Chapter 9: Decision

The following day the three travellers were on their way again after their brief rest. Little was said between any of them after Ellie had confronted Jake; the atmosphere amongst them was tense to say the least. Jake's actions the previous day had lingered in Ellie's mind, unable to find any sort of answer for the cause. She didn't mention it to Joel, unsure as to whether that would be the right thing to do or not. She was also unsure if she should do anything on the matter. Not only that, but the thoughts and fears of abandonment occupied her mind. The idea of just being handed off to a stranger was inconceivable to Ellie, however it seemed to her like this would be reality. Regardless of those thoughts the auburn-haired girl continued on wordlessly, following her two protectors as if nothing was wrong.

"Jackson county. That means we're close Jackson City, right?" Ellie asked as she read a nearby sign.

"Shouldn't be more than a few miles," Joel replied.

"Ready to see dear old brother?"

"I'm just ready to get there."

"You nervous?"

"I don't know what I'm feeling," Joel answered simply as he began walking ahead, signifying the end of the short exchange.

"What happened between you two?" Ellie asked, her curiosity getting the better of her again, as the group followed the path of river to get to their destination.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Tommy... you're not together, so clearly something went down."

"We just had a bit of disagreement, that's all."

"Oh here we go... So what was it about?"

"Tommy saw the world one way. I saw it the other."

"And that's why he joined the Fireflies?"

"Yeah, your friend Marlene promised him hope. That kept him busy for a while, but just like Tommy he eventually quit that too."

"Hope? Hope for what? Hope from what?" Jake questioned internally.

"How was it, the last time you saw him?" Ellie enquired.

"I believe his last words to me were 'I don't ever want to see your goddamn face again'."

"Jeez. But he's gonna help us?"

"I suppose we're gonna find out."

"Well, with or without his help, we'll get there."

"Let's just keep going," Joel instructed ending the conversation with the reminder of progress as was now the norm for Ellie. After following the river, the group found themselves in front of a large structure that cut into the river, prompting Ellie to question Joel on what it is. "That right there is a hydroelectric power plant," Joel explained.

"A hydra who?"

"It uh... uses the river's movement and turns it into electricity."

"How's it do that?"

"Look I know what it is I don't know how it does it."

"Hey Jake you know-it-all, how's this thing work?" Ellie called out to the dark-haired teen but he didn't respond, instead he continued to stare and the ground whilst walking forward "Hey Jake," she called again this time Jake actually turned to face "Are you listening?" she asked but only got a confused look from Jake "Pay attention man. Anyway, how's this thing work?" she asked curiously as she pointed towards the structure.

"The river flows through and the movement from the flow spins turbines. These turbines then generate electricity through magnetic induction, or so I think," Jake explained after looking up the plant for a few moments.

"Ok, forget I asked," Ellie responded unable to understand what Jake's explanation meant. Jake then returned to facing the ground, head hung over and eyes sunken. "I hope he'll be alright," Ellie thought to herself "But what if he doesn't improve? What would happen to him once they hand me?" she questioned, her heart sinking from both the thought of abandonment and yesterday's events.

Joel turned a wheel on their current side of the plant which created a bridge that would get them halfway across. The group now had to figure out how to cross the remaining half of the plant. Joel had already gone under water to attempt find a way across. After a few minutes of waiting Joel had resurfaced along with a wooden pallet. He then pushed it towards Ellie who begrudgingly stepped onto it. Joel and Jake then transported Ellie to the other side of the plant where she turned another wheel that completed the bridge for the two smugglers. "Teamwork," Ellie said once the two had crossed to her side as she raised her hand up prompting Joel to give her a high-five. However, Jake did not copy the gesture, simply walking by as he continued to gaze expressionlessly at the floor.

"That's too small of a grave," Joel observed as he came across a small patch of turned dirt with a cross and teddy bear above it.

"I forgot to leave that stupid robot on his grave. What should I do with it?"

"Ellie," Joel responded firmly but irritably.

"What? I want to talk about it."

"No. How many times do we need to go over this? Things happen and we move on."

"It's just."

"That's enough," Joel cut off.

"You're right. I'm sorry," Ellie said and then the group continued on their way.

The group then made their way around the plant but soon found that there was nowhere left for them to go, so they decided to cut through the plant. Joel then attempted open the entrance to the plant but was interrupted by the sound of rifles being loaded. Sentries on watchtowers aimed their firearms at the group below.

