sorry," Abby said.
"Sorry things had to happen like this," Ellie said.
"No you were right, we should have tried to find another way," Abby said looking down, "Take me back to the cell, Ill tell them whats happening," she said.
David looked at Johnny who nodded. David walked over to Abby as she stood up and walked to the exit.
"Johnny," she said getting his attention as Ellie stood up, "I really hope we can work everything out," she said.
"I hope so," Johnny said as he looked at Ellie.
"You two ready to go home," Jessie said.
"Sounds good to me," Johnny said as he and Ellie walked out hand in hand. But as they walked out Ellie thought of what Philip said about the WLF wondering where Abbys group is. Then she thought of what Dina said if she found out she was pregnant would Johnny have to take a break.
"What do I do," she thought looking worried.