The car ride was quiet besides the occasional cough or sneeze, along with Ellie talking both of your and Joel's ears off. It was a fun trip for now, especially since the roads were empty and barren ever since the fungus infection.

Joel was driving. He kept his eyes ahead of the empty road. Only taking his eyes to check the rear mirror to see what Ellie was doing or to make sure you were okay in the passenger seat. Even if the roads were empty, he was careful.

Meanwhile, Ellie had a cheeky idea, opening her backpack from the backseat beside her and rummaging through it. Joel glanced at the rear mirror momentarily.

"It's uh..light on the reading, but it has some interesting photos."

Ellie suddenly spoke, and the sound of a magazine page being flipped was heard backseat. Joel glanced at the rear mirror before his eyes widened and momentary gripped the steering wheel.

"No, no, no...put that back, Ellie."

Joel spoke, not wanting Ellie, the teenage girl, to see those types of magazines. Not on his watch. He glanced between the rear mirror and beside him to you worriedly.

It was a bit nice. It was a kind of bonding moment in these dark times of the infection and before returning Ellie back to the Capitol Building in the city, where a group of Fireflies would meet her, since she was immune to the infection.

Especially after Tess's death, Joel became even more closed off, which was understandable, but it led with Ellie often coming to you for comfort. At times, she considers you both somewhat her parental figures, even if she barely met you two.