Set Me Free ▪︎ Joel Miller ▪︎

▪︎○ Thirty Seven ○▪︎

The plant had proven to be huge and crowded with men and women from Jackson; some stood guarding the perimeter while others worked to fix the turbine that had gone south. Olivia smiled proudly when listening to Tommy talk about Jackson and how far they'd come as a community.

It offered her hope for the future, especially when he talked about the electricity the town had and the crops they grew. They were self sufficient and good people from what she could tell. They were everything most people craved for in a world as fucked as the one they found themselves existing in.

She had stepped back and took it all in, occasionally offering a smile to the few people stood around the area while Joel and Ellie made friends with a beautiful horse that had been nearby. They were laughing and smiling together, bonding even.

She'd miss these moments.

She'd miss him; her Joel.

"Wait, Joel had a daughter?"

The question snapped through Olivia's train of thought, bringing her back to the moment. She slowed her absentminded tapping atop the table as she shifted her gaze to the pair sat talking opposite her in a hushed manner. She frowned at the mention of Joel's daughter and the story of how she had been killed by a soldier at the start of the outbreak.

What the hell?

Anger and disapproval rose in her, clenching her jaw and hardening her stare as it rested on Maria while she spoke of Sarah. She tried hard to stay calm and composed, even with the firm belief that it was not Maria's place to be telling Ellie about Joel's deceased daughter.

In fact, that was one of the main reasons Olivia hadn't stepped up and told Ellie of Joel's decision to go his own way now that they had reached Tommy; in her mind, it was his place to tell the teen himself, not hers.

"Stop," she abruptly growled through clenched teeth, her hard gaze locking with Maria's confused one. "You have no right sharing that information and you know it." she told the fair haired woman lowly.

"It's fine, I wanted to know." Ellie defended.

"No, it's not fine, El."

"She has a right to know why he is so hard headed," Maria insisted, almost politely. "She is travelling with him."

"No, she doesn't. That is Joel's business and Joel's alone. If he wants her to know, he'll tell her. So, shut up before I make you."

Maria sat back, folding her arms and sighing heavily. She shook her head at herself, looking up at the stone faced woman with an apologetic expression. "You're right," she nodded, "I'm sorry."

"No," Olivia dropped her head, her heart breaking a little more as tears stung in her eyes. Everything was building up and becoming too much, she was drowning under it all. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made that threat. I just-" she sighed, "maybe you're right." she mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Ellie spoke up, watching her travel companion with mild concern.

"Maybe Maria is right. Maybe you deserve to know why Joel is the way he is. Perhaps hearing his story would help you understand him more." Olivia explains whilst wiping at her eyes. "But again, I still think it should come from Joel and not us."

"I shouldn't have said anything." Maria agreed with an understanding smile, already growing to respect Olivia and her unwavering honesty. It was clear she cared for the brothers and Ellie. Olivia was a good woman. But she was also a broken woman wearing a fractured mask.

"Is Joel gonna ask Tommy about the lab?" Ellie suddenly asked, turning her curious gaze onto the young woman unexpectedly.

No, not likely. Olivia thought to herself sadly.