That night, I was standing in the living room area of my home, feeling emotionally drained, staring out at the window. The bright full moon shining through the window into an already dimly lit room. After Jesse came down the stairs with Dina, back at the cabin, Tommy finally woke up and told us about the group of people that took Joel away, Washington Liberation Front.

The woman leading the group, Abby.

Ellie told me that she knew mine and Joel's name and her friends wanted to lure me our, knowing I would come and save my husband.

But for the life of me, I don't know who Abby is or why she wants me and Joel. Joel and I have made many enemies throughout the years but we usually were good at taking them out of the equation, under the guides of survival.

I sighed then turned to the couch towards Ellie, who was sitting there. She seemed terrified and sad. I know she did her best but she was overpowered, what more could she do.

"You sure she said my name?" I asked her, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. Ellie looks up at me and nods. "Yeah....her and this guy were arguing on whether to stay or not, and the guy mentions that they should take Joel away. Then she said And what if (y/n) Miller comes after us with an army?" She explains and I sigh then sit down next to her.

I take some deep breathes before I placed my hands over my face, as if to prevent my emotions from bursting out. At that moment, I felt a hand on my shoulder and I look over at Ellie as she gives me a concern look.

Then there was a knock at the door and both of us look towards the archway that leads out to the hallway. "I'll get it." Ellie said and she gets up and walks to the door, where I hear her opening it. "Ellie!" I hear my sons exclaim and I get up and go out to the hall to see them hugging her, tightly, while Tommy was standing at the doorway, holding a container of what I presume to be food.

Seemed that Maria did get the boys from daycare while I was gone and Tommy brought them over.

"Hey." Tommy said to me. "Mommy!" The boys said and they run to me, I kneel down to them and embrace them. "Mommy, what's wrong?" Aiden asked me. "Where's Daddy?" Ethan asked, worried, and I frowned. "I'll explain later, my darlings, but Ellie and I need to talk to Uncle Tommy, okay?" I said and they frown, obviously upset with my answer.

I know they want to know where Joel is, these boys look up to him, but I just didn't have the heart to tell them that he is missing, at least for now. I need to think of something to soften the blow.

"I need you two to go to your rooms, for now, okay?" I said to them. Aiden and Ethan look at me, like they want to argue, but they seem to let it go and head upstairs. I sigh, shakily, at this then look at Tommy and gesture for him to come into the living room.

The three of us sit down on the couch and Tommy sets the container down on the little coffee table in front of us. "Maria wants to make sure that you guys are eating." Tommy said as he looks away. "She can't stop us." Ellie said, firmly, and I nodded. "Damn right." I said.

"To have the guys that we would need...to do this smart...we'd be leaving Jackson vulnerable." Tommy explains and I turn to look at him. "So they just get to get away this and hold him captive?" I asked him, angrily.

"Nobody wants that." Tommy said. "Yeah, but that's what's happening." Ellie said. "We don't even know if he is alive." Tommy said. "If they wanted him dead, they would've killed him in that cabin. And Ellie said that they were specifically targeting me and Joel. So they want to keep him alive til I get there." I said and Tommy sighs.

"What if we get hit by hunters again?" He asked. "Is this you talking or is this her?" I asked Tommy, angrily. "It's a valid point." Tommy exclaims and I stand up and turn to him. "Bullshit, Tommy! If it were you, me, Ellie or even the boys, Joel would be halfway to Seattle right now." I said. "No, he wouldn't." Tommy said, sadly. "He absolutely fuckin' would be!" I yelled. "She's right, Tommy." Ellie said.

"We don't know for certain that they're from Seattle!" Tommy said, his voice rising, and I scoff at this. "Washington Liberation Front! That's what you said was on those patches!" Ellie pointed out, annoyed, and I begin to pace along the room.

"What if they stole those jackets? What if the WLF moved?" Tommy asked and I turned to him, sharply. "Are you serious, Tommy? I mean, what the fuck?! Your brother's out God knows where and your sitting here giving me excuses to not go! I mean, what are you doing?!" I shouted and he looks at me with worry and fear then I let out a sigh.

