''Urgh! Come on!'' Ellie grunted as she stood up placing her hands on her hips. ''Stupid piece of-''

''Ellie.'' She turned around as she saw Maria approach with a girl she had never seen before, ''Oh,'' Ellie puffed out some air directing it towards the lock of hair that was slightly clouding her vision. ''Hi, Maria.'' She smiled friendly at the woman who returned her smile. ''How is the fence coming along?''

Maria had had been giving Ellie some tasks here and there, mainly because she requested them herself. Sitting in the community centre all day listening to history classes or trying to participate in emergency care one-o-one - as they called it wasn't really necessary for her anymore. Besides, all the things she had learned from Joel along their travels she figured was good enough to help her survive. If she would ever be allowed to join the scavengers group, for now she was considered too young. Much to her own annoyance.

''Like shit. But…'' She looked back at the crooked wires, ''It'll be done by the end of the day.''

''I thought Frank was suppose to help you?'' Ellie scoffed, ''Yes, well… He's watching the perimeter while the electricity is out.'' Maria smirked, ''Meaning he bailed again.''

Ellie nodded, ''Something like that, yeah.'' Taking a step towards the brunette girl she smiled friendly at her, ''Hi, I'm guessing you already figured it out but I'm Ellie.'' Ellie offered the girl her hand, she saw the girl look at it and then look back up at Ellie. It was clear by the look on the girl's face that she wasn't really used to friendly trustworthy people. Knowing a few things about encounters with human beings herself, Ellie didn't blame her.

Shaking Ellie's hand the girl mumbled quickly, ''Chloe.''

''Nice to meet you Chloe.'' Chloe didn't say anything as she gave Ellie a brief nod. Acknowledging her yet not completely finding her trust in the two people standing beside her.

''Max just returned with the group, no casualties- thankfully. But they found Chloe left alone in the nearest town.'' Ellie frowned surprisingly, ''Where are you from?''

It was Maria who spoke for her then, ''Chloe used to run with a pack of hunters in Nebraska.''

Ellie's eyes shot up at Maria, ''And Max thought it to be a good idea to bring her here?''

''You seem to forget that hunters don't take in kids.'' Both Maria and Ellie looked surprised at the sudden snarl Chloe gave them. Of course they both knew that. Hunters were well known for that, every person that were to venture into large cities would definitely fall prey to the hunters. If there were any kids present, they would execute them and most of the time women were no exception. But the sudden snarl that was clear from Chloe made Ellie feel defensive, ''Exactly, which makes it a bit weird to me that you're still alive if you ever did 'run' with them.''

Chloe mirrored Ellie, folding her arms only for effect. ''Actually, I didn't. My brother did.''

Ellie scoffed as she rolled her eyes, ''Well that makes it all better.''

In the back of her mind Ellie knew Maria would never let anyone into the settlement that would expose them to any dangers from the outside. But she couldn't help shake the feeling that there was more to this girl then they were seeing.

Ellie sighed, ''Well… Since you're inside the settlement already that means Maria trusted you enough to let you stay. Which basically means you might as well use those two hands of yours,'' Ellie pointed towards the girl's hands then turned pointing towards the fence, ''And help me.'' Maria nodded, her eyes softening in appreciation.

Chloe looked from Maria to Ellie and then to the fence, ''You were fortifying it?''

Ellie sighed, ''Yes, I found the break here.'' She pointed towards it before grabbing the pliers from her back pocket, Chloe took a step towards the fence to get a good look at it herself, ''So if I touch this, there won't be any sparks flashing out my butt right?'' Ellie couldn't help but laugh, maybe this girl wasn't so bad after all. ''No, that won't happen.''

Ellie turned around to notice Maria had disappeared,

She probably was planning this all along.
She thought.

''Can you hand me those pliers?'' Giving them as Chloe asked she watched the girl tug and turn at the wired fence. ''So I'm kind of curious how the heck you know how to fix a wired fence.''

''I could ask you the same thing.''

''Well clearly I can't judging by the way you're doing that.''

Even though it was only for a split second Ellie still noticed the small smile on the girl's lips. ''I'm a farmer's girl. I know my way around fences, whether they're made of wood or electricity wires.''

''Nebraska, eh?'' Chloe merely nodded at her, ''Where are you from?''

''Boston.''

''Long way from home.'' Ellie nodded, ''Yeah, well… I've been around.'' Chloe took a step back from the fence to take a look at her handy work. ''You probably met some hunters then.''

I did a hell of a lot more than just 'meeting' them.
Ellie thought.

''You could say that.'' Ellie shrugged. It may have looked like she didn't really care when Chloe mentioned the hunters, but deep down she knew that not to be true. But she wasn't about to let herself throw off by it.

Endure and survive.

That's what it was all about.

''Well, Ellie. I think we're done.''

''Really? Did you fix it?'' Chloe placed her hands on her hips, still holding the pliers in her hand she raised her chin a little, clearly showing she was proud of her handy work.

''I think so, but… why don't we find out?'' Ellie smiled at Chloe as she jiggled the radio in front of her she had picked off the ground.

The radio crackled, ''Steve, this is Ellie.''

