Last of Us 1. Chapter 1

Ellie sighed, looking down at the closest thing she had ever come to a father lying in the compounds medical wing. Armen said he had contracted pulmonary tuberculosis. and while she was grateful for the doctor's help, it had been crushing when he had told her that they did not and could not get enough of the right antibiotics to treat Joel. At first it just seemed like a bad cold, but as time went on Joel got weaker and weaker until he had entered this coma like state. It was tearing Ellie apart, the thought of loosing Joel as well as all the others who had been lost in her life. Now a young woman Ellie had come to call the compound home. It was nice, there was always plenty of power, it was easily defendable and it was mostly welcoming of new members. It had transformed from a small base to something that more resembled a town now. They'd build new houses, a proper building for the medical bay, they'd had some former engineers come in and helped them build new turbines to produce more energy. People had started producing their own goods, clothes and machinery, there where shops set up by residents who would trade with the caravans that came along.

The trade caravans started a few years after Ellie and Joel had come to live in the compound, a group of people had turned up on horseback, pulling carts of tradable goods. The compound had treated as hostiles at first, but they came bringing home spun clothes, real new clothes, weapons, seeds for planting, Metals and coal for smelting and crafting machinery. They'd started trade between all the settlements in the area and had really brought all the settlements together, making treaties, trade deals, immigration policies, that sort of thing. Settlements began to set up their own industries, as their settlement had access to abundant electricity they had become a large producer of manufactured goods, like machinery, toys, tools and a multitude of other products that they traded for clothes and food. There was very little infected presence in the area, as it had been fairly rural before the outbreak, but was now one of the big centres of civilisation in the region. As the trade caravans moved further and further out, they discovered many other small towns and villages cropping up throughout the region. Though it was slow the world seemed to be slowly recovering from the decimation it had suffered at the outbreak of the infection, though not everywhere. Most of the military 'strongholds' where weakening and suffering due to their refusal to trade and deal with what they labelled as 'unofficial' settlements. Their food supplies where dwindling and their poor security meant they couldn't stop the flow of their citizens escaping into unofficial settlements.

Over the years organised bandit activity in the area had all but ceased, the town's militias and the trade caravans guards had decided that it was in everyone's best interests to deal with organised bandit groups to facilitate safer travel. This lead to the capturing of _, and many of the other bandit controlled strongholds in the Mid West. As the caravan's reach increased, America became more and more united. And yet even with all this, there was no way to get Joel the medication he needed. The snake river where their town was located was near the north western edge of the trade network, though there where a few settlement further than them but not many, and the only place anyone had ever heard of that had those sorts or medical resources was Vancouver. If sources where to be believed then Vancouver was making it's way in the world by producing and trading medication in large quantities. But it was doubtful that the trade networks would progress that far anytime soon, as the west coast was still full of violent bandit tribes and military strongholds.

Ellie sighed as she stepped out of the medical wing and walked through the markets. She smiled as she walked through the bustling square watching the townspeople shopping and running around. It always made Ellie happy to watch the townsfolk having normal, happy lives. Fall Creek, as they called themselves, was nothing like what Boston had been like. There where no menacing guards, no random infection checks, no ration lines, as if there had never been infected in the first place.

"AUNTIE ELLIE!" as small voice yelled as something grabbed onto her shins.

Ellie smiled looking down at the six year old, who had attached himself to her leg "Hello there Ryan" she laughed and Tousled his hair. Ryan was Tommy and Maria's son, born less than a year after Joel and Ellie had come to stay, and though Joel was technically his uncle and Ellie wasn't his aunt he always called Ellie 'Aunt Ellie' and Joel 'Gramp'.

Ryan grinned up at her and smiled, pointing at a missing front tooth "Look what happened" he bounced up and down with excitement "Mama says soon I'll have a grown up tooth there" he furrowed his brows as if he was thinking very hard "Wait, does that mean I'm gonna be a grown up?" his eyes lit up "That means that I can go outside Fall Creek with you!"

