One year following the events of "Joey and Heather Part II"
Ellie and Matthew laid embraced in the hammock they had created over eight years ago.
Ellie broke her kiss to pull down her red shirt, which had started to bunch up over her blue jeans. A cool spring breeze swept through the air and whipped Matthew's hair from around his shoulder and into Ellie's mouth.
Ellie blew and spat the hair out of her mouth.
"Having issues?" Matthew asked with a laugh.
Ellie nudged him with a shoulder, rocking the hammock. "When are you going to cut your hair? You talked about doing it."
"I was thinking about it," Matthew corrected. He shrugged. "But then one of the little girls at Clarisse's school told me that guys couldn't have long hair."
"So, you won't cut your hair because a little girl called you out?" Ellie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wow. And I thought I took things personally."
Matthew kissed Ellie's cheek as she reached over his head with two fingers shaped like scissors.
"Don't touch my hair," Matthew grunted as Ellie smiled and returned the kiss.
Ellie glanced at the afternoon sun. "With all the double shifts we're pulling between you on the Wall and me at the shop and the Foundation, I think a day off was a pretty cool idea."
"Too bad we couldn't pull it off," Matthew said, twisting her hair lightly. "You're still heading up the meeting tonight and I volunteered to help Tim out with scouting the fence, making sure all of it's still running."
"You do still have the best hearing in Jackson," Ellie reminded him.
"It's not as good as it used to be," Matthew replied. "But I still want to do my part."
"And I thought it was because you promised Clarisse that you wouldn't let Tim go over the Wall without you," Ellie said, kissing Matthew again. "I always thought you were a pretty good big brother."
Matthew grunted. "Yeah. Plus, I don't need the guilt if something goes wrong," he said quietly, pulling down on his black sweater and blue jeans.
Ellie glared at him.
Matthew nodded. "Sorry. I know you don't like me thinking that way about myself, but… it's still a reflex sometimes."
"You know," Ellie said lightly, resting her forehead against his. "I know this place in Jackson. It's kinda been around for about, oh I don't know, five years. And it's been known to help with 'old reflexes'. You could attend or volunteer."
"Still not my scene. I'll leave the hard stuff to you," Matthew said simply, closing his eyes. "I don't know if I could handle the memories and emotions that come with your job."
"Yeah," Ellie said as she poked his side, hoping her next words would sound casual. "If the big, tough crossbow badass can't handle stories, I'd hate to see what our kids would think when they asked what mommy talked about at work today."
Matthew's eyes snapped open. "That was subtle, Ellie," he said, his voice holding no humor. "Real subtle."
"It was just a joke," Ellie attempted to say innocently.
"Right," Matthew said, rolling out of the hammock. He started mumbling. "Just like all the other times. Here we go again with this—"
"Well you aren't exactly rolling out the conversation starters," Ellie said, starting to get frustrated. She rolled out of the hammock herself. "All I want to do is—"
"Are we really going to go through this again?" Matthew asked, rolling his eyes.
"Go through what again?" Ellie challenged.
"We've been over this," Matthew said firmly.
Ellie scoffed and held her hands out. "When have ever fucking talked about this, Matthew? Go on, tell me. When?"
Matthew shook his head and started walking toward the edge of the trees concealing their hangout spot.
"Where are you going?" Ellie asked.
"I've got to get my gear ready," Matthew answered, not turning to her.
"Of course you do," Ellie said bitterly. "Because when you don't want to talk, you just find a reason to disappear."
Matthew didn't answer.
Ellie took a step forward. "Look, I'm not saying we just pop 'em out right here, but I'd like you to at least talk to—"
"You want to talk?" Matthew snapped as he turned to Ellie. "Talk at your meetings."
Ellie glared at him. "Fine."
Matthew turned to walk away and stopped, sighing. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
Ellie folded her arms, speaking just as quietly. "Don't give me that shit. Because I'm not taking it anymore. You don't want to talk to me, be that way. But don't say you're 'sorry' when we both know you don't mean it."
Matthew continued walking. "I'll talk to you later," he said crisply.
"We'll see," Ellie whispered.
Ellie waited ten minutes, then walked out of the park, not looking at Clarisse who was sitting on the swings with Lin.
…
"So, how'd my… what is it called again?" Joey asked Heather as she took her stethoscope off his chest.
"Check-up," Heather answered, letting the device hang down her white shirt and blue jeans. She rose from the couch and packed up her medical supplies, stuffing them into a bag. "And it went pretty well. Your body isn't as bruised up as it was last time."
"Last time, you caught me two hours after training with Matthew," Joey replied repositioning the walkie-talkie on his hip.
"You were also about ten pounds overweight," Heather continued, setting the bag on the table and returning to the couch.
"The scale said I'm about the same," Joey said, confused.
"Last time it was fat," Heather explained. "This time it's muscle."
Joey raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell me I was fat last time."
"That's because I'm a nice girl," Heather said with a smile, sitting down next to him and folding her legs up under her.
"Thanks," Joey said. He glanced at Heather's bag. "I thought that Steven was supposed to do routine check-ups."
"I usually let him," Heather said. "But I've barely seen you in a week because of the shifts you're taking."
"I have no issue with the schedule change," Joey admitted. "How's Steven doing anyway?"
"He learns fast," Heather answered. She smiled mischievously. "He still thinks I'm pissed at him for what happened last year. So, he doesn't complain when I ask him to do a few appointments here and there."
