Like Knives

by Arith1234

Ellie and Joel come across an unlikely ally that neither wanted nor realized they needed.

110. Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Antlers

'Daddy, there's pain in your smile…I've never seen you so dark…You'll never walk me down the aisle…You won't make it that far…Mama took the keys and she ran…The baby's blood is on your hands…We both know it's what you deserve…I tried to pull you out…But you built this bed to rot…Look at all this hell you've caused…And you'll blame yourself cause…It's all your fault'

-Ethel Cain, Antlers

Joel groaned as he opened his eyes and lifted his head up. The sun was shining brightly through the curtains and he buried his face into the pillows, groaning into it. He didn't even drink, but his body felt sore and his head hurt like he had a hangover. He was too old to be staying up so late. His body was starting to catch up with him.

Becca walked into the bedroom, dressed in jeans and a t shirt. She had a grin on her face as she stood in the doorway with a cup of coffee in her hands. She laughed when she saw the groggy look on his face. His eyes were bleary and his hair was a mess.

He reached over the nightstand and grabbed his glasses, putting them on. He looked down at his watch and his eyes widened. It was almost nine in the morning, but they did go to bed late last night.

He looked over at her, thinking about how he fucked her in the lake the night before. Her arms and legs were wrapped around him as she rode his cock. He thought about the way he tits bounced in the water with her movement and the moans that came out of her mouth as she came for him. There were a plethora of reasons why this old man is sore. He would do it a hundred times over though.

He gave her a half smirk when she walked over to the bed and handed him his coffee,'Thank ya, darlin.'

She kissed his cheek and ruffled his hair,'It's my pleasure, cowboy.'

He took a sip of his coffee as she sat next to him on the bed. He rubbed her back as he slid closer to her,'How long ya been up?'

'A couple hours.' She shrugged,'I made breakfast if you're hungry.' She smiled knowingly,'You worked up an appetite last night.'

He grinned behind his coffee cup,'I won't say I'm sorry. You're not hungover?'

She shook her head and frowned,'I was this morning, but I went on a horseback ride to clear my head. It's beautiful here.' She playfully slapped his legs,'Now get your ass up. It's a beautiful day and I wanna enjoy it.'

'Yeah yeah yeah.' He laughed as he got up from the bed,'Ya keep me up late and then wonder why I'm grumpy.'

She cocked her head to the side and grinned,'As opposed to when you're not grumpy? Which would be when?'

He snickered at her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him,'You're a smart ass, aren't ya?' He pressed his lips against hers, mumbling,'I got something for that.'

She smiled against his lips as she sat halfway in his lap,'Ya always got something for me, don't ya?' She climbed off his lap and ran her hand through his hair,'Finish that coffee and get dressed. I wanna go hiking.'

He looked up at her warily and sighed,'You're gonna kill me.'

She laughed and shook her head,'We have a long life to live.' She patted his cheek,'Relax, it's a leisurely hike, but Rosa gave me a map for the trail. I wanna get some herbs and seeds. They could use the herbs in the hospital in Jackson.'

He narrowed his eyes as she walked out of the bedroom. He didn't understand why she still wanted to help them considering the way they treated her. He would let them rot, but she believed in karma. He gave up on it a long time ago.

He changed into a flannel and jeans, putting his baseball cap on his head. They ate breakfast together, eggs and bacon with biscuits. As much as they missed their kids, they valued this time they had alone together. After everything that's happened, it was very much needed.

He walked out onto the porch and chuckled when he saw her gun taken apart on the table to clean it. She had her satchel for her herbs and Rosa's map along with a compass. They brought their fishing gear as well. Joel had her make some good fishing spots on the map. He planned to bring back some good ones, as a gift to Manny and Rosa for everything they've done for them.

He leaned back against the banister and crossed his arms over his chest,'Where ya think we're going Indiana Jones?'

She looked up at him and rolled her eyes,'Ya can never be too prepared. Just because infected don't travel this far out doesn't mean we don't have other things to worry about.'

He nodded as he took his pistol out of the back of his jeans,'This is all I need.' He turned around to look out at the mountains,'There's pretty good game out here too.' He nodded,'Me and Manny caught some pretty good deer.'

'Ya said he stumbled upon ya one day?'

'Yeah.' He sighed,'I was out patrolling one night and…I took some Xanax and downed it with a bottle of whiskey. It was when me and you were…on the outs. I thought it was for good that time.'

She nodded silently. It could've been any time. She didn't make things easy for him in the beginning. Then again, he didn't either. He shoved a gun in her face far more times than she would like to admit.

'I…ended up falling asleep and being thrown off the horse.' He sighed and shook his head,'Manny ended up finding me unconscious and bleeding. He took me back here and…Sophia and Rosa helped get me back into shape.'

'Was that when ya were gone for a month?' He nodded and she frowned,'I'm sorry that ya felt like ya couldn't talk to me about it. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for ya.'

'Ya helped my sorry ass too many times.' He picked up the box of bullets and put them in his saddle bag,'I was on some heavy shit, Bec. I…was doing crazy shit to get the drugs. Shit I ain't particularly proud of.'

She assembled her pistol back together as she loaded her gun,'I remember coming down from all the drugs Ben put me on. After the outbreak, drugs were difficult to come by. So he used abuse to keep me in control.' She smiled wryly as she stood up and placed her pistol in the back waistband of her jeans,'I think the drugs were easier of a habit to quit than him.'

He stroked her cheek as he looked over her face,'What kinds drugs did he have ya on?'

'Pills mostly and ecstasy. MDMA and sometimes…heroin.' She shrugged,'Whatever was available at the time. He told me if it felt good then it can't be bad. He twisted it and made me think it was my decision and I was in control.' She locked eyes with his,'I was never in control. This is the first time I've ever been.'

He ran his hands through her hair,'I didn't use before the outbreak. I mean, I drank and smoked, but I couldn't afford drugs.' He snorted,'Figuratively and literally. I had a business and a kid. Well, if ya counted Tommy, two kids.'

She laughed softly as she patted his stomach,'I used to like being high. I…didn't have to feel or remember what I did. I could disconnect from reality.' She slid her hands down his arms and tangled her hands with his,'I like being straight with you though. I wanna feel everything.'

He felt that warmth spread throughout his body and that tightening in his chest again. It was a feeling he only associated with her. She got his old heart beating again.

'Being sober feels pretty damned good with ya too.' He held her face in his hands and kissed her forehead delicately and lovingly, letting his lips linger against her skin,'When I'm with ya I don't think about drinking and getting high. I mean, the cravings will always be there, but when we're together? It's easier to deal with 'em.' He swallowed the lump in his throat,'Ya make it better. Ya make everything better.' He frowned as he wiped the tears from her cheeks,'Why are ya crying? I didn't mean to make ya cry.'

Tears filled her eyes at his heartfelt declaration. She rested her head against his chest and placed her hands on his hips,'I'm not sad.' She looked up at him and shook her head in disbelief,'Ya can't say sweet things like that and not expect me to cry. You make me so happy. You don't even know.'

He smiled softly as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close,'Ya go from cleaning a gun to crying like a girl. So versatile.'

She snorted and rubbed his chest. She didn't have to ask him if he was happy. She could see it on his face. He was the sweetest man when he wanted to be. She could see why women found him alluring. He was rough at first and not easy to get close to, but once you got to know him, he was tender and intelligent. He was so interesting and had stories to tell. She could listen to him talk for hours and never get bored.

They walked down to the stables and got their horses. There were some clouds overhead that could bring some rain later, but they would have a few hours of sunshine at least. The storm clouds were far away, but they brought their ponchos for the horses just in case.

Joel led the way to the trail. He recalled taking these same trails with Manny as he showed him some good hunting spots. He remembered walking these trails with Sophia in the Summer. It felt good to ride these trails with Rebecca. It felt right. This was something he was supposed to share with her.

Becca led her horse alongside of Joel's. She looked up at him from the brim of her cowboy hat,'This trail is gorgeous. There's some pretty decent plant life too. Jackson's been picked to shreds lately.'

He looked out at the mountains and sighed,'That's what they do. Rip it to shreds and don't even say thank you.'

'That's humans for ya.' She gently tugged on the reins to slow her horse down,'They're bringing too many people into town. It's starting to get overcrowded.'

He nodded and sighed,'I was just talking to Maria about that the other day. The new council wants to keep inviting every Tom, Dick and Harry. We can barely take care of the ones we have. They keep wanting our crops. I don't mind helping to feed the town.'

'Then need to get off their asses and start working for it themselves.' She narrowed her eyes,'They want, want, want, but never say thank you. Not a damned once. I love Maria, I really do, but she wants to save everyone and I can't do that. I love helping people, but I shouldn't have to be made to feel like I owe them something. Maria feels indebted to them for the rest of her life. I don't.'

'And ya shouldn't.' He narrowed his eyes,'Not after what they did to ya. We don't owe them a damned thing.'

She knew he was right. They spent years in that town working day in and day out. They almost got killed serving their town and what did they have to show for it? More. More. More. It's all they ever wanted.

They came to a spot on the trail Becca marked on the map. She gently tugged on the reins of the horse to stop it. The horse dug their hooves into the dirt and she hurriedly climbed off the horse.

He laughed at her excitement as she grabbed her satchel and took her knife out. She studied the map as she compared it to the spot marked on the trail.

'This is it.' She grinned as she walked over to the bushels,'Lavender and chives.' She bent down and started carefully clipping the herbs,'I can't believe they just grow here like this.' She studied the herbs in her gloved hand and shook her head in disbelief,'I can't believe it. I'll definitely grow these once we get back. It's getting warmer too so they'll turn out just fine.' She shielded her eyes from the sun,'Rosa said I could find some Echinacea and Wild Geranium too.' She narrowed her eyes as she pointed North,'They should be right about there.'

