Being Joel's Surviving Child and an Older Sibling to Ellie Part II
Link to Part I
CW: Normal last of us violence, swearing. Mentions of suicidal thoughts. Bunch of angst. Also, a long one!
So, five years. A lot of can happen in five years.
You’ve almost, almost, gone back to how you used to be. Normal. A citizen rather than a survivor.
You’re more relaxed.
It’s not constant, twenty years of surviving isn’t something you just forget and move on from in an instant.
Your family understands that.
Tommy takes you out on hunts sometimes. It’s a good bonding experience with your uncle.
He has your help with organising patrols. These are the main times you see Ellie. Other than teaching her how to shoot.
It’s nice seeing your sister, though she is more distant.
You just put it up to age. She’s growing and changing, becoming more independent, so she distances herself more because of that.
You and Sarah had sort of done that before…everything.
In a way, you’re envious.
Still though, you just keep going on.
You help out with the town.
Joel checks in every so often. But after a certain period, you can’t quite remember how long into those five years it is, he does it almost all the time.
He acts differently. Softer.
“Something wrong?” you ask.
“I’m alright, kiddo. Just…feeling my age is all. Do you, uh, do you wanna come over later? Found that sequel. Curtis and Viper 2. ”
“No way?! Hell yeah, I’ll be there.”
“Alright, kiddo. Sounds like a plan.”
You notice Ellie’s absence. You don’t question it, though. Her and Dina have been talking lately. From the brief interaction you had with the girl, she was sweet. She was kind to Ellie, as was Jessie. You liked that they had a little group.
When you next see Ellie before a patrol, you talk to her.
“Didn’t see you at Dad’s last night.”
She turns to you, but you can tell she’s more tense now, “Oh, shit. Yeah, sorry. I was out with Dina and Jessie,” she does sound genuinely apologetic. You miss the mistrust in her eyes. It flickers only for as second, but you still miss it.
“It’s cool,” you say, waving it off, “just be careful, yeah?”
“Always am,” she assures, putting her pack on her horse and mounting up, letting you take them outside the stables, “besides, with your training, how could I go wrong?”
“Exactly,” she chuckles at your response, “Just…talk to each other, yeah? Whatever it is.”
She sighs. She wishes it was that simple, but she tells you she will.
She loves you, but doesn’t like you meddling sometimes. Joel too.
Sometimes, you’ll take her on a run. Or one of her friends.
It’s through this, you get the idea that someone has a crush. Dina asks you things about Ellie; favourite food and what not.
You don’t always have the answers, but you do have an idea of what is going on.
You don’t pressure Dina or her on it. Though you do ask one about the other every now and then to try to gauge it and push them to admit their feelings.
You were never into the whole love thing, so this is not your field. But they are adorable, the pair. Jessie is a good friend. Loyal. He opens up a bit more to you. He’s funny, too. Casual. Good person.
Brings out your lighter side.
Seth isn’t an awful guy, but is a homophobe.
Ellie seems to have a six sense with you, despite the distance she’s caused, and always finds you before anything bad happens.
Her own blood boils when he calls you a “queer” in an insulting way. But she always drags you back, keeping herself between you and him. Her eyes on you as she forces you not to make a scene.
This happens with a few other troubling people in the town.
She also gives you a place to crash when you want to, or are drunk. You do that a bit. Trying to tame the loudness in your head.
It worries her, but she’s gentle. If you ever wake up from a nightmare and are around her’s, she wakes you up.
“It’s ok, Y/N. It’s ok. It was just a dream. I’m here. I’m here,” she puts a hand to your cheek, “I’ve got you.”
Sometimes she’ll stay with you. Sometimes you both stay up together. Sometimes she sits with you until you drift off, looking at your gentle form, before going to bed, wishing she could stop whatever is plaguing you.
You’re her sibling, older sure, but she loves you.
Sadly, she never gets a chance to ask you, as she soon is plagued by similar nightmares.
A golf club kills your father, and she had no choice but to watch.
Dina arrives before you, Jessie being the one who fetched you when Joel didn’t come back.
Dina gets Ellie up and out, but Jessie sees you frozen, just staring at your father. Or what’s left of him.
He sees your fist start leaking blood. You don’t notice. Your eyes are glassy, but no tears fall.
You’ve shut down.
You don’t even register him leading you away. Mentally, you’re still there.
Maria visits you.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she says, sitting next to you on your bed, “C’mere.”
She tries to hug you, but you lean away.
