Always & Forever (A 'The Last Of Us' Fanfic)

Chapter 44

4 months later...

Don had fought his hardest and was able to stay with Beth and April for two extra months. He was able to spend one last Christmas and New Year with them and then he was gone. He had said that he was happy. He was happy that he lived to see the day that the love of his life came back to him. He died happy knowing that his wife and daughter had finally rekindled their relationship. He died knowing that the two of them would be together through the hard time he knew would be the obvious outcome. Ever since Beth found out about his diagnosis, he had made sure to fill her in on anything that she wanted to know. Why he never talked about his parents much. What it was that he had aspired to be. What his biggest regret in life was. All the secrets that he had planned to tell her once he was much older came spilling out of him as his time started to run out. His parents died when he was very young. They were on their way home from a date night and their car crashed. He had actually aspired to be an actor. After his parents died, his grandmother took him under her wing and took him to multiple auditions and would allow him to do a few commercials. He was 15 when his grandmother got really sick to the point where she had to be bedridden. Her age had finally caught up to her and she eventually died because of it. He had few regrets in his life. The one that he'd often reflect on was not pursuing acting after his grandmother died. When she died, he felt like his dream had as well. She was always so supportive of him and often told him that he could do anything if he set his mind to it. But at the same time, he wondered, had he pursued his dream, would he have met April and would they have had Beth? Beth was and always would be his greatest achievement. She had grown to the woman that he'd always wanted her to be and so much more. He couldn't have been prouder and he made sure that she knew that.

After the burial, there was a reception at Beth's family home. Beth, Sarah and Joel had found an apartment together and were now living there. April was the only one that lived in the house. Beth had suggested that she move to a smaller place but April refused. She had been away from that house for too long and there was no way she would ever want to leave it. Beth had been on a rollercoaster of emotions ever since her father had passed. She was upset that she didn't have more time with him. Sad that she never told him the truth that she knew would hurt him. And finally frustrated that his life had to be cut so short. After she had talked to as many people as she could and heard all the wonderful stories about her dad, she excused herself and made her way up to his room. April had left it just as she remembered. She was the one that was probably sleeping there now. She went to her father's bed and ran her fingers over the covers before taking a seat. She looked all around and remembered those nights when she couldn't sleep because of a storm. She'd walk into the room scared and full of tears to wake her dad up. He'd always let her sleep with him on those nights. There were also some nights where she'd fall asleep on the couch downstairs and her dad would pick her up and take her to his room when he didn't have the heart to take her to her own. The countless games of hide and seek that they'd play on days where it was just enough to stay in. All of those memories came flooding back to her and she exhaled a shaky breath.

"I love you, daddy," she whispered.

She let a few more tears fall and just sat there looking out the window.

Joel had gone to take Sarah to the restroom because ever since she had successfully learned how to go to the restroom without a diaper, she would often drag either Joel or Beth to the one nearby just to show that she could. When he got back, Beth was nowhere to be found. He went up to April to ask where she could have gone. Once he found out, he made his way upstairs with Sarah in his arms. He opened the door to Don's room as quietly as he could to find Beth's back to him and looking out the window. He went over and sat next to her. He kissed her shoulder and it wasn't until then that she acknowledged his presence. She turned away and quickly wiped her tears before turning back to him.