He watched her in fascination as she clipped the herbs and carefully wrapped them in a handkerchief. She placed them in her satchel as she jotted down the exact location of the herbs in her notebook.

She could feel his eyes on her and she looked up at him, shaking her head,'What?'

'Nothin.' He shook his head and smiled,'It's cute when ya get all…' He wiggled his fingers,'Witchy.'

She placed her hands on her hips and smirked,'Those witchy herbs saved your life. When ya had your heart attack, I gave ya Wild Geranium.'

She didn't tell him that she traveled almost three hours outside of town for it. She hiked up to the mountains in a blizzard. Her and Ellie took their horses halfway and walked the rest of it. Ellie bitched the entire time, but they found it. If he didn't have it, he would've died from infection.

The smirk dissipated from his face and he averted his eyes downward,'I feel like an asshole now.' He looked around and placed his hands on his hips, feeling out of his element,'Ya need help?' He scratched the back of his neck,'Ya think ya could…ya know help me learn about this shit?' He shrugged,'I figure it'd probably be useful considering we ain't got no pharmacies making shit. I would like to learn.'

She saw the sincerity in his eyes and bounced on her feet excitedly as she bit back a grin,'I would love to.'

She took his hand as she excitedly led him up the trail to the bushel of medicinal herbs. They crouched down and she inspected the bushel. Her eyes brightened and she pointed to a bushel of what appeared to be white flowers,'Those are yarrow. They're good for cough syrups.' She took his hand and placed it on the herb,'You can tell by the way the petals droop…' She looked up at him,'See the black specks in the middle?' She handed him the shears,'You wanna make sure you clip them at an angle.'

She carefully guided his hand as he slowly and tentatively clipped the plants. She smiled softly as she squeezed his arm,'You'll be a pro in no time.'

He snorted and shook his head,'I doubt that, baby.' He pressed his shoulder against hers,'I'll be a good student.'

She nodded and smiled,'I know you will be.' She opened up her notebook and jotted down the location,'I can give you my notebooks. I usually make a quick sketch of what the plant looks like and where I can find it.' She shrugged sheepishly,'If you're interested.'

'Oh, I'm interested.' He leaned over and stroked her cheek,'Ya got a beautiful mind, honey girl.' He nodded,'I would love to read it. Of course I would.'

She held the notebook close to her chest and gave him a small smile,'Thank you.'

'For what?'

'For taking interest in this stuff.' She shrugged,'Ben used to make fun of me for it. David called it evil. He found my notebooks filled with my research and…burned it all in front of the congregation. He said women shouldn't be wandering about without their headships. It wasn't evil. I just wanted to help people.'

'Ya ain't evil.' He took a deep breath as he fumed with rage,'There ain't nothing bout ya that's evil. If there's a hell he's burning it.' He nodded,'I just yank your chain when I say that. Ya know that right? Ya can research whatever the hell ya want. I'll take ya all over the goddamned country looking for plants if that's what ya wanna do.'

She smiled tearfully, remembering when he gave her broccoli seeds on one of their dates. It's how she knew he was a keeper. He didn't make her feel shame or stupid for the things she took interests in. He actually cared about what she had to say. He didn't undermine or belittle her. It's what made her fall in love with him.

He pointed to a bushel of plants and narrowed his eyes,'How can ya tell what's useful and what isn't?'

Her eyes gleamed as she grinned up at him,'You can usually tell by the stems or the heart of the plant.'

'The heart?' He frowned,'Plants have hearts?'

She was excited by his question. Regardless if he was humoring her or not, he still took the time to learn about what interested her. He didn't have to come up here with her, but he took the time. He spent time on her, which meant more to her than anything else.

'Any living thing has a heart, baby.' She took his hand and guided his fingers along the stem of the flower,'Every living thing needs something to sustain it and keep it pumping.' She looked up at the sky, smiling softly,'Whether it be the sun or the rain. Flowers are like people. They need love to sustain it just like everyone else.'

He became encapsulated in her words. He always loved to hear her talk about something she was passionate about. The tone in her voice went higher as she excitedly explained things to him. He would learn about every flower known to man if she kept talking to him like that.

She was still talking and she saw the faraway look in his eyes,'Sorry, I babble sometimes.'

He shook his head as he leaned over and kissed her lips,'I love listening to ya talk. Babble away, baby.' He grinned,'Besides, I can't always be a Neanderthal. I need a little culture. Ya can talk about the things that interest ya.' He scoffed,'Ya listen to me yammer on about caulking and drywall.'

'It's riveting dinner conversation.' She laughed as he rolled his eyes,'You're the only man who can make asbestos sound sexy.' She smirked,'I like hearing the way ya say 'caulk'.

He laughed as she pointed to another plant for him to cut. He carefully sheared it and handed it to her as she placed it in her satchel. He had to admit, he found it fascinating and rewarding. He could see why she took care and interest in it.

She reached into her satchel and handed him a notebook,'Here, this is an empty one. You can start jotting down your own notes.'

He smiled as he placed the notebook in the back pocket of his jeans,'I don't know if I'll make as good of notes as you, but I'll treasure it, darlin.' He cupped her cheek,'Thanks for trusting me with this.'

She sighed and placed her hands on his hips,'I trust ya with my life.' She nodded,'I know ya appreciate it.'

He was about to respond when he saw a deer approaching from the back of a boulder. He squinted his eyes and placed his index finger over his lips as he pointed over her shoulder. She looked back, seeing the deer slowly walking. It seemed alerted of their presence, but it didn't run away. It cautiously walked the other direction as it slowly backed away. The wildlife were used to humans so far out. The infected stayed in populated cities and most of them weren't smart enough to travel long distances.

The only troubling about that is Francis's research. God only knows what kind of infected he brought out here. They didn't kill them all in Jackson. They were still out there.

The antlers on the deer told them it was male. He didn't expect to hunt right now, but he couldn't let this opportunity slip through his fingers. It would be a nice gift to bring back into town for Rosa and Manny as a thank you for their wedding reception and cabin.

She stood still and watched as he slid his pistol out of the back pocket of his jeans. He wished he brought his rifle, but he didn't expect to see a deer this far out. They usually stayed on lower ground. What they were they doing in the mountains?

He took the safety off his gun and cocked it. She took a step aside as he aimed his pistol over her shoulder. She saw his finger rest on the trigger and she ducked her head and covered her ears as he shot effortlessly. The bullet went into its head and he tried running, but he shot him again, watching until he dropped.

They walked over to the deer and Joel crouched down to inspect it. He grabbed its antlers and lifted its head up. He frowned when he saw the hazy look in its eyes. It gave him an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

She looked over the deer's face and sighed,'I don't think it's Cordeyceps.' She lifted its head up as she stared into its eyes,'It looks like arterial worms or meningeal parasites. The virus usually starts in its head.'

'I remember seeing their eyes like that at the Capital.' He looked over at her,'Ya think this is one of Francis?'

'I don't know.' She shook her head as she ran her gloved hand down the side of its face,'I would have to bring a sample back to Jackson to make sure. Ya think we should tell em?'

He thought about it for a moment and sighed,'I don't think we should worry them until we know for sure. Ya said it didn't look like the virus.'

'There's a lot of other parasites and viruses animals could contract. Especially around here.' She frowned,'Wildlife are being chased out of their natural habitats. They're looking for nutrients anywhere they can get them. I wouldn't jump the gun until the sample comes back.'

She grinned as she saw him taking his notebook out of his pocket. He took a pencil out of his pocket and jotted down some notes. He seemed really focused on what he was doing.

'What ya writing?'

'Some notes down on where we found the deer.' He looked up at her from the rim of his glasses,'A smart lady told me notes are important. Especially for an old man.'

'Ain't nothing wrong with your brain.' She laughed as she looked down at the deer,'I'm not letting this ruin our day.' She huffed,'They should've nuked the towns to the ground like they wanted to.'

'There's still time.' A half smirk formed on his face as he watched her slice a piece of flesh from the deer.

She carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief and placed it in her satchel,'The government still exists.' She nodded,'If they had bombs they would've used them by now. They gave up on us a long time ago.'

He nodded silently as he pulled himself up from the ground. He hated the government more than anything. They killed his Sarah. They abandon them when they needed them the most.

They set the carcass on fire. They didn't want the risk of anyone else coming upon it or another animal preying on it. They didn't want whatever virus the deer had to spread.

She helped him throw the deer carcass over the mountain. They stood atop of the peak and watched as it rolled down the embankment. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as the embers from the fire died down.

She looked down at the deer carcass and placed her hand on his back,'Ya think they saw the smoke?'

'Maybe.' He shrugged as he looked out into town,'I'll say we were burning debris on the trail.'

'Do ya think it's right to lie to them?'

'We ain't lying.' He shook his head and sighed,'I don't want them worrying if they don't gotta. Like ya said, it's probably nothing.'

She nodded silently. She hoped the sample came back negative. It wasn't uncommon for animals to get infected and travel this far out. They didn't see anymore, which was a good sign.

They walked for a bit more, holding hands as they enjoyed the view. She found a few more herbs and plants, making sure to jot down her notes. She was surprised to see Joel jotting down notes as well. He kept asking her about the different plants and their medicinal properties and what they were used for. She loved explaining it to him and he seemed genuinely interested in it.

She never thought she would have something like this. A partner who actually wants to enjoy her hobbies with her. He didn't just see her as a body. He saw her as an actual person with something to say.

While she enjoyed sex with him immensely, it was so much more than that. They've shared an intimacy she's never had with anyone else before. They said so much without saying a word. She felt content to just walk with him in silence, enjoying his companionship. They never got bored of each other.