You stand up, arms crossed, facing away from her.
“What’s that?” she prompts, not hearing what you said just then.
“It should’ve been me,” you say, a bit louder.
“Y/N. No. No, it, no it shouldn’t of been.”
“He’s dead.”
“I know…”
“He’s dead…”
“I’m so sorry, Y/N.”
She goes to hug you, or try and help, but you scream, back away, and then run from your room and out of your house, tears be damned.
Dina hears you sprinting, just seeing you as you trip over trying to get into the cemetery.
“Shit,” she says, going to help you up, “hey, Y/N. Hey!” she’s gentle, but you flinch at her loudness, “Look at me,” you do, eyes frantic. She hates her friend in pain like this, “I have you. I -”
“I need him,” her heart breaks. You sound like a scared child - she doesn’t blame you, this is a horrible situation - and not the late thirties person that you are.
You sob, putting your head in your hands as you just break completely.
You then fall back in the snow.
“Sarah would’ve been able to control herself. She would’ve stopped this.”
“Y/N,” Dina crouches near you, ignoring the cold, “you aren’t expected to just control this. There’s no precedent for this.”
“Sarah was. Henry and Sam were. Tess was.”
“They weren’t your fault.”
“Then whose were they?”
She doesn’t have time to answer you, as Ellie clears her throat.
Ellie moves to you, her too crouching down, “I’m so sorry,” she says, voice raw, “I’m so fucking sorry, Y/N.”
Despite what Dina just tried to get you to understand for yourself, you impart it to Ellie, “It’s not your fault, El. It’s not your fault.”
Dina hates what this has done to you both. Broken you both. Her girlfriend and friend who looked out for her.
You both go to Joel’s house, and she waits outside for you both.
“Can…can you…” Ellie can’t finish her words.
Wordlessly, you nod, opening the door and going inside.
You’re both slow, looking around.
You even find the copy of Curtis and Viper 2, you let out a choked laugh at it.
Ellie takes the revolver, but hands you the watch.
“I think…I think he’d want you to have this.”
You take it, and put it on your arm. It fits you just as well as it fit him.
You look at your little sister. He’s gone, so you have to step up.
You go where she goes. That’s your job: you protect, you guide, you support.
Maria isn’t happy with Tommy going, and tells you guys to go get him.
Before you leave, Maria stops you.
“Please make sure you come back too, Y/N, ok?”
You nod, “you can count on it.”
She doesn’t think she’s ever been more scared of you. The flicker in your eye. The crazed look of someone on the edge of breaking completely, and with one more promise on the line.
It’s the look of someone who will do all they can for that promise. No matter the cost.
As said before, she’d heard the stories of what you and Joel did to survive, how you were so young and lost your soul in the name of survival and control.
The last five years had seen you return to normal.
That had now been taken.
So, off you go to Seattle.
You tell them all the memories of this place you can remember. From small trips and what not. Dina paints a picture of Sarah in her mind as you describe your actions with your twin.
Randomly, small facts come back to you about the place. They’re always impressed by your vast knowledge (you doubt a lot of it is true, but there are one or two you know are facts).
Then you’re brought back to how the world is with them asking you how old you were in your first kill.
The age gap between you and them is shown, as you try to water it down. You tell yourself it’s to protect them, but really it’s just to protect yourself.
“We’re old enough to know, Y/N,” your sister says, “or are you forgetting about David?”
The words sting. Ellie regrets them. You just ride on ahead.
“Who’s David?” Dina asks.
“An arsehole. He’s dead now.”
“Did he do something to you?”
“Tried to. But he also made he break a promise I made to Y/N.”
“And what’s that?”
“Doesn’t matter now.”
Dina nods, respecting the boundary. It makes her miss her sister more, having inside secrets that friends wouldn’t know.
When it comes to climbing, Ellie goes, joking about your age and your back. It brings her back to simpler times.
“Did I do something to make her upset?” you ask Dina as you wait for Ellie to open the gate.
“Oh. No, I don’t think so. She didn’t say anything to me about something like that. Why?”
“Just…I don’t know.”
“You’re not gonna lose her, Y/N,” she assures.
“I thought I wouldn’t lose my dad, either,” it’s a cheap shot, and she knows it’s not being fired at her, but she still flinches at it, “sorry,” you say.
She nods, “it’s ok,” though there is hurt in her voice.
Ellie shows you the map, handing it to you every now and then to double check where you’ve been and haven’t been. Sure, things are marked on and off, but she doubts herself a bit.
