SUMMER PT 1

"Ellie, stop." He looked away from her, situating the last board in place of their makeshift shelter.

"I'm not even doing anything." She huffed angrily, kicking garbage on the floor, out of her way.

"Yes, you are." He sighed, still refusing to face her. He knew if he did, he would cave and the last thing he needed to do, was to deal with that right now.

"What am I doing?" She sat on the floor, rummaging through her backpack, doing an inventory on the supply run they had just finished. She had to find any reason to distract herself. If she didn't keep her hands busy, she might just end up attacking him.

"You're doing that thing."

"What thing?" She looked up, eyes blazing with fury, if looks could kill.

"That thing women do when they get angry and think that men can't feel the impending shit storm that's brewing."

There was no denying that ever since they finally arrived back in Jackson, three years ago to be exact, Ellie was having the biggest tantrum of her life. Apparently teenage girls have a penchant for holding on to grudges. She knew that she told him she was okay with what he told her, but she wasn't. She wasn't angry at him for what she could only suspect happened at the hospital. Hell, she wasn't even really angry with him for lying to her. She was, however, furious that he thought he could, and worse, get away with it. She let her eyes continue to bore into the back of her older companion's head. How in his right mind could he think she can't tell when he's lying to her? All that time they've spent traveling together wasn't done in a day. She knew the difference between him being cranky because of lack of sleep or hunger. She knew, when he smiled softly, he was remembering the past. On a more embarrassing note, she could even tell when he needed to get out his…sexual frustrations.

"You lied." She accused him, now standing up.

"Care to be more specific?" He didn't bother turning around. He never got to the part of raising Sarah as a teenager but he certainly remembered how Sarah's mother was at that age. Giving teenage girls what they wanted never helped any one. He knew she would come to him anyway.

"Oh like you don't already know?" She sneered, taking steps towards him.

"Men at my age, Ellie, we tend to forget things." Which wasn't a lie, he was surprised his memory lasted as long as it did.

"Maybe this will jog your memory." She yanked out her pocketknife, holding it a few inches away from Joel's face. He grimaced as soon as he saw it. It was the knife Marlene gave to her. Ellie saw his face darken and she knew playtime was over,

"You lied."

He relented.

"I know." He sighed, taking a step back, running a hand through his greying hair.

"To me."

"Ellie!" He had his eyes squeezed shut. He knew he would have to face the music sooner or later but he naively thought it would be when he was ripe and old, well more old and on his deathbed. He really didn't like handling his petite companion once she got all riled up. Joel couldn't quite figure out why but whenever she got angry it made him more uncomfortable than usual. And it only seemed to get worse as the years passed by. It's not like, anything romantic was happening nor would it ever. He was a man of principles and morals, in light of his not so stellar choices but there was something about the pint-sized survivor getting in a tizzy that really seemed to affect him as of late. Although he was pretty sure she played for her own team, considering the glances she'd make at Maria's rack. He still couldn't help but noticed everything that eventually started to make him putty in her hands. Whether it was how her face would get red making her jade eyes stand out, strands of her auburn hair, falling out of her hair tie, or her now growing breasts, challenging the integrity of her t-shirt; he had a hard time staying in the same room with her for too long. This little outing Tommy had sent them out on was only suppose to be for a day or two, to scavenge much needed supplies. He initially rebuked the idea of Ellie coming with him but her sour attitude made her unpleasant for other people to be around. It's not like she was hated in the town but people could only take her mouth in small doses. Probably why Maria figured that with Joel practically immune to Ellie and her mouth, it wouldn't be a problem.

"You fucking lied to me, Joel!" She was in his face, standing toe to toe.

"Ellie, I thought we moved pass this!" Green eyes bore right into his and it took every ounce of strength to put much needed space between the two.

"Swear to me! That's what I said. After everything we've been through, you still can't trust me. Hell, you couldn't even come clean. I only gave you three fucking years!"

"Of course I can trust you, it's not about you!" He harshly whispered, realizing that getting into a hollering match with a raging 17 year old was the last thing he needed, much less having it in the middle of an infested forest of infected.

