Secrets And Hope {The Last Of Us Fanfiction}

XI

Joel remembered the air getting thinner, just a single breath feeling strained on his chest. The forced whispers of a familiar voice lingered in his ear as he felt the warmth slowly slip away. Like surfacing from water, he gasped for air as he woke with a start. As his eyes adjusted to the light he instantly recognized the little girl sitting by his bedside. A small smile found him as he sat up. He gently draped a blanket over Ellie as she slept in her chair before climbing out of bed and making his way towards the hallway of the infirmary. Holding his side, Joel winced in pain as he pulled back the curtain that secluded him from the other patients. The place was quiet and dark, the small flickering candles by the bedsides providing little to no light. Every bed was thankfully empty expect one that had the curtain pulled across, Joel could hear a familiar voice along with another as they hissed at one another in hushed tones.

"Nora hold still!"

"I'm fine okay, it's nothing!"

"It's just a shot, it'll take a minute!"

More hushed whispers were spat back and fourth before the doctor suddenly stormed out from behind the curtain. He paused for a second when he saw Joel, an irritated glare burning in his eyes.

"She's all yours!"

Joel smirked to himself as he watched the doctor storm away. Turning back he made his way towards Nora as he pulled back the curtain to see her sat pulling at a bandage on her arm. Her eyes shot up to meet his as she smiled. Joel stepped forward as he rubbed his chin holding back a smile of his own.

"What'dya do to piss him off?"

"He wanted to give me a shot so I told him where he could stick his damn needle!"

Joel let out a soft chuckle as he took a seat beside her and folded his arms.

"So a girl like you can handle hunters and infected but you're scared by a little old needle?"

Nora scoffed at Joel as she sat back sending him a glare and gently elbowing him in his side.

"Don't make me shoot you. Why are you even here... Did you want something?"

"I just came to see how you were doin'."

"I'll be a helluva lot better when I leave this place. What 'bout you, how you holding up?"

"Couple cuts and bruises but I'll live."

Nora smiled weakly but it quickly disappeared as she let out a deep sigh. Leaning against Joel, he turned to face her as their eyes locked. He could see the sadness and guilt in her eyes as she looked down to the floor.

"Look... what happened back there, I never meant for-"

"Don't. Alright, we already talked about this. I told you... it ain't your fault."

"That don't make it fucking easier Joel, we almost died 'cause of me. Trust me... it sure as hell don't make it any easier."

"Nora..."

Nora continued to stare at the floor, not daring to look Joel in the eye. He placed his hand under her chin, gently moving her face so their eyes met again. A small smile played on his lips and Nora couldn't help but smile back as she took hold on Joel's hand. In the second they began leaning in towards one another they quickly pulled apart as the room echoed with a smash, shortly followed by the sound of Ellie's mumbled voice.

"Oh fuck!"

Joel let out a light chuckle as he broke eye contact with Nora, mumbling under his breath as he stood to his feet.

"I'd better go check on Ellie."

"That'd be a good idea."

Nora flashed Joel a smile before he disappeared back into the hallway. He quickly made his way back to find Ellie kneeling on the floor picking up pieces of broken glass. A nearby table laid on its side along with a jug of water that had formed a small puddle on the floor as it escaped.

"Oh man."

"Need a hand?"

"Joel."

Ellie rushed to her feet, pulling Joel into a hug. He flinched in pain as held the side of his stomach. Ellie stood back looking at Joel like he could break into a thousand pieces as easily as the glass that littered the floor.

"Ahhh easy!"

"Shit sorry! You okay?"

Joel grunted in pain as he sat back down, old scars aching along with the new ones that would soon appear.

"I'll live."

Ellie fell quiet as her eyes met the floor. She pulled her sleeves down over her hands as she paced around the room, glancing back at Joel she saw as he struggled to stay awake. His eyelids slowly closing before he forced them open again. Letting out a deep sigh, he placed his head in his hands as Ellie sat next to him.

"Hey...I uh...I went to see Nora earlier while you were asleep. Tommy says she's gonna be okay, that's good right?"

Joel looked up at Ellie and managed to force a small smile.

"Yeah... it is."

"And this won't happen again right?"

"Ellie..."

"You don't get it Joel, you guys scared the shit outta me! I mean what the hell happened out there?"

"It's long story kiddo."

"Okay."

Ellie jumped down and pulled the old wooden chair from the back of the room closer to Joel. She sat down and crossed her arms and legs, looking at him with a blank look on her face. He let out a defeated sigh as he rubbed his neck before resting his hands on his knees.

"Aright... So we were out hunting, chasing this goddamn deer for miles before we finally caught up with the damn thing... "

As Joel explained the hell he and Nora had been through, the light in Ellie's eyes darkened. She listened intently to every word he said, her eyes wondering in Nora's direction every so often. She remembered the fear she'd felt the first time she thought she'd lost Joel. Only this time it was twice as worst. Nora had quickly become a part of Ellie's life; someone she trusted, someone that always seemed to be there no matter what... just like Joel. Ellie had never known what it was like to have real parents, to have a real family. But Joel and Nora came pretty damn close.