───────── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ─────────

     A MIRACLE OCCURRED WHEN JOSIE FIRST MET BILL AND FRANK. Within 20 minutes of being in their home, she made Bill laugh. As the sound emerged from him, everyone but him and Josie froze and stared in amazement.

Frank had been warned beforehand that they were bringing someone new with them, and he'd done his best to warm Bill up to the idea, but ultimately no one knew how he'd react.

Things started out tense, in that Bill aimed his rifle at Josie as she was first to walk through the gate. When Joel and Tess followed, Bill's first thought was that she was holding them hostage and forced them to lead her there.

It was evident that wasn't the case when Joel immediately stepped in front of her, yelling for Bill to drop the fucking gun.

Josie showed almost no reaction other than stepping out from behind Joel and walking right up to Bill. She held her hand out and introduced herself. After a few very tense seconds, Bill indeed lowered his gun and reciprocated the handshake.

"If you're done trying to scare our newest guest, it'd be nice if they came into our home instead of just standing outside of it!" Frank waved to them from the porch.

It was comical, how just a few minutes later they were all seated at the dining table to eat the lunch that had been kindly prepared for them.

Josie immediately loved Frank. When he found out she was from New York, he became fascinated. Once he was sure Josie didn't mind, he asked questions about her and Pietro growing up. And she really didn't mind, truthfully, it was nice talking about her brother.

After a quick meal because it was clear Joel and Bill didn't want to enjoy a meal in each others company, Frank offered to show Tess the progress that he'd made on their garden. She accepted instantly, and he then extended the invitation to Josie.

"I'm almost done I'll just finish my food first, I'll meet you guys out there," Josie smiled.

Upon hearing that, Joel took his seat again. He knew Bill wasn't about to leave her alone in their home, and he wasn't about to leave her alone with Bill.

"Joel, it's okay go with Tess," Josie tried her best to reassure him.

"I—"

"I'll be fine," Josie nodded towards the direction Frank and Tess had gone. "I'll come join you in a minute."

Joel stared at her for a moment to work out if he should go, but he ultimately decided to listen. Once the back door clicked shut, Josie turned her attention back to Bill.

"Ask me."

Bill raised his eyebrows, "ask you... what?"

Josie laughed, "I know you don't trust me. And rightfully so, I'm still a complete stranger to you. I could tell you wanted to ask more questions after Frank, but he sort of steered the conversation. You know Joel fairly well I assume and that he probably wouldn't have let you interrogate me so I got rid of him. You can ask me whatever you'd like and I'll answer."

There was a moment of silence as Josie and Bill looked at each other. Josie was telling the truth. She knew how much Joel and Tess' relationship with Bill and Frank meant to them, and she'd never jeopardize that. So if some tough questions from Bill helped put him at ease, she could endure it.

Meanwhile outside as Tess and Frank were admiring the new fruits and vegetables that had popped up from the dirt, Joel was staring a hole into the back door. He didn't trust Bill not to ask Josie a hundred questions the second he left.

After about 10 minutes with Josie still being in the house with Bill, Joel started to head back towards the door. Then, laughter. And the most surprising part was that it was coming from inside the house. Not only that, but from Bill. Tess and Frank also paused their conversation.

"They're either getting along really well, or he killed her and is laughing about it." That only made Joel that much more anxious to get in the house.

As the 3 headed back inside, they were again surprised to see Bill taking Josie's plate into the kitchen, and the 2 of them still laughing.

"Good, you didn't kill her," Frank joked.

"No, she's alright," was all Bill said in response. To this day, neither Josie nor Bill ever shared with any of the others exactly what they talked about, and just what Josie said to get him to laugh so much.

All Josie would say was that she liked Bill, and all he'd say was that she was okay, I guess. Despite that short answer though, as the years went by it became clear that the outwardly grumpy man had developed a soft spot for the almost always cheerful woman.

The first time Josie had the luxury of spending the night at Bill and Frank's, she swore she never wanted to leave.

It wasn't a planned overnight stay, but the snow had gotten so bad that Frank pointed out they might actually freeze to death. That trip was just Josie and Joel, and Josie knew that he wanted to say no and head back to the QZ. But he surprised her by saying yes, and even thanking him and Bill for offering up their home for the night.

Joel never told her, but Josie was the only reason he said yes. If it was just him, he would've turned them down and made the long and cold journey back. He didn't like being away for longer than he absolutely had to.

But he saw the way Josie shivered as they made their way to Bill and Frank's, even after he insisted on giving her his jacket. Despite her fondness for the couple, Joel knew that if he asked, Josie would agree to leave with him that evening. And that's exactly why he agreed to stay.

Frank popped over to the boutique and grabbed some clothes, guessing Josie's size and figuring she might like some options. While he did that, Josie was enjoying her first shower that was so hot the water was steaming.

She took her time drying off, wanting to savor every moment. Once she exited the bathroom and saw the clothes Frank neatly laid out for her to choose from, Josie had to fight back tears.

Half an hour after first going upstairs, Josie went off to find everyone else. Frank was tending to the garden, Bill was cleaning his guns, and Joel ended up being upstairs, basically twiddling his thumbs while sat at the foot of what was his bed for the night.

After chatting to both men downstairs for a little bit, Josie headed back upstairs and stopped in front of Joel's door. He'd just gotten out of the shower and putting on the pajama pants and shirt that he was given.

"Sorry if you felt obligated to stay, because of me," Josie spoke up softly.

Joel turned around to face her, a soft sigh leaving his mouth. "As much as it pains me to say it, and it does, they were right. It felt freezing when we got here and the sun hadn't even begun to set. Temperatures only gonna be worse now that it's completely dark. Our best bet is to wait at least until the sun comes up."

Something else had been plaguing Josie's thoughts.

"Y'alright?"

Josie snapped out of her daydream to find Joel looking at her with a mixture of concern and confusion. "Yeah, sorry just thinking. Can— can I ask you something?"

"Course," Joel nodded. He hoped he hid the surprise on his face, and the butterflies that involuntarily came when Josie moved from the doorway to sit right next to him on the bed.

"Do you think... do you think life will always be like this? Stuck in the QZ most of the time, with overnight stays and hot showers like this considered a luxury?"

Joel was quiet for a minute. On the one hand, he had his answer. Yes, he thought life would always be like this. He didn't see how it would change. But on the other hand, he knew what Josie was hoping to hear.

"I think," he paused, trying to form his words carefully, "I think that eventually things could get better." Seeing the small smile that formed on Josie's face as she nodded, mostly to herself, Joel knew he'd said the right thing.

"I just... I think it's bullshit," Josie spoke, softly once again. "How hard it all is. Having to sneak out just to get necessary supplies and a hot shower. And I hate that I can't contribute as much as you and Tess and—"

"Woah, woah, where's this coming from?"

Josie could only give a small shrug. "Do you ever regret me joining you and Tess?"

There was no hesitation in Joel's answer. "No. Not at all."

Despite wanting to ask if he was lying, Josie chose to remain quiet. Later that night, she had the most peaceful sleep in years. No nightmares of watching her parents die or of the moment she became separated from Pietro. Just... sleep.

As her and Joel prepared to leave the next morning, Josie tried to soak in every moment of being in Bill and Frank's home. She knew they couldn't make trips like this too often, and not just in the wintertime.

Everytime they snuck out, and then back in to the QZ, they risked being caught. It wouldn't even matter why they were coming and going, the punishment was death by hanging.

And as they set off on the long journey back to the QZ, Josie turned around for one last look at the home they were leaving behind. She could only hope that it wouldn't be too long before she came back.

───────── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ─────────