[AN] This is a harder series to write than I thought. The whole point of this series is trying to get into Joel's head throughout his and Ellie's journey across the country. A lot of crucial moments happen in game, but including them in this story seems unoriginal.

In the future, I'm probably going to have to jump around in game events some. There is no way I can write down the entire Pittsburgh section of the game, for example. However, there are some key moments that I need to include for the sake of the story, and explaining some of Joel's actions throughout.I hope that made sense to everyone.

Just so were clear, this takes place directly after Bill tells Joel to leave his town with the car. Additionally, if you don't know how to play Texas hold'em, look it up, you'll see why.

Now I'll let you get to the story.

"Now it's my turn to drive." Joel said to Ellie as he walked up to the pickup truck.

"Okay." Ellie said as she scooted over to the shotgun seat of the car.

Joel started to drive away from Bill's town and headed for the abandoned highway.

"So, what do we do now?" Ellie asked him.

"It's gettin' late, and a storm's coming. I'm gonna find us a place to rest up."

"Okay." She said quietly. Out of the corner of his eye, Joel saw her staring out the window, admiring the forest on the side of the road rush by them.

"Umm... Joel?" Ellie looked up to Joel, who was focusing on the road.

"I... I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about Tess. I won't being it up again." She finished quickly.

Joel inhaled sharply, but let it go. You really have no idea what the fuck I'm going through right now, do you? He shook his head. He had nothing to say.

He didn't respond. He really hoped Ellie would realize that he didn't want to talk about it. Thankfully, she did. They drove along the abandoned highway with only the sound of distant thunder and their pickup keeping them company.

[A few hours later]

"We're stopping here for the night." Joel said as he pulled up to a motel just off the highway. He drove into the parking lot as the rain started coming down.

"Common, lets get inside before we get drenched!" Joel called out to Ellie, who was already running towards the closest open room. Joel ran in after her and closed the door.

Ellie sat down on the couch, staring out the small window, watching the downpour. "I'm glad we got inside."

"Me too." Joel said as he turned on his flashlight. Damn, its dark in here.

Joel swept the small room with his flashlight. All he saw was a bed, a swivel chair, a desk, a coffee table, a couch, and a bunch of junk on the floor. The wallpaper was peeling of the wall in some places, and the place had obviously been ransacked.

"So, you ready to get your ass kicked again?" Ellie asked. Joel turned to face her, sitting on the couch and placing a deck of cards on the coffee table.

"You wish." Joel said pulling up a swivel chair to the other side of the table. He placed his flashlight down, using it to light up the table.

"Before we start, I was thinking we could keep a continuous count of our chips. We just pick up where we left off the last game, until one of us is broke. Then we reset. What do ya' think?"

"I don't see why not. But lets start that count now, and forget what happened in the last game."

"Sure thing." Ellie said as she shuffled the deck.

Joel reached into his backpack and pulled out a bunch of empty bullet casings.

"We should make the shotgun shells worth 5 chips, and hunting rifle casings worth 3." Ellie suggested.

"That's actually not a bad idea." Joel replied. He counted and split the 'chips' evenly between the two of them, each of them getting 126 'chips' . Ellie started dealing. Joel placed his two cards face down on the table, and they both threw in a one chip blind.

"Damn its dark in here." Joel thought as he reached for his lighter. He flicked it on, and noticed something was different. "This lighter is metallic, not plastic..." He looked up at Ellie, who was using a plastic lighter to look at her cards as well.

"Ellie?"

Ellie looked up and smiled when she saw the lighter in his hand. Her lighter was green, matching her eyes, which were reflecting the flame. "Is there something wrong with your lighter?" She said.

Let the kid have her fun. Joel thought to himself.

"So, how'd you do it?"

"I found another lighter at Bill's town. I liked this one," she held up her lighter, "but I know you needed something to light fires with, so I got you a new one. You're welcome."

Joel sighed lightheartedly. Her having a lighter wasn't going to kill him. He went and looked down at his two cards, A six of spades, and a three of diamonds. He maintained a poker face as he said, "I check."

"Check". She dealt the flop down the flop.

Queen of diamonds, 7 of hearts, king of hearts. Lets see where this goes. "I raise." He placed a rifle and pistol bullet in the pot.

"I raise." Ellie placed a shotgun shell down. Joel matched her bet, and she placed down the 4th card. Queen of hearts. "Check."

"Check." She placed down the final community card. Damn, nine of diamonds, I got nothing. "Check."

"I raise." Ellie said, placing down two shotgun shells.

"I fold." Joel didn't want to risk it.

"So, what'd you have?" Ellie asked him.

Joel showed her his two cards, "Nothing. You?" She showed Joel her cards. "Jack of spades and seven of diamonds. Double pair." She picked up the cards, shuffled the deck, and dealt. They both put in the one chip blind.

King of spades, five of clubs. Joel thought to himself.

"Check." Ellie said, looking up at Joel.

