AN: Hello again everyone. Here is the first chapter of Their Purpose 2. It took me quite awhile to actually get started because I struggled with the beginning. However, once I got going, everything just sort of flowed. I really enjoyed writing this and thus got kind of carried away, so it's really long, but I hope you won't mind. It feels good knowing I can freely explore some more themes and what I imagine would take place after the end of the game without any constraints. Thank you again everyone for reading my first story, if you did, and thank you for taking the time to read this one. Here we go!

Ellie felt her heart rip in two.

One half was filled to the brim with every ounce of good that formed during their journey. The affection, the trust between them, how much she cared for him, the attachment, the tingle she got in her stomach while snuggled next to him at night and each time he called her baby girl, the knowledge that her greatest fear would never come to fruition, and lastly, the budding of this new feeling, love, all formed a special nook in her heart. He became the center of her universe and she became his. There were moments during their travels when she thought her purpose and reason for living no longer originated from her destiny to save mankind, but from him. But the thoughts were always fleeting, and each time she tried to convince herself they were simply fallacies and nothing more, despite her heart saying otherwise.

The other half rapidly filled with resentment. In this moment, she hated him. She knew he was lying. He had to be lying. She woke up in the backseat of a car, dressed in a hospital gown, woozy from what were, apparently, drugs. Drugs for what? Who drugged her and why? So much of his explanation didn't add up. She was smarter than that and her extremely sharp intuition only enhanced her skepticism. This man, who she trusted implicitly with her life, with her well-being, lied directly to her face. She felt as if her opinions and thoughts didn't matter, as if her feelings were no longer important to him. Most of all, she wondered why he lied to her. What was his reasoning? He must have had a reason, he had to, but how long would he keep her in the dark?

The smallest part of her even felt he robbed her of her purpose. The intensity of the passionate rage that smoldered within urged her to simply turn around and run away. But she couldn't. That would kill him, she knew it would. She tip-toed along the fine line of two, extreme emotions, love and hate. Joel, this man that became her father, she adored him, she possibly even loved him, but at this moment she hated and loathed him all at the same time. Each feeling canceled out the other, thus causing her lips to utter the most simplistic and unassuming of responses.

Okay.

Joel's insides twisted and turned. Her succinct response didn't convey the same level of belief he envisioned her having, and he felt as if someone kicked him in the stomach. The smallest, most hopeful part of him, thought she one-hundred percent believed him, but he knew that wasn't true. He knew she was sharper than that. She had a radar for these kind of things, a radar more acute than anyone else he encountered during his lifetime. She saw through him back at the ranch house, when he nearly left her, and she saw right through him now.

He was relieved to see her still standing there, looking into his eyes, as opposed to sprinting in the other direction. He could sense the newly formed tension between them already grating on his heart, and he tried to convince himself she would understand if he told her the truth. He had to tell her, eventually. He just didn't know how or when. His pessimism lured his mind to the worst imaginable place. Once she found out, regardless of how, she would leave him. She would run away, or worse. This girl that became his daughter, the one thing he loved more than life itself, his purpose, would leave him. He would lose his baby girl again and that alone would kill him. Literally. He wasn't about to break his promise to protect her at all costs, even if it meant protecting her from herself.

"Now c'mon - we're almost there," he said as he slowly turned around, worried she wouldn't follow.

Ellie sighed. "Yeah - yeah we are."

She walked a few paces behind him, still lost in her thoughts. For the first time since fate brought him to her, and her to him, she felt an uneasy distrust forming in the depths of her mind. She didn't like it. It made her feel distant, as if she were being pushed away. It even made her feel alone.

As they approached the compound, Joel stopped and tried to see who stood in the nearest guard tower. He brought a hand to his forehead to block out the sun and the image of his brother, Tommy, leaning against the guardrail with his rifle, became visible. He immediately quickened to a light jog, motioning his hand for Ellie to follow.

"It's Tommy," he said over a shoulder.

Ellie remained on his heels as they approached the wall.

"Hold it right - " Tommy started. "Holy shit - I don't believe it. Joel? Ellie?"

Joel placed both hands on his hips and looked up at Tommy. "How you doin' little brother?" he said loudly.

Tommy slung his rifle over a shoulder and his eyes widened from the combination of surprise and awe. As far as he was concerned, Joel and Ellie didn't make it. He accepted, awhile ago, that he would never see them again.

"Goddamn - hang on right there... I'm comin' down!"

