Author's notes : And here's a new little story, still with our best duo! This time, Joel has to deal with Ellie's emotional troubles.

Joel took advantage of Ellie going out to a party at the Stewarts' to watch an old action movie that came out a long time ago, around 2010. He knew he didn't have to worry about her behavior; even though the Stewarts were good people, he did warn her about the boys anyway. She was soon turning 19 and didn't seem to show any interest for any relationships with someone and that worried him. Joel was scared she'd suddenly wake up and sleep too quickly with someone. He also had to kind of forced her into going out. She seemed only interested in staying home, studying the college books or hanging out with him. She had to be around people her age, for her own sake.

He had fallen asleep on the couch and was suddenly woken up with a start by the front door slamming. He saw Ellie running up the stairs and slamming – again – her bedroom's door.

"What the hell?" Joel asked himself out loud.

He was approaching the stairs when someone knocked at the door, quite loudly.

"And here we go…"

Whatever's happened, he was going to take responsibility for it. Obviously. He took a breath and opened the door. Mrs. Stewart was facing him, she looked upset.

"Sandra. Hi," he casually said.

She pointed a finger at him and said, between her teeth: "You keep that girl of yours away from my boy, Joel. You hear me?"

"Wh-"

"You ask her what happened, I surely won't be the one telling you, but let me give you some advice before you talk to her: look after that messed up kid, cause there ain't a doubt she lacks education."

Joel didn't like the tone in her voice. Ellie had been through a lot and had shown many times that she was tough. Some families in this town never had to "endure and survive" at all, they couldn't understand. The Stewarts were a part of them. He raised his hand to shut her neighbor up before getting too mad.

"Alright, alright, no need to get rude, I'll talk to her. And I'm sorry for whatever happened."

Sandra was about to reply when he shut the door in her face, making her leave with a huge sigh.

When he reached Ellie's bedroom, he saw she had opened her door. Good sign. She was on her bed, reading comics. He sat next to her and removed the comics from her hands.

"You wanna tell me what happened with the Stewart's boy, kiddo?

Ellie closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly. That's when Joel noticed her right hand was a little too red. But he didn't ask anything, he'd rather let her talk when she'd want to.

"He… I think he had drunk too many beers and with no warning at all, he caressed my hair. I automatically punched him in the face."

Joel felt anger towards the boy for touching her without her consent but he was also proud of her. She could definitely take care of herself – not that he didn't know this fact before.

"How many times?"

"What?" Ellie didn't understand what he meant.

"How many times have you punched him?"

He stared down at her right hand. He had to put some ice on it.

"Th- Three times, I think."

"Was he hurt?"

She nodded and said: "Nose bleed and I think I… Fell a tooth break."

"Ellie… I'll be right back, let me get you some ice for your hand."

He hurried down the stairs to get a rag and several ice cubes. When he came back in her room, he saw tears run down her pretty face. Not again…

"Here, gimme your hand."

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have done that because Tommy gave us a home here and everything but-"

"It's alright, I understand your reaction. Keep this on your hand for about twenty minutes, I'm just going to talk to Tommy before Mrs. Stewart does. Have a shower and go to bed then, I'll join you real quick, alright?"

Ellie nodded and looked at Joel, grateful. Sometimes, she felt she didn't deserve him.

She waited twenty minutes, as he had advised her. Her hand wasn't that swollen, then she had a really hot shower, careful to make it quick so Joel would still have hot water too when he comes back home.

She was just getting into bed when she heard the front door.

"Joel?"

She always needed to make sure it was him.

"It's me."

She heard him close the shutters and lock every door. He climbed the stairs, grabbed some clothes in his wardrobe and asked her: "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

He nodded back and went into the bathroom. She heard the water running. Five minutes later, he was out. How did men do that?

He got into bed, sat next to her under the blanket and turned to face her.

"There's something I'd like to know. Did someone hurt you when I was sick a few years ago?"

Ellie immediately knew what he was talking about. Thank God, nothing like that had happened to her.

She shrugged and replied: "David and his acolytes… They abducted people and butchered them… For food."

The sound of the body parts chopped and falling into the buckets came back in her ears. She closed her eyes and shook her head to make it go away. She pressed her knees against her chest, for comfort.

"And… He told me that I was special."

"Did he touch you?"

Joel had had this question in mind ever since he had known that she had been "his newest pet". For his greatest relief, she shook her head vigorously.

"No, but I think he would've if he had had the time to. I remember when he put his hand on mine one day, I… I broke his finger. And I was so proud of it because he wasn't expecting it at all."

"Is it because of him that you hit this kid?"

"Yes. Yeah, I think it is."

"But I can touch you. You don't hit me though." Joel wanted to understand why she was unwilling to open up to boys her age.

Ellie looked at him and said, very seriously: "I trust you. There's the difference. I don't trust the others. I see you in another way as I see the other men."

Joel wasn't sure he comprehended entirely what she was saying but decided to not ask any more questions. She needed to rest.

"Look, I'm sorry, it's a bit my fault, I wanted you to go to this party. If you wanna stay here, it's alright. Actually, I'd rather have you home with me than with some boy I don't know."

He realized he sounded possessive but he couldn't help himself.

"So, you don't trust them either?" She fairly asked him.

"No, I don't. But I'm not sure I can trust myself either."

"What do you mean?"

"If I had been here, at the party, and I had seen him touch you, I'm not sure I could've kept calm. Cause I sure as hell am scared something happens to you, you know."

"Overprotective much?" She teased him.

He laughed softly.

"Yes, I am. I've always been."

Ellie wondered if this implied all the women in his life.

"I feel better now that we've talked. Thank you, and again, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Ellie. It'll always be alright, whatever you do."

He took a strand of hair and put it back behind her ear. At least, he was sure she wasn't going to hit him.