Fallout 1. Chapter 1

He watched her, his minute interest in her not showing on his face. He was as impassive as always. But still, he watched. She had looked up at him with enormous brown eyes, but hadn't attempted to speak. Those brown eyes held little warmth. She examined him as he continued to stare through her.

She turned abruptly, walking over to the bar. The scarf that covered her lower face muffled her words, Charon couldn't hear what she was saying, but he was familiar with the look on Azrukhals face. This smoothskin must have a lot of caps.

She handed over a substantial amount of caps. Azrukhal took his time counting them out. With a vicious smirk, he handed the smoothskin a piece of paper. She nodded curtly. She turned and scanned the bar. Her eyes rested on Charon. Between the scarf and the helmet, there was little of her he could try to gauge. She stalked up to him slowly, her hips swaying from side to side.

"Charon?" She asked softly.

"No. Talk to Azrukhal." He grunted back.

"Nothing on this earth will ever get me to talk to that horrid little man ever again!" She hissed. "I've purchased your contract. Come along."

Charon froze. She was already on her way out of the door. "Mistress please wait one moment."

She halted, but didn't turn around.

With three large steps, Charon stepped up to the bar. Azrukhal grinned. Charon didn't even give the vile man a chance to speak. Two shotgun blasts later, Azrukhal had no head left. People gasped and cried out, fleeing from the carnage.

Charon swiftly gathered up all the caps the smoothskin had just paid and Azrukhals pistol. Wordlessly, he returned to his new contract holder and held out her caps. She took them after a brief pause.

"Let's go Charon." She said as she walked out of the door.

For a woman, she moved quickly, taking long strides. It was at that moment that he realized she was tall. He was used to towering over everyone and she was no exception. But this woman had to be nearing six feet tall. She slipped into Carols Place and he followed without hesitation.

"Carol dear, I need a room for the night. Do you have one to spare?" The smoothskin cooed at the woman behind the counter.

Carol smiled brightly. "Of course dearie! And I just changed the shee-" she chirped, stopping mid sentence to peer at Charon.

"Oh don't be a prude Carol! Surely you don't disapprove of the male company I keep." The smoothskin giggled. Carol peered at her in amazement.

"He's WITH you dear?" Carol whispered loudly. "Does Azrukhal know?"

"Azrukhal is dead I'm afraid. Charon was forced to defend my honor." The smoothskin lied without missing a beat. "Azrukhal was such a letch! Quite inappropriate really."

Charon didn't let any emotion cross his face. Carol looked horrified at what the smoothskin was implying.

"You poor dear!" Carol cooed. "Thank goodness Charon was there to... Help you." She drew out the words slowly.

"Charon is definitely my hero. How about that room?" The smoothskin asked sweetly.

"Oh absolutely dearie! Can Greta get you anything to eat before you go to bed?" Carol said as she lead them to the bedroom.

"Does she have any Salisbury steak? Charon needs at least three. I'll take some pork n beans. And whiskey. As much as she has." The smoothskin requested.

And then they were alone. The smoothskin quickly shed her boots and combat armor. Then her scarf, and finally her helmet. Pale blond hair cascaded down to her waist. She swiftly ran her fingers through it carelessly before pulling it into a thick braid.

She sighed and pulled at her tank-top. Everything was so damn dirty. Charon stood completely still, awaiting her orders.

"Please, have a seat. You're a big fucker you know that?" She said with a small smile.

"Yes Mistress." Charon said, devoid of emotion. She raised an eyebrow as he sat down but didn't relax at all.

"I hope you'll forgive me for ordering your food, I wanted to speak alone." She said. "I'd like to return this to you."

She held out a piece of paper. He frowned. "What is this Mistress?" He asked stiffly.

"Your contract of course." She retorted.

"I cannot hold my own contract mistress. I must have a contract holder." Charon replied stiffly, sounding rehearsed and blank.

She stepped back and examined him. "Holy shit. Azrukhal said you were brain washed but I thought he was fucking around. You're not a slave?" She asked.

"I am yours to command. I will serve you until I die or you sell my contract. I will protect you with my life. What are your orders mistress." Charon droned on.

She shook her head. "No way. I don't own slaves. You don't just own another person. Don't you understand? You're free." She all but shouted.

"Mistress-" He began.

"Stop fucking calling me that! My name is Evelyn!" She snapped.

"Evelyn," He amended, "I cannot be free. My training compels me to seek out a new contract holder once the owner dies or relinquishes the contract. So I will be owned no matter what you insist," he said, his head hanging low.

"Fuck. FUCK." Evelyn cursed. Her eyes rested on the man before her. "I was hoping to win you over. I'm making a long trip in two weeks and really needed someone to come with me." She explained. "I thought if I bought you your contract back you would be willing to let me hire you."

He remained silent. He wasn't sure what to say. He had no free will. So the things she was saying really had no impact on him. However, the idea that she wanted to return his contract, to free him, made him feel... Better.

"Charon I refuse to be a slave owner. It's not something I've ever believed in. What should I do?" She asked.

Charon immediately stopped feeling better. "If my presence troubles you, you are always free to give away or sell my contract." He supplied.

"Absolutely not. What happens if you end up stuck with another Azrukhal? You blew his head off for a reason right?" She asked.

"He was a very evil man that made me do very evil things. He deserved to die." Charon answered.

"Yeah well I'm not risking that happening again." Evelyn said.

"I would not harm you." Charon stated.

"I don't mean that Charon. I mean you being forced to do bad things. It's not right. Maybe I can help you." Evelyn said.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Charon rose immediately and stood defensively in front of the door.

"It is my duty to keep you safe. Please do not answer doors." He asked. She gave him a strange look but nodded.

He answered the door. Greta stood there with food and a large amount of alcohol. She didn't look surprised to see Charon. Carol must have spread the word.

"That'll be 84 caps you big idiot." She crowed when he attempted to shut the door. He growled and was startled by a small hand on his arm.

Evelyn gave Greta a smile and said, "Here's one hundred caps, thanks so much."

Greta's expression softened. "Thank you honey. I'll get Carol something nice." She gave Charon one last glare and was gone.

Charon placed the food and whiskey down onto the small bedside table. Evelyn crowded closer until his back was pressed against the table, and she pressed against him to grab her food. He was surprised to say the least.

She sat on the bed with her legs tucked under her. She wasn't repulsed by him at all. She didn't even appear fearful. Some of her hair had already escaped the braid she had tried to restrict it to. She patted the bed next to her and he just stared.

"Sit!" She ordered, blanching a moment later at the realization that she had given him a command. He obliged immediately.

"Fuck Charon!" She groaned. "I meant that as a request. Did you want to sit?"

Charon paused. "Sitting is enjoyable." He answered finally.

She sighed, placing the tip of her braid into her mouth to chew on it. She seemed deep in thought.

"Can I give you a more specific order, one that will guide the others?" She asked.

"I don't know." Charon admitted.

"Okay." She sighed. "Charon I order you to only follow my orders if I specifically say 'Charon I order you' and to take any other statements as a request that you are free to ignore."

His eyes narrowed. "Evelyn I'm not sure how well that would work. My contract-"

"FUCK THAT FUCKING CONTRACT!" She howled with rage, startling him with her vehemence. Evelyn sighed. "Could you at least try? Please?"

Charon nodded. "I will try to do what you ask of me."

"Thanks gorgeous." She smiled brightly, without a trace of venom. "Charon I'm exhausted. I'm going to sleep."

"I will keep watch." Charon replied.

"Don't be silly. Do you think Carol is coming to kill us in the night? Get in bed." She scoffed.

"I do not have my own lodgings Evelyn. If you will permit me, I will sleep in front of the door." Charon said uncertainly.

She looked incredulous. "You are not sleeping in front of the door. Just get on your side of the bed. But be prepared, I'm a blanket hog." She commanded.

"I do not require a blanket." He answered blankly.

She let out an exasperated hiss. "Just get in bed. No funny business now."

He frowned. "Funny business?"

She examined him as she would a particularly interesting bug. A mixture of curiosity and disdain. "Just lay down. Sheesh."

He laid his large frame awkwardly onto the bed, trying to take up as little space as possible.

"For gods sake Charon take off your armor and boots. And relax. You're making me nervous." She snapped as she crawled into bed.

He complied shyly, feeling strange in just denim pants and a thin short sleeved shirt. He switched off the lamp and crawled onto the old mattress. It groaned with his weight. He was tense for a few minutes as he listened to her even breathing. She was sound asleep.

As he drifted off into a light slumber he felt her roll closer. A pale arm rested across his stomach and he froze. She scooted closer and nestled into him. His eyes flew open and he gently tried to extract himself from the embrace. Rather than move away, she clung to him, seeking the warmth of his body. After a few restless moments he relented and accepted his fate. He fell asleep snuggled up to a woman for the first time in over 200 years.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Charon awoke to a slim body slipping over him. A pale leg brushed by him slowly and he reached out idly to graze his fingers across her calf when a sharp gasp brought him full awake.

"Evelyn! I- My most sincere- I'm so sorry!" He stuttered, horrified.

"Relax. You just tickled me. I didn't mean to wake you." Evelyn replied, tearing into the can of pork n beans she had ordered the night before. "Eat some breakfast if you want. Then we will head on over to see Tulip. You need some new shit as bad as I do."

Charon was silent as he gulped down the Salisbury Steak. He couldn't recall his last meal. Generally he didn't eat until Azrukhal remembered to allow it. Azrukhal wasn't very good at remembering. He quickly finished all that she had provided him. He looked up to see her watching him sadly.

"Been a while huh?" She asked softly.

"Yes." He answered stiffly.

"That guy was a piece of shit. You're gonna eat when I eat Charon. This is a partnership. Okay?" She stated firmly.