They got to the end of the trail and he gently tugged on her hand,'Come on, I wanna show ya something.'

He led her to a field where hundreds of lilies were growing. He looked over at her, seeing her eyes wide with awe as she stared at the field. She's never seen so many lilies at once. They were tall and of various vibrant colors.

She turned to him and shook her head in disbelief,'I've never seen so many Camas lilies all at once.'

'I was on a ride with…Sophia one day and we happen to come by this place.' He nodded towards the field,'As soon as I saw it, I knew it would be a place ya would have to see. I knew ya would find it beautiful and…appreciate it.' He nodded and cleared his throat,'Soph reminded me bout taking ya here. When I first saw it, I told her ya would love it.'

She blinked away tears and smiled sadly. Even with another woman he was thinking about her. She felt like such a fucking fool for ever doubting this man and his love for her. She would be damned if she ever doubted him again.

She bounced on her feet excitedly as she ran down the hill and into the fields. She ran through the flowers, being careful not to injure them. She delicately ran her fingers through the flowers and bent down, breathing them in deeply.

She closed her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks. The scent of the flowers brought her back to simpler times, gardening with her Meemaw. Before she married Ben and everything went to shit. She was barely out of high school just getting married to a man she barely knew. Just so she could escape her parents.

He saw the tears falling from her eyes and placed his hand on her lower back,'Ya okay?'

'Yeah.' She looked up at him and nodded, smiling tearfully,'I'm more than okay.' She looked around the field and shook her head in disbelief,'This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.'

He stared at her intently as he shook his head,'Not from where I'm standing it ain't.' He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side,'I'm glad you like it. Ya gonna take some with ya or open that notebook?'

She scrunched her nose up as she looked around,'I don't think I wanna touch them. They're too pretty to ruin.' She looked up at him and smiled tearfully,'I won't have to make any notes. I'll remember where it is. This can be our special place.'

'I didn't share this with her. I…wanted ya to know that. I…I knew this could be a place for us.' He took her hands in his and tangled their fingers together,'I just knew ya would love this place. I couldn't wait for ya to see it.'

She pulled him along as she walked backwards, keeping her eyes locked on his,'You're the sweetest man, Joel Miller. I married the sweetest man in the world.'

He laughed as he let her pull him along,'If ya say so, darlin.'

'Oh I say so.' She grinned,'I won't tell anybody though. It'll be our little secret.'

She looked up at the sky, smiling when she saw the storm clouds were moving past. The sun was peeking through the clouds. It was turning out to be a beautiful day.

They weren't ready to head back yet. They were enjoying the time alone together. They didn't see any other infected wildlife. The thought was in the back of their minds. The virus was still out there, but they couldn't live worrying about when the next threat would come. Death could come at any time, which is why they wanted to enjoy life to the fullest.

They brought their horses down to the lake to drink and see about making their picnic. They laid the blanket out on the grass and set their sandwiches out. They packed light, but wanted to enjoy the day as much as possible.

She handed him his thermos of coffee and smiled gratefully,'I need this. Someone kept me up late last night.'

She laughed as she took a bite of her sandwich,'You were a willing participant.'

'That I was, baby.' He took a bite out of his sandwich as he watched the horses playing in the lake,'I'm glad I could finally bring ya here. I been wanting ya to see this place for a while.'

She took her cowboy hat off and placed it next to her,'It's gorgeous here.' She moved the hair out of her eyes and shook her head in disbelief,'It's easy to forget beauty like this exists when there's so much death and violence, ya know? It really makes ya appreciate the simpler things in life.'

He nodded as he took a sip of his coffee,'In a way, I'm glad we went back to the old ways of life. No bills, traffic and appointments to keep. The day to day of just existing and taking everything for granted.' He smiled sadly,'Sarah said I used to run all the time and never took the time to just…sit still. She probably wouldn't even recognize me now. All old and gray. I wonder what she woulda been. She probably woulda been a doctor or lawyer. She was so smart.' He cleared his throat,'I wonder if she woulda gotten married and had kids. She…had so much life left to live.'

She sighed when she saw the unshed tears in his eyes. Even after all these years, Sarah's death still affected him. It always would.

She scooted closer to him and placed her hand on his leg,'I wanna make sure Matty knows about her. She's his sister. I want him to know everything about her.'

'She loved Tommy.' He sniffled roughly and snorted,'They used to gang up on me all the time. The night she died, I was on my way from bailing him outta jail. I was always saving his ass.' He stared down into his lap,'She woulda been devastated by what he did. The way he betrayed us like that. Maria asked me if Sarah woulda forgave her for killing him.' He shrugged,'I didn't know what to tell her cause I don't know. I honestly don't know cause I never…' He shook his head,'We didn't get a chance. She made it only about three hours before they…she…'

He didn't finish as he stared down at his hands, looking at the watch he still wore on his wrist. Patty said he was too over protective of Ellie because of what happened to Sarah. He knew she was right. He had to give her the freedom to live her own life or she would resent him.

She saw the tears falling from his eyes. He took his glasses off and quickly wiped them away. He would get emotional talking about her sometimes. He wasn't afraid to cry in front of her. It felt freeing to be able to express his emotions with someone who wouldn't judge him.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She didn't say anything. She knew there wasn't anything she could say. All she could do was hold him and let him know he's not alone.

'I'm sorry.' He sighed shakily as he leaned into her,'I didn't mean to get all…' He waved his hand in the air,'Crazy on our honeymoon.'

He wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his flannel and slid his glasses back on his face.

'Shut up.' She nodded as his eyes widened,'I really mean that. Shut. Up. How many times have you pulled me out from under? How many fuckin times have ya found me sleepwalking or throwing myself into the lake? You're allowed to grieve.' She kissed the scar on his temple, whispering,'I'm glad you're here, Joel. I…wouldn't have wanted to do this with just anyone. I wish I could've known her.'

He leaned back against the tree and brought her with him as she settled in his lap,'She woulda liked ya. She woulda been happy we got married. She was always breaking my balls to find a girlfriend, but work was always busy. And between Sarah and Tommy, I already had my hands full.' He laughed,'They would pull pranks on me all the time. They were like peas in a pod. We looked out for each other.'

He was silent for a moment as he rested his head on top of hers,'I miss Tommy. Every fuckin day I wanna dig him up and kill em all over again for…ruining everything.'

'He didn't ruin everything.' She frowned,'Just his own life. You can't feel guilty for a grown man's actions.'

He sighed and shook his head,'Maria shouldn't have been the one to kill him. It shoulda been me.'

She turned around in his lap and held his face in her hands,'Would it have made a difference who killed him? Would it have changed anything? If Maria didn't shoot him he woulda killed ya and then it…woulda been a completely different situation. I woulda been a widow.'

'Like Maria?'

'It ain't the same and you know it.' She turned his head for him to look at her, just as he's done to her in the past,'Tommy betrayed Maria. He betrayed his family because of Francis. For a cure that wouldn't make a difference. He supported genocide. The murdering and killing of people. He's where he belongs.'

'I done the same.' He shrugged,'As a Firefly and Raider. What makes me any better than him, Bec?'

'Everything.' Her voice cracked with emotion,'You did that stuff cause ya had to. Ya did what ya needed to survive. I know the man ya are. The man I fell in love with. I married ya twice and had your baby. If given the chance? I would do it all over again. I may not have known Tommy like you and Maria did, but I knew enough to know you're a better man than he ever was. Ya wanna know something? I'm glad Maria was the one who killed him.' She sighed as his eyes widened in surprise,'It wouldn't have been fair if it was you. You've lost too much. It's the way it should be.'

He ran his hands through her hair as he looked over her face,'Ya give me way too much credit.'

'And you don't give yourself enough credit.' She frowned as she leaned back in his lap,'Ya just brought me to a field of lilies and on a hike for plants because you know I love it.' She nodded,'I can give you all the fuckin credit I want.' She leaned in close to him and pressed her lips against his, whispering,'You've given me some of the best memories of my life. I know ya wouldn't do what Tommy did.'

He placed his hands on her hips and gripped them tightly,'Ya damned right I wouldn't. I would put a bullet in myself fore I ever hurt ya like that. I swore after I got ya back when ya were framed that I would…make sure ya always knew ya were loved and…wanted. I didn't like the feeling of knowing ya were out there hurting and thinking I…didn't love ya. I ain't ever been that scared in my life. Not even when I lost Sarah. Cause I knew she was never coming back…but ya were out there thinking I…' He shook his head,'It was the worst feeling in the world. I didn't know how Tommy could live with himself knowing what he was doing to his wife and son. I ain't never known betrayal like that before. I don't understand how he coulda changed so much.'

She stroked his cheeks and kissed him again,'That's what separates you from the men and the boys, baby. Tommy was just a dumb fuckin kid following Francis around like a puppy dog. He sacrificed his wife and child for a psycho. I'm sorry, but I don't have empathy for a man like that. You felt regret for the things you've done. He justified it.'

He held the back of her neck as he grasped her hair in his hands,'You and Tommy never really got along, huh?'

'I didn't hate him.' She sighed,'I respected him, but there was something about him I didn't trust. I…couldn't shake. Looking back on it, there were a few times I suspected he had…less than honorable intentions, but he was your brother and an important person in Jackson. I was on thin ice. No offense, but I wasn't surprised by what he did.'

His eyes widened in surprise as he looked over her face,'Why is that?'

'He was too…perfect.' She scrunched her face up as he laughed,'People aren't that nice and perfect all the time. I don't usually trust guys with man buns either.'

