The Last of Us:
Reunited
A Prequel Fan Fiction
One-Shot
By: KassieMarie
September: Seven Months Later
"Ah! Shit, man. You don't have to.."
"Stay here!"
The Firefly slammed the door shut. Joel looked around. He was surrounded by gear you would find in a doctor's office. He moved his hand to scratch his beard, then realized he was cuffed still.
"Shit."
…
"Doctor!"
"What is it?" Antonia kept her eyes on her notes.
"We've got another one, ma'am."
"Shit." She said under her breath. Antonia met the Fireflies eyes. "Name?"
"None, ma'am. He didn't give it."
"Great. So, John Doe was found... where?"
"Abandoned Military Warehouse one mile outside Little Rock city limits."
She started to squint her eyes. "And you brought a potentially infected man all the way here? Into North Little Rock? That's how far?"
"Roughly 15 miles ma'am."
"And did you call it in?"
"No, ma'am. Brought him straight here."
Antonia stood up. "So you brought a potentially infected man 15 miles without calling it in and risking every single healthy person along the way?"
The Firefly swallowed. "Yes, ma'am."
"What's your name?"
"Private Harper, ma'am."
"So a rookie then. Ok. Next time, call it in! I won't have you risking the health of everyone here again, is that understood Private Harper?"
Harper snaps to attention. "Yes ma'am!"
"Good. Now get out!"
Harper hurries out the door as Antonia sat back down. "Where the hell do you find these people Marlene?"
"They find us, you know that."
"Why do all the stupid people get in though?"
"Not all of them are, Antonia. It just seems that way because they all come in as privates."
"We need to screen them better to give them jobs that suit their mental capacities better. And we need to stop having privates go out alone!"
"We don't have the manpower for that."
"Marlene, yes we do."
"So my number one is judging me now?"
"As your number one, it's my JOB to criticize you and to help you make decisions. You know I'm good with that. That's why you made me second in command!"
"True."
Antonia closed her notebook. "Well, time to find out who this John Doe is."
"Be careful."
Antonia looked at Marlene and smiled as she walked out. "When am I not?!"
…
Antonia walked in he room, her head in her clipboard. She walks to the counter and washes her hands.
"Hello. I'm Doctor Rodriguez." She picks her clipboard up and turns around, head down. "So, Mr. John Doe. Mind telling me your…."
Joel smiles weakly. "Uhh, hey."
"Holy shit... Joel?"
"Hey Tonia. How's it been?"
Antonia rushes at him, giving him a hug.
"I… I thought you were dead."
"Well, I'm here." Joel holds his hands up.
"That stupid private! Hang on a sec."
Antonia pulls out her key.
Joel rubs his wrists. "Much better."
"Where the hell have you been? It's been a year already."
"Trying to find you and Tommy. It's not easy tracking down the Fireflies, ya know."
Antonia takes a seat across from Joel. "So, how'd you survive the explosion?"
"I found just enough TNT to make that gaping hole and kill some infected. That and the explosion faced away from me, so all I got was some smoke inhalation."
Antonia noded.
"So, did you find Tommy?"
Antonia avoided Joel's gaze.
"Antonia…. Did you find my brother?"
"Yes. He left a few months ago." She looked into his eyes. "He didn't tell me why he left, but now I kinda have a good guess as to why."
…
"Marlene. Are you looking at my notes again?"
"Huh?" Marlene looks up, dased.
"You were, weren't you."
"Like I understand any of it." She plops it down on the table. "So how's it going? In layman's terms please."
"Very well. I think a few more months and I can start testing."
"Human trials?"
"No. No, first on rats. If it works on them, then human trials."
Marlene noods. "So roughly in a year, you could have a cure for this."
"I'm not making any promises, but yes. There is a possibility."
Marlene stood. "That's all I needed to know."
"Marlene."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Don't tell anyone how close I am. I don't want people to get their hopes up and I can't deliver. Just wait until my tests are done and I know for sure it'll work."
"Ok." Marlene stands and goes to leave. "Oh, one more thing. That John Doe, who is he?"
Antonia shrugged. "Beats me. He was lying face down on the examination table when I walked in. When I went over to check on him, he was dead. So I just had him disposed of."
Marlene nods and walks out.
…...
"Hey Joel! Ready?"
Joel walks around the building where he was hiding. "What are we doing again?" He asks as he scratches his head.
"We're going to collect some more samples. My last batch didn't fill in all the blanks I have in my formula."
"And what's my job again?"
"Since you're not an official Firefly, all you have to do is kill any infected and cover me as I collect the blood and tissue samples that I need. Same thing Tommy did."
Joel nodded. He can kill infected. Sounded simple enough.
As Joel and Antonia walked, Joel became curious as to her relationship with Tommy and how she found him.
"So… you and Tommy…"
"Yeah?"
"How'd you guys meet?"
"Marlene took me to the last Firefly headquarters after the warehouse exploded. She was with me when it did. So I followed her and met Tommy there. He became my chief of security and helped me out during my scientific explorations." She looked at Joel, "You know, you two are a lot alike."
Joel scoffed. "Yeah right."
"I'm serious Joel. Tommy and I worked closely together for four months before he left. And I traveled with you for six. I think I could see some resemblances between you two. You are brothers, trust me, you two would have a lot in common."
"Like what."
"The way you both walk when you're concentrating. Head straight forward, eyes laser focused and walking slowly, but with purpose. You both like to carry a rifle the same way. Slung over your shoulder, like you're always ready for a gun fight." Antonia paused. "I could go on for days, Joel."
"What else did you two do?"
"Talked. Traveled. He helped me sometimes in the lab, but that's really it. Why?"
Joel shook his head. "No reason."
Antonia rolled her eyes. "Ok."
December
Antonia rushed to find Joel.
"JOEL!"
"OVER HERE!"
Antonia rand towards his voice and looked around.
"LOOK DOWN!"
"Oh! There you are."
She reached her hand down the manhole and helped Joel up.
"Thanks."
"How'd you get down there?"
"Don't ask."
"You fell didn't you."
Joel glared at her.
"Haha! Joel you are a major klutz sometimes."
"Did you get what you needed?" He asked, irritated.
"Yeah."
"Good. Now let's go before something else happens."
"Ok. But you're in front. I can't risk falling down any open manholes."
All Joel could do was glare at Antonia. But he did have to admit, these last three months were the best. He was able to get his mind off everything that has happened in the past year.
…
Antonia was laser focused on her scope when Marlene walked in.
"Antonia?"
"Hmm?" She answered while keeping her eyes on her work.
"I have someone to introduce to you."
Antonia looks up to see a woman standing next to Marlene.
"This is Anna, an old friend of mine who is actually a nurse. I think she might be of some use to you and your research. She's already volunteered to be the first in line for testing when you're ready."
"Really?" Antonia walked over to Anna. "Welcome to the team Anna."
AN: So sorry this was short and ya'll waited forever for this! So so so sorry! Starting college really put me behind. I will update whenever I can! Thank you all for everything! Hope you enjoyed and the next part will come out as soon as I can write it!