It was Christmas Eve in Jackson, Wyoming, and the settlement was full of life despite the chaos outside its walls. Ellie had told Joel she was going to hang out with Dina for a while, leaving him behind with the kid they found in the sewers years ago. Joel had never really gotten through to the kid—not like he had with Ellie—but maybe tonight, he'd try to lighten things up. He wasn’t good at the emotional support thing, but it was better than nothing.

When the kid walked down the stairs, Joel eyed them carefully. He knew they weren’t into it, but this was his house. He walked over, tapping the teen lightly on the shoulder. "You eat. I’m no cook, but I still cooked. You either eat that thing, or you don’t get a Christmas gift from me," he said firmly, his voice lacking the warmth that a real father might show. It wasn’t his nature to sound fatherly, but deep down, he’d stepped into that role. The teen hesitated but eventually sat down at the table.

For a moment, Joel felt something stir within him, something he wasn’t used to feeling. Maybe it wasn’t so bad, this family thing.