Dina moves past the awkwardness between you both, listening as you and Ellie swap stories about Joel.
Dina is happy to hear them, at least you both aren’t completely drowning, you’re keeping each other afloat, and she’s glad to be of assistance in that.
Dina opens up to you both about being Jewish. You always liked the idea of a god, but never believed yourself. Especially not after the apocalypse, but the hope it gave her was something you understood.
Ellie was that hope for you. If she was alive, and happy, you were happy.
If what was left of your family was ok, you were ok.
That was why you had to make this right. Make it mean something.
When it comes to combat, you take the lead. Giving them orders. It makes it seem more controllable that way.
Most times, it goes wrong, with you having to adapt, but the feeling it gives you before that keeps you going.
Ellie and you are a deadly duo, Dina notes. Able to read each other’s minds and actions. You seem to forget Dina is there for a moment, your soul focus being on your sister.
One time, with you all being pinned down, you shot someone who was going to sneak up on Ellie, only for Dina to take a hit.
You helped patch up her wound, but avoided her eyes.
She doesn’t want to hold it against you. You’re her friend, and Ellie’s sibling. You’ve been good to her on runs. You were honest with her about things. While she knows she’d be like this had her sister still be alive, but it does scare her what it can do.
Yes, she’s following you because she cares about you both, but she’s also scared for you both. What you’ll do. How you’ll do it. What you’ll lose in the process.
Ellie is taken, and you don’t talk the entire way to rescue her. Dina follows, and sees how good at tracking you actually are.
Dina is shot through the roof, and one bullet catches you. You lay on the roof.
Ellie shouts up to you, telling you to “find another way to get this fuckers!”
You hesitate, and she seems to tell, “Go!” She yells, “trust me!”
You do, but you can’t find another way in. Your heart hammers, hearing only the chaos inside.
They’re out of your sight. What if they get hurt? What if they die? You lose more of your family?
You reunite outside, and you check them numerous times for injuries.
“We’re fine. We’re fine, Y/N. Look, look! No wounds,” she shows you. You just pull them both in for a hug.
Ellie remembers Joel doing that at the hospital…though she doesn’t push away this time, not wanting to raise suspicion or confront you on it just yet. She doesn’t want to lose you too.
You find more images, and one of the people from the photos is dead.
Dina looks to you, “What the fuck have we gotten involved in?”
“I don’t know,” you say, honestly, “but we just need Abby.”
“Y/N, this is insane. What if they already got her?”
“They wouldn’t have,” Ellie says.
“How do you know?” Dina challenges.
“Gut feeling.”
Dina looks to you.
“Let’s go,” is all you say.
Ellie’s secret comes out about the immunity, and you all barely escape with your lives intact and make it to the theatre.
Dina reveals she may be pregnant and Ellie snaps. You don’t follow her, instead, you sit with Dina.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she says.
“I get it,” you say, “it’s scary. Especially in a world like this.”
“Do you think it would be ok? Even after all this?”
“It will.”
“You can’t promise that Y/N,” she hopes you’re right, but is being more real about it.
“I can. I can,” you say, nodding, but you look away right after.
She nods once, before laying down.
You find yourself falling asleep on the floor. You dream about Sarah.
Ellie remembers the birthday gift you and Joel gave her. That was a good day. A day of your bonds being the strongest.
You have a memory of a time when she fixed something, some dickhead bully. He never bothered you again.
You wish that either she was here instead of you, or you could do what she could.
Ellie wakes you up, nervously asking if you can come with her.
“We’ll make sure Dina is safe. I just…can we go together, Y/N? Please?”
You nod, leaving with her. Dina just asks you both to be careful.
It’s quiet, at the start as you both set off on your journey to find Tommy.
“Did I do something?” You ask as you search a store.
“What?”
“Did I do something?”
“No,” she says, not completely lying.
“Is there a reason you and dad weren’t talking as much? Was it the party?”
“Mostly.”
“‘Mostly’?”
“It’s complicated,” it both is and isn’t true.
“You can talk to me, you know?”
She wants to more than anything, but that would be - potentially - driving away the one piece of this family she has left that has been with her through so much.
“I will, ok? Just, give me time?”
You want to press her on it, it sounds bad. Especially if it drove your sister and father apart. But, to keep her happy enough, you find yourself saying the one thing that can do that:
“Ok.”
Ellie and you find the archery statue. She holds it up and turns to you.
“People cared about this stuff?”
“Sure, sometimes.”