Joel and Ellie heard the soles of Tommy's boots bang on the metal stairs after each step. Once he reached the bottom, they heard him speak into his radio as he walked around to the front gate.

"Maria - Maria come in. You gotta get out here. It's - Joel and Ellie... they're back."

Joel turned around, hoping to see Ellie's mood improve after reaching their destination, their new home.

"We made it - we're here."

Ellie forced herself to smile. "Heh... yeah 'bout time I guess."

He could tell she was still bothered by his earlier lie and worried their relationship would be strained for the rest of the evening, perhaps even week, or even month, he wasn't sure. Every fiber in his being wished she would just accept it and let things go back to normal, without him having to tell her the truth of course.

They walked around the perimeter towards the front gate to meet Tommy. The large, metal gate screeched and groaned as it slowly swiveled its way open. Out came Tommy and Maria.

"Holy hell... we thought - " Tommy started, as he and Maria approached them. "We never thought we'd - " Maria softly smacked him on the side of the arm.

"Right... I don't even know what to say - it's... it's so fuckin' good to see you two, goddamn."

Ellie watched Joel and Tommy embrace with a brotherly hug and she simply nodded at Maria.

"Ellie! We're... like Tommy said... there aren't words to describe how happy we are to see you. I can't believe this is real, that this is actually happening."

Ellie let out a forced laugh. "Yeah I know... pretty crazy. We're glad to be back - finally be done with it all." She didn't entirely feel that way. A part of her wished it was still just the two of them on the road, traveling towards their end-goal. This was their collective second chance though, their luck hadn't run out, and she would be foolish to scoff at this gift of good fortune. Bug talking to, and relating with other human beings aside from Joel felt strange to her. It was difficult to accept that Tommy and Maria had the best of intentions and posed no threat.

Tommy took a step back and looked at Maria then glanced at the two weary travelers.

"Ya know... we're 'bout to have dinner in a couple hours. Why don't you two join us - stay with us for the night, then tomorrow we'll worry 'bout everything else. Whaddya say?"

"Ellie - you hungry?" Maria asked.

Ellie simply looked at Joel, waiting for his response. As chaotic and angry the tempest of emotions that raged within her were, she still followed his every move and word.

He returned her stare with his then finally spoke, breaking the awkward silence between the four of them. "Well - go on then, Tommy kindly asked us to join 'em for dinner. If we're gonna be livin' a normal life ya gotta learn some manners," he said with a smirk and a wink as he rubbed a hand through her hair.

"Oh - yeah... yeah that sounds great, thanks," Ellie said.

"Great - c'mon we'll give ya the quick tour on the way home," Tommy said as he and Maria turned around to make their way back inside the compound.

Home.

That was something neither of them were familiar with. The concept was completely foreign, and they forgot what it meant to really have a home.

They walked through the open gate, entering the compound, and were immediately in awe of their surroundings. Small houses lined a narrow road that extended for about a mile. There was no garbage, no bodies, no blood and no abandoned cars and trucks that lined the street. Everything was relatively clean and each house was in good condition.

Ellie looked to her left and spotted a man rocking back and forth in a chair on his front porch while reading a book. The whole town seemed so peaceful, even surreal, and she couldn't believe a place like this even existed on planet earth anymore. The air actually smelled fresh and crisp, and the usual scent of death that her and Joel became used to didn't waft into her nose after each gust of wind.

But despite being safe inside the compound, away from Infected, hunters and bandits, their senses were still sharply aware of everything around them. Every sound and sudden movement off in the distance immediately pulled her and Joel's attention away from the conversation with Tommy and Maria. Each time a board would creak from a person walking on their porch, or a bush rustled in the wind, their hearts would skip a beat as it became instinct to assume the worst. It was going to take quite some time before both of them would be comfortable enough to completely let their guard down, something that was integral to their sustained survival.

Joel turned to Ellie and sought her approval of their new home. "So Ellie - what you think? Feels a little weird don't it - you know... bein' in a place like this."

"Yeah you said it - no shit. Every sound I hear I - "

"Yep - me too. I reckon it'll take awhile before we're used to it," Joel interrupted, finishing her thought for her.

"It will - but you'll relax eventually. I did - somewhat," Tommy said. He slowed his pace, walking side by side with Joel so they could talk.

Maria pulled up next to Ellie, engaging her in conversation to let the brothers catch up. She had no clue as to what was going through Ellie's mind and was unsure of what to say. She didn't want to pry about their journey, or the multitude of stories they could share. She was sure both of them would fill her in when they were ready.

