Ellie tapped her foot petulantly as she watched Jenna handing out letters to an enthusiastic crowd. She couldn't put her finger on it, but Ellie new they where up to something. Why else would Jenna be so infuriating? It was as if she was trying to rile Ellie up.

Someone cleared their throat next to Ellie and she looked up to see her friend Eric smiling down at her "You know I'm pretty sure you can't read her mind, no matter how hard you stare at her." he raised an eyebrow cheekily "Unless you're looking at her for other reasons." the tan boy wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Ellie snorted at him "Yeah right Eric." she shoved his arm playfully As if I'd be interested in someone as cocky as that."

The thin boy sat down next to her "So, you're not denying she's attractive."

Ellie rolled her eyes "I'm sorry, when did you become qualified to comment on the attractiveness of women?" she shot at him.

He chortled, "I may not be an expert on women honey, but I know what you like."

Ellie groaned, she knew Eric wasn't going to let this go "Oh god, you're absurd." she looked over to Eric as he picked at a small thread coming off his jacket. "What makes you think I would find her attractive?"

Eric laughed "Oh honey, let's list the girls you've ever had a thing for, Riley, badass firefly, black girl. Amelia, badass caravan member, black girl. Jas, badass caravan guard, black girl. Jessie..."

Ellie sighed, "Yeah, ok, I get it. I've got a type, so what?" Ellie glared at Jenna's smug face as she explained how the cost of sending letters was calculated. "What makes you think she's my type?"

Eric smiled knowingly "A badass black girl who seems a bit smug? No, I've got no idea what would make me think that."

"Oh shut up." Ellie grumbled as Hopkins strolled over to them.

"Hey Ellie." he said. Paul Hopkins was a big guy, big, strong, and slightly thick headed, but he always meant well.

"Hey Paul." she smiled back at him.

Eric grinned standing up and wrapping his arms around his boyfriend "Hey babe." he purred into Paul's ear

Paul smiled down at him and wrapped his big arms around his shoulders "Hey to you too." he said pressing a kiss into Eric's hair.

Ellie moved her gaze to continue to glare daggers at Jenna as her two friends chatted romantically with each other.

Paul noticed her gaze and said, "Still don't trust 'em?"

Ellie snorted "No," she narrowed her eyes "Why would I? They roll up here with no warning and expect us to just welcome them with open arms?" she sighed "It just doesn't sit right with me."

Paul nodded solemnly "I know what you mean. Very suspicious."

Eric gave an exasperated sigh "You two are ridiculous, maybe if you're so nervous you could just go talk to them?"

Ellie and Paul blinked at Eric. Eric sighed, his hand on his hips "You guys really are jar heads." he quipped "If you're so concerned put your money where your mouth is and confront them."

Paul nodded slowly "Yeah, that's a good idea. What do you think Ellie?"

Ellie shrugged "Sure, I'm game if you'll back me up Paul."

He nodded patting the pistol he kept holstered on his hip When do we go?"

-Bonnefeta-

The couriers sat around their campfire, laughing, sorting letters, and chatting about the day's activities. After a long day of delivering letters Jenna loved nothing more than sitting down by a warm fire with a cold beer. Connecting up the caravan and courier network with the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St Louis was the best thing they'd ever done in her opinion, worth the pack of clickers they'd had to face to get into the city. She was glad that they'd been able to help the Illinois-Missouri battalion with that one, and help the brewery staff. She loved travelling all over the country, seeing how various settlements produced things to trade. Things like beer from St Louis, cotton from North Carolina, lumber from the nearby settlements in Shoshone National Park, Massive dairy production in Illinois, the technology to keep those dairy products fresh, seeing the way that people where slowly rebuilding their country was one of the more uplifting parts of her job. Of course there where sad bits, like having to bring a letter back to it's sender and inform them that the person they had sent it to was dead, or finding camps that raiders and bandits had torn through, or, as with today, putting up with the mistrusting glares of members of the group they where serving.

Jenna was sat their, thinking and sipping her beer when she was interrupted by the girls she'd met earlier at the gate, the one with the red hair, and the big fella who brought Maggie Dunn out to collect her letter.

"Hey," Ellie said, her tone accusatory "I think we need to have a chat."

Jenna raised her eyebrows but complied "Whatever you say fire cracker" she shifted to make room next to her for the two gurads, she reached into their esky and pulled out a few beers "Want some? She asked them.

Ellie glared at the bottles "No thanks" she took a seat next to Jenna but neither her, nor Paul relaxed like Jenna had.

Jenna observed and angry looking, stiff duo that sat next to her, propping herself up to a sitting position against the esky "What do you guys want to talk about?"

Ellie looked at Jenna "You know why"

Jenna chuckled tiredly "You know, oddly enough I don't"

Ellie narrowed her eyes and leaned forward "We want to know what you're really doing here"

Jenna looked at Ellie, confused "What do you mean? We're here to deliver letters and take letters to deliver, you know that"

Ellie frowned at her "That's really all you're doing. You expect us to believe that?"

Jenna took a swig of her beer "I do, because it's the truth"

Ellie shook her head "Ok, then where are you going on to from here?"

Jenna looked over at the fire "We're going North West, to the end of the caravan route. Then we'll meet up with a group that'll keep heading that way till they reach ocean. We'll give them the letter's that might be up that way, and provide them with some equipment. Then we'll head back this way but just a bit South" she paused for a moment, like she was counting something in her head "We'll probably be back here in about 4-5 months" Jenna looked Ellie over "That enough for you?"

Ellie stared at Jenna "You're leaving the caravan routes?"

Jenna shook her head "Not me sugar, a different group of couriers. We all have a set route and we exchange letters between groups to allow letters to be distributed more quickly and easily over longer distances" Jenna chuckled "No way you'd catch me that far west, I like my guts being in my body thank you very much"

North west, Ellie thought If they go near Vancouver I could get medicine for Joel, I could save him. Ellie asked quietly "Do the couriers go to Vancouver?"

Jenna nodded tentatively "We are trying to set up a route there" she studied the change in Ellie. Only moments ago Ellie marched up to her demanding answers and now she had retreated inward, Jenna could practically see the cogs in her head turning.

I could save Joel, well maybe, I might die before I get there. She thought But wouldn't it be worth it to save Joel? Can I even trust these couriers, I came over here for answers but I only have more questions. She argued with herself in her head.

The prolonged silence that had enveloped the trio was broken by Ellie suddenly saying "I want you to take me to Vancouver"

"What?" Paul and Jenna both said at once.

"You're kidding right?" Paul asked incredulously

Ellie took a deep breath "No Paul, I need to do this" she looked Paul directly in the eyes "If I don't do this Joel's going to die"

The two shared a serious look for a few moments before Jenna cleared her throat "I hate to break this up" she awkwardly scratches the back of her neck "But, while it's entirely possible we could take you, it's gonna cost you a pretty penny"

Ellie didn't even look at Jenna "I don't care, I'll pay for it"

Jenna just blinked at her, confused "Okay… but I can't guarantee you'll get there alive"

Ellie rolled her eyes "I don't care, I can handle myself"

Jenna shifted awkwardly, not sure how to react to this situation "Well, I guess that's fine then" she cleared her throat "We lave tomorrow evening"

Ellie stood up and looked down at Jenna "I'll be back then" and she walked off, a determined look on her face.

Paul, who was still on the floor, gave Jenna a confused look.

Jenna shrugged theatrically "I don't have a fucking clue" she took a swig of beer, this was going to be an interesting trip.