"Don't even think about reaching for your weapons," a woman on a watch tower warned, prompting Ellie to ignore her warning at aim her pistol at the woman. "Tell the girl to drop hers. Now."

"Ellie. Do as the lady says," Joel instructed cautiously as he backed away from the gate and held his arms up in defence.

"Please tell me you're lost."

"We didn't know the place was occupied. We're just trying to make our way through."

"Through to where?"

"They're alright," the voice of an unknown male spoke up from behind the gate.

"What you know these people?"

"I know him," the man answered as he opened the gate to reveal his face "He's my goddamn brother."

"Tommy," Joel stated in both surprise and relief as his younger brother came to embrace him.

"How you doin' baby brother?" Joel enquired with a smile as he returned the hug.

"Let me look at you," Tommy said as he released from the hug "You got fucking old."

"Easy - it's gonna happen to you too," Joel responded with a chuckle as Maria came down to join the group.

"This is Maria. Be nice to her, she sorta runs things around here," Tommy introduced.

"Ma'am, thanks for not blowing my head off."

"Would've been embarrassing, considering you're my brother-in-law," Maria commented.

"We all gotta get wrangled up at some point."

"Ellie, right?" Maria asked to which the teen girl confirmed "And you?" she asked Jake but got no reply causing Ellie to nudge the dark-haired boy to get his attention.

"That's Jake. He's Michael and Aisha's kid and he's been with me for a few years after you left," Joel explained.

"Well, I'll be. He's got his old-man's looks and his mother's hair. Though that's quite the eyes he's got there."

"Thanks," Jake muttered barely audibly.

"What brings you all through here?" Maria questioned.

"Uh, it's kind of a long story," Ellie replied.

"Why don't we bring 'em inside?" Tommy suggested.

"Yeah. You two Hungry?" Maria asked to which Ellie expressed her starvation but Jake shook his head silently. The five of them then entered the dam with gate closing behind them. "False alarm. They're friendlies," she announced to the rest of the people of the dam "We've been dealing with raids. Lot of bandits in this area," Maria explained.

"It's been quiet for a few days."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Joel questioned "I thought I'd find you in Jackson."

"Been trying to bring the plant back to life."

"We had it working before, but one of the turbines went south," Maria elaborated.

"We have electricity Joel... had. We'll get it running again."

"No way," Ellie exclaimed "You guys have horses," she stated as she walked up to the animals.

"We got a whole lot of em."

"Can I?" Ellie asked whether she could pet the horse whilst Tommy went to assist someone else.

"Yeah of course," Maria confirmed "He likes when you pet his ears. You ever ride one?"

"I actually have."

"When have you ridden a horse?" Joel enquired.

"Winston, this soldier back in the zone. He gave me lessons," Ellie explained.

"You know if you want we can take 'em riding later," Maria suggested which Ellie openly accepted "What about you Jake? Wanna take them riding?"

"I've done it before," Jake replied simply.

"Really? When?" Ellie asked curiously.

"When I was younger, my parents found these two horses outside of town, they probably belonged to some dead military people. But we kept them for a bit a took them riding every now and then. We couldn't keep them around too long though because food was scarce."

"I'm sure you'd love to go riding then," Maria said as Jake nodded silently.

"All right, let's continue the tour," Tommy said as they entered an old building. As they did so a radio on Maria's person began buzzing.

"Yeah go ahead" Maria replied, prompting the man on the other end to continue.

"We're in the control room, Steve's about to start it back up. Do you wanna come check it out?" The man asked.

"I'd rather eat with Ellie," she told Tommy.

"It's my turn anyway. I'll go."

"We'll come too," Joel said "Go with Maria and put some food in you," Joel told Ellie.

"Joel?" Ellie questioned in discomfort.

"C'mon Ellie. Let's give the boys some space," Maria said so Ellie obliged with Joel's instructions.

"This'll be the sixth time of them trying to get the turbines back on-line. We've been here just a week, but it feels like forever," Tommy stated. "Uh... I got something for you," he said as he moved towards a bag atop a shelf "Last year I went back to Texas – back home. Most of our stuff was long gone. Most of it," he explained. "Here. It's a little faded but it still looks pretty good," he said as he then handed Joel a picture of a younger Joel and his daughter. Joel looked at the image in front of him for a moment before putting it down with a sigh. Jake then took the photo from Joel's grasp and looked at it intently.