Ellie giggled "Not quite yet slugger"

His face fell "Aw, please?"

Ellie smiled kindly "No buddy, but don't worry, you'll be big before you know it"

He frowned "But aunt Ellie, I'm plenty big and strong, I can do it!" he straightened his back and began to march around her.

This made Ellie laugh quietly "Ok, buddy. Why don't you talk to your pa about that?"

He grinned "Yeah, great idea Aunt Ellie" he grinned and ran to get the attention of his mother who was buying some fresh fruit from a vendor.

Ellie smiled, Ryan always managed to put a smile on her face, for a long time he was one of the only children his age, until the people from the military strongholds brought children of all ages and he'd flourished in the company of the new children.

Ellie moved over to a bench on the edge of the markets and sat, watching people go about their business and thinking over the state of her life. She loved Fall Creek, it was safe and friendly and prosperous. But she felt like she was missing out, she would have never thought that she would get to twenty-one and feel like her life so far had been wasted. She knew that she had responsibilities here, and it was full of people who cared about her, but every time she saw a caravan a part of her wanted to go with them. She wanted to see the world and make a difference, she wanted to see what had become of the rest of the country with her own eyes, not just others accounts of it. She wanted adventure. Most of her first fourteen years had been filled with adventure and mischief, but now she had to be responsible and down to earth. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, and now Joel, her father figure, her rock, was sick and dying, and there was nothing she could do about it but wait for him to die.

She sat their deep in though until a loud yell caused her to return to reality.

"ELLIE!" one of the lookouts, Mark, was calling her to come up onto the wall. The wall had been built as a protection for the growing town and to create a checkpoint to help monitor population and trade movement in the area.

She jumped up and ran to the gate. "What's the situation?" she asked the lookouts.

Mark cleared his throat "Ma'am, we spotted an unidentified, heavily armed group travelling up river. At first we thought they where a caravan but from what we can tell they don't appear to be carrying tradable goods, nor have they given any signal or warning as to their status as a caravan."

Ellie tensed at the news "Let's give them a nice welcome then shall we?" she turned to the captain of the guard, captain Christensen, who had also been summoned and ordered "Put an armed guard at the gate, let's see who these people are." the captain nodded and ran to inform his men.

Ellie turned pack to the lookouts "I will handle all negotiations. I want Jonson and Carr on top of the gate barricades, and Hopkins and Harries covering me with their rifles." Mark nodded and headed off to the barracks.

Ellie was very well respected among the guard as she was one of the longest serving in the whole group, and many valued the life experience that came with traveling from one side of the country to the other.

She walked to her room and retrieved her weapons and Kevlar vest. She didn't know who these people where, or what they wanted, but she wasn't going to let them hurt the people of Fall Creek.


	2. Awkward first introduction

Ellie stood, flanked by two guards on each side, as she watched the newcomers trundle up the hill. When they got close Ellie raised her arm to order her men to raise their weapons. The leader of the group also raised her hand, signalling her people to stop.

"State your name and intent." Ellie ordered, eyes narrowing at the group.

The group's leader dismounted her horse and raised her hands, almost as if in surrender. "Don't shoot GI Jane" the woman smiled at Ellie, "We don't want any trouble" she walked closer and closer to Ellie until one of the guards lined his sight up with her.

"Close enough" he growled

The woman nodded "Ok, relax now." she offered a hand to Ellie "Names Jenna Cohen, this is my Battalion, we're couriers."

Ellie raised an eyebrow, confused, "Couriers?"

Jenna grinned patronisingly "Mail men"

Ellie frowned "I know what a couriers are" she grumbled, a petulant note in her voice "But since when are there any now. The concept of Couriers died out years before the infection even started."

Jenna rolled her eyes "And so did hand spun wool, but you're wearing it" she shook her head "People want to send mail and we deliver it."

