A/N Separated from their crew, Lee and Joel are on their own with the Marsh House within their reach. Will they make it inside and find Ellie and Clementine in time? 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 6: Confrontation

A few minutes had passed since being separated from what remained of their crew. It'll be dark soon due to the sun already setting. Dark clouds were beginning to loom over the sky. Lee and Joel already made it across a few more rooftops until they jumped down onto one more. Joel had walked over to the edge, seeing their destination was finally in sight.

Joel: "There it is. The Marsh House is right around the corner from here. Not much further."

He had expected to hear a comment from Lee, but then noticed he wasn't even beside him right now. Turning to his left, Lee was still standing by the edge they jumped from looking out in the distance, looking worried. He had a pretty good idea of what was going through his mind right now and steps up to get his attention.

Joel: "Hey. I know you're worried about them, but we can't stop now, alright? They'll make it. That right there is what we came all this way for. You hear?"

Lee: "I- I know that. It's just... I never really thought much about being a leader before, but after all the shit that happened, I pretty much felt like I had to step up, you know? Ever since the Motor Inn, I've tried so hard to keep the group together, and now we've all split apart. We left Chuck on that bell tower, Kenny's ran off on his own somewhere, and God knows if Carley, Christa and Omid will make it across the bridge. I-... I feel like we've just let them all down. I should've tried harder. I've could've done more to-"

Joel: "Lee. Don't be giving yourself a hard time. 'Specially now. We did all that we could and they knew what they were getting into. They knew how important those two are to us, so they made their own choices. Everything they did was to get us here. Once we get Ellie and Clem back, we'll hopefully meet up with em again at that bridge down there, and then we get the hell outta this damned city for good. So, you need to move on from thinking all that shit and focus on what we gotta do now."

Lee: "Yeah. You're right. At least then, maybe everything that we've been through and all that we've done up till now will have been worth something."

Knowing they were agreed, they proceed over to the next ledge leading towards the hotel. The wound on Lee's arm bothered him again. From here, they had a good view of the bridge with the sunset in the distance on the right, and the Marsh House close by on the left. There was a street sign connected from this building to the next.

Joel: "We have to get across this thing."

While trying to examine the sign, Lee ended up looking down the street, making him feel uneasy. He could see a lot of the dead swarming below. If there were any Hunters around here earlier, they've either been devoured or made a run for it. Having looked enough, Lee lifts his head up and stepped back, trying to take a couple deep breaths. Joel noticed that and raised an eyebrow.

Joel: "Don't tell me you got a problem with heights or something?"

Lee: "N-no. Just... more worried about falling from up here. Trying not to think about that right now. Not that I'll let that stop us. I'll be honest with you, man, I'm not sure if this thing is gonna hold for both of us."

Taking a better look at the thing for himself, it was looking a little old and rickety, just like that extension ladder from the hospital. They even heard it making a creaking sound from the wind blowing on it. It might be a bad idea to attempt this, but what other choice do they have?

Joel: "Maybe. But, it's still better than having to deal with all that shit down there. I reckon if we go one at a time and take it slow, it may just hold long enough for us to make it."

Lee: "So, you want me to go first, or...?"

Joel: "Nah. I'll go first."

Lee: "Okay. Just be careful."

Joel: "Yup."

His main reason was mostly due to the fact Lee was already wounded and that he'll at least have some extra time to give his arm a break. While grabbing hold of the ledge, Joel reached his feet onto the sign and then grabs hold of it with both hands once he gained proper footing on it. So far so good. Following his own advice, the man took his time moving across the sign. The constant creaking sure wasn't helping, but he still made progress. Just as he was about to reach the next rooftop...

Joel: "Whoa, fuck!"

The sign breaks apart on him. He just barely managed to maintain his grip on the strut while the rest of the sign was dangling near the road.

Lee: "Joel!"

Joel: "Ah! Son of a bitch!"

Joel keeps hold onto the strut to keep from falling down and shimmies to gain better hold of it.

Lee: "You all right?"

Joel: "Yeah. But this just got a lot more fucking complicated..."

No way either of them can keep going across the rooftops now. Can't go back and had nowhere else to go from here. Nowhere... Except back down. The man dangling on the strut spots a drain pipe he can use. Knowing that they were left with one option, he calls out,

Joel: "We'll have to make the rest of the way on the street after all. Think you can get down from there?"

With a nod of his head, Lee lowers himself from the ledge to use the remains of the sign to reach the bottom, Joel reaches for the drain pipe and slides it down. Upon reaching the concrete below, he turns to see his friend dangling from the sign, lets go and safely landed on the street. Hurrying over before any walker notices them, both men move on to the corner of the building.

