Look For The Light

A Miracle

Please see the Notes for this story. I love THE LAST OF US show and the video game! So here's my What-If fiction. I want Ellie and Joel to be happy, damnit! As always, I OWN NOTHING! This is just for fun!
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Joel woke to the sunlight's rays caressing his face. He stretched and noticed Tess' side of the bed was empty. He went to the bathroom sink to wash his face and look for her. She had her back to him moving around the kitchen. He sat down and waited for her to sit with him. She kept her head down until she took the seat across from him and finally looked up to meet his eyes. She was paler than usual with a black eye, light cuts on her face and a split lip. Immediately he sat up straight and reached for her, his eyes demanding the name of the one responsible for her injuries.

"It was Robert." she answered his unspoken question. "Couple of his goons roughed me up a little." Joel growled and clenched his fists as she continued. "You know how it is. Kids these days don't know how it was before so they go in acting like hot shit."

Joel stomped off to look for the first aid kit hidden in the floorboards. He needed to move before he broke something. When he found some alcohol and cloth, returned to Tess to tend to her wounds. She hissed as the soaked cloth touched her cuts.

"That was yesterday morning," he grumbled. "You came in late. Where've you been?"

"After Robert was debating whether to kill me or not," she grumbled sarcastically, "The Fireflies started their shit and I got thrown into FEDRA lock up."

"Jesus!" He threw the cloth on the table.

"It gets worse." she told him. "Robert sold the battery. Malick said that The Fireflies were looking for him so I think we can guess where it went."

"Damnit, Tess!" Joel felt like pulling out his hair. "We needed that battery to get outta here!"

"I know!" she rubbed her temples in frustration. "Fuck it, let's put our feelers out for Robert and get the battery before he has a chance to sell it." she reached for him and cupped his cheek forcing him to look at her. She saw the fury and fear in his eyes. She knew they were running out of time to get out of Boston and save the kids from FEDRA. "Look," she calmly caressed his stubbled cheek with her thumb. "I told Robert you wouldn't hurt him...but I would really like you to hurt him."

Joel sighed and rested his forehead against hers. "Fine," he said. "Let's get the kids up and send them off to school. We'll look for Robert. Hopefully we'll pin him down in a day or two."

A loud thud from the kids' room interrupted their plans. Tess sighed and got up ready to scold the kids, again, for sneaking out. "How many times has this been?" she asked Joel.

He shrugged. "I lost count after five."

Tess frowned and opened the door. "You two better have a good exc—" She felt the weight of one of the kids pressed against her body. It came at her with such force that she almost fell over and it took her a minute to register which of her children was holding onto her so tight. Tess looked down at the dark hair and knew it was Jack. She wrapped her arms around her son and tried to soothe his tears. Joel felt his stomach twist in knots as he looked around for Ellie. The kids sneaking out wasn't unusual for the two, but it was odd to see them apart. Tess pulled Jack to the kitchen table and gently pulled from his embrace. She gasped as she saw the blood on his shirt and reached for it.

"Joel, get the first aid kit!" she ordered. He quickly found the kit on the counter and grabbed the rubbing alcohol and cloth.

Jack jerked away from his parents. "No! You can't!"

"Jack, it's ok..." Joel tried to calm him.

"No it's not!" Jack shook his head and continued to pull away. "You're gonna be so mad!"