Ellie scrutinised the woman in front of her. She had dark skin and dark hair, a large scar sat on her right cheekbone and her short but shaggy hair fell messily over her eyes. She wore beige cotton trousers, leather boots, a white cotton blouse and a brown waistcoat. She had a leather holster with a revolver in it, and a double-barrelled shotgun strapped to her back. Ellie looked past her at the courier's carts "Prove it. Prove you're couriers."

Jenna nodded "Ok, what ever you say Rambo" she turned to a tall lanky Hispanic man who was steering the first cart, "Carl! Pass the Fall Creek bag will ya?" the men nodded and rummaged around the cart for a second before pulling out a burlap sack with the words Fall Creek written on it and passed it to Jenna.

Jenna walked back and pulled out a white envelope with the name _Maggie Dunn_ on it. "Is there a Maggie Dunn here?" Jenna called out.

Ellie turned to look up at Hopkins, recognising the name "bring Maggie out here please."

Moments later Hopkins came back with a nervous looking Maggie Dunn. Maggie was a small woman with ridiculously curly red hair; she was almost hiding behind Hopkins. Jenna smiled kindly at her "Your letter miss."

Maggie took the letter carefully and opened it with great care, as if it might explode at any moment. As she read the letter her face lit up "It's from my sister!" Maggie laughed in disbelief "She's alive, and living in Wichita!" Maggie worked in the medical centre as a nurse, she and her sister had been very young when their parents died and they where thrown into the strongholds orphanages, just like Ellie had been. When they where in their mid teens the stronghold they lived on was overthrown and came under the control of bandits, and in the rush to escape, Maggie and her sister had been separated. Though Maggie was usually friendly and calm, every year on her sister's birthday she would have a little celebration and a good cry, assuming she'd never see her sister again.

Jenna chuckled "Took us while to track you down Ma'am. That letter's been all over the country trying to get to you."

Maggie smiled at Jenna through her tears "Thank you, thank you so much!" she said clutching the letter to her chest.

Ellie narrowed her eyes at the caravan, still not entirely convinced but she didn't have much of a choice but to comply, she sighed kicking at some rocks on the ground in irritation "So, how do you operate and what will it mean for us?"

Jenna smiled at Ellie "Good, we're being reasonable now." Ellie stared angrily at her "We'll stay about three days, distribute the letters and packages we have, pick up letters to be sent else where, and re-supply for the next leg of our journey."

Ellie nodded "Will you need accommodation?"

Jenna shook her head "We just need somewhere to rest the horses and set up our tents."

Ellie sighed "There is a stable where the horses can stay and a rest stop for caravans just across from it."

Jenna beamed and clapped Ellie on the shoulder "Your hospitality is much appreciated"

Ellie grabbed Jenna's wrist "Just, please don't make any trouble"

Jenna smiled back "Trouble? Me? Don't be absurd."

Ellie groaned, this was going to be a long three days.


	3. Questions and no answers

Ellie tapped her foot petulantly as she watched Jenna handing out letters to an enthusiastic crowd. She couldn't put her finger on it, but Ellie new they where up to something. Why else would Jenna be so infuriating? It was as if she was _trying_ to rile Ellie up.

Someone cleared their throat next to Ellie and she looked up to see her friend Eric smiling down at her "You know I'm pretty sure you can't read her mind, no matter how hard you stare at her." he raised an eyebrow cheekily "Unless you're looking at her for _other_ reasons." the tan boy wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Ellie snorted at him "Yeah right Eric." she shoved his arm playfully As if I'd be interested in someone as cocky as that."

The thin boy sat down next to her "So, you're not denying she's attractive."

Ellie rolled her eyes "I'm sorry, when did _you_ become qualified to comment on the attractiveness of women?" she shot at him.

He chortled, "I may not be an expert on women honey, but I know what you like."

Ellie groaned, she knew Eric wasn't going to let this go "Oh god, you're absurd." she looked over to Eric as he picked at a small thread coming off his jacket. "What makes you think I would find her attractive?"