"He has been sincere," Joey said quietly. "A nice girl would give the guy a break."
"The 'nice girl' set up his next appointment with his crush down the street," Heather countered. "So, in the end, he'll owe me one."
"I still owe him one for taking my shift last month when I was puking my guts out," Joey said. He shrugged. "So, any advice as to what I'm missing in my check-up so that I know what to do for next time? That's how you usually end your appointments, right?"
"Well, you are missing something," Heather said.
"What's that?" Joey asked.
Heather leaned forward and kissed Joey, placing her hand on his chest.
Joey returned the kiss as the front door opened.
Ellie walked in. "Heather, I—"
Heather broke the kiss and leaned back.
"What are you two doing?" Ellie asked, looking at Joey's green shirt on the table.
"Check-up," Joey answered lamely, reaching for the shirt and putting it on.
"Ew. Whatever, I don't care," Ellie said quickly, wiping her eyes. "Heather, do you have a sec?"
"You alright?" Heather asked, concerned.
"You look like you've been…" Joey's voice trailed off. He looked between Ellie and Heather. "This is one of the times that I should leave, isn't it?"
"Date day Matthew ended on a bad note?" Heather asked, ignoring Joey.
"You could say that," Ellie said, sitting on the chair across from them. She looked at Heather. "We got into it… again. About that thing that I told you about."
Joey's walkie-talkie chimed. "Joey, I need a favor."
Joey stood and walked toward the door as Heather and Ellie continued to talk. "What's up, Janet," he asked as held the walkie-talkie to his mouth.
"I just remembered that Marcus was going to help out with the meeting tonight and I couldn't find my kid a babysitter," Janet answered. "I know this is short notice, but would you mind taking my shift on the Wall this afternoon so I can watch her tonight?"
Joey glanced behind him as Ellie raised her voice slightly.
"And now he says he'll fucking 'talk to me later'," Ellie was saying angrily to Heather.
"He does sleep in the same room as you," Heather said to Ellie.
"Not tonight he won't," Ellie said bitterly. "When he gets back with Tim—"
"Wait," Joey interrupted. He walked over to Ellie. "You two got into an argument, he won't talk to you, and now he's going out there?"
"The fact that he's going out there doesn't bother me," Ellie snapped.
"It bothers me," Joey grunted under his breath.
Heather gave him a confused look.
Joey's walkie-talkie chimed again. "Joey, you still there?"
"Yeah…" Joey said. He shook his head and answered his walkie-talkie. "Yeah, Janet. I can take a shift. What uh… which part of the Wall."
"East side."
Joey shook his head. Damn. Matthew's heading out the south side. He spoke into the walkie-talkie again. "I'll head over now."
"Thanks, Joey."
"No problem," Joey said. He looked at Heather and Ellie. "I'll um, I'll see you two tonight for dinner."
"Sorry I ruined… whatever I ruined," Ellie said, a small amount of guilt on her face.
Joey and Heather exchanged a smile.
…
Sometime later, Ellie hugged Heather. "Thanks for listening."
"It's my job," Heather said.
"Technically, it's my…" Ellie shook her head. "Thanks again."
Heather opened the front door. "You and Matthew aren't having—"
"No," Ellie groaned. "For the last time, we're not. Its… I guess it's just complicated,
okay?"
"Okay," Heather said with a nod. "Backing off. I just figured I'd ask."
"What about you and Joey?" Ellie asked, forcing a smile.
"No," Heather answered, allowing Ellie to have her fun.
Ellie nodded herself. She looked out the window. "I should be getting home now. I promised Joel I'd practice with him. And I was still going to do some work at the shop before the meeting too."
"Alright," Heather said. She looked around. "I gotta clean up the house for tonight anyway."
Ellie walked home and found Joel already sitting on the couch. He was wearing a green flannel shirt and blue jeans. Ellie's guitar laid on the chair across from him.
Ellie held up a hand in greeting.
Joel looked at her curiously before shrugging and grabbing his own guitar.
Ellie went to the bathroom and washed her face before exiting, almost bumping into Matthew.
"Sorry," Matthew said softly, stepping back.
"I thought you'd left," Ellie said, unable to meet his eye.
"I'm leaving now," Matthew answered, looking down. "I guess Vanessa's going to join us. So we had to push it back an hour."
"Tell her I said hi," Ellie grunted.
Ellie walked past Matthew and sat across from Joel, picking up her guitar. She looked up as Matthew exited the house without a word.
Ellie and Joel played for a short time.
Ellie immediately started making mistakes and could barely get halfway through the song that they had perfected before returning to Jackson County years ago.
"You haven't had trouble with this song in a long time," Joel observed.
"I know," Ellie said.
They tried the song again and didn't get more than a few notes in before Ellie stopped and set down her guitar.
Joel didn't speak. He just waited.
Ellie sighed. "My morning was great until a couple hours ago."
"I take it you and the kid's date didn't end well," Joel said.
"We had a fight," Ellie admitted.
"Must have been a big one," Joel said, setting his guitar aside. "Usually you two are over it after a few hours."
"Matthew sees the world one way," Ellie said, intertwining her fingers. "I see it another."
"Sounds like the same kind of issue that you and I used to have," Joel replied.
"It's not," Ellie said firmly. "I can guarantee that it's not the same."
Joel didn't speak for a few seconds. "Is this something you want to talk to me about, Ellie?"
