Joel woke up from the screams that echoed through the house, ''Ellie.'' He grunted as he got up from bed to rush towards Ellie's bedroom.

Ever since they had survived David's gang of hunters Ellie had been having nightmares. While they were still on the road they weren't that aggressively vivid. But Joel reckoned that now that they were staying in one place, her mind wasn't as distracted as it used to be- being constantly on the road, seeing the beauty of mother nature taking back what was hers- and yet dealing with death, infected. She was on high alert all the time. Now, she could take the time to let her guard down. Especially during the nights.

He couldn't help the flash of memory that creeped through his mind, ''I had this stupid dream last night.''

''What about, honey?''

''Well you know, the most original one where I keep running towards you without actually moving forward.''

Joel briefly shook his head, as if that would shake the memory from his mind.
Opening the door to Ellie's bedroom he watched her trash around in her bed.
''I'll fucking kill you!'' She hissed in her sleep, ''Ellie, wake up.''

Sitting on the side of her bed he held her by her shoulders gently shaking her as he did, one of her arms shot up in defence and Joel had to avoid a possible slap in the face, ''Ellie!'' Joel's voice sounded heavy and he felt the sudden jolt through Ellie's body as she woke, ''Joel.'' She gasped.

''You're all right, it was just a bad dream.'' He released her shoulders then, hearing her sigh in relief. He reached out to her then, wiping strains of hair that stick to her face from sweat. ''You alright?''

''I… Yeah, I'll be fine.'' Ellie wasn't good with words. But neither was Joel. And somehow they understood each other perfectly. Ellie didn't have to tell him about her nightmare, because Joel already knew who it was about.

David seemed to be tormenting her dreams a lot lately.

''Lemme get you something to drink.''
Standing up with the intention to leave, Ellie stopped him, ''Wait, I don't need anything.''

''You sure?''

He saw her nod in the darkness, ''Yeah. And… Not to sound like a complete kid or… anything. But would you mind staying?'' Joel scratched his chin, his beard prickling his fingers. He knew this wasn't an easy request, Ellie didn't really like asking for anything. Much alone admit that she was scared to go back to sleep or to be alone for the night.

''Sure.''

He eyed the comfy chair in the corner of her room. ''Mind throwing me that pillow ya got there?'' Pointing towards one of the pillows behind her she turned and threw it towards him.
Joel settled himself in the chair, grunting as he did. When you've lived like he did the comfort of a bed could sometimes be a luxury. You never knew where jobs would take you, and with the last job he took. Sleep was sometimes hard to find. Besides, who could ever really sleep when you were constantly on high alert?

''I'm sorry I woke you, Joel.'' The softness in her voice told him she really felt guilty, ''Don't worry 'bout it, kiddo. Just get some sleep, 'kay?''

''All right,'' she sighed as he heard her fluff her pillow, ''Good night, Joel.''

''Good night, kiddo.''

Good night baby girls.

Ellie had woke up early that morning. Jolting awake to hear Joel's comforting snoring coming from the corner of her bedroom. She felt herself relax a bit, ''I'm still okay.'' She whispered, carefully not to wake Joel. She sat up straight in her bed, rubbing her eyes from sleep as she did. Sometimes it was still hard to believe that they lived in an actual house now. Where she slept in an actual bed that she didn't have to share with other kids. She looked at the person the snores emanated from, Joel was sleeping like he hadn't slept in years. And it was only now that she noticed how life had scarred and edged this man's face. After all she only knew this rough side of him. So when Maria gave her a picture with a carefree-looking-father-Joel and pretty Sarah she was surprised. Tommy's settlement really seemed to give him a little piece of that carefree-looking-Joel.

It made her wonder what it was like when he was younger. It made her wonder what would have happened to her and him if Sarah was still alive. Ellie immediately felt selfish and guilty for even thinking like that. But if Sarah hadn't died, he wouldn't have lived the life he had lived. And she wouldn't be here right now. Alive and well. For as far as that was possible in this world. But then there was all the people she had outlived,

Mom

Riley

Tess

Sam and Henry.

Living with guilt was common to her. Every person that she had known had either died or left her. All except for Joel. Therefor the only strength she had- the only purpose she felt she had was to be the cure for humanity as Joel knew it to be in the past. Having Joel to help her with that, to be her protector- as much as she still felt she didn't need any. Had been her motivation for everything.

And now, that was gone. Joel's words echoed through her mind, ''It is time to think about yourself now, ya hear?''

Maybe it was.
Looking down at her hands there was a moment where she felt the sticky feeling of blood on it. There were times when she felt disgusted of herself. But then again, something told her that she did what she had to for survival. ''Still fucking hate your guts.'' She whispered, just to remind herself of what she had to do to keep herself safe. Locking the memory up somewhere far away in the back of her mind Ellie got up from her bed, carefully not to make a sound with Joel's bat hearing. She grabbed a blanket and gently covered him with it. He shifted a little, making her completely freeze on the spot. When a snore erupted from him again she chuckled without any noise, ''Big ol' geezer'' she mouthed, watching him for a moment she tilted her head.

He would do anything to keep her safe.
And she would do anything to keep him safe.

Joel had become much more to her than she ever imagined when they first met.
We didn't like each other. She thought. If anything, to Joel she probably must've looked like some ten year old stupid kid that didn't know shit. Or at least, that's what she thought he was thinking when they first butted heads with each other. Well.. She did the butting, he just plainly ignored her.

But ever since he had taken her- to what was now their home, he seemed like a changed man. He had grown softer towards her.
And she couldn't help but wonder sometimes if how she was feeling towards him now, was what it felt like to have a father.

Is this what Sarah felt towards Joel?

But she was nothing like Sarah. She had no intention of taking her place.

''You're right... You're not my daughter. And I sure as hell ain't your dad.''
Ellie still remembered that piercing look he gave her when he said that, the way his word seemed to cut her deeper than anything he had ever said to her, much to her own surprise. That is when she realized she was scared to lose him. Scared, because he had come to mean so much to her.

Ellie bit her lip as she shook her head.

Time to make some breakfast! She thought, distracting herself from her thoughts as she turned around to walk towards the door.

I've re-written this chapter two times now. I can't help it, I'm a perfectionist after all.
I could talk for hours about how Joel changes throughout the game and comes to think of Ellie as more than just a fourteen old girl. I sometimes wonder how they would live in Tommy's settlement after Joel has opened up to her so much. It makes me wonder how Ellie thinks of Joel, we already know she cares for him. But to Joel she has become sort of his second chance of doing right where he failed to protect Sarah. Ah well... =)