“You think this thing was worth a lot?”
You chuckle, “not money-wise, no. Thing was probably cheap as anything. But, sentimentally? Yeah, definitely.”
“Why’s that?”
“Made people feel valued. Wanted. Like they actually accomplished something.”
“This little thing did that?”
“A lot of things can do that.”
She nods, but can understand what you really mean. It’s why you’re here after all.
It makes her feel valued. Less alone.
She does have to admit, seeing you not drowning or shutting down in your grief as you had before was a genuine relief to her.
But, she does know you. She’s known you for like six years at this point.
She can see it’s getting to you.
You look at the blood on your knuckles more. You check in with her more. Making sure she is ok.
She tries to with you, but you just turn it around on her.
With Jessie, you drive. She rides shotgun, and Jessie sits in the middle. You almost die, but you’re just thankful Ellie learnt how to swim.
Dina and Jessie reunite. You see Ellie walk off, you watch the friends and exes reunite.
“Look, Jessie, I -“
“It’s cool, Y/N. Really. I’m not angry.”
“You’re not?” You did sort of go into this whole thing thinking he would. Though, maybe that was just because of the shows Sarah made you watch when younger.
He chuckles, “Yeah, all good. I mean, it’s a lot. But, Dina and Ellie are my friends. I want them to be happy. Their problems, are my problems.”
“That’s a sweet way to live, kid.”
“You’re my friend too, you know.”
“I’m older.”
“So?”
“I take on more problems for everyone. It’s my job.”
“That’s not healthy,” where’d he read that?
“We ain’t in a healthy world.”
Ellie has a mostly good memory of you, the strings incident. Well, good with you anyway, though at that point you had started to catch onto something being wrong. Still, you like that your dad is trying now with the comics. He and you had even had some discussions.
With the Bloater, you just held Ellie in your arms as Joel took it down.
With the couple and the lie you’ve both spun to her, you’re silent while Joel doubles down on it. She’s catching on, and you don’t like that.
Reminders of the lie you told her about being there.
Whenever you remember a birthday, you ignore that bit. You just remember the dinosaur.
With the strings, you focus on the bloater part and the comics.
With the sewers, it’s you who goes out the window. She doesn’t even think before jumping in to try to find you.
You drag her out of the water.
“What were you thinking?!”
“Me?! What the fuck were you thinking?!”
“I had to protect you, El!”
“You scared me! I thought you were dead, you arsehole!”
She hits you in the shoulder, and then you both take pause.
You’re both disturbed by the Seraphites.
“You think we should have a code like that?” She asks you as you make your way through a building.
“Would be useful,” you admit, “maybe you learning to whistle weren’t for nothing.”
She gives a humoured scoff. But she’s glad you can still have these moments.
She’s glad she hasn’t lost you. She just hates that internally she adds a ‘yet’ to that.
Before the camp, however, she turns to you, “I need to do this on my own.”
“What?”
“Look, there could to spores in there. And I don’t want you getting infected.”
“The fuck are you talking about, Ellie? We stick together.”
“Do you trust me?”
It seems like you hesitate, but really she sees you weighing up the options in your head.
You nod.
“Hey,” she grabs your hand with hers, “I’m coming back, ok? With that bitches head. I promise,” she squeezes your hand.
You look one more time to the camp, then back to your sister.
“I don’t like this.”
“I’ve got this,” she says. Your eyes soften at her echoing words.
You nod a tiny bit. You know she does.
You make your way back to the theatre.
“Y/N…” Dina says when she sees you, “Oh. Oh, god, is Ellie…”
“No,” you say, instantly, “No. She’s fine. Just thought she should go alone. Spores and whatnot. Don’t exactly have my mask.”
“You sure it’s a good idea to leave her on her own?” Jessie asks. He means well, but he is also their age.
“She’s got this,” you assure her friends, “she’s tougher than you think.”
“I know that,” he says, “it’s just…with her state of mind.”
“I’m worried about her too. But, I’d be no use to her dead.”
“To any of us, Y/N,” you smile a little at Dina’s words.
“So, what do we do?” Jessie asks.
“We wait for her to come back. I’ll, uh, give you two some space to talk about the whole…kid, thing.” You clear your throat, doing that.
Ellie returns when you’re asleep. Jessie wakes you up.
“Where is she?”
“With Dina,” you get up, and Jessie knows what your plan is, “I think we should just leave them for tonight. Dina’s got her.”
“I could help.”
