The Last Of Us (Fanfic)

Alternate Outcome (Joel Lives) PT I

Joel doesn't Die (Fanfiction - PT 1)

[I do not own any of these characters]

"I don't know what happened... I was supposed to take her to the fireflies and walk away. But you go halfway across the country with someone..." Joel sighed, "She needed her immunity to mean something. Maybe I was starting to buy into that whole cure business, maybe I just wanted to do right by her. And then we made it, we found the fireflies. And because of her, they were actually going to make a cure. The only catch: it would kill her."

"Jesus Christ, Joel. What'd you do?" Tommy asked, looking dumbfounded by his brother's confession.

"I saved her."

<••••∆••••>

It was getting into the early afternoon when Joel and Tommy finally decided to head back to the lodge to wait for someone to relieve them. They sat on their horses trotting through the snow, feeling the temperature drop due to the storm rolling in. Their rifles hung on their shoulders as they talked about all that transpired at the dance the night before, how the night started out fine until Seth made a scene and caused Joel to step in to try and defend Ellie.

"You made quite the scene last night. For a moment, I didn't think you'd let Seth walk away." Tommy said from a few feet ahead.

Joel scoffed, "Yeah, probably wasn't one of my shining moments."

"Bet it didn't win any points with Ellie though, did it?"

"Not exactly... But she did stop by later on."

"To tear you a new one, I bet." Tommy laughed, trying to keep the mood light.

"That, and to propose some type of reconciliation."

Tommy stopped moving completely and looked back at Joel, "No kidding. It's about time too, I bet Maria will be real happy to hear that everything is working itself out."

"Yeah, we'll see." Joel was feeling hopeful yet weary at the thought that she would never be able to forgive him. He thought back on their conversation, and a cheerful smile spread across his face. Knowing that if it never happened the way he hoped, at least he had that moment with her to try and make it right.

Tommy continued, "Maybe you should get into brawls more often, it seems to get you places pretty well."

"Tell that to the overnight stent we had in Houston," Joel replied, now fond of the once-bitter memory.

"It's not my fault those boys kept runnin' their mouths."

"I don't think remarks about their mothers would cause anyone to hold their tongue, Tommy."

"And you think a right hook to the jaw was considered polite conversation?" Tommy smirked, looking back. "If I remember correctly, that's what made us lose that contract at the college."

Joel said, "Yeah, I think you're right."

"You were mad at me for that too."

Joel chuckled, "You just happen to be easy to blame, little brother." He said before urging his horse forward. "Let's get a move on, we don't wanna get caught in the storm."

They rode through the edge of town on their way up to the ski lodge, almost passing the music store. Joel pulled his reins back to make his horse stop and turn around to head back.

"What are you doin'? I thought we had to get back before the storm." Tommy said while turning his own horse around to keep up with his brother.

"I need to pick up some more strings, I'm almost done with Jesse's guitar." He said as he dismounted with a grunt.

Tommy stayed sitting on his horse, leaning against the horn of his saddle. "Is he and those Taylor boys still in that band? What was it called again?"

"The Jackson Brothers I think, Unless they changed it again."

Tommy chuckled, "Didn't they offer for you to join em?" He asked.

"Yeah, couple times, told 'em I was too old to be a rockstar." He joked before slipping through the slightly opened doors of the Music Center.

The windows and doors were mostly boarded up, and glass littered the floor with scattered sheet music, busted drums, and guitar picks. He knew where to find the strings, as he'd scavenged the store many times before. "You know, I still don't quite understand why you don't just take 'em all back with you." Said Tommy after he dismounted and followed Joel inside.

"Gives me something to look forward to." He said as he went further into the dark building while Tommy split off in a different direction toward the records. He wanted to find something for Maria as an apology for a disagreement they had a couple days ago.
When Joel rounded the back corner, he froze seeing the clicker standing between the few still-hanging electric guitars and the boxes of Guitar strings. He slowly took a few steps forward, taking out his pocket knife ready to clear the music store for the third time that year. The narrow opening usually made it hard for anyone to get inside, but every once in a while, a few infected wandered in. Before he could take care of it, a gunshot in the distance made its head jerk up with a screech. With Joel being so close, the sound bounced off of him and the clicker pounced.

"Oh shit!" He yelled when it tackled him to the floor.

He tried to push it back, smelling its rancid breath as it tried to bite him. Its fingernails trying to rip through his coat while he attempted to reach for his lost blade, a few inches away from his grasp. When the clicker reared back, ready to sink its teeth into Joel's throat, the bang of a rifle sounded and sent the clicker off Joel to lay h*adless on the dirty carpeted floor, pieces of it running down the wall beside them.

"Are you bit?" Tommy asked, panic all over his face.

Joel shook his head no, trying to catch his breath and shake the ringing in his ears. "Did you hear that shot?" He asked.

"Yeah, that was close by, maybe one of the patrols found themselves in a similar situation." Tommy laughed nervously.

Another shot rang and they heard the screams in the distance, "We have to go. Now." Tommy said as he helped his brother back onto his feet. They ran for their horses in time to see a small hoard running in their direction. They rode off towards the lodge, trying to make enough distance between themselves and the infected to hide there till they and the storm passed.
The snow had started to fall steadily, not enough to make them blind, but enough to make their horses want to slow down. But once they got inside one of the buildings connected to the Lodge and forced the door closed, they stood there waiting. Their guns were drawn when the infected came banging at the door, causing the horses to become antsy. Both the men shushed them, hoping the hoard on the other side would soon grow bored, or freeze to death before they got inside.

Another shot rang out, this time much closer and towards the other side of the lodge. It was enough to make those at the door venture off in that direction in search of the noise. The boys took a breath, before looking at one another and silently agreeing to go looking for the source of the shots themselves, both of them worried it may be one of their own people in trouble. Joel was worried that it could've been Jesse or even Ellie, knowing she was supposed to go out today. But after a while of searching and stumbling upon a large blond woman being chased by a much larger hoard attempting to tear through the fence; he felt more at ease knowing that Ellie was safe. At least that's what he was going to believe until he had time to worry. For now, he had to worry about the stranger. He pulled her up, looked her in the eye and yelled over the roaring wind of the storm,

"We're gonna have to run."