"How could it not be about me? Who the fuck else knew, besides us?" She lowered her voice abruptly once she caught on to his cautious tone, but still determined to convey her anger.

"It was about me, Ellie!" He barked but before he could say anymore, a high pitch screech echoed through out the woods.

Ellie quickly slid over to the lantern, blowing out the flame while Joel grabbed a blanket for cover as he pinned her to the ground. Neither said a word, both just listened intently for any signs of entry with only the sounds of their light gasps drowning in their ears. Noting that it wasn't an entirely appropriate moment to be distracted Ellie couldn't help but take notice of Joel's...cologne? When did he find any? And why did she really enjoy it? Reaching her neck up further, Ellie tried to breath in more of his scent. Oddly enough it suited him. She figured someone of his age probably should have smelled of something older and maybe…spicy. But this she liked, it was more woodland-y.

"Ellie, stop sniffing me." Joel chastised her, while still trying to listen.

"Sorry, I can't help it you smell really fucking good." She snapped back, putting a deep emphasis on "really". She started to squirm under him, grabbing on to his collar, pulling him down towards her more.

"Knock it off." He tried his best to fend her off without becoming stalker-chow, Joel quickly realized however that all of her grabbing; sniffing and well; rubbing was starting to take a physical effect on him.

Ellie stopped immediately once she felt something brush up against the inside of her thigh? Was he really that big? She tried looking down to see but couldn't mostly because of the darkness.

"Joel is that your"

"Do not finish that sentence." He cut her off quickly, abandoning all effort to hear for infected. Definitely avoiding eye contact with the older teen.

"Is it brushing against my"

"What did I just say?"

"Are you really that big?" She finished, giving a light chuckle.

"Dear god Ellie, do you not know the English language?" he sighed resting his head on the dirty wood floor, part of him hoping an infected would eat him.

"Bet you really revved Tess's engine. She seemed like a firecracker, so feisty."

"This is neither the time nor place and it sure as hell ain't appropriate." He grounded through his teeth.

"How could you even walk with that thing?" She chuckled, remembering the dirty mags she pilfered from Bill.

Despite the perilous situation they were stuck in Joel couldn't stay mad at her for long, especially with her constant chuckling in his ear. It was good hearted albeit at his expense but he knew she could have made it much more awkward for him. Instead of playing the young innocent prude she should have been, she was the foul mouth, vulgar, fun loving teen. He preferred her that way, embarrassment and all, that was his Ellie. She was the complete opposite from Sarah, truth be told she was basically a little Tess with a bit more pep. Sarah, he had no problems taking to dinner parties. With Ellie, he was lucky if they made it through a town dinner without getting dismissed. If it wasn't for the fact that the world ended he might have cared.

"Hello, earth to Joel. Did I lose you there?" Ellie nudge him slightly, bringing him back from his thoughts.

"I think the coast is clear." He whispered, lifting his head trying to ignore the fact that it was in the crook of Ellie's neck.

"Hmm, I don't think so." Ellie noted, making no attempt to get out from under Joel.

"What?"

"While you were in La-la land, I heard a few scratch outside the house. Sounds like their giving up but they're still there."

"Goddamn it." He continued to hold his stance, respectably making sure to not crush Ellie while listening for danger.

Letting her eyes finally adjust to the dark, Ellie took in her protector's features. She followed every wrinkle to every crease as if they were a roadmap to a man she hardly knew anything about but trusted with her life.

"Don't lie to me again." She softly whispered. Eye's flickered up and down to his face trying to gauge a reaction but after what seemed like forever, silence was the only thing that remained.

"I couldn't lose you."

Ellie looked back up.

"We were almost at the hospital until I fell through that damn bus door. And then you had to jump on top of it, trying to get me out and all I could think was "Don't save me". The bus tumbled anyway and all I could see was your limp body."

"Joel I-"

"My heart stopped." He said, finally looking down at her.

