(Ellie POV, 4 days later)

I was shocked, there was other immune kids like me. Joel didn't seem like he was lying, but, the fireflies actually killed them, and for what? those sacrifices, all in vain. Is it my fault? what if they actually succeeded in making a vaccine? Is it possible that its because of me, that the world will keep going down in ruins...

''Ellie!'' Joel shouts at me trying to get my attention. ''W-what.'' I reply to him, a little bit startled, trying to remember what we were talking about, He stays silent, for a few seconds looking at me. Then, he goes closer to me then pulls my head and leans it on his chest, he puts his hand on my hair, and starts caressing it We stay like that for a few seconds. ''Ain't none of this your fault Ellie, I refuse to give you up on somethin like that.'' I tried to speak but he interrupted me. ''The world already has gone to shit, so lets say we do find a cure, for what? hunters? for the bandits? cure or not, the world can't go back to what it was before, and NONE of that is your fault Ellie.'' He tells me, kissing me at the top of my head. I only notice now, his sudden change of behavior. He cares for me, and actually encourages me, all my life I was missing this kind of treatment. I feel his warmth all throughout my body, and I want to feel that warmth forever. I put both of my arms in his back, and I reply to his kindness with a very tight hug. We stay like that for what seemed like an entire year until he broke open, telling me we have to move. I can tell, even though he doesn't say it, he tells it to me using his actions instead of words, that he cares for me. I feel very warm, thinking about that, I feel very lucky, to have met him. We scanned through the forest for a few hours. navigating and keeping our eyes peeled for any sort of threats. ''We're close to Tommy's.'' He tells me while scratching his beard. ''O-oh yeah, of course.'' I reply trying to regain my composure from the recent physical contact with him, I couldn't by the way. We walk for a few more hours, and my feet was starting to get painful. ''There it is, hard to imagine that my little brother is one of the people keeping a town like this alive, we ain't far now Ellie, keep up.'' He tells me offering his hand to help me go down the slopes more easily. My heart jumped, never did I imagine that he would be such a gentleman to anybody. I'm guessing he was like this if the world hadn't gone to shit. Every time he would act like this towards me, I can't contain myself and my cheeks would turn crimson all by itself. ''Thank you Joel, but I don't need it, stop treating me like a kid.'' I tell him, going through the slopes by myself and refusing his hand. Why did I tell him that! why couldn't I just take his hand and accept his kindness, I tell myself. After a while, guilty of my actions, I turn around. ''Hey, umm, Joel?'' I ask him. ''Hmm?'' he replies to me, looking straight in my eyes. ''W-what goes up, but never goes down!'' I tell him with a high pitched tone, trying to apologize but completely went off track when he suddenly looked at me in the eyes. I can't help it, every time I look at him in the eyes, I just can't seem to hold my composure. My love for you Ellie. I hear him speak. ''What?'' I ask him again trying to make sure of what he just said, I couldn't keep myself from smiling very widely though. ''I said age, Ellie, what is up with that grin of yours, didn't think I'd know did ya.'' He tells me with a small smile in his face. FUCK! did I just imagine that! Am I starting to have delusions over him? I need to calm down, calm down Ellie, calm down. After a few moments of awkward silence, he breaks it by saying: ''Look, I know you're trying to apologize, and its fine Ellie, you were never one to want to show weakness to anybody.'' putting his hand on my shoulder. ''C'mon, let's go say hi.'' He added. ''Of course.'' I replied, still shocked. Thank goodness he misunderstood. But he was partly correct though, I was trying to apologize but couldn't. He seems to see me like an open book,well, maybe except on the love part.

''Holy shit,Ellie, JOEL!?'' I hear a voice that sounded like Maria's. She waves in to her companions on the other side of the gate. ''Open the gates, they're friendlies!'' I hear her shout at the other side. After the gate opened she immediately ran out and squeezed me in her arms. I was slightly taken aback by the warm welcome she is giving. ''Hey, we're back Maria.'' I tell her while putting my hands on her back. We hug for a few moments. ''Happy to be back Maria, but how about we go inside first.'' I hear Joel speak with a little smile in his face. ''Of course, of course.'' She replies and lets me go. We head inside and chat, and after a few minutes, Tommy, with his rifle in his back welcomes us. ''Holy shit Joel, I didn't think you'd actually come back.'' Tommy said with a grin in his face, he looked like he ran, judging how he was catching his breath when he arrived. ''You even looked older, now, comparing to the last time I saw you.''He added. ''Easy little brother, I'll be sure to tell that to your face when you reach my age.'' Joel said to Tommy, laughing slightly. Both of them hugged each other, and I couldn't help but smile, I could tell Maria did too. ''Well, this seems fun and all, but,Tommy, reckon you have a vacant spot somewhere in here that Ellie and I could spend the night to, I'm bushed. '' Joel said, breaking away from the hug. ''Oh, you don't have to worry about that Joel, you could stay at our place for the night, are you planning on settling here? if you are, we could find you a place of your own.'' Tommy tells us. I immediately looked at Joel, hoping he would say yes. He looked back at me and smiled. ''Yeah, figured that I'm getting too old for this kind of adventures, I need someplace to settle to.'' Joel replies. Tommy's eyes widened, I guess he didn't expect that kind of reaction from Joel, even I still feel like its unreal, his sudden change of behavior I mean. ''All right, well, let me escort you, my shift was just over.'' Maria offered us. Tommy looked at Maria ''I'll catch up in a few hours.'' Tommy told her, smiling, and waving his hand.

