Lost Love {TLOU} [Joel X OC]

n i n e

Winter

Naomi sits on the ledge of the window, twisting the ring around her finger as Joel lies still on a thin mattress below her.

She takes out the photo she took from Tommy and smiles, going back to happier memories.

The woman waits a few more minutes, no  staring out the grimy glass. She watches the snow fall, piling on top of itself.

Joel groans slightly and she looks down to see him move his head and then lie still once more.

Naomi jumps down from where she sat and pulls the blanket over him to keep him warm. She then picks up his hunting rifle and loads it.

"I'll be back soon." She whispers.

Locking the garage door behind her, she climbs onto her horse to go search for where Ellie had got too.

Riding to the area she told the kid to hunt, Naomi spots the hoof prints and then the trail of blood, leading into a decrepit building.

She decides to tie the horse to a post, following the path onwards until she spots a small fire inside a building.

Hearing the faint sound of voices, her steps falter slighter as a man walks across, his pistol in his hand and he stops in the doorway.

She swaps the rifle for her machete, silently going across the snow and bringing the blade to his neck, pushing him in the building.

Ellie was stood with her own rifle, pointed at a man who had turned his attention to Naomi.

"Let the girl go." She threatens. "Or I won't hesitate." The cool steel pushes into the man's neck ever so slightly.

The other one chuckles slightly. "He was giving her the medication you require for your friend."

"Then tell him to lower his fucking gun and hand it over."

"James... do as she says."

James drops his handgun and holds up the bag. Naomi takes it, pushing him away and taking in the other man.

He smiles ever so slightly and her expression drops. Ellie makes her way over to the woman. "We got it, let's go."

"You won't survive long out there. I can protect you, Naomi. For old times sake."

Her knuckles turn white from gripping the handle too hard. "David. I didn't realised your group had settled in one area."

David shrugs ever so slightly as Ellie casts a confused look between the pair. "You know each other?"

"Come on, we gotta go." Naomi ignores her question, turning her to the door as David laughs.

She shivers from his voice, leading the teenager back to her horse. "What did you do, Ellie? I said to get food."

"I did and that fucker stole it from me, but I got medicine didn't I? And do you wanna tell me how you know him?"

Naomi shakes her head. "It's none of your concern." She points to the horse, her eyebrow raised and Ellie sighs, getting on and riding off.

The woman takes one glance back and then follows behind.

Back at the house, Ellie shuts them in again as Naomi kneels beside Joel, lifting up his top to reveal his wound.

She says nothing as she takes out the syringe and antibiotics, sticking them into him and he groans. Once finished, she covers him back over and abruptly stands.

"Get some sleep." She tells Ellie and the girl frowns.

"Where are you going?"

"A walk."

Flashback

10 years after Naomi had left Joel and she stumbles across a group trying to survive just like her.

They offer her food and she hesitantly takes it, instantly dropping it at the piercing scream.

"Don't worry about that. I'm David." The man greets her and she warily looks around. "Naomi."

"I can look after you." He promises.

At night, the group are asleep and Naomi sits up from where she pretended she was doing the same. With a roll of her eyes at how gullible they were, she starts to loot their belongings.

A rough hand grabs her, spinning her around. "The fuck do you think you're doing?"

They drag her to David, who was busy cleaning the blood off a cleaver and her eyes widen as she struggles in their grip.

"No, wait! I'm sorry!" She exclaims and they ignore her, pushing her down on a table and holding her down as David tuts.

The cleaver glints in the moonlight as he makes his way over, brushing away the hair out of her face.

"Where to start." He mutters, tracing the cool blade down her face ever so slightly.

Naomi shakes, trying to escape as she pleads with him. He brings the weapon up, ready to bring it back down when he's interrupted.

"David, we've got two men coming towards camp."

"Then get rid of them." He orders.

"We're trying but one's complaining his brother Tommy's doing his head in."

Naomi's eyes widen and she opens her mouth but David clamps his hand over it, muffling her screams.

From the outside, she can hear the sound of a thick Texan accent and her eyes begin to water as she silently sobs.

David presses a finger to his lips and she relaxes in the grip of her captors, knowing there was nothing to be done.

"Is there really nothing you can do?"

"Sorry, Joel. We just don't have the space for more people."

"Well thanks for nothing."

She listens to their footsteps getting quieter and quieter and David removes his hand, slamming the cleaver into the wood beside her head.

"Get everyone to pack up." He orders and one of the men holding Naomi loosens his grip.

She quickly pulls herself from up, grabbing the cleaver and throwing it in a crazed fashion, hearing the scream of its target. She runs, pushing open the door and dodging past everyone who tries to grab her.

Outside, she slams into one of the men and knocks him unconscious with a rock, unsheathing his machete and making a break for it into the night.

—
Naomi awakens from her nap to hear the lock of the door and she frowns, sitting up to see Ellie had gone.

Clambering to the window, she spots the group searching the area and curses under her breath.

She looks back to Joel, hitting the ledge in frustration as she grabs his bow and swings her machete, heading out of the house.

Riding her horse the other direction to Ellie, she whistles, grabbing the attention of the enemy to try and split them up as some chase after the teenager.

The others race after her and she leads them away from Joel. Aiming her bow, she takes her shot, impressed with herself at the takedown.

A bullet hits the leg of her horse, sending them both crashing down.

Naomi rolls down the hill, the snow covering her and her head makes impact with a rock, knocking her out.

In the house, Joel suddenly awakens, gasping for breath and as he sits up, he grimaces in pain.

"Naomi."