"So…what's the plan now?" Melanie asked Tommy as he passed her a beer.
He shrugged sitting next to her on the couch, after leaving the Firefly base, they had taken refuge in an abandoned house. "I've no fuckin' clue, Mel…best thing we can do right now is drink these beers and worry about it in the morning."
"Of all the things to take from the Fireflies," Melanie snorted as Tommy moved the crate of beer onto the table in front of them for easier access, "you go and take alcohol."
Tommy grinned, "You say it like it's a bad thing."
"I wasn't complaining."
Tommy smiled at her before lifting the bottle to his lips, "Y'know…I really thought the Fireflies were gonna help make the world better. Turns out they weren't any better than the damn military, Marlene talks some shit, don't she? Can't believe I fell for it."
"Hey, she convinced me too," Melanie said sadly, "they're so determined to find a cure that they'll sacrifice anyone to get it. I don't want to get by ruining people's lives…it's why we left Boston after all…" she trailed off, not wanting to relive her time there.
Sighing, she downed the rest of her beer and took out another one, "Careful…you don't wanna be pissed out of your head if any clickers come by," Tommy joked but he also looked concerned for her.
"Tommy, when was the last time we just sat and had a drink together?" Melanie asked him, lying back on the couch and putting her feet over his lap, "You know, just be fuckin' normal human beings and relax?"
"Christ…I can't even remember doing that in the past six years…" he whispered and finished the rest of his beer, "fuck it, let's get these beers drunk. Never know when we're gonna get another chance like this."
Melanie grinned as he tapped his bottle against hers, "Now you're speaking my language."
"Shame we don't have cards or something to keep us entertained," Tommy said, leaning his head against the back of the couch while resting his hands on Melanie's legs.
Grinning to herself, Melanie sat up and dug around in her pack before pulling out a small pack of cards with an elastic band around them, "It's like I knew this was gonna happen," she said laughing a little at Tommy's surprised face, "well, why don't you deal and we'll see if you can beat me this time."
"I always beat you Mel," Tommy snorted, as he began to shuffle the cards "you have a shit poker face."
She didn't know if it was the lack of drinking over the years or being so tired already but Melanie felt the alcohol hit her "Just as well it isn't strip poker," she said coyly.
"More's the pity," Tommy said quietly and gave her a small grin.
"Look. There, by the ranch," Melanie pointed out, seeing the horse standing outside, "told you she wouldn't have gotten far."
Joel nodded "Thank Christ," he muttered as the horses slowed to a walk, making their way to the house, "at least she didn't keep going."
They had been more or less silent for the whole journey and Melanie glanced at him curiously "So, you never did answer my question," she reminded him, "where will you go?"
"To be honest…I never thought that far ahead," Joel said honestly "I wouldn't go back to Boston, not after me and Tess killed Robert, I don't think I'd be welcomed back with open arms…and I'd end up killing Bill if I was stuck in that town with him. So, I don't have a clue."
Swallowing hard, Melanie glanced around the ranch pretending to be scanning the area when really she didn't want to look at him, "I'm sure Tommy would let you stay at the plant," she said casually, "you are his brother after all."
"I don't think being around Maria while you're gone with Ellie would be a good idea," he said raising an eyebrow at her "she might just make good on that promise to put a bullet in my head."
Melanie smiled weakly "Yeah, you might just be right about that."
They stopped the horses at the door and secured the reins to the porch, Joel didn't waste any time and hurried to the door and pushed it open.
"Ellie?" he called out, glancing around the bottom floor almost worriedly.
Looking around the abandoned house, Melanie felt panic when there was no answer, "Ellie!" she shouted, walking into the kitchen and looking out the window, "You here?"
"ELLIE!"
"I'm up here," letting out a sigh of relief, Melanie got to the hall at the same time as Joel who shook his head.
"Jesus Christ," he muttered, "I'm gonna kill her."
Melanie put a hand on his arm to stop him, "Just…just take it easy on her, okay?" she said softly "Ellie isn't a grown up just yet Joel, she's still a kid. You gotta remember that."
"I know…I know…still doesn't mean she runs out on me – us - like that," Joel added quickly, "you comin'?"
Shaking her head, Melanie patted her gun "You two need some privacy, I'll keep an eye out down here-"
"I think it'd be better if you come," Joel interrupted, "we tend to argue otherwise and you might need to play referee."
"Wouldn't be the first time," Melanie sighed and waved her hand, "lead the way."
Ellie had taken refuge in a teenage girl's bedroom, when Melanie entered the room she was glad to see the younger girl wasn't any worse for wear and gave her a soft smile as she and Joel walked into the room.
"Is this really all you had to worry about?" Ellie asked Melanie, not acting as if she had ran off at all and Melanie seen Joel's eye twitch in anger, "Boys. Movies. Deciding which shirt goes with which skirt."
"It was harder than it sounds, trust me," Melanie tried to joke but stopped talking when Joel glared at her.
"It's bizarre," she murmured, looking back down at the journal in her hands.
Joel shook his head at her, "Get up, we're leaving," he said impatiently, holding the door open, "C'mon."
"And if I say no?" Ellie challenged him, not moving from her spot.
He narrowed his eyes at her, "Do you even realise what your life means?" Joel asked her angrily "Huh? Running off like that. Putting yourself at risk…it's pretty goddamn stupid."
