Chapter Text
They had both already looked forward to their little hunting trip since weeks. Actually, since the moment they had started to talk about it, since the moment they had decided it. Because they both needed this, to just be away from Jackson for a few days. To be away from the community and their responsibilities, even though they both loved their new lives.
But from time to time, they just needed to be them. Joel and Ellie.
Joel did call it like the good old days, even though those days back then on the road hadn’t always been good. But this trip with his girl together meant a lot to him. It was just the two of them, like it was supposed to be.
And even though he was aware of that Ellie didn’t love Jackson, Tommy, Maria, their baby boy and everyone and everything that came with their new life any less, Joel could still tell that she was as happy as him to be outside the walls together again after such a long time.
They hadn’t planned anything big, just a little trip over the weekend. Two nights under the stars, to go hunting, to practice Ellie’s skills with the bow and arrow and to just have some quality time together.
Everything had been great indeed for the first one and a half day. Joel did really enjoy their time together and he could tell that Ellie felt the same, until they crossed ways with a stranger.
Of course, they had chosen an area for their trip that was safe and clear and got patrolled at least once every week, since they won’t take any unnecessary risks. So the chance to pass another human being out here was very low, why Joel had first assumed that Ellie had heard a rabbit or maybe even a deer nearby.
His hearing got worse and worse with every year, but Ellie was almost as good at hunting as him and Tommy by now, so he didn’t have to worry too much about it as long as his girl was close to him.
The thought that it could be something else than an animal, that it could be danger coming right into their direction, hadn’t even crossed his mind. God, Jackson had really made him soft in the meantime, when not even weak and reckless.
But even though Joel hadn’t expected anything else than an animal hiding behind those bushes, he had still raised his rifle, just like Ellie had done with her bow and arrow.
Maybe he hadn’t already lost all his survival instincts, because the moment he spotted the man stumbling out from behind those bushes, Joel could feel his heart beating instantly faster and he narrowed his eyes at him, ready to shoot.
But the stranger didn’t seem to have noticed their presence so far as well, since he looked as shocked as Joel did when he finally spotted them a few feet away, their weapons aimed at him. The man didn’t raise his hands in surrender, but at least he kept standing still right where he was, slightly waving from one side to the other.
He looked like he had been through hell and back. His eyes were blood shot, like they hadn’t seen any sleep in days. Also the skin right under his hollow eyes was dark, his beard and hair unkempt.
His face, arms, hands and every part of his skin that wasn’t covered by those old, dirty clothes he was wearing, was covered with dirt, wounds and bruises. And Joel did bet that the skin underneath that white tank top, torn flannel and holey jeans didn’t look any better.
The man was slightly taller than him, but probably just as broad as him. He looked intimidating. He also looked like he hadn’t showered nor eaten properly in weeks. If Joel was serious, he already looked more dead than alive to him.
The stranger still kept on standing there a few feet away from them, not saying a word and not making any movement. As far as Joel could tell, he was unarmed, there was only a small hunting knife hanging by his hip.
The man just stood there, stared at him and something told him that he forced himself to not fall over, while Joel had his eyes fixed on him, waiting for just the slightest movement of the man to pull the trigger.
“Joel.”
He could suddenly hear Ellie whispering his name next to him, but he still kept his eyes narrowed at the stranger, making sure that he won’t try anything, even though he looked like he was moments away from fainting, but you never knew.
Joel had no clue what to do. Should he let the man keep going, since he probably won’t make it for much longer anyway, but still risk getting someone hurt or maybe even killed by his hands, or should he make it a quick end and kill the man right here and now?
Because he wouldn’t want Ellie to be outside here for any longer with knowing that another man was stumbling around. But he also didn’t want her to see him killing the stranger, because Joel knew he just had to. There had actually never been another choice.
Why he just wanted to tell her to get away from here, since she shouldn’t have to witness this, when Ellie called his name once again. Firmer and more demanding this time, but also kind of pleading, since she knew what he was thinking and she could also already assume his next move.
“Joel.”
He finally glanced over at her when he saw her lowering her bow from the corner of his eyes. But before he could even ask himself why the hell she was doing this, Ellie gestured with a head move towards at the stranger.
And only then Joel noticed a little girl hiding half behind the man, only daring to peek up at them with those big, scared eyes of hers.
Fuck.
He couldn’t kill the man, he just couldn’t. It was no option anymore, even though Joel didn’t like the thought to let him go either.
He had still narrowed his eyes at the stranger, warning him to not try anything, when he could feel Ellie plugging onto the sleeve of his jacket. She wanted him to lower his weapon as well, since he was scaring that little girl.
Finally, Joel did lower his riffle indeed, even though he didn’t like it at all. But to see the fear written in that little girl’s eyes, while she clutched herself against her father, caused his heart to ache for her.
After a few more moments of glaring at each other, Joel finally nodded at the man, who did eventually return it. Taking Ellie by her arm, Joel stepped out of their way so they could continue and they hopefully won’t ever cross paths again.
He could watch the stranger taking a deep breath through, before he put his arm around the little girl’s shoulders in protection and pushed her gently forwards. He probably wanted to get his girl away from this situation as fast as Joel wanted to get Ellie away from here as well.
To his surprise, the little girl looked way more well-groomed than her father, her skin and clothes not that dirty and her little body unharmed. And even though the man was way too thin, the girl looked well-fed, as well-fed as someone could look outside here.