"Thank you Evelyn." He said, surprised at how genuine his thanks was. This girl seemed to have good intentions. Only time would tell if those intentions would remain good. The wasteland had a way of killing the good in people.

"No problem buddy. Let's get rollin. Got a lot of shit to do these next couple weeks. Getting ready for that big trip I told you about. You sure you up to it?" She asked as she pulled on a pair "sort of" clean leather pants. A loose fitting black shirt completed her outfit.

"Where you lead, I shall follow." He answered her blankly. She sighed.

"Of course. Don't bother getting that armor back on, it's in shit condition. We can get you some new shit when we go pick up the supplies from Tulip. I need some new combat armor myself." She said as he went to pull on his armor. So he pulled on his boots, lacing them up quickly.

She pulled on her own boots and moved for the door. He reached out and grabbed her arm. She gave him an agitated look.

"What?" She snapped.

"Please allow me to leave the room first, I want to look for possible threats. It is my duty to ensure your safety." He requested.

She rolled her eyes but nodded. "If you insist."

Charon slung his shotgun onto his back and exited the room, examining the immediate area. He saw no immediate threats and informed her that the area was safe.

They made their way downstairs amongst stares and whispers of the locals. Everyone had heard what had happened to Azrukhal. Charon was accustomed to being stared at, being nearly seven feet tall. Evelyn seemed unfazed. She smiled and greeted everyone brightly.

Tulip looked dighted to see Evelyn but her smile faltered when she saw Charon. "Hey human. Good to see you back!" She called out.

"Tulip you need to stop being so gorgeous. You might steal Charons heart!" Evelyn teased the shopkeeper. "Hell, you might steal mine!"

Tulip let out a raspy giggle. "Are you here to buy? I hope so. Got lots of good shit from Quinn."

"Tulip my darling, not only am I here to buy out all your ammo, I need to fully outfit Charon. Got anything that might fit him? We need armor, clothes, boots, maybe some sexy pajamas? I dunno, but we want it all." Evelyn winked lewdly at Charon. "We will be here in underworld for about three days. If anything new shows up let me know."

Charon paid little attention to the women, choosing instead to thumb through an old magazine. Tumblers Today was boring but informative. By the time he finished reading, Evelyn was wrapping up her transaction with Tulip. She started handing off her neatly folded purchases to Charon, who took them immediately.

"Charon, if you could be a dear and run these up to our room?" Evelyn asked sweetly. Charon simply nodded in response before swiftly disappearing out the door.

He deposited the pile of things on the bed, paying little attention to what the stack was comprised of. He needed to return to Evelyn.

He returned to Tulips shop but Evelyn was gone. He scanned for her quickly but there was no sign of her. His alarm grew when he realized he had no idea where she would go. His eyes darted around, searching for her.

"Lose something Charon?" Winthrop asked him conversationally.

"Have you seen Evelyn?" Charon asked, glowering down at the man.

Winthrop seemed unperturbed. "She went into the Chop Shop. Probably getting some medical supplies." He said.

Charon nodded and made his way to the clinic. He opened the door and Evelyn glanced his way. Seeing him she fully turned and smiled. "Charon! I thought you'd be in our room. I'm just buying some supplies from the handsome doctor, then we can head up." She said, flashing the ghoul a bright smile.

Charon watched as she skillfully bartered with the old man. She had a silver tongue, that was for sure.

They exited the clinic and Charon immediately voiced his opinion on her little disappearing act. "It is my duty to ensure your safety." He began. "I cannot do that if you do not tell me where you are going or at least let me escort you to these places. There may be danger everywhere."

She looked surprised. "Charon, I didn't go far. Honestly, it's Underworld, not The Mall. No one is going to hurt me here. Besides, I'm armed, as always. I've been out of the vault five years now. Give me some credit." She said.

"You are from a vault?" He asked before he could stop himself.

She sighed. "Yes. Vault 101."

His eyes widened. "You're the one-"

She groaned. "Yes. I'm the one Three Dog never shuts up about. That's why I'm leaving. My work here is beyond done."

He was surprised. All of the Capital Wasteland knew who she was. She had scoured the land for her father, doing good deeds along the way. She had taken on the Enclave and won. She was a hero.

He followed her upstairs to their room. She had much less bounce in her step now. He frowned. He hoped he hadn't upset her. She perked up at the sight of all the stuff lying on the bed.

"Oooo Charon I want to show you all the stuff I got!" She squealed happily.

She held up a small stack of shirts, all black. "These are for you. Tulip says they are huge and will definitely fit you."

"Thank you Evelyn. They are very nice." He said. She stared at him expectantly.

"Well aren't you going to try one on?" She asked after he stared at her blankly.

"Oh." He said. He stared at her shyly. She made no move to look away, not noticing his discomfort. He sighed and removed his shirt.

"Holy crap Charon! You're skin and bones!" She exclaimed. "Well, uh, muscle and bones anyways. You need some meat on you!"

He didn't have the skin to show it but he felt his face get hot. He quickly pulled on the black shirt. It was indeed big enough for him to wear.

"Looks great!" She said softly. "We've just got to get a few pounds on you and you'll be breaking hearts in no time."

He didn't reply, staring down at the floor.

"Charon?" She said.

"Yes?" He answered, not looking up.

"I'm gonna do my best to make you healthy and happy okay?" She said.

His eyes found hers. "My happiness is irrelevant. As is my health. As long as I live I will serve you. You are my employer." He answered dully.

"It's not irrelevant to me. You're my partner." She said firmly. "Now take a look at THESE bad boys. Tulip calls them lounge pants. I have some too!"

Charon gazed at the black and white checkered cloth in disdain. "Lounge pants? They look like a tablecloth." He grumbled.

She laughed. "Yeah? Look at mine! Pink and green. I'm pretty fabulous."

She tossed him the pants. She pulled down her own pants quickly and Charon turned around, his face burning. She laughed again.

"Oh shut up, like you haven't seen underwear before. Put yours on." She admonished.

"Evelyn. I- would you avert your eyes?" He asked.

"What? Why? I wanna see how they look!" She said, confused.

"Yes. Well. You see, I do not have any undergarments on. And I do not wish to disgust you." He said, staring at the ground, his face aflame.

"Ohhhhh. Well lucky for you, Tulip had six pairs of boxer shorts. Soooo here are those and I will be facing thataway. Lemme know when you're ready." She said, tossing him a pair of the aforementioned underwear.

He had never dressed more quickly in his life. And at roughly 235 years of life, that was saying something. He cleared his throat and she turned around.

"Look at you!" She crowed. "Lookin all lounge-y. You'll be excited to know that the rest of the shit I got for you is manly armor and boots. Got myself some manly ass boots too. It's a shame I've got such huge feet. Tulip had some really pretty little slipper things."

He looked down. "I see nothing wrong with your feet." He observed out loud. She laughed.

"Thanks Charon. Ya sure know how to woo a girl." She grinned at him. "Greta is bringing some lunch. It's about one now isn't it?"

She didn't wait for his answer, instead opting to open a bottle of whiskey and take a long drink. She grimaced and held out the bottle to him. He took it after a moment and took a small drink.

"We are so not even leaving this room today!" She declared, reclaiming the whiskey. "We are celebrating our new pants!"

Charon just stared at her as she swallowed down the whiskey. No good ever came of a woman drinking that much, that fast.

"Sit with me Charon!" She giggled. He obliged, sitting a respectful distance away. She tilted her head to the side. "Do I smell bad? Bet I do. M'sorry." She said after a moment.

"You do not smell bad." He answered, nonplussed.

"Why the hell you over deer, ahem, there for?" She squeaked out.

"I am respecting your personal space." He answered simply.

"Oh. That's nice of you. Thank you." She said, pulling herself together a bit. She crawled over to Charon and flopped down, her head on his lap. Enormous brown eyes, slightly glazed over, looked up at him. "I'm not so good at personal space. I get melony. Melocolony. FuckIT. I get lonely. I like havin you here." She babbled.

"I am pleased that my company pleases you." He said. Charon was amused with how quickly she had fallen under the whiskeys spell. Less than an hour and the girl was sloshed.

A knock at the door surprised her. "Ooo company!" She squealed. She pressed a second bottle of whiskey that he hadn't even seen her open into his hand. She rolled and hit the floor with a thump. She hopped up immediately and threw herself at the door. She flung it open with a wide smile.

"Greta! You gorgeous woman, how'd you know I wanted a romp?" Evelyn giggled lewdly.

Greta laughed. "Smoothskin, you couldn't handle me."

Evelyn pouted, then glanced at Charon. "'S okay, I've got all I need in my bed." She said slyly.

Charon would never get used to blushing. He was a grow man after all! He took a drink. Evelyn paid Greta for their meal. Some sort of meat on a skewer that smelled amazing. Evelyn took two skewers, passing Charon the remaining four. They ate in a comfortable silence, Evelyn leaning up against him.

It took about an hour for the whiskey to take its toll. Evelyn started getting sleepy. She fought it, but in the end dozed off. She was still leaning against him. Very gently he moved her up the bed and rolled her onto her side. Just in case.

She slept for three hours. In that time he cleaned all of her weapons and looked through the things she had gotten him. All expensive, all in great shape. He pulled on the new boots, excited at the prospect of having no holes in his sole.

Evelyn awoke with a groan. She stretched and sat up. He looked at her passively from his place on the floor. She peered down at him with a grin.

"Been busy?" She asked.

"The weapons are clean and I am wearing my new boots. Thank you for everything." He answered with a small smile.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I feel fine, why?" He answered.

"I'm feeling lazy. Come lay with me?" She requested. "We can sleep until dinner."

Charon rose, carefully removing his new boots. "If that is what you wish for me to do."

"Ya know? I do. Lay with me and sing me a lullaby." She grinned.

"I do not know any lullabies." He answered dryly.

"Well that's a shame. Guess you'll just have to lay here and talk to me." She mused.