"So Ellie... we've got some other kids here too. Some are your age - you might get along with 'em. I'll introduce you sometime," Maria said.

Ellie's insides cringed. She knew Maria was trying to be friendly, but the thought of being near strangers and away from Joel made her nervous. She didn't like the thought, a product of the serious damage done to her psyche over the past year.

"Yeah... that'd be nice, thank you," she responded, trying to be polite.

Maria started to speak again, but something else caught Ellie's attention. Maria's voice became an afterthought in the back of her mind as her eyes pierced in front of her. A woman, who appeared to be a few years younger than Joel, stood and watched them as they strolled down the street. She wasn't just watching them, though, she was staring at Joel, intently. Her gaze made Ellie uncomfortable. The protective feelings she developed for him engulfed her as she observed this strange woman's eyes glare at her father. She couldn't logically reason through why it bothered her, but it did. She hated it. She was still upset and angry with Joel, but this new feeling made her just as uncomfortable, and for now made her forget his lie. Within the blink of an eye, all the feelings of attachment and everything that built between them during their journey flooded into her mind, temporarily pushing out the anger and rage she felt over his transgression.

And despite Maria's continued attempt at conversation, Ellie quickened her pace to catch up with Joel and Tommy. She jumped onto Joel's back and let out a playful growl as she rubbed her nose into his neck.

"Agh - jesus Ellie... scared me," he said with a laugh.

Maria and Tommy laughed, admiring the display of affection. Something was different, though, and they both could see it, especially Maria. She carefully observed their interactions, their body language and the tone of their voices. She could tell something changed between them since they were last here in the fall, and it was quickly becoming blatantly clear what that was.

"I'm hungry and tired," Ellie said as she rested her chin on his shoulder, still propped up on his back.

"Yeah me too... hey - how 'bout a piggy back ride? I've never done that for ya have I?" Joel said looking over his shoulder. He was relieved to feel her close again. For a fleeting second, he thought she already forgave him for his horrible lie. But he knew that wasn't true.

"Well... I'm not going anywhere so it's your only option!" Ellie exclaimed with a sarcastic, arrogant sense of pride. She stared down the woman in the distance as she spoke, causing her to turn around and walk away.

Maria and Tommy snickered at Ellie's bombastic tone. They looked at each other and without saying a word both confirmed what they were thinking, something most definitely changed.

"Alright kiddo - ya ready? Hang on, here we go!" Joel said, as he reached both hands behind his back, pushing Ellie's legs higher up. She wrapped both arms around his neck and a large smile stretched across her face.

They continued walking down the street, fondly observing their surroundings. Ellie's previous feelings of animosity towards Joel crept their way back into her mind, but she was enjoying every second of her current experience.

"Here we are - this is us," Tommy said, as he and Maria walked up the steps to a small, two story house. It had a front porch with a bench swing hanging from two chains. The roof was in remarkably good condition and there was even electricity running to the home as the porch light vibrantly glowed.

"Come on in!" Maria exclaimed, motioning her hand, welcoming them inside.

Joel walked up the steps with Ellie plastered to his back and felt a surreal sense of relief wash over him. They were finally finished, completely, with their year long quest.

Ellie sat at the kitchen table, swinging her legs back and forth as she eagerly awaited Maria's home cooked meal. Joel sat to her right and could feel his mouth salivating at the thought of real food. Food that wasn't simply from a can. Maria's cooking smelled divine. She cooked a rabbit stew with carrots, onions, celery and some potatoes. Their stomachs growled in unison and they both let out a quiet laugh among themselves.

"I don't mean to be rude but uhh... food almost up over there?" Joel asked with a half-serious tone.

"Auugghhh - oh my god that smells so good. I'm so hungry!" Ellie said, following Joel's query.

Maria laughed. "Yes - I heard those stomachs of yours... it's ready I'm comin'."

She carried the blistering pot to the table and smiled as she scooped some stew into each bowl on the table. Tommy walked in from the other room, holding a bottle which contained a bronze looking liquid.

"Well Joel... this here is hard to find, so I try to not go through it too quick but - tonight is a special occasion. Figured I'd break this out," he said, handing the bottle to Joel.

"Damn little brother... where'd - it has been way too long - that is a winner." Joel stared at the label, fondly reminiscing on memories of before the outbreak.

Ellie leaned over to inspect Tommy's finding, curious to see what this mysterious liquid was. She read the label out loud.

"Gentleman Jack - what the fuck is Gentleman Jack?"

