Chapter Text
The breeze of the creeping autumn air flowed through the woods, but Ellie didn’t mind. Not anymore. Not after everything.
The farmhouse was gone now, somewhere behind her, just another shape on the horizon she wasn’t going to look back at. She’d left Joel’s guitar leaning against the wall where she’d last seen it, strings dull, dust catching the light from the window.
She hadn’t taken it.
Couldn’t.
Her pack was lighter than it’d been in years. No mementos weighing her down. Just food, water and a few spare rounds for the pistol on her hip. She felt…hollow, in a way, but it wasn’t the same hollow she’d been carrying all this time. This one didn’t ache as much.
The road ahead stretched out long and empty, cutting between amber trees and waving grass. The fall air filled her lungs, and she let it. Every breath felt full, real.
Her chucks crunched in the gravel.
Somewhere far off, she heard the creak of branches swaying in the wind. A bird took off from a fence post as she passed, wings clapping in the stillness.
She didn’t rush. Jackson wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was she. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel like she was running toward something or away from it. Just…walking.
Ellie thought of Dina, the way she smiled in the mornings, hair a mess, eyes soft and half-awake. JJ’s laugh, small and bright. She didn’t know if she’d get that back, didn’t know if she deserved to. But she was going to try.
The miles slipped by under her feet. Her shoulders eased.
By the time the sun dipped low, the sky brushed with streaks of orange and pale purple, she could almost see Jackson in her mind. The lights in the houses. The sound of voices on the wind. The way the gates would open, and she’d step through, carrying nothing but herself.
And for the first time in years, that felt like enough. Hours passed as she walked. Finally it came into view. Finally. She had finally made it home. Back to Jackson. Back to…just being. No more vengeance. No more hatred and anger that filled her to the brim. Strange. It had been part of her for so long now she found its absence to be just as sad as it was uplifting. Fucking emotions.
Ellie neared the gate, signaling her return, flashing her hands to the guards at the gate. They drew the gates open and welcomed her back in once more. The only thing that mattered to her at this moment though? Going home. Just…letting this day finally come to pass. A perfect bookend to this whole affair.
Ellie had taken up residence in Joel’s old home, moving all her stuff from out of the garage and into the house itself. It was strange at first and a little haunting, but she overcame it little by little. She had to. She stepped inside for the first time in months and let the door shut behind her, latching it before pressing her back to it.
Silence.
She exhaled. After all this time…the quiet was enough. Never had been before. But now? There was…peace with it. She made her way to the bedroom, plopping herself down onto the mattress with a heavy resounding thud. She grumbles into the covers with a whiny tone, wiggling her way out of her clothing and letting it fall to the floor, rolling onto her back and staring up at the ceiling.
Tomorrow was a new day. A new chance to start over. And the first thing Ellie would do was make right by Dina. Right by JJ. But for now, sleep would take her.