"What should I say?" He asked as he slipped into the bed next to her.

"Tell me about before the war." She said.

Charon told her about everything he could remember. From ants that were only an inch long, to giant green fields full of apple trees, Charon kept talking until he was sure she was asleep. He wouldn't admit it, but he was very pleased when she moved over to snuggle into him. She surprised him.

"Bet you had a beautiful wife." She mumbled.

"No. I have never been married." He replied.

"I can't believe no one snatched you up. Even without skin, you're beautiful." She said.

Charon remained silent. He felt oddly proud. He reached up to brush his thumb across her cheek.

"Thank you." He whispered softly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Charon let out a low sigh as soft lips kissed and nuzzled his neck. When teeth grazed his shoulder, he groaned and reached for any limb he could find. His eyes flew open when small smooth fingers intertwined with his own.

He expected her to be a dream. He expected to see the young woman passed out, the only evidence of his dream an uncomfortable tightness in his pants. Instead, he saw large brown eyes, staring at him. Evelyn was smiling up at him, looking slightly sheepish.

"Don't be mad." She whispered.

He just stared at her in silence. Mad? For what? He was silent.

She looked hurt for a brief moment, before her face settled into an indifferent, far away look. She pulled away from him, sliding off the bed.

"Wait." He commanded. She froze but didn't turn around. "I do not understand."

She whipped around and placed her hand on her hip. "Oh please. You're like a hundred years old."

"I am over two hundred and thirty." He replied.

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You're old enough to understand why a woman kisses you." She retorted with a disdainful snort.

He stared at her. She was beautiful. Tall and willowy. Her insanely long hair had come loose from the braid and she was pleasantly disheveled. She looked insulted and angry.

"You are beautiful." He mused.

"What?" She snapped.

"You are a beautiful woman. Does it not please you for me to say this?" He asked, mild and relaxed.

"You're not making any sense. You reject me, then tell me I'm pretty? Has the radiation fried your brain or are you just senile?" She said irritably.

"The radiation has done significant damage, but I am in full command of my mental faculties. I did not reject you. It is not my place to do so." He answered.

"I'm not your fucking owner. I'm not going to treat you like some toy. I will never make this mistake again." She snarled.

"Evelyn, I do not intend to anger you." Charon said.

She sighed. "I'm not angry at you. My pride is just hurt. That's not your fault."

"I do not understand." Charon repeated.

"I don't make it a habit of throwing myself at men. Like, ever actually. I wasn't expecting to be shot down." She said looking embarrassed.

"I did not 'shoot you down'. I did not take any liberties because it is not my place." Charon said flatly.

She eyed him carefully. "Did you want to?" She asked hesitantly.

"I do. Though I think you should eat first. You have consumed a substantial amount of alcohol and I do think your judgement could be impaired." He answered honestly. "You are a beautiful woman and I do not wish to dishonor your integrity."

"So, you don't think I'm disgusting?" She said.

Charon raised an eyebrow. "No. You are far from disgusting."

She stumbled forward, catching herself immediately, before brushing it off. "So when I'm sober, you'll kiss me?" She whispered loudly.

"If that is what you wish." He replied.

"Awesome. God let's eat. I'm starved. Where do you wanna go? We can go to the bar or we can ask Greta." Evelyn asked, beaming at him.

"It would be safer for you if we stayed here, I could protect you much better. Greta will make her rounds shortly, though I could fetch her for you." He answered her mechanically.

"I can wait. I don't want you slipping off for a secret fling with Tulip." Evelyn said with a grin.

"I would not." Charon protested.

"Relax I'm only joking. I think Tulip is pretty." She mused. He stared at her blankly. "Do you think Tulip is pretty?" She prodded.

"I find Tulip very attractive." Charon answered honestly.

Evelyn frowned. "Prettier than me?"

Charon shook his head once. "No."

She grinned, then frowned. "It's the skin huh?"

"Skin is attractive but that is not your only superior quality." Charon said. "You are tall, with feminine curves, your breasts are bigger, as are your hips. You have very long legs, and you have a very graceful walk. Tulip is short and very thin. She plods along in a most obnoxious manner."

She looked at him with her eyebrows raised. "Be still my beating heart." She quipped.

Charon was saved from coming up with a reply by a knock on the door. He answered it, knowing it was Greta.

"Hey Ugly. Got some Brahmin steaks for the smoothskin." The short woman grinned up at him, holding two large plates. She let out a raspy laugh after taking in his appearance. "Nice pants."

He went to reply when he felt long thin arms slide around his waist. Evelyn leaned out from behind him and grinned. "I think they're sexy." She said slyly.

"You're a crazy smoothskin, ya know that kid? Hope you like the steaks." Greta answered with a laugh after a long pause. Evelyn reluctantly released Charon to hand Greta some caps. She smiled sweetly as the woman left, but turned to Charon with a frown. He said nothing, instead placing the food on the bed carefully.

"Why did you let her call you ugly?" She asked finally.

"I am a ghoul. I am ugly." He replied.

"That's a matter of opinion. And she was being rude. Didn't it bother you?" Evelyn said unhappily.

"Manners are not common in the wasteland. Someone commenting upon my physical form does not affect me. I think I am much too old for that." He said flatly, but with a small smile.

"Well it bothers me." Evelyn pouted.

"Why?" Charon questioned, guiding the ungainly woman to her seat on the bed.

"Because you aren't ugly." She said, distracted by the food in front of her. "Oh yummmm. Sit and eat with me please." She requested with a flutter of eyelashes.

He could have laughed out loud when she ignored the silverware Greta had provided and picked up the steak with both hands and started gnawing on it. He followed suit.

She paused after a few minutes. "Wow this is not attractive at all is it?"

"I do not find it unattractive. You are hungry." He answered after a moment. She hesitated before resuming her meal.

"You don't have to be nice." Evelyn said after she had finished her meal. "What negative thoughts have you had about me?"

"Why do you think I have had negative thoughts? Have I been disrespectful?" Charon replied.

"Not at all. But you must have an opinion. I want to hear all the negative opinions. Now." She commanded.

He was not sure if she was aware that she had given him an order. But he obliged. "You are not cautious enough. These pants and yours are very ugly, despite being comfortable. You cannot handle the effects of alcohol very well and you are fairly lewd." He listed coldly. She had asked. He awaited her anger.

Instead she blinked up at him. "So you think I'm a pretty slut, who gets trashed and is careless. Oh. In ugly pants." She said slowly. Then she giggled. The giggle turned into a hysterical laugh.

She wiped away tears as she gasped for breath. "Thank you for your honesty Charon." She said at last.

He stared at her a long moment. "I also think you are very smart, and that you are overly kind. You are the first human woman who didn't not scream when she saw me." He told her softly.

She set her now empty plate aside and scooted closer to him. "You looked like you hated where you were. That piece of shit made my skin crawl. I had heard about you from Tulip. She said nobody owned slaves in Underworld except for Azrukhal. See, I'm pretty against slavery. I liberated Paradise Falls. I helped The Temple of the Union. I cannot stand slavers. So most of the time, I just buy and free any slaves I encounter. Sometimes you have to put down the slavers though." She rambled.

"You are an incredible woman." Charon said. He reached out his hand to touch her face but hesitated. She drew closer and nuzzled into his hand.

"No one has the right to own another person Charon." Evelyn whispered. "I'm sorry nobody helped you before. I'm sorry I didn't come through before."

Charon took a deep breath. "Evelyn it is meaningful to me that you care but my enslavement is unique. You do not owe me anything. You have done enough already."

"I want to see you free." She said.

"I do not think that is possible." He told her gently.

"Can I at least try to make you happy and healthy?" Evelyn asked.

"It is not my place to tell you what you can or cannot do." He reminded her.

"Charon you kill a moment faster than a mole eat stinks up a place." She grumbled.

"My apologies." He stated.

He placed the plates on the floor and stiffened when he felt small soft hands slide under his shirt, across his back. He straightened up slowly, but the hands didn't stop their exploration of his skin.

"Gob never lets me touch him." She mused.

"Gob?" He asked.

"Oh he's another ghoul. He doesn't like to be touched." She said as she explored his shoulders. "Could you take your shirt off?"

"I did not know you were involved with another man." Charon said stiffly.

Her fingers froze. With amazing dexterity for a slightly drunk person, she swung her legs around him and sat in his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck.

"I am not 'involved' with Gob. He's just a friend. You can't blame me for being interested in your physiology. My father was a doctor, and I was supposed to be too. 'Course I never finished my training. You have to admit, you're fascinating." She purred.

Charon snorted. "Fascinating like a circus freak."

"What's a circus?" She asked brightly.

"A show with elephants and lions and a trained bear. A woman who is very fat. That sort of thing." He explained, distracted as her fingers resumed their exploration.

"What's a bear?" She asked, rubbing her thumb across his defined arm.

"Bears are still around. Yao guai used to have more fat on them, covered in long hair. They weren't pack animals like they are nnnnook-now." He choked out as she nipped his neck. She slowly kissed his neck and his jawline. He shuddered.

"Can I kiss you?" She murmured against his cheek.

"You are kissing me." Charon replied.

She didn't even pause. "You know what I mean smartass."

"Are you sober?" He asked.

"Sober enough." She said.

"I cannot tell you no." He said.

"Charonnnnnn." Evelyn groaned. "Cut the shit."

"There are stigmas associated with... being with a ghoul. I do not wish for your own kind to turn on you. You are young. I do not wish for you to make decisions you will regret later. There will be many people who accuse you of taking advantage of me. There will be even more accusing me of taking advantage of you. I do not wish that for you." Charon replied after a moment. "If you seek a sexual partner with no emotional ties I can and will offer that to you, if that is what you wish."

Evelyn pulled back slightly. "I don't just want you for sex Charon." She said firmly. "I mean, I do. Right now. Because I don't know you. But would it be so bad to try?" She blurted out. "God this sounds so stupid when I say it out loud. I guess I just... I'm attracted to you."