He laughed softly and buried his face in her neck. She had a way of making him feel better. He used to be afraid of talking about these things with her or anyone for that matter. It took him a long time to open up to Patty, but once he let himself go with Becca; he realized there was never anything to worry about. She didn't see him as any less of man for crying and expressing his emotions.

'Ya won't have to worry about me having a man bun.' He smirked against her neck,'Been thinking I need a trim before it starts getting really hot.'

She took his baseball cap off and ran her hand through his hair,'I can give ya a trim, but I like it long. It suits ya.' Her eyes widened and she snapped her fingers,'Wait! I

Almost forgot.'

His brows furrowed in confusion as he watched her take something out of her satchel. They were two bracelets braided with twine. One of them was black and the other was brown.

She took her gloves off and he did the same.

She looked up at him and smiled shyly,'These are…love knots. Back in the old days, when people didn't have a lot of money for rings; they would use these bracelets as a way to show their love for each other. They still do it in some cultures. I made one for me and you.' She shrugged,'I know we have rings, but I just thought this would be something different and…' She shook her head,'Ya don't have to wear yours. I just wanted to give it to ya.'

He smiled, his eyes softening as he lifted his left arm up,'Lay it on me, honey.'

She tied the black one around his wrist. He took the brown one from her and tied it around her wrist. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, nuzzling into her skin,'I'll never take it off. I'll take it to my grave.'

She rested her head against his as he kissed her knuckles again,'It better not be anytime soon. I got plans for us.'

'Oh ya do now?' She sat up in his lap and he ran his hands up and down her sides,'I feel better than I have in years. Doc says my heart is doing good. Ya ain't getting rid of me anytime soon.' He motioned with his hand out towards the mountains,'I like seeing ya happy.' He cupped her cheek and ran his thumb over her bottom lip,'It makes me feel good to see ya happy with me. Ya deserve this. Every fuckin bit of it.'

She wrapped her legs around his waist and nodded,'We both do.'

She took a moment to look over his ruggedly handsome face. His face was worn out through and through. There were age spots on his face and there parts of his tanned skin that was darker than the others. They've both lived a hard life and it showed. His experiences may have been more outwardly, but on the inside she felt much older than her forty years.

When she first met him, she saw lot of herself in him. Hardened and jaded. She didn't think they would ever get close to each other. It was a long hard road, but it was one that didn't have to walk alone anymore.

She pressed her lips against his and she moaned softly as he cupped the back of her neck. He eagerly returned her kiss, his lips pressed against hers firmly. He moaned softly as she swiped her tongue over his lips. He parted his lips and she slid her tongue in his mouth, tangling with his.

He leaned in closer to her and cupped her cheek with his other hand. He deepened the kiss, pouring all of his heart into it as he could. She moaned as he sucked on her tongue. She wrapped herself around him as they lost themselves in the kiss. There wasn't anyone but their horses around for miles. They were all alone. At least they hoped so anyway.

She kept her lips locked on his as she started unbuttoning his flannel. He nipped at her lips playfully as he unbuttoned her flannel. He smiled against her lips as she slid her hands inside his flannel to run her hands over his chest. He loved how she started initiating intimacy.

She slid the flannel off her shoulders and she slid it off the rest of the way, revealing a t shirt underneath. She pulled away from his lips and kissed down his chin. He leaned his head back as she kissed his neck. She slid her hands underneath his t shirt. His skin was so warm. She traced the course hair of his navel that led down to the waistband of his jeans.

She didn't know how far they would take it, but she wouldn't stress about that. He could have whatever he wanted. She never felt shame or guilt for what they did together. It wasn't wrong or evil.

Whenever she was with clients, she would feel so used and dirty afterwards. Even with Ben and David. She didn't feel like that with Joel. She never regretted anything they've done. In fact, she wanted to explore more of it.

He kissed her bare shoulder and rubbed his nose against her skin. He closed his eyes and breathed her in, whispering,'Ya make me so goddamned happy. I don't think about dying when I'm with ya.'

He ran the back of his hand down her arm as he pressed kisses all over her shoulder, flicking his tongue out to taste her skin. She moaned softly as she sat up in his lap and tangled her fingers in his hair. He placed his hands on her hips, his hands gripping her hips firmly as his tongue explored her mouth.

He tore his lips from hers and nipped at her lower nip, down to her chin,'Ya make me feel so goddamned alive.'

He took her hand and placed it over his heart. Her eyes widened as she felt it pumping wildly against her palm. He nodded as he looked over her face, smiling softly,'Ya feel that? That's what ya do to me.' He placed her hand over his crotch, letting her feel his erection pressed up against the rough denim,'This isn't all I want from ya and I never did.' He ran his other hand up over her abdomen and shook his head in disbelief,'Don't get me wrong. I'm in love with your body for what it's given me. For how hard it fought to stay alive for our kids.'

He rested his forehead against hers as he let out a shaky breath. She'll never understand how much she means to me. He can't quantify it in words. He can only show her.

He swallowed the lump in his throat,'I know I get overprotective over you and the kids. It's something I'm working on, but…'

He abruptly stopped talking for a moment, feeling the words in his mind getting jumbled. Patty said he needed to talk to Becca about his feelings more. Even if it meant looking like a 'pussy'. Those were her words, not his. Did he mention she was an unconventional therapist?

She ran her hand down his face and trailed her fingertips along his bearded jaw,'But what?'

He closed his eyes and sighed, letting her fingers in his hair soothe him,'Patty told me that even though I see her as my kid. She ain't. No matter what way I wanna go about it. I'm not her real father and I know deep down El don't see me as a father.' Sometimes I feel like she's obligated to me or some shit cause I got her outta that hospital.'

She had to admit, she wasn't surprised he felt this way.

'I feel that way sometimes too.' She smiled sadly as his eyes widened in surprise,'I've been talking to Peter about it. He thinks I'm overprotective with her because I see myself in her.' She shook her head,'I know what it's like for men and…people in general what to have control over your body. I came to the realization that she's twenty one years old. She survived without us before. As much as we love her…we need to give her the space to figure out the woman she wants to be.'

'She has a…violent heart, Becca.' He sighed,'She got her fuckin nose broken playing rough with those boys. She's a runner too.'

'So what are we gonna do?' She shrugged,'Chain her to a bed? Keep her locked up in the tunnels in Jackson?' She smirked when he rolled his eyes and laughed,'Even if she was our child, we'd have to let her go eventually. She's a strong woman and capable. I think she's done running though.'

He snorted as he slid his hands underneath her t shirt and ran them up her back, feeling her muscles tense up,'What makes ya say that?'

She found it difficult to concentrate as his workers hands slid up and down her sides. His fingers skimmed along the side of her tits and he smirked as he felt her body start to tremble.

Her eyes rolled in pleasure as he licked and sucked on her neck,'Cause she has reasons to stay.' She sighed softly as he nipped on her collarbone, whispering breathlessly,'Just like you do. Ya haven't disappeared in a while.'

'I haven't had a reason to run.' He smirked against her lips as she unbuckled his belt,'The next time I run, you're going with me.'

She sucked on his bottom as she gently tugged on it with her teeth. She unzipped and unbuttoned his jeans, listening to his stunted breath. She slid her hands into his jeans and boxers, wrapping both her hands around his cock.

He clenched his eyes and moaned against her lips as she squeezed him hard. He undid her jeans as she kissed him deeply. He could feel the intentions behind her kiss. Her mouth moved against his with such a force he almost couldn't keep up. He leaned forward and chased her mouth, cupping the back of her head and gripping her hair in his hand.

He slid his free hand down the front of her jeans. He smiled into their kiss. She wasn't wearing underwear. He didn't know if she planned it or maybe she was used to him being a dirty old man around her.

She gasped as she felt his long index finger slide up and down her slit. She stroked and pumped on his cock as he rubbed her clit with his thumb. She swore she didn't plan this, but it's rare they get long periods of time alone together. The busyness of Jackson made it difficult to appreciate the time spent together.

He gently tugged on her hair, turning her head the way he wanted as he kissed her hungrily. He tore his lips away from hers to catch his breath. He rested his forehead against hers as he slid his index finger in and out of her,'You're soaked.' He grinned as she moaned in response,'My woman wants to get fucked.' He curled his finger inside her pussy for emphasis, making her squirm in his lap,'Ya do don't ya? I can feel it.' He slid his finger out of her and into his mouth, sucking on it loudly as his eyes locked on hers,'I can taste it too.'

He popped his finger out of his mouth and shoved in her own mouth. He licked into her mouth as she sucked greedily on his fingers, tasting the mushiness and tartness of her juices. She moaned at her own taste as she rubbed the tip of his cock with the pad of her thumb, smearing his precum all over his cock.

Before she met him, she would never have done something this bold before. Especially in the harsh light of day. Anyone could come upon them in this moment, but maybe it was the thrill of it. She found it exhilarating to experience all the things she couldn't in her youth, such as getting eaten out on an open dock or being fucked on a blanket by the lake. It's things she should've done in her youth.

Her therapist said she was experiencing everything for the first time. This is the only man she wanted to have these experiences with. She never knew sex could be so…fun.

His grips on her hips tightened as he growled softly, pulling her closer to his broad chest. He slid his hand up to the back of her neck and buried his face in her neck, whispering,'Ya wanna get fucked?'

She nodded and almost whined as he nipped at her chin. She knew he wanted to hear her say it. He got off on it. No one would believe her that he had a praise kink. He once told her he never knew it was a thing for him until he met her. There was a lot of things she didn't discover about herself until she met him too.

He slid a second finger inside her cunt and scissored her pussy, spreading her lips apart. He rubbed on her clit teasingly.

She arched forward against his chest, silently begging him for what she knew they both wanted,'I need it.' She whispered almost desperately,'Wanna get fucked by my husband so bad.'

