A/N Just like Chuck with the bell tower, Kenny has sacrificed himself for the sake of his friends. But more danger stands in their way to the Marsh House. Be sure to let me know what you think of this crossover. I do not own The Walking Dead or The Last of Us.

Chapter 5: Separation

Halfway there. The group was already halfway there to the Marsh House. Staying on the rooftops has proven to be a better route for the survivors compared to having to navigate through the chaos on the streets. As they were walking, Joel looks over his right shoulder seeing Lee still clutching onto his wounded left arm with Carley close by his side and Christa and Omid right behind them.

Joel: "Lee. You holding up all right?"

Lee: "Yeah, I'll be fine."

The painkillers were helping, but it would still take some time for the pain to completely go away. All Lee could think in that moment was how fortunate he was to have made it out alive back there in the alley after taking a fall like that. Not only that, but now Kenny was out there in the streets all alone taking on Hunters and walkers. The sound of gunfire and screaming from the distance hasn't stopped since the herd arrived. Looking out into the distance, he wondered if any of them were coming from his friend. Chuck was still out there, too, but lord knows if he was able to make it down from that bell tower safely. Christa noticed this and tries to talk to him about it.

Christa: "About what happened in the alley. Do you... wanna talk about it?"

The man deepened the frown on his face. Honestly, there really wasn't much else to say. He was trying really hard to believe that Kenny wasn't dead and to focus on the goal at hand.

Lee: "I'm thankful to be alive right now, but I'm also worried as hell about Kenny. But, we can't stop now. He wouldn't want us to. I just hope we can find him still alive out there after we get them back."

Carley: "Me too. I know I wasn't happy with how he's acted in the past, but that didn't mean I wanted something bad to happen to him."

Lee: "He could be tough to like, but he wasn't a bad guy."

Carley: "It's a good that you gave him that shotgun, Joel. Might stand a better chance out there with that thing."

Joel: "Yeah, well, I reckoned he'd need it more than I did. Kenny knew what he was doing."

Just then, they come up to a bridge built out of pallets and planks. It was connected to this rooftop all the way to the next one across the alley below. Omid looked down from the ledge and could see plenty more walkers roaming around.

Omid: "Well, good thing someone built this here bridge to get us across. River street will be a straight shot from here."

While that may true, Joel was thinking otherwise. It seemed pretty convenient for there to be a bridge that connects two separate rooftops far apart from each other. Maybe too convenient. Call it a gut feeling, but Joel had a suspicion about this bridge. A feeling that they shouldn't even cross it. However, this was the only way forward. Can't climb down. Can't go back. Gotta keep moving forward.

Joel: "Screw it."

The man was the first to step up and begin walking across while the rest followed suit. Despite the creaking from their footsteps, it was holding up pretty well. Unfortunately, that wouldn't last for long. A Hunter wearing a red jacket and a mask stepped up on top of an air conditioner unit with a lit molotov in his hand and shouts out to the tourists.

Hunter: "You're gonna burn, assholes!"

The crew stopped where they were and look to see the Hunter. With one great throw, the molotov flies through the air heading straight for the tourists. They all move out of the way as it smashes on the bridge and fire bursts out in between them with Joel and Lee on one side and Carley, Christa and Omid on the other. They've been caught in another ambush. One that was set up for whenever the "bell ringers" came through here.

Lee: "Fuck!"

Christa: "Jesus fucking Christ!"

Looking down below, they could see the fire burning away at the support beams. The whole thing was about to come down with them on it.

Joel: "Get off the bridge! Run!"

They took off in opposite directions in a hurry. Just as the bridge had snapped apart from the fire, Carley managed to reach her side with the couple as the board slipped out from her feet, but then tripped and fell over just as the two men had to jump for it. Joel was able to stick the landing, but Lee barely made it and was now hanging onto the edge with his feet skidding on the side of the building. Joel was about to hurry over and help him up, but didn't have time for that when three more Hunters jump down from a scaffolding nearby and were coming for them. Omid and Christa try helping their friend up on her feet, but they get attacked from behind when Christa was grabbed in a choke-hold just as Omid got pulled away and had to step back to avoid being struck by a bat. Carley saw another Hunter with a rifle on an adjacent rooftop and hurriedly got up to withdraw her gun and shoot him in the head before he could get a shot off on any of them. She was successful, but then another Hunter lunges at her and they both fight over the weapon in her hand.

