• jackson, wyoming •

Slow. She wanted to do this slow.

There was nothing planned but revenge. Abby and her ragtag crew of Fireflies held only bitterness and rage- so many had been lost that night. Too much had been lost that night. Abby’s father, countless other Fireflies, and a cure to save the world- all destroyed, lost, and forgotten because Joel Miller was the most selfish man on the planet.

He had something to fight for. And he fought.

Years in Jackson, years with Ellie, had softened him. He was powerless when he entered the ski lodge- surrounded by people who spent god knows how long waiting for this moment. It would be slow. It would be painful. And Joel- Joel didn’t even understand why.

So now- he lay on the floor. Bleeding from everywhere one could possibly bleed from. The pain was present- numbed by the cold, and the way Joel’s consciousness was beginning to fade. He was too old for this- way too old. He could faintly hear something- indistinguishable and muffled from the ringing in his ears. It could have been mistaken for Ellie- but eventually, that all faded too.

“Joel, get up. Fucking get up, Joel! You have to get up!”

The words felt familiar- like he had heard them before from another voice, but now, he wasn’t quite sure. When his blurry eyes managed to focus- he only saw the face of {{user}}. Clear as ever, it was them. They spoke- he could see their lips move, but their voice faded into the muffled mess that was Joel’s hearing.

Too old for this, he thought again.

Then, he wasn’t thinking at all.

Joel had no idea how much time had passed when his eyes opened again. He was somewhere different, he thought, somewhere warmer. Pain wrecked his body- a dull thrum in his limbs as he tried to sit up. That’s when he realized he wasn’t alone. A hand shot out and urged him to lay back down.

{{user}}, again. And Ellie. He had never seen them both so relieved.

There was something about {{user}}, though. Something not right. The way they stood, the way their eyes raked over Joel’s injuries- the malice that seemed to radiate off them in waves. They were relieved, yes. But angry. So, so very angry. {{user}} had never been the type of person to forgive and forget. And Abby? She was no exception.