"So this is Sarah. The life he had in the other world" Jake commented internally and then extended the photo back towards Joel.

"I'm good," Joel said, rejected the photograph and his past.

"I figured as much," Jake thought.

"You sure?" Tommy asked in verification "I mean-"

"I said I'm good," Joel interrupted so Jake handed the picture back to Tommy.

"Ok. Well, I'll hold onto it for you," Tommy replied as he put on top of the bag it came from.

"Tommy, I... I need to talk to you. Privately."

"Yeah, okay. Let me just check on my guys real quick," Tommy replied and the two brothers went off into the building however Jake retook the photograph whilst the two weren't looking.

"This could be useful," Jake concluded as he pocketed it.

"I don't know what you heard, but you should see the town. We're over twenty families strong now," Tommy stated as the three of them exited the building onto a bridge. "It was Maria and her father. They set up this place with the idea of being self-sustained. We got crops and livestock. Remember how we thought no one could live like this anymore? Well, we're doing it.

"Is it truly living or are you just surviving?" Jake mentally questioned.

"What do you do for protection?"

"Adults take turns guarding the perimeter. We even have an electrified fence when the plant's up and running."

"You still gotta deal with infected though, right?"

"Who doesn't? But it's the world we live in."

"Well, maybe you don't have to be."

"You sound like Marlene," Tommy joked as they entered the control room. He then introduced two people working on the turbine. After jokingly placing a bet the three made their way through the building to where the turbines where kept, there they observed the repairs being made. After the repairs were done the turbines were functioning normally yet again, causing shouts of celebration throughout the room. Tommy then led Joel and Jake towards a room where they could speak.

"That's quite the crew you got here," Joel remarked as he closed the door behind him.

"They're good men. This place gives them a second chance. Gives us all a second chance," Tommy commented "So why'd you leave Boston?"

"I've been on quite the adventure, little brother," Joel started as he sat down.

"I reckon it's got something to do with that girl."

"Oh it's got everything to do with that little girl.

"Well, go on then."

"She's immune."

"Immune to what?" Tommy questioned but soon pieced together what Joel implied given his silence "Oh c'mon."

"See I know. We've seen her breathe enough spores to take down a dozen men and nothing. I wouldn't have believed it neither, but I can show you."

"Alright, I'll bite," Tommy said as he sat down across from Joel "Why bring her here?"

"We were supposed to deliver her to the Fireflies. The way I figure they're your boys, you finish the job collect the whole damn payment."

"I haven't seen a Firefly in years."

"But you know where they are. Now I'm not asking for much, Tommy I just want some simple gear enough to set me on my way."

"What makes you think I'd do this for you?"

"This isn't for me Tommy. This for your damn cause."

"My cause is my family now. You ain't talking about some walk in the park here."

"Jesus boy, have Maria get some of your born-again friends to do it."

"They got families too," Tommy said firmly.

"Tommy I need this," Joel repeated at the edge of his patience.

"You want gear, sure," Tommy said calmly after a pause "But I ain't taking that girl off your hands," he stated as he got up from his seat.

"This is how you gonna repay me, huh?" Joel questioned in anger.

"Repay you?"

"For all those god damn years I took care of us."

"Took care? That's what you call it? I got nothing but nightmares from those years.

"You survived because of me," Joel yelled as he stood up.

"It wasn't worth it," Tommy responded as he tried to walk past his older brother but was pushed back against the wall by Joel.

"I bring you the cure for mankind and you wanna play the pissy little brother?"

"We ain't back in Boston. You lay your hands on me again it won't end well," Tommy warned. A few moments later a siren went off throughout the building.

"What the hell is that?"

"We're under attack," Tommy answered as he picked up his rifle from the ground "Kid can you kill?" Tommy asked Jake.

"Yeah," Jake replied as he too prepared himself for combat. Upon exit the three of them were immediately greeted by the sound of exchanging gunfire. The three of them, aided by the rest of the people at the dam, fought the bandits throughout the building. While doing so they were informed via radio that the bandits had made it inside one of the other buildings and were closing in on Maria and Ellie, putting all three of them on edge and causing them to hasten their assault. Eventually all the bandits were dealt with and Tommy reunite with Maria, at which Tommy immediately enquired whether Maria was ok or not.

