𝕺𝖜𝖓 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖘𝖙 𝕰𝖓𝖊𝖒𝖞

- CHAPTER TWENTY SIX -
SEPARATE WAYS

ELLIE HAD OVERHEARD what Joel had said to Tommy, that he intended to abandon her and Kathy and hand them off to his brother who they didn't even know. She thought her and Kathy meant more to him than just cargo by now, but she must've been wrong. And the look on Kathy's face when she told her what Joel had said, the utter heartbreak that had washed over her aunt's face, Ellie wished to never see it again or ever be the cause of it.

They stole a horse while everyone was busy and Kathy rode them out of the plant and into the forest. They knew they'd get in trouble when they went back to the plant, but they just needed to clear their heads for a little while, think about their next course of action. She clutched tightly onto the leather reins, knuckles turning white as she seethed with anger, all of it directed at the man she thought cared for her. How could she have been so reckless? It had always been her and Ellie, that's how they got by before and as soon as she let a man into her heart, he was going to abandon them. She'd never trust anyone that easily again.

She pulled the horse to a stop in front of a large farm house, or maybe it was a ranch, and it still looked pretty intact. She swung her leg over and jumped off the horse, helping Ellie down after her and they went inside. It wouldn't be too long until someone noticed a horse was missing - and them of course. Kathy was sure Joel would catch up with them soon and when he did, if he tried to chastise them, she would give him a piece of her mind.

Ellie went straight up the stairs, she hadn't said anything since she told Kathy what Joel had said and Kathy followed behind her. They sat on the windowsill seat of a teenage girl's bedroom, Ellie had found an old tatty diary and began to read it. It hadn't even been ten minutes until they heard Joel's voice downstairs.

"Kathy? Ellie?!"

"We're up here!" Ellie sighed, she was hoping to be alone for a few more minutes.

Joel pushed the door open, peeking his head through and scoffing slightly when he spotted them by the window, the diary in Ellie's hands.

"Is this really what they had to worry about?" Ellie asked Joel as she looked through the small book. "Boys? Movies? Deciding which shirt goes with which skirt? It's bizarre."

"Get up, we're leaving. C'mon." Joel told them.

"And if we say no?" Kathy asked, standing up slowly as she looked at him.

"Do you even realise what your lives mean? Huh?" Joel replied with furrowed brows. "Runnin' off like that. Putting yourselves at risk...it's pretty goddamn stupid."

"Well, I guess we're all disappointed with each other then." Ellie retorted.

Joel approached them, "What do you want from me?"

"Admit that you wanted to get rid of us the whole time." Ellie accused in a louder voice.

"You didn't even care, did you?" Kathy growled at him.

He just stared at her, "Tommy knows this area better than-"

"Agh, fuck that-" Ellie groaned, rubbing her eyes in frustration.

"We don't even know him, Joel!" Kathy replied with a raised voice.

"Well, I'm sorry. I trust him better than I trust myself." Joel said back, matching her tone.

"Stop with the bullshit." Ellie retaliated, "What are you so afraid of? That we're gonna end up like Sam? We can't get infected! We can take care of ourselves."

"How many close calls have we had?" Joel retorted.

"We were doing perfectly fine before." Kathy argued.

"And now you'll be doing even better with Tommy." Joel told them, his words sounding final. He paced a little and huffed.

Ellie spoke up in a quieter voice, "I'm not her, you know."

Joel turned back around, "What?"

"Maria told me about Sarah. And I-"

"Ellie." Joel warned, sounding very angry. "You are treading on some mighty thin ice here."

Ellie continued, "I'm sorry about your daughter, Joel, but we've lost people too."

"You have no idea what loss is." Joel seethed.

Ellie's face hardened, "Everyone I have cared for has either died or left me. Kathy's the only one that's stayed and now you want to fucking leave too." She pushed him, but he barely budged. Kathy stayed quiet, knowing that Ellie needed this moment. "So don't tell me that we would be safer with someone else - because the truth is I would just be more scared!"