Eric laughed "Oh honey, let's list the girls you've ever had a thing for, Riley, badass firefly, black girl. Amelia, badass caravan member, black girl. Jas, badass caravan guard, black girl. Jessie..."

Ellie sighed, "Yeah, ok, I get it. I've got a type, so what?" Ellie glared at Jenna's smug face as she explained how the cost of sending letters was calculated. "What makes you think she's my type?"

Eric smiled knowingly "A badass black girl who seems a bit smug? No, I've got no idea what would make me think that."

"Oh shut up." Ellie grumbled as Hopkins strolled over to them.

"Hey Ellie." he said. Paul Hopkins was a big guy, big, strong, and slightly thick headed, but he always meant well.

"Hey Paul." she smiled back at him.

Eric grinned standing up and wrapping his arms around his boyfriend "Hey babe." he purred into Paul's ear

Paul smiled down at him and wrapped his big arms around his shoulders "Hey to you too." he said pressing a kiss into Eric's hair.

Ellie moved her gaze to continue to glare daggers at Jenna as her two friends chatted romantically with each other.

Paul noticed her gaze and said, "Still don't trust 'em?"

Ellie snorted "No," she narrowed her eyes "Why would I? They roll up here with no warning and expect us to just welcome them with open arms?" she sighed "It just doesn't sit right with me."

Paul nodded solemnly "I know what you mean. Very suspicious."

Eric gave an exasperated sigh "You two are ridiculous, maybe if you're so nervous you could just go talk to them?"

Ellie and Paul blinked at Eric. Eric sighed, his hand on his hips "You guys really are jar heads." he quipped "If you're so concerned put your money where your mouth is and confront them."

Paul nodded slowly "Yeah, that's a good idea. What do you think Ellie?"

Ellie shrugged "Sure, I'm game if you'll back me up Paul."

He nodded patting the pistol he kept holstered on his hip When do we go?"

-Bonnefeta-

The couriers sat around their campfire, laughing, sorting letters, and chatting about the day's activities. After a long day of delivering letters Jenna loved nothing more than sitting down by a warm fire with a cold beer. Connecting up the caravan and courier network with the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St Louis was the best thing they'd ever done in her opinion, worth the pack of clickers they'd had to face to get into the city. She was glad that they'd been able to help the Illinois-Missouri battalion with that one, and help the brewery staff. She loved travelling all over the country, seeing how various settlements produced things to trade. Things like beer from St Louis, cotton from North Carolina, lumber from the nearby settlements in Shoshone National Park, Massive dairy production in Illinois, the technology to keep those dairy products fresh, seeing the way that people where slowly rebuilding their country was one of the more uplifting parts of her job. Of course there where sad bits, like having to bring a letter back to it's sender and inform them that the person they had sent it to was dead, or finding camps that raiders and bandits had torn through, or, as with today, putting up with the mistrusting glares of members of the group they where serving.

Jenna was sat their, thinking and sipping her beer when she was interrupted by the girls she'd met earlier at the gate, the one with the red hair, and the big fella who brought Maggie Dunn out to collect her letter.

"Hey," Ellie said, her tone accusatory "I think we need to have a chat."

Jenna raised her eyebrows but complied "Whatever you say fire cracker" she shifted to make room next to her for the two gurads, she reached into their esky and pulled out a few beers "Want some? She asked them.

Ellie glared at the bottles "No thanks" she took a seat next to Jenna but neither her, nor Paul relaxed like Jenna had.

Jenna observed and angry looking, stiff duo that sat next to her, propping herself up to a sitting position against the esky "What do you guys want to talk about?"

Ellie looked at Jenna "You know why"

Jenna chuckled tiredly "You know, oddly enough I don't"

Ellie narrowed her eyes and leaned forward "We want to know what you're really doing here"

Jenna looked at Ellie, confused "What do you mean? We're here to deliver letters and take letters to deliver, you know that"

Ellie frowned at her "That's really all you're doing. You expect us to believe that?"