"Perhaps we should spend more time together before we have sex?" Charon supplied.

"Do we have to?" She whined. "Can't we just fuck then ask each other questions?"

He kissed her cheek. "I would advise against it."

"I do like you Charon." Evelyn said softly, pressing her forehead to his.

"Evelyn you astound me. I like you very much." He replied.

"Can I just fucking kiss you?" Evelyn sighed.

Charon pulled back. He placed his hand under her chin, tilting her head up. He gently but firmly pressed his lips to hers, unable to stifle the happy sigh that escaped him.

"So Evelyn, what is your favorite color?" He asked with a grin.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

**_"Are you fuckin kidding me Stonewall?! We've got a god damn contract! Get moving!"_**

**_"I didn't sign up for this shit! Those are women! Fuckin kids!"_**

**_"They're just some dirty commie fucks. They aren't like us!"_**

**_"Fuckin Christ Montgomery! They're people!"_**

Charon gasped and sat up. He looked around, feeling the fear leave his body. His features softened as his eyes settled on the woman laying next to him.

She was asleep. Her beautiful bare legs were barely visible in the dim light. Her hair was fanned out across her pillow, hiding her face. She was laying on her stomach, so he reached out a trembling hand to stroke her back. She shuddered at the contact, letting out a soft moan.

"Are you okay?" Evelyn asked.

He jumped at the sound of her voice. "I did not intend to wake you." He said softly.

"You threw me off of you a few minutes ago. I promise I'm not a commie." She said with a soft laugh.

"Did I hurt you Evelyn?" Charon asked, alarmed.

"I'll be fine." She said dismissively.

"Evelyn." Charon growled, switching on the lamp. "You are not as deceptive as you would like to think.

She sat up. "I wasn't being deceptive. I'll be fine." She huffed.

"I have hurt you. I am ashamed." Charon said, rising from the bed.

"You did not! Now sit the fuck down!" She demanded. He had to oblige. He hung his head, avoiding her eyes. "Look at me." Her tone left no room for argument.

Evelyn frowned at the look of shame on his face. She pulled back her hair into a loose braid and his eyes widened and he looked repulsed. She hastily unbraided her hair but the damage was done.

"You were having a bad dream." She said, reaching for his hand. He jerked away. "I am fine. For fucks sake Charon! I've been shot before!"

"Have you seen what I did to you? The marks I have left on you?" He asked harshly, shame evident in his voice. "I could have killed you. I am a danger to you. You must sell my contract." He looked down.

Evelyn was silent. She said nothing. She didn't move, Charon could barely hear her breathing. He look back up, glancing at her face. He saw her battling frustration.

"Were you a soldier?" She asked.

"I am not sure. A lot of my memories are fuzzy." He answered her honestly. "I have extensive training, so I would assume that I was."

"Charon I will not sell your contract." She said flatly.

"As you wish." Charon answered.

"You didn't hurt me. Okay?" She insisted.

"I have bruised your entire throat. My handprint is visible." He argued.

"Stop. We are not discussing this. Turn the fucking light off. It's like four in the morning. Get back in bed." She demanded.

"As you wish." He said dully. He settled himself down, resolving not to sleep.

"Charon!" She snapped.

"Yes?" He asked, already knowing what she would say. She surprised him.

Evelyn sighed. "Will you hold me?"

He pulled her to him gently. He stroked her bare arm. He took an unusual amount of comfort in the physical contact. He was stunned that she wanted to be around him at all. She wasn't afraid of him. He had marred her beautiful skin, yet she was concerned for HIM. As if he wasn't a monster that had just choked her. He pushed those thoughts from his mind, just running his hand along her perfect arm. It didn't take long for her to drift off.

"Charon?" She mumbled.

"Yes?" He whispered softly.

"I order you to sleep when you get tired."

He felt strange, a clenching in his chest.

"Yes Evelyn." He whispered. He had a hard time controlling the affection he felt for her. He placed gentle kisses on her neck, wishing he could kiss away the bruise.

"Charon!" She moaned.

"Evelyn?" He asked.

"That feels so fucking good." She groaned. She reached out and rubbed him through his thin pants.

"Evelyn!" He gasped at the sudden pleasure. "You should sleep."

"Mmmm buzzkill." She grumbled.

He laughed, a sound he hated, gravelly and raspy. He placed gentle kisses along her jaw and was surprised when she turned. Her lips found his and the world ceased to exist for a few moments.

"Evelyn I am falling asleep." He whispered.

She let out a giggle. "Am I that boring?"

He felt himself drifting off, unable to disobey her order. "No, I am tired." He muttered.

"Sweet dreams Charon. That's an order." She joked.

"I will dream of you, and be happy." He murmured, more asleep than awake. She followed him into a peaceful sleep, fingers intertwined with his, he gave them a gentle squeeze, reminding her that she was not alone.

**_"What is this place?! It's amazing!"_**

**_"This is the redwood forest. Those trees are over a thousand years old."_**

**_"Look at the grass! The trees! Can you smell the air? It smells clean! I can feel it between my toes!"_**

**_"It is clean. This is before the bombs dropped."_**

**_"Oh my god. Look at you!"_**

**_"Before the bombs dropped, I was not a ghoul."_**

**_"You're gorgeous."_**

**_"I was at one time, I suppose."_**

**_"You still are!"_**

Charon awoke with a start again. He took comfort in the smooth arm laying across his stomach. She had nestled into his warmth, resting her head on his chest. He relaxed and stroked her hair. Having her lay there next to him, was his undoing. He knew the exact moment he fell in love. He was terrified and elated.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Charon." Evelyn said softly in his ear. "It's time to get up gorgeous."

"Do you have plans for the day?" He asked, looking at her with one eye.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. He growled playfully, pulling her on top of him. He stared up at her with a smile. She was so beautiful.

"As a matter of fact, I do." She said, punctuating her statement with a sweet kiss to his cheek. "I'd love it if you'd join me."

"Where you go, I shall follow." He answered with a smirk.

She swatted his arm in mock annoyance. "Don't gimme that shit. You can stay here if you want." She said as she slid off of him. "Buuuut if you do come, you can protect my big butt from the radscorpions." She wiggled her posterior with an exaggerated sway of her hips.

Charon propped himself up on his elbow and smirked. "Giant arachnids are what scare you?" He teased, watching intently as she slid into skintight leather pants and a tank top.

"Stinging, pinching bugs the size of brahmin? Nahhh not me." She joked as she buckled her combat armor into place. She tucked her hair up into her helmet and wrapped a scarf around her face.

"Where are we going?" Charon asked, rising from the bed. He dressed swiftly, still embarrassed.

Evelyn was busy digging through her pack. He stared in amusement at the ungainly bag she carried. "Megaton. Ever been?" She asked, distracted.

"No I have not." Charon said. He slung his shotgun over his shoulder and was ready to go.

"It's a nice place for the most part. A few assholes and crazies. But the good news is the crazies will really REALLY like you!" She said brightly.

"I do not like people." Charon grumbled.

"Oh shush. Save your crankiness for Moriarty." Evelyn said, swinging the pack onto her back.

"Moriarty?" Charon asked. "Another man?"

They navigated The Mall swiftly, avoiding problem areas.

Evelyn glanced at him sideways. "Yes another man Charon. Funny thing really, about half the people I know are packin a dick in their pants." She snipped.

"And you have seen them personally?" Charon growled, unsure of why he was being so irritable.

"Yep, sure did. Sucked em all." She snapped back. "For fucks sake Charon what's with you?"

"I am out of line. It is not my place." He said.

"No, it's not. Who I fuck is my business." Evelyn said firmly.

He cringed inwardly. He felt oddly hurt when he realized that sobriety did away with the affection she had for him.

He followed her silently. The trip to Megaton wasn't terribly long, and she kept up a good pace. He wasn't terribly surprised to see radscorpions. He was surprised by the scene that unfolded before him.

Before he could put two shells into the albino radscorpion in front of them a yao guai lept at the giant bug, killing it after receiving a few nasty stings. He reached out to pull Evelyn down behind him while he took care of the beast but she was gone. He scanned for her frantically and watched in horror as she darted right for the beast.

"Evelyn!" He hissed out.

She ignored him. He couldn't believe his eyes when she reached out and patted the giant creature right on the head, feeding it something right from her hand. It was tame?!

"Relax!" She called back to him with a grin. "I just fed him some anti venom."

He approached cautiously, never taking his gun off of the Yao guai. "You have a pet bear?" He asked.

"Pet? No. He's wild. Who could train one of these?" She laughed.

"Why is it not trying to eat you?" He asked, amazed and uneasy.

"Just another perk of being me I guess." She shrugged and kept moving towards megaton. "A little girl gave me this necklace, ever since animals leave me alone."

"Evelyn I do not believe in magical necklaces." Charon said.

"Yeah? Me either. But it works. So I don't really ask questions." Evelyn dismissed. He just shook his head. Who was this woman?

He could see Megaton in the distance. Seeing it seemed to revitalize Evelyn as she took off at a quick jog. He kept up with her easily. She had long legs but his were longer. A devious thought slipped into his mind.

Catching up to her easily, he scooped her up off of her feet, laughing quietly at her shriek of surprise. He threw her over his shoulder and ran as quickly as he could, ignoring her small fists beating against his back.

"I am a beast that your necklace will not protect you from." He growled as he slowed down. He placed her down as the approached the city entrance.

She had the strangest look on her face as she stared up at him. He couldn't bring himself to feel guilty. His heart leapt into his throat when she grabbed him roughly, pulling his head down to kiss him fiercely. It was several long moments before she broke away, gasping for breath.

"Asshole." She grumbled, stalking away. He followed after her, a grin lighting up his face. She scowled at him.

