Consequence

Chapter Four

Ellie was tired. She'd barely slept since Joel's attack and whenever she did, she only ever found herself back there. Pinned to the floor and forced to watch as those fuckers slowly tortured him,  as his screams echoed in her head till she woke in a cold sweat. It had been a couple of weeks since she'd heard that Joel had been sent home but she'd done everything she could to avoid crossing paths with the man. She was already carrying enough guilt without seeing the vacant look in his eyes. She knew it would just make her feel a thousand times worse. In her mind this had all happened because of her. The Fireflies had only gone after Joel because of what he had done to protect her. She had wanted to be angry for so long but now it just seemed pointless. How could she be mad at Joel for something he didn't even remember doing?! He didn't know her, she was now just a stranger that had been a part of the rescue that brought him back to Jackson as far as he was concerned.

Even now the girl felt numb, it was the first time in days that she actually managed to venture from her room without instantly wanting to retreat back, to once again shut out the world. But she had a job to do and she was determined to do it. If not for her own sake, then for her mother's.

"Okay that's done, what's next?" Dina asked pulling her girlfriend from her thoughts. Ellie looked back in her direction, moving to the table by the front of the barn for the papers her mom had written for her. "Feed, I think...you remember who has what?"

The young brunette scoffed cockily with a smug grin. "Of course I remember!" She dismissed with a wave of a hand as she walked towards the feed room. While Ellie just rolled her eyes as she followed. "Rightttt, because I'm sure Max didn't write it all down for you? TWICE!" She could only laugh as Dina flipped her off walking through the door.

Later on as the two finished up tending to the last of the horses, heads bowed and noses snuffling in buckets, it quickly became quiet. All except the sound of the animals slurping and chomping at their breakfast. Ellie found it strangely calming as she and Dina sat and waited for them to finish before continuing on with their jobs.

"How's Ada?" Dina asked quietly with her head leaning on Ellie's shoulder. "Not great, I told her to take a couple days off." She sighed heavily. Her mother had been holding it in, pretending she was able to cope, that she was strong enough to deal with everything that was happening. In truth, Ada blamed herself just as much as her daughter did for what happened to Joel. Perhaps even more so, considering she had been right by his side at the time, supporting his every decision only to now watch him suffer the consequences of them alone. Ellie had had the idea of giving her mom some time at home away from the town gossip and the constant looks, pitiful or otherwise.

The teen knew from first hand experience what it was like to be the talk of the town and she wanted to spare her mother from as much of that as she could...even if it was just a couple of a days.

"Ohh so that's why we're on yard duty then?" Dina yawned. Her arms reaching out above her head as she stretched and rose to her feet to peer over Japan's stable door. The gelding nickering affectionately when she spotted her.

"Yeah but it's not that bad; you get to spend all day with your boy."

"That's true; isn't that right baby?" She cooed patting Japan softly on his neck as the gelding whined, almost agreeing with his owner.

"I swear you love that horse more than me."

"I do...but you come in at a close second."

"Gee thanks." The redhead mumbled sarcastically with folded arms.

Ellie smiled holding back a laugh when the horse rubbed his feed covered nose against Dina's arm, her girlfriend yelping in surprise at the mess slobbered against her clothes.