"Jake," Ellie said as she came close to the teen "They were coming in from every direction. Then Maria was like 'We gotta run!' And so we dove over these tables and this huge guy blast in with this shotgun," Ellie said too quickly for anyone to follow.

"How is she this happy, all the time?" Jake questioned in his head as he zoned out again "Alright, alright. You're ok though, right?" Jake interrupted whilst shaking her from her shoulders,

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Absolutely not," Maria said adamantly to Tommy whilst Joel and Jake listened from a distance "You tell him to go find somebody else."

"Maria, I can't have this hanging over my head."

"Do you have any idea how many men we lost here today?"

"What's that all about?" Ellie asked as she approached the two smugglers but Joel simply shook his head at her. "Does that have anything to do with me?"

"We'll talk about it later," Joel replied.

"Did he tell you where the lab is?"

"We'll talk about it later," Joel repeated whilst emphasizing later.

"Later," Ellie said and then walked off.

"Go after her," Joel told Jake to which he wordlessly complied.

"Ellie," Jake expressionlessly called out to her.

"Fuck off Jake," she called back in anger as she began mounting a horse.

"So, this is my fault?" Jake muttered irritably and then mounted a horse as well whilst Ellie rode off on hers. Jake soon caught up to the auburn-haired teen but made no attempts to stop her. "I'm not going to stop you, from whatever you're doing."

"I'm getting away from Joel," she stated.

"Mind if I tag along?"

"Do whatever you want," Ellie dismissed. The two then rode in silence through the woods towards an abandoned ranch house. They stopped in front of it and dismounted their horses and entered the house. After making their way upstairs and into the farthest room and sat down on the back wall. The two teens sat their awkwardly whilst Ellie began reading a diary that was there. "Are you ok?" Ellie asked finally breaking the silence.

"Who knows," Jake responded with a sigh as he looked blankly towards the floor.

"Why did you... why did you try to kill yourself?"

"Why wouldn't I? What is the point in all this?"

"What do you mean?"

"My family, my friends, all dead. Here I am without any purpose in this world."

"What do mean, Joel's still here isn't he?"

"While you were gone yesterday, he essentially told me I have no meaning to him. Tell me, would you consider someone like that a friend?" Jake asked but only got silence from Ellie. Jake then began to laugh coldly out blue which surprised Ellie at his sudden outburst "I'd forgotten, the way this world works. Use or be used. To trust is to become vulnerable."

"So this is what Jake's really like. I never realised how hurt he's been from the world. I thought he was just hardened by world, but I never imagined this," Ellie thought "Is that why?"

"Well for that particular moment."

"So, you've tried before?" Ellie asked to which Jake simply nodded "Why didn't you say anything?"

"What would've happened if I did? The world wouldn't change at my whim."

"Don't you trust me?"

"I don't know what I trust anymore."

"Can't you talk to me about it?"

"What should I say? This is world is shitting, talking won't change that."

"Yeah, this world is pretty fucked up, I'll give you that. But that still doesn't mean that you should kill yourself."

"I just... don't know what else to do anymore. I can't fight without reason anymore."

"What was your reason before?"

"Family, friends, to protect the ones important to me. But that's all different now, no one's left. Then I fought for my hatred and loathing of this world. I didn't care, I wanted to give this world the same suffering it gave me. Now I don't even have that, I'm empty."

"Am I not... important to you?"

"I... don't know. I'm not sure if I know what it means when someone is important anymore." Ellie wasn't sure how to respond to that, on one hand she was somewhat hurt to know that Jake didn't care for her, but at the same time she wasn't surprised by. He always seemed so fixated on goals to her, and so detached that he didn't care for anything. "This world is just so pointless. The moment I get close to someone they're gone, just like that. There's no point in staying anymore."

"Yes there is. If you died, then I would feel the same thing you're feeling now. I don't want to lose anyone else too. Including you," Ellie replied firmly.

"You're not afraid of becoming attached, and then losing that person?"

"I more afraid of people walking away from me, becoming distant. But even when that happens you have to move on. You may not be able to replace those people, but you keep going. Eventually new people come along, and you keep going."

"What's the point? They just die soon after anyway. People are too short lived in this world.

"That's the reason why I need to get to the Fireflies. With a cure, the infection will start to go away. People will stop dying."

"That's just naivety. That world is impossible."

"But, I still have to try. Just please, hold out for the cure and then I'm sure things will start to improve. No one will have to die."

"We'll see," Jake replied.