Ellie opened her mouth to reply and closed it again. She looked down. "Every time that I talk about… even mention anything to do with kids… he won't talk to me."
Joel leaned forward. "Are you two—"
"No," Ellie said quickly. "What is with people and that question. No. We're not. That's not the problem. The problem is—"
"He doesn't talk to you," Joel completed. He ran a hand through his greying hair. "Having kids—"
"Which we're not trying to do," Ellie reminded him.
"Having kids is… it's a big responsibility," Joel continued carefully. "Especially these days."
"So, you're saying that I should just let this go," Ellie said, somewhat disappointed.
"No," Joel said, shaking his head and leaning forward. "No, what I'm saying is that it's definitely something you need to talk about."
"You should tell Matthew that," Ellie said.
"Do you want me to?"
Ellie shook her head. "No."
"How about a new song?" Joel suggested.
"Sure," Ellie said. She picked up her guitar. "And… thanks for not telling me what to do."
"Since when has that ever worked?" Joel grunted.
Ellie smiled.
…
Matthew returned to the house an hour later after traversing Jackson until he was sure Ellie wouldn't be home. He felt no better than he had after leaving Ellie at the park.
"You're home awful early for having gone over the Wall," Joel said from the kitchen table.
Matthew stood still, unsure of what to say.
"That's what I thought," Joel said, clearly disappointed. He pointed to the chess game already set up on the table. "Seeing as how Tommy mentioned that you, Tim, and Vanessa weren't leaving for another hour from now, I think we have time for a game."
Matthew knew it wasn't a request. He sat down.
Joel sat down as well and immediately moved a knight piece. "Do you really think that lying to her is going to make this whole thing go away?"
Matthew sighed. "Look, sir. I know that you're just trying to help," he said calmly as he moved a pawn forward two spaces. "But this particular argument is not a problem you need to deal with."
Joel took out the pawn two quick moves later. "I think that you and I established what is and isn't my business when it comes to Ellie a long time ago, kid."
"She's ready for something that I'm not," Matthew said after a moment, keeping his eyes fixed game as he moved again.
"That's not how I would translate it," Joel said quietly, keeping up his aggressive strategy on the chess board.
"So, she did talk to you," Matthew grunted as they each made their moves in rapid succession.
"You used to encourage her to trust me," Joel reminded Matthew as he took out another one of the young man's pieces. "At least one of you is willing to talk."
Matthew didn't answer.
Over the next half hour, Joel systematically took out the majority of Matthew's pieces and cornered his opponent's king with a queen. The game ended with a checkmate, making it the first time that Joel had beaten Matthew since returning to Jackson.
"Thanks for the game," Matthew said as finally he stood.
Joel stood with him. "You know, you're a big part of Ellie's life," he said calmly, but firmly. Joel continued as someone knocked on the door. "You want that to continue, I think there's some conversations to be had and words that need to be said."
Matthew didn't reply. He grabbed his crossbow and exited the house.
Matthew greeted Tim and Vanessa with nods.
Tim wore a blue sweater and jeans, while Vanessa wore a red coat and black pants. On each of their hips was a pistol. The group walked to the south side of the Wall in silence.
Clarisse met them at the ladder, wearing a loose-fitting red jacket and green jeans. She exchanged hugs with Vanessa and whispered something in Tim's ear.
Tim whispered a reply and hugged Clarisse himself.
The trio exited Jackson.
Matthew glanced behind him and saw Clarisse glaring in his direction.
…
Ellie watched out the window of the shop as Matthew hopped over the Wall. I should have tried to talk to him again.
"Is there someone I need to shoot?" the shopkeeper asked from behind her, wearing a brown shirt and pants.
"I'll let you know," Ellie replied, turning away from the window.
…
Matthew didn't speak as the trio walked the short distance to the electric fence. He noticed but did not acknowledge the fact that Tim had been glancing at him repeatedly the entire time.
"Here we are," Vanessa said, staring at the softly humming electric fence a few feet away. She looked between Tim and Matthew. "How about I start at one end and we'll meet in the middle."
"Sounds good," Tim said appreciatively as Vanessa started jogging away. "Keep close to your walkie-talkie."
"Yup."
Tim turned to Matthew, speaking to him for the first time that day. "You've never had a good poker face when something's bothering you."
Matthew sighed. "How much do you know?" he asked as they started walking along the fence, looking for holes and listening for a lack of humming.
"As much as you're willing to tell me," Tim replied.
Matthew told Tim as much as he was willing.
They occasionally stopped to untangle a few long dead Infected that were unlucky enough to be caught in the working fence.
"…and now I've got Ellie and Joel pissed off at me," Matthew said as they threw a dead Runner to the ground. "Ellie probably told Heather by now. Clarisse is mad cuz she and Lin probably overheard some of it, if not all of it. And… I really don't know what to do."
"You could, I don't know, talk about it with Ellie," Tim suggested.
Matthew shook his head and didn't reply.
"You want my opinion?" Tim asked as they continued walking along the fence.
"Why not," Matthew said, letting out a breath.
"You're a fucking idiot."
Matthew couldn't help but laugh. "I'm actually surprised you had the guts to say that to me," he said to Tim.
"Well, now that the shock has worn off," Tim said as they stopped. "Let me say it again. You're a fucking idiot."
Matthew took a deep breath. "Why am I an idiot?"