At that moment it felt like her heart had stopped as well. He was scared. Just as she had been when the rebar impaled him. Granted, she never lied to him in that situation but even if he told her to let him die, she wouldn't. She couldn't lose him. Losing Riley was awful; losing Joel would be unbearable. Letting her grip slacken around his collar, she moved her hands down and wrapped them around Joel's torso.

"What are you doing?" He resisted.

"Apologizing." She tugged harder, with him finally lowering himself

She hugged him with all her might hoping that it would convey to him that this time everything really was okay and that they didn't need to lie to each other.

"I didn't lie to you, I was trying to lie to myself."

His words echoed in her head ringing with a sad truth to them. All she could think about was what had become of them. The people they loved, the people they lost; the people they use to be. Slowly, she turned towards him, her eyes adjusting once more to find his. He raised his head in to turn to look at her. She stared at him for a moment while his stared back only to return confusion.

"Joel, I…I love you." She sighed.

At first he just chuckled, his head turning back to stifle the laugh at her "joke" until she stopped him by grabbing his face.

"No. I love you."

The amusement left his face contorting to confusion then on to clarity and eventually anger.

"No."

"Wait." She tried to stop him from getting up but it was too late. If she didn't say it now she would never get the chance.

"We're done talking." He growled, propping himself on his knees quietly and walking away from her, back to the window to check on the other situation.

She sat, propped up on her knees, watching him put distance between them. Although she knew she should have listened to him, she couldn't stop the word vomit.

"It's a lot I know. And you have every right to be repulsed but… I don't think you are."

"Ellie, enough." He looked back to her, extending his hand. It was as if he could stop her words from reaching his ears by that action alone.

"You're clearly attracted to me. And I know you love me. We love each other. That's how it's been, that's how it will always be. The world's not the same anymore Joel. You know that. Love isn't about being conventional. Fuck, it's not even about being convenient. But it's unstoppable. And it takes what it wants no matter the differences: age, race, or gender-"

"Ellie, I'm only going to say this once. You'll never hear it again and that will be the end of the that." He stood with a stoic expression and rigid form that put her off. He looked at her but wasn't really looking at her. She felt as if he was looking through her. She stayed silent, hanging on to the air, waiting for his words to form sound.

"I don't love you in that way. When we get back to Jackson. I will move out and you will move on with your life however you need to. Whether that's by having a relationship with someone else, eventually having a family or whatever. But you will have a normal life in that safe community. And I will have a normal life as well."

Tears threatened to fall from her face as she sat there in disbelief. He was leaving her. Maybe not in a physical sense, but emotionally- he was leaving. After a moment of silence, she wiped her face and stood up, collecting her things. Once she got to the door she stopped to listen for infected and then eventually opened it.

"I'll be outside." The door slammed behind her.

Joel curse himself as he fought the urge to break a window. He hated himself with every fiber of his being.

The air was thick and heavy as the summer night started to fade. Ellie paused for a moment before noting where the stalkers were hiding. Two were on her left under a brush of trees and one was on her right running straight-

"Huhh!" She grunted as the impact of the stalker took her by full force. Lucky enough, she managed to pull out her pocketknife in time and used the stalker's momentum to plunge the deadly weapon inside its temple. Tossing the body to her side she wiped off the blood on her torn shorts and readied herself for the next assault. Getting out her aggression towards Joel on the infected was a great outlet. She couldn't really blame him but in that regard he couldn't blame her either. It's not like she asked to be in love with him. Shit happens. The second stalker shrieked from her left running at a wide angle. Ellie grabbed a Molotov from her backpack, lit it and threw in the opposite direction after running to cut the infected off. Just as she had predicted the stalker chose to take her on instead of the fire and wildly swung at her. She effortlessly dodged its attack and forcefully planted her foot in the stalker's stomach. The stalker crashed backwards falling into the fire and got up screaming as it unintentionally ran into the forest lighting up the remaining infected. Ellie grinned at her handiwork before an arrow narrowly missed her face, causing a sick splatter to erupt behind her. Whipping herself around she caught sight of another stalker crumpling to the ground. How did she miss that one? Ellie looked back to the owner of the arrow and saw Joel standing near the door.

"That was a waste of a Molotov. Had you just waited we could have dealt with them."

