Save each other // Joel Miller

Of course

It had been 3 weeks since Joel had seen Sophie's eyes. Since he had felt her warm touch, or tasted her sweet kisses. He was going slowly insane, spending more and more time in the old, uncomfortable wooden chair he had placed next to his guest bed, holding Sophie's limp hand. She was still pale and frail. Her body would take ivs in and they could tube a small amount of food into a port but it didn't keep up with her figure, leaving her skin and bones. Barb was always looking exhausted every time she stepped in, and out, of Sophie's room.

Joel did everything he could to keep her comfortable, moving her body to prevent sores and rubbing droplets of water on her dry lips. He changed her out of the horrible dress and put her in his shirt and a pair of her sweats. He burned that dress, spending more time out of the room than ever that night.

Joel would let people in to see her, except Tommy. He couldn't bare to look at his younger brother, knowing he longed for Sophie the same way he did. As far as Joel was concerned, Tommy had crossed a line he couldn't come back from. Guests for Sophie included Ellie mostly, sometimes bringing Dina. Then Barb, usually for check ups but the occasional small conversation about patients and how she was drowning in work without her around.

Sophie had some of the towns folk worried, and some frustrated, believing she was a lost cause using up valuable resources. Joel took notes of those people, making sure to have a word with them as soon as she was up and about.

Joel slept on the couch, the days he didn't accidentally fall asleep next to her, making sure to be close to her room in case she woke up and needed him. He didn't want to push anything, and he wanted to make sure she had her space. When she woke, Barb had told Joel, she will be disoriented. Joel had made sure Maria could bring Sophie's stuff to her room so she would have it near when she woke.

Joel also noticed that Maria never once stopped by for a personal visit to see Sophie. She brought the stuff to Joel and would have small talk with him in his living room. She would make sure Joel was eating and ask if he was ready to return to the patrol party. She would always nod in acceptance as he refused but she never made her way down that hallway to look at Sophie or speak to her like some of her visitors would. He wondered if Tommy really did talk with Maria about his feelings but he never asked, not needing to stir up anything further. In turn, she never asked Joel why he was so angry at Tommy that he never asked to see him.

This particular morning, Joel had slept on the couch. He sat up slowly and pushed on his lower back, stretching out. He sauntered into the kitchen and made himself something to eat before making his way to the bedroom where Sophie lie. Joel's heart froze still when he heard a noise coming from the room. His pace quickened and he grabbed the door handle, pausing before opening to make sure he was really hearing something and not imagining things. He heard a squeak of the springy mattress, shifting under movement and he threw the door open, finding Sophie sitting up, looking down at her hands.

"Sophie." He whispered in a daze.

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Sophies eyes shot open, the slight light in the room burned in her view and she shifted, feeling a tight bandage on her side. She felt her body, feeling every bone straight to the surface until she landed on the bandage. A tinge of pain caused her to pull her hand away and she pushed herself up to a sit. She looked down at her hands, not recognizing the small, pale fingers or palm that wiggled and turned over in her lap.

Suddenly, the door swung wide open, causing Sophie to jump in her sitting position. A large man, peppered in dark and silver hair, stood in the doorway. He looked at her with wide, brown eyes, like he didn't know she was in there. Her mind began to spin without control when he whispered something.