Chapter 32

"So, uh… where's your mom?" Nathan tried to keep up the conversation. Ellie was happy that the topic had changed, but this wasn't exactly what she wanted to be talking about next. She lifted her eyes to see the boy, who was playing with an empty can in his hand.
"Dead. What about your dad?"

The fact that Ellie said it so straight dropped Nathan instantly. She was tough. He had to furrow his brows while thinking of it, then coughing before answering her.
"Same, I guess" he sighed, nodding a few times before leaning forward. Ellie followed him with her eyes. She could finally feel more comfortable with him, noticing that some company of her own age did feel different.

"I've never seen him. Mom says he was a good man, and I'd like to believe her" Nathan continued, dropping the empty can onto the table. Ellie sneered, shaking her head.
"If every man was a good man, we'd have less to worry about" she sighed quietly, lowering her gaze. Nathan sneaked a peek at the girl, thinking what those words might have meant.

"They are the same age, aren't they?" Alice started once the two of them got outside. Joel was the first to lean against the fence, stopping to stare at the darkness. It was quiet.
"I guess so" he answered briefly, feeling his back pocket to ensure his gun was in there. Despite the fact he had just checked it before they walked out the door, he felt rather insecure.

Alice couldn't get her eyes off Joel, and he noticed this. She had stopped next to him, leaning against the same fence. Joel didn't feel uncomfortable, even though Alice had been staring at him the whole evening. Only now there was no one else to judge her for that.
"Although I've certainly enjoyed the adult company, too" the woman chuckled, then finally turning her eyes elsewhere. She gazed into the darkness, sighing deeply before continuing.
"And it's nice to know that not all men are rapist pigs"

She said it rather lightly, which made Joel furrow his brows the slightest bit. Had she been raped, or had she just gotten the picture from the world as it was? Not that she would've been all wrong with that, either.

Joel felt like answering, but he didn't know what to say. Yeah, he did fit the profile, but it wasn't like it was an achievement. He decided to nod along, lowering his gaze a little bit. Alice turned her eyes back at him, staying quiet for a while.
"I really am thankful for what you've done for me. For us" she said with an honest voice. The conversation was not easy going enough that Joel would've been able to enjoy the fresh air around them. Even so, he couldn't blame her.
"Yeah, of course" Joel nodded, keeping his eyes on the ground some distance away. His thoughts were on Ellie and Nathan, and focusing on Alice was hard. Her being so straight forward didn't make it any easier.

Alice didn't feel like she was heard correctly, moving slightly towards Joel as she thought about what she would say next.
"Feel free to ask anything in favor" she spoke with a tone softer than earlier. She lowered her gaze a bit, which made Joel feel a bit uncomfortable. He once again furrowed his brows, just nodding along as he had a quick look at her. She was rather close, and clearly measuring him with her eyes.
"We should probably check on the teens" Joel then blurted, leaning back to detach himself from the fence. He approached the front door, leaving Alice some feet behind him. She exhaled deeply after getting a rather unsatisfying answer, then following right after.

"Well, you're lucky to have your dad" Nathan had continued the conversation, doing it at the same time Joel walked in the door, and his arrival was noted by both of the teens.

The word echoed in his head, for he knew Nathan meant him. Ellie became anxious when she noticed that Joel had heard Nathan's words, now looking at Joel with a sigh. Despite that, he walked further into the room, making his way towards the couch.
"Well, yeah… It's not exactly…" Ellie was mumbling out of politeness, lowering her gaze. It would've been easier to just live up to the expectations, saying that they indeed were father and daughter. Even so, Joel had always been correcting this fact as it came up.
"It's good to have her around, too" Joel answered for her. Ellie stopped. As Joel sat to the other end of the couch, she slowly rose her eyes to him. Nathan was just keeping up the conversation, and the situation seemed more than normal to him.

Ellie waited for Joel to turn his head, and he did. After a second of comforting eye contact, Alice closed the door, breaking the silence. Even though the look had lasted for such a short time, it helped Ellie.
"It's been a long day, Nathan. I think you kids should head to bed" the woman spoke once she arrived to the living room. She didn't sit down, for the only free space was in between Ellie and Joel. She assumed the girl would follow her advice and head upstairs as soon as Nathan did.

Joel furrowed his brows. It felt odd to have someone else bossing around. Not that she had given him any orders, but Ellie was still technically his to look after.

