After the end

six

After leaving a told trail of dead bodies in their wake, Lexi, Joel and Ellie found their way into the bottom of a hotel. It was dark outside now, so that meant there probably wouldn't be any patrol for a while. "We'll stay here and come morning I'll take a look at the city and find our way out." Joel held his torch up. "We're going up 42 flights?" Ellie whined and Lexi chuckled a little in return. "Lexi can't even make it up one without wanting to hurl." Lexi stopped and faced the teen giving her a shocked face, jaw dropped dramatically. "Shut up." She then continued to walk and said out. "But your right kiddo, I'm getting old you see, you'll be there soon." The trio clambered up the stairs, panting for breath as Lexi gripped the rail. "You know the guy who said he was hurt. How did you know it was an ambush?" Ellie asked, breaking the silence. Lexi and Joel shared a glance. We've been on both sides. It was a long time ago., we did what we needed to survive. "Joel was hanging onto the rail, still taking deep breath as he spoke. "You guys and Tess?" Queue a pang in Lexi's heart as she heard the name of her lost friend. "And the people we were with, including Joel's brother and my sister." Lexi finished, letting Joel catch his breath, considering he was the oldest out of the three. "Did you kill innocent people?" The teen asked but got no response. Lexi just stood there thinking about what her and Rosa did years ago.

flashback to November 2014

"Lex, you here?" Rosa asked out and saw a figure stand up, she quickly grabbed her gun into a position where she could fire. "Rosa, calm down it's me." Lexi spoke out as she came out of the shadows. "Did you get them all?" Rosa's question was met with a nod, then a crash was heard as they both turned with their weapons in their hands. "No, please don't, I'm not with them, please!" "Fuck you! I don't trust you." Rosa raised her gun. "Rosa no don-" Lexi was cut off by a gunshot and saw the innocent person collapse. "He was a liar." Rosa said before walking off. Lexi stood there shock plastered on her face. Her breathing was getting heavier. Footsteps could be heard but she knew they weren't Rosa's, she quickly turned around grabbing her pistol and pulling the trigger without thinking. In that moment a teenager collapsed and Lexi's eyes widened at the scene that just unfolded. "Oh no, shit, shit!" Lexi ran over to the teen on the floor who was bleeding out. She pulled her helmet off her face which was covered in blood along with her uniform. Lexi was an head of team fighters, so she wore a white uniform so people could tell the difference but she was leaving her job after this task. "Hey kid, look at me please. Open your eyes please!" Stress was kicking in and all she could think was how Rosa and herself killed 2 innocent people who were just passing through. Joel came running up wondering where she was. "Lexi, are you okay?" He asked his wife who moved away from the body, tears falling like a waterfall. "I killed a child, I killed an innocent child Joel." Lexi kept breathing heavily as she spoke. Joel grabbed her face and made sure she was okay. "Lex, calm down. It wasn't your fault, it wasn't your fault." Joel reassured the women in front of him, he pulled her into his arms but she kept sobbing. "It's okay sugar. You're okay, it wasn't your fault." After she started to calm down, Joel pulled her up keeping an arm around her waist. "C'mon let's get you home." The couple walked out the room not looking at the bodies on the floor.

Flashback over

Present day

Lexi was snapped out of her thoughts by Joel. "Come on, let's keep moving." The trio continued to climb the stairs once again. Joel grunted as he opened the door to the 33rd flight of stairs, trying to be quiet but him. Ellie and Lexi were on the brink of falling back down the stairs. "Holy shit. 33 floors that's good." Ellie praised as Joel and Lexi slid down the wall. "It's gonna have to be. My heart was gonna pack in if we go up to 34." Lexi chuckled at herself, Joel's hand resting on her leg as they both caught their breath. Ellie held her hands out to both Joel and Lexi. "Get up you lazy ass." Ellie insulted jokingly to Joel because Lexi already got up before him. He grunted as he stood up. "Lazy ass." He shook his head at Ellie's insult. "I'm 56 years old, you little shit." Ellie and Lexi both laughed at Joel who walked head of them grabbing Lexi's hand on the way past the giggling duo. When they got to a secluded room. Joel began sprinkling glass everywhere. "Joel." No response. "Joel." Ellie's voice repeated, raising her voice slightly as she sat down on the makeshift bed. "What?" "What are you doing?" She asked "I don't want someone sneaking up on us while we're asleep." He replied as if it was obvious, which is was but Ellie didn't know that. "Oh I get it, crunch, crunch, crunch. Are you sure you're gonna hear it?" She asked and Lexi raised an eyebrow with an amused look. "Of course I'll hear it. That's the damn point." He sassed at Ellie who laid down on her makeshift bed. "Okay, well goodnight." She exhaled loudly and Joel rolled his eyes as he got down on the bed with Lexi who moved so he could lay in front of her. It was a few seconds before Lexi felt her cheek rumble from the voice of Joel. "Hey what did you mean about hurting people, was it not your first time?" There was a silence as Ellie stated she didn't want to talk about it. Joel rolled over, to face Ellie but also putting his chest to Lexi's face and his hand on her ear. "You don't have to. I'm just saying, it isn't fair, your age having to deal with this. Joel's voice was softer than it normally is when he spoke to the teenager. Lexi knew exactly what he was talking about. who he was talking about. "So you're saying it gets older with age?" At this point Lexi turned over too so now Joel was spooning her, his arm slung around her side and his chin on her head. "No not really." Lexi mumbled. "But still. I couldn't imagine this happening to someone else, I use to know. You're a good kid." Lexi praised inadvertently. "Your sister?" Ellie asked. "No, these people I thought were the enemy. One was round about your age." Lexi whispered and fiddled with Joel's fingers that were next to her hand.