The clock read 5:52 am.

Joel looked up as the door closed. "You're home early."

Tess sank beside him on the couch, a sigh escaping her lips. She hated graveyard shifts.

"Long night?" Joel asked, dropping a kiss on her hair.

"You have no idea," Tess scoffed, smiling slightly. "Some party went way out of control."

"Oh, yeah. I heard."

"Had to bring in some hooligans. Most of them underage," Tess looked down, shaking her head. "Makes me wonder what kinda parents they have, y'know?"

"Mm-hmm."

As if being pulled out of a trance, her head snapped up. She looked around, and then at him. "Where's the kid?"

Joel gestured to the armchair near the couch they were on. Tess squinted at the blanket-covered lump curled up on it that was supposedly their foster kid.

She quietly made her way over and knelt next to the armchair. Tess gingerly brushed the girl's hair away from her face, eyes trailing over the spattering of freckles along her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

"Oh, she's so beautiful," Tess murmured. "Can't wait to see her eyes."

"You're goin' soft."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

The sleeping girl let out a soft snore.

"Looks like you guys had a long night too."

"You have no idea," Joel mocked playfully.

"Oh, ha-ha."

"It's a big commitment, Tess."

"Yeah," Tess said, glancing at the backpack resting against the bottom of the armchair. She paused hesitantly before speaking. "I thought this would be good for you, since Sarah –"

"Tess—"

"I get it," Tess said firmly. "But you know just as well as I do that there's no escaping the past."

Joel sighed. "You're right."

"This is for Ellie too," she said, eyes steely. "I want to protect her. I couldn't handle the thought of another child — and now the thought of her becoming one of these kids I bring in everyday, and... I've been thinking about doing this for quite some time, you know that. Just so happens to be her."

"Girl must be special."

"Must be," Tess smiled, only for her face to fall again. "Sorry I wasn't there when they dropped her off. I should've—"

"We've been over this," he waved her off reassuringly. "Practically talked my goddamn ear off the past couple months. I got it all taken care of. Nothin' to worry about."

"Still, I wanted to be there for it," she said ruefully, her eyes trailing over the girl's face. "What's she like?"

"Well..." Joel paused to think. "She's somethin' else."

a/n: i've never written for this game before lmao i hope i do it justice (as much justice as i can do it in an AU ofc)! so i can do better, leave feedback if you wanna! mm-mmm i love me some feed