"Hey! Ellie - like I said, we gotta learn some manners. No swearin' at the dinner table okay?" Joel quickly said paternally, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She blushed with embarrassment. "Oh - right... sorry."

"Ahh... c'mon Joel we ain't in that time anymore, Maria and I don't care," Tommy said with a laugh.

"See! It's fine - right!?" Ellie said, raising her hands up.

"Tssht - I'd still rather you not... anyway it's a type of liquor. It's whiskey, loved the stuff," Joel continued.

Ellie remembered when her and Riley sneaked into the mall on that fateful night. They found some liquor then, and she remembered hating the taste. But it reminded her of that moment and a hint of sadness filled her as she remembered her long lost friend.

"Go on - you two are famished, eat up... I'll poor you a glass."

Tommy's words snapped her out of her thoughts and without hesitation Ellie grabbed her spoon and immediately dove it into the warm, steaming bowl of food. The concept of using a utensil was strange, she was used to shoveling food from a tin can into her mouth with her hands.

"Careful now, it's pretty hot," Maria warned.

Ellie didn't care. She took her first bite and swashed it around in her mouth, feeling the painful heat almost burn her tongue, but relishing the flavor.

"Oh my gosh... dish is sho fucking good."

"Ellie! C'mon kiddo what'd I say... and swallow your damn food before ya talk - Christ," Joel said with a laugh. It was hard for her to take him seriously when the tone of his voice was backed by a playful laugh each time he tried to discipline her in this manner.

She swallowed her first bite.

"I'm sorry! I can't help it!" she said as a slight frown appeared on her face.

Joel reached over and patted her on the back. "I know - it's gonna take awhile it's... it's fine," he said with a smile.

Ellie's frown inverted and she continued scooping the delicious meal into her mouth.

Maria remained carefully observant of Joel and Ellie's interactions, as if she were a scientist meticulously jotting down notes about the wildlife she studied.

"Maria - wow... this is really good. What is it?" Joel asked.

"Just a rabbit stew with some carrots, onions, a little bit of celery and some potatoes," she responded.

"She's a hell of a cook," Tommy said as he screwed the cap back onto the whiskey bottle.

Joel picked up his glass, closed his eyes and smelled the wonderful aroma of the whiskey. He brought it to his lips and took a sip.

"Aaahhh... man - heaven in a glass I'll tell ya that."

"Hell yeah," Tommy responded.

"Okay... let me see what all the fuss is about. Give that here, let me try some," Ellie said.

"Ellie - I don't think that's such a - " Joel started.

"Oh shit Joel c'mon... this ain't before the outbreak - we don't got drinkin' laws here, just let her have a taste."

Joel sighed. "Fine. You're gonna hate it anyway," he said with a smirk as he handed Ellie the beverage.

She slowly dipped her nose into the glass, curiously inspecting this mysterious drink called whiskey. She took a big whiff of the bronze liquid and immediately scrunched her face in disgust.

"Oh god... no. Why!? I don't think so... never mind. That just smells like... I dunno... gasoline."

Tommy and Joel laughed at the witty response and volatile reaction.

"Told ya - it's an acquired taste I guess," Joel said, taking another sip.

They went back to eating Maria's wonderfully prepared meal and savored every bite. The variety of flavors doused their taste buds with each mouthful and they were reminded of Henry's cooking back in Pittsburgh. He could make anything taste good. They felt the warmth of the stew wash down their throats all the way to the lining of their stomachs. It was a wonderful sensation, and their whole bodies began to warm from the liquid. Within minutes, Joel and Ellie cleaned their bowls dry. Ellie brought her sleeve up to wipe her mouth then let out a massive belch.

Joel immediately looked at her and saw her blush. Instead of trying to discipline her once more, he simply smiled and raised his index finger.

"Hang on... I got one too - oh, here it is!"

Joel let out a boisterous belch of his own. It was ear piercing and even caused Ellie to flinch.

Tommy and Ellie burst into laughter as Joel leaned back in his chair, beaming with pride.

"Nice one! Always trying to one up me though huh?" Ellie playfully said, poking Joel on the arm.

Tommy then followed and joined in, letting out a burp of his own.

"Haha well done little brother," Joel said, raising his hand towards him, seeking a high five. Tommy obliged and smacked Joel's hand with his.

"Oh my god... you three should join the band," Maria said with a sarcastic laugh as she scooped her spoon into her bowl.

Joel ran a hand through his hair. "So ya'll grow all your own food? Everything?"