"I think what Joel means to ask," Melanie said, shooting him an annoyed look, "is why you ran off like you did? He was…worried. We all were."
Ellie snorted, "No, he does mean to sound like a jackass," she glared at her guardian "I guess we're both disappointed with each other then."
"What do you want from me?"
"Admit that you wanted to get rid of me the whole time!" Ellie said heatedly, but there was a hurt look in her eyes.
Joel was quiet and Melanie could see he was having an inner conflict with himself, "Melanie knows this area better than me-"
"Fuck that!" Ellie whispered and quickly wiped her eyes as she stood quickly.
Melanie opened her mouth to intervene but Joel stepped forward "Well, I'm sorry. I trust her better than I trust myself, what more do you want from me?"
"Stop with the bullshit, Joel," Ellie snapped "What are you so afraid of? That I'm gonna end up like Sam? I can't get infected! I can take care of myself!"
"How many close calls have we had?" Joel argued, frowning at her, "Tell me, how many?"
"Well, we seem to be doing alright so far."
"And now you'll be doing even better with Melanie!"
Turning slightly, Melanie seen Joel turn his back on Ellie and sigh heavily while Ellie looked at him sadly although her heart began to thud in her chest at Ellie's next words.
"I'm not her, you know…"
Shaking his head, Joel looked back at her confused, "What?" he asked, "Who the hell are you talking about?"
"Ellie, not a good time," Melanie warned but she ignored her.
"Maria told me about Sarah. And I-"
"Ellie!" Joel tried to control himself but there was pain written across his face "You are treading on some mighty thin ice here."
Flinching a little at his tone, Ellie hesitated but kept talking "I'm sorry about your daughter, Joel but I have lost people too."
"You have no idea what loss is," Joel said, his voice dangerously soft.
"Everyone I have cared for has either died or left me," she said, her voice hitching in her throat a little before she glared suddenly at Joel, "Everyone! Fucking except from you! So don't tell me that I would be safer with someone else – because the truth is I would just be more scared."
Melanie held their breath as the other two looked at each other, it seemed like an age before Joel broke the silence, "You're right…" he said in a strained voice, "You're not my daughter and I sure as hell ain't your dad…and we are going our separate ways."
"Fine…" Ellie whispered and sniffed loudly "you can fuck off now, since that's what you wanna do so badly."
Movement caught her eye and Melanie swore under her breath as she seen men with guns approaching the house, "I wouldn't do that just yet," she whispered, backing away from the window, "we got company."
"And I win again," Melanie said giggling a little as Tommy threw down his cards onto the table.
He shook his head in disbelief, "How did you get so good at this while being a Firefly?" he asked "Just as well we weren't playing for money."
"What can I say, it got boring on watch and Joe was more than happy to teach me," Melanie shrugged "and now look what it's got me, all these amazing and valuable bottle tops."
Tommy chuckled as they sat back against the couch, he glanced over at the window they had covered "Probably got a few hours until sunrise," he said rubbing his face "we should get some sleep."
"So where are we gonna go?" Melanie asked him, her eyes on his as he turned to look at her "The whole worlds our oyster."
He shrugged and his eyes flickered over her face "Like I said, I've no fuckin' clue…how about you, Mel? What would your plan be?"
"Well, find more beer for starters," Melanie smiled faintly as she leaned against the couch, sitting close to Tommy "then maybe some painkillers for the hangover tomorrow but that's as far as I got."
"I like the way you think," Tommy hesitated before sighing and averting his eyes "I'm sorry…I dragged you along to the Fireflies thinking it would be a better life and now we've nowhere to go. This is my fault."
Melanie shook her head and put her hand over his, "You hardly dragged me along, Tommy," she said quietly "I believed in the Fireflies too…it's not your fault they weren't what they seemed. Don't beat yourself up over it," she stopped before slipping her fingers through his and smiling "I'm glad I'm with you."
"How many beers you had?" Tommy asked jokingly but he squeezed her hand back gratefully, "It's good to hear you say that…I know you've been hurting since Boston," he gave her a concerned look, "I know you miss him."
Thinking about Joel hurt and Melanie shook her head, "I miss the person I fell in love with," she whispered "before everything went to shit, I miss that Joel but I do not miss who he has become," she shivered a little "the things he and Tess did…the things that we had to do…I won't miss that at all."
"Tell me about it, they'll be giving me nightmares for the rest of my life," Tommy muttered and he looked down at their hands and slowly stroked her hand with his thumb, "I'm glad you're with me, Mel…"
Melanie noticed how close he was and gave him a small smile "I'm glad you're with me too, Tommy," she whispered, "I like how safe I feel with you."
His eyes were intense as they looked at her and then her lips, "That's good to know…" he replied and he turned towards her and she felt his other hand slowly slip across her stomach and stop at her hip, "I want you…to feel safe with me."
Tommy's lips were soft against hers and Melanie let out a small moan as he gripped her tightly and deepened the kiss, "We can stop if you want?" he murmured, still holding onto her.
Biting her lip, Melanie straightened up and just as Tommy sighed heavily, she leant over and straddled Tommy's waist, "That's the last thing I want," she replied softly and kissed him hard again.