THE UNEXPECTED

33

Ellie's final words upon the hill won't leave my mind, I feel this awful guilt looming in the pit of my belly and it's swarming inside of me. I can't help but replay it over and over that she begged for us to be honest with her but we straight up lied. I lied directly to her face and it will always stay with me - I can't help but think of how this will bite us in the ass in years to come. And although I don't know much about what Joel did in that hospital, I know enough. It's about survival and we did just that.

"Baby?" Joel's eyes glance over at my furrowed brows and guilt ridden expression and I can tell that he already knows what I'm thinking. "It's okay, sweet thing." I smile meekly at him but deep down I know it's not.

I'm snapped from my thoughts as we reach the all too familiar town of Jackson, it's great walls are staring back at us with all their glory and I can't help but feel excited for our life to come. Ellie sends me a beaming smile to which I give her one just as wide that my cheeks hurt.

"Big brother? Holy shit - that you?" Tommy's Texan drawl sounds from the wall above and I can't contain my excitement. Joel waves him over to us.

"Forgetting someone?" I holler at him, breaking into yet another grin as I hear Tommy's laugh belt out.

"Of course not," He opens the gates wide to let us through, "How you doin', little sister?" My heart feels so full at this moment, I'm around my favourite people in the entire world and I'm safe. That's all I can ever ask for.

"Better now that we're here." Tommy nods at that, he looks so relieved to see us considering all that time that we were last here. Immediately, he swoops us into a hug and Joel and I are flush against him.

"C'mon Ellie." Tommy glances at the younger girl and opens up his right arm so that she can slot in between us. My family. "Now, let's get you guys settled in."

"That'd be good." Joel says, and as we enter the town I'm practically flabbergasted. I've been rendered speechless as I gape around at its beauty. It's almost normal looking which is quite abnormal to say the least.

Rows upon rows of houses line the streets as well as different shops and food places, not forgetting the pubs too. It's beautiful and I can't quite believe it.

"Tommy you've fucking done it - it's amazing here." I assume also that he's made progress with the hydroelectric power plant since we last saw him.

"Thanks, Em. It's been hard but we all came together to make it work."

"So like a commune." Joel buts in, smirking at his younger brother who's face falls,

"Uh no."

"That's exactly what it is!" Another voice sounds and immediately I know that it's Maria. I'm happy that she's here as she seemed like a wonderful woman for Tommy.

I see out of my peripheral that Joel and Tommy share a look before the eldest Miller snorts in laughter.

"Glad you guys could make it back to us, we have a house waiting for you three but let's get you checked out by our medic first." The three of us nod and follow the couple to wherever that is.

"You okay, Ellie?" The teen turns to face me,

"Yeah...just taking it all in. Was this what life was like back then?" She asks breathlessly. However, I shake my head.

"No, not quite. But the idea of a community is similar - however my upbringing was definitely different to the Miller's." Ellie listens and nods her head at my words.

"I think I'm gonna like it here." That's best thing she could've said, it makes my heart burst with happiness.

"Tommy said there's a whole load of kids your age, you should make friends." Ellie just grins back at me before taking my hand and swinging it back and forth.

We reach the medic centre and they check us over to ensure that we're in good health before patching up any gashes or wounds. I try my best to avoid talking much about the one on my head that Joel sewed up and soon they move on from it, noticing my obvious discomfort. We must've been there collectively for about an hour before they give us the all clear and Tommy and Maria return back to us to show us around and I'm in awe.

Eventually, we reach a two story house that looks far too big for us all but the Miller couple won't take no for an answer so I suppose that it's our new home. I'm in shock at this, I haven't had a stable home in twenty years and better yet I have Joel and Ellie to share it with.

"Thank you guys, really. You have no idea how much this means to all of us." I beam at Tommy and Maria who just shake their heads with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks, little brother." Joel just about smiles which is something at least. The two brothers embrace in a hug once more before we are left to ourselves. A silence pools between the three of us as we just stare at our home before us.

"Last one inside is the rotten egg!" I call, startling both Joel and Ellie, and it takes all about two seconds before we're all laughing and shoving past one another to make it inside. I hear Ellie squeal as Joel moves beside her and swoops her into his hold, and I let out a loud laugh as he swings her around in the foyer of the house. All of us are breathless as we laugh together - it's a magical moment.

"Let me down! I wanna pick a room!" Ellie wriggles in Joel's arms, letting out little puffs of air as if she's winded. As I watch them, I can't help but feel this warmth fill my chest at the sight of it - I was right, Joel really does have a second chance at fatherhood.

"Go on, kiddo." He sets Ellie down gently and she's off within a minute, stomping up the stairs.

Joel and I share a glance, and we know that we've made it. We're happy and can't wait to see how this progresses. He leans toward me and presses a loving kiss against my lips which I eagerly return, and immediately my thoughts draw back to that RV on the highway. I begin to grin into the kiss and wind my arms around Joel's neck to bring us closer to one another.

I'm finally home.