Ellie sat back and crossed her arms, intrigued to learn more about this new place they were about to call home.

"That's right. All of it," Tommy replied.

"What about meat - like this raibbt in the stew here. You must go huntin' or... I dunno - somethin' right?"

Maria wiped her mouth with her napkin, then joined the conversation. "Yeah - we go hunting. Not often though, maybe about once every two weeks a group of us will head out beyond the compound to catch what we can. Dangerous though... still encounter some Infected."

Ellie's mood went somber when she heard that word, Infected. It reminded her of Joel's lie and the perception that she ultimately failed her mission. The Infected were supposed to be eventually wiped out because of her immunity, but she knew, now, that wasn't going to happen. Joel glanced over to Ellie and saw her eyes droop down towards the floor.

Tommy followed Maria's response with one of his own. "Yeah last week we were out there and we ran into a - "

Joel interrupted him, rescuing Ellie from hearing more words that would spiral her mind down a dark hole. "Not tonight Tommy... no Infected talk alright? Enjoy the fact we're here, yeah?"

"Oh... yeah sure. Of course," Tommy said before taking his last bite of food.

Maria noticed Ellie's change of expression and tried to revert it.

"You get enough food Ellie? I can put together somethin' else for ya if you like. Maybe some dessert?"

Ellie quickly perked her head up in reaction and smiled. "Oh no... it's fine. I'm great now, it was really good."

"Thank you, Maria. It was great," Joel said, hoping Ellie would express her gratitude as well.

"Yes, thank you very much," she said, sensing the motivation behind his words.

Joel looked at her and smiled, but she didn't return his eye contact with hers.

Maria got up and began clearing the table as they all talked. Ellie and Joel asked them more questions about the compound, curious to know what their role would be in this new world. Tommy assured them that tomorrow they would get the full tour and would find them a place to live of their own. A place they could finally call home.

After a few minutes, Joel tipped his glass up, taking his last sip of whiskey.

"Damn that's good... pour me another one will ya?" he said, motioning his empty glass towards Tommy.

"Sure thing," Tommy said, reaching for the bottle.

The hours of the evening passed, and the moon shined bright in the sky. Joel, Tommy and Maria still remained at the table. Ellie, wrapped in a soft blanket, dozed off on the couch nearby. Tommy suggested they play cards. Joel tried to teach Ellie how to play, but before long, her full belly of food and exhaustion from their journey set into her bones. The mental capacity required to learn the rules of this new game called poker was too much, and her eyelids began to wilt. She eventually excused herself and walked the ten feet to the couch to lie down, quickly dozing off. Maria suggested she could go straight to bed, upstairs in the spare room, but she didn't want to fall asleep away from Joel. As long as he was still within eyesight, she was okay.

"It's to you Maria," Tommy said.

Maria intensely stared at her cards, flicking their edges with her finger as she pondered her next decision. "Yeah - yeah I know... hang on." She sighed, then threw her cards face down on the table.

"Fold... don't have shit."

Joel leaned back in his chair, holding his cards face down as he gazed at Tommy, waiting for his decision. At this point, Joel was the only one in.

"Tommy," he said with a nod.

Tommy squinted his eyes as he tried to decipher his brother's intentions. He couldn't tell if he was bluffing. Joel bounced his eyebrows up and down at Tommy in a playful manner, masking the quality, or lack thereof, of his hand.

"C'mon hun... you gotta keep him honest. Don't let him get away with another one!" Maria said, prodding Tommy to match Joel's raise.

"Fuck it... I'll match." Tommy threw a stone to the center of the table. They didn't have actual poker chips and small stones had to suffice.

Maria flipped over the river card, pulling opposite reactions from Tommy and Joel.

"Whoo! There it is boy!" Joel said, as he threw his cards face up on the table.

"Shit - every time," Tommy said with a muffled laugh, tossing aside his cards in frustration.

"Straight flush," Joel said with satisfaction.

"Yeah - yeah... thought you were bluffin' this time - god dammit."

Joel sighed, took another sip of whiskey then puckered his lips. He glanced over to Ellie, who was still adorably snuggled under the blanket on the couch, sound asleep.

"Reckon I should get her to bed - want her to get a good sleep."

Tommy simply nodded in concurrence.

Joel walked over to Ellie and carefully picked her up, mindful to keep the blanket over her. She let out a quiet sound and twitched her head as her eyes fluttered open. She saw Joel's face right above her and quickly realized where she was. She was in her favorite place, wrapped tightly in his arms. She would be lying, though, if she claimed she wasn't angry with him. She still was. But the thought of being away from him hurt her just as much.