She slid both her hands up and down his velvety cock. She kept rubbing the pad of her thumb over his tip, knowing how much he liked it. He dropped his head onto her shoulder and she could feel his hot ragged breath through the thin material of her t-shirt.

She kissed the top of his head and gasped as he pressed hard on her clit,'I need it. Please, baby.'

His eyes widened incredulously as he saw the pout on her full mouth. Her face was scrunched up in pleasure. He didn't even think she realized she was doing it.

Her eyes were half dilated, her blue eyes an almost grey. He looked over her face and he laughed almost in disbelief, shaking his head,'You're such a sexy bitch.'

His words came out rough and ragged, sounding almost as if he were growling. She could feel the reverberation against her chest. She loved that she could bring out this side in him. She used to fear this intensity. Not because of him, but due to her own feelings.

She was afraid to fully let herself go with him. For she knew if she did, there wasn't any turning back. Once she fully trusted herself with him; it was the most freeing and exhilarating feeling she's ever experienced with another human being.

He gently pushed her down to lay on her back. He hooked his fingers in her jeans and tugged them down enough so he could have access to her lower half. He pulled his hard cock out of his jeans and pumped it a few times, biting his bottom lip.

She hissed when he slid the tip of his cock up and down her slit, coating it in her juices. He brought her knees to her chest as he positioned himself at her entrance. He used the weight of her knees to push himself forward, bringing himself deeper inside her with one full stroke.

He dropped his head on her knees as his jaw slacked in pleasure. Every time he pushed into her, it felt like it was the first time every time. He couldn't get over the way she tightened herself around his cock. The way she took him in so good.

He wrapped his arm around both her legs to keep them closed as he leaned against them. He bent himself over her as he kissed her hungrily. She moaned into his mouth as she cupped the back of his neck. She leaned up as she pressed her mouth against his more firmly.

All she could do was lay there as he fucked her gently, but fervently. He grunted with each of his thrusts, his eyes clenching shut and the feeling of her cunt wrapped tightly around him in a vice like grip. She was palpable underneath him, letting him move her the way he wanted to. Her body was limber. He could twist her body however he wanted to, bringing himself at an impossibly deeper angle.

She seemed to let him do what he wanted, but he wouldn't take advantage of her like that. He felt it a privilege just to know her, let alone being with her like this. It's all he could ever wanted. He never dared to hope for anything close to intimacy like this. He was grateful when he left this Earth, he would know what it's like to experience real and pure love.

He grinded his cock inside her pussy, rolling his hips as he moved his thick cock around all inside her. He clenched his teeth when he felt her inner walls clutching onto him so tightly he could barely move.

His body was older and weary. His hips didn't move like they used to, but he pushed through his aches and pains. He wanted to make his wife feel good. His younger wife. Manny told him it was one of his reservations when he got together with Rosa, but once he got through his insecurities; it was one of the best decisions he's ever made in this life.

Manny told him this isn't the kind of life you spend alone. It's times like this when you especially need someone close. 'Somebody to love,' as Freddy Mercury would say. Manny was a huge Queen fan. Then again who wasn't?

The way his cock was grinding against her clit at just the right pressure and the angle made her pussy start fluttering around him. He slid almost all of the way out of her before slamming back inside her again, burying himself to the hilt. He kept doing it over and over again, his cock hitting against her clit.

She threw her head back and groaned his name, whispering brokenly,'Shit, I'm coming. Just like that.' She gripped his biceps as she gritted her teeth,'Joel, fuck. Oh my God.'

He hung his head as he came. His hands clenched in her hips tightly, whispering and muttering,'Shit's so good. How's it always this good?'

He was muttering it and she didn't know if he was talking to her or himself.

His hair draped in his face and his glasses were precariously hanging on the edge of his nose. He braced his body over hers, caging her in with his arms as he came deep inside her. Her pussy was fluttering around him as she milked his cock, every last drop.

He wished he could see her naked body spread out under him as she came. It was always one of his favorite things to watch. He would get that later. That's if his body let him. It took him longer to recover than it used to after sex, but he wasn't about to let her know that.

He slowly let her legs down and she looked up at him, seeing him breathing raggedly. He slowly slid out of her with a wince. She could see the sweat on his brow and his hair was drenched with sweat, curling at the ends. His face was red from exertion. She was sure she looked the same.

She saw his glasses about to fall off and she gingerly grabbed them. She carefully folded them, knowing it took him a long time to find ones that was a suitable prescription for him. Luckily, they had an optometrist in town. Ellie helped with the making of the eye ware. She knew these were important to him. She placed them next to them.

She cradled his head against her chest as she ran her hands through his long curly hair. She ran her fingertips over the deep scar on his temple, a stark reminder of how close he had been to never meeting her. She could never imagine what her life would've been like if she didn't mean him or Ellie. She probably would've succeeded in milking herself by now. The day she met Ellie she aldddy planned it. If her escape didn't work out, she was going to shoot her horses and then herself. She would've be damned if she left Sadie and Dusty with David. The only people she ever trusted with her horses were Ellie and Joel.

She didn't think about killing herself anymore. She wanted to live as much as she could with him and their children. Her heart was bursting with so much joy and love in this moment. She didn't think this would ever happen to her.

He nuzzled into her chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist, whispering,'Te amo más que a cualquier otra cosa.'

Tears filled her eyes at his words.

'I love you more than anything else.'

He rarely gives heartfelt declarations to her. His love language is touch. He fiercely protects her and cares for her. He's open and honest with her. She doesn't need to hear the words all the time. She knows. She feels it:

Even so. She still loves to hear them every now and then. He's the only man to tell her those words without expecting something out of it. Shit, he told her he loved her after getting the goods.

She cleared her throat and said the words, practicing them before she said them aloud. She didn't want to sound like an asshole.

She took a deep breath to gather her courage, whispering,'Yo también te amo. Más que a nada. Mi hermoso esposo.'

His eyes widened as he lifted his head up from her chest. He eyes searched her face, almost as if in disbelief.

'I love you too. More than anything; my beautiful husband.'

She's told him she loved him in the past, but they rarely communicate it in words. Their therapists said they didn't always have to say the words. The way they showed them towards each other was important enough.

He almost seemed surprised whenever she said then aloud though. Especially in his language. It was the same reaction that occurred within her whenever he told her the same. They needed to get over the surprise and accept the fact neither were going anywhere.

He smirked as he stroked her cheek,'Did ya practice that?'

'Maybe?' She chewed on her bottom lip as she looked up at him,'Was it good?'

'Oh yeah.' He smirked,'It was perfect.'

She laughed and shook her head,'Would ya tell me the truth if it wasn't?'

His eyes locked with hers and he nodded slowly,'Yeah…I would.'

She smiled tearfully as she leaned up and kissed his lips, knowing he was right. She handed him his glasses and he smiled gratefully.

He slid them on his face and groaned as he pulled himself up from her, leaning his back against the tree. His flannel was still unbuttoned, revealing his broad chest. She could see the salt and pepper hair on his chest and his happy trail leading down to his navel. His jeans were still undone and she could see the trail of hair disappearing into his boxers.

She knew he felt insecure about his body. The deep and jagged scar that ran from his bellybutton to the middle of his chest reminded her how close she was to losing him. Before she even got to know him, befriend and fall in love with him.

The knife and bullet scars scattered all over his body, just as she has her own. Battle wounded. They made it through hell and back.

She loved the soft swell of his belly. He needed his glasses more often than not nowadays and he got around a little slower than he used to, but she never paid it any mind. She wasn't as young as she used to be either. Her body was aging and it was…different after giving birth, but he still loved the soft parts of her body. They couldn't keep their hands off each other. The passion was still there. It's all that mattered.

He watched her as she buttoned her blouse back up. He playfully tugged on her hair, whispering,'Already quick to get back into town?'

She was buttoning her flannel back up as she laughed, rolling her eyes at him,'Ya know I hate people as much as you do. Ya know that.'

He nodded and laughed. She was right. He couldn't argue with that.

She watched their horses walking leisurely around the lake,'I just don't want Manny and Rosa thinking we got lost.'

Joel couldn't help but laugh at her naivety. Even though she had way more sexual experiences than him; she was still so innocent in a lot of ways. She told him those experiences didn't really count with them. She wasn't the real her. She was Scarlet. She said everything they experienced together was real because she was Rebecca.

She'll never know how much that means to him.

He squinted his eyes in the sun and smirked as she threw his baseball cap at his chest,'Careful, darlin. You're all soft and gentle and in a flash beatin on me.' He grinned,'Typical woman.'

He laughed as she huffed at him. He put the baseball cap over his head. He saw the bracelet she wore around her wrist, the one matching his own. Years ago, he wouldn't have been caught dead wearing something as 'hippy' and 'corny' as this, but as he got older he realized none of that mattered. He didn't have anything to prove to anybody.

They got themselves cleaned up, gathered their gear and packed up their horses before heading back into town. She smiled as the townsfolk all said hi to her and Joel in passing. It was a small town and almost all of the villagers gathered to celebrate their marriage. Even if they couldn't be there to witness their union. At least they could give them all hell of a celebration. She had to admit; it felt good to be some place where they didn't know of her past.

She wasn't deaf or stupid. She heard what the townsfolk in Jackson said about her. They wished she ran off or was better off dead. They said the wrong Miller died. Regardless of Tommy's digressions, they still loved the damned man. She understood why people blindly worshipped cult leaders. Tommy was charismatic and could make people follow him.

Him and Joel had that alike.

They passed their horses by the main dock. She saw Sophia on one of the boats with Marco. She was wearing a tank top and wading fishing pants with suspenders. Joel told her she was a fisherman and rancher along with her brother, Marco and Manuel. Rosa took care of the homestead and the children. She held a very important role in the family. She kept things orderly. Becca aspired to be her one day.