When Carley saw that Christa was in trouble, she knees the violent man in the crotch to stun him and redirects her gun so that it was aiming at Christa's attacker and managed to shoot him in the arm, allowing Christa to break free and take out the screwdriver she still had on her to stab this man in the shoulder. He shoves her away to pull out his knife and she barely avoids it when he swung at her. As they circle each other, the tall woman's feet hit something. She gave a quick glance to see it was an empty bucket. Looking past the Hunter in front of her, she finds her boyfriend being pushed back to the edge of the rooftop and glares. Thinking on her feet, Christa kicks the metal bucket that her enemy avoids, but his buddy ends up getting bashed in the back of the head by it. Omid took advantage of this maniac getting stunned and swung the sharp end of his pipe right at his enemy's temple and then had to yank it away, leaving the scissor blades Joel taped onto it earlier in the dead Hunter's head. This little upgrade Joel gave his weapon worked like a charm. And then he rushes over to return the favor for his girlfriend by striking the Hunter in the ribs. When he turns to face the short man, Christa jumped in to stab him in the back of his neck. Omid swings again at his head to knock him down and Christa finishes him off back jamming the screwdriver in his head. Truth be told, the Hunters were not the first violent people the couple had to defend themselves against before they ran into the crew from Macon on that train. Carley meanwhile fought back against the remaining Hunter on their side by pulling her gun right underneath the Hunter's chin and pulls the trigger, causing blood to burst out from his mouth before he drops dead.

On the other side, Joel quickly reached for his revolver and shot down one Hunter charging at him, but then another picked up a steel pole and swung at his head. Joel ducks to avoid it and then grabs hold of it when swung at him again. He then tried aiming for the Hunter's head, but his wrist was grabbed and pushed away. They both kept shoving each other until the masked Hunter grabbed Joel from behind, which made him lose his grip on the revolver and struggled to break free. Lee had managed to get his forearms up on the ledge and saw one of the Hunters getting ready to take a swing at Joel with the pole. He tries to help where he could by reaching for his new pistol from his shoulder holster, takes aim and shoots the Hunter right in the gut, causing him to stagger and give Joel the opening to kick him away, hits the bastard holding him with the back of his head, elbows him and swings his machete to cut his throat open. The Hunter Lee shot at noticed him on the ledge and angrily ran straight for him. Lee fires another bullet at his arm, but it only slowed him down a little. He shoots him again in the shoulder, missing his head. Just as the pole was held up high, Joel quickly retrieved his revolver and saved his friend by shooting the pole out of the Hunter's hand and he holds it in pain. He receives another bullet right in the knee, causing him to kneel in front of Lee, who then grabs him by the shirt and tosses him over to send him falling down to the alley and dies upon hitting the pavement.

With all the Hunters down, Joel finally gets the chance to help Lee. Hurrying over to him, he grabs hold of his hand and pulls him up on solid ground. While they could now catch their breath, the men look to see Carley, Christa and Omid all the way on the opposite rooftop. All three looked at them with anxiety.

Joel: "Shit. I knew shouldn't have tried crossing that damned thing."

Christa: "Are you guys okay?"

Lee: "We're fine! As fine as we can be..."

Omid: "What do we do now?"

Searching around below and around the rooftops, it didn't seem like there really was anything they can do. No ladders, no fire escapes, no bridge, nothing. They had no way to regroup with each other. As much as this sucks right now, they had no choice but to go their own separate ways for now.

Joel: "We gotta keep moving!"

Christa: "Wait, what?!"

Omid: "Hey, guys, hold on! Not by yourselves!"

Joel: "There's no way you can get to us from here and we can't come back for you!"

Carley: "What the hell do you expect us to do then?!"

The reporter obviously wasn't happy about this situation they're in right now. Nobody was. But Clementine and Ellie's kidnapper will not keep them at the Marsh House forever. They can't risk losing them, not when they're this close to reaching them. Lee looks over his shoulder and sees the Talmadge Memorial bridge. That's where they'll be heading towards after they get the girls back. The others can still make it there in the meantime. With this in mind, he holds his hand near his mouth and yells,

Lee: "Let's meet outside of town, by the bridge!"

Carley: "Lee-"

Lee: "It's the only way. We'll get the girls from the hotel and meet y'all there. Find Kenny and Chuck on the way if you can. Do you hear?"

Omid: "Yeah, by the bridge!"

Christa: "Jesus. We'll- we'll be there! And we'll keep an eye out for them!"

While it was clear that there was no other option, Carley still didn't want to let them go after them all by themselves. What if more Hunters try to jump them or something else goes wrong and need their help? The couple behind her could really empathize how she was feeling.

Lee: "Carley, we'll find each other! I swear to you, we'll find you as soon as we can!"

Carley: "You better. Just... be careful and don't do anything stupid!"

Lee: "We'll try."

Hopefully, this won't be the last time they ever see each other. Christa reached for her friend's arm and the three of them eventually start walking in the opposite direction, even glancing behind them for one last look, hoping for their success. After watching them go, Lee winces as he clutches his left arm again and turns to face the man next to him.