Lee: "Well... Shit. Guess we'll be going for it the hard way then."

Joel: "Only one way left to them now. You ready?"

Lee: "As I'll ever be. You?"

Joel: "Yeah. Let's go wrap this up."

Ellie cuts away at the rope bounding her wrists together with her switchblade, which has made the task in and of itself to be tricky to do. Still, it felt good to have this thing back in her possession. Finally, she managed to free herself from the rope and massaged her wrists a bit. Now's the time to make their escape. But both her and Clem had to be careful this time. They may not get opportunity like this again if they get caught one more time.

Quietly reaching for the door, it was still locked. She was about to start getting upset that she couldn't get the key, but then she remembered that trick Joel used on a locked with only a shiv. She had paid close attention how he did it the first time he made that shiv. Hopefully this will work for her like it did for him. She grasps the door handle, uses the switchblade in her hand on the latch until it clicked and just like that, the door was open. She resisted the urge to shout with pride and carefully pushes the door.

Stranger: "Hey, honey."

She froze in place. Did he just catch her in the act? That would be very unlucky right now. Not to mention creepy with the way he sounded. She waited a few more seconds for either to hear him talk again or even open the door.

Stranger: "I think it's only a matter of time now."

Taking the time to actually listen, it sounded like he wasn't near the door at all, thankfully. Rather, he was in the other side of the room. Slowly moving the door forward, being as quiet as a mouse, the teen girl spots her friend sitting on the bed, who had widened her eyes upon seeing her emerge from the room she was trapped in. Ellie brought a finger on her lips and was given a nod as a response.

Stranger: "I wish she didn't try so hard to make this difficult, but I do think she's starting to see things our way. I don't know if those... thieves will actually make it here, but if it comes to it, we'll be ready for them. This will be all over soon. Isn't that right, sweetie?"

Clementine: "Y-y-yeah. I-I guess so."

Thankfully, he didn't fully turn to face her when he asked and kept focus at the bowling bag in the floor. Just who the heck did he think he was talking to? No time to dwell on that right now. The man still isn't aware that Ellie got out. They still have a chance. There was an empty glass bottle left on the bedside table. Ellie reaches out, takes it with her and sneaks alongside the bed until she could see him and the locked door. She sees the two options in front of her; make a run for the door or try to attack him again. Either way is risky and she's only got one shot at this. Soon, she made her decision to go for the door. Last time she attacked him didn't end so well since she wound up being tied up and separated from Clem. Best not to take any chances this time. Beckoning her friend over, they both sneak over to the door that will lead them out of this room while the Stranger kept on talking.

Stranger: "I hate seeing you like this. I just miss your smile, honey. Ellie is going through her rebellious streak now, but I'm sure you two will warm up to each other eventually. You're gonna like Clementine a lot, though. She's not Lizzy, but she's sweet. We're all gonna be one big happy-"

But then, there was a click from the latch on the door. He lets out a gasp after hearing it and turned to find both girls he was talking about trying to open the door. They've been spotted.

Stranger: "What?! Stop! No you don't!"

Before he could rush over and grab them, Ellie quickly reacted by tossing the glass bottle right at his face, nailing him right in the forehead. With him stunned, the door was hastily swung open and both little girls make a run straight through the corridor with their abductor soon hot on their heels.

Ellie: "Run, Clem!"

Stranger: "Come back here right now!"

Lee and Joel step out into the street and stare at the herd in their way. All these walkers were the only thing left standing between them and the Marsh House. There was a huge risk of this not going their way at all. Either or both of them could get bitten by this. But you know what? Risks be damned. They've come too far, endured and sacrificed too much to be stopped now. This was the only way. Clementine and Ellie was their top priority. Nothing in Hell was going to dissuade them. The two man were prepared to face this herd head-on and push their way through as they eye the building across the street.

Joel takes out both his machete and shiv, both weapons gripped tightly in his hands. Lee reaches for his fireaxe and was the first to advance toward the hotel with his ally close by. When one walker first spots them, Lee steps up to raise his axe, strikes it in the head and kicks it down. A few more take notice and Joel uses his shiv to stab one in the eye, shoves it to knock down another, stomps it hard on its head and slices another with his machete. Lee raises his axe up and chops another walker before kicking it down, swings to the right and to the left to take down two more walkers. Joel takes down another with two swings. The two of them were coordinating their attacks well and getting closer to the hotel. However, they were starting to get surrounded by the herd and were now back-to-back as they kept fending for themselves.

Lee kicks back one on his left before slicing another on his right, hits a walker in front of him with the handle and uses the momentum to bring it down. Joel punches a walker before stabbing it with the shiv and aggressively swings the machete down three times on another. After pulling it back out, he stabs a walker in the shoulder so hard, it was forced down on one knee and then jams the machete at the brain. With every walker they kill, blood was splattering all over them. On their clothes and their face.

