on yellowed paper

So, we know that Alan wrote love letters to Ellie - that's what inspired the whole Love Letters in the Filing Cabinet part of GrantlerFest (lol throwback to when I was involved in fandom spaces, before I remembered why I avoid them.) Anyway, then I started thinking about if Billy and Ellie sent letters. Combined with a brief idea I had about them just sleeping (Alan and Ellie, not Ellie and Billy).

After an unrestful night of sleep that forced Ellie down memory lane, she confesses to Alan that she had known about him for months after their separation, because Billy had been sending letters to assure her that Alan was okay. This leads to a revelation she never imagined.

Several hours later, now well-rested with some help from Alan, he has a small request for her. He rarely begs for her to do anything, so she knows it must be important to him, but when she's handed an aged envelope, she's not sure she can face the parts of their past that don't fit into their happily ever after.