Joel had pity with the little girl, remembering him so much about Ellie back then with the girl being not much younger than she had been back then when they had met in Boston. But he suddenly also had pity with the man, because even though he didn’t know him nor his backstory, he could still tell that he was doing his best to keep his girl safe and alive.
Just like a caring father would do. Joel knew what it meant to be responsible for someone, to have someone to take care of and who depended on you in this world.
To Joel, the man looked like he would do everything for his girl, that he would give her his last food, his last water, his last breath. Just like Joel would do for Ellie. He knew how hard it was to take care of a child in this world and especially outside here. A child like her deserved a safe place to be, a place where she could be a child.
Also Ellie was watching the two of them slowly limping away, she had the same look in her face like Joel. And according to her unexpected next words, she had also been thinking the same as him.
“Don’t go into that direction.” Joel could suddenly hear Ellie saying next to him out of nowhere. “Go north, about four hours away from here is a town.”
“Ellie.”
Joel hissed, but it didn’t stop his girl to continue.
“It’s called Jackson. You will be safe there. Tell them Joel and Ellie have sent you.”
Joel held his breath. He could understand why Ellie had the need to help them, but to give strangers information about Jackson wasn’t only against their rules but also against Joel’s instincts. Yeah, he felt sorry for them as well, but they just couldn’t let in everyone that crossed their way.
Luckily, the man had only stopped for one quick moment by Ellie’s words, before he continued their way without responding anything or just glancing back at them. But the girl did look back at them, she looked even kind of pleading at them. She knew her father needed help and that they were able to help them.
And even though it felt wrong to not do so, hell Joel even felt kind of sick with just staring back at the girl without doing anything to help her or her father, he stayed steadfast, until she turned back around and they watched the two of them slowly walking away.
Only when they were finally out of sight, Joel took a deep breath through again. He hadn’t even noticed that his heart had been racing like that and that he had held his breath in tension. Ellie was still looking at the direction they had left, the pity and regret was written in her face.
“We shouldn’t have let them go.”
She finally said with a small voice and part of Joel knew she was right, but the part that wanted to protect and keep her safe was still louder in the end.
“C’mon, let’s get away from here.”
~~~~
“I know you think I shouldn’t have done that, but they needed help.” Ellie was aware of that it was pointless, also because it was already hours ago since they had let the father and his daughter go, but she still couldn’t stop to think about them. “If you had been him, you would have been relieved about the possibility to take me to safety as well.”
Ellie was aware of that Joel knew that she was right, that he would have been thankful for help as well, if he had been in those stranger’s shoes. He just couldn’t deny that.
“Yeah, but we don’t know them.” Ellie rolled her eyes with hearing so. “And he also didn’t seem like the guy who listens to a child to me anyway.” Joel added and if she wanted it or not, but she had to give him that, since the man hadn’t even reacted to her offer. He had just continued to stumble into the wrong direction.
“Yeah, just like you.”
Ellie gave Joel a glare, but couldn’t hide her smile for long with teasing him.
But that smile on her lips quickly faded away again when she looked back over her shoulder for one more time, even though there were already miles between them and the father daughter duo.
Not even thirty minutes later, Ellie did make out another noise coming closer, right into their direction and this time Joel had been able to hear it as well. He quickly shoved her behind some rocks, gesturing to her to keep quiet and get her knife out.
Two raiders walked right past them. They didn’t seem to be in a hurry, they even looked like they were in a good, cheerful mood with laughing so loud that everyone in the area could already hear them from miles away.
“Fuck, finally some fun again tonight.”
The man in the dark jacket yelped in excitement.
“Hell yeah, it’s been a while.” The man with the bandana around his neck returned with a disgusting smirk on his lips. “John said the man won’t make it for much longer. But the girl in turn..”
The disgusting smirk on the man’s lips only increased with saying so and also the other man breathed out a laugh and rubbed his hands in anticipation.
Ellie’s heart stopped with hearing so. With a tensed body and widened eyes, she had to realize that those raiders were talking about the father and his daughter. She could tell that Joel was thinking the same, when she glanced worriedly over at him.
Ellie’s last hope about that the stranger had maybe still listened to her in the end and had changed directions to go to Jackson, like she had told him to do, had died right in that moment.
“It’s a pity we can’t already start with the fun.”
Ellie began to feel sick, because she knew what they were talking about, about what they wanted to do to that poor, little girl.
“Shit yeah. But we could kill her father in the meantime, so the fun can start as soon as the boss gets there.” Ellie could tell that Joel was trying to swallow down the bile rising in his mouth as well. “He will be thrilled about his new pet.”
Hearing this triggered something in both of them. Joel was clutching his rifle tighter than necessary, blinking rapidly to get rid of those dark spots in his vision and Ellie’s breathing was way too fast, just like her heart hammering against her ribcage.
They couldn’t let this happen, they just couldn’t. Ellie felt kind of responsible for them, especially for that little girl. She should have convinced them to go to Jackson, hell they should have leaded the father and his daughter right to safety that came with Jackson, so they would have never been captured in the first place.
Because the little girl shouldn’t make the same experience as Ellie had made or even worse. She even saw it as her duty to do everything in her power to safe that girl and also her father. Ellie won’t ever let this happen to another girl, not when she was able to prevent it.
When Ellie was finally able to look over at Joel, she could tell that he knew what she was thinking. And even though she was also aware of that he didn’t like it at all, he was still willing to help her to save them.
Hopefully they won’t come too late.