They were able to make an opening and kept pushing. So close. So close now. There was no stopping them. Walkers continued to drop one by one whenever they got close. Axe, machete, axe, shiv, axe, machete. As Lee moved to attack one more walker, the pain in his wounded arm caused him to falter and only strikes it in the neck. After pulling it back out, Joel moved in to finish it off by slicing the top half of its head off.

No more were taking notice of the two men. They were feeling a little exhausted and now completely covered in walker blood with some guts mixed in. Not that they cared. Then they noticed there was a station wagon parked in front of the hotel. Expect they knew this station wagon. It took a moment to realize it, but they both knew this was the same station wagon they found in the middle of the forest after escaping the St. Johns. The pair glanced at each other, having a pretty damn good idea who they're dealing with now. They then turn to the building in front of them with narrowed eyes and proceed to the front doors. The moment of truth. Time to get in and rescue their girls. However, neither of them would be prepared for what was about to unfold inside.

The corridors of the Marsh House were dark, empty and silent. All the rooms were vacant. All that could be heard was the stomping on the carpeted floors. The Stranger, now sporting a bruise on his head, had chased the little girls from the room to the other side of the building. He had lost sight of them and was now on lookout for wherever they could be hiding.

Stranger: "Come on out, young ladies. There's no need to run... Clementine?... Ellie?... Come out wherever you are. Right. Now."

Hiding in a corner were the two little girls he was searching for. Lee and Joel weren't here to protect them from this man. They weren't even sure if they were going to make it to them soon. Clementine and Ellie will have to fend for themselves. This is what their guardians have been preparing them for all this time. Ellie was trying to think of a plan on how to deal with this psycho with Clementine clinging to her friend's arm. They could either take him down by themselves or make it to the entrance and escape. Whichever comes first, but they had to do something now.

Clementine: "What do we do now?"

Ellie: "I'm thinking. Just stick together. We'll figure something out."

Stranger: "Have you not paid attention to anything I've said? I simply cannot stress enough how you're not safe with them. You'll die being with them. The only way you'll both survive is by staying with me! They can't protect you! They cannot protect anyone!"

Ellie: "Yeah, you can go fuck yourself."

She muttered the insult under her breath as she lead her friend alongside the walls while remaining crouched. They come up to a door and Ellie tries opening it, but it was locked. There was another door on the opposite side that was left slightly cracked open. As they approach it, the door lets out a creaking sound from being opened, and they hurry inside, knowing that he would've surely heard that. He came around the corner in time to see the door closing. He was sure that he'd corner them in there. Upon reaching the door, he steps inside and looks around. At first, there wasn't any sign of them, but then suspected where they could be hiding by quickly moving behind the door, but they weren't there either. Suddenly, he gets pounced from behind by Ellie and stabbed in the shoulder. He shoves her off, trying to recover and both escape from him again back in the corridor.

Stranger: "Agh! You clearly haven't learned your lesson from being on time out."

As he swings the door open, he reaches for a cleaver with dry blood smeared on the blade he's kept on his person for some time and steps back out.

Stranger: "If I have to punish you, then so be it."

Was he considering to actually kill them? No. They were too important to him alive. What he had in mind was to set an example. Both girls caught a glance of his weapon from peeking around the corner and let out a small gasp while backing away.

Clementine: "Wh-what- What's he gonna do to us?"

Ellie: "Nothing if I have anything to say about it. Just keep going."

Stranger: "Just where do you think you're gonna go? Huh?! The dead have the whole street surrounded. Nothing else out there but murderers and thieves. People who would have no idea how to raise you properly, like a real father should."

Ellie was trying to think of what to do next while they continue sneaking away. He was still coming for them. Going left, they find another room with the door open and quietly enter. Clem saw a glass bottle on the floor and picks it up. Ellie noticed this and gets an idea. She first takes a look out the room before whispering in her ear. Just as the Stranger was trying to figure out which way they could've gone, he hears the sound of glass breaking on his left.

Stranger: "I can hear you. You really should be careful with glass. Can be very dangerous."

Proceeding down the corridor, he could see the broken glass at the end and believes they accidentally broke it in their hasty (and needless) attempt to run. What he was unaware of was that it was intentionally broken as a distraction by the younger girl, who nervously waited in the room with Ellie after she threw the bottle. Once he came into view at the doorway, Ellie runs straight at him and stabs him in the gut, ramming him into the wall. Blindly swinging away his cleaver, she backs away from him and avoids getting grabbed when he reached out for her. When he tried to sprint towards her, he dropped to one knee while she took off. Hearing additional footsteps behind him, he finds Clementine coming of the room as well and then takes off in the opposite direction.