“I’m not saying you can’t,” despite the almost twenty year gap between you both, he seems to be the more mature one at times, “but you don’t need to smother her.”
Your eyes look dangerous when you look at him, “I ain’t.”
“I’d follow you, Joel, Ellie, or Dina anywhere, Y/N. But, Y/N, there’s gotta be a line where you walk away.”
“Not with her. Not with this.”
“I know Joel was a good man; he was a good father to you both. But, look, Dina’s pregnant. We aren’t exactly going to find her help out here, are we? And I know, you wanna help Ellie; but…she’ll listen to you.”
You go to check on your sister, she shivers, her wounds making you sick.
You sit next to her, and move the cover she has over her a bit more. She flinches a bit. You mule over Jessie’s words.
You go with them, giving Dina a bottle of water, and leaving too.
However, you then see how high the water is out there. And you see Ellie’s plan to steal the boat.
Jessie starts to back away. Ellie then looks to you
“Not you too,” she says. Damn it, she knows you too well.
“El -”
“Don’t do that. Please don’t fucking do that.”
“I just think –”
“I didn’t think you’d leave me too.
“I’m not –”
Guys,” Jessie tries to interject, noticing your voices going up a notch in volume. You hold your hand up to silence him, then gesture with your hand to lower the volume. Even in her pissed off state, she agrees to that.
“I thought you’d have my back on this,” she says, quieter.
“I have your back. Really, I do. But I’m gonna have to pull rank on this and –”
“‘Rank’?”
“I’m the older sibling. I have to look out for you.”
“Then do that by coming with me on that fucking boat. If we fall in, we can both make it back to the boat. I need you to trust me.”
“And I need you to listen to me.”
“They killed, Joel. What if it was me?”
“That’s not fair.”
“If it was you, you would want us to try, at least.”
“I wouldn’t know, would I?” you take a breath, “we should just go home. Ok?”
“You go, then. I’ll see you there later,” you open your mouth to argue, but she beats you to it, “fuck off then, coward.”
The words sting. You want to say more, to try and get her to see the way things are going. But you realise, maybe too late, that you can’t stop her. You can’t control her.
Jessie says what is on your mind:
“I really hope you make it.”
He respects your silence on the way back to the theatre.
You don’t explain to Dina, you just go to your own little space.
“Are they ok?” Dina asks Jessie.
“Ellie and them had a fight.”
“Oh…” she says, looking to the stairs, “should we go check on them?”
“No. No, I think they need some time alone, you know? I don’t think they’ve really had time to unpack everything.”
“None of us have,” it had only been a few days after all.
“That’s true. But, he was Y/N’s dad.”
“You know, at first, I thought Y/N was Ellie’s dad.”
“Yeah?” Dina chuckles a bit.
“Yeah. I mean, you seen how protective they both are…were, over her?”
“Y/N still is.”
“Yeah…” Jessie looks to the stairs too, “that’s what scares me.”
Jessie leaves on a quick patrol of the area and finds Tommy. He brings him back.
You come down and see your Uncle in the first time in what seems like forever.
“Hey, kid,” he says to you.
He doesn’t get a warm welcome, instead, he gets shoved. Then slapped.
“You left, your goddamn wife! She’s worried sick about you, Tommy!”
“I know, I know,” he says, but you don’t stop there.
“You could’ve died, and we wouldn’t of known. You fucking idiot!”
The younger two have never heard you so loud. Not even when fighting Seth.
“I KNOW!” Tommy roars, “They killed my brother! I had to try, Y/N! I had to do something.”
“And how’d that fucking go?” you sneer.
“I saw her,” he says, “I saw the bitch that killed her.”
“Yeah? Where’s her head?”
Tommy looks almost ashamed, looking at the ground as he answers you, “she had a kid with her. They beat me. Almost drowned.”
“Yeah, well, you didn’t. I’m glad you didn’t, Uncle Tommy.”
He nods, “Me too, kid.”
It’s then, you hug him.
Time goes on a bit longer before Tommy and him decide to leave to find Ellie. They hear on the radio about the Aquarium.
Dina is the one who asks you to stay, “please. I don’t want to be alone. I’m scared.”
You tell the other two to go and stay with Dina.
You keep her drinking water. Try and keep her as well as you can.
She falls asleep, and you try your best to get her to bed ok, though she does stir awake at one point. But, only slightly, she falls back to sleep pretty easily. You get her in bed, trying to get her comfortable.
You don’t exactly envy her situation, especially given how hard it would’ve been in the old world. This new one just added more challenges.