She pushed open the metal doors and he took in the large town. Rusty metal walkways were perched everywhere. Helpful signs were posted everywhere, offering directions. She took a left, following a well worn path to a glorified shack.

"Home sweet home." She said happily, unlocking the metal door. They slipped into the house and Charon was surprised and a little uneasy at the interior. Everything was clean and reminded him of a prewar lab.

A robot floated over and greeted Evelyn happily. "Good evening madame! Welcome home! It is good to see you alive and well!" He cried out happily. "You are aware that a ghoul is following you? Or should I remove him from the premises?" Charon growled.

Evelyn giggled. "Hey Waddy. It's good to see you too. Don't remove Charon from the premises. He's my friend." She replied.

"Very well Madame. Is there anything I can do for you?" The robot said politely.

"No thank you Waddy. Go ahead and hop on the charger for the night. Unless you have plans with the Nuka Cola machine?" She teased.

"Madame, my sensors indicate that you are joking." The robot said.

"I am. Go ahead and charge for the evening." Evelyn agreed. She started unloading her pack into the storage lockers as Charon wandered around the house, checking for possible threats, and simply observing.

Evelyn kept her home clean, it appeared that she wasn't home very often. He walked up the stairs and found the room that he assumed was hers. A desk and a queen sized bed were squeezed into a very small space.

"it's not much but it's home." Evelyn said from behind him. He nearly jumped. She was quiet.

"You have a very nice home." Charon said politely.

"Thanks. Waddy keeps it up for me. I'm not here as often as I would like." She said. "First thing in the morning, I've got to go see Gob. But for now, I'm gonna lay down and relax."

Charons eyes narrowed. Gob again. He said nothing. He watched as she pulled off her boots, then her armor. He averted his eyes when she started to pull off her pants.

"Don't like what you see?" Her soft voice cut through the silence.

"I am trying to be respectful." He stated.

"Ah. Well, I'm gonna lay down. You plan on sleeping?" She asked as she crawled into the large bed.

"I will sleep by the door." He replied, unlacing his boots.

"Why would you sleep on the floor?" Evelyn asked incredulously. "Are you mad at me?"

"No." He said.

"Then what the fuck Charon?" She snapped.

"I know my place." He answered flatly.

She didn't reply. She just rolled over. He paused before laying down on the floor. He lay there miserably. He relaxed and that's when he heard it. The slight hitch in her breath. He rose immediately, switching the lamp back on.

"Evelyn?" He heard her inhale sharply. She cleared her throat.

"What?" She said with a barely perceptible sniff.

"Have I upset you?" He asked. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"No Charon. I'm fine." She lied.

"Evelyn." He pleaded softly.

"I just don't get you!" She cried. "One minute you're smiling at me, the next you're just not. What am I doing wrong?"

His chest started to hurt. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but the way she was curled up gave him pause. "You have done nothing wrong." He answered truthfully.

"Oh really? Then why would you rather sleep on a floor than be near me?" She snapped, rolling over to look at him.

"No." He said. "I want nothing more than to be near you. I thought you wanted your space, I thought I had crossed a line. Angered you with my jealousy."

"Your jealousy was silly." She said gently. "There's no reason to be jealous. There are no men in my life. Never has been."

"You terrify me." Charon confessed. She just gave him a confused stare. "You are like a force of nature. You came in, bought me, then tried to free me. You TOUCHED me Evelyn. You did not fear me. You lay your hand on my arm like I am a person. I do not want to feel this way. Because once you tire of me, I will go back to being a slave. And I do not want to feel hope. I do not want to feel happiness. It will be taken from me."

"Holy fuck Charon. No. On so much of that shit. You ARE a person. You are NOT a slave. I lay my hand on you because I am a woman and you are the man I enjoy kissing." She said firmly, a small smile gracing her lips. "I will never grow tired of you. I'm sure you'll get tired of me long before I get sick of you."

"You are insane." He said, shaking his head. "Even if I were not a slave, I am a ghoul. And your kind does not like those like myself."

"Charon" she sighed. "Ever since I left that hole in the fucking ground I've been doing whatever the fuck I want. I do NOT give a flying fuck if some idiots don't like my boyfriend."

"I am over two hundred years old. I could very well be your great great grandfather." He said, fighting the wave of emotions he felt hearing her imply that he was her boyfriend.

"Are you my great great grandfather?" She asked, sarcasm lacing her tone.

"No." He admitted. "I have no children."

"Any other objections?" She challenged.

"I am an ugly brute?" He offered.

"Oh my god shut up. You are not ugly. Just a little rough around the edges." She snapped. "Now will you please get in bed?"

He slipped next to her, the bed groaning as he did so. He pulled her to him, clinging to her.

"I can feel your heart beating." She mused. "Are you okay?"

"I am nervous." Charon said.

"How come?" Evelyn countered.

"I want to ask you a question but I fear it will upset you." He said.

"I won't get upset. I promise. Is this about what I said about dicks? I haven't really sucked the dicks of all the men I know." She blurted out quickly.

"I did not think you had. It was obvious you were upset with me." He said, running his thumb across her forehead. "Did you call me your boyfriend earlier?" He asked quickly.

"Was that not okay? I probably should have asked first huh?" She said.

He didn't reply, instead kissing her. He covered her face in kisses and groaned when she started returning the favor. She let out a soft series of moans as he kissed and nipped at her earlobe.

His hand slid under her shirt to her breast and she gasped his name when he squeezed. Her cry broke his lust induced trance and he withdrew his hand. She whimpered her protest.

"We have plenty of time Evelyn." He said firmly.

She groaned in frustration. "I'm not waiting." She declared. He said nothing. She let out an agitated huff of breath, before grinning at him. "At least let me see you naked."

"As you wish." He said, standing up to undress. "But I warn you, I am rather gruesome."

"Shut up and get naked boyfriend." She commanded with a smile. He saw her kicking off her small shorts, and she whipped off her shirt.

He stood bare before her and she took in his whole body, ravaging him with her eyes. "God you're gorgeous. Look at those fucking muscles!" She crowed as he crawled into the bed with her. He pushed her down into the bed and explored every inch of her with his eyes.

"Evelyn?" He said uncertainly.

"Yeah?" She squirmed.

"You are hairless." He said.

She let out a loud giggle. "Yeah. Courtesy of good ol Vault 101. Most of the girls chose to get their body hair removed. Don't you like it?" She asked, suddenly anxious.

"You are beautiful." He assured her. He kissed along her hip, causing her to shudder. "Evelyn, it is getting late. You have to meet with Gob." He couldn't keep the jealousy from his voice.

If she noticed, she said nothing. She sighed deeply and snuggled up to him. She knew he was right. "Okay okay. I'll sleep. But only 'cause you got naked for me."

"Any time dear one." He laughed.

"Promises promises." She mumbled.

They drifted off into a peaceful sleep, Charon wondering just what "errand" she had to take care of.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Evelyn!" Charon gasped.

Evelyn was a lady, and a lady never talks with her mouth full.

Charon groaned as his hands gripped at the worn sheets beneath him. He clenched his jaw and his eyes shut. It had been so long. He couldn't even actually remember how long it had been. At least two hundred years. Evelyn hummed and his mind went blank. He was in a euphoric state. When had he started chanting her name?

His eyes flew open. "Evelyn!" He choked out. "Evelyn stop! I am going to... I cannot..." She didn't stop. She didn't even pause. He was soon spent. A lady always finishes what she started.

Evelyn crawled out from under the sheet with a smile on her face. She licked her lips slowly and blew him a kiss. "Good morning." She said with a sly grin.

"It is." He agreed. He took large, steady breaths. "Thank you." He said.

"It was my pleasure." She told him as she rose from the bed to dress.

"I must disagree." He joked. He followed her lead and started putting on his clothing. She slipped into a pink dress, obviously pre war. His mouth went dry. He had never seen anything more beautiful than the woman in front of him. He watched in awe as she pulled her hair back into a sleek bun.

"You uh, gonna go like that?" She asked with a laugh. He looked down at himself. He wore nothing but boxers and a thin short sleeved shirt.

"Does it not suit you? I was feeling casual." He teased her.

"Oh it suits me just fine darlin." She purred, pressing herself against his chest. "But I'm not sure if Megaton is ready for all of this." She indicated his lower half.

"Pants then." Charon laughed, pulling on a denim pair.

"Let me grab my bag and you can escort me to the saloon." Evelyn said as she wandered down the stairs. He pulled on his boots, smiling to himself. He stiffened when he heard a knock on the door.

"Just a minute!" Evelyn called from somewhere within the small home. Charon made his way down the stairs quickly, making it to the door before Evelyn. He opened it decisively.

Outside stood a grimy looking man with an eye patch, who, upon seeing Charon, looked very surprised. "Is uh, is Evie here?" He asked after a moment.

Evie? "Who are you?" Charon growled.

"Billy!" Evelyn called out, shoving Charon to the side to hug the man in front of him. "Hey! How did you know I was home?"

The man laughed, holding the embrace far too long for Charons liking. He held Evelyn at arms length, scrutinizing her. "Girl, ol Billy knows everything about this town. You know that. It's always news when the prettiest girl in the wasteland comes home."

Evelyn giggled. "You're too sweet." She turned to Charon. "Charon this is Billy. Billy this is Charon."

"Nice to meet ya Charon." Billy said with a smile. Charon was silent.

Billy's smile faltered and he sent Evelyn a questioning look. She scowled at Charon. "Charon is rude." She said with a hint of amusement in her voice. Billy laughed. Charon just scowled. His expression softened when Evelyn took his hand. "My boyfriend thinks everyone is out to kill me." She whispered to Billy conspiratorially.

"He's a smart man not to trust people. You've always been too nice." Billy said without missing a beat. "You an' Maggie are cut from the same cloth."

"How is Maggie?" Evelyn asked.

