To the Light { a joel miller fanfiction }

Epilogue - In the Light

A.N. Surprise! I got this done this  morning and decided to just go ahead and post it. Thanks so much for loving this story, it's been such a pleasure to write even when the characters (mostly Joel) made me want to claw my eyes out, or when I felt like I was carving my chest open to get the words out. I don't know if this is the end for these two - I may get weak and nostalgic and write some time jump one-shots, but no promises right now as most of my time and attention will be devoted to writing 'Dawn'.  Thank you again, you all make my days so much brighter <3

"For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you."
― Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

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Christmas Day - One Year Later

Ellie ripped open the brown paper that Adeline had painstakingly drawn little snowflakes on with a fervor of a child much younger than her seventeen-year-old form.

It was snowing outside, a small flurry passing through town just in time for the holiday. A White Christmas, Joel had said earlier that morning, hands on his hips as he stared out the window in the living room.

Adeline still didn't quite understand the allure, but the snow didn't bother as much anymore.

"OH my GOD!" Ellie screeched, tugging the worn NASA hat out of the box, and immediately putting it on her head. "Where did you find this?"

Adeline was sitting crisscrossed on the floor across from Ellie, in front of the fireplace where Joel had strung up a few strands of multicolored lights, she leaned back against the couch, between Joel's legs, resting her cheek on his knee as a small smile erupted on her face.

"Found it out in an abandoned store by the ski lodge." He said, reaching forward to play with the soft tendrils of Adeline's hair that had fallen across his thigh. "The patch was hangin' halfway off, but Adeline stitched it up for you."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Ellie stammered, pushing herself onto her feet and rushing toward the couple, crushing Adeline in a suffocating hug before she was crawling onto the couch to do the same to Joel.

"You're welcome, kiddo." He murmured into her hair, placing a kiss there before she was standing up and rushing toward the entryway.

"I gotta go show Dina!" She exclaimed, out the door before Joel could tell her to grab a coat.

"And you were worried she wouldn't like it." Adeline smirked, turning slightly to glance back at Joel.

He shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Come up here, honey." He said with a firm pat to his thigh.

Adeline pushed herself onto her feet, letting Joel tug her onto his lap, where she settled, head resting on his shoulder.

"I got you somethin' else." He whispered, deep baritone buzzing near her ear, making her tummy cramp up.

"Did you wrap your dick or something?" She asked, lifting her head from his shoulder to flash him an impish grin.

He chuckled, shaking his head, "No, but I'll keep that in mind for next year."

He shifted a bit underneath her, pushing his hand into his pocket to pull out a little black box.

"Joel... you really didn't have to get me anything else, the carving is beautiful, I love it so much." She said, her eyes flickering over to the little wood carving he'd made for her, of a bunny, which she'd told him was her favorite animal when he'd inquired about it about a month ago.