Stranger: "Get back here! Both of you! You can't run forever."

Both girls have split up, but he remained undeterred to catch them. He goes after the younger girl, thinking she'll be easier to catch up with while fighting through the pain of his stab wounds, but lost sight of her. Hearing fast footsteps again, it sounded like it could be Ellie and tries following the sound before it gets too far. Catching sight of Clementine walking timidly across the hall on his right, he doubles his pace after her. But Ellie was not too far behind him and makes her move once she got close enough. She jumps onto his back once more to stab him, the switchblade piercing through his already wounded shoulder. The Stranger staggers with the girl holding onto him as he backs into a wall, reaches behind and tries to throw her off and they both go down with their weapons dropped on the ground. The younger girl found them and hurries over.

Clementine: "Ellie!"

Before she could reach her, the Stranger suddenly lifts his head up with a yell, startling her. Seeing him slowly rising up with that menacing look on his face made her step back in fear. He reaches out, beckoning her with bloody hands.

Stranger: "Come here. Come to me, Clementine."

Clementine: "No! I-I don't wanna go with you!"

Stranger: "Don't talk back to me, young lady! That is not okay, remember? I didn't go through all this trouble to save you just to let you both slip through my fingers now."

Ellie stirs from landing on the floor and saw her friend was in danger. She had to get up and stop him. His cleaver was left right in front of her. Reaching out to pick it up, the teen girl struggles to get back on her feet and follows after him with the weapon feeling heavy in her hand, determined to save her friend from any harm.

Stranger: "Come on, sweetie. Be a good girl. Come to your father."

Clementine: "No! Leave us alone! You-... you are not my dad!"

Stranger: "YES! I! AM!"

The sudden loud tone of his voice frightened her so much, she tripped on her feet and keeps trying to get away by crawling backwards. But then, her back hits the wall. She was cornered with nowhere to go. This man had completely lost it. As he tries grabbing hold of her, she fights back by pushing him away as much as she can.

Stranger: "You are my daughter now! You and Ellie both. We'll all be a family together and go far away from here. You are coming with me!"

Clementine: "Get away from me! Let go! Ellie!"

Before he knew it, he was chopped in the gut by the teen girl, who then rips out the cleaver, swings it at him to slice an arm he used to shield himself, causing him to stagger backwards and trip on his feet. Ellie moved in to get on top of this deranged wounded man, raises the sharp weapon in her hands and before he could let out a scream, Ellie swings it down on him. With all her rage, she repeatedly swings the cleaver on the Stranger's head, blood splattering all over her face and the floor. Her younger friend remained where she was sitting against the wall, shocked to see her killing a man for the first time. She was suddenly grabbed from behind and pulled away, dropping the cleaver and swinging her arms at whoever it was.

Joel: "ELLIE!"

Ellie: "No!"

Joel: "Stop, stop!"

Ellie: "Don't fucking touch me!"

Joel: "It's okay, it's us! It's me! It's me! Ellie! Look! Look."

Once she stopped struggling, he calmly grasps her face with both hands for them to look each other in the eyes and reassures her.

Joel: "It's us."

Ellie: "He wanted to-"

As tears leak from her eyes, the man quickly embraces her into his arms, comforting her.

Joel: "Oh, baby girl. It's okay. It's okay now."

Ellie: "Joel..."

Clementine was now so shocked, from witnessing the violent death to seeing her friend being held closely by Joel as Ellie cried in his arms, she was wondering if this was really real. And then she thought, if he was here, then that would mean-

Lee: "Clementine."

A gasp escaped from her and looked up to see Lee standing in front of her as well. He was really here. They both were. After raising back up, he kneels down with open arms and Clementine doesn't hesitate to embrace him.

Clementine: "Lee! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Lee!"

Lee: "Shh, it's okay, sweet pea. We're here."

She held him as tightly as she could, leaking a few tears of her own. Looking over her shoulder, she wouldn't dare look at the dead body of their kidnapper laying on the floor with the blood-soaked cleaver left sticking upwards from his head, and instead focus on Joel still holding onto Ellie and rubbing her back until she closed her eyes and a small smile emerged on her face. Not even caring that they look and smell pretty gross at this moment. This was real. They really did came for them.

They were reunited at last.

TO BE CONTINUED

A/N I've been imagining this chapter for a long time. This has been planned from the very beginning. I'm glad I was finally able to write this out. Nice to have all four of them back together, right? But they are not out of the woods yet... The next chapter will come sooner than you think. Much, much sooner.