"You know what? I'm leaving tomorrow." I said as I fold my arms. "And if either of you want to come with me, great." I said, determined. "I'll come with you, (y/n). I want to help." Ellie said and I nod then give her a small smile.

"You two have know idea what you're walking into. You don't know how large that group is...how armed....and you said so yourself, (y/n), they are after you too. This is obviously a trap, think about Aiden and Ethan." Tommy said to me. "I am, I can't let them down. That's my husband out there...the father of my children. And those boys...they look up to him, Tommy." I said, my voice breaking. "They'd be crushed to know their dad is gone."

Then I clear my throat and look back at him. "These assholes may think they're smart, but I'm smarter and more experienced in this. I can handle it. If they want me, they're gonna have to catch me. You can't talk me out of this." I said as I stare into his eyes.

He sighs then stands up and places his hand on his hips as he thinks. "Give me a day to talk to Maria. Okay? Gotta be some folks we can spare." He said. "And if she won't budge?" Ellie asked him. "Well, I figure somethin' out." He said then he looks at me. "One day. Please." He pleads and he and I share a look before I nod. "Okay." I said then I felt the tears build up in my eyes.

I let out a shaky breath and the tears and the fear begin to pour out and I begin to cry. Ellie and Tommy come up to me and hug me for a moment before Tommy pulls back and nods at me before he leaves.

Later, I tuck the boys in for the night and begin to kiss them goodnight when Ethan speaks up. "Mommy, where's Daddy?" He asked. "He, uh...his patrol went on alittle longer than usual. So it might be alittle while before he can come back home." I said and I could tell that they were really worried.

"Is he lost?" Aiden asked. "I-I'm not sure, sweetie. It's a possibility." I said. "You are gonna go find him, right?" Ethan asked and I nod. "Yeah." I replied and both of them give me worried looks. "Don't worry. Uncle Tommy is going to gather up some people and we'll find your father, okay?" I said and they seemed a bit at ease with this but still scared.

Then both boys jump out of their beds and run towards me and hug me. I close my eyes to try and keep my emotions in check then I kneel down to them and hug them back. I kiss both of them on the head then tell them they need to go back to bed. They climb in their beds and I give a small smile to them, turn the light off and shut their door.

I head to mine and Joel's room, close the door then lean against it. And like a dam bursting, the tears burst outta me as I place my hands up to my face and begin to cry. And all I can hope is that Joel is alive and that he can hold on just alittle bit longer. Cause I don't care what Tommy or Maria say, I'm going to get my husband back.

And I'll make that bitch, Abby, pay for trying to destroy my family.

The next morning, I had taken the boys to daycare then came back home, waiting for news from Tommy. I walked upstairs then looked at all the pictures we had on the dressers. One was of Tommy and Joel sitting out on the porch, then another of me, Joel and Ellie at the stables with Shimmer, Ellie's horse. And another one of Ellie with Aiden and Ethan when they were only a few days old.

I smiled at those, remembering the memories of happier times. Then my smile falters a bit when I see that old picture of me, Joel and Sarah. This picture always bring me to tears cause I often wonder what kind've person Sarah would be in this world. Would she had been like me and Joel? Or would she had been more compassionate?

Hell, I wonder if she stayed alive, would Joel and I have been the way we were for twenty years? 

So many questions filled my head as I stare at this picture.

I sighed, heavily, at this when I hear a knock at the bedroom door. I turn and see Ellie standing there, looking at me with sadness. "Hey, I tried knocking at the front door but...you didn't answer...so I thought..." she said and I shake my head. "It's okay, Ellie. You know you're always welcome." I said and she nods.

"Have you heard from Tommy?" I asked her. "No. Dina said that Maria has the stables on lockdown. So...nobody can get to the horses." She said and I scowl at this. "Fuckin' Tommy." I muttered. "That's what I said." She said and I smirked.

"I guess we'll figure some other way to get to Seattle." I said. Ellie nods again then she rubs the back of her neck, sheepishly. "Ellie, you okay?" I asked her and she looks down for a moment but I could tell her eyes were starting to tear up.

"It's my fault." She mutters and I give her a confused look. "It's my fault that he's been taken. I should've been faster." She said, her voice full of tears. "Ellie, don't..." I said but she continues. "And then hearing Aiden and Ethan asking where he is....seeing their worried and scared faces..." she shakes her head as tears pour down her face.

