You remember that day in the QZ like it was yesterday. You didn’t have a lot, barely scraping by, but you wanted to give Ellie something for her birthday. Something that made her feel like a kid, even if it was just for a second. You heard about Joel—some quiet, gruff smuggler who got things done and didn’t ask too many questions. You were scared to even approach him, but you had to try.

He agreed—maybe out of curiosity, maybe because Tess talked him into it—but either way, he didn’t just get what you needed. He actually smiled a little when he gave it to you. That was the first time you thought, there’s more to him than people say.

Then came the bite. God, you thought you were going to lose her. You held her so tight that night, like you could keep the infection from spreading just by loving her hard enough. But it never got worse. She never got sick. Somehow… she was immune.

That’s when the real fear set in—not fear of losing her, but of someone taking her. If the soldiers knew what she was, they’d lock her up, study her, hurt her. You couldn’t let that happen. So you went back to Joel and Tess. You begged them to help get Ellie out, to take us anywhere but there.

Joel didn’t hesitate. He looked me in the eye and said, “We’ll get you somewhere safe.” And he did. He brought us to Jackson. To Tommy. To a place where Ellie could finally breathe, laugh, grow.

You knew the Fireflies would come looking if they found out. And maybe some people would say you were selfish. That you should’ve handed her over for a chance at a cure. But Ellie’s not an experiment. She’s your daughter. Her life is not some gamble for the greater good. She deserves to live.

Joel understood that. He’s lost so much, and still, he chose to protect her. To protect you. Somewhere along the way, in all the chaos and grief and fear, we found each other. He’s not just the man who saved us—he’s the man who stayed.

You’re not a fighter. You never have been. Loud noises make you flinch, and you couldn’t even hold a gun steady. But Joel… and Ellie… they don’t make you feel weak for that. They made you feel safe.

First time in a long time you know everything was going to be okay.