Ellie didn't find the instructions easy to follow, even though they were simple. She furrowed her brows, gazing at Nathan for a second. Her mind was fighting greatly against following the woman's orders, for she had not yet gained any respect towards her.
"We'll have a quick adult chat and come right up" Alice continued. An alarm went off inside Ellie's head, and she turned her head at Joel. He furrowed a brow while he rewound her words, and Ellie knew she had understood what that was about. She longed for a look from Joel to confirm her thoughts, but he didn't give that to her.

"Yeah" Nathan sighed, climbing up from the armchair. He looked at Ellie while walking towards the stairway.
"Alright" Ellie spoke quietly, still looking at Joel. She still waited for him to return the gaze, but he didn't. After a while, the girl got up from the couch, heading towards the stairs after Nathan.
"Good night" Joel finally opened his mouth, then looking at Ellie once she had reached the lowest step. After he had noticed that Ellie actually followed Alice's instructions, he felt odd for not following her to bed. They had been sleeping together for months.
"Good night" the teens answered, but they didn't look back. Their presence wasn't clearly respected at that point, for Alice had intentionally driven them away.

After the kids had gone upstairs, Alice took seat on the couch next to Joel. Even though there was space further away from him, she sat right next to the man, gazing into the weakening flame in the fireplace. The room was getting darker and darker as it died down.
"You must have found a crazy person to make a kid with you during times like these" Alice blurted after a moment of silence. Joel frowned his face, thinking that it indeed was a new way to bring it up. Even though it wasn't true.
"Yeah" he sighed, thinking it was the easiest way to go on with the lie. It seemed that he wasn't too talkative while being alone with Alice.
"Not that I'm judging. You are, uh… " the woman continued, sliding closer and closer to him. Joel had known where she was heading all along, and it seemed that Alice really wanted this. Before continuing the sentence, Alice leaned towards Joel with her face turned at him. She got closer and closer to his ear before she finally finished the sentence.
"- hot". It was a whisper, straight into his ear.

Joel sighed before slowly turning his head. Alice gazed straight into his eyes once she had the chance, showing deep lust as her chest went up and down. Joel dared to let his eyes wander before inhaling and tardily climbing up from the couch. Alice had lifted her legs onto the couch, now almost regretting for being so straight forward. She lifted her eyes to see him, and she then noticed that Joel wasn't backing up. He stood right in front of her, gazing down into her eyes, making Alice's heart race.

Without a word, Joel determinedly climbed on top of the woman, making her fall on her back to her full length. He pushed his face near hers, laying his other hand to her shoulder and attaching his lips to her neck. Alice moaned as she felt his warm body so close to hers. Now she had gotten what she wanted.
"You can't say you haven't missed this" Alice sighed while holding her eyes closed. Joel took her almost aggressively, yet she enjoyed every second of it. After hearing her words, Joel detached himself for a second to look into her eyes. He kept a small pause before opening his mouth.
"It's confusing" he started, panting a bit. He couldn't deny that he had not longed for something like this, for he had been quite sure it would never happen again.
Alice furrowed a brow, sneering as she thought of it.
"What is?"

Joel took another second to think of it, even though Alice was clearly waiting for him to continue.
"The first man who ain't a… rapist pig - as you said it, and you decide to have sex with him" he continued, assuming that he was right. At least he could easily make that out of her words and actions that evening. Alice chuckled silently, biting her lip.
"Well, none of the rapists were as charming. And I always managed to blow their brains out before they got what they wanted. I don't feel like doing that to you"

Joel scoffed, having almost caught his breath before continuing. He reached for his jeans, unbuttoning and lowering them as his lips touched her neck again. Alice let her hands wander behind his head, enjoying every moment as she twirled locks of Joel's hair between her fingers.

Once Joel had dealt with his jeans, he moved on to hers. After he laid his hands on her hips, pulling her jeans down, he felt a hand on his abdomen, stopping him where he was. Joel stopped the kissing, detaching from Alice with both his lips and hands. Even though he was running by instinct from this point on, he didn't want to force her to anything. It was not like him, and he never wanted to become something like that.
"Just don't…" Alice started, and Joel sighed.
"Yeah, I know"

Came morning, and Ellie opened her eyes. She yawned while rising her upper body from the bed, gazing around her to find Joel. Usually she woke up so close to him, it felt odd not feeling his warmth right away.
"Joel?" she asked, furrowing a brow while rubbing her eyes to wake them up too. After a moment of glaring around the room, she had to admit that he wasn't there.

Once Ellie climbed down from the bed, she grabbed her pistol from the bedside table. She checked that it was loaded before slowly heading out of the room. She was quite certain it wasn't anything serious, but she would not leave her gun behind. In a world like this, anything could happen and you should always assume the worst.

