Disclaimer: I don't own The Last of Us or any of the characters. They belong to Sony, Naughty Dog and their creators.

"Swear to me." she said, cutting the man off and looking directly at him.

"Swear to me that everything that you said about the Fireflies is true."

He doesn't respond immediately and the man takes a small breath as he readjusts his stance ever so slightly.

She has seen this hesitation before: in their first confrontation back at the ranch house when he decided to drop her off on his brother, Tommy, for the remainder of the destination. Joel, the man in question, took a moment's pause before telling the girl that his brother would be more familiar in the territory, and Ellie saw right through his lie.

She now watches him strengthen his resolve after a blink. Five seconds in, and she already saw it.

"I swear." He says and he looks right back at her with the expectation to accept his given response.

Ellie searched Joel's hazel eyes.

This man was thrust into her life almost a year ago, and he could've just said no. Well – he did initially – but however reluctant he was to have her by his side, he always went out of his way to make sure she was safe.

No matter how many times she's watched Joel blow an infected's head off with a shotgun or set a group of hunters aflame with a Molotov cocktail, this is the same guy who'd call out when he found another edition of Savage Starlight for her to read and then swim out to look for a palette so she could get across a pool of water. After all these months, she's still trying to figure him out, but maybe she didn't have to anymore. They've been through thick and thin together; saved each other; laughed together; fought side by side; and grew to accept one another in this world where there seemed to be more bad than good around them.

Her cyan-coloured eyes looks away momentarily.

During her wait for the drowsiness to wear off, Ellie had looked down at the stupid blue, polka-dotted dress that she woke up to. The smell of sterilization and alcohol still clung to it and she grasped the thin cotton and paper material lightly.

So they made it to the hospital, but she wakes up in the back of a car to her system being pumped with drugs and an ugly gown to boot. Was something supposed to happen? Ellie is not entirely sure of the procedures, but she's read a few articles to understand that doctors and nurses would be involved during this process. Had they taken samples of her blood only to reject her like Joel said?

Still, she didn't question her protector about it and before she could contemplate further on the subject, Joel pulled up to an empty gas station for her to change. Unlike the rest of the items in her backpack that she kept for reminiscence sake, she discarded the one object that told her that their entire journey was a waste.

But had it all really been for nothing?

Endure and Survive.

Everything happens for a reason.

No matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.

I'm scared of ending up alone.

Ellie looks back up at Joel. The one person who has been her only constant, longer than anyone else has ever had. He's offered her nothing more than his protection, stability, the acceptance into his life, and his ever growing love for her. Now he asks for her trust.

"Okay."

Because she can never deny that view.

I was one of many who felt a gaping hole develop in my chest as I stared at the rolling credits. I love The Last of Us but it constantly leaves me with heavy sighs after each play through – in a good, impactful way, though. This is one story that will stick with me and this is my take on the ending. Have a wonderful morning, noon, evening, or night, wherever you may be.

Lemme know what you think!
-FlexibleFish-