"Where - where are you taking me?" she asked in a tired tone.

Tommy and Maria quietly watched the interaction between the two.

"To bed baby girl," Joel responded with a smile. "You're tired - want you to sleep well."

Tommy suddenly twitched and shot his eyes towards Maria in reaction to hearing those two words. He leaned in close to her and whispered. "Did... did you just hear that?"

Maria pressed her lips together and raised her eyebrows in conjunction with a slow nod of agreement. She was just as surprised as Tommy. They watched Joel carry Ellie out of the room and up the stairs, straining their ears in the process.

"But - Joel... are - are you coming too?" Ellie asked with worry.

"I'll be up in a bit - I promise. I'm gonna talk with Tommy and Maria for a bit more, okay? I won't be long, I swear," he said as he continued up the stairs with Ellie in his arms.

She didn't like his response, and for the first time she felt she couldn't entirely trust him due to his earlier lie. But this was his first time seeing his brother in months and she didn't want to be the one to pull him away, so she reluctantly agreed.

"Okay... don't be too long," she said, affectionately gripping his sleeves with her small fingers.

"I won't," Joel replied with care, setting her on the bed in the spare room.

He tucked her under the blanket and smiled. She looked up at him, but didn't return his smile with hers. His heart sank from her ambivalence, he knew she was still stewing over his lie. He brushed the lock of hair behind her ear and softly spoke those infamous words.

"Good night my baby girl."

Joel came back downstairs to hear Tommy and Maria whispering to each other, but he couldn't make out any words. He entered the room, smiled at both of them then sat himself down.

"Okay..." he said with an exhale, relaxing into his chair once again. He reached for his whiskey and took another sip.

"You know, you can have our bed tonight - if you want Joel," Tommy offered. "Maria and I have slept on the couch before... we don't mind. I'm sure you deserve a good night's sleep."

"Nah, it's fine... don't worry 'bout me."

"Well, that couch ain't too comfortable to be honest. At least think about it alright?" Tommy pressed on.

"Oh... well uhh... I..." he cleared his throat then paused. "I'll be upstairs... with Ellie."

Tommy and Maria shot each other another glance.

"Joel..." Tommy started.

"What?" Joel snapped back, tension rising in his voice.

"Don't you think that's..." Tommy reached a hand behind his head and rubbed his hair, struggling to find a politically correct way to word his next statement.

"I dunno... just a bit... odd? Just a little strange? You two - sleepin' in the same bed?"

"Look I know - I know. I reckon I wasn't too fond of it at first either but..." Joel paused, then scratched his beard.

"But what?" Maria asked.

"You don't know what we've been through... what she's been through. That little girl and I we've... " Joel took a deep breath. "We've walked right through hell and out the other side... together, always. She hates bein' away from me."

He knew, deep inside, he hated being away from her just as much, if not more so. But he wasn't about to admit that to his brother and sister-in-law.

"She just - she needs me alright. I can't explain it... what we've been through - you'd understand."

Meanwhile, Ellie lay in bed, aching for Joel to come upstairs. She heard their voices below, but couldn't understand what they were saying. She tried to force her eyes open, waiting for Joel's arrival so she could peacefully fall asleep, but the weight of her eyelids and the sting of tiredness said otherwise, causing her to finally doze off.

"Well you can sure as hell try to explain it then," Tommy said.

"Tommy - " Maria said, gently placing her hand on his arm.

"Not now Tommy... 'nother time," Joel said, taking another sip of his whiskey. His alcohol tolerance was low, and this was the first time in almost a year since having any. He could already feel its effects going to work on his mind. He could feel his inhibitions lowering and his speech was beginning to slur.

"Alright then," Tommy let off. "'Least tell me how Marlene's doin'... haven't seen her in ages. She doin' alright?"

Joel's face immediately tensed and he simply stared at the center of the table with an unnerving look of fear and anger in his eyes, refusing to answer.

"Holy shit - I know that look... Joel what the fuck did you do? Tell me goddammit," Tommy said as he leaned his face closer to his brother.

"Tommy! Calm down will you!" Maria forcefully said through a whisper. "Ellie's trying to sleep."

Tommy glanced over at Maria, then back to Joel's overtly tensed face. It was turning red, and the alcohol flowing through his veins was quickly deteriorating his defenses. His eyes began to water with tears as he vividly remembered everything he was feeling while fighting his way to Ellie, saving her life, and thus, saving his.