Tim looked around before answering calmly. "You meet this girl… another survivor whose main goal isn't to kill you at that very moment. She asks to come with you. She saves you more times than you can possibly remember. She waits and waits and waits until you're ready to talk to her, all while defending you from her… whatever she considers Joel, and when you do finally talk, she takes it all and still wants you in her life."
Matthew opened his mouth to interrupt.
Tim held up his hand and continued. "You tried to leave her twice out here, Matthew. She still forgave you. She gave you everything that is hers. A house. A family. Put yourself in my shoes and think of all the shit I pulled when I was drinking. Despite her anger, rightfully placed I might add, she still helped."
Matthew closed his mouth.
"She gave you part of her life, so you could have one," Tim said firmly. "And after all that, you're not even going to try talking to her?"
Matthew was at a complete loss for words.
Tim shook his head and turned away. "You're a fucking idiot."
Before Matthew could even try to think of a reply, Vanessa walked forward.
"All good?" Tim asked lightly.
"Depends," Vanessa said. She looked at Tim, then turned to Matthew, speaking sternly. "What did you say to him?"
"He didn't," Tim said before Matthew had to answer. He looked at the fence. "Other than a few bodies, nothing eventful."
"Easy day," Vanessa said, holding out her hand to Tim.
Tim grabbed her hand, squeezing it. "How about we save the 'easy day' stuff for when we get back."
Vanessa smiled and they started walking back to Jackson.
Matthew stayed where he was. He looked at Vanessa and Tim's intertwined hands. Matthew rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand for a moment and began to follow. I am a fucking idiot.
A half hour later, they reached the Wall of Jackson. Tim gave Vanessa a boost. Matthew then gave Tim a boost a few seconds later. Tim reached down and grabbed Matthew's hand allowing him to climb up on top of a bus.
"I'll see you tonight," Vanessa said to Tim.
"Yeah," Tim said, giving her a small kiss on the cheek.
Vanessa jumped down and made her way across the street.
"Tim," Matthew called as the younger man prepared to jump down.
Tim stopped.
Matthew chuckled. "When uh… when did you grow up to be so smart."
Tim smiled at the ground. "I met two survivors in this barn. They give me what I needed to keep my sister safe."
"These two survivors," Matthew said slowly. "Were they smart?"
"Smart enough. Although, I always thought one of them didn't know what he was missing," Tim said with a shrug. He looked Matthew in the eye. "I was really glad that when he came to Jackson, it looked like he'd opened his eyes."
Matthew nodded as Tim hopped down and walked down the street.
After giving his report to a woman on the Wall, Matthew took a deep breath and looked at the sky. It's about four… Ellie should be—
"Matthew," Joey called from down the street below.
Matthew hopped down as Joey reached him. "Joey."
"Hey," Joey said, walking forward and stopping in front of Matthew. "You remember what I told you the first time we met?"
"Yeah," Matthew answered slowly. Here we go… "Danger, harm, or trouble, and it won't end well for me."
"Just making sure," Joey said, his voice light. "So where are you headed?"
"Well," Matthew said casually. "I was going to go home, take a quick shower, and—"
Joey caught Matthew completely off guard with a right cross, sending him to the ground.
"Damn…" Matthew said, shaking his head quickly.
Matthew slowly rose to his feet as a few people on the street and along the Wall stopped to watch. Glancing behind Joey, Matthew noticed Maria standing down the street, watching the encounter with folded arms.
"How dare you fucking go out there like that after having an argument," Joey said quietly so only Matthew could hear. "I've watched my parents, my uncle, and Ellie leave, not knowing if they were going to make it back. I understand the shit that happens out there now. If you hadn't come back, you not talking to Ellie would be the last thing that she would remember."
Matthew didn't argue. He brought a hand to his face and was surprised to find that he had a bloody lip.
"Where are you headed?" Joey asked again, his fists unclenching.
"I'm headed to see Ellie," Matthew said, correcting his previous answer.
"Good," Joey said, relaxing.
Matthew wiped his lip. "That was a good punch," he said with a nod. "I honestly didn't see it coming."
"I'll see you tonight," Joey said as if nothing had happened. He turned and walked past his mother and down the street.
Matthew shook his head and wiped his lip again.
Maria walked forward. "What the hell was that about?" she asked sharply.
"It was nothing I didn't deserve, ma'am," Matthew said.
Maria nodded and handed Matthew a rag and a water bottle. "You taught my son, well."
"That was a hell of a lot faster than anything I taught him," Matthew said, taking a drink of water.
Maria relaxed, a small smile forming on her lips.
Matthew let out a chuckle. "Out of curiosity, is there anyone in your family who can't put my ass on the ground in one hit."
Maria folded her arms again. "My family looks out for its own."
"I knew that from the night I met Joel," Matthew said. He glanced at the Wall. "So, the fence is fine. We had to untangle a few bodies. But it should be good for another few months."
"Good," Maria said. She stepped forward, lowering her voice. "I'm expecting the entire family to be at Heather's tonight."
"Understood," Matthew said.
…
Ellie stood in the back office of the Foundation, looking through the notes she had on the people who had shown up for the meeting that would start in a few minutes.
The door opened and Matthew walked in.
"What the fuck happened to you," Ellie grunted, her voice holding no sympathy. She started to gather up the papers.
"Joey," Matthew answered. He placed his hands in his pockets. "Well, Joey was the one that hit me anyway. Both him and Tim expressed certain… concerns."
