"Alright, Ellie," Tommy says, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm gonna throw you the ball this play, you okay with that?"

Of course she's okay with that. She's nearly a pro.

She eyes the line of their opponents across the field. Earl, Houser, and Joel look like they're discussing something to Rob and Roni, while Mike is distracted when Roni crosses her arms under her chest. Ellie's been paired with Mike the past few plays. While he can be dangerous when he concentrates, Ellie's figured out she can slip by his left side much smoother than his right.

Roni is paired up against Bobby, and John and Drew, a thick, burly guy who spends most of his time up at the plant, protect Tommy until he throws the ball off. Anna, Houser's wife, acts as a running back and, when needed, a wide receiver like Ellie. They make a pretty good pair. Anna's competitive streak is off the charts, and Houser tries and continually fails to best her.

Earl and Rob fight against John and Drew, but that group is evenly matched. Tommy's only been sacked a handful of times, and he's squirrely in the pocket. He maneuvers all around like it's his favorite thing to do.

Joel stays in the backfield, ready to attack. It seems whoever is able to get away from the person defending them, Joel's there to correct the mistake. It's intimidating, but that's Joel's trademark.

Ellie thought it'd be easy to get past him. She's quicker and smaller, and as many times as she's tried to duck underneath him or give him a wide berth when she delves into the field, he always seems to snag her right as she's about to pull away.

"Throw it when I get past Joel," she says. "That's the only way we'll get a touchdown."

They've made do with measurements and field length. It isn't as long as a football field, since from what Tommy, Joel, and the other older men have described, a real football field was huge. But they've found a lengthy enough space between Jackson and where the forest begins, and they've used bulky rocks as indicators of the first downs.

Tommy shakes his head. "This is our third down. They're probably gonna rush us, so we should get the ball off as quick as we can. We'll make the down and think about the touchdown after."

Ellie sighs. "Fine. But next time, I totally wanna make a touchdown."

"You will," Tommy grins. "Joel ain't gonna make it easy for ya, but I know you can do it."

"I can get past Houser and distract Joel if you need me to, no problem," Anna says. "Or you can give the ball to me and I can throw a lateral pass to Ellie. They won't know what hit them."

"I can do that, too," Bobby says. He claps Ellie on the back. "Roni's good at keeping on me, but I can move around her. I'm pretty sure you're the only one who could fake out Joel."

"Fake out? More like run as fast as I can," Ellie says.

John laughs. Drew crosses his arms and looks impatient.

"You guys done pussy footin', yet?"

Ellie rolls her eyes. "Shut up, Mike."

"Alright, let's go," Tommy says, and they all settle into their positions. Mike takes his spot five feet in front of her, leaning into his legs, and they perform their mandatory stare down.

"Why such a determined face, Ellie? Think I'll let you catch the ball?"

"Don't get cocky." She flicks her eyes past him, toward the pretty touchdown marker. "It'll turn Roni off."

Mike laughs a cough. He has this misconception that he's discreet, when Roni was the first to notice.

She's too nice, Ellie's thought on occasion. She really shouldn't smile as much at him, but she's got a thing for male attention.

"You think I care what Roni thinks?"

"No," Ellie says. "You live by it."

Tommy shouts, "Hut!" And Ellie pushes through Mike like he's full of stuffing. It takes him a precious moment to take off after her. Tommy sees the gap she made, and he tosses it to her easily.

The leather is worn and discolored under her hands, and she loves it. The feeling is empowering. Everyone shifts toward her direction. She's suddenly the most important person on the field.

She pulls away from Mike enough for him to be forgotten as a threat. She runs past the down marker, and she grins. Then she sees Joel, and the grin twists into gritted teeth. She'll be the first to say that she never has more fun than when she talks strategy and tosses the ball around during a game, but the fun shoots up exponentially when she can rub in a win and flaunt it until the next time.

Tommy and Joel have their own brand of competition. The stakes are never high, of course - either an extra lookout day here or a hunting trip there - but it's more about pride and rivalry, and maybe, if Ellie can guess right, a lesser form of affection. Ellie's never witnessed the two physically throw a punch or verbally blow up in each other's faces, but she's been near enough to get caught up in the web of tension. It isn't always there, but it makes it's visitor's appearance just like emotions do. They joke and smile and get in the occasional laugh with one another, and the family thread will keep them bound. It's frayed, but it lived through the destruction of their past. It'll thrive in the paradise of now.

