Flicker||TLOUII {Joel x Reader}

•18•

Long chapter long chapter long chapter

2 years earlier

(Y/N) slows her horse down, relief crossing her features once she realises that Ellie was safe. "Ellie!" She shouts, jumping off and pulling her into a hug.

"The hell were you thinking? Running off in the middle of the night like that, you had Joel worried sick." The ex Firefly pulls back, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. "You talk to me." She whispers.

"Anyway, what's with the note, that was all?" (Y/N) questions and Ellie pushes her off.

"Tell me... what happened here." Ellie orders, her voice was low but it was commanding and (Y/N) looks at her surroundings and the lies she had told here.

Ellie notices how she was holding something back. "If you lie to me one more time. I'm gone. You and Joel will never see me again. But if you tell me the truth, I'll go back to Jackson. No matter what it is."

(Y/N) struggles over her words, running a shaky hand through her hair and she wishes Joel had come with her, instead of her volunteering to find her alone.

"Just say it." Ellie pleads. "(Y/N)."

The woman can't bring herself to look at her, but she nods slightly, taking a deep breath. "Making a vaccine..." she starts, her eyes wandering the ground. "Would have killed you."

(Y/N) looks up, her tears glistening. "So we stopped them." She says and Ellie can't quite believe it, taking a few steps back, sitting back down and struggling to breath as she cries.

With her own tears falling, (Y/N) goes to place a hand on her shoulder when the teenager stands abruptly. "Don't you fucking touch me!"

She retracts her hand, just standing there and Ellie eyes her. "I'll go back. But I'm done with you and Joel." She tells her, grabbing her bag and storming off.

**
Seattle, Day 3

Joel comes back from his talk with Jesse and Dina, sitting down beside his wife who was wrapped up in a blanket.

He gently brushes her hair back, leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. The subtle gestures awakens her and she leans on her elbow, yawning slightly.

"Jesse tells me you can't keep your water down. He's concerned and so am I. Why didn't you wake me?" He mutters to her.

"I told him. You need sleep too, sweetheart." She whispers, caressing his cheek as she sits up.

"We're ready to leave if you are." Joel informs her and (Y/N) nods. "Ready as I'll ever be."

***
In the pouring rain, (Y/N) huffs whilst Joel and Dina pull her up on the ledge overlooking the drowned city. Pushing her hood back, she leans on her bow and looks down to the debris. "How are we crossing this?"

"We could use that road." Dina indicates. "It's pretty fucking far."

"Or we use that." Jesse points down to the speedboat cruising along.

The adults follow the teenagers downwards, making their way to the boat and listening to the conversations between the enemy. They could see only one of the WLF on the boat and (Y/N) looks over to Jesse studying outside a gap in the wall.

"We can get to the marina through here." He mutters and she frowns. "No, we're taking the boat."

"You heard them, right? They're talking about Tommy."

"We don't know that."

"Who else is it going to be?" Joel agrees and (Y/N) stares at him. "If it is him, he'll be long gone by the time we get there. Abby is where he'll be headed, so if we just foll-"