Twenty-Fifth Gate [Dictated]

[forsometimenow]

Everyone, this is Dr. Keller. I realized I should probably mention that the town clinic will be closed until further notice. I broke my arm, so I'm going to be down for a while.

I'm on bedrest in the castle clinic for now.

Private to Joel and Tess

... Thanks for saving me.

Comments

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess lets him touch her, though she keeps her arms up a moment longer until she leans against him. It even takes a moment to find her voice again, so at first she just nods numbly. They can handle this. They can handle anything that comes at them, right?

His voice isn't at its strongest, either, and in a strange way, that's reassuring. Not that it's reassuring to hear fear on her partner's voice, but it's reassuring to not be alone at least. Some people out there had some close calls today but how many of them are feeling the weight of twenty years of death and decay bearing down on them over it? Even Ellie can't grasp the fear of outbreak, having been born without any idea of what a world without infection looked like.

She has her forehead against his shoulder for a moment before she pushes herself to pull it the fuck together and look at him.]

I'm fine. [Another nod, and then, a little more resolved:] We're going to be fine and... and you're right, this is just the castle fuckin' with us. That's all this is.

[focusrighthere]

[He squeezes at her shoulders when she leans in, massaging them. Neither of them are so sure, but they'll support each other through it -- through all the bullshit, through any misery. After an entire year without her, after losing her, he appreciates that more than ever.]

That's all this is.

[Once more, for himself to hear too. Joel brushes her bangs back with his fingers and adds a quip to lighten the mood.]

Luckily, for this lot.

[dog_eat_dog]

[She nods again, letting out a long exhale that's supposed to be relaxing but feels forced just the same.]

They wouldn't even survive a day. I mean... [Look at them.] It's sad.

[And if it came down to it, the two of them would pack up and leave, get the fuck out of Dodge and leave the death to people who are better at that giving-up-and-dying thing. Sometimes Tess would like to believe that it's willpower that has gotten them through all these scrapes, not luck.]

We need a safe-house away from this place.