Still, you wanted to help. Just how was the question?
You hear the door close and cautiously see who it is.
It’s your friends.
You see Ellie, eyes distant and scared.
“Hey. Hey, what happened?” you ask, moving on from the words exchanged earlier.
You look to Tommy, he shakes his head: not now.
“Do you wanna go see Dina?” she nods, “Ok, kiddo. Ok. I’ll take you to her.”
You’re slow with your movements, moving at her pace.
When she sees Dina, she is less tense. You let her go, and she goes to Dina, laying down next to her and moving some hair back.
You close the door gently, before going downstairs.
“So, you wanna tell me what happened?”
“One of the girls she killed,” Tommy pauses, puts his head in his hands, and pushes his hair back, “she was pregnant, Y/N.”
“Jesus,” is all you can say as you sit on the stage.
“Yeah,” is all Tommy can say as he sits next to you. He then looks around the theatre.
“You remember when you and Sarah came here?”
You smile a bit, “yeah. Or, well, somewhere like here.”
“Nope. Pretty sure it was here,” you have no idea if he’s fucking with you or not.
You narrow your eyes at him a bit.
“I’m serious,” he says, “can’t remember what we saw, mind. But, it was right here we saw it.”
“Hm. Quite the legacy,” you admire.
“Ain’t it just.”
A quiet few moments go by.
“I think we should go home,” you say.
Tommy nods, “Yeah. Though, not exactly looking forward to Maria kicking my arse.”
“Yeah, well, I ain’t gonna be able to help with that.”
“Maybe I’ll use you as a shield.”
“As if she’d let you,” you say, “She loves me.”
“I’d like to think she loves me more.”
“Uh-uh, told me herself.”
“Did she now?”
“Oh yeah.”
It’s nice, this moment of normalcy.
“Go get some rest kid, we got a long trip tomorrow.”
“Guess you’re right,” you say, standing up and stretching, “night, Uncle Tommy.”
“Night, kid.”
You don’t sleep too long. Your instincts tell you something is going on.
You go to the main lobby and see Tommy on the floor, an arrow in his leg.
“Hands up,” you say, pointing your pistol at…shit, it’s Abby. And the kid Tommy mentioned.
“Y/N, run!” Tommy calls out.
“I ain’t leaving you,” you say to him, keeping your eyes on your father’s murderer.
“It’s you,” Abby says in realisation, “you’re the one who Marlene took as bait for…for him.”
“You took him from me,” you spit.
“And yours took mine. Now you know how it feels.”
“We just gonna stare at each other?”
“Not if you move. You’re not on my list. The girl is who I want.”
“So you can run more tests? There ain’t no cure.”
“No. No, the cure is long dead. On that, we can agree.”
“I’m not letting you get my sister.”
She steps a bit closer, gun aimed up a bit, “Then I’ll take you both. I don’t care.”
You look to the boy, “You found the one good Seraphite?”
“Just as quick as the rest.”
“Ok then,” you say, putting your gun down, hands raised, “then take me.”
“NO!” Tommy shouts, getting a kick in the gut.
“Maybe I would’ve,” she admits, “but not anymore. You’ve both taken too much from me. All you had to do, was stop. To get her to stop.”
You go to say something, but the door bursts open.
A few gunshots go off. You ignore the burning sensation on your body, and instead, try and deal with the one at your throat, the arm Abby has around it crushing your available air.
“Come on out! Or this one’s next!” Abby calls out.
“Ok. Fuck!” Ellie throws her gun away, standing up, hands raised, “you did this because of me, right? Because they both saved me? It’s me, I’m the one you want. Just let them go, ok?”
Abby presses the gun into your head, “we let you live,” she says to Ellie.
“I’ll let you live,” Abby says to you, “but I swear, if I see you again, I will kill you.”
Your world then goes dark. But you hear your sister yell out your name.
You wake up to silence.
Your vision goes double. You vomit on the floor.
Once on your feet, you slowly make your way down the theatre. You wished for music. You wished for something. Some sound to signal life.
You get backstage, and see a hole in the floor. You don’t even think before dropping down it. It doesn’t help your vision or unsteady legs. Shaking your head and getting to your feet once again, you’re greeted with your sister, coughing blood on the floor, and Dina bleeding from her head, unconscious.
You go to your younger sister, fall down and hover over her. She just coughs more.
You don’t know what to do. You just put her head in your lap, running your hand through her hair.
If this is it, then so be it.