"Oh she's doin good, raisin hell with that Simms boy. I'd say I'm the one keepin him in line but Maggie does just fine on her own." Billy laughed.

"Oh have they made it official then?" Evelyn asked with a bright smile.

"Oh yeah, last week he came to me and asked if he could marry her. She swatted him upside the head and said she wasn't getting married at sixteen." Billy said. "But she's happy. An' that's all that matters to me."

"How sweet. Gotta love young love." Evelyn said with a soft smile. "Billy I would love to stay and chat but I've got to go up and visit Gob."

The smile faded from Billys face. "That'll probably make his month."

"Why? What happened?" She asked, her smile gone. Charon placed a comforting hand on the small of her back.

Billy shook his head. "Stranger passed through last night, got real rough with Nova. Gob tried to help her but wound up with a screw driver in the arm and a sound beating from Colin for his trouble. Nova was hurting pretty bad but I think Colin busted Gobs ribs." He said sadly.

"That fucking bastard!" Evelyn snarled, brushing past Billy, moving quickly towards the saloon. Charon and Billy trailed after her, sharing a solemn look.

Evelyn slammed the door of the saloon open and screeched "MORIARTY!"

The saloon owner made his way out of his office with an annoyed look on his face. Once he spotted Evelyn, a cold grin settled on his face. "Well if it isn't Little Miss Vault 101 herself?" He drawled.

"What did I tell you?" She hissed, crossing the bar to stand toe to toe with the sneaky Irishman.

His eyes moved to Charon and he grinned again. "Can't say I remember lass, you're often runnin your mouth about things that ain't quite your business aren't ya?"

Charon growled and stepped towards the little man threateningly. Moriarty didn't back down.

"I warned you Colin. If you laid your hands on him again I would fuck your world up." Evelyn spat.

"I'm sorry dearie, as I see it, until you cough up eighty thousand caps, that zombie is my property." Colin leered at her.

"Funny you should say that Colin." Evelyn said. "Got your fucking caps right here."

"Oh no no my dear, the price has gone up." Moriarty said with a sadistic grin. I can't possibly part with my shuffler here for less than ninety thousand caps. He's practically family after all."

"You piece of shit." Evelyn gasped.

"I've been called worse lass." He said.

"I'll fucking kill you." She snarled.

Faster than Charon could track the movement, Moriarty pulled out a knife and placed it to Evelyn's neck. "Lass I get quite tired of your threats." He hissed.

Charon moved forward but before he could even reach her, Evelyn twisted and drove a combat knife through Moriarty's neck. The foul man fell to the floor and Evelyn spit on him. He gurgled and gasped for breath. Evelyn reached down and wrenched her knife from his neck. Moriarty's blood sprayed her face but she didn't flinch. "Fuck you." She said flatly, kicking him in the head.

Evelyn smoothed her now blood covered dress and used the back of her hand to try to wipe the blood from her face. She only succeeded in smearing it. She turned to the silent saloon patrons with a forced smile. "I hope everyone will let the sheriff know that Moriarty started this fight." She said loudly. Lucy West whooped, and the other patrons followed her lead, clapping and whistling. Charon could barely suppress a grin.

"Where is Gob?" Evelyn asked a man at the bar.

"upstairs, he was beat up pretty bad so Moriarty and Nova have been running the bar." The man said.

Evelyn headed up the stairs, straight for Gobs room. She opened the door, gasped, and shut the door immediately.

"Evelyn?" Charon asked. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. It's just... Nova is... Well. What I did this morning to you, she's doing to Gob." Evelyn stuttered, looking pale.

Charon bit back a laugh. "Then today is a very good day for Gob."

"Apparently." Evelyn said. She rapped on the door. After some loud rustling and a female laugh, Gob opened his door looking sheepish.

"Smoothskin!" He squeaked. "Hi! You uh, you okay?"

Evelyn grinned and threw her arms around the startled ghoul. "I'm more than okay Gob! I'm great!" She cried out excitedly.

"That's... Good. I'm glad." Gob said uncertainly. Evelyn just beamed as she embraced the uneasy man.

"Evelyn." Charon growled. He bristled as she clung to the other ghoul.

"Oh right." Evelyn said quickly. "Gob you're free." She released Gob. Nova stepped out from behind the doorway.

"What do ya mean, free?" Nova asked.

"Colin is dead." Evelyn said with a cold look on her face, absent mindedly fidgeting with her dress. Charon wanted to hold her, he didn't like the look on her face.

"Dead?" Nova gasped. "You killed him?"

"Yes." Evelyn replied.

Nova squealed and threw her arms around a bewildered Gob. She covered his face in kisses as tears slipped down her face. "You hear that baby?" She whispered.

Gob wrapped his arms around her, rocking her as he crushed the redhead to his chest. He looked at Evelyn. "Free?"

Evelyn nodded. "Free."

Evelyn looked at Charon with tears swimming in her large brown eyes. He froze, unsure how to react. He hesitated a moment before pulling her to him and kissing the top of her head.

"Are you gonna leave Gobby?" Nova asked with sad eyes. Charon watched as Evelyn's jaw twitched.

"Not without you." Gob replied firmly. Twitch.

"Oh Gob, I'm just a whore. You don't need me." Nova sniffled.

"You aren't a whore Nova." Gob protested. "Besides, you don't have to... Work anymore." Gob gulped. "I mean, if you don't want to."

"Oh Gobby." Nova dissolved into tears. Watching the other woman fall apart seemed to set off Evelyn. Each woman sobbed into the chest of the slightly bewildered man next to them.

"Evelyn." Charon murmured. "Perhaps you should go home and relax? You seem... Tired."

"You mean I'm bein a giant baby and I'm freaking you out?" She laughed through her tears.

"To an extent." Charon admitted.

"I'm okay. Just... Gob, he's a good man and he deserves so much better than all of this shit." Evelyn sobbed as Charon led her to a chair to sit down.

"I am sure you are correct though I do not understand why you are crying now. Is this not the desired outcome?" Charon asked, smoothing her hair.

"Yeah. It's just happy tears. Sad tears that nobody helped before. Just messy shit." She said, rubbing her tear streaked face.

Charon had nothing to say to that. He didn't quite understand this woman. She was high strung and genuinely kind. He didn't know how the wasteland hadn't chewed her up and spit her out. People didn't just run around spending their hard earned caps on freeing slaves.

"Gob?" Evelyn said, standing up.

"Uh yeah?" Gob said, refusing to let go of Nova.

"In a few weeks, I'm leaving. After I go, I want you to have my house. I'm not sure when I'll be back, if I will at all." She said. Nova gasped.

"Leaving? Where to?" Nova asked. "Gobby you've got your own HOUSE!"

"WE have a house." Gob corrected gently. Twitch, twitch. She was exhibiting signs if agitation.

"Well in two weeks you will. Don't throw me to the curb yet. Charon and I are going to head west, to New Vegas."

Charon narrowed his eyes. She hadn't said where they were going yet. He was surprised to hear Vegas was still around.

"You take care of yourself out there smoothskin." Gob said.

"I will Gob. I've got Charon. He will keep me safe." Evelyn replied, shooting Charon a bright smile that made his chest ache.

"Thank you. I can't even... I can't even begin to thank you." Gob said warmly.

"Oh Gob." Evelyn whispered. "You were the first person I ever met that wasn't free. I wish I coulda helped you first. This took so damn long."

"No Smoothskin, don't be sad. The fact that you even cared to help makes you a saint in this shithole." Gob comforted her.

"Evelyn I believe it is in your best interests to go home and rest." Charon reminded her gently, as he watched a strange expression cross her face.

"Yeah." She said weakly, allowing Charon to guide her down the stairs. "I'll talk to you guys later." She called to Nova and Gob.

He steered her past Moriarty's body, making a beeline for the door. The sheriff was already there, asking questions of the bar patrons. He made no move to stop them.

Once inside the home Charon picked her up and carried her up the stairs, bridal style. He gently placed her on the bed. She curled up into a ball.

"Evelyn?" He asked.

"I loved him." She whispered hoarsely.

"Gob?" Charon asked, stiffening.

"Yeah. We spent hours talking every freaking day. Colin knew. He made Gobs life hell because of it. I SWORE I would go out and earn eighty thousand caps to free him. Took almost six fucking years Charon." She whimpered, covering her face with her arm.

Charon was silent. He couldn't fathom having the love of Evelyn and allowing some tavern whore to touch him. His chest hurt again. He was just another ghoul to fill in for the one she wanted. He cringed inwardly. He felt foolish for hoping.

"I must sweep the perimeter for threats." He informed her, stalking out of the room.

He heard her rise from the bed and walk down the stairs. She walked to the sink and washed some of the blood from her face. He watched as she rubbed water on her neck, clearing off dirt and blood.

"You were cut." He growled flatly.

"It's just a scratch." Evelyn argued.

"Do you require medical attention?" He a asked.

"No. I don't think so. Thanks though. I'm gonna go nap." She sighed. "Go ahead and do whatever you want I guess. I feel like all I do is sleep and cry anymore. I can't wait to get out of here."

He said nothing. He watched her climb the stairs, before he sat down at the table. He lay his head on his arm and sighed. This employer was unlike any other. The sadness he felt was akin to when he first started losing his skin. It was long gone now, he barely missed it anymore. Maybe in another two hundred years he wouldn't miss Evelyn anymore.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Charon are you okay?"

**_"These dead kids don't even fuckin bother you man! You're sick!"_**

**_"It's part of our contract! We had a job to do. I did it. These reds would do the same to us! It's just a contract! Man up!"_**

_**"I'm human! I don't blindly follow some fucking contract! I'm gonna puke man. I can't be here. I can't look at this! How old is that**__** kid? Jesus!"**_

_**"We have a contract!"**_

Charon gasped awake, blinking rapidly. He stared in horror at a terrified Evelyn. She stared up at him with enormous brown eyes, sitting on the floor a few feet away.

