Chapter 3: Time doesn't heal all wounds.
'For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?'
-Corinthians 6:14
She didn't know how long they walked. She counted her steps, but lost count after a thousand. She began walk alongside of Joel, rather than behind them. She didn't feel the need to follow anyone before. She knew there were greater things to be afraid of, but as a woman the worst is behind her. She can move on and die a free woman.
She heard Joel stutter and rubbed his chest. She narrowed her eyes. She witnessed subtle signs during their trek. He showed telltale signs of a heart attack. She hoped he understood what was happening. She had something in her bag if something were to happen, but she never tested it out to make sure. Her husband was more of the 'chemist'. She wanted to warn him, but he wasn't exactly an approachable guy. She wasn't afraid of him, but he didn't seem to like to be touched by no one other than Ellie. He barely tolerated her touching him while she patched him up.
She took glances of him, thinking about the man he was twenty years ago. His hair would've been blacker, his skin with less lines and less weathered. There was a handsome man underneath his exterior. He was probably a stunner back in his day. He didn't seem to be the type of man who paid much attention to those things nowadays.
Everyone was tired, dirty and weary. They all needed a shower, but the hospital was beyond reach. They could see it in the distance. The unassuming building make her stomach ache. Bad things were going to happen. The Fireflies weren't people of Science. They wanted to harvest her blood. She studied medicine. Even an idiot would know they meant to kill her. It was lethal. She made a silent vow to never let that happen. Joel gave her a gun and she intended to use it.
They came onto a hill, meaning they would have to climb down. She was thankful the climate was warmer. She hated the cold. She used to love the snow. Now it made her anxious, knowing she would starve. The cold seeped into your bones. It ran deep and you couldn't escape it. She didn't want to feel like that again.
Ellie's eyes widened as she witnessed a large creature curiously poke its head out at them. Rebecca's eyes widened. What the fuck? It was a giraffe.
She shook her head in disbelief. A beautiful life form in the middle of death and desolation. She looked around at all the vibrant grass and flowers, tears filling her eyes. It was the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.
Rebecca watched as Joel quietly told Ellie not to spook him. She smiled tearfully as she watched the exchange. He grabbed some leaves off the branch and guided it to the giraffes mouth. He chomped on it eagerly.
Joel handed her the leaves as he guided her hand up to his mouth as she fed him.
Ellie smiled and shook her head,'Holy shit. This is so fucking cool.'
Rebecca smiled tearfully and nodded,'Yeah, it's pretty fucking cool.'
For a moment she met Joel's gaze. He held her attention for a moment. His expression unreadable. No. She wasn't afraid of him. She was afraid of what he could do. The circumstances she wasn't aware of yet.
His attention turned back to Ellie. His expression changed to one of adoration. He had a soft smile on his face as she petted the giraffes head. He looked so much younger in this moment. The lines around his eyes softened and his weathered skin was lax. She saw the man he used to be. When he was happy.
She crossed her arms and smiled to herself, staring at the two of them. She didn't want this moment to end for them. She felt like an outsider looking in, but Ellie called her over, wanting to share the moment with her. The little girl was tough on the outside, but she was a sweetie pie when she wanted to be. She was loyal to the people she cared about.
Rebecca wasn't stupid. She knew Joel wasn't her real father. She didn't know the circumstances of how they got together. She figured he was some sort of bodyguard. She assumed he was a Firefly, but she didn't see any emblems on anything he wore. They were pretty proud about showing their colors. People always find a way to separate themselves. Even in times of peril.
They were close though. Their bond unshakable and ironclad. Joel wouldn't take a second to putting a bullet in her brain if he thought she was even a slightest threat to Ellie. She would do the same for him. She witnessed it firsthand.
Blood isn't always thicker than water. You can choose your friends, but not family. Ellie definitely chose hers.
Joel cleared his throat and placed his hand on Ellie's shoulder,'We should get moving.'
Ellie heaved a sigh and nodded,'Yeah, right.' She patted the giraffes head one last time before resolutely walking off.