"You're right..." Joel told her, "You're not my daughter, and I sure as hell ain't your dad. And we are going our separate ways."

Kathy's anger snapped and she slapped him across the face, "You don't get to talk to her like that. She poured her heart out to you and you're breaking it. Now she may not be your daughter, but she's fucking mine and I won't let you treat her that way. And if you cared about us just a little bit - if you ever cared about me at all - you won't send us away. And if you do, you're dead to me, Joel."

He kept staring and she stared right back, he didn't know how to reply to that.

Tommy burst through the door, his gun in hand, "Get it together. We're not alone."

Joel moved to one of the windows and looked down, "I got two walking in."

"There's more inside already." Tommy informed.

Kathy and Ellie followed silently as the Miller men took out the hunters. Kathy didn't really have faith in her teamwork with Joel anymore. If Joel wanted to get rid of them so much, he could do all the work himself.

"Alright, house is clear." The smuggler hollered from the ground level. Kathy closed her eyes and took a deep breath before joining him and Tommy by the front door.

"Let's get back to the horses." Tommy said as he reloaded his rifle.

Joel opened the door, his shotgun raised as he surveyed the area, "We're clear."

Kathy and Ellie walked out of the house, completely avoiding Joel's gaze. Kathy climbed onto her horse first while Ellie got ready to get on behind her.

"You want a hand up?" Tommy asked the teen.

"She's got it." Kathy snapped as Ellie got on behind her, wrapping her arms around Kathy's waist.

The ride through the woods was quiet. Tommy was riding up front with Kathy and Ellie in the middle and Joel at the rear. The two Williams could feel his eyes on them, Kathy could feel him thinking.

They stopped on top of a hill, it was overlooking Jackson. Lights were on, a large fence surrounding the large community.

"There she is." Tommy sighed, Kids'll be watching movies tonight."

"Where is this lab of theirs?" Joel asked his brother.

"It's all the way out - University of Eastern Colorado." Tommy answered.

Joel hummed, "Go Big Horns." He looked over to the girls, "Kathy, Ellie, get off your horse, give it on back to Tommy. I'm gonna hang on to this fella, if that's alright with you. Go on, don't make me repeat myself."

"What are you doing?" Tommy asked in confusion as Kathy and Ellie jumped off their horse. Kathy was smiling, she knew what Joel was doing.

"Your wife kinda scares me." Joel told him, shifting forward on his horse a little to make room for the two WIlliams'. "I don't want her coming after me."

Ellie handed the reins of the horse to Tommy, "Sorry for stealing your horse."

"Look, come back to town, let's discuss this at least." Tommy suggested, taking the reins from the teen.

Joel grabbed Kathy's hand and pulled her up onto the horse so that she was sat behind him and then did the same with Ellie. "Eh, you know me. My minds all made up. University Eastern Colorado. How do I find this lab?"

"It's in the science building, look like a giant mirror, you can't miss it." Tommy said.

Joel nodded and looked at his brother fondly, "You take care of that wife of yours."

"And you take care of your lass." Tommy smiled.

"Oh, she'll be takin' care of me." Joel replied, his lips quirking up slightly when he felt Kathy's arms tighten around his waist.

"There's a place for you here, you know." The blonde brother chuckled softly.

Joel nodded and asked the girls, "You good?"

"We're good." Ellie assured, her words muffled as her head was leaning against Kathy's back.

"Adios, little brother." Joel bid his brother goodbye and urged the horse to start moving in a different direction to Jackson.

Kathy rested her chin on Joel's shoulder, watching the sunset as they rode away. "You made the right choice." She mumbled into his ear contently, "I would've cut your dick off if you left us."

Ellie burst into laughter, hearing what Kathy had said. Even Joel had let out a small chuckle.

❝IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ME, I AM MY OWN WORST ENEMY❞