(Lovely readers! It has been a long time, I know. I've been neglecting my Nellis because I haven't had very many plot bunnies of late. But guess what? Thanks to the discovery of my IRL Ellis, the plot bunnies have suddenly emerged and been multiplying rapidly. XD This sarcastic old soul has found an adorably derpy fireball to inspire all the Nellis, and it's been going rather well. So enjoy yet another one shot, my lovely readers! :D)

"Hey!" Nick shot at an ambling common infected that threatened to wander too close to where he lay and then let his head rest wearily against the pavement for a moment. "I need some help over here!" he called, even though it seemed to be a futile effort at this point.

He was more than aware of the fact that all his shooting and yelling was only going to attract more of the infected before it got the attention of his fellow survivors, but it was better than bleeding out right here where he lay without at least trying to be rescued. To die quietly now would be too much like giving up.

"Give me some help, I'm over here!"

Coach, Rochelle… Ellis. How far ahead had they already gotten? How far would they go before they even realized he was missing? Would they even bother coming back for him or would be he assumed dead? An assumption that wouldn't be far wrong if he didn't get some help soon…

"Nick!"

The conman lifted his head at the sound of his own name. Despite himself, his heart lifted at the familiar dopey twang. "Ellis…" he murmured, almost in disbelief.

The incessant rambling had already begun, but for once, Nick didn't mind it so much. "Shit, man, I thought we'd lost you for sure! I was talkin' like you was right there behind me, then when ya didn't answer me back I thought you was mad or somethin', but when I turned around you weren't even there!"

Ellis jogged up in those steel-toed boots just chattering away without a care in the world and crouched to offer him a hand up, his smile wide and his eyes bright. "Good thing I noticed and came back for ya, man, ya look –"

The sudden screech was loud enough to freeze them both for just a moment. Fuck, that Hunter sounded incredibly close. Ellis turned in place just as Nick brought his Magnum up, prepared to empty the last of his bullets into the hooded bastard, wherever it was, when the screech came again, unbearably close this time, and Ellis suddenly slammed into him face fist, knocking the gun out of his hand to skitter a few feet away across the pavement.

Ellis let out a pained scream as the horrible claws dug into his back, ripping away flesh in great, jagged furrows. His fingers dug into Nick's jacket and he buried his face in the older man's neck, his whole body shaking with pain and the force of the infected's terrible assault on his unprotected back.

"Shit!" Nick stretched out his arm, even as his body screamed in its own agony for the excessive movement, desperately groping for his lost weapon. Any weapon would do, really. Anything with bullets in it for him to take down this fucking thing. Ellis continued to moan and whimper as the Hunter clawed at him, his body jerking weakly in an attempt to get away from his attacker.

"Son of a bitch," Nick growled, his arm finally falling limp, just out of reach of the Magnum. Where the hell were Coach and Rochelle? His absence might have been overlooked or dismissed, but Ellis'? Not likely.

"N-Nick," whimpered the younger man, still clutching desperately at his jacket, though his grip was much weaker now than it had been before. Miraculously, the Hunter seemed to grow bored with his conquest now that his back had been turned into so much raw meat, and he leapt off the pair with an irritated scream and bounded off into the darkening night. In its absence, there was only silence save for the short, shuddering breaths Ellis continued to take.

"N-Nick, I…"

"Shhh." Nick closed his eyes, cursing profusely in his head. But for once, he kept it in check. "I-It's all right, El. I've got you." His arm gave a disapproving throb as he lifted it and ran his ringed fingers gently through the soft hair. His hat lay nearby, knocked away by the brutal attack.

"N-Nick… Shit, man, m'not… not gonna m-make it…"

A quiet shudder tore through him at the thought. Not Ellis. Rather him, rather any of them, than Ellis. He was so full of life, had so much to live for… Sure, he could be annoying. Sure, he was more child than man sometimes. Sure, he told way too many Keith stories for anyone to bear, but he was still a better person than any of the rest of them, and for him to die now was more tragic in that moment, to Nick, than the apocalypse itself.

"Don't talk like that," he whispered. He continued to stroke his head, his voice quiet and just a little shaky. "You're going to be fine, all right? Coach and Rochelle are coming to find us right now, and we'll get you all patched up and get you to a safe room." The slight quaver in his voice made his stomach pitch violently. Shit, why couldn't he get his act together?

"Nick… ya r-remember that time… we talked 'bout where w-we were… gonna go after all this?" Ellis' breathing was growing softer, washing out warm and damp over his neck, but it was getting a little more shallow, a little less warm. A lump rose up in his throat.

"Y-yeah… I remember that. You wanted to move back to Savannah one day once it's all cleaned up. Go back to fixing people's cars and marry that Zoey girl and live the American dream. Quite a goal, Overalls." Nick squeezed his eyes shut. This was almost more painful than his injuries were. Why wasn't there anyone coming to rescue them?

"Y-yeah… I don' think I really… want that anymore." Ellis tried for a laugh, but it subsided into a pained groan. "I was thinkin'… 'bout the other d-day… on the boat with Virgil…" Nick's breath caught in his throat. "An' I realized… ya never t-told me yer plans…"

Nick had to struggle to remember how to speak for a moment. "Well…" He paused, swallowing hard, realizing tears were suddenly rushing to his eyes. He couldn't even remember the last time he had actually cried… "To be honest, I didn't really know. But now…" He realized his fingers had stopped running through his hair, tangling in the short strands as if he could keep him there just by holding on. "Now I do."

Nick tilted his head and brushed a kiss over Ellis' forehead. "I want whatever you want, fireball."

Ellis' body shook slightly, and he could feel a small smile against his throat. "That's… good. 'Cause I w-want you." There was a moment of silence while they both absorbed the truth finally spoken between them, tucked away and ignored ever since that moment of weakness on Virgil's boat where they had both finally acknowledged a need neither of them had wanted to admit to having.

"H-hey, Nick…"

"Yeah?"

"Can you f-find… my hat?"

Nick reached out to the side once more and felt his fingers brush the battered fabric, curling around it before it dragged it over and tried to place it gently on the other's head, where it belonged. "Here it is, kiddo."

"T-take good care… of it for me… Okay?"

Fuck, why couldn't he feel the breath on his skin anymore? Where was his hurried heartbeat against his chest? Maybe because his own was already so weak, his skin so cold.

"…I will, El."

Another shudder wracked the body sprawled across him, and when he exhaled again, another inhale never followed. Nick brought his arm up and covered his eyes with it, trembling as tears began to seep from the corners of his eyes. "God."

In Memory Of:

Nick
Ellis

(What the hell is this? T_T I never write sad stuff like this! It was my Ellis, she requested it! God, now I need to go have a good cry. I hope you enjoyed this inexplicable angst, and I promise the next one will be fluffy and fun and not at all like this one! I swear, lovely readers!)