"Joel - say somethin'... anything dammit," Tommy said as he leaned back and crossed his arms. "What the hell happened?"

Joel cleared his throat, then leaned back to look up the stairs, ensuring that Ellie wasn't all of a sudden standing at the top within earshot. He took a deep breath, wiped both eyes with a sleeve then scooted his chair closer to Tommy.

Tommy was in shock. He had never seen Joel like this. It scared him to see his older brother behaving in such a way.

"She's dead," Joel finally spoke.

"What!? What the fuck - how do you know?" Tommy said with an intense whisper.

Joel didn't respond, he slowly lifted his head until he finally made eye contact with Tommy. Neither Tommy nor Maria needed to hear another word. His look spoke louder than any words could.

"Oh no, no, no - why Joel... what the hell is wrong with you? Why!?" Maria said, ganging up on him with her husband.

Joel rubbed his hands over his face. "You don't understand... they - " he paused, then looked behind once more to make sure Ellie wasn't standing right behind him. "They were gonna kill her."

"What you mean kill her?" Tommy asked, his tone suddenly changing from anger to worried curiosity.

"Ellie she - her immunity. They had to take her..." Tears started to build in his eyes once again and he brought a clenched fist up to his chest, struggling to hold back a drunken sob. "They had to take her brain... Marlene said - she said it was the only way to get what they needed for the vaccine. Problem was - both of us nearly drowned gettin' there. Ellie was unconscious and they never even gave her a choice Tommy! They just drugged her up, prepped her for surgery - not thinkin' for a second 'bout what she would want." He brought a sleeve up again to wipe the tears from his eyes. "I told Marlene to find someone else."

"They were gonna kill her... I couldn't - there's no way. I promised her Tommy - I promised I would never let harm come to her."

Maria was taken aback by Joel's emotion and the slightest bit of tears formed in her eyes.

"So what the hell you do - just kill all the damn Fireflies on your way out?" Tommy asked sarcastically.

Joel didn't respond, he simply stared at Tommy and Maria, feeling himself getting backed into a corner.

"Christ Joel - holy shit," Tommy said, bringing both hands to his face as he stood up. He began to pace back and forth in the kitchen. "What the hell makes you think - " he stopped, and carefully chose his next words. "That you get to decide whether humanity is saved or not? That's ultimately what the fuck you just did - you know that?"

Joel could feel the alcohol in his blood getting stronger, his inhibitions were at an all time low. He shot up in anger and approached Tommy while Maria watched in shock, not wanting to get in between the fighting brothers.

"You have no idea what that little girl - " he stopped himself.

Maria rose to her feet and finally spoke up. "Oh my god."

"You love her."

Tommy's piercing gaze quickly shifted from his brother's face and immediately towards hers. "What did you just say?" he asked.

"Ellie - he loves her." She paused as she began to choke up. "He loves Ellie. He loves her like she were his own daughter."

Everything that Tommy had suspected since Joel and Ellie's arrival was confirmed. All of their actions, their speech patterns, everything they did together and now Maria's weighted words confirmed his belief. Ellie had become Joel's daughter. He knew what Sarah meant to Joel and it was abundantly clear what Ellie meant to him now. He realized Joel needed this little girl. She was the only thing keeping him alive. There was no way he could suffer through losing another daughter. Tommy saw what happened the first time, it nearly killed him, literally.

Tommy took a step back. "Joel - she ain't Sarah. She's not your - "

Joel gritted his teeth then stepped towards Tommy once more, pressing a pointed finger against his chest, interrupting him in the process. "You bite your goddamn tongue, don't you dare bring Sarah into this. What did you say to me last time? Your cause is your family now? Well same here boy... and by the way, you're wrong. You're dead wrong. That little girl is my daughter, and I sure as hell am her dad."

The sincerity and intensity in his eyes sent an eerie shiver down Tommy's spine. For the first time in his life, he was actually afraid of what Joel might do to him if he continued his sharp accusations. It was now completely clear what Ellie and Joel's relationship had become, and Tommy knew if he threatened it, even for a second, he was putting his own life in jeopardy.

"Get your damn finger off me," he said, smacking Joel's hand away. Joel used his own words against him and he let out a sigh. "I mean - shit... I guess I understand but... I can't believe ya killed all of 'em."

"Didn't have a choice," Joel said.