Joel helped Ellie down the pathway of debris. He held securely onto her hand, making sure she got to the ground safely. He looked up, seeing Rebecca slowly making her way down. He put his hands on his hips and rolled his eyes. Damn woman couldn't keep up. She was extra baggage they didn't need.
Ellie looked up at him expectantly, raising her eyes brows questioningly.
He glared down at her and shook her his head, giving her a stern,'No fucking way. I told you she's your problem.'
Ellie rolled her eyes and sighed, crossing her arms over her chest,'You needed to help me down. Or are you forgetting, old man?'
He gritted his teeth. That girl tanned his hide, but he found himself smirking anyway. He also found himself begrudgingly grabbing Rebecca's hand, helping her down to rubble.
Her eyes widened in surprise and she shook her head,'This must be it. I'm dying.'
He huffed and muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like,' pain in the ass.'
'You're being kind.' She kept her eyes on the path forward,'The girl put you up to it didn't she?'
His silence was answer enough for her. She didn't take it personally. She was thankful for the hand.
She owed the kid one if they really did make it out of this.
They made it to the ground and walked down the path to the hospital. She pulled up her scarf over her face, trying to block out the wretched stench of decaying bodies. The closer to the hospital they got, the closer it came. There was a shift in the air. She felt the anxiety in her chest. She felt dizzy and nauseous. She slid her gun out from the back pocket of her jeans and cocked it.
Joel looked over at her in surprise. His raised an eyebrow questioningly. He wanted to know if she sensed danger. Did she know something he didn't? She's been on edge since they've gotten here. She said she was a nurse and wanted to be there for the procedure. Could she be one of them?
For the first time since they've met, Joel initiated contact. She tensed up as he pressed his shoulder against hers firmly. It wasn't a friendly gesture. He was warning her.
'You know something I don't?' He whispered so Ellie couldn't hear. She was walking beside of him, but staring down into her book of puns. The kid could compartmentalize that's for damn sure.
Rebecca sighed and shook her head, whispering back,'Don't talk stupid, Joel.' It was the first time she said his name,'You don't find any of this…dangerous for her? These people don't know what they're doing. They want to harvest her blood. They want to-'
Before she could finish her sentence, three armed men came walking up to them. Rebecca slid her gun into the back pocket of her jeans.
They lifted their arms up, indicating they weren't a threat. She felt her heart hammering in her chest as they got closer to them.
Joel seemed unaffected. As calm and cool as ever. She wondered how he remained stoic in every situation. She considered it a gift. She envied his fearlessness.
The older man of the three looked them over. He stared down at Ellie, his eyes widening in realization,'Stand down.' A small smile formed on his face,'We've been waiting for you, young lady.'
Joel and Rebecca shared a knowing look. Suddenly, an understanding existed between them. They had a common interest at hand.
Joel stood in front of Ellie, staring the man down,'Where's Marlene?'
Rebecca's eyes widen. Joel seems to know some of the Fireflies personally. Something twinges in her belly. Ellie passively mentioned Joel's brother Tommy. They were supposed to go back to live with him after all this. He was a former member. Could Joel have been a member himself?
She felt the knot in her stomach tighten. The sound of a gas bomb going off rang in her ears, causing everything to deafen. She couldn't hear a fucking thing. The last thing she saw was the butt of a rifle being butted against her head. She didn't see anything after that. Total blackness.
When Joel came to he was laying on a hospital gurney. He blinked his eyes, his head pounding. The last thing he remembered was a bomb going off. Through the smoke he managed to see Rebecca being butted with a rifle in the head. Anger riled up in him at the sight. The reason why he didn't have the oversight to see yet.
Ellie wasn't anywhere to be found. She must've been taken off. They knocked him out too. Where did they take Ellie? What happened to Rebecca?
He shot up from the bed. He was fueled with rage. They took his guns. They took her.
Marlene and the elderly man walked into the room he saw earlier. He stalked over to the woman, roughly grabbing her shoulders,'Where the fuck is Ellie? Where is she? Where did you take her?'