Joel: "You good?"

Lee: "Yeah."

Joel: "Then let's move."

The two men move away from the ledge and continue where they left off. River Street was right ahead of them. And then the hotel. Their friends were able to help them make it this far. Now, the two of them just have carry on and keep pushing the rest of the way together. Whatever it takes.

The Stranger had moved away from the bed Ellie was tied to and stands in front of the window in the hotel room, staring out at the evening scenery. He was anticipating for if and when Lee, Joel and their people would arrive here. There was a lot he had prepped in his mind what he would say and do.

Stranger: "They are monsters. They are murderers, thieves. And if they come here, I am going to hurt them so bad."

Ellie: "You got that shit backwards. The only monster I see here is you, worse than the actual monsters roaming around out there, and they're gonna kick your ass when they get here."

His eye twitched from her continuous swearing. But he still maintains his composure and a calm tone as he speaks.

Stranger: "After I heard Clementine on the radio and realized who your people were, I came after them purely for revenge. But the more I heard about the things they've done and the danger they put you through… our plan changed."

Ellie furrowed her eyebrows at that last sentence. Our plan? What did he mean by that? He couldn't be referring to Clementine, and there's nobody else here with him… right? He goes back to the bed and stands beside it with a serious look on his face focusing on her.

Stranger: "Ellie, listen to me. I need you to hear this before what happens next. I can take care of you. And Clementine. We'll all be safe together. We can be a family."

The teen girl frowned at his words. Be a family? With this guy? Only when Satan starts ice-skating across Hell, maybe. But until then, there was no chance she'd want herself or Clem to stay with this creep. He noticed the discomforting look on her face and narrows his eyes.

Stranger: "I bet they don't even know how old you two are."

Ellie: "Yeah, they do."

Stranger: "Really? Did Lee know that Clementine's birthday was six days ago, making her nine years old as of now?"

Ellie: "What?"

She didn't know that. Nobody did. Clem never mentioned when her birthday was. The stranger got the answered he needed based off her reaction.

Stranger: "Didn't think so. It's one of the important things that a father should know about when raising a child. I know how to be a dad, you know. Neither of you would be exposed to what you have been with them."

Ellie: "You are so full of shit. We are alive right now because of them. So what if we've seen some messed up shit? That's all kinda hard to miss with the world fucked up the way it is."

Stranger: "That won't happen. Not ever again. Not as long as you're with me."

Ellie: "You just said that you lost your own kid in the woods, and you lied to Clementine about her parents just to get to us, and now you're gonna talk all that shit about Joel and Lee thinking you can take care of us? Fucking hypocrite! And you can try to twist this into however you want, but bottom line is, you kidnapped us! Not rescue, kidnapped! There's a fucking difference and you know it, asshole!"

Stranger: "That's enough, young lady! I have warned you more than once to watch! Your! MOUTH!"

She just wouldn't stop making this so difficult. How could she not realize that he is their best and only chance while those people are ruining their lives and will only bring them to an early grave? That's what he was thinking in that moment. Hearing the volume in his angry tone made Clementine flinch a little from the other side, really hoping that he doesn't hurt her. Ellie was trying her best not to show any fear in eyes right now and continued to be defiant with the stranger, maintaining her glare at him. After tensely breathing through his nose, he suddenly eased the tension on his face, as if he were catching himself from doing something bad.

Stranger: "I'm sorry. That... that was inappropriate of me, wasn't it. I'll be sure to work on that. Just as I expect you to work on that sharp tongue of yours."

Their conversation now over, he turns away, marches for the door and comes to a stop, reaching for the key in his pocket.

Stranger: "One way or another, you'll understand. Staying with me is the only way you'll both survive, and be raised properly. Stay with them, and you'll both die. It's as simple as that. You'll understand."

With that said, he unlocks the door and goes into the next room Clementine is in before quickly locking it back up. If this man really thinks that she'll start believing any of that insane bullshit he's been telling her, he certainly had another thing coming. And then, she hears something behind her and turns to see her switchblade sticking out from the vent. Her friend from the other side was passing it on for her to take. She waited for the right opportunity and now was the time. A small chuckle escaped from Ellie before shifting herself on the floor to move closer to the vent again so she can take back her blade.

TO BE CONTINUED

A/N Sorry about this chapter being a little short then usual, but I felt it best to have this one set up for the next part. Originally in the game, it did seem weird to me how there was a bridge there. Like it was a set-up for something bad to happen, yet nothing did. So, I took advantage of that. I am going to get this book done before this hellish year is done. This, I swear.

Also, I hope you had another look at the previous chapter. It got a little update.