"I did fine on my own, sans for this guy." She motioned to the one behind her.

"Just stay put and let me grab the rest of our stuff." Joel ordered.

"Whatever you say."

After disposing of the remaining infected and Joel's exit, Ellie stood for a moment taking in the sight of the dawn breaking. It seemed unreal, what had just transpired. She was so angry and embarrassed, that clearing out the rest of the stalkers was a welcomed distraction. But his last minute heroics weren't. She was so stupid to confess to him. What reaction did she really expect? As stupid as she may have been though, something told her different. She felt it. It was undeniable. And she knew he must have felt it too. Trying to put it out of her mind Ellie surveyed her surroundings. It would probably take a full day to get back to Jackson but they got what they needed so there was no need for worry. She stretched her limbs, letting the hot summer air bathe around her. Not much of her appearance had changed in three years but she felt like mentally she had. She was still slender in frame but her auburn hair, which she now wore up in a messy bun, had grown to the middle of her back. Her arms were thin but strong as well as her well-toned legs that had refused to grow, making her only an inch taller than she originally had been. Her pale skin had vanished quickly taking on a more tan appearance due to her constant being outside. However her freckles still remained. The scar on her arm had faded a bit but it still had a distinct white trace. Ellie usually covered it with an armband, so she didn't make any one feel uncomfortable. Not that the towns people avoided her like the plague but Ellie preferred to keep away from them in the fields or forest for outside duty. Ellie hated being in the house. It reminded her of her time at the military boarding school. A huge pang hit her chest as she remembered her lost love. Not a day went by that she didn't think of Riley, which made the pain of losing Joel all the more worse. She wished her brazen companion were still around to talk to. Maybe if Riley were still here she wouldn't feel this way about Joel and they wouldn't be in their situation. Everything felt so confusing and frustrating. Going back to Jackson now didn't seem so much as safe and inviting as it felt like more of a death sentence. Maybe she didn't have to stay. There was something about being beyond the wall that made her feel free anyway. Granted, there was a constant threat of danger present but Ellie no longer felt scared. She was no longer scared of the outside. She could be like Bill. Take a whole town for own and just deal with the sick fuckers as they came. The sound of a door shutting brought Ellie back. She turned around to face Joel. An awkward silence ensued before he mumbled,

"Let's get going."

"Lead the way." Ellie hung her head, following behind him.

After walking in silence for the better half of the day, Ellie couldn't take it anymore. The sun was beating down on them relentlessly, as it sat at its highest point and all she could hear were the pesky mosquitos buzzing in her ears.

"So, are we not gonna talk at all?" She swatted one away.

"What do you want?" he asked, slapping the back of his neck.

"God, you don't have to be a dick." She huffed, crossing her arms.

"Ellie, I am not in the mood for this." He inspected his hand to see if he caught the bugger.

"You're clearly upset. Maybe we should talk about this." She persisted, catching up to his stride, now besides him.

"We don't need to talk about it." He said, trying his best to ignore her.

"You can't just ignore this, Joel." She pulled on his arm, stopping him from moving further.

"Ellie now is not the time for this!" He scolded, finally looking at her again.

"When then? Cause frankly you're plan fucking sucks." She planted her hands on her hips making a firm notion that she wasn't planning on moving anytime soon.

"It's not a plan Ellie, it's just the way things are." He turned, resuming to walk forward again. God, what he wouldn't give for a horse, if only so they could just get there faster. Now that he had thought about it, he missed Callus.

"So you don't have feelings for me?" She called after him.

He stopped walking the moment she finished. He hesitated before turning around,

"Not like that Ellie."

"You're lying." She exclaimed moving towards him once again.

"Ellie."

"Let me kiss you."

"Are you insane?" Did he hear her right?

"If you don't have feelings for me, then let me kiss you."

"I am not going to let you kiss me. This isn't high school Ellie." He turned back, picking up his pace.

"You just know that I'll be able to see the truth and then how will you lie?" She called out, running after him.

"You really don't handle rejection too well." He sighed, when he was stopped by the 90 degree "hill" that may have well been a cliff.