Tommy rubbed his brow with his fingers. "I reckon you're right - 'specially knowin' Marlene... goddamn - ya know I may never forgive you for this."

"I'm not askin' ya too," Joel said. He took another deep breath, preparing himself to drop the last piece of crucial information. "I only ask that ya don't say a word to Ellie. Not a goddamn word - both of you. Ya hear?"

Tommy and Maria immediately glared at him with the most judgmental stare he'd ever seen.

Maria took a step towards him. "She doesn't know? Joel... that's sick! What the fuck is wrong with you!?" she said, raising her voice.

Joel brought a finger to his lips. "Shhh! Keep your voice down god dammit. Look she - she can't know... not yet anyway. I'm gonna tell her I swear... just - just not now."

"Why the hell not? The fuck is wrong with you?... Man I thought I knew my brother." Tommy let out a sarcastic snicker. "Tssht - I don't know shit 'bout you anymore."

Joel took a step back, sifting through thought after thought as he attempted to find any explanation that would deem his actions reasonable.

"Look... if I told her, right now, she'd just - " Tears once again formed in his eyes. "She'd run away or - or worse... I just know it. I couldn't handle it. I'd lose her... I can't lose - " He struggled to hold back a sob, clenching his throat. "I can't lose another one." he sat back down in his chair and began to quietly weep.

Maria looked over at Tommy and her expression shifted from shock and frustration to care and worry. Somehow, in someway, a part of her understood where Joel was coming from. She was able to empathize with him and knelt beside him while she rubbed his back. Joel, surprised by her apparent understanding, lifted his head from his hands to meet her eyes. She had a look of concern and care.

"It'll be okay," she said. "We won't say a word, I promise," she continued, then looked over to Tommy. "Right?"

Tommy simply nodded.

"But Joel... listen to me. She has to know. You have to tell her. You took - " She paused, trying to soften her words. "When you two were here last, she told me how important this was to her, her chance to save... everyone - all of us. This was her purpose."

Joel twinged at her last statement, slightly upset he hadn't become Ellie's purpose, like she was for him. But that was before winter, before their relationship really became what it was now.

"Now all of that is... gone. You have to tell her, you have to."

Joel sniffled. "Yeah - I know... just not yet."

"That's fine... but eventually she needs to know, alright?" Maria continued.

"Yep."

Tommy leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, taken aback by Maria's compassion. He sighed, then finally spoke, assuring Joel that Maria's promise would hold.

"I won't say anything. I swear. Like I said... my cause is my family now, and you're part of that. By extension then, so is that little girl upstairs. I'll keep quiet - promise."

Joel looked up at his brother, relieved to hear his words and smiled. "We gotta be mindful of her... condition. Can't let the others know, might scare 'em or somethin'... I dunno."

"Yeah - right 'bout that. We'll keep quiet, we swear," Tommy said.

Maria looked at her watch and her eyes widened when she saw the time. "Wow okay - lets all get some sleep. Exhausting past hour here and we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. We'll see you in the morning, c'mon Tommy."

Joel nodded, rose to his feet and made his way up the stairs. He prayed he would merely find Ellie fast asleep and not awake, fuming with anger from overhearing their discussion.

There she was, curled up under the blanket lightly snoring. The sight brought a tear to his eye. He loved his baby girl so much, the thought of losing her was something he simply couldn't bare. He approached the edge of the bed and sat down next to her while he rubbed her shoulder. She suddenly inhaled and her eyes popped open.

"Oh... hey you," she groggily said. "What's - what's wrong?" She noticed the redness of his eyes.

He quickly wiped them with a hand. "Oh - nothin' just tired. That's all... reckon I need some sleep."

"Has it been long?" she asked.

"Nah - was just playin' some more poker," he responded with an exhale while lowering himself onto his side of the bed.

He rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, waiting for the weight and warmth of Ellie's small frame to sidle up next to him. But it didn't happen. She remained on her side and was even facing away from him. All he could see was her pony tail sticking out over the edge of her pillow. He knew something was wrong, and he knew exactly what it was. He lied to her, and she knew it. Now, telling her the truth, was even more difficult.

Ellie didn't say another word. She laid on her side and felt Joel ease himself onto the bed. She yearned to snuggle up next to him, like she'd become so used to, but she wouldn't. She couldn't. She was still upset, angry, torn and most of all, hurt from his earlier lie, robbing her of her independence and purpose. A lone tear ran down her cheek as she made every attempt not to cry.

She knew he wasn't playing poker, and she knew, right now, he lied to her again.