We go through a few streets, with houses lined up. I could feel the stares of the residents, I also feel a lot of women, staring at Joel. My head boiled up at them, so I went beside Joel and put my arms around his, He didn't seem to resist, so I went ahead and stayed like that until we reached Maria's house. ''Well, here we are.'' Maria gestured her hand towards her house. It was huge, not like a mansion, but it was still pretty big for only two people living there. We go through the doorsteps and inside their house. I looked around and I was surprised how huge it was in the inside. ''Holy Shit! this house is fucking cool!.'' I shout out. Joel immediately looked at me.''Ellie, I know that you're used to it, but keep it low when you're on somebody else's house.'' Joel tells me with a look in his eyes. ''What's the harm Joel, its not like we're going to be arrested by saying Fuck right?'' I tell him with a smile on my face. ''Ellie.'' He replies with a scolding tone in his voice. ''Joel.'' I mimicked him. we stared at each other's faces, well, I stared at his forehead,I didn't want to lose the staring contest and lose my composure. ''Its alright Joel, as she said, its not like you're going to be arrested by saying fuck, right?'' Maria winks at me. Joel lets out a sigh. ''Women.'' I hear Joel speak, and both me and Maria laughs. After a while Maria cooked us some food, and we ate dinner, she also made sure that she left Tommy with many servings. After eating, Joel stood up from the chair. '' Ellie, Maria, I know you still want to catch up, but I'm really beat, so I figured I'll hit the sack.'' Joel tells us looking really tired. ''Of course, let me show you your rooms.'' Maria replied, putting all the dishes in the sink. We climb up the stairs, and noticed, that while there aren't that many rooms, the space was wide, really wide. It didn't have any gold or fancy looking materials in it. On the contrary, it was pretty simple, with only woods and all that, but the designs were amazing. Maria showed Joel his room. It was pretty spacious and pretty simple, how Joel liked it. ''This is one heluva house Maria.'' Joel tells her with a satisfied look on his face. ''Actually, Tommy was the one who designed this, he always wanted a simple house with no expensive looking materials, but he was keen on the designs.'' Maria speaks, chuckling a little bit. ''Well, glad to know my little brother has taste.'' He replies, while looking at the nook and crannies of the room. ''All right, enjoy.'' Maria said to Joel. After that she called me outside. Just as Maria was going to show me my room, I stopped her. ''Its all right Maria, I'll stay with Joel.'' I tell her. She looks at me for a second. ''Won't you be uncomfortable sleeping with him Ellie?'' She asks me. ''C'mon Maria, its Joel, why would I ever be uncomfortable.'' I tell her. Well Its more like I can't sleep without him, because whenever he puts me around his arms, all the nightmares, and all the shit in this world disappear, making me feel like I'm safe, and nothing can harm me, making my sleep a billion times better. I tell myself. After debating with her for a while, she finally gave in and let me sleep with him. After saying our good nights, I go to Joel's room. I see Joel, fast asleep. That just made my heart skip faster and my face, burning more from its already crimson color. Now that I think about it, this is the first time I've ever seen Joel's peaceful sleeping face. During the year that we have spent together, surviving, Its like he never even slept. He never let his guard down, even for a moment. I could tell because every time we slept , even the tiniest sound I, or anybody would make, alerts him. Even during the day, he always would keep his eyes peeled, and his senses sharp. So, seeing him, actually, peacefully sleeping, made my body unconsciously move closer to him. I looked at his face,looked at his wrinkles that didn't really make him look ugly, in the least,and I looked at his mouth. I wanted to thank him, for all the times he's protected me, I wanted to hold him, for giving me a chance to feel what being cared for feels like, I wanted to be with him, for never leaving my side;never abandoning me, but most importantly, I wanted to kiss him, cause, I do, I do in fact, Love him.