It seemed like every day was getting a little harder and Melanie couldn't help but feel more and more depressed as the days passed. She would go to work, come home, eat and then sleep and the next day it would happen all over again. Unless Lucy and Garrett came around claiming the boys missed their aunt when really they were checking up on her, making sure she hadn't done anything stupid.

One week Lucy had actually removed the pills from the bathroom cabinet.

Melanie was just pondering on what she should make for her dinner when the front door opened and then shut again, she rolled her eyes and without looking knew it was her sister: no one else just waltzed in without asking.

"Hey, oh good you're in," Lucy said smiling at her sister. Thankfully she didn't have the kids with her, as much as Melanie loved them, she really just wanted a quiet day after a busy day at the zoo yesterday. The twins had asked questions non-stop about what the baboons had been doing and none of the adults had answered them.

"Two check-up's in one week and it's only Wednesday," Melanie said almost sarcastically as she pulled out a box of cereal and decided on that for her dinner, "I am a lucky girl."

Making a face, Lucy sat down at the breakfast bar "Don't be like that, I'm allowed to be worried about you," she said softly, watching as Melanie stood opposite her and poured milk into the bowl, "I know how you felt about Joel. You're not gonna just be over him like that."

"Thank you for reminding me."

Lucy sighed, "Okay, bad start to the conversation," she ran a hand through her hair and almost looked embarrassed, "when dad first got ill and mom ran off… you were the one who held this family together, even though I was the oldest-"

"Why you bringing all this up?" Melanie interrupted putting her spoon back in the bowl, "First my failed relationship and then dad dying? You trying to make me even more depressed?"

"Just listen!" Lucy scowled and then took her hand in hers, "You stayed and helped him through the last years… while I went off and got married and had kids. I got to go out there and do stuff and you didn't. You never became a teacher, never went travelling… you sacrificed your dreams for our family and I can never thank you for that."

Melanie frowned a little, "What are you getting at 'Luce?"

"I want you to have this," Lucy said, letting go of her hand and taking out an envelope from her bag, "well, me, Garrett and the boys want you to have this."

Feeling confused as she opened the envelope, Melanie was stunned when she seen a cheque and how much it was for, "Fucking hell, Lucy… you can't be serious?"

"I am," Lucy smiled "Garrett's got his promotion and we're doing really good so don't think we're gonna go out of pocket," she bit her lip, "I always felt terrible you were stuck in this fuckin' town with that shit job at the bar. I want you to become a teacher… or go on holiday and see the world," she added softly, "or use it to do up this place or get a boob job, whatever! As long as it's something for you and will make you happy."

Melanie shook her head slowly and felt tears growing in her eyes, "You… you are without a doubt the best sister any gal could ask for," she whispered, leaning over and hugging Lucy tightly, "I can't believe you're doing this for me."

"You're the best baby sister and person in this whole damn world," Lucy whispered back, tightening her hold on her, "and it's about time you had some fun. Life's too short."

Hiding behind the counter, the three survivors heard their attackers shouting at one another and Melanie knew they only had a short amount of time before they made it up the stairs, "Who the hell are these guys?" Ellie hissed, her gun in her hands already, "Why the hell are they shooting at us?"

"It doesn't matter," Joel muttered, thinking hard as he grabbed his weapon, "We know where to go. Let's get the hell outta here."

Sneaking out into the room, Melanie followed Joel closely while making sure Ellie was covered. Listening carefully, they heard a male voice calling out to them, "Where are you, you fuckers!" he shouted, his footsteps becoming louder and louder as he got closer.

"Take cover!" Joel hissed and Melanie and Ellie hid behind a desk while Joel got out his pistol.

The stranger only took two steps into the room before Joel killed him with a headshot, barely flinching as the dead body hit the floor. Another came in but this time Melanie got him in the chest, hitting the heart straight on and he fell to the floor gurgling blood as he died.

"They're barely armed," Melanie noticed, straightening up "bats and a crowbar… they must be just scoping the place out."

Joel nodded and searched them quickly for anything useful, "Well, we know some are armed… just gotta get them first before they get us."