"Must suck to be you right now," Ellie said crisply. She picked up the papers and walked over to one of the cabinets. "Is the fence good?"
"The fence is fine," Matthew said, joining her at the cabinet. "I was hoping—"
"I'm busy," Ellie interrupted sharply as she opened a drawer. "We can talk about this later."
Matthew took a step back as Ellie opened the drawer next to him. Matthew placed hand on the shelf. "I'm ready to talk, Ellie. And now, after waiting forever for me to get my head out of my ass, you're not even going to listen?"
Ellie hesitated before closing the drawer. She looked at Matthew. "You've got about two minutes."
"Fair enough," Matthew said. "I suppose I should start with saying I'm sorry."
"Familiar," Ellie said, rolling her eyes. She leaned against the cabinet. "Anything else."
"I don't like… this," Matthew said, leaning against the cabinet himself. "I hate being frustrated with you. I'm not a huge fan of you being mad at me either. And it's entirely my fault this time. I get that."
"Well, a least you have a good grasp of the situation," Ellie said. She moved to the desk and rested her hands on it.
"You're not planning on giving me anything here, are you?" Matthew asked.
"How about you give me something first," Ellie challenged, turning to him.
Matthew stood up straight. "I know you hate it when I don't talk to you. I know that pisses you off because that hasn't been a problem with us in I don't know how long," he said.
Ellie folded her arms.
Matthew swallowed before continuing. "There are certain… potential parts of normal life that still scare the living shit out of me. And when I'm scared… I still don't know how to talk about it."
"Joel said that most people don't," Ellie said. She ran a hand through her hair. She adopted a more sympathetic tone. "Matthew, I don't get mad when you stop talking to me."
"You feel like you're being left out of the loop?" Matthew suggested.
"Scared," Ellie corrected. She let out a breath. "I get scared when you're scared. Because you're the first one I want to go to when I get scared. And when you get scared, I get scared. And then I get pushy and—"
"We end up with dates going down the tubes," Matthew said with a small smile.
"And then some," Ellie said. She hopped up and sat on the desk. "I'd rather talk shit through than be scared."
"Let's talk," Matthew said. He stepped forward. "I'm ready."
Ellie thought for a moment and smiled, chuckling. "I know this is going to make me sound a tad bit hypocritical, but I think we've talked enough for now. But next time…"
"Next time," Matthew assured her.
Matthew turned to walk away.
"Thanks for coming to a meeting and sharing," Ellie teased.
Matthew stopped. After a few seconds, he returned to Ellie. Grabbing her hand, he spoke seriously. "Do you want to have kids, Ellie?"
Ellie didn't answer right away. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "I mean. Maybe someday, yeah. But not right now."
"So, we roll with the punches," Matthew said.
"Maybe you should try to avoid punches for a while," Ellie said, gently probing his lip with her thumb. "By the way, how does it feel being brought to the ground by a wimp?"
"Joey made his point," Matthew admitted. "And it was a good point to make. Give him a little break."
"Hey," Ellie said, acting offended. "I gave him and Heather plenty of breaks. Despite how hard it was, I only said 'I told you so' twice when they finally came out as being together."
"That multiplied by about three thousand," Matthew retorted.
"What'd I tell you about those punches?" Ellie warned lightly.
"I can probably take more than one punch a day," Matthew replied.
"Well," she leaned forward, planting a kiss on his lips. "You can take that with you when you go."
The door to the office opened again and Marcus poked his head in. "Ellie… oh, hey Matthew. Ellie, everyone's ready."
"Thanks, Marcus," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew. "I have to go to work now."
"Here," Matthew said, giving her a kiss of his own. "Take that with you."
Ellie hopped off the desk and opened the door for him. "I'll see you at Heather's."
…
Matthew exited the Foundation and took a deep breath. He felt his stomach unclench and he began to relax. He looked up and saw that the sun was just starting to set.
Matthew began to move forward when Clarisse turned the corner.
"Hi, Clarisse," Matthew said.
The fourteen-year-old folded her arms. "You look happier. What about Ellie?"
"We got it figured out," Matthew promised.
"Good," Clarisse said. She looked at the door behind Matthew, seeming nervous. "Has the meeting started? I was hoping to catch Ellie before going to Heather's tonight."
"It just started," Matthew said.
Clarisse lowered her gaze and gulped.
Matthew put a hand on her shoulder. "Is everything okay?"
"It's fine," Clarisse said, looking away. "I was just… really hoping to catch Ellie."
"I'm available now," Matthew said. He shrugged. "I know that I'm not the one you usually come to, but…"
"It can wait," Clarisse assured him.
"But everything's okay?" Matthew asked again. "Everything's fine at school and home and other… personal matters?"
"Are you trying to ask me about boys?" Clarisse asked, smiling slightly. "Because you're kind of awkward at it."
"I'm awkward about a lot of things," Matthew admitted. He folded his arms. "But you still haven't answered the question."
"It has nothing to do with a boy," Clarisse said. She looked away. "Not a boy…"
"Clarisse," Lin said, walking down the street, wearing a loose-fitting black dress with transparent black sleeves.
Clarisse looked at Matthew as if asking permission to end the conversation.
"Looks like your other half is here," Matthew said nodding in Lin's direction. "Maybe you can talk to her."
Clarisse blushed.
Matthew gave Clarisse a look of confusion as she turned.
"Hi, Matthew," Lin said.
Matthew held up a hand in greeting.