In the meantime, Ellie will continue to be chosen first by whoever wins the coin toss. It's like a power play. She used to think Joel picked her first on their first game because she was still terrible at all of it, and, out of his gracious heart, he felt bad for her. Then she got better. And then the first time Tommy picked her before Joel, Joel was so surprised, he had a hard time hiding that he was surprised.

She laughed in his face, that day. Every time she's been on Tommy's side, he's never let her get a touchdown. It's been weeks. It beckons behind Joel's hulking figure, the marker glinting at her like a verbal taunt.

And fuck, if she doesn't want that fucking touchdown so fucking bad.

"Gotcha!"

Ellie nearly loses her footing at the contact. She takes a few extra steps to keep from falling.

"The fuck."

Roni laughs. "Sorry, Elle. When I saw you barrel past Mike, I knew what was going to happen."

Ellie reigns in the urge to punch her. "God," she hisses, kicking at the ground. "I really need to be against someone else."

"Damn it, Ellie," Mike huffs at her. He comes up and pushes at her shoulder. "You're so fucking fast when you want to be."

"And you're too fucking obvious."

He laughs like she's joking. "Obvious? You can't be ser - hey!"

She turns away from the two teammates, hearing Roni laugh when she doesn't answer Mike, and meets up with her group. She tosses the ball to Tommy.

"Nice going, Ellie. You gave us a lot more field than I expected."

She shrugs. "Now, what?"

The next few plays get them marginally further downfield, but their running game is halted too quick to be effective. Mike's being a pain in the ass, too. She can't seem to shake him, anymore. He hovers so close, he's nearly attached to her skin. He holds sometimes, and she compensates by shoving him, but everyone's too busy concentrating elsewhere, and Maria isn't out today to referee like she usually is. So Ellie keeps her frustrations to herself and Mike's stomach.

It's even more aggravating when she witnesses Joel give him a nod of approval. Mike grows ten times bigger with disgusting pride.

"Let's try a cross route," Bobby suggests after a rather disappointing play. "I think it might confuse Roni or Mike just long enough for one of us to do something."

Ellie likes the idea. "I think it could work. Tommy?"

Tommy smiles. "Why not? We've got nothin' to lose."

Ellie frowns. Tommy's attitude is a thousand times less determined than usual. It's been showing through in the plays, but she hasn't thought anything of it. Now, though, down and nearing the last plays of the game?

She glances to John and Drew, but they're mumbling their acquiescence. Bobby grins at Tommy's approval, and Anna is making a face at Houser across the field. Houser answers with a playful gesture, and Anna laughs as she agrees with Tommy.

Tommy makes brief eye contact with Ellie, and she can't help but say, "We've got the game to lose. Don't you want to win?"

"Of course I do, Ellie," he says, chuckling. "But I've got a feelin' right in here." He curls his hand into a fist and places it against his stomach. "Now, I think the real question is, are you ready to get your touchdown?"

Ellie still can't place it, that look in his face, but she readily says, "Hell yes."

They break, and Ellie glares at Mike when he comes up to face her. He smirks, and she tightens her hands until her nails cut into her palm.

She side glances to Bobby, and he glances back before looking to Roni.

"What?" Mike says. "No taunts this time?"

Ellie debates it. Then she shrugs. "I'll taunt when I beat your sorry ass."

"Ooh," he says. "Scary."

Tommy huts the ball, and they're off. Ellie runs a few feet before taking a hard slant, and Bobby keeps it a tight cross. He runs by her so closely, she can just hear his confidence when Roni hesitates. Her hesitation breeds Mike's own, and there's enough space between each player that Tommy can throw to either Bobby or Ellie.

Ellie sees his arm pop forward before it does. It arcs up in a pretty spin, and she runs to meet it as it curves down overhead. Ellie stretches her arms and snatches it tightly against her chest, cradling it inside her right forearm. The ball burns against her ribs as she keeps running, and Joel is right where he always is, standing like a stalwart in front of his treasure.

She ignores the way her feet want to stop, how she wants to rock to the side in a wide circle, just like she always does. It's become one of those impulsive habits. She knows it won't work, but it's familiar. She wants to take it because maybe this time it'll work, just because she believes in it enough.

She pummels on, and once Joel's close enough to grab her, she feints to the right, and she slips to his left.

She can't read his face very well. She's too busy to try. But she can read his feet, and she notices that second of hesitation right away. It's not the off-steps of Mike and Roni, and it doesn't match every other hesitation she's seen him produce before, whether it's a shot to take or a decision to make. It's deliberate, and it isn't out of coincidence.

