"Beyond the Scars"

Prompt: the last of is (tv show) fanfic. Love story between Joel Miller x Original Female charachter. Genre: Contemporary drama / romance with emotional themes of healing, trauma, and found family. ⸻ Esme, a Dutch woman in her early 30s, has spent the last few years rebuilding her life in Texas after escaping a toxic and abusive relationship with her ex-fiancé Tim, a veteran struggling with violent tendencies and obsession. She lives with Joel, a quiet, dependable contractor who’s become her partner, and Sarah, Joel’s teenage daughter from a previous relationship. Esme has formed a deep maternal bond with Sarah, who eventually begins calling her “Mom.” Esme’s life begins to brighten when she discovers she’s pregnant with Joel’s child. Though the trauma of her past still lingers, she begins to hope again—supported by Joel, Sarah, and her father Henry, who emigrated to Texas from the Netherlands years prior. Two of Esme’s closest childhood friends, Maxime and Jane, still live in Amsterdam and remain her emotional lifeline via regular video calls. However, Esme’s fragile peace is shattered when Tim resurfaces. In a terrifying turn, he kidnaps her, holds her captive, and brutally assaults her