"Charon?" She whispered.

"Evelyn!" He said, stepping towards her to help her stand. He froze when she drew back.

"Are you awake?" She asked.

"Yes. I am awake. Have I hurt you?" Charon asked, dreading the answer.

"No. You didn't even touch me. You just scared the shit outta me. You looked right at me and said 'it was just part of the contract. They had to die', then you made this weird noise. Like Ooooorah." She said, reaching up for his hand. He pulled her to her feet quickly.

"I do not remember what I was dreaming about. I apologize for startling you." Charon said slowly.

Evelyn wrapped her arms around him and he stiffened. "It's okay Charon. We'll figure it out eventually. Just bad dreams." She said.

He nodded curtly and pulled away from her. She looked surprised. "I must go check the perimeter for threats." He said.

"Oh-kay?" She said. He ignored her obvious question. If he had looked behind him he would have seen the hurt on her face, but he didn't.

Charon spent thirty minutes examining the house. Evelyn sat in the dilapidated chair by her storage locker with her head in her hands. Neither spoke for hours.

Finally, Evelyn broke the silence. "This isn't about the dream is it?" She asked.

"No." Charon confirmed.

"It's about Gob isn't it?" She asked flatly.

"Yes." Charon growled.

"Because I was in love with him or because I hugged him?" She asked. She didn't give him a chance to reply. "Charon this jealousy is shit. You don't own me."

His eyes narrowed. "No _Mistress _you own me." He agreed.

**_SLAP_**

He barely flinched, even though it was clear she had put a lot of her strength into the blow to his cheek.

"Get out." She hissed. "I don't care where you go. Wander the wastes. Do whatever you want. Go back to Underworld. You can fucking rot there for all I care."

"As you wish." He turned on his heel and stalked out of the house.

She didn't cringe as the door slammed, even though she wanted to. She just sighed and brought her pip boy up to examine the vague maps the Brotherhood had been able to provide her of the Mojave. The vertibird would take her just outside of somewhere called Cottonwood Cove. It sounded pretty. The Brotherhood had lost contact with their brothers in that area a few years back, so she wasn't offered any back up but she wasn't concerned.

She frowned. She had thought that she would have Charon with her. But plans had changed. She was leaving in less than two weeks and Charon was god knows where. She regretted sending him off like that. Would he be okay without her? She wasn't sure how the contract worked. What would happen when she died? Would he know somehow? Would he seek out another employer?

Evelyn spent the rest of the evening cleaning and fixing everything she planned to sell. She had A LOT of caps already, but she almost obsessively hoarded everything she could scavenge. Having lots of caps provided her with a sense of security. Caps bought food, water, ammo and guns. Everything a girl needed to survive in the wasteland. But caps would never make her feel safe like a seven foot tall wall of muscle.

She hopped around her house in an agitated manner before groaning in frustration. Maybe she could still catch him. She threw open the door and ran out, only to trip and pitch forward into the darkness.

"Ooomphhh!" Escaped her lips before she landed flat on her face. "Son of a bitch!" She snarled, laying still, agitated and overwhelmed. She was shocked to feel herself break down. She hadn't lost it like this since her father died. Noisy sobs poured out of her as she pounded her fists against the metal walkway. She gasped outright when a large rough hand rested on her shoulder.

"Charon?" She gulped out.

"Sorry Smoothskin, wrong ghoul." A friendly voice rumbled.

"Gob. Oh God. I'm okay. I'm not going crazy." She sputtered, sitting up.

"Fighting with your man?" Gob asked conversationally, plopping down beside her.

"He's gone." Evelyn whined. "Because I'm stupid."

"You ain't stupid Smoothskin, you're stubborn as a mule but not stupid." Gob said with a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"What's a mule?" Evelyn asked with a sniff.

"An animal that's long gone." Gob laughed. "Why are you and Charon fighting?"

"Because I say stupid shit that makes him mad and he says even stupider shit that makes me REALLY mad." She said with her head in her hands. "I told him I loved you. And he got jealous."

"That was almost five years ago Smoothskin, why bring it up?" Gob asked.

"He wanted to know why I was so upset earlier. I told him because it was my fault Colin treated you like shit." She answered.

"First off, no that wasn't your fault. Second, oh geez smoothskin. You're so smart but sometimes you miss what's right in front of you." Gob sighed.

"Excuse me? I'm brilliant, thanks." Evelyn said, shoving Gob playfully. "It's not my fault he's jealous."

"He's a slave Evie." Gob reminded her softly. "As much as you want him to be free, you can't do it. I remember him from Underworld. For two hundred years, he hasn't been a man. Hasn't been anything but a tool."

"I don't treat him like a tool!" She cried out.

"No but that doesn't mean he feels human again. You're probably the first person in two centuries thats touched him with affection. He's only been a means to an end, ya know?Then you went and told him you were in love with another ghoul. Of course he's gonna think he's just a stand in." Gob lectured.

Evelyn stared at him with her mouth agape. "Fuck." She said at last.

"Evie I know it was just puppy love, but Charon doesn't understand love, he's used to being used, he expects it." Gob said gently.

"He's gone now Gob." She replied miserably. "I told him to go."

Gob chuckled nervously. "Yeah, about that. Uh, there's a pretty big guy getting real drunk up at the saloon, scaring the regulars. I was hoping you could help keep the peace?"

"He went to a bar?" She asked incredulously.

"He mentioned that you 'did not care where he went and he would rot here' to Nova. He's been up there for a while now. He's pretty damn drunk. And scary." Gob replied.

Evelyn rose from the ground, wincing at the new scrapes her knees now sported. She followed Gob to the saloon.

She opened the door and was amazed. She swallowed down her immediate jealousy and just stared as Lucy West sat in Charons lap. The petite blond was laughing loudly. Charon looked disinterested. He was drinking scotch right from the bottle and if the five empty bottles behind him were any indication, he wasn't going to stop any time soon.

Evelyn approached quickly, ignoring the surprised stares. Her face was burning when she realized she was only wearing her tank top and shorts. At the sight of her, Lucy slunk off.

"Charon." Evelyn stated firmly.

"You return. Am I to accompany you?" He asked slowly, taking care not to slur his words.

"Yes. It's time to go Charon." She answered smoothly.

He rose from his seat, looking less than composed. He recovered quickly, following after her compliantly. Once they reached the house, Charon blinked at her, swaying slightly as he awaited her orders.

"Charon I am so sorry." Evelyn said, crossing the room. She lay her hand on his cheek. "I'm an idiot. Please stay with me."

Charon snarled. "I would never leave. I will walk to Vegas to keep you safe."

He picked her up. He crushed her to him so roughly, her back cracked loudly. She threw her arms and legs around him eagerly.

"You're the only man for me." She said as she clung to him. "I don't want anyone else. Just you."

"Yeah?" He asked her with a grin. The alcohol warmed him in a way that she one day hoped to. His smile was so at ease. She had never seen him look so handsome.

"You are staring at me." He said with a smile.

"You're gorgeous Charon." She said honestly.

He shook his head. "You are insane Evelyn."

"I'm serious! Look at those cheekbones and auburn hair. Gorgeous." She protested. "Charon-"

"Liam." He interrupted.

"What?" She asked.

"My name before the war was Liam." He answered.

Evelyn stared with wide eyes. "You didn't tell me Charon wasn't your real name!"

He grinned. "I have been Charon for many years now. It is part of the Underworld exhibit. Charon was the ferryman of the dead in the Underworld." He answered calmly.

"You don't look like a Liam." Evelyn said thoughtfully.

Charon chuckled. "No? Then what do I look like?"

"You look like you belong here with me. For what is in a name?" She teased gently.

"They died in the end." Charon laughed.

"What?" She said in surprise.

"Romeo and Juliet committed suicide." He said slowly, as if explaining it to a small child.

"You're fucking amazing." Evelyn said, before covering his face in kisses.

"Perhaps. But you amaze me." Charon replied, nuzzling her neck.

"Don't ever leave again." Evelyn pleaded.

"Do not order me away. Until the day you tire of me, I will stay." Charon promised halfheartedly.

"I'm yours forever." Evelyn murmured into his shoulder.

"Mine?" He asked, dumbfounded. He blinked at her, as if he was struggling to process what she was saying. "You belong to me?"

"Mind, body and soul." She quipped. She yelped loudly as they suddenly fell backwards. She landed on Charons chest as he laughed.

"I am sorry. I have been drinking. Are you hurt?" He asked, fighting back a laugh.

"No I landed on a drunk ass ghoul." Evelyn said with a smirk.

"You are the one who loves me." He retorted, then froze. "I meant..."

Evelyn pressed a kiss to his lips. "No you're right." She said softly, as she shook her hair from the remnants of her bun. He inhaled deeply and ran his fingers through her long hair in wonder.

"I love you too Evelyn." Charon said.

"My name isn't really Evelyn." She said solemnly.

Charons surprise showed on his face. "Then what is it?"

"Fredrick. I'm a man." Evelyn said levely.

"That is not true." Charon said flatly. "I have seen you without clothing."

"Surgeries." Evelyn said seriously.

"Evelyn I am unsure if you are joking. But I do not care. I think I would love you if you were still a man." Charon said, drunk and clearly confused.

"Charon I'm kidding. I've never had a dick." Evelyn laughed.

"I think I am very drunk." Charon groaned.

Evelyn smiled. "Yeah, let's go sleep it off drunkie."

"Lead the way _Fred._"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Evelyn stretched languidly, letting out a breathy sigh. She opened her eyes, smiling softly. The smile turned to a frown as she examined the empty bed next to her.

"It would kill you to cuddle?" She grumbled aloud, rolling off the bed. But Charon wasn't in the house. Wadsworth floated over, as cheerful as ever.

