New family, New Love

Chapter Four

*Ellis' POV*
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I lay back down, attempting to go back to sleep when I suddenly just feel more awake, I sighed as I laid here holding Ellie in my arms as she softly snored. I looked around and saw another blanket next to me, I picked it up carefully, trying not to wake the sleeping girl and then laid it over her body. She snuggled into me more I smiled rubbing her back in a comforting way.

After about 30 minutes, Nick came back into the safe room, he looked a tiny bit upset still but he looked okay. I understand his frustration, being a single dad and then having to live in fear for his life and his daughter's life constantly is stressful. I know he's stressed with constantly worrying about Ellie, and it's tough. I just want to help him in any way I can, because he seems like a great guy.

It was starting to get bright out, I don't exactly know what time it is, but it is early. I figured one of us could go scavenge for more food and water and anything else that'll be useful for us before we continue on, but we got everything we needed yesterday so it should be fine.

"You okay El?" I heard Nick ask as he looked over to me, I nodded. "Yeah I'm fine, thanks for asking." I said with a smile he nodded and gave back a smile. "How are you holdin' up?" I asked he sighed. "It's stressful, having to worry about my daughters well being, her health. Basically her life. It's only been a few days since this whole thing happened, but everyday since this whole thing happened I've feared for my daughters life...feared for my life..." he said sadly I sighed and nodded.

"Nick y'know that I am here and I will help you take care of Ellie. I will protect the both of you because since you both been here, this whole thing has been a little less shitty for me. Knowing that you're daughter remains happy in this type of situation is what gives me hope to continue on so we all can get to safety. She's what gives us all that hope and motivation to fight our way to safety. I promise you Nick that I'll protect you and her as best as I can" I replied, he sighed and nodded. Tears filling his eyes. He wiped them away and nodded, looking at me once again.

"I can't thank you enough Ellis. I was so afraid of what I could do to protect my daughter and myself. I thought it was just going to be her and I. But i was so relieved to meet you guys and i felt even more relieved when you guys were willing to take us along and help me protect and take care of her. I can't thank you guys enough for helping me with my daughter and protecting her like she's your own" Nick said sadly I walked over to him and had him stand up then hugged him, he was a little shocked but then he hugged back, I felt my shirt wet. He was crying. I felt bad and I start rubbing his back in a comforting way, whispering comforting words to him. He sobbed into my arms.

He pulled away and wiped his tears, sniffling as he sighed. "I just hope you know how thankful I am for you guys, helping me take care of my daughter and protect her" he said I nodded. "Of course I know, you're always thanking us or it just shows." I said as chuckled he smiled and nodded, scratching the back of his head. "You should try get more sleep overalls, it's gonna be a long day looking for the evac center" he said. "Nah I'm good, I slept for a few hours anyway so I'll be fine, but you should get some sleep suit" I said, replying with a nickname like he had given me, he chuckled and nodded "Okay" was all he said before laying down, back facing me. Soon enough I heard his soft snoring and smiled. I laid there, thinking about my bestfriend Keith and family that made it out. I was with them, but I made them go so they could get evacuated. I told them I would meet them wherever the safe place they were brought to, was. But I haven't gotten there yet. We missed the last helicopter that was on the roof of a hotel. But I'm kind of glad I didn't make the last helicopter, because I have these people in my life as we fight our way through this, to safety.

I sighed, as i began to realize how much i miss keith and ma and pa. I never really had time to think about them or miss them, as I been busy for about two days now, killing infected and basically just fearing for my life. For Ellie's Life. For Nick's life. They're the ones I worry about most. I don't know why exactly, it just is that way. I looked around the safe room and then moved Ellie to lay with Nick, he moved her closer as she cuddled into her dad. I smiled and walked over to the door leading into the mall, seeing it trashed and empty, and quiet. I sighed and decided I'd walk around on the first floor of the mall for something useful, I opened the door as quiet as I could, taking the bar with me and closing the door. I walked around finding pain pills, adrenaline shots and melee weapons. I stuffed them in my bag and brought it back to the safehouse. As I was walking in and closing the door, I heard a small yawn, I turned to look and saw that Ellie was awake, she was rubbing her eyes as she yawned and looked over at me.

"Were you out there?" She asked, as she pointed to the door I just had walked in. I nodded and showed her my back pack. "I went to look for more things that could be useful for us, I found some stuff that will help us" I said with a smile, she nodded and looked at the three sleeping teammates. "I'm hungry" she said, I walked over to our food and water bag and dug through it, finding canned food and chips, and granola bars. "Hey kiddo, come pick out what you wanna eat" I said she walked over and looked in the bag, she then took a bag of chips, went and sat on the table and munched on them, swinging her legs back and forth. "After you're done, we'll wake them up and continue on okay?" I said, she nodded with a smile and continued eating the chips.

*Time Skip*

I sighed, as there was no other way to the safehouse then to alert the mall alarm which would cause a horde to come. We had gone through the back hallways of the mall, and walked into a toy store. The only way out was to break the window, which would sound the alarm and cause all of the Infected to come. I was worried about how Ellie would be considering she's smaller and can't run as fast as us adults can. I sighed, taking my hat off and running my hands through my hair. "How are we gonna run to the alarm, fighting off Infected while protecting Ellie? She's smaller, she can't run as fast as us adults can and I don't know if any one of us can carry her and run" I said. Coach put his gun away, pulling out his pistol. "I can carry her" he said. We agreed to let him do it and broke the window, causing the alarm to go off and the sound of a horde was heard.

Time to run.