𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 ━ 𝙟. 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧

hardships

H A R D S H I P S

A loud repetitive knock at Iris's front door woke her from her slumber. Groaning at the noise she swings her legs off of the bed and walks down the stairs, goosebumps rose on her arms since she was only wearing a tank top and some shorts.

She answered the door and Joel stood with a panicked look in his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair, "Joel? What's going on?" Iris asks, yawning a little. "Ellie's gone."

Iris's eyes widen, "what?" Joel begins to ramble on how she left a note and Shimmer is gone from the stables. She sighs and opens the door widen for him, "come in." He enters and goes to the front room. He sits down on her couch and explains, "she said she was going to the hospital."

Iris pinches the bridge of her nose, "okay, just... let me get dressed and we can go get her." Joel nods but his nerves still don't seem to calm down, she sits down beside him and takes his hand, "she'll be okay, she can take care of herself." He nods and squeezes her hand for comfort.

She goes upstairs to get dressed and they head to the firefly hospital.

. • ° ______ ° • .

Iris was clutching onto Joel's waist as his horse galloped towards the redhead, "Ellie!" Joel yells, he pulls his horse to a halt and they get off, "come here." He brings her in for a hug and Iris wraps her arms around the both of them, "what the hell were you thinking sweetheart? Running off in the middle of the night light that."

"You talk to us. You don't just leave me a goddamn note." Joel continues, keeping her to his chest. Ellie pushes them both away, "tell me... what happened here."

The duo stay silent as Ellie threatens, "if you lie to me one more time, I'm gone. You will never see me again. But if you tell me the truth, I'll go back to Jackson." She gulps as her eyes begin to fill with tears, "no matter what it is."

Iris looks at Joel but he avoids her gaze, she wanted to come clean to Ellie, to tell her what really happened, but he still seemed hesitant, even though Ellie had told him the consequences of lying again, "just say it." The redhead begs desperately.

"Making a vaccine... would've killed you." Joel reveals slowly, dropping his gaze to the ground in shame. "So we stopped them." Iris looks at Ellie guiltily, "Ellie I'm so sor-" her apology was caught short by Ellie breaking down.