You go to sleep, not expecting to wake up again.
You do, and Ellie is quietly saying your name.
You look down, an unknown amount of time having passed.
“Are….are you…?”
“Here. Present. Alive.” you say.
“Dina…” You look to your friend. Gently putting Ellie back down, you turn Dina over. The baby bump looks ok. You get some cloth and put it on her head.
“I think the baby’s ok.”
Ellie lets out another cough, this seems to be her attempt at a sigh of relief.
How you get out, you can’t remember. But you do.
Ellie leaves Jackson. But you’ve already gone before then.
You can’t deal with all the looks from everyone. And what you gather to be a disappointed look from Maria when you bring Tommy in.
You aren’t far from it, instead just living in the woods.
You go to the same part of the water you went to clean yourself in after Henry and Sam died. You don’t really care you’re stealing the Jackson community water technically, you just use it.
You figure this will all help clear your head. It’s neutral.
Maria comes to visit you, bringing some extra supplies. You just thank her.
She updates you on Tommy. Even tells you they split.
You just give her your condolences and go back to your little hobbit existence. Just you and a tent.
The final time Maria visits you, it’s to ask for you to go with Tommy. He wants to visit Ellie.
“I think she could use your company, too.”
Maria is still family; as is Tommy; as is Ellie.
You have to pick up the load now that Maria shares.
“Ok,” you say, voice croaky from a few months of disuse.
“Thank you,” she says. You nod.
She smiles a bit, happy that you’re somewhat in good standing with each other.
Tommy tries to make conversation with you, but you ignore him the whole ride down.
You help him off his horse and send him up the stairs first to the door.
You take in the place. It’s got a nice view. They’ve done well for themselves.
Dina greets you warmly.
“Hey, Y/N,” she says, giving you a hug.
“Hey, hon,” you say, hugging her back.
She takes a look at you, looking at your face and moving it around with her hands, “you had it rough, huh?” her voice is soft, unjudging.
“Sort of?” you say, unsure of how else to answer.
“Well, sit down. We’ll get you cleaned up.”
Then Ellie comes in, with a baby.
She pauses at seeing you both, but a whole flood of emotions comes to her when she locks eyes with you.
“Hey,” is all she can get out.
“Hey,” you say.
It’s all going ok. Then Abby is mentioned again, and the mood turns sour.
“Oh, for fucks sake,” you say, hand going down your face.
“Now, don’t you fucking start –” Tommy starts to say.
“We ain’t doing this, Tom. You said you wanted to talk to her.”
“I am,” he protests, though does note your lack of ‘Uncle’ being used, “that’s all we doing.”
“Is it hell,” you say, trying to not teach the kid bad words this early. Like your dad did with you and Sarah.
“Oh, so now you wanna talk, huh?” Tommy challenges.
“We ain’t doing this here. Especially not in front of the kid,” you say, pointing to JJ. He grabs you finger, cooing as he moves it around. You move a bit closer, hand going through his hair, as your eyes stay on Tommy.
“Can you hold him?” Dina asks. You do. He complains at first, being away from his mother, but settles into you in the next moment. Dina takes Tommy outside.
“You’re a natural,” Ellie says, somewhat brightly. You start to rock from side to side gently as JJ settles even more, head on your shoulder.
“Yeah. Somehow,” you joke. Ellie scoffs humorously.
“I’m glad you’re ok,” she means it.
“Ditto,” as do you.
The silence is awkward, and you see her eyes go to the map.
“Don’t,” you say, “don’t mess this up.” At ‘this’ you swirl your finger around the area.
“Ok,” she says. You look into her eyes that flicker down to the map every so often. You’re looking for signs of bullshit. You find some. You just don’t say anything.
“Ok,” you say.
Tommy leaves, but you stay the night. You get to know your nephew a bit more. He’s lively.
Dina and Ellie both show you around the farm. The sheep are nice. They help calm you down. Even JJ loves petting them.
Dinner is nice. They can both cook. You both even dance a bit. Just minus bigots being there, even better!
Then comes to bed. They show you your bedroom. You thank them and head in.
Early in the morning, you head downstairs, taking the map and putting it in your bag.
“What are you doing?” Ellie asks, coming downstairs, Joel's jacket over her shoulders.
“Trying, one last time.”
“To do what?”
“To stop you from this spiral being complete.”
“I’m not spiralling, Y/N. I’m hurting, and I don’t know how to make it stop.”
