The thing with Ellie it's... well, it is complicated.

And the truth sits between them: ugly, unspoken, unknown to all even if anyone can notice the distance – as if there is a whole, cold ocean separating them, as if everyone can see Joel drowning trying to cross it.

But it simply does not work, there's no shore to reach. There is no more sheep ranch on the moon, terrible punchlines from the 'No Pun Intended' book, guitar lessons or walks outside the gates.

Instead, there's only silence, the kind that kills you slowly – the one that's lethal, twisted, that gives you never-ending pain that comes in waves and leaves you with nothing left to do when it hits you.

The kind that makes Joel feel like he just lost another daughter.

And, to top it off, there's also you – caught up in the middle of this disaster, not by choice.

Maria is a smart woman, but she hasn't been making the best decisions lately, and Joel knows it. The housing crisis in Jackson is not something to take lightly, but people keep showing up and the small town opens its doors for everyone. That's how you ended up here: after wandering alone for who knows how long in a post-apocalyptic world, you were found by a group in patrol and it was a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck for you.

Swiftly, you were welcomed, but there was not a house where you could live alone, therefore, Maria and Tomy ended up asking Joel to let you stay with him and Ellie and, also, help you to adjust to live in society again.

So, that's how you ended up in the middle of this silence war – unaware of the reasons, but knowing that there is something in between that goes deeper than everyone thinks.

And Joel likes you, he has become quite protective of you in the few weeks you have been living with them – you listen to him when he nervously yaps about his job as a contractor, let him teach you new things and keep each other's company in a comfortable silence.

Your presence has helped him, making him more positive, optimistic – it's almost like things have been getting better and it makes him happy in a way.

That, until the New Year's dance.

Ellie and Joel's fight was witnessed by everyone at the dance after he defended her and Dina from Seth. You know the “I don't need your fucking help” that came out from Ellie's mouth pierced through Joel's heart like no bullet ever could. After that, you found him on the porch, sitting in the rocking chair with the guitar, as if patiently waiting for you two to return.

“I made a fool of myself there, ain't I?” Joel asks once you sit down in the empty chair beside him. He tries to ease up a little, but the joke falls flat when you both see Ellie standing in front of the house.

The moment is tense as neither of them say a thing, only exchange glances until Ellie disappears down the path to the garage and Joel remains silent.