''Heya Ellie, how's the fence coming?''

''I'd like to find out, can you turn it on please?''

''Hold on.'' Ellie nodded even though she knew Steve wouldn't see her doing so. Her radio crackled in her hand again after a few seconds passed. ''Okay, Ellie. Stand clear.'' Chloe gave her a confused look, ''Why didn't he turn it on right away?''

''He had to let everyone know he was turning on the fence again.''

''Why didn't I think of that?'' Ellie chuckled at that, ''You'll learn if you're going to stay here.''
Chloe gave her a small smile, ''I guess so.''

They heard the buzzing of the fences and it didn't take long before the fence they were fixing came on with a buzz as well. ''Yes! Nice work, Clo!'' Chloe smiled at her. Holding her hand with her palm up high, Ellie gave her the five.

Ellie smiled, ''You know…'' Ellie tilted her head as she weighed in her next sentence, ''You're not that bad.''

''Neither are you, Ellie.''

''So… basically Maria runs this place and Tommy is her husband?''

Ellie nodded as she shuffled her feet on the porch of the community centre.
Having completed her task for the day Ellie decided to show Chloe around a bit. Explaining things she would need to know now that she was going to live in the settlement.

They had taken a seat on the porch of the community centre. Enjoying the sun setting behind the mountains, ''Yes. They basically run this place- you know keeping everything in order and working alright for people to live here.''

Chloe looked around her, Ellie saw by the look on her face that she was clearly amazed by all this. Just as she was when she first came here. They had everything they ever needed.
''Everyone gives their effort to make this place safe and to- most importantly keep it that way.''

''Hi, Ellie!'' One of the little kids that lived two houses away from her home waved at her as she rushed passed to enter the community centre, ''Hi, Stacey!'' Chloe watched in surprise as Ellie greeted the kid, in the world they were living in now, seeing other kids- especially children younger than they were was something really rare. ''Kids live here?'' She heard the shock in Chloe's voice and it made her smile,

''There are about five families living here. Seven kids in total.'' Chloe watched as more kids approached them then rushing passed them as they entered the centre, ''This place sounds too good to be true.'' Chloe said, her eyes still widened with disbelief.

''It is, especially on movie night.''

''Movie night?'' Chloe looked at her and Ellie couldn't help but to stifle a laugh. The settlement was indeed too good to be true sometimes. A second chance granted by a handful of people that kept the place running. And she was now part of that community, surely she felt right to feel a little proud about that.

''Saturday night, is movie night. Joel told me once that people used to go to the cinema all the time. To eat popcorn and soda's. And they'd watch a movie on a huge screen'' Ellie used her hands to emphasize her words some more.

''What is popcorn?'' Chloe made a face, looking utterly confused.

Ellie shrugged at that, ''Apparently it's some sort of corn that pops when it's heated.''

''You're shitting me?''

''Nope. Unfortunately we haven't found any corn just yet.'' Ellie chuckled as she leaned back on her elbows. She hoped someday the scavenger groups would find corn because ever since Joel had explained to her the concept of popcorn she couldn't wait to try it out someday.

''Wait, you said someone named Joel told you this? Who is he? He your dad?'' Ellie went silent for a bit, ''Joel is not my dad. I met him during my travels and we kind of stayed together.''

She felt Chloe studying her, watching Ellie grow nervous at the question of Joel being her father and regaining herself quickly to not expose her feelings. But she figured she failed horribly at it, seeing how Chloe's face went from curiosity to understanding.

''Why are you alone?'' Ellie quickly asked to change the subject and Ellie immediately regretted asking. She figured her brother to probably be dead if she was found by Max and his group.

''My brother he…'' Chloe sighed, it was a shaky breath and Ellie saw the sorrow creep over her face, ''That guy you call Max?'' Ellie nodded in understanding, ''He was the first to find me. The men he was with argued with him whether they should take me back with them or not. Especially when I told them that my brother is a hunter- or was, more likely.'' Just as Ellie thought, Chloe's brother had died. ''But… Hunters don't take in kids. You said it yourself.''

''No, they don't. My brother kept me somewhere safe. Making sure that I had food to stay alive. But everytime he left to go back to the hunters his chances at getting caught were high. So naturally when he one day didn't come back like he promised, I figured...'' Ellie watched as Chloe tried to fight back her tears, because she didn't want Chloe to feel uncomfortable she decided not to press her with anymore questions.

''Seeing how he wanted to keep you safe from the hunters, he sounds like a great guy.'' Chloe smiled, quickly wiping her eyes as she did. ''He really was.''

''But, that's in the past. You move on, you know?''

And boy did Ellie know. ''Endure and survive.''

''What's that?''

''Endure and survive. It's kind of my motto.'' Ellie shrugged.

''Endure and survive, sounds good. Catchy even.'' Chloe agreed.

Yay for the many views and follows, thanks! Also, thanks for the review! I'm excited to write some more stuff. I figured Ellie would feel less alone if she would meet a girl who would become a new friend. I think she deserves that after Riley and Sam, right? But who's this Chloe and is she who she seems to be? I don't know yet, let's find out!
Till the next chap? ^^