Her hair was tucked into a baseball cap. She was working on the boat's rope as she waved to Becca and Joel. They waved in return. Becca gave Sophia a smile and she nodded, giving her a smile in return.

Just because Sophia was her husband's lover at one point, she didn't hold any ill towards her. She respected her work ethic and dedication to her family. What they had was in the past. She trusted her husband. Maybe if you would've asked her that a few years ago she would've gave you a different answer, but she felt secure in their relationship. They didn't want anyone else.

Besides, Joel said Sophia didn't have a shortage of male or female suitors. He said she didn't discriminate. He even divulged he discovered that when she invited another woman into the bedroom with them. He didn't complain, but just went with the flow.

She had to admit, she was intrigued by that. The only time she's ever done it is when she was working. She didn't know if she would have the courage for that. Maybe somewhere down the line. She would have to bring it up with Joel and her therapist. She was glad they've gotten to the point in their relationship they could be honest with each other.

She averted her eyes between Joel and Sophia, pursing her lips. He said she wasn't the first woman he's done it with. She imagined him and Sophia with another woman.

With her.

Her cheeks blushed and felt as if they were on fire. She didn't think she was ready for that yet. She wasn't opposed to it though.

Joel saw the blush on her cheeks and the far away look in her eyes. He smirked to himself, knowing his woman. She was probably thinking about what they did by the lake earlier. That's definitely a memory he'll have to take out to experience again, again and again.

He wanted to ask her what she was thinking about, but he didn't want to embarrass her in public. He found it so sexy how she could go from begging for his cock to being so demure around other people. It was his best kept secret. He wouldn't dare share it with anyone else. She was for him only. He knew he sounded like a selfish bastard when it came to her, but he didn't want anyone else to hurt her.

Not even himself.

They brought the horses back to Manny and Rosa's stables. Becca had her arm hooked in Joel's as they walked down the trail from the stables. They wanted to thank Manny and Rosa for the horses.

Rosa crossed her arms over her chest as she stood on the porch, nodding towards the 'newlyweds,'You love it.' She smirked at her husband,'Remember us at that age?'

He laughed and placed his hands on her shoulders, kissing the back of her head,'Ya mean us now?'

She shook her head and grinned. She couldn't argue with him. They had the babies to prove it. She saw the way Joel looked down at Becca. She had a giddy smile on her face as she bit her bottom lip. He said something to her and she bounced excitedly as she walked backwards on the trail, keeping their hands locked together.

Becca looked so excited to be around him. Joel looked down at her with such reverence. He smiled warmly and softly down at her. He took a blade of grass out of her hair and shucked it onto the ground. She shook her head and smiled shyly up at him.

He bent down and whispered something in her ear, his eyes crinkling at something she said. He didn't look at Sophia like that. He damned sure didn't look at other women like that either. She thought it was strange how he never talked about her.

In the beginning, he kept Becca guarded and rarely shared information about her. He gave them only glimpses. She used to tell her husband she thought Joel was embarrassed by their almost twenty year age difference. Manny said to mind her business. Once he opened about her, she finally understood he wasn't ashamed of her. She was something precious he wanted to keep protected. He loved her.

Rosa tried meddling. She thought Joel and Sophia were going to end up married. She thought with their similar upbringings and culture; they would be a perfect fit. Sophia was thirty seven and not that much older than Becca. While they hit it off in the beginning, the passion tampered off. Once the withdrawals of his addiction subsided and everything was clear. There was only one place he wanted to be. Home. He wanted to go to her. He said home is whenever Becca was.

Sophia took it horribly; as women often do, but she picked herself up from her boot straps. She was angry, but her sister was resilient. She was nervous about her coming to the reception, but she handled herself with class and grace. If there was one thing the women in her family didn't do is wallow in their own misery. Especially over men.

She only hoped her niece could learn a thing or two about that.

Rosa walked off the porch with Manny as they got to the end of the trail. She looked over their rumpled clothes and messy hair. Joel's flannel was missing a few buttons and his jeans had grass stains on the knees. Becca's flannel was buttoned, but it wasn't as neatly tucked in as it was when they left. Becca was usually more well kept.

Rosa averted her eyes between them and smirked,'How was the hike?'

'Pretty good.' Joel lifted up a cooler and smirked,'We caught some fish to grill tonight. We got some good ones.' He cleared his throat,'Actually, my lovely wife caught the Salmon.'

Manny took the cooler from him and smiled gratefully,'Nice. Thanks man. I appreciate this.' He snorted,'Ya saved me a trip.'

Her husband didn't seem none the wiser as he brought the cooler over to the barn. He was just happy to have one less chore to do. That's okay, she would think of another.

Rosa averted her eyes between them and bit back a smirk,'Hiking, huh?'

Becca saw the knowing smile on Rosa's face and nodded,'Yeah…hiking.'

Rosa couldn't help but laugh and nodded, as if she were playing along,'Me and Manny do a lot of hiking too. It's how we got so many kids.' She winked at the jaw dropping look on their faces,'Thanks for the fish. We appreciate it. The cookout is at four. We're just gonna have a few people over, have some drinks and get to really know each other.'

Becca felt Joel squeeze her hand tightly and she nodded, giving her a small smile,'That sounds wonderful. We should get back and…get ready. Anything we can do to help?'

Rosa rolled her eyes and scoffed,'Y'all already brought food. It saves Manny from going out tonight. Just head back, relax and maybe do some more…hiking.'

She grinned as they both averted their eyes downward. She couldn't resist. It was too easy.

Rosa shooed them away as she went and helped her husband set up in the barn.

Becca hooked her arm in Joel's as she looked back at the barn,'Ya think she suspects anything?'

'That I fucked ya six ways til Sunday?' He smirked at the shocked look on her face. He bent down and kissed her temple, whispering,'Oh yeah. I think she knows, baby girl. It's written all over ya face. A woman knows.

'Joel.' She shook her head and grabbed his his arm, jerking him down to her level,'What is she gonna think tonight?'

She saw the shit eating grin on his face. It reminded her of the smug asshole she met way back when. He was laughing. She knew he wasn't making fun of her though.

He kissed her lips and shook his head,'Ya worry too much. We're married. Ain't nothing wrong with what we did. I ain't apologizing.'

'Me neither.' She shook her head as they continued down the trail back to their cabin,'It felt too good.' She winced slightly, whispering,'I can still feel ya inside me. Your come too.'

His eyes widened slightly at her bold words. She said them low enough for him to hear, but there were still people around. Ever since she met Sophia, she's become more…forthcoming about what she wants. She wasn't trying to prove herself. More…showing him how much she wants him. Her indifference towards him almost lost him. Not just to Sophia, but…for good. It scared her to think her fears almost made her lose him.

His chest swelled with pride at that and he kissed the top of her head, whispering,'I wanna eat my cum outta ya. Always been a fantasy of mine.'

Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped open in shock at him, whispering back,'That's not…dirty?' She took a moment and chewed on her bottom lip pensively,'You don't think I'm a pervert?'

He saw the almost…guilty look on her face. That didn't sit right with him. He wasn't about to let his woman feel shame for anything they did together.

He licked his lips as he pulled her closer to him. He looked around, seeing the townsfolk innocently going about their business. They had no idea what kind of filthy conversation they had between the two of them. He loved every minute of it though. She was finally coming out of her shell.

'Baby.' He whispered fiercely,'Ain't nothing bout what we do is wrong.' He tightened his grip around her waist for emphasis,'Any fantasy ya have. I want ya to tell me. I won't think it's perverted or dirty.' He snorted,'Ya don't wanna know the shit running around in my head.'

She looked up at him pensively and blinked her eyes up at him, nodding,'Yeah, I do.'

He closed his eyes momentarily and moaned softly. He sometimes hoped his stamina could keep up with her. She was just discovering herself for the first time. She was learning what she liked sexually. In a way, it felt as if he were experiencing a reawakening as well. She had him keyed up all the time.

They got to their cabin and he unlocked the door, letting her walk in first. She took her boots and hat off at the door and stretched her taunt body out, groaning softly. Her muscles very tense from overexertion. She had a very active day today, between fishing, herb hunting and hiking.

She smiled when she felt Joel's arm snake around her waist. He kissed the side of her neck, whispering,'Tired?'

'A little.' She closed her eyes and sighed, leaning back against him,'I really do love it here. I don't wanna leave in two days.' She frowned,'I miss Matty though. And Ellie.'

'I miss them too.' He kissed the back of her head,'Take a nap with me.' He laughed at the unconvinced look on her face,'Just a nap. I swear.' He tugged on both her hands, leading her to the bedroom,'Just a nap.' He smirked,'Then we'll get down to business in the shower.'

She sighed and shook her head as she let him lead her into the bedroom. It was ironic how he thought he wouldn't have the stamina with her. She was the one having difficulty keeping up with his sexual appetite.

He had a ferocious sexual drive. Maria said to find it flattering. After a decade together and he still had an attraction for her. She felt the same towards him. Her heart ached just to look at it him sometimes.

Becca found it freeing he was willing to let her experience things with him. He wasn't afraid to try something out of his comfort zone with her. He didn't think it was evil, perverted or dirty. He actually had his own fantasies he wanted to experience with her as well. It let her know how much he trusted her.

They still had a lot of learn about each other.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

After taking a nap, they got a shower and changed into their clothes for the cookout. He didn't wear anything fancy, just jeans and a long sleeved white buttoned down dress shirt. He made sure to polish his boots though. He tried to take pride in his appearance, wanting to look nice for her.

