spores of life......'the last of us' fanfiction

chapter 6 "me and bobby McGee"

1999,

"Pregnant!? What do you mean pregnant!? You're 17! How could you do such a thing!?" My grandfather yelled as he paced Infront of me.

"See I told you dad! Moving here was a bad idea!" My mother replied

"Oh shut up Mary. There is a large difference between you two. You got pregnant at 16! You didn't know who the father was!"

"Wait this isn't about me this is about her!"

"Shes your daughter where were you! Why didn't you have your eyes on her!?"

"oh it's my fault she opened her legs!?She's getting an abortion! End of story! I ain't rasing another kid!"

"You hardly raised the one you have! HA!  Raise another kid! Oh Please!!"

"Can you stop!! Both of you!! I'm keeping my baby! There AINT nothin! you guys can do about it either!" I put my foot down. They both keep their eyes on me.

"That kid who knocked you up is just gonna leave you" my mother complains.

"Just because my father left doesn't mean joel will!"

"Joel. Joel is the father? That leather jacket wearing, bike riding hooligan!?" My grandfather questioned. I rolled my eyes "you don't know him pop!"

"Does he know!? Huh!? Does HE know!?"

"...no.."

"No!? What do you mean no!?"

"I...I was too scared to tell him"

"How do you expect him to be father Joplin!?"

"Mary shut it. You raised her to be this way! With a name like that it was bound to happen!" My grandfather was an old fashioned man. Born and raised on a ranch. He took me under his wing when I was 8. My mother decided when I was 8 that she didn't want a kid anymore. She thought she could just hand me off to my grandfather with zero consequences.

"You know what! Screw the both of you!" I say as I walked to the door. "Where do you think you're going Joplin!?"

"I'm going to tell the father that he is going to be a father! Watch me prove the both of you wrong!"

My mother shook her head. "There ain't no men like that anymore Joplin!"
I slammed the door behind me. I was so mad. I was being so disrespected. 

......

I found my way to Joel small apartment he lived in with his brother and his mother. I rung the intercom.
"Yep. Who is it"

"Tommy? Its Joplin. I need to talk to Joel right now!"

"Uh he's busy right now!"

"Tommy I'm serous. I need to talk to him.

"Fine. Come on up I guess"

The door was unlocked. I walked up the steps into their apartment. Tommy met me at the door. "Listen Joplin I don't think you wanna come in right now. It's... It's not a good time"

"Why are you acting so weird?" I say as I stepped past him. Tommy looked at me with a sympathized look. "Dolly...hes-"

I looked over at his bedroom door as I hear a woman giggle. "I hope that's your mom having a Funtime with some man in your brothers room.." tommy shook his head. "I tried to warn you..." I clenched my jaw and burst open Joel's bedroom door. I scoffed at the sight was a female on top of Joel. "wow"

"Joplin!? Tommy what the fuck man!"

"I tried to tell her man" tommy scratched his head.

"You're a real piece of work Joel. Real fucking classy!"

"Jop. Please. Hear me out" he pulls his pants up following me out his bedroom door.

"Hear you out!? You son of bitch! I ain't hearing no one out. Have fun with your little fucking friend! Guess my mother was right about you. There ain't no real men left!"
Joel shut the door behind him. "come on just listen to me!"

"No! Joel! No! I came here to tell you I.. I was pregnant! But.. Im.. I'm just gonna do somethin else with it. I had high fucking hopes for you! Joel stood still. He stared at me with no words to say.

"Great goin Joel!!" Tommy shouted from the living room couch.

"We're done Joel... done..."  I rush back down the apartment stair case. I heard him following. He grabbed me by my arm and spun me around. I looked at him with anger. "Get off me!!" I yanked my arm away. "Joplin I ain't going anywhere! I don't care what you say! I'm having that kid with you! I ain't leaving!"
I stayed quiet and watched him. "We will never work... You're a rambling man Joel"

"No I ain't. No. I'm not my father. I'm here. I'm yours! I'll take care of both of you! I promise! I won't never hurt you again." He look my hands.
I shook my head pulling away from him.

"Scuuuzzz us" tommy said as he cut between us at the end of the staircase. He was pulling that woman's hand out the door. "No hard feelings bro. I gotta date" tommy says as he leaves with said woman. I looked at Joel. Joel shook his head. "She moves on quick huh Joel?" I said as I go to leave again.

"Joplin! Please!!"

"Just... Come see me tomorrow Joel... We can talk.."
He nodded anxiously "of course...of course"

....

"Bobby!! Your sperm donor is here!" My mother yelled to me from upstairs. I hated my mother. Everything with her has always been a competition. She's always been jealous of me and my accomplishments. My grandfather sees right through her.

I walked down the stairs. "can you shut up?" I say as I push past her then stepped out to the wrap around porch where I saw Joel. "Hi.." I say shyly. He gave a soft gentle smile. "Hey beautiful" he says sweetly. "I got you these" he holds up some flowers that he picked. I smiled. As I took them. "Thank you" I said softly. I hugged him tightly. "is everything okay?" He asked. I nodded but stayed quiet. "I just don't feel the best"

"So. You're the one huh?" My grandfather grumbled behind me. I sighed in annoyance.

"Uh yes..sir.. listen sir i-"

"What are your plans boy? Huh!? Gonna stick around for the first year and then dip? Like her own father did to her?"

"No sir. I know how it is not to have a father. I'm not going to do that"

"Then what is your plan?"

"Well sir I was-"

"Take her away? Huh? To a ghetto apartment? Hm?"

"No i-"

"Somewhere in the slum so she can get shot while she gets her baby out of her own car?"

"No sir I was-"

"Let me guess you-"

"Would you shut up!! Shut the fuck up! Let him speak!! Just because your whore of a daughter got knocked up by the wrong guy doesn't mean I'm going to be like her!! So for! the! love! of! god! Shut up!"
It stayed silent for a moment. My grandfather nodded at Joel to continue. "Um...I" he cleared his throat "I came here to ask for your blessing sir... I want to marry Joplin"

My eyes widened. I look at him with speechless laughter. "...r..really? Joel...are you serious?"

He nodded nervously "it's the right thing to do"
My grandfather huffed. "You have my blessing...but if one, just one thing happens between you two.. you'll never see her or that child again am I clear"

"Yes sir"

"You're just gonna let him do that daddy!? You're just gonna let that slide?"

"It's what a real man would do. You wouldn't know"

I smiled wide. "Oh Joel" I shrieked as I hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around my waist walking me off the porch. I wrapped my arms around his neck in a long devoted kiss. "Are you fucking serous Joel!?" I laughed aloud. He smiled wide with joy in his eyes. "As a god damn heart attack bobby"......