"You haven't rejected me." She huffed as she finally caught up to him, groaning at their next obstacle. "Ugh, I'm too old for this shit."

Joel snorted at her latter comment. She should talk, his entire body felt like crumbling every day.

"This isn't up for discussion, Ellie." Joel turned back toward the "hill" and started climbing up.

"Can't stop me from talking about it." She countered, following his lead.

"One can dream." He muttered to himself as he steadied his foot on a vine.

"I don't think you're being very fair about this." Instead of pulling up behind him, Ellie chose to find her own route up the "hill". She wanted to prove that she didn't need his guidance anymore and that she could be his equal.

"Yeah, well, life's not fair kiddo."

Or not.

"Don't call me that." She scowled, pulling herself ahead.

"That's what you are. A kid." His emphasis on the last part caused Ellie to lose her footing on the vine. Just when she thought she was going to hit the ground, she felt a calloused hand grip her wrist tightly. She opened her eyes to look up and saw Joel grimace as he held her weight with one arm. Swinging her back over to the vine, he finished his thought,

"A reckless one at that."

"Come on man, there's has to be love for me underneath that stubborn exterior somewhere." Ellie got right back to the matter at hand, the moment when she was steady and ready to continue.

"That was never in question." It wasn't? Now she was confused.

"You said no."

"I know."

That's it? Just "I know"? No explanation? No big speech? Slowly her face contorted, first from confusion then on to clarity and eventually anger.

"Stop fucking with me! Why are you being so bull headed about this?"

"You know why."

"No I don't! You won't fucking talk to me!"

Finally losing his nerve and desperate to get rid of his headache, Joel cracked his cool composure.

"Is this seriously up for discussion Ellie? I'm an old man and you're a kid! In what world is that appropriate?"

"I'm guessing in one that hasn't ended?" Joel stopped mid climb and looked over at her.

"Fine! Say you and me are together. Now what? What happens when people find out? What do we tell Tommy? Maria? Do you really think a bunch of starving, mistrustful, scared survivors; who are just looking for a semblance of a normal life, are going to have open arms and welcome the idea of a teenager "shacking up" with an older guy?"

"Fuck those people. They don't have to know!" Ellie retorted, grunting as she shook off the dirt from the fall out of their climb. She didn't mean to sound so immature the entire time but she hated being dirty and sweaty, while having an important conversation.

"They will know Ellie. They will. Trust me, I've lived in a small town before and when there is nothing to do but gossip the people will and trust that they will make it their goal in life to make your business theirs. It's not a life for you, hell it ain't a life for anyone." Joel groaned out loud as he finally pulled himself and extended a hand down to pick Ellie up when he noticed she was in mid hang staring up at him in disbelief.

"You- you've thought about it."

"God Ellie, didn't you hear anything I said?" He felt like he was running in circles with her.

"No, fuck you! You've thought about it!" Ellie felt a surge of energy run through her. She couldn't believe it. "No one gives that kind of explanation without putting in some serious thought Joel." She grunted as she took Joel's hand and let his strength pull her up.

"Hypothetically, Ellie that's all." Careful to not pull her too close, Joel took her a safe distance away from the edge before letting himself crash to the ground. He needed to rest. This girl drained him of energy. They'd never work.

"Hypothetical my ass." Ellie pouted as she took a seat next to him, wiping off the sweat from her brow. She looked over to her left and saw Joel taking in deep breaths, laying down and trying to relax his joints. Her heart ached. She knew fighting with him about them may have seemed futile but she loved him. Why she was so hung up on this idea she didn't know. Its not like she was alone. He was always there. But for the past few years she had this terrible feeling inside of her whenever he was near. She wanted more than to just be his friend. She couldn't stop fighting for him. For what could be them. She had to try.

'Next time Ellie. Pick your battles.'

Joel looked over at Ellie and saw her silently staring out over the cliff,

"That's some deep thought right there."

"Just planning my next attack." She mused.

"Oh good." He never paid attention but his sarcasm just made him more attractive to her. Quite frankly a lot of the things he did made him attractive in her eyes. Getting up from the ground Ellie brushed herself off and started walking away.

