The Last Of Us Imagines

How is that protection? 🎒 Joel/Ellie/Marlene (game/show) SPOILERS!

Song: Nirvana - something in the way.

Imagine: you and Joel wake up in the hospital, you talk with Marlene and save Ellie.

Warnings: angst, talk of the past.

SPOILERS FOR THE NEW TLOU EPISODE AND THE FIRST GAME

•••

(13 years ago)

'We have to kill her, she asked us...' you sigh, gently rocking the small Ellie in your arms.

'I can't..' Marlene tells you.

'Can't or won't? You mutter making her head turn to you.

'Oh right I forgot... you're the cold one of the group-'

'Fuck you Marlene, Anna is asking us to do her this favour and you're seriously going to let her turn into one of them? Hold Ellie...I'll do it...' You carefully put Ellie in her arms before taking out your gun.

'Hey Anna...' you smile softly as you crouch down next to her.

'Hey Y/n...'

'I'm sorry... but I'll take good care of her...I promise..'

'I know...'

'And I'll do it... if you still want me to...I won't let you turn into one of them..'

'Thank you..' Anna smiles at you. You kiss her head before getting up again.

'You're raise the gun and aim it at her. 'I'm sorry..' you breathe. 'It's okay... I forgive you...'

Your finger pulls the trigger, the bullet hitting her and effectively killing her without any pain. You hear Ellie starting to cry again and you blink away the tears before going back to Marlene.

'Its done, let's go..'

•••

'They're prepping Ellie for surgery...'

'Surgery?' Joel asks confused.

'Oh my god..' there is no confusion in your voice, just bitterness. 'I knew it... you don't care what happens to her...'

'Fuck you, Y/n.. I do care, but this is bigger than all of us!'

'You're should've run every test in the book before prepping her for this, and seeing that we were only out for a couple hours, that seems highly unlikely... You know, Anna warned me about you...'

'I know you care about her-'

'I promised to Anna I'd keep her safe.. this isn't keeping her safe! You don't even have guarantees that this works...' you step forward, getting a reaction from her puppets not seconds later.

'We've tried everything... so my guys will escort you outside-'

'Like hell they are...you suddenly care about Ellie? After 13 years of abandoning her with FEDRA? No, no you will not get your way, does she even know?'

'Cordyseps grows in the brain...' Joel cuts in, having filtered the conversation finally.

'It Does...'

'Marlene, does she know?' You ask lowly.

Marlene doesn't respond and that's all you need to know about it. 'Fucking Fireflies...she doesn't even know she's about to die...'

'Drop them outside and give them their stuff...' Marlene says nothing more as she walks away.

'Traitor!' You yell after her. 'I will get you for this you hear!'

'Y/n stop..' Joel tells you, your head snaps towards him. 'She's gonna die Joel... they didn't even tell her.. they're killing a child! Fireflies are no better than FEDRA and you know it...'

'Just go with them...I'll meet up with you later...'

That's a code for something, you and Joel made up this list of code words and sentences. Together with a certain look in his eyes you pierce it together. Different plan, get ready.. shits about to go down.

'Fine...' you snap at him, a small smirk in the corner of your lips.

The guards grab your arm making you wince. 'If you want to keep your hands, take them off of me..'

'Marlenes orders...you're considered dangerous...'

'Well at least she's smart about that..' you mutter.

They walk you right up to the staircase leading to the ground floor. A perfect place to start some shit. That shit being saving Ellie from the greedy hands offense fireflies.

She will be mad at you after, but she's be alive. Even if she will never speak to either of you again, she's be able to live a happy life in Jackson.

Joel gives you a nod, which you spot from the corner of your eye. On cue you both turn around and disarm the guards.

'You ready... there's no going back from this...'

'Marlene is mine..' you cock your gun.

•••

'I never asked you...' he speaks up as his eyes leave the road for a second to look at you. 'Seems like you knew Marlene from way before...and Ellie's mother...'

'I did.. we were a group of survivors.. together with Anna.. she got bitten when she was pregnant with Ellie, she said she cut the cord before getting bitten but I didn't believe her, it also didn't come as a shock to me that Ellie turned out to be immune.. Anna she uh... asked me to shoot her... she didn't want to turn into one of those things..'

'Let me guess, Marlene refused?'

'Yup... Anna always warned me about her.. she was right... i promised Anna I'd keep Ellie safe, killing her didnt quite fit my agenda...not when I have a say in it...'

'I get why Ellie feels safe with you..'

'She feels safe with you too...even if she doesn't show it much... I can tell.. she doesn't accept shit from many people..'

'How's the wound?' He asks as he nudges towards your leg.

'It's manageable.. I can walk.. if that's what you're asking..I'll walk myself all the way back to Jackson...'

'Good..also, she can't know... it will break her heart...'

'Joel-'

'Y/n..'

'We'll have to tell her some day...'

He looks at Ellie through his rear view mirror. 'Yeah, but not yet...'