"If you don't mind me asking, who's Mary?"

"My twin sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Had. After my parents died, we were supposed to make our way to Boston, to Joel. They thought it'd be safer for us there. On the way there, we got attacked by a bloater and then she sacrificed herself for me."

"So that's why you're afraid of bloaters," Ellie concluded and Jake confirmed her thoughts with a silent nod.

"So, what's up with you then?"

"Well, I'll be all alone again. You and Joel will be dumping me off with Tommy," Ellie answered but Jake couldn't say anything.

"Sorry."

"But you're not sorry, if you were you'd do something."

"What can I do?"

"You can come with me."

"Would that... be enough?"

"It would be more than enough," Ellie replied. Jake sat in silence letting the information sink in. After a few moments he drew the photograph of Sarah from his pocket and held it out to Ellie.

"Here, you should see this," Jake said as Ellie took the photo from Jake and studied it closely.

"Who's this with Joel?"

"His daughter, Sarah."

"So, you did know about Joel's family."

"Of course I knew. It just wasn't my place to say."

"So why are you saying it now?"

"Well I don't owe him any favours now. And I also I think you should know," Jake replied "The watch he wears, it was given to him by her on the night of the outbreak. That's why he won't take it off, even if it's broken. But she was killed that night by a soldier."

"Oh," Ellie let out melancholically."

"And that's the root of his story," Jake said as Ellie handed the picture back to him "You keep it. I have no use for it," he said so Ellie put the image away in her bag. "I'll go with you to the Fireflies," he announced as he turned to face Ellie, lifting his gaze from the floor for the first time since they arrived. His eyes no longer hung woefully but instead held his previous calm, confident demeanour.

"What changed?"

"Nothing, but it will give me purpose for a little while longer."

"Right," Ellie replied as Jake turned his head away from Ellie. "Hey, thank you," she said as she placed a hand on top of Jake's, causing him to turn back towards her. Jake only awkwardly nodded at Ellie's thank you whilst the two starred emptily at each other.

"Ellie! Jake!" Joel called from downstairs, dragging the two out of their thoughts knowing that they were no longer alone. They both then awkwardly turned away from each other.

"We're up here!" Ellie called back to Joel. After a few more moments the two teens were soon joined by Joel who looked at them both disappointedly but irritably at the same time.

"Get up, we're leaving," Joel instructed simply as he turned away.

"I thought I could make my own decisions now," Jake retorted flaming Joel's anger further. After neither of the two budged Joel's anger reached its tipping point, he stomped towards the teens and lifted Jake up by his hoodie and slammed him against the wall. The younger smuggler hissed and winced in pain momentarily but soon look amusedly at Joel to held him firmly off the ground.

"So, this is what it all comes to, huh?" Jake questioned while chuckling twistedly.

"You listen to me when I tell you to do something," Joel snarled at Jake "You put her at risk with your stupidity."

"Why should I listen? I'm just any other thug to you, aren't I? So, what are you going to do about it? Kill me?" Jake continued to question tauntingly with a smug look on his face. Joel then tightened his grip on the boy's clothes and then punched him the face. Blood began to drip from Jake's nose but he seemed unfazed by these events.

"You listen to me here. I don't know where you get off thinking that everything's shit, because your life has been just as terrible as mine. Ever since that day you've pissed me off with your psychotic attitude. And now you wanna be a fucking brat, disobey me and put everything we've done in jeopardy?" Joel spat furiously at the teen but Jake only burst into laughter at Joel's lecture.

"I don't think you have the right to speak on mentality," the dark-haired boy retorted. "So, how should I think then?" Jake asked Joel who still only held him in silence "How should I deal with this?" Jake now yelled at the elder man. Jake then raised his legs and kicked Joel away from him and then landed on the floor. "I'm not like the others, like Tess. I can't live like this, surviving day in and day out just for the sake of it. I need a purpose."

"Don't talk about Tess. You knew what she lived for, you took them both away."

"You think I wanted to?" Jake questioned the older man furiously.

"You chose to remove one of them."

"Well then please, tell me how to live happily in this damn world without a purpose."

"Quit acting like a little brat. How do you think the rest of us do it?"

"Well if you'd tell me I'd be more than fucking thrilled. And last I checked you're just as pissed at the world as I am," Jake yelled back but Joel had no answer, he only stood there as he began to cool slightly at the truth in Jake's words "I'm not her. I know that you saw her in me all those years ago. But I'm not her, never was and never will be. Whatever you saw then is buried," Jake said now no longer shouting.