You sigh, sitting down, “You know, back in the old world, they had things called therapists. You ever heard of them?” she shakes her head, “they’d talk to you, try to help you find a way through. I’m sure there are some who would fit that role your age without knowing the turn, or just people my age who became them, but the talking bit I can do.”
“I don’t want to talk. Give me the map.”
“So you can run off and get killed?”
“I won’t get killed.”
“How’s that?”
“You and Joel showed me how to survive.”
“And anyone can get a lucky shot in. I mean, Christ, look at Tommy, a bullet through the head should’ve killed him.”
“But he’s still alive. And so are you. I don’t want anyone else to almost die because of me.” you can hear the slight crack in her voice.
You know you could keep doing this with her. Going in circles. Your own spiral.
But, you’ve drained yourself.
So, you stand up, and take the map out of the bag.
You see Dina peak from around the corner, but you’re quick in your eyes going back to Ellie, who is watching you, eyes glassy, and tense.
You approach her, and put the map into her hand, “I love you, Ellie. Far as I’m concerned, you’re my blood,” you grab her face in your hands, “You always will be, ok? But, if you do this, I won’t be here when you get back.”
Either timeline her brain cooks up as to that meaning scares her.
“Ok,” she says, even as her voice wobbles and tears threaten to fall. She takes the map and goes to her bag. You hear her sniffle from the kitchen.
You turn to Dina, and knock your head to the kitchen. She goes down. You sit on the chair in the living room as they share a goodbye.
Dina then comes back, you hug her. You hear the back door close. Ellie seemingly didn’t want to confront you again.
“What…what happens now?” Dina asks you in hiccups.
You kiss her head, “well, I’m gonna get some supplies from Jackson, and go back to my little home.”
“Can you…can you help me move some things back there, please?”
You hug her a bit tighter, “course, kiddo.”
“Thank you,” she says as you pull apart.
You smile down at her, “you’re family,” is all you say.
The three of you head to Jackson, you help Dina set up in her room.
“Thank you. I mean it. Please visit, that’s all I ask. Don’t do that other way out. Please.”
You sadly smile at her, “I’ll do my best on the last part. I’ll swing by, though. Promise.”
“Ok…ok,” she hugs you again.
“I think you would’ve liked my sister,” she says, voice muffled by her shirt.
“Bet I would’ve,” you agree.
You go back to your tent; luckily, nothing has happened to it.
You go on a hunt and start skinning your deer. You hear a twig snap, and a quiet “shit” from the person you know who broke it.
You continue skinning, then start cooking. Ellie takes a seat on the log.
You look at her, seeing her casual clothing, and that she’s missing two fingers.
You don’t say anything. She watches you, eyes going to the fire every so often, fingers playing with themselves.
Wordlessly, you hold out a small cup of water. She takes it, and drinks from it, before handing it back to you.
It is then replaced with some meat.
She eats, then looks back to the water.
She feels something hit her feet. Looking down, she sees a sleeping back. Looking back up, she sees you trying to do another tent.
She finishes her food, and approaches you, “I’ve got it,” her voice quiet, drained, hurt.
You don’t look at her as you go with your own food.
“Can you help me, please?” she asks. You pause, putting your food back into the bowl, before getting up and helping to finish her tent.
“Thank you,” she says. You nod, before finishing your meal.
You then set up your sound traps.
“Is that like Bill’s?” she asks.
“Yup,” you answer.
“Cool,” she says.
You just nod.
Once they’re done, you retire to bed yourself.
Ellie stays up, just looking at the fire, then down at her fingers that can no longer play the guitar.
She goes into her tent. The bed isn’t too uncomfortable. Yet she’s still restless.
She hears you snore a bit from the tent diagonal from her.
She shuts her eyes. In her mind’s eye is one of you, her, and Joel having a snowball fight. It’s nice. Warm. Fuzzy. Happy.
You have a dream of Sarah. Of one time of you both comforting each other after a sad film, just holding each other and crying. It’s sad but comforting.
The dream changes, Ellie comes and sits next to you, and a new movie starts: Curtis and Viper 2.
You all pull up the shared blanket.
It’s a dream, you know that.
Yet you find comfort in it.
It drowns out what’s actually happened. What’s actually been lost.
The illusion will shatter as soon as you wake, as it always does.
But you hope you can dream a bit longer.
Escape the broken bonds you have to go back to at some point.
The sad existence you live.
The emptiness you feel.
The one your sister has too.
Maybe you can overcome it, one day.
But you both know that day is far away.
And it terrifies you both…
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