The Doc

Chapter 4

Joel was fumbling hooking up the dvd player when there was a knock on the door. He jumped to his feet and nervously smoothed his shirt down before he made his way to the door. Opening it revealed Alice in an oversized jumper, dark leggings and boots. She was carrying a pack of popcorn, two beers and a dvd.

"What's the problem?" Alice raised an eyebrow, reading Joel's tense body language.

"I can't figure out all these damn wires," Joel stated, frustrated as he stepped back into the house and ran a hand through his hair. Alice quickly moved in to take charge.

"Move over Texas ranger," she smirked. She tossed the food onto the sofa before walking over to the television. Joel watched, awestruck, as she efficiently hooked up all the connections in their appropriate spots. "There," she said, getting back onto her feet and dusting off her hands. "Nothing to it!"

"Thanks, doc," Joel chuckled. "How did I ever get by without you?"

"Oh come on, Joel!" Alice laughed. "You know I'm just teasing you!" Joel leaned over and picked up the dvd Alice had brought, twirling it between his fingers.

"What's this?" He asked.

"Oh," Alice smiled, cracking open one of the beers. "Ellie and I were talking about orchestras when she was in the surgery the other day. I told her my mom played with the Toronto Philharmonic and she was so interested. I promised her I'd bring the dvd I have of her over so she could have a look. I forget that people like her and Jacob were born into the outbreak, they never experienced what things were like before."

"Mhm..." Joel nodded, accepting the other beer from Alice. "Makes you feel old!"

Alice almost spat out the mouthful of beer before she swallowed it and huffed out a laugh.

"Speak for yourself!" She smirked, digging her elbow into his side.

After an hour of watching some old black and white movies, Joel got up to make some dinner for them. Alice followed him into the kitchen and sat on the counter as she watched him.

"We could watch Frozen?" Alice smirked from behind her beer bottle.

"God no," Joel chuckled as he plated up some rice and veggies. "Ellie has been playing it non stop since she found the dvd in one of the cupboards last week. If I have to hear Let it Go one more time, I'm gonna loose it."

Alice chuckled.

"So she's a musicals fan?" She grinned.

"Her and Dina kept skipping back to Let it Go over and over again," Joel grumbled, handing Alice a plate. "It was awful. I love that kid but god that movie is annoying."

"I know," Alice chuckled. "Sorry I suggested it. What do you want to watch?"

Joel shrugged thoughtfully as he shovelled a forkful into his mouth. Alice smiled as she watched him think, his brow furrowed. He looked up and she turned her attention awkwardly back to her plate; taking a bite before he spoke.

"I'm leaving next week," Joel piped up after a few minutes, snapping Alice out of her trance. "I'm going back to Boston."

"What?" Alice turned to face him, crossing her legs underneath her. " Why? You only just got here!"

Joel sighed, taking a deep breath before he spoke.

"There's a group of Fireflies in UEC, Tommy reckons," Joel began. "He's gonna take Ellie there."

"Why?"

"Ellie...she's...she's not like normal kids," Joel stammered, scratching his head. "I met her when Tess and me were asked to smuggle her to some fireflies who were researching a cure."

"A cure for wha...oh..."

Joel nodded slowly.

"She was bitten and never developed any symptoms so people think she's immune," Joel explained. "After Tess sacrificed herself, I knew I had to make sure I got Ellie to where she needed to go."

Alice was deep in thought but she nodded slowly.

"Plus, Ellie has her heart set on being the saviour to humanity," Joel chuckled. "I just...I just wanted to let you know because...welll..."

Alice nodded again. She knew that Joel felt whatever it was that she was feeling too. They both knew there was something there but Joel was trying to play the adult and not get too attached.

"I know..." she sighed. " If you're feeling whatever I'm feeling, you don't want to get attached." Joel nodded.

"Mhm..."

Alice took a deep breath and the pair sat in silence for a moment. She looked into his electric blue eyes which were rich with sincerity and she felt a dull ache in her chest. Without thinking, Alice reached out and gently stroked Joel's rough cheek. He leaned into her touch and she kissed his cheek softly before the pair broke apart and Alice hopped down from the counter. She plastered a fake smile on her face as she washed her dish before she turned back to Joel.

"So, what movie are we putting on next?"

The sun was slowly rising over the houses of Jackson and filling the living room with a soft glow. Alice and Joel were buried under piles of blankets, Alice with her head resting on Joel's shoulder and his arm settled on her knee. They were both fast asleep and the television was quietly playing the title card of the last movie on a loop.

Alice stirred softly and her eyes fluttered open, squinting at the sunlight. She looked around, slightly disoriented, before she saw Joel and remembered where she was. She smiled gently as she scanned his features. He was so peaceful, all the tension from the day gone. His skin was scarred and puckered from sun exposure, fights and infected. His beard and hair had flecks of grey but he still looked young. She smiled, stroking his cheek softly before she pulled herself off the sofa and headed into his kitchen.

She started digging in the cupboards until she found a secret coffee stash hidden in the bread bin. Alice chuckled as she pulled it out and filled the kettle up with water. She set it to boil and pulled two mugs out from the cupboard. Alice made two mugs of steaming coffee and headed back to the living room to rouse Joel. He was stirring as she returned. Sitting down beside him on the sofa, she held out his mug of coffee.

"Mhm..." he murmured before the scent of the coffee woke him properly. "How'd you find my secret stash?" Alice chuckled as she took a sip of her own mug.

"You're not the best at hiding it," she smiled. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before the door flew open and Ellie burst in.

"It's only me!" She called, looking around. "I forgot my maths book...oh."

She set her eyes on Joel and Alice and stopped dead where she was standing.

"Morning," Joel said.

"Yeah," Ellie said, eyeing Alice before slowly making her way towards the stairs. She scrambled up the stairs and Alice chuckled.

"I should get going," she said, finishing the last of her coffee. "I have to open the clinic in an hour."

"Oh...right...sure," Joel said, looking slightly taken aback.

"But this was fun," she smiled. "We should do this again before you guys have to leave!" Alice got to her feet and headed back to the kitchen to wash her mug. She turned around and saw Joel standing in the doorway, watching her. "What?"

"Nothing," he chuckled. Alice watched cautiously as he stepped forward before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug. Resting her head against his chest, Alice wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes. Alice breathed in his heady, musky scent slowly, trying her hardest to commit the scent to memory for when he's gone.

The pair stood in the kitchen, wrapped in each others embrace as the sun rose over Jackson.