Secrets And Hope {The Last Of Us Fanfiction}

VI

With another day done and another successful supply run, Joel sat outside on the porch watching as the daylight slowly slipped away from the sky. The creaking of the door broke his train of thought when he saw Ellie appear from inside.

"Hey kiddo."

"Hey."

Ellie didn't look at him as she stepped out onto the porch and took a seat on the steps. Joel leaned forward in his chair with deep concern when he saw the sad look on her face.

"Somethin' on your mind Ellie?"

"I was looking for my last copy of Savage Starlight and...I found this on the floor."

Joel took the worn picture from Ellie and sat back in his chair, Ellie rose to her feet and stood beside him as they both looked over the picture.

"You know where it came from?"

Joel flipped it over and read the smudged handwriting across the back. 'Lucy.' He sighed deeply as he gave the picture back to Ellie.

"It's Nora's."

"Well who's that girl in the picture?"

Joel glanced to Ellie with a blank look on his face.

"Her daughter."

"What happened to her?"

Looking down at Ellie, he didn't answer as she sat on the porch steps again. The grim look on his face said all it needed to as Ellie's face fell as she glanced down at the picture.

"Oh."

Silence fell over the two as the night life spoke out. The crickets chirping, the cool wind blowing gently through the trees. Ellie glanced back at Joel a few times, noticing the tranquil look on his face as he sat in his chair with closed eyes. She stared at the picture in her hands; the smile on Nora's younger, fresher face as she sat with a beaming ten year old in her arms. She quickly folded the picture and placed it back in her pocket before sitting back and looking up at the stars.

"Hey Joel?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you believe in heaven?"

Joel opened his eyes and tilted his head to face Ellie's.

"What?"

"Some people say that when you lose someone, they're never really gone. They're up in heaven...you know, looking down on you."

Joel sighed deeply, his hand subconsciously finding his broken watch.

"Honestly, I don't know what to believe anymore baby girl."

"I'd like to believe it."

Joel smiled at Ellie as she continued to look up at the night sky. He slowly rose from his seat and gently nudged her shoulder.

"Come on kiddo, it's late. You should get some sleep."

Ellie stood and followed Joel back inside the house. After a quick goodnight to both Joel and Nora, Ellie ran upstairs towards her room. As she made her way down the hallway, she paused. Taking the picture out of her pocket, Ellie slowly stepped towards Nora's room. She pushed open the door and stepped inside, the room was still and silent with a small lamp on the bedside table giving out a dull glow. Ellie gently placed the picture onto Nora's pillow before slipping out and into her own room.

The following morning was warm as the sun broke through the grey clouds that occupied the sky. A slight chill flew through the air as the leaves slowly began changing colour, from their once vibrant greens to warm orange, yellows and dark reds. The sound of stomping and whinnies disturbed the peace as Nora came galloping through the trees with Ellie following close behind.