Heading back the way they came, the trio didn't have long to wait before several bandits appeared at the end of the corridor and Melanie felt slightly panicked when she seen they were heavily outnumbered. "Shit…" she whispered, "better make every shot count!"

"Not necessarily," Joel replied, quickly searching his pack "get behind a thick table and I mean a thick one."

"What are you-"

Ellie shook her head and dragged her behind one, "Trust me, you don't need to watch this," the younger girl muttered, "It gets really messy."

Curious, Melanie watched as Joel got out a tin that rattled slightly and threw it towards the bandits. It only took a moment before her unasked question was answered and she heard a loud explosion and the yells of pain from the group of bandits. Standing up, she felt sickened when she seen it was a nail bomb and it had shredded most of them or just impaled them with nails.

"Where the hell did you get that from?" she asked as Joel urged them to hurry into the next room.

"Bill," he answered, glancing over his shoulder at her, "he's had a lot of time to make some new weapons."

"Looks like he has."

In the next room there were two men scouting and Melanie knew that if they shouted out, then who knows how many bandits would be on them. "We'll take them out stealth style," Joel whispered quietly to her, "you take the one in here and I'll go after that one. Ellie, you stay behind me and be my back up. Got it?"

"I won't let anything happen," Ellie promised, looking only a little scared, "I swear."

Getting out her knife from the holster on her thigh, Melanie nodded "Let's go."

Watching as they left into the other room, Melanie gripped the knife tightly in her hands and waited a couple of minutes before picking up a bit of debris and throwing it into the corner to catch the guard's attention. Kneeling down, Melanie watched as the man walked forwards into the room and didn't see her as he walked past, his gun on the door in front of him searching for the source of the noise.

Making sure there was no one else around, Melanie gritted her teeth and straightened up with her knife in her hands.

"Fuck you!" she hissed as she stuck it into his neck and felt his warm blood gush over her hand as she hit the artery. Making a choking noise, he fell to his knees and dropped his gun as he tried to stop the blood flowing from his neck. He died quite quickly and Melanie grabbed his weapon and searched him quickly for anything useful.

She was surprised when there was directions scribbled on a map and a note from someone called David written on the back of it:

Kill any survivors unless they are women and children, bring back any supplies you can find. The colony needs it.

Frowning, she wondered if there was another settlement near to the university when the sound of gunshots below her could be heard and she cursed as she dropped the map and got to her feet quickly. Hoping that Joel and Ellie weren't in any danger, she rushed down the stairs past the corpses and looked around desperately for the other two.

Hearing glass shatter and a cry of agony, Melanie ran to the balcony railings after seeing a part of the glass panelling missing and felt her blood run cold as she seen Joel lying on the ground with a pained expression on his face. "Oh fuck!" she whispered and climbed quickly down to the lower level and sprinted towards Joel as soon as her feet touched the ground, "Fuck…fuck…fuck!"

"Oh shit, is he okay?" Ellie asked from the second floor and quickly began to climb down as well.

Melanie fell to her knees and felt sick as she seen the sharp pole jutted out from Joel's stomach: it had pierced straight through his body. "SHIT!" Joel cursed as he tried to move off of the pole.

"Stay still, stay still," Melanie began to panic and tried to think of what they should do as Ellie ran towards them, "Oh shit!"

As they heard raised voices, Ellie looked to Melanie desperately "What do you want me to do?"

"Help me get him off of this," Melanie said weakly, sliding her hand under Joel's back as Ellie did the same on his other side, "he needs to get up!"

"…Move…." Joel's breathing became laboured and Melanie fought back the urge to cry.

Ellie shook a little as they tried to lift him, "Don't worry Joel, we're gonna move you-"

"MOVE!" Joel shouted and pushed Ellie out of the way as two more bandits came crashing through the door but they didn't get far as Joel quickly shot both in the head before they could take a step nearer the trio.

Once Melanie had gotten over the shock, she looked at Ellie, "I'm gonna need you to pull him forward while I push," she said quickly, "he's losing a lot of blood. He won't be able to sit up himself."