Jenna took a swig of her beer "I do, because it's the truth"

Ellie shook her head "Ok, then where are you going on to from here?"

Jenna looked over at the fire "We're going North West, to the end of the caravan route. Then we'll meet up with a group that'll keep heading that way till they reach ocean. We'll give them the letter's that might be up that way, and provide them with some equipment. Then we'll head back this way but just a bit South" she paused for a moment, like she was counting something in her head "We'll probably be back here in about 4-5 months" Jenna looked Ellie over "That enough for you?"

Ellie stared at Jenna "You're leaving the caravan routes?"

Jenna shook her head "Not me sugar, a different group of couriers. We all have a set route and we exchange letters between groups to allow letters to be distributed more quickly and easily over longer distances" Jenna chuckled "No way you'd catch me that far west, I like my guts being in my body thank you very much"

_North west,_ Ellie thought _If they go near Vancouver I could get medicine for Joel, I could save him._ Ellie asked quietly "Do the couriers go to Vancouver?"

Jenna nodded tentatively "We are trying to set up a route there" she studied the change in Ellie. Only moments ago Ellie marched up to her demanding answers and now she had retreated inward, Jenna could practically see the cogs in her head turning.

_I could save Joel, well maybe, I might die before I get there._ She thought _But wouldn't it be worth it to save Joel? Can I even trust these couriers, I came over here for answers but I only have more questions._ She argued with herself in her head.

The prolonged silence that had enveloped the trio was broken by Ellie suddenly saying "I want you to take me to Vancouver"

"What?" Paul and Jenna both said at once.

"You're kidding right?" Paul asked incredulously

Ellie took a deep breath "No Paul, I need to do this" she looked Paul directly in the eyes "If I don't do this Joel's going to die"

The two shared a serious look for a few moments before Jenna cleared her throat "I hate to break this up" she awkwardly scratches the back of her neck "But, while it's entirely possible we could take you, it's gonna cost you a pretty penny"

Ellie didn't even look at Jenna "I don't care, I'll pay for it"

Jenna just blinked at her, confused "Okay… but I can't guarantee you'll get there alive"

Ellie rolled her eyes "I don't care, I can handle myself"

Jenna shifted awkwardly, not sure how to react to this situation "Well, I guess that's fine then" she cleared her throat "We lave tomorrow evening"

Ellie stood up and looked down at Jenna "I'll be back then" and she walked off, a determined look on her face.

Paul, who was still on the floor, gave Jenna a confused look.

Jenna shrugged theatrically "I don't have a fucking clue" she took a swig of beer, this was going to be an interesting trip.


	4. Preparation

Jenna woke to the feeling of something hot and wet hitting her face. She jerked back as she saw the large dog that has taken up a seat next to her and had decided it would be hilarious to slobber all over her face. She groaned angrily and pushed the Great Dane's massive muzzle away, "Oh piss off".

She looked around at the burnt out fire pit, and a few other couriers who'd slept in front of the fire instead of drunkenly stumbling into their tents. Whenever they stopped off somewhere they took the opportunity to get hammered drunk, since they couldn't really drink much on the road, whenever they could it was party time.

Jenna grumbled as she pushed herself up off the ground and looked around at her friends I the early morning light. She wandered over to the lanky breaded Hispanic man who had fallen asleep on some pillows not far from her. She gently kicked the man, "Wake up asshole, we've got things to do".

The man grumbled and swore quietly at her, "_Pendejo",_ he rubbed his eyes and looked up at her, "What time is it?".

Jenna shrugged and scratched her shoulder, "I dunno, Five-ish?".

Carl groaned and rolled back over, burying his face in the pillows, "Go back to sleep then, it's way to early for this shit".

Jenna smiled, Carl was one of her best friends, but getting him up in the morning was a hell of a task. She sighed, "We've got to start prepping for the leg up to Belgrade".

Carl rolled his eyes, "Then why don't you do that Jenna?".

Jenna smirked evilly and kicked him again, "Because, asshole, I need your help. Plus you're already awake so stop whining".

