Nirvana: a state of bliss, state of perfect calm or peace.
Ellie was sick. Not just an average cold, but the flu. Thankfully the reformed town of Jackson had a doctor.
"Joel, don't feel good," Ellie sniffled as they sat in the tiny waiting room. He squeezed her hand.
"I know, baby girl. Just hang in there."
"Next!" The doctor called from another room. Joel stood up, pulling Ellie along with him.
"It's the flu, Doc," Joel said. Doc waved his hands.
"Hold on, who's the doctor here? Me. So I know what's wrong with you, not you," the man told Joel.
"I'm not sick, she is." Ellie sneezed to prove his claim.
"Oh," Doc muttered. Clearly this was not a good doctor.
"Right then, painkiller for the fever and plenty of bed rest. She should be right as rain in a few days." Joel watched warily as Doc took a handful of pills and handed them to Ellie. She swallowed them without thinking twice.
That evening, they were home and Joel was talking with Tommy.
"All I'm sayin' is your doctor ain't as good as he thinks he is," Joel stated.
"He has a medical degree," Tommy pointed out. Joel opened his mouth to argue when suddenly there was a noise.
"Joel, there's giraffes my room!" Ellie yelled happily. Tommy stared at the stairs.
"Is that code for something?" He asked. Joel was already halfway to the second floor, so Tommy followed him. They reached Ellie's room and heard giggling. Throwing open the door, the brothers spotted Ellie leaning out the window to pet the air.
"Ellie!" Joel yelled, lunging to pull her back in before she fell. Loopy, she tilted her head back to see Joel.
"Oh hi," Ellie grinned, then faltered slightly. "Hey, did you know you have a pink beard?"
Tommy shook his head and laughed.
"What the hell are you laughing at?" Joel snapped, desperately trying to think of what could be wrong with his baby girl.
"I've seen this before. She had a bit too many painkillers. She'll be fine after a while, but right now Ellie's making as much since as teen pop song." Ellie looked up at him.
"I'm not Ellie. I'm Phil!" She threw her hands in the air and fell back on the bed. Joel sighed. Well, at least she wasn't in pain anymore.
A/N: AGH WHAT HAPPENED IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THAT LONG AND HOW DOES THAT EVEN RELATE TO THE WORD?! *sigh* The Last of Us feels are really quite bothersome. By the way, I highly recommend you read Aftermath fanfic series. It'll rip at your heart strings, but holy smokes, it's good.