"I'm keeping this by the way." She held up the pilfered cologne bottle he had on him.

"Thief." Joel figured she took it. He noticed it missing a while back but wasn't too concerned. He knew his sticky fingered friend had a penchant for stealing.

"Liar."

"Still a thief." He laughed as he got off the ground to follow her.

"Still a liar!" She called out not slowing her step.

By the time they made it back to Jackson the sun was setting. Based on how much of it was left, Joel knew they should have spent one more night in doors for safety but he was eager to get home and sleep in a real bed for once. Plus it would give him a chance to get away from Ellie. Not much mind you but something was better than nothing. As the guards opened up the gates he let the days events sink in. Joel tried his best not to look at her, lest it prompt her to start up again. After a few hours of walking in silence, before reaching Jackson, Ellie had relented her efforts in talking about "them". He frowned when he realized that the moment she had let it go, he didn't want to. What was wrong with him? Why would he even entertain that crazy idea? He chalked it up to old age and delirium, deciding it was best to leave things as they were. Despite the initial anger, Joel couldn't blame her. It's hard to separate feelings and not confuse them with something else. Who had been there for them if not each other? When you spend all your time with someone who cares and looks out for you, you naturally start to love them…. but when did Ellie fall in love with him? Did she even really know what she felt for him? It was obvious that he may have lied about the extent of his feelings for the young girl. Lying however was the only thing he seemed capable of doing as of late. Ellie had grown up into a beautiful, fully capable, young woman and that was a fact that disturbed him like no other. How could have this happened? When did he start to see Ellie in that light? She was like a daughter to him, she was. But then something changed and like that, she wasn't. He had no idea, what had changed but what ever it was, he hated it. The constant questioning of his morals made him feel inhuman. In this world, many had to compromise their beliefs just to survive. Was love necessary to survive? Could he live without loving Ellie? He knew he couldn't live without her. Were the two things the same? Joel's thoughts were interrupted when Ellie nudge him.

"Did you hear him?"

"Hear what?"

"Tommy wants to talk to you. Meet you at Maria's." Ellie grabbed his bag that was filled with the supplies and headed off to Maria's house. Tommy came barreling towards him like a man on a mission.

"Did you get it?" he gasped with his southern twang.

"Relax, little brother I got it." Joel laughed heartily as he slapped his hand on his back, leading him away from the gate to the town square. Tommy's shoulders relaxed with relief as he followed.

"You mind telling me what's it for?" Joel asked all too knowingly.

"You know what it's for." Tommy beamed letting his stride pick up. He couldn't wait to get home.

"I would still like to hear it you know, I told you about Sarah."

"Damn boy, how could you not? The whole damn school knew!"

"Hey!" Joel defended, playfully missing a swing at his younger brother's head. Joel may have not planned for Sarah but sharing the news about his impending fatherhood was a wonderful feeling he knew all too well. Tommy must have felt good too. A baby in this world was a godsend. It made you feel like hope wasn't lost and that there was indeed something to live for.

"You're going to be an uncle, Joel." Joel smiled at those seemingly insignificant words. So this is what the receiving end felt like.

"And here I thought this day would never come." Tommy laughed hard at his brother's tragic attempt at crying.

"Just like blood, I guess you can't get water from a stone."

"Hey! I have feelings. They just don't cooperate all the time."

The men walked back in each other's arms, basking in the joyous news. When they headed inside they were greeted with an angry Maria and a disinterested Ellie. Maria was screaming obscenities while throwing pots, pans, and rags; hell anything she could throw, she did, so long as it wasn't breakable. Ellie sat on the couch, knees tucked into her chest, while flipping through her worn-down-all-ready-read-100-times comic.

"What the hell is going on?" Tommy rushed to his pregnant wife, making sure she didn't hurt herself.

"What did you do?" Joel eyed Ellie.

"Hey, don't look at me I just delivered the goods." She didn't bother to put her book down. It looked like silence wasn't her letting the matter go, but a treatment.