After reaching the stairway, Ellie silently walked down the steps until she reached the ground floor. She had her pistol pointed up all the way, until she noticed what was going on. With a shocked face she stared at the couch. Or better yet, the people on it.

"Joel" she gasped silently after she'd gotten closer. In no way did she want to be near them, but she was now in the hearing range. That being if they weren't sleeping too tightly.

At least he wasn't. After hearing Ellie speak, Joel frowned his face with closed eyes, sighing before opening them. He was lying underneath the woman, who rested her head on his chest, asleep. They were covered with a small blanket which luckily was big enough to cover the most of their bodies. Even so, their legs and arms were showing enough that Ellie realized they probably weren't wearing any clothes.

"What…?" Joel mumbled while glaring around him. He was not upstairs, and it was not a bed. Most importantly it wasn't Ellie lying on top of him. It was confusing, hadn't she just talked?
"Oh my God. Did you-" the girl started excitedly, trying to keep her voice down not to wake up Alice. Joel bit his teeth together after noticing who lied on top of him, then moving his eyes to see Ellie. He swallowed, moving the blanket a bit to ensure that he wasn't showing anything inappropriate. He instantly remembered last night, and was fully aware of being completely naked.
"Not a word" he mumbled, swallowing as Alice made a slight movement.
"So, this was your 'adult chat', then-"
"Ellie" Joel said with a serious voice, glancing down to see Alice's head. Luckily she was still asleep.
"Get upstairs. Now" Joel ordered, gazing at Ellie once he had the chance. He didn't like the fact that she had came closer, but he was not holding the cards right now.

Ellie chuckled quietly, pushing her pistol into her back pocket with a wide smile
"But I'm hungry-"
"Now" Joel demanded with an even more powerful voice. Alice seemed to be waking up due their conversation, and Joel didn't want Ellie to be around once that happened.
"You're gonna have to try harder than that" the girl sneered, keeping her position while crossing her hands. Joel furrowed his brows, glaring around him.
"What? Ellie, just… please go" he finally begged instead of demanding, which had an instant effect on the girl. She shrugged with a surprised look on her face, turning around.
"That'll do. All you had to do was to ask nicely" she chuckled, walking towards the stairway. Joel sighed, being sure she would finally leave them alone.
"But-" Ellie then continued, turning around once more. Joel lifted his head again, biting his teeth together.
"- be quick. I really am hungry."
"Go" Joel then demanded with a low voice, making her finally leave them alone. She climbed upstairs, and Joel sighed while turning his eyes to Alice.

Joel coughed intentionally to wake Alice up, succeeding at once since they were so close to each other and her head was resting on his chest. Alice frowned her face, cracking her eyes a bit to see what was so warm. She lifted her head, seeing Joel's chest underneath her.
"Oh" she smiled, rising her gaze to Joel's face.
"Hello there, handsome" Alice smirked, lifting her hand on top of his chest and sliding her fingers around. She approached his lips with her own, slowly closing her eyes again.

Joel swallowed, turning his head to gaze towards the ceiling.
"We should get up" he spoke, already moving a bit to make her hurry. She furrowed her brows while gazing into Joel's eyes, stopping where she was. Joel dug up his hands from beneath them, trying to crawl up. Alice did not understand the situation.
"I don't want the kids to see us like this" he then explained, trying to get her to agree with him. It seemed to work, and Alice glared up towards the stairway.
"Yeah, right" she realized, climbing down from the couch. She revealed her body the same moment she slid out from underneath the blanket, grabbing it right after it fell on top of Joel. He grabbed it at the same time, since he was also completely naked and aware that the kids were already awake.
"You look better that way" Alice said, keeping her grip on the blanket. Joel sighed deeply while letting go of it, gazing down to find his underwear.
"Mom, are you there?"
"Oh, fuck" Alice grunted, hurrying to grab her own underwear. Joel turned his head towards the stairway, blaming himself for not telling Ellie to forbid Nathan from coming downstairs. It was too late now.
"Yeah, honey. What's up?" Alice hurried to answer, already wearing her underwear. She was getting cold after getting out from the blanket and Joel's warmth, and hurried to grab her shirt from the floor. Nathan was already walking down the stairs, as they could hear the steps. Another pair of feet was quickly approaching the stairs too.

Joel had barely found his underwear, but finding his jeans was easy after that. He got them on right on time.
"Nothing. I was just worried…" Nathan started, getting downstairs with a pistol in his hand. He put it down once he saw the two of them standing in the living room: Alice was wearing everything but her jacket, but Joel did not have a shirt. His upper body was on the show with all the scars and still recovering wounds: including the one on his abdomen.