"Check." Joel said. Ellie dealt the flop. Eight of diamonds, six of spades, six, of diamonds.

"By the way, I'm sorry for freaking out at Bill's place, its just..." Joel looked up at Ellie who was looking at him with what seemed to be genuine remorse on her face

"That Bill's an obnoxious, paranoid, unstable asshole?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Don't worry. We got the car, that's what matters. In your position, I'd have done the same thing. However, next time, try to do what I say."

"Sure thing Joel."

Neither of them bet, Ellie drew the next community card. Jack of diamonds. Ellie didn't raise, and Joel decided to bluff and raised by 10.

Ellie bit her lip. "I fold." She thought after thinking for a second.

"What did you have?" Joel asked her, wondering if his bluff worked, or she just had a worse hand than he did.

"Ten of clubs, four of hearts. You?"

"King spades, five clubs." So, she had a worse hand then. Well, a win's a win.

Joel was starting to get tired, all the running around at Bill's place was starting to catch up to him. "One more round, and I'm calling it a night. I'm tired."

"Same here." Ellie dealt again, and they both put in the one chip blind.

Eight of diamonds, six of hearts. Neither of them increased the bet, and Ellie dealt the flop.

Jack of clubs, ten of hearts, ace of spades. Joel didn't raise, but matched Ellie after she raised by two. Ellie placed down the next community card.

Jack of diamonds. Neither of them raised, and Ellie placed down the final card.

"I raise by 4." Ellie said.

"I fold. I had eight of diamonds, six of hearts. You?"

"Three of a kind of jacks." She showed Joel her hand. "What was that about beginners luck, you said?" Ellie grabbed her 'chips' from the table

"You got lucky. You won't do so well next game." Joel said. He looked around the dark room, making sure that the bed and the couch were the only places they could sleep. "You mind taking the couch Ellie?"

"Not a problem."

Joel looked above and saw an old painting above it. It was stained from who knows what, but after getting a bit closer, Joel realized what it was.

In the picture, it was a bright summer day. There was a boy, sitting in a tire swing being pushed by a man. They where too far away to make out details, but they clearly were unworried. The swing was attached to a lonely tree in the middle of what looked like a back yard.

He unconsciously reached for his watch. He still remembered setting up that tire swing in his back yard for Sarah, as one of the gifts he gave her on her... I can't even remember how old she was when I gave her that. A sense of loss and guilt welled up inside him. How could he have forgotten that? She loved that swing.

Every day goes by, I remember less and less about her. And every day, I think of her death in my arms. The pain had lessened, sure. But not as much as he thought it would.

Joel sighed. I can't afford to dwell on this. Not now. It won't do me any good.

I'm sorry Sarah.

"Hey, Joel?"

He turned around to see Ellie sticking her out from behind her makeshift bed on the couch.

Joel collected himself quickly, "What is it Ellie?"

"I just wanted to say thanks for getting that clicker off me at Bill's. you saved my life."

Joel sighed sadly.

"Thank you Ellie." He said. To his own surprise, he felt like he actually meant it.

"'Night." Ellie said, going back behind the couch.

"Goodnight Ellie." Joel said.

Joel was in his backyard, back in Texas. Sarah was on her tire swing, being pushed by Joel.

"Common dad, you can do better than that!" She teased him. Joel happily obliged, and pushed harder. He heard Sarah laugh, and smiled.

I never thought this is what it would be like. He thought to himself. Before Sarah was born, he felt that he made one of the biggest mistakes of his life by having her.

But now? He wouldn't trade this for the world. All of the late nights, the work, the exhaustion, losing the chance to go to college, was worth it. As long as she was safe and happy, he would be too. That's all that he cared about.

"That's enough for now dad." Sarah called to him, and he stopped pushing the tire swing and gently slowed it down. She got of the swing and gave him a hug, which he gladly returned.

"I love you dad. You're doing great."

"I love you too baby girl." He said to her.

[Next morning]

Joel woke when some grey light from the open window hit his face. He got up and walked over to Ellie, who was already up. She was leaning over the table playing solitaire.

" 'Morning Ellie."

Ellie sat up straight and turned around. "Oh. Hey Joel."

Joel noticed the tired look on her face. "You get any sleep last night?" He asked her.

She paused for a second. "Not too much, no."

"Nightmares?"

"Yeah." She said quietly as she looked down. It's a shame she has to go through this. She doesn't deserve it, that's for sure. To think that I almost killed her a few days ago. Man, what the shit got into me then?

He actually felt guilty about that incident now

Joel walked over to the window. It was still raining, but it was down to a drizzle now. "You ready to go?" He asked Ellie.

Ellie yawned and said, "Yeah, lets go." She picked up her cards off the table.

Once they were in the car, Joel said to her, "If you want, you can lie down in the back seat of the car, try and get some sleep."

"Good idea. Let's go."

Joel pulled out of the parking lot and drove down the abandoned highway.