"Ellie I'm serious–"

"You got the wrong pills." She interrupted, continuing to read.

"What? No, I got the right ones."

"Honey, aren't those the pills you need?" Tommy tried shushing his hysterical wife while rubbing her back.

"They're not the right brand Tommy! They're generic! Our baby is going to come out deformed!"

"I don't think that's how they work." Maria clutched her 5-month stomach as if just saying that would harm her baby.

"O…k." Joel slowly backed out of the kitchen and plopped himself down next to Ellie. You don't mess with crazy.

"I wonder if it'll have three heads." Ellie mused, flipping the next page of her comic.

"Oh stop. That's just mean." He chuckled stretching his limbs out, one arm lying on the top of the couch behind Ellie's head.

"What? It'd be ideal. Then they can stop fighting over which name sounds best and just name each head; Jerry, Mike and Sue."

"You can't name a boy Sue." Joel shook his head as he leaned over, reading Ellie's comic.

"Why not? Girls have boy names: Chris, Pat…Riley."

As soon as it came out she felt a tinge in her chest. She paused for a moment before going back into her comic. However, she couldn't focus on reading it anymore. She tried her best not to show that she was extremely happy that Joel was so close and smelled so good. It seemed that the dispute between them was laid to rest for the time being, allowing their rapport to rekindle. She had even forgotten she was mad at him. But that probably was due to the intoxicating scent of his sweat and cologne.

"We don't even know if it's a boy or girl anyway." He reached over her, pulling across the next page on the book.

"Well it could be both, all thanks to uncle Joel and his generic pills."

"Yeah well I guess Sue could work then."

"Or Pat." Ellie flipped a page.

"I hate that name." Joel chuckled, no longer reading the comic.

"You hate every name." Ellie looked up at him as she challenged his stance on names.

"Callus is a terrible name." He looked back amused that she still stood by that damn horse.

"You're terrible." Ellie smiled to herself as she brought her attention back to her comic. She loved it when things were like this. Comfortable. She could feel his warmth as he sat, legs propped up and arms stretched out around her. Joel let the moment of peace linger and forgot personal boundaries, letting his arm fall around her shoulders. Ellie instinctively nestled into the crook as they both read her comic.

"You both look like love birds." Tommy noted uncomfortably, with a calm Maria following after him.

Joel immediately jumped up from the couch straightening his shirt, while Ellie balanced herself by the abrupt movement, crushing her favorite comic. She scowled.

"Love birds." Joel scoffed, "That's just…silly."

He headed straight for the door, picking up his sack and a walkie-talkie on the way out. Ellie sighed before following suit.

"See you guys later." The door shut behind her.

"See what you did?" Maria barked, as she slapped the back of her husband's head.

"Ow, what'd I do?"

The sounds of Maria and Tommy's bickering faded as Ellie made it back to her and Joel's house. Once inside, she could hear frantic footsteps shuffling back and forth upstairs. Throwing down her sack in a panic, she ran upstairs to find Joel packing his things.

"What are you doing?" She couldn't believe he was serious.

"This was the plan, Ellie you know that."

"It's not a plan Joel." She walked into the room, overwhelmed by which of his stuff to grab first, to stop him from packing it away.

"But it is the way things are." She hated this. He wasn't even looking at her.

"We haven't even done anything wrong. We were just getting comfortable." She stepped in front of his path, taking his clothes from him.

"Ellie, stop."

"Where are you going to go? It's night."

"I'm packing things so I can leave in the morning." He grabbed his clothes back from her, stuffing them in a small box. Leaving her standing there with a shirt he missed.

"Joel." She reached out after him.

"Good night Ellie." He left his room, with the door shutting behind him.

The sun beamed through her poorly covered curtain and it felt like hellfire itself. She had hoped last night was just a bad dream and she would wake up to find Joel down in the kitchen complaining about no breakfast. However when she went to his room she found it empty. She walked to the center of the room and found the crumpled shirt left behind. She slumped to the floor picking it up as if it would disintegrate from her touch. One sniff of his shirt and she couldn't hold back. The only sound that filled the room was her silent tears. He was gone.