"Alright… alright," Ellie sounded scared but she took Joel's hands in hers and readied herself, "on the count of three…one…two…three!"

The sound that Joel made as they pushed and pulled him off of the pole ripped through Melanie and she felt her heart break for her ex-lover as she couldn't imagine the pain he was feeling. As they got him to his feet, she slipped his arm around her neck and steadied on him, "Lean on me Joel and no arguing," she said firmly as he looked ready to object, "We need to get you bandaged up quickly!"

"Just…get to the damn horses," He muttered holding his stomach with one hand, applying pressure to the wound.

Ellie lead them, checking the corridors carefully with her gun out, her hands covered in Joel's blood, "I don't see anyone," she said shakily, "let's go!"

They made their way quickly and quietly to where they had left the horses and Melanie just hoped that they hadn't bolted, "Joel, how you doin'?" she whispered, glancing at him worriedly as he stumbled a little.

"I'm fine… I'm fine."

Looking around, Melanie felt frustrated when she seen the door blocked, "FUCK!" she cursed loudly, "How the hell are we meant to get out now?"

"Here, the glass is all gone," Ellie pointed out and pushed away a plank of wood, "do you think he can handle the window?"

Before Melanie could answer, Joel let out a groan, "I'm sure…I can," he said slowly, his breathing very heavy and Ellie gave him a concerned look.

"Okay, I'll go first and help him through," the young girl said and jumped over the broken window into the next room.

Melanie carefully helped Joel over but he cried out in agony and fell to the ground, "Shit!" she immediately climbed over and kneeled by him, "Are you okay?"

"Jesus… there's so much blood," Ellie whispered, her eyes widening at her guardian, "c'mon Joel, move!"

The sound of a gun being fired pierced the air and Melanie let out a cry as it tore through her arm, falling to her knees she seen Joel collapse beside her as he and Ellie took cover behind the counters, "I see you!" the man shouted from the door, "I see you, you fucking bitch!"

"C'mon man!"

Melanie pushed hard against her wound and felt her shoulder desperately, hoping for an exit wound, she really didn't need a bullet lodged in her body. Her arm burned with an intense pain, and pretty soon her jumper was wet and sticky with her blood as well as her hand. Feeling nothing, she hoped the bullet had gone straight through and focussed on the matter at hand, "Just stay here!" she heard Ellie whisper as her vision blurred a little, "I'm gonna flank these assholes!"

"Ellie…" Joel whispered but the young girl had already sneaked off.

Melanie felt her arm begin to tingle and tried not to gasp out loud in pain as she failed to lift it a little to aim her gun: worry began to settle in: it was her shooting arm that had been shot.

"Those were my friends you killed, asshole."

The man's voice was getting closer and Melanie shared a look with Joel, breathing heavily, he took her hand in his and shook his head, raising his own gun a little, "I… I got it," he whispered.

"Come on out! The two of you! You wanna do this the hard way?"

Hearing a pistol shot, the man hissed in pain "You little bitch!" he snarled and fired his own gun.

Leaning around, Joel shot him quickly in the back of the head and he fell down in a heap. Struggling to sit up on her own, Melanie felt her heart stop as she didn't hear anything, "Ellie?" she called out and felt relief when Ellie came running towards them.

"Fuck! You're both covered in blood," she said anxiously, "We need to get outta here and away from these assholes."

Melanie grimaced in pain as her arm wouldn't stop throbbing in pain, "You're gonna have to do the shooting sweetie," she said through gritted teeth, "my arms fucked right now."

"That's okay, I can do this," Ellie said bravely and helped Joel to his feet, "Come on, I got ya…"

Joel slowly got to his feet and panted with the exertion, blood still dripping from his wound "I'm…I'm okay…"

"You're not okay Joel," Ellie snapped, as Melanie put an arm around his waist, "Now come on!"

Almost stumbling with every step, Melanie felt Joel leaning heavily on her as they followed Ellie, "Move it!" Ellie said, trying to sound firm but Melanie could hear the undertone of fear in her voice, "We're almost there."