He smoothed down his shirt and made sure his hair was neatly swept back. He looked into the mirror at himself and sighed. His hair was grayer than black nowadays.

Even though his body was strong, it wasn't as muscular as it used to be. He was losing muscle definition. His face was weathered and wrinkled. He stopped wondering what she saw in him. He would consider himself lucky.

He heard a low whistle and smirked at her in the mirror. She looked gorgeous, just as she always did. She was wearing a yellow skirt that was made of a thin material and a spaghetti strapped shirt tucked into it. The skirt fell past her knees. He was thankful Maria packed her a lot of dresses. Being a full time rancher, she didn't have time for her dressed anymore. She only wore them on special occasions. He made a silent vow to give her more special days.

Even after a decade together, the love of his life and the mother of his child. He still thought about the moment twelve hours prior when she sprinted from the bathroom topless to grab a shirt. She smiled at him and he still got chills thinking about how gorgeous she is.

He turned around and walked over to her. He held her face in his hands and kissed her softly, whispering,'Hermosa.'

She smiled softly and placed her hands over his that were resting on her face,'Thank you, my sweet man.'

He closed his eyes and sighed, kissing her forehead. He took his hands off her face and rubbed her arms,'Sophia is gonna be there tonight. You okay with that?'

'Why wouldn't I be?' She looked up at him and laughed, shaking her head,'Sophia is Rosa's sister. She's also your friend. She has every right to be there.' She frowned,'I'm not gonna spaz like I did before.' She shook her head and sighed,'I choose my battles now.'

He nodded as he looked over her face,'I know.' He bit back a grin,'You're a real grown up.'

'Yeah.' She snorted as she gently slapped his chest,'Who woulda thought?'

He chuckled softly as they walked over to the door. He grabbed her sweater and placed it on her shoulders, kissing the back of her neck,'We ain't staying out til morning like before. We only got another day here. A wise lady told me she wanted to spend it wisely.'

'Hmm.' She looked up at him and hummed softly as they walked out the door,'I was wondering when my darling husband would finally to start listening to me.'

He laughed as they walked out of the door. Now that her personality was starting to show through; she was funny and a ball breaker. She gave as good as she got. He always wanted someone who could match him.

When they got to Manny and Rosa's house, thankfully there were only a small group of people in the backyard. Rosa wasn't lying this time when she said it would only be a small group of people. Usually, her 'small' group of people usually entailed around a hundred. To Latin women, that was a small group of people.

'Joel!'

They both turned around and Joel laughed when he saw a young lady running up to him. Becca could tell he seemed to be fond of her, but he looked at her the way he looked at Matty or Ellie. Her eyes widened as the young woman got closer and she could see the slight swell of her belly protruding out from her dress.

She couldn't have been anymore than twenty three years old. She hugged Joel and he held her to him, warmly,'Hey, kiddo.' He looked down at her belly, giving her a small smile,'How's the little one?'

Becca smiled sadly. She couldn't have been more than five months pregnant. She was a beautiful young lady though. She has dark curly hair and a dark olive skinned tone. Her dark almond shaped eyes reminded her so much of Rosa and Sophia. She had to be related to them in some way.

One thing is for certain, this young lady looked up to Joel. She looked at him as if he hung the moon.

'Baby's doing well.' She looked over at Becca and grinned,'You must be Rebecca!'

She held her hand out to Becca,'I'm Dina. Rosa and Sophia's niece.'

Becca's eyes widened in surprise as she looked over at Joel. She wasn't shocked. She saw the resemblance. She saw the uneasy smile on Joel's face. She didn't know why he was so uneasy about it. This young woman didn't have anything to apologize for. Neither did Sophia.

She leaned away from Joel and wrapped her arms around her,'It's so nice to finally meet ya. I'm sorry I couldn't come to the reception. I was on a doctor's appointment.'

Becca looked over her face and frowned,'Ya don't got a doctor around here?'

'Not one I really trust and…someone that knows their way round a pregnant lady.'

Joel saw the sympathy on his wife's face. He knew she already wanted to help her. He had to admit, he was hoping she would want to help Dina. She lost her parents a few years ago to a horde of infected, leaving her an orphan. Rosa and Manny didn't hesitate in taking her in, but she was a handful at times.

They had four kids of their own. While Sophia helped when she could, she was also out working the family boat or on the ranch. She needed some dedicated nurture and guidance.

If anyone knows what it's like to be a scared and traumatized woman in a zombie outbreak…it's her.

Becca rubbed Dina's arm comfortingly,'Ya know, back in Jackson we have OBGYNs and nurses, doctors. We have a real hospital. And if ya didn't want that, we have midwives too.'

Dina looked over at Joel and he nodded, smiling softly,'Joel told me ya had your son at home with a couple midwives. He said you're a nurse and…could help me.'

She turned her attention to her husband and smiled fondly. Even though she hasn't practiced nursing in over a few years because of people in Jackson mistrusting her; he still told people she was a nurse. He was proud of her. She loved him so much for that.

Becca turned back to Dina and nodded, rubbing her shoulder,'I would love to help you. I…would love to bring ya back to Jackson to get checked out.' She saw the anxious look on her face,'That's if your family and the father of your child would be comfortable with that.'

'Jesse's dead.' Dina's eyes filled with tears as she rubbed her stomach,'He was killed by a bunch of infected in Seattle. He was on a hunting trip with Joel, Manny and…Marco'

Becca's looked over at Joel. He shrugged sheepishly as he rocked back and forth on his heels. His hands were still shoved into the front pockets of his jeans. This man was full of surprises. They had a lot to talk about.

Dina averted her eyes between the two,'Joel said I would be more than welcome.' She nodded and sighed,'He said as long as it was okay with you.'

'I wouldn't ask if I wasn't sure.' She nodded,'We have some good women back in Jackson who will keep things discreet. Just like I had to. We'll take care of you until the baby is born. You can come home whenever ya want to.'

Tears fell down Dina's cheeks as she hugged Becca tightly,'Thank you so much. I would love that. Thank you! I trust Rosa, but she has so many kids to take care of and with the farm. There's only one doctor in town and I have to travel for the next one.'

Becca nodded understandingly. She could see the reasoning why Joel didn't bring her to Jackson, but Maria and Betsy would make sure she would be taken care of. She would be able to help her deliver as well. In some weird way, she actually looked forward to help another woman bring a new life into this world. She could repay the favor. If it wasn't for her friends back in Jackson, she truly wouldn't know she would've done. Everything was coming full circle.

Dina heard Rosa calling her name to help out and she rolled her eyes,'I gotta go.' She locked eyes with Becca,'Thank you. I really mean that. I'll work and help out. Whatever ya need.'

Becca nodded and smiled,'I'm sure ya will. We don't accept freeloaders back on the farm.'

Joel knew she was kidding…somewhat. Even Abby had to work on the farm. Anyone who wanted to live there needed to work and lend a hand. Just as they got up and did every morning.

Dina laughed and nodded,'You got it. I won't let ya down.'

She squeezed Joel's hand as she ran off towards the direction of the house.

Becca crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Dina running towards the house,'Any other surprises I should know about? My heart can't take anymore either, ya know.'

He chuckled and shook his head, placing his hand on her lower back,'No more surprises, darlin. Ya make it too easy on me. Back in the day, ya woulda been ranting and raving.'

'Hmm.' She pursed her lips,'Too much energy and I know ya would love that way too much.'

Joel didn't have a response for that. He knew better when to shut up.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Everyone just finished dinner. They grilled the fish Becca and Joel caught as well as some food other guests brought. Rosa called it a 'potluck'. She saw all the women congregating together.

She watched Joel smoking cigars with some of the guys as they all drank a glass of scotch. She saw he didn't partake in the drinking part. She knew he could've if he wanted to, but he maintained his sobriety. He didn't let anything deter him from breaking his addiction.

She liked seeing him amongst his friends and people he was comfortable with. When she first met him, he was so closed off emotionally. He didn't get close to anyone and certainly didn't make any friends.

She smiled. If only he could see himself now. He was a real family man.

Becca quietly excused herself and poured herself another glass of red wine. She leaned back against the makeshift bar and took a long sip of her wine. She watched as Sophia danced with one of the men as she sauntered over to a few more. She was flirting with them. They seemed to enjoy every minute of it. She remembered when she held men's attention like that. Never as Becca though. Never sober. Scarlet always got all the fun.

She smiled behind the rim of her wine glass. She was getting hers now. She was clear and sober. For the first time in her life, she has full and utter clarity.

Joel was talking to a man she didn't recognize when Sophia walked up to him. She leaned up and whispered something in his ear. He narrowed his eyes down at her and excused himself from his friend.

She squinted her eyes as they walked over to a corner to probably hear each other better. Sophia had her arms crossed as Joel leaned down and whispered something in her ear. By the look on their faces, it wasn't a pleasant conversation.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.

Joel grabbed Sophia's arm and she jerked it out of his grasp before walking off. Becca quickly walked off so Joel or Sophia couldn't see her. She trusted her husband, but Sophia was young and seemed to be trouble.

Becca sighed as she walked down to the lake. She just wanted some alone time away from the guests. She needed a breather and wanted to enjoy her glass of wine by herself.

She thought about Dina and Sophia. Her husband seemed to have a second life here. One she didn't even know about.

'Do you mind or do ya wanna be left alone?'

She looked up to see Rosa standing there. She had a glass of wine in her hand and a pack of hand rolled cigarettes in her other.

Becca smiled and pointed towards the chair next to her,'By all means. Please do.'

Rosa nodded and smiled gratefully, plopping herself down next to her. She lit her cigarette and took a deep drag, sighing in relief,'Thanks, as much as I love my family and friends. They can be a lot sometimes.'

