Summary: The four survivors need to split up, Rochelle and Coach one way, Nick and Ellis the other.

Pairing: Nellis bromance cause it's my BroTP! But it can be interpreted as fluff =^w^=. It also contains slight hints of Coach and Rochelle; it's up to you to decide whether it's friendship or pairing.

Rated: T for language

Disclaimer: Valve owns all!

Extra Info: I usually ship NickRo, but I'm now doing Nellis bromance. I'm also used to writing OC Infected fanfics, so sorry if they're OOC! ^_^ Enjoy, and R&R!

Music: Your Touch (Blake Lewis), Better Together (Ross Lynch)

[A/N ~ Essy, thanks for Austin and Ally cause it helped me with this fanfic title!]

Chapter 1: Split

The two tunnels were pitch dark. Rochelle glanced down one, squinting. She couldn't see much, even with her gun light shining down into the gloom. She turned round.

"Coach and I'll go one way," she told the others, before turning to Nick. "Nick, I'm trusting you to not kill Ellis." Nick smiled sardonically; he then glared at Ellis, who stared back, bemused.

"Fine," the conman muttered. He prodded Ellis's chest. "Let's go, Overalls." The two disappeared into the darkness of the left tunnel. Rochelle watched them go.

"Is it just me, or am I worried about Ellis already?" Coach murmured.

"Overalls. Hey, Overalls!" Ellis turned and looked at Nick, who was beckoning.

"What?" he said in his lilting Georgian accent.

"Get a health pack," the conman replied, pointing at the supplies. Ellis hadn't seen it, and thanked Nick.

"I just showed you packs, kid, don't get so over the top," Nick muttered.

They walked down the edge of the road, and Nick saw Common Infected milling about. He announced the zombies, and went in with his katana. Blood spattered his white suit and blue shirt, but he went on hacking at them. Ellis wielded his machete and gave a delighted whoop as he sang, "Die, die, my darlings, die, die, die!"

Surrounded by bodies that weren't going to get up again, Nick brushed his hair back. He didn't praise Ellis as he strode to get more ammo.

"Stay here," he growled when the Georgia kid tried to follow. "I don't want you acting like a damn puppy whenever I move."

Bemused by this, Ellis stood idly in the space. He watched Nick's back as the conman turned the corner and disappeared. He would be back soon.

Soon after, Ellis hesitated. Should he go? No, that would just make Nick angry. So he waited patiently. He jumped when a warning cut through the silence.

"HUN-" It was broken off. Ellis sprinted after the voice, which was definitely Nick's. He gave a cry as he almost fell over the Hunter tearing at his fellow survivor, who looked wild-eyed at Ellis. Beneath the moss green, Ellis saw resentment, regret and relief.

"Die!" he yelled, shooting bullets into the Hunter with his AK-47. The Hunter shoulder-rolled as it was shoved off by Nick, and jumped on Ellis, tearing at his beige Bull-Shifters shirt. Nick shot at it, and it tried to pounce away. Another round of bullets silenced it.

Nick slowly stood, wincing as the gashes opened up. Ellis rolled onto his hands and knees and crawled over to pick up his cap. He pushed it back over his curly brown hair.

Nick helped Ellis up, before healing him. Ellis froze, slightly surprised, but thankful for the bandages. Nick stood back and bit his lip, hesitating.

"I-" He paused, then continued. "I'm sorry for stopping you. Thanks for helping me."

Ellis accepted the whole-hearted apology (usually Nick muttered a half-hearted thanks) and carried on walking, taking pleasure in killing more Commons.

Nick was limping, his breath rasping, but refused Ellis' frequent offers to heal him.

"You need to save the pack," he would always reply. They wandered into a house with a broken door; the first seat they reached Nick sank into gratefully. He momentarily rested his head against his palms, before resting his head agains the wall behind.

Ellis stood uncertainly nearby. He went to search for some ammo, but stopped as Nick grabbed his shirt hem. Nick looked at him.

"Not alone. Not after what I did," he said sharply, standing shakily and ploughing ahead into the other rooms resiliently, ignoring Ellis' confused expression.

Rochelle nervously stopped. She could hear crying, and turned to Coach. He had heard it too. It was just ahead.

Turning a bend in the tunnel they saw the Witch. She was directly where they needed to walk, no space to go around, nor another way around her.

Coach cursed softly, and they both turned off their flashlights. Now what? They couldn't get around, they were stood in a dark tunnel and a goddamn Witch was there. Fantastic.

"Any other way around?" she asked Coach hopefully when he returned from scouting behind the bend. He shook his head, squinting at the sobbing Witch. He frowned, a crease marring his forehead.

"If we could ..." He lifted a molotov, the alcohol bottle flaming. The Witch carried on crying. Rochelle crept closer, her hoop earrings gently swaying. Her pink T-shirt looked dark grey in the darkness.

She motioned for Coach to give her the molotov, and was confused when he shook his head.

"Why not?" she hissed, lowering her voice.

"Can't let you do that, Ro," Coach said softly. "I don't want that bitch tearing you in half, do I?"

And he threw the molotov.

"Smoker," Nick growled. He seemed to have recovered after Ellis had healed him ("Fine, get it over with!"), and crept ahead. He glanced about for the tall Special Infected.

Ellis gave a strangled cry as it grabbed him. Nick raced over as quick as he could, and shoved it. The tongue snapped successfully. Ellis felt Nick push something into his hands; he glanced at the adrenaline shot in slight puzzlement. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again at Nick's glare. The conman loosened his blue collar, unconsciously rubbing the fading hickey on his neck. Ellis itched his nose awkwardly. Nick looked at him.

"You oka-" He was cut off by the loud sounds of an approaching horde, and the gurgles of a-

"FAT GUY, FAT GUY!" Ellis shouted, shoving the Boomer and backing away.

"Popped it- agh!" Nick yelled as the Boomer burst, covering him head to toe in bile. He tried to wipe off the green gunk, glancing up to see if the horde was there yet. Ellis saw him.

"Uh oh," he murmured.

"Shit!" Nick swore when the bile wouldn't scrub off.

And all the windows and doors smashed as the Commons poured in.