"Hear that Joel," Melanie said trying to keep him conscious "your girls barking out orders already. She's been around you for too long."

He chuckled weakly and nodded "She's already telling bad jokes…" he coughed suddenly and Melanie seen more blood come pouring out his wound, "Mel… if you need to leave me…"

"That ain't fuckin' happening!" Melanie hissed, tightening her grip on him, "we're getting out of here. All of us!"

Ellie stood at the doorway in front of them with her gun outstretched and shook her head, "There's no one here. Hurry!"

"We're gonna get you bandaged up and you'll be back to normal in no time," Melanie whispered, trying more to reassure herself more than Joel as she felt like crying at their hopeless situation, "trust me on that."

"You gonna… wear… a nurse's outfit…" Joel asked weakly, using the wall to steady himself, "you… suit that… look."

"Really? That kind of talk when this is happening?" Melanie laughed a little and felt the tears threatening to fall, "It was a zombie nurse outfit for Halloween, not a sexy one."

"You looked… good."

Glancing over her shoulder at them as they got closer to the entrance, Ellie nodded, "That's right Joel, you're doin' good!" she said reassuringly, not hearing their all of their conversation, "you can do it."

"I'm… coming."

"Through these double doors and the horses should be nearby," Melanie said feeling hopeful that they might just make it out of here alive, "don't worry-"

She stopped talking as Joel fell to his feet, his face had lost all colour and he was barely keeping his eyes open, "Oh man, here lean on me too," Ellie cried out and ran back to help Melanie get him to his feet, "come on, I can help-"

"No!" Joel coughed up some more blood and looked at Ellie, "Lead the... Way!"

Ellie looked torn between arguing with him and trying to help him walk but shook her head, "Well fucking walk then!" she snapped angrily, "Stop falling to the ground!"

Melanie was just glad when Joel didn't push her away and allowed her to help, "Hey, there's the exit," she said quickly, pointing it out to Ellie, "Just a little bit more, come on!"

"Behind you!"

Melanie had to push Joel down behind the desk as bullets nearly missed them, she heard Ellie firing as the bandits shouted out, "THE KIDS GOT A GUN!"

"Shit..!" Melanie took out her gun and awkwardly held it in her left hand, she tried to aim and shoot for the other bandit but was unable to pull the trigger all the way back. Ellie suddenly froze as her own gun clicked empty and the bandit began to run towards her.

"Oh shit! Oh SHIT!" Ellie cursed as she frantically tried to reload but it was too late and the bandit hit her hard in the face making her fall back.

Screwing up her face in pain, Melanie raised her other hand and ignored the pain in her arm as she managed to pull the trigger and kill the bandit before he swung his crowbar down onto Ellie's head. Letting out a gasp, she felt her arm flare up in pain again and it began to pulsate with searing hot pain before growing numb.

"Melanie… you okay?" Ellie asked quickly, her cheek beginning to redden from the attack, "Oh shit, you're pale as fuck!"

"Let's just get him to the horses," Melanie replied weakly, to the barely conscious Joel, "I think it's gonna take the both of us to get him out of here."

As they lifted him up together, Ellie shook her head as they headed towards the doors "I swear to god, I get you out of this Joel, you're so singing for me!"

"You wish," Joel said faintly as he chuckled a little at the young girl. His breath was heavily laboured and Melanie tried hard not to think of how much blood he had lost.

They stopped at a desk by the door and Ellie slowly helped Joel to lean against it, "You two wait here," she said quickly, running towards the glass panelled doors, "I'll hold these open."

"Okay sweetie, but hurry," Melanie could practically hear the fear in her voice and wished she could take it back after seeing the immense worry in Ellie's eyes.

Managing to get through the door, Joel fell forward and out of the next set of doors before Melanie could get a hold of him. He rolled down the stone steps and Ellie and Melanie quickly followed him. Glancing up as she fell to his side, Melanie seen another bandit trying to take Callus and felt her heart drop when she seen that Red was nowhere in sight: he must have bolted.