Marlene shook her head and sighed,'Relax. She's being prepped for surgery. Isn't this why you brought her here, Joel? This is what Tess wanted.'
'Don't you dare say her fucking name.' He gritted his teeth,'Tess would've known this was bullshit the minute she got here.' He was seething with rage, almost foaming at the mouth,'Where the fuck is she? Take me to her. Now!'
Marlene placed her hands up to placate him,'I can't do that, Joel. This is what Ellie wanted. She knew this was her purpose.'
'Her purpose is to live.' Tears filled his eyes as he felt the shame and regret rise without his chest. It was Sarah all over again. He failed her.
Rebecca was right. This is why Ellie was on edge. He tried to be warm and open up to her, cracking jokes and talking to her about Sarah. Something he hasn't done in over twenty years, but she had been distant and withdrawn. She shared Rebecca's fears.
Rebecca. She wanted to be in the room with her during the surgery. She said they didn't know what they were doing. She was smart. He was always so fucking stupid. He couldn't even kill himself without fucking it up. They should've turned back and gone back to Tommy.
Rebecca was dead. He was sure of it. With that mouth of hers. There's no way they're letting her out of this alive. She was too much of a liability. Then again, so was he.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Rebecca was awoken to the sounds of someone yelling loudly. Multiple people started shouting in the other room, making her head pound even harder. She rendered being butted with the rifle. It was never a good time. She gingerly touched the top of her head, already feeling the limp forming.
Great. I probably have a concussion. At least death will feel like a dream.
She slowly lifted herself up from the bed. She blearily looked around the room, discerning her surroundings. She was on a hospital gurney in a dingy hospital room. The rancid smell of death lay thick in the air. Her scarf was gone. She was stripped of her jacket, but not her sweater. She ran her hands all over herself, checking for other injuries.
Her eyes widened as she felt the gun still in the back of her jeans. They didn't take her gun. Her eyes fluttered in relief. They must've been too occupied with Ellie and Joel.
Joel. She could hear his unmistakable voice in the other room. He was demanding to see Ellie. Her heart sank to her stomach. Ellie. She needed to be alive. They never should have came here.
She slowly made her way over to the door, feeling sluggish. She felt like she wanted to vomit, but she pushed the feeling down as best she could. She looked out into the hallway, seeing it empty.
Joel was in the room adjacent to hers. The woman she remembered to be Marlene was standing in there with him. She recognized the elderly man from before. The one who greeted them. The three of them were arguing.
Rebecca leaned back against the wall and cocked her gun. She's killed infected before. She killed her own parents and neighbors. People she considered friends. She could do this.
For a moment she wondered if Joel betrayed her, but he seemed just as desperate to find Ellie as she was. It was strange. She's only known her for about a week, but she's come to care for her. She easy to talk to. Smart as a whip with a filthy mouth on her. She reminded her a lot like herself when she was her age.
She watched from the hallway as Joel stumbled back onto the bed. She wondered if he was knocked unconscious too. He leaned back up and stood up straight with a determined look in his eyes.
He didn't seem to like the answer they gave him.
'No!' He shouted,' You take me to her!' He pointed his finger, his voice raging and booming throughout the halls of the building,'You take me to her right NOW!'
He's decision was made in this moment. Save the girl. Bring him to her. The world didn't need to be saved. She deserved to live in whatever this world existed now. She deserved to forge her own path. It shouldn't be such a heavy burden to put on a young woman's shoulders. No, the world didn't need to be saved. Not when we ignored all the warning signs in the first place. We did this to ourselves.
Rebecca cocked her gun and stepped into the doorway of the room. Just as the guard was about to grab Joel's arm, she aimed for his head and shot him in the back of his head. He fell to the ground, his blood and brains pooling onto the floor. Her hands shook. It was the first time she's ever shot someone before. Someone who wasn't infected. She didn't feel sorry or ashamed. She felt…justified.
Joel's eyes stared up at her, wide with could only be discerned as incredulousness. He looked as if he saw a ghost. He was sure she was dead. He didn't know why he felt the clench in his chest at the realization she was alive. He was thankful to see a friendly face. No one was listening to him.