Lin turned to Clarisse. "I'm sorry. My dad is having company over tonight. I won't be able to make it to Heather's."
"What kind of company?" Clarisse asked, lightly placing a hand on Lin's arm.
"The kind that I like but feel awkward about," Lin replied.
"His girlfriend," Clarisse guessed.
Lin laughed softly. "I wish they would get a room, but they're the adults. That would require me to use my room to avoid them but there's nothing to do there."
Matthew noticed Clarisse lowering her arm. Her hand rested on Lin's for a split second before dropping off.
"You want me to come rescue you?" Clarisse asked with a mischievous smile.
"Just because I have to miss the fun doesn't mean you do," Lin said. She put a hand on Clarisse's for a moment. "Just have fun for me, okay?"
"I will," Clarisse promised.
Lin said goodbye to Clarisse and Matthew and walked away.
Matthew watched Clarisse's hand slowly drop from hip-level to her side.
Clarisse turned to him.
"I'll make sure you get a minute with Ellie tonight," Matthew said quietly.
"Thanks," Clarisse said. She turned and walked down the opposite street.
Matthew looked between the teenage girls as they walked away.
Lin turned the corner and looked in Clarisse's direction before moving on.
Matthew glanced at Clarisse. She stared past him at the corner where Lin had turned before noticing Matthew and turning away herself.
Matthew looked at the ground as he put together pieces in his head. He nodded and chuckled. "Okay."
Matthew walked back to the house and took a long shower. After throwing on a nicer pair of blue jeans and a blue sweater, Matthew walked to the kitchen.
Joel entered the house as Matthew picked up an apple.
"You look like somebody punched you in the face," Joel observed.
Matthew laughed. "Yeah… I think I prefer the verbal beatings."
"No, you don't," Joel argued.
"You're probably right," Matthew said. He sat down at the table that still held the chess board. "I'd still like to figure out how you beat me earlier."
"I've got time," Joel replied. He sat down at the table and helped Matthew reset the pieces. "I take it you talked to Ellie."
Matthew nodded. "We talked."
"And?"
"No plans."
"Good."
Matthew hesitated before placing the knight back on the board. "I never really thanked you for giving me a home when I got here."
"It's what Ellie wanted," Joel replied.
"Still," Matthew said. "She didn't ask you. I didn't either. I'm still thankful."
"It was the right thing to do," Joel said simply.
…
A few hours later, Ellie had come home, showered, and put on a fresh pair of clothes. She wore a red flannel shirt and pair of clean blue jeans as well as a black sleeve Matthew had made for her.
A few minutes later, Ellie, Joel, Winston, and Matthew walked to Heather's house. Maria was already waiting outside with Tommy. Winston went straight into the house.
Tommy was dressed in his usual blue jeans and black sweater. There was a walkie-talkie attached to his hip and a beer in his hand.
Ellie and Joel stepped back as Tommy approached Matthew.
There were a few seconds of awkward silence before Tommy spoke calmly. "I heard about what happened earlier."
"I imagine everyone has by now," Matthew said carefully.
"Well, it is Jackson," Tommy said. He smiled. "Did it hurt?"
"Like hell," Matthew admitted.
"Was there a lesson learned?"
"Multiple," Matthew said.
"Well, then I guess there's no need to go into all of it again," Tommy said. He shrugged. "Not right now, at least."
Ellie saw Matthew relax and smiled.
"Do me a favor," Matthew said to Tommy. "Make sure that when this story starts to spread that everyone knows I deserved it."
"He did deserve it," Ellie added.
Matthew gave her a look that suggested he didn't find her comment helpful.
Heather walked out the door.
Joel and Tommy moved off to the side and started talking.
Ellie and Matthew stepped forward.
Heather glanced at Ellie. "Things been cleared up?"
"Clear enough," Ellie said with a shrug.
"Ellie," someone called from inside the house.
Ellie smiled at Matthew and entered the house.
…
Matthew prepared himself.
Heather stepped in front of him. "You know, Ellie's come to me for a few things over the years," she said quietly. "Before now, none of them have been you. I don't want a repeat. Am I understood?"
"Yes," Matthew said.
"Just remember," Heather said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Unlike everyone else here, I can make it look like an accident."
Heather patted Matthew's shoulder and walked back to the house, flashing him an evil smile before entering.
Matthew turned and looked at the sky.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Ration for your thoughts," Ellie said.
"That's funny," Matthew said sarcastically. He sighed and looked at Ellie. "What do you say to the world when you've had enough slaps in the face to learn your lesson?"
Ellie grabbed his hand. "Flip it the bird and keep going. It's always worked for me."
"Yeah…" Matthew said as they walked into the house. "My luck is not that good."
Upon entering, Matthew was handed a bottle of a water by Joey.
The younger man shrugged. "Most times, an apology for punching someone in the face would be necessary, but…" Joey's words trailed off.
"It's not," Matthew agreed.
"Well, that makes things less awkward," Joey said, grabbing a beer for himself.
…
A few hours later, Ellie found herself sitting on Heather's couch, laying on Matthew with her head resting gently on his shoulder.
Across from her in the armchair, Vanessa sat in Tim's lap. Clarisse sat on the floor next to them, working a drawing. Occasionally, she would stop to pet Winston when the dog would wander over.
On the other couch, Heather was laying across Joey's lap, her head resting on his legs and her hand intertwined with his.
Arata was curled up against Joey's side.