"You must hate me now." She cries and my heart breaks at this. I go over to her and pull her into a hug. "Oh, sweetheart, no." I whispered and she slowly starts to hug me back and I feel her shaking as she buries her face into my shoulder.

Then we pull back from the embrace before I give her a sympathetic look. "I could never hate you, Ellie, it wasn’t your fault. You did everything you could to help him. We’re going to bring him back." I said, firmly.

"How could you forgive me so fast? You should be angry at me. I mean after everything that I've done to you and him. Pushing you guys away...months of silence." She said and I sigh again as I think over my words.

"When you have kids, it changes you. It doesn't matter whether they hate you or love you, you'll always forgive them and help them out in any way possible. You want to do right by them even when they mess up, because you love your kid so much that it hurts you." I said and she gives a surprised look.

"I know things have been rocky between us for awhile now. But know this, Ellie, Joel and I care about you like you are our own child. I know with what we did to the Fireflies hurt you, and angered you, but what Joel said the other night was true. I would do it all over again." I said. "The only thing I'd probably would've changed was lying to you about. I wish that we told you when you asked us to swear to you but we were trying to protect you. Maybe someday...you'll understand." 

Ellie's eyes begin to tear up again then she goes to hugs me again and I hug her back. "We love you, babygirl. No matter what." I whispered as tears start to pour out of my eyes.

"Ellie? Is (y/n) up there?" I hear Dina's voice ask from downstairs after Ellie and I embrace for a few minutes. Ellie, reluctantly, pulls back from my embrace and wipes away her tears. "Yeah, we're up here. Everything okay?" She asked. "Yeah it's just....can both of you come on down." She calls out. Ellie and I exchange a look before we walk out of the room and head down stairs.

Once we make our way downstairs, we see Dina sitting in the dining area with Maria who had a piece of paper in her hands. From the look on her face, she was not happy. She couldn't have already found out about our plan. I thought as she looks at Ellie then at me before she clears her throat and starts to read from the paper.

"Maria, I'm headed to Seattle. I have to save my brother and make these people pay. Ellie and (y/n) are gonna try to come after me but stop them. Take their guns. Lock up the horses. Maybe lock them up. Buy me some time so I can save him and finish this. Love you always, Tommy." She reads then looks over at us.

"He's going to get himself killed." Maria growls. "He should've taken us with him." I growled. "You should've given us a group to go after those fuckers and save Joel!" Ellie yells at her. "I wish I could." Maria said, firmly.

"So what now, Maria? You gonna lock us up?" I asked her. "I prefer that you two stay--" Maria started to say but Ellie talks over her. "That's not going to fuckin' happen!" She yells. "I prefer you guys stay but I know you two better." Maria said then she turns to Dina.

"Are you going with them?" She asked and Dina looks up at her. "Yeah." She said, her arms folded across her chest. Then Maria turns to me and Ellie. "So are you just gonna sneak outta here?" She asked us and she begins to pace. 

I lean forward on the table and braced my hands on it as I look right at her. "You forget, Maria, of what I used to do before I came here. I knew my way around Boston pretty well and how to avoid detection. I can, and will, do the same damn thing here. And right now, I don't care what you do to me but I will get to Seattle one way or another to bring Joel back." I said, with a growl.

She and I stare at each other before she sighs and looks down. "I told the stables to let you out with yours and Ellie's horses. Grab some ammo too." She said and I nod. "Thank you, Maria." Ellie said, appreciatevly, as I stand up, straighter. "You'll watch over Aiden and Ethan?" I asked Maria. 

"As long as you do me a favor and bring my dumbass husband home in one piece as well, please." She said to me and I could see the pleas in her eyes. "Of course." I said. "All right. Get going, you're losing light." She said and she starts to walk out of the room before she turns to me. "I'll let the boys know where you're going." She said before she leaves and I let out a heavy sigh.

Ellie and I exchnage a look and I nod at her before I look over at Dina. "Thank you." I said and she nods and smiles at me. I sigh again then I gesture for them to follow me and we began to load up and head out.