"What the fuck?" the bandit shouted, the horse's reigns in his hands before he could do anything, Ellie had fired her gun and he fell beside Callus who hadn't bolted at the noise and instead stood still, his ears pointing towards Ellie as she rushed to Joel's other side.

"Come on, we need to get you up," Ellie said quickly, "it's getting fucking dark."

Joel grimaced as he shook his head, "Just… get the horse," he muttered and Ellie ran towards Callus.

Melanie swallowed down a sob and looked down at Joel's face and cupped his cheek tenderly, "Don't you dare die on me," she whispered, his eyes fixed on hers, "you hear me Joel?"

"I hear you…" he whispered back, his hand resting on hers as he looked sadly into her eyes, "I hear you Mel…"

Melanie stood outside the travel agents and glanced at the deals in the window, with the amount of money that Lucy had given her, she could easily afford a five star hotel but she looked at the euro train ticket and seen all the places it would take her and felt more tempted to do that and see more of the world rather than just one fancy ass hotel's view of the sea.

Too lost in thought, she didn't hear someone stop behind her until they put a hand on her arm, "Melanie?"

Jumping, Melanie felt her mouth go dry when she turned and seen a serious looking Joel standing behind her. "Oh you made me jump," she said, averting her eyes and pretending to fix her hair, "thanks for that."

"Going on a trip?" Joel asked, his eyes on the window as Melanie quickly glanced at him.

"Thinking about it…" she said quietly, wishing she didn't feel so awkward around Joel, "Lucy gave me some money and told me to do something for me. Always wanted to go travelling," she added wistfully, looking at the pictures of the sights in Prague, Italy and Amsterdam, "figured I might as well do it if I have the money."

Joel nodded and leant against the stone wall beside the window, "As well you should," he said quietly, looking at her intensely, "about time you started thinking about yourself."

"How… how are you doin'?" Melanie asked suddenly, surprised by her own question, "Work going okay?"

He nodded in response but she could tell something else was on his mind, "Sarah told me something surprising the other week," he said slowly, his hazel eyes on hers, "about why we split up."

"Oh…" Melanie didn't like where the conversation was going and looked quickly at her watch, "…shoot, I am late for my shift at the bar. Sorry Joel, I gotta go-"

"Why did you say that?" Joel asked quietly, ignoring her lie "Why did you make yourself out to be the bad guy?"

Shoulders slumping in defeat, Melanie ran a hand through her hair "I didn't want her taking it out on you…" she admitted, looking at him, "it's not your fault that… things ended the way they did and… and she came around to mine asking questions and telling me to get back together with you and I… I couldn't admit the truth to her."

"And what was that?"

Melanie was silent as she hugged herself tightly and it was a few moments before she answered him, "That having you and her in my life wasn't enough for me," she whispered, meeting his eyes, "just saying it in my mind made me sound so selfish and cruel and I was ashamed to admit to her that we split up because I wanted a baby and a white dress and you didn't."

"So instead you tell her that you cheated on me?" Joel asked raising an eyebrow but he also looked guilty at her words.

"To be fair, I had been drinking that whole week," Melanie said giving him a weak smile, "I just said the first thing that came to my mind… at least I didn't say it was because I was a lesbian."

Joel laughed at her comment and shook his head, "Yeah... She would have been telling everyone I was the one who made you like girls," he said quietly and then sighed, "She knows the truth now. I couldn't let her keep thinking you were this horrible person. You deserved more than that," he added sincerely.

"Thanks…" Melanie felt the overwhelming urge to beg him to take her back but she bit her lip and forced the notion down, "well, I guess I better get in there and plan my trip, huh?"

"Yeah… you have a good one, you hear?" Joel said, straightening up as he smiled at her, "You deserve it."

Melanie nodded, "See you around Joel."

"Wait…"

Pausing with her hand on the door, ready to open it, Melanie glanced back at Joel and seen a conflicted look on his face, "For what it's worth… it'll always be you," he said tenderly "I just wanted you to know that."

"Right back atcha," Melanie said, hating how wobbly her voice sounded, "Next lifetime, okay?"

Joel nodded and gave her one last smile, "Next lifetime."