Save each other // Joel Miller

Run

Sophie sighed, reminiscing about the beautiful morning she once had with Joel. Even though it had been well over a month, she still remembered it like it was yesterday. The way he made her feel so safe and connected with just his touch. The light hearted conversation over coffee and the very loud reaction from Ellie as she stumbled into the living room, where they sat, hungover and surprised. She nearly crushed Sophie in a hug when Joel told her that she was staying and even more so when he told her Sophie's name.

She had seen them both at least once a week when Joel was dropped off for PT, which Barb most graciously let her take the lead on. Although, that was until recently, when Joel was able to leave the cane at home and walk with only a slight limp. She would act as professional as possible but he would make it hard, with a hand on her lower back while walking or stolen kisses in the patient room.

No one had noticed Joel's and Sophie's relationship. They weren't very loud about it and they both kept to themselves most of the time. Not that there really was a label to it. It was just them, being together, and each others, solely. Sophie preferred it this way, the unspoken bond between them, without any pressure from the outside world. Plus, she had a sneaky suspicion that Tommy might tease her into the ground if he really knew.

Sophie was more active in the community now, doing morning strolls with Ellie every once and a while or make light conversations with people in the stands while shopping by herself. Of course she was at the clinic everyday, treating minor cuts and bruises and an occasional sprain. Barb enjoyed the company and they were learning a lot from each other. Sophie, on a slower day, would make her way to the library and study, take notes, and bring them back to Barb to gush about her findings. Recently she had been learning about natural herbs to make ointments and pain relievers. They spoke briefly about leaving Jackson to look for some of them naturally growing in the wooded area along the wall. Nothing solid was set as Barb was too nervous to think about it for too long.

Joel was almost always doing patrol duties, being outside of the safe walls of Jackson. It made Sophie nervous at first, but by now she was confident he was able to handle himself, even with the injury. When he was home, he was mostly bringing Sophie tea, reminding her to take a break and telling her all about his day. They would talk for hours about anything in the most effortless way. He would simply sit with her on the days she was nose deep in a book, creating comfortable silence or plucking at his guitar. He asked for her to sing for him but she wouldn't, stating she was waiting for the right moment or that it was too embarrassing.

Sophie stayed living in Tommy and Maria's home, being told by Tommy that she was most welcome there. She didn't mind since she felt safest in the room that nursed her back to health and took comfort in staying in one place for so long. She even found an old frame and hung the picture of her and her brother up on the wall. This was all to Joel's dismay, who thought she was better off staying with him.

Everything was falling right into place for her, and for the first time in a very long time, she made up her mind. She was done listening to the voice in the back of her head, telling her something would go wrong. She was going to let go of her past and accept that maybe, she really deserve this.

"Woolgathering I see." Sophie smiled at the familiar voice, shading her eyes from the summer sun shining down in her direction. Maria stood just over her, as Sophie sat on a picnic blanket in the middle of the backyard. Maria, being careful not to bump Sophie's drink, sat next to her. Sophie closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting the warm sunshine hit her face. She leaned back on the heel of her hands and stretched her legs out as long as she could, pointing her bare toes toward the ground. Maria chuckled softly at the sight.

"You are such an interesting girl." She said, making Sophie scrunch her nose in question.

"What do you mean?" Sophie asked, not bothering to move or look at Maria. It would take a whole lot to pry her away from basking.