He could see her hands shaking. He wondered if she ever killed a man before. She looked dazed and he knew her head was messed up. He wondered where she got the gun.
Rebecca thought about shooting her as well, but she was useful. She watched as Joel bent down and took the rifle from the men. Ironically it was his own. Fireflies seemed to be kleptos too.
He disarmed Marlene and walked past her over to Rebecca. She had her gun focused on Marlene though. Just in case she tried anything cute.
He saw her up close. There were tears in her bleary eyes. She was concussed for certain. He didn't need to be a nurse to know that. He's gotten a concussion plenty a time or two. The blood was trickling from the left side of her temple. She had blood on her knuckles. She was fighting off someone. He caught the glimpses of her fire in the week he's known her. She wasn't meek and mild as David tried to shape her to be. She killed a man for the first time in her life to save him or Ellie. Did it even matter at this point?
He sighed and placed a hand on her back, making her jump. She flinched at his touch. She didn't like people touching her. Not invited. She wasn't always that way. David made her guarded. She need to be to survive him.
His touch was meant to be comforting though. She appreciated it in that moment. He was silently giving his thanks. He wasn't a man of words.
She gritted her teeth and willed the tears away. She needed to steel herself. She might have to kill other men too. She was prepared to do so. For him. For their freedom. If they got out of this she would take them up on their offer. She would head back to Tommy's town. Maybe she could be the town nurse. She could have a little place of her own. She could be alone and live in peace and quiet for the rest of her days. Or she could die a tragic death at the hands of a Firefly. The latter was more plausible.
'We don't have time.' She shook her head,'We need to get her.' She nodded at Marlene, keeping the gun pointed straight at her,'Take us there.'
Joel turned his gun to Marlene. She lifted her hands up in defeat,'Alright. Follow me.'
They kept their eyes focused on her. Joel stood in front of them as Rebecca stood behind Marlene. He checked around the perimeters. He seemed efficient. She wondered if he had been in the army. He seemed like the type. He was a Texan after all. They were all guns, football and USA.
Marlene turned down a dark corridor. They walked down another dark hallway until she stopped in front of a door. She opened it and Joel quickly stepped inside. Rebecca's heart was racing. She was waiting for something else to go horribly wrong.
Rebecca's eyes widened as she saw Ellie laid out on the gurney. She was in a hospital gown. There were two doctors standing at her bedside. Or what appeared to be doctors anyway. They were dressed the part, but David played a man of God. They were inherently the same. Wolves in sheep's clothing.
Joel waste no time shooting the doctors. He clears a shot through both their brains with perfect aim.
Rebecca ran over to Ellie. She looked up at the monitor and saw her heart rate. She sighed in relief. They were just in time. They just started sedating her. She was merely asleep.
She brushed a lock of hair away from her forehead and gently pulled the IVs out of her arms. She looked back at Joel, her eyes widening as she saw Marlene laying on the floor with Joel standing over her.
Marlene held her hands up and looked up at him pleadingly,'I'm no threat to you, Joel. You're gonna kill me. After everything we've been through. We had something.'
Rebecca rolled her eyes. Women always love to use that angle. She waited with bated breath as Joel cocked the gun.
He shook his head and muttered,'You could come looking for her.'
She watched as he shot her clean between the eyes. She watched her body slump back as the life left her body. She's witnessed so many deaths over the past few days. More so over the past twenty years. It just becomes another day after awhile.
Joel looked back at her. She was cradling Ellie's sleeping body to her chest, staring up at him with only understanding in her eyes.
'She's going to be okay. She was just sedated. We got to her in time.' She shook her head,'Thankfully.'
He was eerily silent, which was even strange for him. She expected him to be happy. She survived. After everything they've been through. Not the three of them. The two of them. She's only been caught in the middle of the tail end of their journey. She didn't know what her future held. Joel made it clear they would go their separate ways once they've reached Tommy's town. Joel already had a piece of land lined up. He apparently always wanted a sheep ranch. Ellie was moving with him. They would finally have their ever after. She would make her own. Hopefully she could continue to be friends with Ellie. She enjoyed her company. She was funny and had a dirty sense of humor. She was mature for her age, but also liked to enjoy herself. She still had hope for the future.