The boy stopped talking after seeing Joel and Alice. They looked like they had been interrupted, and Nathan was not stupid.
"Oh" he sighed, and suddenly another pair of legs was hitting the stairs.
"Nathan" Ellie hurried to call, but she noticed it was too late when she reached the halfway in the stairs and saw straight into the living room.

Alice was quickly getting enough of the silence, glaring at Joel while thinking of something to say.
"I was checking the wound. Seems to be healing alright" she lied, taking a short look at the badly stitched scar on his abdomen. Joel nodded slowly to her words, realizing that the kids probably wouldn't believe a word. They both turned to look at his upper body, thinking it was the worst excuse they had ever heard.

Ellie scoffed, hopping down to the ground floor and making her way towards the living room. Joel suddenly felt awfully naked, realizing that he should grab his shirt.
"Yeah? So, how did he get it? Huh?" Ellie inquired with a evil grin on her face. Joel's eyes widened as he bit his teeth together. Alice furrowed her brows, swallowing after hearing the question. She had no idea.
"He, uh…" she coughed, watching as her son walked into the living room, too. Joel gave a deadly gaze to Ellie while grabbing his shirt from the floor. Ellie was enjoying the situation too much to care, since she had already forgotten the serious talk they had had the day before. Even Joel didn't think of it at the moment.

But Alice couldn't think of anything. She knew their lovely evening was no longer a secret, and she sighed while putting her gaze down. Ellie sat on the armchair, lifting her feet up.
"Yeah, we're not dumb" Ellie scoffed, gazing at Nathan who slowed down when reaching the couch. He didn't seem to want to sit on it. Alice's face showed that she felt bad, but Joel was just plain angry at Ellie, who seemed to intentionally bully them about it.
"If I were you, I wouldn't sit there either" Ellie chuckled, looking at Nathan. He had been awkward ever since he got downstairs, but Ellie's jokes finally made him smile a bit. It was kinda funny.
"Stop it" Joel warned the girl, finally getting his shirt on. He was more uncomfortable than he had been in a really long while. But why was he so angry?

Ellie thought it was the right time to stop joking, and she sighed while turning her head to see the fireplace. It was a bit chilly, but spring was definitely approaching. Alice sighed deeply while thinking of her next words. Nathan had finally sat on the couch, looking at the table after the smile had completely vanished from his face.
"Yeah, it's no secret, I guess" Alice shrugged, trying to shake off the embarrassment. She got closer to Joel, grabbing his hand into her own while gazing up to see his face. Instead of accepting the touch, he took a step further away with a furrowed brow and coughed.
"Let's change the subject" he spoke while backing up, walking towards his backpack. Alice's face showed clear astonishment as she watched him back down. What did she do wrong?

Nathan instantly felt bad for his mom, taking a quick look at Ellie. She shrugged back, having absolutely no idea what was happening. Joel turned around once he had grabbed his gear, walking straight towards the door while cocking his pistol.
"I'll clear you a safe path back to your cabin" he announced, then opening the door and leaving the cabin without another look at the others. After a few seconds, he was gone.

Alice looked at the door for longer than anyone else. She swallowed while holding back the tears. She was disappointed and ashamed, still trying to look strong in front of the kids. Once the anger inside her grew bigger than the shame, she turned around to see the teens.
"Nathan, let's pack our things. We should head back" Alice said while walking towards the living room table. She grabbed her pack with her left hand, starting to gather up the remaining food from the table. Nathan got up from the couch, making sure he had all his stuff with him. Ellie furrowed her brows, gazing down while thinking the situation through. Had she been too mean? No, Joel could not be annoyed so easily. There had to be something else on his mind.

And then Ellie remembered it. She realized that their conversation last night had been rudely interrupted by Nathan and Alice arriving right after they had woken up. She sighed quietly while taking a short look at Nathan. She hoped he wasn't as pissed as his mother probably was, for he could open his mouth in rage.

At least it didn't happen in their cabin. Once Alice had gathered their food, she grabbed her pistol and turned to see Ellie.
"It was nice seeing you" she smiled weakly, turning around immediately after her words. Ellie didn't give her a straight eye contact, but only lifted her eyes once she had turned around. Nathan followed his mother to the door, only staying for a few seconds after she had gone out herself. He turned to see Ellie once more, but didn't say anything. He had a quick look at her arms before walking out the door.