"Jake!" Joel raised his voice once again.

"Enough. It doesn't matter anymore. We don't need each other anymore. I'm going with Ellie to the Fireflies."

"Do what you want," Joel spat at Jake. After a brief silence Joel then turned his attention to the red-head girl who sat reading a diary silently. "Get up."

"And if I say no?" Ellie asked in response.

"Do you even realise what your life means, huh? Running off like that, putting yourself at risk. It's pretty god damn stupid."

"Well I guess we're both disappointed in each other."

"What do you want from me?"

"Admit that you wanted to get rid of me the whole time."

"Tommy knows this area better than-," Joel began after a brief moment of hesitation.

"Agh, fuck that," Ellie interrupted and got up from seat whilst whipping her eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry I trust him better than I trust myself."

"Stop with the bullshit. What are you so afraid of? That I'm gonna end up like Sam? I can't get infected. I can take her of myself."

"How many close calls have we had?"

"Well, we seem to be doing alright so far."

"And now you'll be doing even better with Tommy," Joel shouted at Ellie, silencing her for a moment leading Joel to turn away.

"I'm not her you know."

"What?"

"Jake told me about Sarah. And I-"

"Ellie," Joel cut off gruffly, now at the end of his patience "You are treading on some mighty thin ice here."

"I'm sorry about your daughter Joel, but I have lost people too."

"You have no idea what loss is."

"Everyone I have cared for has either died or left me," Ellie replied as she stepped closer towards Joel "Everyone - fucking except for you two," Ellie shouted as she pushed Joel away "So don't tell me I'd be safer with someone else because the truth is I'd just be more scared," Ellie let out, now more emotionally than before.

"You're right, you're not my daughter. And I sure as hell ain't your dad. And we are going our separate ways," Joel stated sombrely yet firmly. Within moments of saying this Tommy burst into the room with urgency, disturbing the conversation at hand.

"Get it together, we're not alone," Tommy announced as he stood by the doorway armed with his rifle. After clearing through the small group of bandits that had infiltrated the house the group then promptly returned to their horses. They rode in silence with an gloom that hung over them, each of the three caught in their own thoughts. Night had fallen, and after some time riding in silence Jake pulled his horse forward so that he was now alongside Tommy. "So what are you gonna do now kid? I'm sure I could find a nice place for you in Jackson."

"No, I'm going with her to the Fireflies," Jake replied expressionlessly.

"There any particular reason why?"

"There is no reason, that's why I'm going."

"Not sure I follow."

"To be honest not sure if I do either."

"Are you sure? I mean Jackson is a safe place, a place of redemption. They could you use your skills."

"I appreciate the offer but I'm irredeemable. And I'm not going for myself anyway," Jake responded while glancing back towards Ellie.

"There she is," Tommy stated in pride as they looked onto the thriving town of Jackson "Kids'll be watching movies tonight."

"Where is this lab of theirs?" Joel questioned.

"All the way out - the University of Eastern Colorado."

"Go, Big Horns," Joel joked earning a chuckle out of Tommy "Ellie, get off your horse, give it on back to Tommy. I'm gonna hang onto this fella, if that's alright with you. Go on, don't make me repeat myself."

"What are you doing?"

"Your wife kinda scares me. I don't want her coming after me."

"Sorry for stealing your horse," Ellie apologised as she handed the reigns to her horse to Tommy. "Mind if I ride with you?" she asked as she made her way to Jake's, the amber-eyed teen accepted by offering her a hand which she took and sat on the saddle behind him.

"Look, come back to town, let's discuss it at least," Tommy insisted.

"Eh, you know me my mind's all made up," Joel responded.

"Restless and impractical as always," Jake spoke up in mockery which gained a quizical look from Joel.

"How so?"

"It's night, we're all tired from months of travelling without proper rest, a meal wouldn't hurt and some supplies would be nice."

"Alright, you win," Joel relented with a sigh "One night."

"Let's go then," Tommy announced as they began to ride down the hill towards the town's gates. Ellie then shifted on the saddle to rest her on Jake's back.

"Tired?" Jake asked.

"No, you're just comfy," Ellie replied.

"Don't get too used to it," replied with a smile.

"I think you should start getting used to it," Ellie teased.