Outside, Ellie spotted Joel, Tommy, and Maria talking, each drinking a beer.
"…I have never seen Clarisse that pissed before," Vanessa was saying.
"That was a bad move on my part," Tim admitted.
"If you ever come near my hair with silly string again," Clarisse said, glaring at her brother. "My next drawing of you is not going to be pretty."
Everyone laughed.
Ellie glanced at Matthew and saw him and Clarisse exchanging a look.
Matthew sat up.
Ellie sat up as well and gave him a look of confusion as Clarisse rose and walked to her, giving Matthew an appreciative smile.
"I wanted to ask you something," Clarisse asked quietly as the others continued to converse.
"Ask away," Ellie said. "I'm all ears."
"How do you…" Clarisse gulped. "How do you tell somebody that… you like them."
"What was that?" Tim asked, obviously overhearing the last part.
"She asked how to tell someone you like them," Vanessa said. She poked Tim's side. "Be nice."
"I was just asking what she said," Tim said innocently. "I didn't even know she liked—"
"Shh!" Vanessa said, smiling.
Joey, overhearing the exchange, was never one to be silent. "Threaten him with a scalpel. And if that doesn't work, upgrade to a gun."
"You gave me the gun," Heather said, looking up at him.
"That is true," Joey said. "Then I gave you a cat who would have gladly done the job for you."
Arata curled herself into a tighter ball at Joey's side as she started to purr.
Clarisse smiled, seeming half embarrassed and half amused.
"Try an arrow or a knife," Matthew suggested.
"Really, you guys?" Tim asked, placing a hand over his face. "Please don't give my sister any good or bad ideas."
"You could always pass him a note during class," Vanessa added.
Tim blushed.
Ellie raised an eyebrow. "You did what at one of my meetings?"
Tim looked down, unable to meet her eye.
"Ballsy," Ellie said with a shrug.
"I thought it was cute," Vanessa said, smiling at Tim. "Plus, it worked."
"So, that's how you got her to the party last year," Joey said, exchanging a smile with Heather.
"Who are we talking about here, Clarisse?" Tim asked, obviously wanting to change the subject.
"Who's the lucky guy," Heather asked.
"Who's the lucky and hopefully not soon to be dead guy if he messes with our girl," Ellie said, smiling in Heather and Vanessa's direction.
"It's not…" Clarisse said softly, shaking her head. "It's not… a boy."
"Oh," Ellie said.
There was a second of silence.
"Oh," Ellie said a little louder as Clarisse's words clicked. She smiled. "Pft. Girls? Girls are much easier."
Clarisse looked down as if unsure.
"Here. Step into my office," Ellie said, grabbing Clarisse's hand. She looked at Heather and Vanessa. "You two want in on this?"
"I'm good," Vanessa said, now playing with Tim's fingers.
"I'm comfortable," Heather answered, squeezing Joey's hand.
Ellie smiled again and walked with Clarisse to Heather's bedroom. Once inside, Ellie shut the door.
Clarisse sat down on the bed and didn't say anything.
Ellie sat down on the bed next to her.
After the younger woman didn't speak, Ellie nudged Clarisse's shoulder with her own. "I'm sorry about all the 'boy' comments over the years," she said to the young woman next to her.
"Is it weird?" Clarisse asked. She looked at Ellie. "Is it weird that I…"
"Clarisse," Ellie said with a small smile. "You're asking the girl who once proclaimed herself as 'the cure for mankind' if something is weird. This isn't weird."
Clarisse nodded.
"So, I'm assuming that we're talking about Lin," Ellie said. She put a hand around Clarisse's shoulder. "You think there's a bigger connection there?"
"I want there to be," Clarisse admitted. "But I don't know how to tell her."
"Like I said, girls are easy," Ellie assured her. "Just tell her how you feel and see what happens."
"What if she doesn't…" Clarisse hesitated. "What if it goes wrong."
"I think you're underestimating how much you mean to Lin," Ellie said kindly.
"It's not just Lin," Clarisse said.
"Then what is it," Ellie asked softly.
Clarisse didn't answer.
Ellie squeezed the young woman's shoulder. "Clarisse I've spent a lot of time with Lin's father and I don't think that he would have any—"
"It's not him either," Clarisse said. She shook her head. "It's… everyone else."
"Clarisse, where's this coming from?" Ellie asked finally.
Clarisse didn't answer for a minute. "In school… in school they talk about what the world was like before. How many people there were. How many people there are now. Would it be wrong to—"
"To not be with a boy instead?" Ellie completed. She sighed and slid off the bed so that she could kneel in front of Clarisse. "Trust me when I tell you that I know how you feel. But the world is not your responsibility."
Clarisse looked away. "I'm pretty good at math. Statistically—"
"You are not a statistic," Ellie said sharply. She knelt a little lower so she could see into Clarisse's eyes. "You are not a statistic, Clarisse. And if people give you that bullshit, you let me know."
Clarisse didn't answer.
Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Are people giving you any—"
"No," Clarisse said quickly. "No. Nobody is. You're the first person I've told."
"Good," Ellie said. She grabbed Clarisse's hands. "Now repeat what I said."
Clarisse took a deep breath. "I am not a statistic," she said firmly. "The world is not my problem."
Ellie gave her a small smile. "And if you still doubt that, you can ask Joey about what happens when you tell a girl how to live her life."
"But what if Lin doesn't feel the same way?" Clarisse asked, returning to her original stressor.