She crosses into that beautiful lane, and she scores, but there is nothing gratifying in it. She drops the ball and turns on her heel. She heaves out her breath.

"The fuck, Joel!" she shouts, marching up to him. She sees the small smile he had start to wane. "You did that on purpose! You totally fucking did, don't start lying."

He opens his mouth, then shuts it. "Ellie, come on now, you got that score fair and square."

"Because you let me."

Joel sighs, rubbing at his forehead. Tommy jogs up, as well as the rest of the team. He seems to notice the look on Ellie's face, but he doesn't say anything as Bobby comes up and squeezes her.

"Great job, Elle. You smoked him."

Rob grins and musses her hair while she's momentarily stuck.

She elbows out of Bobby's grasp. "Yeah. Right."

Roni and Mike are close behind, Roni congratulating them on the play, while Mike takes his time finding a balance between begrudging acceptance and complete disregard of their four point win. He's always a sore loser when Ellie does things better than him, but she knows she's be the same way, so she lets him.

She's mostly distracted by Tommy and Joel. She slips outside of the circle until she can hear them better.

"...she's a quick one, ain't she?" Tommy says.

"I've been hard on her. She deserved that one. Hell, she's been complainin' my ear off about it for a month."

"You were always too damn soft for your own good. She already knows what you did," Tommy laughs. Then he turns somber, and he claps his hand on Joel's shoulder. He shakes him a little. "Happy birthday, brother."

She can't make out much of Joel's face, but his tone is like a warning.

"Tommy..."

"Don't give me that, Joel. You're fifty-two today, according to my calendar."

Joel sighs. "I guess I really am old, aren't I?"

"Healthy, too. So come on. Let's go eat some dinner. I can't promise I won't make your toast a big deal, but..."

Joel pushes him, and Tommy laughs. And when Joel turns around enough to see her, Ellie can't make herself do anything except stare.

Joel seems to realize. "Ellie..."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it ain't important, kiddo."

"That's bullshit, and you know it."

"It's just a day like any other," he says. He impedes her stubbornness with a fatigued grimace.

"You let me win on your...on your birthday. That is so...lame. And stupid. That's the complete opposite of what's supposed to happen!"

Joel sighs again. "Ellie, don't be ridiculous about this..."

"You're the one who's being ridiculous."

"Okay, I'm ridiculous."

Ellie groans. "There you go again, letting me win. Geez, what is wrong with you?" She throws up her hands. "Just go eat your birthday dinner. And whatever else old people do on their birthdays. You realize you let Tommy win, too, right?"

He looks at her for a while, and then he shakes his head at her. "Alright. A seat'll be waiting for you at the table." He glances at the rest of the teenagers, and Roni, who have all decided to watch them. "Good game, kids. You could've done better."

The rest of the adults leave with them, but not before most of them rub Ellie's head and smile at her and tell her good game. She waves them off and rolls her eyes.

She turns to Bobby, Rob, Roni, and Mike and says, "Can you believe that shit? Joel let us win. He's finally losing it."

Bobby and Roni share a look, Rob crosses his arms, and Mike squints at her. "C'mon, Ellie. Don't be dumb. He didn't let us win."

She shifts on her feet, and she busts out with, "Ugh, you guys suck. I'm gonna go eat." Before anyone else can say something equally as frustrating.

She doesn't even have a present.

Dinner turns out to be different. Joel's never been outgoing, but he does talk. Tonight, he keeps to himself, even when Ellie takes her seat across from him. She checked at the house for any item with a resemblance to something Joel might need. She could find nothing he might want. Sarah's eyes followed her out of the doorway, but that gift was given months and months ago. There'd never be a better one.

So she resigns herself to his silence, and she can't find many things to talk about besides the football game, so she keeps her mouth shut. He didn't seem to enjoy her ragging on him for the win, anyway.

He glances at his watch. It's more often than the usual day. They're ponderous glances, long and thoughtful. They aren't the type to induce melancholy, anymore, which is what she's noticed before. It makes her wonder what he sees as he's transported away by cracked glass and broken time.

He catches her eye, after some moments. "You're quiet, tonight."

"So are you."

"I'm always quiet."

"Not always."

"Well, then, what do you want to talk about?"

He's gotten good at noticing when she wants to say something. It's become a problem. She blows out air from her mouth. "First, I just want to say that you could have warned me."

"Maybe I should have. But It's not something I keep up with. Tommy -"

"And don't ever let me win out of pity. You don't give out pity, and it's strange when you give it to me."

"Pity is strange?"