Rebecca saw a moment of vulnerability flash on his face. He looked almost ashamed. Was he ashamed that she witnessed him kill Marlene? He was right. If he let her live she would try and find Ellie. They would constantly be on the run. It would be a never ending cycle.
'I would've done the same.' She met his gaze from across the room,'You did what was right.'
He cleared his throat and redirected his gaze. He didn't like to make eye context with people for too long. He was always on edge.
'Thanks.' He nodded,'For doing what ya did back there. I reckoned you were already dead.'
She nodded and let out a dry laugh,'Yeah, you're definitely a Texan.'
He didn't confirm or deny where he was from. She didn't know much about him. Only snippets she heard of his conversations with Ellie over the past week. She never intruded in their conversations but she listened. She knew he had a daughter named Sarah that died. He beamed when he talked about her. He abruptly stopped once he realized she was behind them. He only had room left in his heart for one person. She was cradling her in her arms.
Joel walked over to the bed and gingerly told Ellie out of her arms. He cradled her gingerly to her body and kissed the crown of her head.
He stared down at Rebecca earnestly. She was surprised to see tears in his eyes,'Thank you, Rebecca.'
She realized it was the only time he's ever said her name. She's usually only referred to her as 'your problem' or 'pain in the ass' or her favorite,'cult worshipper.' That one stung a little. David was no cult leader. He wasn't charismatic enough.
Something shifted in their relationship tonight. Maybe it was the whole saving his life thing or getting Ellie back to him. Maybe he was just trying to be nice for once. She could never be so sure with him.
They didn't exactly have a friendship, but they built a trust between them. They saved each others backs. She made sure Ellie stayed alive. He wasn't a Firefly. He was one of the good ones. Even when he wasn't trying to be. He could be brutal and violent. He was mean and not so pleasant to be around sometimes, but he had his moments. She wondered what he was really like around Ellie. When he really let his gusts down. He seemed like he would be fun. Funny even.
They walked out of the hospital, making sure no one else was around. Joel seemed to have taken care of everyone. They made their way through the rubble as he kicked the door open of the hospital.
The sun was just beginning to rise. They looked up at the lush green grass at the hills beyond them. They made it through. They survived.
Ellie was just beginning to stir as Joel looked over at her. He had a genuine smile on his face with tears in his eyes. He looked happy. Hopeful even.
Rebecca sniffled softly and cocked her chin up at him,'Now you can have that sheep farm you always dreamed about.' Her tone was teasing, but she was wishing him the best.
She didn't know where her story ended in their journey.
Joel averted his eyes down to Ellie, who was staring up at him. She looked around, noticing they were outside,'I'm okay? I saved the world.'
Joel shook his head and laughed softly,'No, baby girl. You're more important to me than the fucking world. I got that sheep ranch waiting for us.'
Rebecca smiled tearfully at his affection towards her. Ellie deserved to feel that kind of love. She deserved to know what a fatherly love felt like. There wasn't anything else like it. She missed her Pa.
Joel cleared his throat, something she noticed he did whenever he was uncomfortable saying something,'I reckon Jackson County's gonna need a good nurse. I'm sure they have plenty of lodging for you.'
Rebecca's eyes widened and she nodded,'We could take the horses.'
Joel rolled his eyes and sighed,'I still don't know why we didn't bring the horses with us.'
'I've seen your luck with horses.' She narrowed her eyes,'They wouldn't have made it through this and you know it.' She squared her shoulders,'Thank you for the opportunity. I…think I would like that.'
Joel didn't say anything else and they started their walk back to Silver Lake to retrieve more supplies. Joel covered up Ellie with his coat and Rebecca gave her a sweater to wear. They would have to make do. They've suffered through worse.
Rebecca had a feeling things would get worse before they became better.