"Then it'll be awkward," Ellie said simply. "For a while, it'll be awkward. But I can guarantee that with how much you two have been there for each other over the years, she'll at least listen."
Clarisse didn't answer. She looked down again.
Ellie smiled sadly and sat on the bed again, turning the young woman to face her. Ellie sighed. "Clarisse, there are a million ways our lives could pan out. Especially in this world," she said sadly. "And—"
"It's not my choice that I'm afraid of," Clarisse interrupted, standing up. "It's Lin's."
Ellie was silent a moment before replying. "When I was your age," she said as Clarisse returned to the bed. "I met a friend who I found that I could tell anything to."
"Who?" Clarisse asked.
"She was a friend. A girl friend," Ellie clarified as she felt a mix of emotions stirring within her. "And I may have even… well, we were very close."
Clarisse looked up as Ellie looked down to wipe away a tear that started to form.
Ellie looked at Clarisse again and continued. "If you don't want to share your feelings with Lin, there's nothing wrong with that," she said gently. She placed a firm grip on Clarisse's shoulder. "Just make sure you and Lin don't leave this world with anything that you want to say unsaid."
After a few seconds, Clarisse nodded and relaxed somewhat. "Thanks, Ellie."
"No problem, kiddo," Ellie said.
"Why do you always call me that?" Clarisse asked. "I'm fourteen."
"You were a kid when I met you," Ellie answered. She thought a moment before shrugging. "Plus, I've heard it more than a few times."
"My mom used to call me 'little one'," Clarisse said. She scratched the back of her head before looking at Ellie. "I think you'd be a good mom."
"Thanks," Ellie said with a smile, running her hand down Clarisse's hair.
Clarisse stood and moved to the door, her hand resting on the doorknob. She turned to Ellie. "Thanks for always listening," she said quietly. "Tim's great. But…"
"He's your brother," Ellie offered.
"Yeah," Clarisse said, smiling slightly. "I… I've always felt like I could tell you anything. No matter what."
"I try to be a good listener," Ellie said.
"The girl you knew," Clarisse said, returning to the bed. "Was she as good a listener as you?"
"Better, at times," Ellie admitted. She nodded to herself. "But we tried to keep it a two-way street."
"What was her name?"
…
Matthew looked up as Joel reentered the house with Tommy and Maria. It was then that he noticed Tim hadn't returned from the bathroom.
Matthew stood and walked down the hallway, finding Tim outside of Heather's bedroom door.
"Spying?" Matthew asked, folding his arms.
"Yup," Tim said quietly and without a hint of guilt. "This is the one thing Clarisse never talked to me about."
"I doubt it," Matthew said with a small chuckle. "She is entitled to keep her secrets."
"She's entitled not to tell me them," Tim corrected. "I always find out anyway."
Matthew grunted.
Tim fell silent.
Matthew paid little attention to the murmurings in the next room until he heard his sister's name.
Tim looked up at him and stood. "Okay, I'm good. They're talking about something else now."
Matthew listened for a few seconds longer. He felt a small amount of sadness as he thought of his sister.
"Who's spying now?" Tim teased from over Matthew's shoulder.
Matthew didn't answer.
…
"I wish I'd met Riley," Clarisse said.
There was a brief silence before Ellie replied. "I do too," she said sadly. When she spoke next, there was a lightness in her in her voice. "But you know, I've been living with her… brother for quite a while now."
"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Clarisse exclaimed after a few seconds of thought.
…
Matthew heard Ellie laugh and chastise Clarisse for the language.
"This is gonna be a long night," Matthew said with a chuckle.
Matthew and Tim returned to the living room as Joel, Tommy, and Maria exited the house with fresh drinks. Joey and Heather were now half sitting, half laying across the other couch. Vanessa stood as Tim sat down on the chair again before sitting back in his lap.
Ellie and Clarisse returned an hour later as Vanessa stood to leave. Ellie repositioned herself so that she was leaning up against Matthew on the couch. Tim returned to the chair after walking Vanessa to the door.
A couple hours later, past midnight, the drinking started to die down.
Ellie looked at Joey and Heather.
Heather was dozing with her head resting on Joey's chest. Joey continued his conversation with Matthew, his arm wrapped around Heather's midsection.
Ellie smiled and glanced at Tim, who was watching Joey and Matthew's conversation with mild interest. Clarisse was now asleep across his lap with her head resting on one half of the chair and her legs draped over the other.
"So, let me get this straight," Joey was saying to Matthew. "Ellie left, Uncle Joel went after her, and after months, he finds her in his house, making out with a guy he's never seen before, on his couch. Is that what you're saying?"
"Aside from the making out part," Matthew clarified.
"We were kinda interrupted," Ellie said, smiling at Matthew.
"My question," Joey said to Matthew. "Is how the hell did you survive the night?"
"There were a few nights I survived with Joel that I didn't think I would," Matthew admitted with a shrug.
Ellie chuckled and looked out the window again.
Tommy was laughing and talking to Joel.
As Maria said something, Ellie noticed Tommy find Maria's hand with his own.
Maria grasped the hand without hesitation or even seeming to notice.
Ellie smiled slightly. Let's experiment. She reached down slowly and placed her palm on Matthew's.
Matthew grasped her hand gently, not even looking down or at her as he continued to talking Joey.
Ellie smiled.
Over the next hour, they repeated the process, never saying a word to one another.
By the end of the night, Ellie knew one thing. I want this.