"You know what I mean."

He seems amused. "I didn't realize it bothered you."

"Of course it bothers me. We never get pity - I mean, I never get pity, and...yeah. I don't like it."

"Okay," Joel says, pausing a moment. "No more of that."

"And what do you want?"

"What do I want?"

"For your birthday," she says, nearly frustrated again. "Riley and I always got each other something, no matter how small."

"What do I want..." Joel begins, and for a second, Ellie thinks he's truly trying to think of something. "Well, first," he says. "I want you to quit asking."

"Joel. Come on."

"And I want you to quit whinin' about never making a touchdown. You made one today -"

"It wasn't a real one."

"You crossed the line. That's as real as it gets."

"But you - "

"You're the one who asked, Ellie."

She huffs, looking down at her emptying plate. "Fine. But only because it's your birthday. Tomorrow, it goes back to normal."

"Then let my ears have peace for a night, at least."

He finishes his meal, and he retires from the table. Ellie tries to make him stay for the movie, but he claims to want some sleep.

Ellie frowns as she watches him go. She should've waited to give him the Walkman. That would have been a pretty good gift.

Ellie slides down the table to be across from Maria and Tommy. Tommy looks up at her.

"Hey, Ellie. You leavin' us, too?"

"No way," she says. "It's early." She pauses. "You didn't make a toast for Joel."

He laughs. "I was just giving him a hard time. He hates attention."

"Yeah," she says. "He does. We should have one next year."

"I completely agree, Ellie," Maria says. "And good job on your game. I heard you won it."

Ellie holds back an eye roll. "Sort of," she relents. "Did you guys get anything for him?"

"I made sure he got an extra helping," Maria says. "There aren't many ingredients for a cake around here."

Cake? Ellie thinks. But it's probably one of those old world ghosts.

"I said some nice things to him," Tommy says lightly. "Don't worry too much about it, Ellie. This kind of normalcy is hard to get used to, and Joel hasn't celebrated a birthday in a long time. If you start giving him more things, he'll get spoiled. And trust me when I say no one wants a spoiled Joel."

He isn't being half serious, but Ellie gives him a bemused look. "I haven't given him much. I just..."

"Sure you have," he continues, and his smile becomes a little meaningful. "You've been giving him a fresh start. A new beginning, and a better one than I could have given him alone."

"A new beginning," Ellie says.

"Right now," Tommy says. "That's the best gift anyone could give him."

Ellie glances down at the table separating them.

"So, like I said. Don't worry your pretty head about it, kiddo. It'll always mean the world to him, even if he never speaks a word about it."

Ellie nods quickly. "Okay. Yeah. Thanks, Tommy." She stands up. "I'm gonna head out. I'll see you tomorrow."

He watches after her, and she can tell he's wondering, but he doesn't ask her what she's thinking. "Alright, Ellie. See you tomorrow."

Ellie finds Joel sitting on his mattress. Usually she finds him taking his guns apart and putting them back together, or he'll be playing on the guitar, messing with chords along the strings. This time, he's looking at his damn watch, again, and she barely stops herself from asking about it. She won't ask because it's his birthday, and because when he handles it, it's like how she handles her mother's letter.

"Hey, Joel."

He looks up at her. He hadn't heard her, and that's not like him. "You not staying out with your friends, tonight?"

She shrugs. "I dunno yet. Maybe." She comes over to the mattress, but he's sitting on the edge of the middle. "Scoot," she says.

His face quirks at her, but he does as she commands. She takes her seat beside him, her posture sloppy as she leans her forearms on her thighs.

"You wanna know what I think?"

"Hm?"

She looks at him, then looks around the room. "I like what we have here," she says softly. "This house and Jackson. The people. And...all of it."

Joel glances over her. After a quiet minute, he lifts his left hand and begins to unravel the watch from his wrist.

"Yeah," he says, and he places the broken watch on the floor, just an inch from the mattress. He rubs at the skin that's been hidden by the strap. It could have been under there for years and years. "I like what we have, too, Ellie."

She stares at the bright line of skin she believed to be dead by that watch. It doesn't match the rest of him, but it's not supposed to.

He smiles at her, and he musses her hair briefly. It's different than when other people do it. Something gets caught inside her throat.

"Go on, now," he says. "This fifty-two year old needs some sleep."

"Fifty-two isn't that old."

"It's old enough," he says, and he nudges her off the mattress.

"I don't think so." She smiles as she hops up and leaves him. "Goodnight, Joel."

"Goodnight, baby girl."