After You (Ellie Williams)

XV

"Okay so I've been gathering information. Yes I know hypocritical after all the shit I gave you." Maria stops before pulling out a map. "I've heard stories about a large woman traveling with a young boy. Scars on his cheeks."

"Fits the description." Ellie nods.

"Santa Barbara."

"Wait that's nowhere near Isaac." Quinn frowns. Yes they wanted to take Abby down but the only reason this conversation came up was because Isaac was still looking for her. With everyone except Abby dead he didn't know where Jackson was. Just the city. Eventually thought they'd find them.

"I know what you're thinking. We'll take care of Isaac I promise. I just-I need this. She needs this." Maria's eyes travel to Ellie's and Quinn couldn't help but feel disappointed. Angry even. She'd put everything on hold and she'd have to do it again. The man who doomed her mother to death still out there. Looking for her. Not to mention chasing after Abby would put Ellie at risk. Again.

"I need to get some air." Quinn stood up from her chair and Ellie stood up to follow.

"Don't. I want to be alone." Quinn muttered before walking outside. Despite her anger she shut the door softly and calmly walked away.

"She'll understand." Maria spoke and Ellie sighed. "Isaac killed her mom. She helped me get my revenge and gave up her own to be here with me. Isaac poses an actual threat. Not only to her but to Jackson as well."

"I know that it's just-"

"I'm sorry Maria, I want Abby dead just as much as you do but she's sacrificed so much for me already. Isaac goes first."

"But-"

"This community is in danger Maria. We need to take care of him. In all the years you've led I never knew you to be so reckless!" Ellie raised her voice in disbelief.

"You're right." Maria looked in the distance. It was obvious the loss of Tommy made her in a way lose herself. "Do what you have to."

"Okay." Ellie stood up and looked around. "I should go look for..."

"Yeah yeah. Send her my apologies please." Ellie nodded her head and walked out, she couldn't help but notice the disappointment in Maria's tone. She wasn't sure if she was disappointed in herself or the fact that she'd have to wait to avenge her husbands death.

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"Okay where'd you run off to." Ellie muttered to herself as she walked around town. She thought about going to Dina's but she knew Quinn wouldn't want to bother her. She stopped by the infirmary first. Quinn had picked up a thing or two from one of the nurses and enjoyed spending her free time helping around.

"Sorry, haven't seen her." Jules one of the nurses she practiced with shrugged. After about two hours of stopping by practically all of Jackson she stopped by the farms last. Quinn wasn't big on taking care of animals or even getting dirt underneath her fingernails but Dina often forced her to come along and of course she couldn't say no to her. They had become best friends really.

"I wouldn't count on her to stop by here without her partner in crime." One of the men spoke up as Ellie asked around.

"Ellie." One of Jesse's friends called out to her. He jogged up to her a huge smile on his face. "What's one of the patrol leaders like you doing here? Aren't you too busy fighting infected?"

Ellie rolled her eyes at his clear sarcasm and shook her head. "I'm looking for Quinn...she uh ran off earlier."

"Trouble in paradise? I thought you two were inseparable." Ellie frowned at his sentence and he put his arms up. "Hey hey, it's a joke. I saw her go into the bar."

"The bar?" Ellie asked confused. She never stopped there. In the interity of her stay she had only went twice. For Jesse. Ellie walks out the farm without another word. She practically speed walked across the town to get into the only bar that Jackson had. When she walked in it wasn't hard to spot Quinn.

Not because it was the afternoon and the bar was practically empty but because when she walked in a room she was always the one her eyes landed on first. No matter how crowded the room she always saw her, even when she wasn't looking.

"Quinn..." Ellie spoke softly and the raven haired girl turned around.

"Hey." She said in a defeated tone. A cup of the homemade whiskey in her hand. Jesse had described it as one of "Jackson's best luxuries." But really it tasted like shit or at least that's what Quinn had said. Jesse had teased her since she never had drank alcohol before.

"It's not supposed to taste good." He told her. The fact she was even holding a cup in her hand was surprising.

"I'm sorry for walking away like that. It wasn't fair to you or Maria." She circled the tip of her index finger around the rim of the cup before picking it back up to take a sip. Her face scrunched up and Ellie placed her hand on hers.

"Hey that's enough. Let's get you home yeah?"

"Ellie..." Quinn looked up and rolled her eyes.

"Quinn please. Let's just talk?"

"About what? Maria putting all these people that I care about in danger?"

Ellie looked around the few people around started to stare. Not many people knew about what happened when Ellie disappeared from Jackson for months, and nobody knew where Quinn came from. She just kind of appeared. Usually people liked to tell their story, she didn't. For obvious reasons.

"Let's talk about this at home okay?" Quinn grunted and slammed her now empty cup down. "Sure."

She hated how she was being, how she was treating the brunette. But for months she held it in, all the anger, loss and hopelessness. Ellie helped her stand up, and thanked the bar tender  before guiding her home. When they arrived the silence was heavy, Quinn never really talked about how she felt.

Ellie was always open about the fact she hated Abby still lived, but Quinn? She never once said a word about Isaac. Not even when Ellie brought it up, she always changed the subject or said to just forget about it.

"So I talked to Maria."

"Yeah? I was there. Listen the way I reacted- it was...I was stupid and I'm sorry." Ellie shook her head and held her hands.

"It wasn't stupid. I understand. We talked and we're going after Isaac first." Quinn looked up shocked.

"Really?" Ellie nodded and Quinn bit the inside of her cheek. Finally it was time. She hated the part of her that only cared about killing him, but now? He was fucking with her people. The people she cared and loved. She wouldn't let him take everything from her. Not again. This time she had reason to go after him besides petty revenge. She had a home now and she'd protect it to the very end