Becca nodded and laughed,'I see what ya mean.' She shrugged sheepishly and pointed to her cigarettes,'Do ya mind?'

Her eyes widened and she shook her head,'No, my God. Not at all.' She handed her the pack and Becca lit it, taking a drag,'Thanks, it's been years since I smoked, but sometimes…I…just…'

Rosa placed her hand on her leg,'Ya don't have to explain yourself to me.' She shook her head,'I don't know a lot about what ya been through, but Joel told me some without disrespecting ya. You have every right to have a cigarette, blow up a house, beat someone's brain in…'

Becca laughed and shook her head,'I been there. Done that.'

Rosa smiled as she leaned over and squeezed her arm,'I wanted to thank ya personally for taking Dina in for a while.' She sighed and shook her head,'It's been rough with Jesse being gone and with the kids. And with losing Roberto.' Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head,' I love her so much and wanna do right by my brother. she's been such a great help around here, but I know she needs to focus on the baby and her health.'

'We're happy to do it.' She nodded,'I'm sure El won't mind either.'

Becca looked over and saw Manny playing his guitar while Sophia danced with a guy. She could see Joel keeping his distance from her. She wondered what in the hell their conversation had been about, but didn't want to pry. Jealousy is what tore them apart in the first place. She knew he wouldn't let anything come between them.

Rosa followed her line of sight and frowned,'It's different for Sophia.' She sighed,'I know she's my sister, but after the outbreak…it was easier for her than it was for us. She…never really had to work hard for anything until she really had to.' She snorted,'Before the outbreak we all lived in New Mexico. Mama was Mexican and daddy was a rich white Jewish man if ya can believe that.' She laughed at the surprised look on Becca's face,'She was the baby girl of the family and treated like so. She never had to work for it. Joel…is the first thing she never really got that she really wanted. It was only recently did she have a come to Jesus moment.'

'What caused that?'

'It was either she put the work in or she could leave. There aren't any handouts.' She sighed,'I think it was Joel too. She…knew he wasn't the kinda man who liked a wilting flower.' She frowned,'I know I shouldn't be talking about this cause it ain't my business, but…I don't think it woulda worked out. They're too similar.'

Becca wouldn't ask her to elaborate on it. Maybe there are some things that are best not knowing. She couldn't focus on his past. It when they had such a beautiful future together.

Joel stepped away from the guys and went to find his wife. He frowned when he saw her walking back from the lake. She had her boots in her hands and an empty wine glass in the other. She disappeared on him for a little bit, but when he saw her talking with Rosa; he didn't want to interrupt their conversation.

He knew they would get on. Maybe a little too well. He wondered what in the hell they were talking about. Maybe theres some things a man is better off not knowing.

When they got back to their cabin, she was quiet as they got undressed. In fact, she was quiet the entire walk back. She was sitting on her side of the bed wearing one of his white t-shirts. He climbed into bed with just his boxers on and sat behind her.

He swept her hair to the side and kissed her neck, whispering,'Ya mad at me?'

She smiled as she leaned back against him,'Now why would I be mad at ya? You've given me such a beautiful honeymoon.'

'She's mad bout Dina coming with us.' He rested his chin on her shoulder,'Soph thinks Rosa doesn't think she's capable of helping Dina raise a child.'

So he did know she seen him with Sophia. She has wondered if he did and if he would bring it up.

'And what do you think?'

Becca wouldn't dare tell him about what Rosa told her. She wouldn't betray her trust like that. She could already tell that they were going to be close friends. They had a lot in common. Rosa didn't reveal much to her yet, but she read between the lines. Manny wasn't her first husband. She wasn't his first wife either. They both would have a lot of stories to share.

'I think she's too young and…wild.' He sighed,'Dina needs some structure. After Jesse died and she found out she was pregnant. It's been hard on her. Especially after losing her parents. I…know ya understand what it's like. She's a pistol.' He smiled against her neck,'She reminds me a lot like Ellie. They're gonna be two peas in a pod.'

She closed her eyes and groaned,'My God, not another one. El almost gave me a heart attack.'

'I'm convinced she's the reason I got mine.' He snorted,'Got all my gray hair too.' He wrapped his arms around her waist and closed his eyes, sighing in relief,'Gotta be honest. When I saw ya walk off by yourself I thought ya were gonna give me an earful.'

She gripped his arms that were wrapped around her,'I've learned to pick my battles. I'm not that insecure little girl anymore, Joel.' She looked back at him over her shoulder and smirked,'You're stuck with me, pal.'

He kissed the back of her head and laid back on the bed, gently pulling her on top of his chest,'Thank god for that cause I can't raise all these goddamned kids on my own. We're about to be grandparents.'

She closed her eyes and groaned, whispering,' Oh God, I didn't even fucking think about that.'

He laughed as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. He wouldn't have it any other way though. Their life was chaotic and unpredictable.

Little did they know it was about to become even worse.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rosa, Manny and surprisingly Sophia was there to see them off in the morning.

Rosa was a blubbering mess as she made sure Dina had everything she needed. She acted like she was never going to see her again and she was only going to be an hour away. Anything could happen though.

Rosa gave them both all a hug and a basket of food. She made them promise to return. Becca still hasn't given him his decision on wanting to permanently move here. He wouldn't push his luck. She agreed to a lot of his shit already. She's more than compromised for him while he's done what for her? Given her a few days away in some fishing village where his ex lover and her family lived?

Becca didn't get a good lot when it came to men. He told her he loved her. She assured him he was good to her and she loved him. Did she deserve better? He was going to have to talk this over with Patty.

Even Sophia had nice parting words for them. She gave Joel a brief hug and Becca one as well. She smiled tightly to Becca, telling her they would see each other again. She didn't know if they were meant to be friendly or a warning.

The travel back was spent with Dina prattling on. She was asking them a barrage of questions about Jackson and what to expect. Joel looked over at Becca warily. They had another talker.

She had to admit, she felt a slight sense of relief as she saw the entrance into Jackson.

Dina shook her head as her eyes widened up at the wrought iron gates,'Damn, it's so…medieval looking.'

'Yeah.' Becca nodded and snorted,'Something like that.'

They waited until the guards recognized them before opening the gates. They slowly trotted their horses through. Becca looked around, feeling her heart sink to her stomach. She missed waking up in Colter Bay, seeing the beautiful lakes and mountains. It was so peaceful. There were flowers everywhere.

She understood it was only a fantasy. They needed to come back to reality. They missed their children.

Maria was the first to greet them at the gates, following Ellie as she held Matty in her arms. Becca and Joel smiled brightly at the welcoming wagon. That was until they saw the grave looks on their faces.

Joel sighed and held his hands out as he sat atop his horse,'What the hell happened? We only been gone four days.'

Maria stared at Dina sitting atop of her own horse,'We'll go over that in a minute. One thing at a time.' She sighed and placed her hands on her hips,'Abby ran away with Owen and Mel.'

Joel snorted and crossed his arms over his chest,'Can't say I'm surprised bout that.'

He saw the sad look on Ellie's face and the smirk fell from his face. He hopped off his horse and sighed,'Sorry, kid.'

Ellie just shrugged with Matty in her arms. Her lips were pursed. He could see the unshed tears in her eyes.

She's dealt with enough loss. She didn't need this. He could see the rage in her eyes. It was the same look in his own. She was starting to give up and let her rage consume her. It's what scared the shit out of him.

Becca swallowed harshly as she hopped off her horse. She walked over to Dina's horse and helped her off it. She looked up at the young lady and smiled wryly,'Still excited about moving here?'

Ellie's eyebrows raised at that,'Moving here?' She situated Matty in her arms and rolled her eyes as she looked down at her pregnant stomach,'Picking up more cargo, I see.'

Before Joel could respond to her scathing remark, a dark haired man walked over to them,'My sweet Rebecca.'

Becca's eyes widened as she turned around. She almost felt her knees buckling as she saw him making his way over towards her.

Joel saw the look on Becca's face become pale as a ghost. She stared at the man as he walked over to them. He looked to be around thirty five, give or take. He was tall and lithe with curly brown hair. He got closer to them and he could see his blue eyes that matched Becca's.

The man smiled as he opened his arms,'No hug for your baby brother? It's been what?' He cocked his head to the side,'Twenty five years?'

Maria stared at the man warily,'He just came here yesterday with his wife and two kids.'

Becca crossed her arms and took a step back from him,'Is it Hannah or did ya find another teenager along the way?'

The man frowned as he looked over her face,'You wound me.' He looked over at Joel,'I heard ya got married again.'

He smiled, but she could see the evil and…sickening sweetness behind it. He was up to something. She knew him better than anyone. Years distance doesn't change that.

He looked over at Joel and held his hand out,'Ya must be Becca's old man. I'm her brother, Ezra.' His eyes roved up and down,'They said she got herself an old man, but I seriously thought it was an expression.' He snorted,'Look to see I'm mistaken.'

Becca couldn't help herself. She saw red as she balled her hand into a fist. She couldn't control herself as she reeled it back and hit him square in the nose, knocking him back on the ground. Years of pent up rage and frustration boiled down to this one moment.

Dina looked down at Ezra lying on the ground holding his busted and bloody nose and snorted,'I hope that's not how ya treat every new person around here.'

Joel snorted and crossed his arms over his chest,'She's nicer than me. I was ready to put a bullet in him.'

Ellie shook her head, knowing he was being serious. She looked up at Joel and sighed,'See what happens when ya leave for long or short periods of time?'

He pursed his lips and bit back what he really wanted to say. Becca would never want to leave now. Or maybe she would finally see this place was nothing but trouble. He stared down at Ezra on the ground and frowned.

What was this fucker doing here?