𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐎 (𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐒) *editing*

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐏𝐭. 𝟐🍂

*short, boring chapter*

"So, you're really wanting to stay in Jackson?"

Maeve unscrewed the water bottle Maria gave her, looking at Jordon. Not that she had a problem with him staying in Jackson while they continued their journey to find the Fireflies. Since Pittsburgh, all he talked about was joining the Fireflies, and finally being able to be one.

After popping a raisin into his mouth, the dark-skinned boy nodded in consideration. "I've given it a lot of thought...and I just think I'd be safer here than with the Fireflies. The whole wanting-to-be-a-Firefly, that was all Henry. I've only ever wanted to be safe. I know, I know, that's selfish of me to say that."

"Not at all," Maria smiled from her place at the small metal table. "It's only natural for you to want to live, you're still just kids in the end."

"You said that the adults take shifts guarding the town, right? How old is old it to be an adult? I mean, I'm eighteen, so, does that mean I can take shifts?"

Maeve sipped on her water, enjoying the crisp coolness of the liquid that slid down her cotton-felt throat. Ellie didn't seem to listen to the conversation, lost in her dehydrated food and water. A laugh almost slipped out of her, she looked like a cavegirl, chowing down. Not that she was judging, Maria feeding them was nothing more than a godsend.

"If you want, the choice is all yours, of course," the blond answered. "We've got people who take care of livestock and the gardens. We've got those who hunt, not necessarily just for killing infected and defending us from bandits and looters. Like I said before, we're a community, we take care of each other."

The more she listened, the more it dawned on her. Jackson was the place her Jordan talked about. She thought about the key words he had spoken; out west, safe place, community.

A sense of blue washed over her.

No, no, no. Don't even think about crying, Maeve. She scolded herself and blinked away the heat tempering her sight. To distract herself, she finished off her own dehydrated food, picking at the jerky she was given. There she went again, thinking of him at the most inconvenient time. The Jordon in front of her gleamed at the idea of being Jackson, and she couldn't help but imagine her Jordan being in his place, happy and enthusiastically asking the questions he had thought up over the time.

She imagined Jordan giving Maria a massive headache with his questions, with his curiousness.

Sigh.

Her eyes flickered to her hands and water bottle. She clenched her fingers around the plastic, causing it to crinkle some as she lifted the nozzle to her lips. The emotion hit her a little harder than it usually would. Perhaps it was because she made it to Jackson, and he ...he will forever remain in Boston, in his tomb of that dreadful quarantine zone. Her mind trembled with rage and sadness, knowing her dead boyfriend would never have the proper burial he deserved.

It just screwed with her, knowing that he would never see the town he wanted to live in with her and Ellie. She flitted her sight over to her sister, sure she had felt the same but with Riley.

And then the more she let herself become engrossed into her thoughts, her mind track wandered to TJ and his own dilemma. Had he and Tommy reunited properly, or did it not go well? She recalled before how Tommy hadn't batted an eyelash at him, oblivious to their resemblance. It's what made her think he didn't even know about TJ. She could only imagine what the conversation could be. Probably boring, for the most part, maybe some confusion and lots and lots of questions.

"—what was that?" Maria's radio blurted out nothing but static, as if someone was trying to reach out to her.

The lights above flickered on. One of the fluorescent bulbs unable to stay on, so it continued to seizure out its bright light.