"Okay" Ellie said with an unsure vocal tone, as her green eyes scanned Joel's grizzled, aging face. Her young complexion reflecting the mood set of a very disappointed young girl.

A mixture of emotions and thoughts would begin to fill her head as she slowly began to question her trust in Joel...But he couldn't have lied, especially not after everything that they had been through together, Surely not! she would repeat over in her mind. "No" She concluded as the thoughts repeated over and over in her head like a broken record, Ellie knew deep down that Joel cared, the same way that she cared for him, yet she couldn't seem to decipher Joel's current characteristics and attitude, she couldn't tell if he was hiding something or if he was just as displeased as her because of how the trip was for nothing, perhaps she would never know yet she chose to believe him within the fraction of a second that she was given to answer, yet she chose to keep her doubt close at hand. Her body language would tense up for a few moments before relaxing again as she would roll her shoulders gently in-front of Joel as a small sigh would escape her lips, taking a step towards him.

"I can't help but thinking that everything that i did...We did, was for nothing Joel, it's.. It's pure bullshit!" She would remark with a slight outburst of childish frustration before turning her back to Joel to glare over Tommy's Dam with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry.." She would whine with a apologetic groan. "I just thought that i was destined to make a difference.."

Ellie would cross her arms over as the sun would gleam down upon her as distant birds chirped happily. She would smile all so very slightly as a distant cool breeze would flow through her hair before returning her hands to her jean pockets, continuing to observe over the Dam from above as distant clouds would begin to approach from the east.

"Now, Ellie don't say that." Joel replied, knitting his eyebrows together giving her a sympathetic look. "What's done is done, let's just move on from it."

Joel fortunately managed to somehow suppress and bury the guilt that came with lying to Ellie. However now that she mentioned it though, he felt like a bag of bricks just dropped onto him. His eyes shifted from left to right, before he gave his cheek a good scratch. The sooner they get to Jackson, to safety, they will put it all behind them and it will be like nothing happened. He hoped at least. He knew the scar on Ellie's arm would be a constant reminder of her immunity and their journey to reach the fireflies to them. Especially to her. What he did at the hospital wasn't any different of what he did before, but it nagged him. A soft whisper in the back of his head. He took a couple steps backwards before gesturing for her to come along and turning on his heel to continue on. The sooner they get there, the sooner this will all be over. For now though, he had to quickly steer them away from the grim topic.

"Its actually kind of pretty, ain't it?" Joel repeated. "Why don't we take hikes too?"

He held a steady and slow pace, taking in the fresh air and gazing the beautiful scenery. It somewhat took him away from the awareness of the horrors out there. He missed it, he missed simpler times, he missed Sarah. Dwelling on subjects like these though, somehow wavers his will to continue fighting. However Ellie being introduced into his life gave it more meaning and it made him for selfish. He couldn't lose Ellie like he lost Sarah. With a small shake of his head, he quickly put things on lock down. Shoving grim thoughts into the overloaded vault in his head.

"Hey, when we get there what do you say about some dinner?" Joel asked, giving his tone a bit more cheer.

Ellie would turn to look at Joel as he spoke. Her eyes would flutter gently as she would come to terms with the penultimate truth. Her date with the fireflies was over, nothing she could do would change that now and the only thing that she could do now would be to move on from the past with Joel as her father figure. She would give another shallow sigh, moving her her teeth down to bite gently upon her bottom lip as she took the time to lift up the sleeve of her arm, glaring at the wound once again with a small frown. She knew that this bite would haunt her from now on until the end of days, but deep down she now knew that it was what made her who she was today. Yet in all honestly she wished none of it happened, because then she would have Riley back.

Ellie would run her fingers down the wound gently, trailing away at the slight mutations upon her skin before choking up in thought and covering it over again with the sleeve of her checkered hoodie as Joel would draw her attention back to the view of the vast forests and Tommy's settlement. She certainly saw it for all it's beauty, there was no denying that it was an amazing place to behold yet while stuck in her current mindset of discomfort and disappointment the only response her rebellious mind could give was. "Yeah, I guess."

She would say this with gentle agitation before turning back to Joel, wandering off behind him as they continued their 'Hiking' towards the settlement.

"I don't know about the Hiking Joel.. But i'm starving!" She would say with a slight outburst as she would run over to Joel's side, smiling at him slightly as her voice slowly began to change into a more cheerful set of vocals as her hair would flow in the wind, a small smile appearing on her young face.

Joel turned slightly to face Ellie, giving the girl a smile. When was the last time he smiled that wide? Honestly, he didn't know but it was a nice change to the iron facade. Surprised that Ellie had dropped the subject as quick as she did there he raised his eyebrows slightly, but he was thankful she did. The steady front came back, when he saw Ellie trace her fingers over the bite wound. He gave another sigh, before returning his eyes back forward hammering his gaze on the beautiful foliage that surrounded them. A small chuckle tumbled off his weathered lips. Like what he used to do with Sarah he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her a little closer. His other hand found itself on the top of her head, giving a rough ruffle.

"Oh come on, hiking's fun. I'm sure you'd enjoy it!" He pressed on, trying to convince the girl.

He could probably use something like hiking, hunting too maybe. Joel began to imagine the simpler life they could have at Tommy's. He'd teach Ellie how to play the six string like he promised before, he could probably work on carpentry again. He wouldn't have to worry constantly about something or someone going to jump out at him and take him out. He probably wouldn't have to worry about clickers anymore, or ration cards. Hell, maybe he'll go back to worrying what fatherly things.

Another chuckle escaped the confines of his lips. When did he become this optimistic. He remembered before, his harsh words towards Tommy about how the world wouldn't go back to how it used to be. Another shake of his head, and more thoughts added to the vault. All he has to worry about is Ellie, and only Ellie. He gave her shoulder a soft squeeze, and shot her a glance. Eyebrow raised, and his lips moving up to a soft grin.