He sighed, finally defeated, "Fine, but I'm going to be grumpy and hard to deal with all morning because I've got a massive hangover".

Jenna stretched her arms as she turned towards the tents, "You're always grumpy asshole" she wandered over to her tent and rifled through her stuff, grabbing a warm jacket and wandering over to the tent next to hers. Ruffling the tent she received a groggy, "Oh fuck you".

Jenna chuckled, "C'mon Aaron, it was either me or Carl who had to wake you up, and you know he'd just gross you out with sex jokes until you came out of the tent". There was some grumbling and shuffling for a few moments before a large red headed man emerged from the tent, shaking himself off and rubbing a hand through his beard.

He gave Jenna an unimpressed look, "I will never not hate mornings".

Smiling at him she replied, "I know, they're not my favourite time either, but I've got some work for you".

Stretching Aaron yawned, "Yeah? We're talking extra work right" He grinned cheekily, "Work implies doing what I normally do, not also doing extra shit for you".

Jenna shoved him playfully as they wandered over to where Carl had just woken Rachel and Martin, "It does technically fall under your responsibility Aaron. We're bringing another person along with us, so I need you to buy some extra supplies for them".

He raised his eyebrows, "Another person?".

Jenna shrugged, "They're going to pay so I thought, why the hell not".

Aaron snorted, "Ok then, well if I'm buying for them are we talking man, woman or other in terms of sanitary and toiletries".

"Woman" Jenna responded, "Kinda cute too".

Aaron rolled his eyes, "I don't even wanna know Jenna, Carl's probably dying to chat with you about every attractive person in this entire town, so you to have fun".

Aaron wandered over to where Rachel was sitting, and after a few moments they left to secure the supplies for the next leg of their journey.

Jenna plonked herself down by Carl and Martin and grabbed a beer out of the cooler. Carl grinned evilly at her and leaned over, "So who's this lovely lady who'll be travelling with us?".

Jenna laughed, "Name's Ellie, she's that guard from when we first arrived, red hair, serious attitude".

Carl scratched his beard, "Yeah I remember she and her sexy friend came to have some sorta serious discussion last night right?"

"Yep that's her" Jenna nodded, "She's on some suicide mission to Vancouver, but she's willing to pay so I figure we take her as far as we go, drop her off with Carly's new group and let them deal with her from there".

Carl wiggled his eyebrows at her, "No plans to put the moves on her, eh?".

Jenna snorted, "Whatever Carl, I mean she's kinda hot, but she also hates me, and like I said, crazy suicide mission to Vancouver".

Carl grinned, "Never stopped you before. What was that girl from Kansas' name again? Annie, Amy..".

"Ainslie" Jenna sighed, "And she turned out to be a raging psychopath who tried to kill us".

Carl shrugged, "Well yeah, but she was hot and totally into you".

Jenna sighed dramatically, "You're ridiculous!" she said standing up, "I'm going to go find her and tell her the plan, you better have everyone up and getting organised by the time I get back".

Carl chuckled as she when, "Whatever man, 20 bucks says you tow hook up!".

Not turning around, Jenna flipped him the bird and left him chuckling by the fire pit.

_Pendejo- _means stupid. I don't really know any other Spanish insults so I went with that one.

Belgrade- a town north west of Jackson, home of Yellowstone international airport.

**Author's note**

Hey guys, I know it's been an eternity since I updated but I have a semi acceptable excuse. First off I got the plague and was bed ridden for about two weeks, then I had to catch up on school work and I had to do about four major presentations for my classes. Then I was on school holidays, but I have my yearly exams when school starts back up again so I've been frantically studying and making notes, as well as completing a big assignment. And then I started watching orphan black, it's not a great excuse but it's a great show, I recommend it, I watched both seasons in a week.

Anyway, I must thank my amazing beta Bluesky509, and I promise the chapters will get longer; I just have to get through the set up.

Thanks for reading!


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Last of Us, Adventure, Romance