"Good morning Madame! How may I serve you?" He exclaimed.

"Waddy I need something to drink, got any water for me?" She asked, stretching her arms.

"Certainly Madame! Here you are!" The robot replied, depositing a bottle of water into her hand.

"Thanks Waddy, you're a peach." She said as she walked away.

The storage lockers held many of her worldly possessions. She was meticulous in her organization. Organization of all her junk. She snorted derisively. Evelyn smiled fondly as she recalled her first few weeks out of the vault. She had gotten over any squeamish apprehension when she realized everything that wanted to kill her had something of value on it. Someone, somewhere, would buy anything she brought them. The look on Moira's face when she had plopped down a large bag dripping blood onto the counter of Crater Side Supply was priceless. Forty-seven mole rat fillets.

She rifled through the locker and pulled out the object of her search. An emerald green cotton sundress. It was the most beautiful thing she owned. She had never worn it before. The Capitol Wasteland wasn't exactly the place for a beautiful sundress. But she would wear it soon. She very carefully placed it in her pack, along with her ugly lounge pants, clean underwear and a few tank tops. Then she pulled on some denim pants and a loose brown shirt, followed by her combat armor and boots.

She pulled her long blond hair into two braids, then twisted them into a knot on the back of her head. She secured her hair with a few bobby pins and aimlessly smoothed any flyaways. She rummaged through her pack and frowned. She needed more microfusion cells for her Gauss rifle. She was pretty good with her Power Fist but nothing stopped a deathclaw in its tracks like the Gauss rifle.

She checked her ammo locker and grinned. A large ammo box full of at least three hundred microfusion cells. She would still check with Moira, and hopefully she would catch Lucky wandering through before she left. That man ALWAYS had at least two hundred just for her.

After emptying the ammo box into her pack she headed out the door, only to run into Ian West.

"Ian!" Evelyn exclaimed happily, throwing her arms around the young man. "When did you get here?"

"Hey Evie! Got in earlier this morning. Man was Lucy mad! But happy to see me I think." He laughed, returning her hug. "She also thinks you're mad at her. Something about making a pass at your man?"

Evelyn gave him a confused look before she remembered. "Oh! Right! No. Not at all. Just drunken foolishness." She assured him.

"Ah. Well I was surprised to hear you were, uh, with someone." He grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Evelyn grinned. "Well I couldn't wait on you forever!" She teased.

Ian's ears turned red. "Actually. That's kind of why I came." He admitted. "You haven't been through Arefu in about a month and I was starting to miss you."

Evelyn stared at him with wide eyes. "Ian that's such a dangerous trip to make alone! You came just to see me?" She chided.

"Seems kinda dumb now. But I just wanted to see you. I was hoping-" Ian faltered. "I was hoping you would come back."

Evelyn tilted her head, confused. "Come back to Arefu? Well sure, eventually." She replied.

"No. I mean yeah, but with me." Ian said miserably, his face flushed.

"Ohhh! You want me to get you back home safely!" Evelyn exclaimed. "Of course I will! Silly, you're like the little brother I never had!"

"No!" Ian blurted. He groaned in frustration. "I want you to come back to Arefu with me, to stay there with me." He explained.

"Stay in Arefu?" She asked slowly. "With you." Suddenly realization washed over her features. "Oh Ian." She said softly, shaking her head.

"Don't!" Ian commanded, holding up his hand to cut off her words. "Don't give me the little brother shit. You have to give me a chance." And with that he leaned down and pressed his lips to Evelyns.

She didn't pull away, nor did she kiss him back. She just waited. He drew back and looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "Nothin huh?" He asked sadly.

"Ian I love you. I do." She began. He hung his head. "No, look at me. You're an amazing guy. And the girl who lands you will be the luckiest girl in the wasteland. But I'm leaving."

He looked up. "Leaving?" He asked.

"Headed towards New Vegas. It's a long long ways from here." She explained. Inspiration struck. "Ian have you ever been to Big Town?"

"Nah. It's not far from Arefu though." He answered, still looking miserable.

"I'm going to Big Town tomorrow. Would you come with me? They need some help and I think your skills with guns would help them a lot." She explained.

"I guess." Ian shrugged. "Got nothing better to do.

"It'll be fun." Evelyn assured him. He didn't reply, just stared at the ground. "Love you kid." She said, hugging him.

After a moment, he returned her embrace. "Love you too vaultie." He mumbled into her hair.

"I've gotta get moving, but you need to be ready nice and early tomorrow. Okay?" She said, pulling back and punching him in the arm playfully.

"You got it." He replied, nodding his head.

She watched him walk away with his head low. She sighed deeply. She turned and gasped as she stared at an amused Charon.

"That was almost painful to watch." Charon said, clearly amused.

"Jesus Charon, how long were you standing there?" Evelyn gasped.

"Long enough to know that you have broken that boys heart." Charon said mockingly.

She swatted him on the arm. "Shut up! Ian's a good kid." She smoothed her hair. "But that was kinda unexpected."

"I would advise that the next time another man kisses you, he should be warned that I have broken mens spines with one punch." Charon growled irritably.

Evelyn pressed herself to his chest. "Noted." She said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Let's get moving. I've got to go see Moira. I need more ammo."

He watched as she sauntered away, swaying her hips purposefully. She turned her head briefly to wink at him. He couldn't stop the small smile from creeping onto his face as he followed her. She made her way up the metal walkways until they reached a shanty with the words Crater Side Supply written sloppily on the side. Evelyn pushed the metal door open and they stepped into the dim store.

A small plain woman greeted them immediately. "Hi there!" She chirped in an overly cheerful voice. "Evelyn! It's so good to see you! Oh my! You've brought a friend! A handsome friend!"

Charon wanted to recoil from the overly happy creature in front of him. Instead he gave her his best glare. She seemed unfazed as she continued to rattle off things about some book. Evelyn seemed to know what she was talking about.

"So we are definitely helping people!" The shopkeeper exclaimed. "Now how can I help you and Tall Dark and Handsome over there?"

Evelyn laughed. "His name is Charon, and paws off Moira, he's mine."

"Well dang. All the cute ones are taken or crazy." Moira said sadly. Charon snorted. Crazy indeed.

"I just got lucky I guess." Evelyn replied, smiling at Charon. "Do you have any microfusion cells Moira?"

"Do I ever!" Moira exclaimed, perky once again. "Had a cranky guy in here about a week ago, didn't even know what they were. He brought me over five hundred, but I sold two hundred. So I've got three hundred and ninteen of them for you. Between you and me, I hope he doesn't come back. I heard he got real mean with the whore at the saloon."

"Moira she has a name. Nova." Evelyn admonished.

"Oh I know. But who has time to remember names?" The ditzy woman exclaimed, not at all put off. She dug around under the counter. "Aha!" She crowed triumphantly. She pulled out a large ammo box.

Charon was having a glaring contest with the mercenary in the corner. He was impressed. Most hired muscle was intimidated by his sheer bulk. Charon gave him a nod and watched as Evelyn counted out caps.

"Moira I'm headed out to Big Town tomorrow. I'll swing by one last time before I go though." Evelyn said as she dumped the microfusion cells into her pack.

"Okie dokie!" Moira exclaimed. "Such a big adventure! Do you think you'll ever come back?"

"Probably not Moira." Evelyn said softly. "I think the Capital Wasteland will be okay without me."

"You've fixed just about everything haven't you? You're a nice girl." Moira said, already fiddling with a foul smelling experiment.

"Thanks Moira." Evelyn said solemnly. She and Charon left the store and walked down to the clinic. The doctor was on his way out of the door.

"Holy hell that's a big zombie." The startled doctor exclaimed.

Charon growled. Evelyn was quicker. "Say that again Church and I'll knock your fuckin teeth out."

The doctor didn't look concerned. "Calm yourself woman. No need to be so damn touchy." He drawled. "I assume you want to buy out all my stims?"

"Yup. And for your little crack there I want a discount." Evelyn snarled, drawing herself up, squaring her shoulders.

The doctor scowled at her for a long moment. "Fine." He snapped. "I've got twenty-five."

"Sold!" Evelyn declared smugly, handing the man a pitiful amount of caps.

"I'll be glad to see you go." Church grumbled sourly.

"Oh Doc, I'm wounded!" Evelyn called mockingly as she strolled away. Charon followed, frowning.

She caught his frown and sighed. "Let me guess? You feel emasculated."

Charon rolled his eyes. "It is unwise to ruin a good business relationship to spare my feelings. Doctors are few and far between." He scolded.

Evelyn scoffed. "Oh please. That hack isn't half as well trained as I am. Besides, I refuse to associate with bigots. It doesn't have anything to do with you. It's my own morals. I know what's right and wrong. Willow and I are exactly alike, except she doesn't have skin. It's bullshit that I have more rights. Human is human." She raged, her raised voice drawing the attention of the settlers.

"They aren't human." A voice rang out. Jenny Stahl stood tall with her mouth set in a grimace of disgust. "They're mutated animals, who knows how many Geiger ticks from going feral. You and Nova are disgusting. Of course Nova always was. But I thought you were better than some dirty ghoul fucker!" She screeched.

"Jenny!" Andy snapped, admonishing his sister with a humiliated look at Evelyn.

"No! That filthy whore and nasty vault bitch are ruining our town with their filth! This used to be a nice place. Now it's degenerates and ghoul fuckers. What's next? Fuckin cannibals?" Jenny snapped, her voice almost at full volume. Evelyn spared a glance towards Ian and Lucy. Lucy had her arm on Ian's and she was glaring with all her might at the only Stahl woman.

"Jealous Jenny?" A male voice called mockingly. "Can't even get a ghoul to fuck ya?" Billy stepped forward with a mean grin on his face.

"Fuck you!" Jenny screamed back. "I wouldn't degrade myself by letting one of those disgusting animals touch me!"

"THATS ENOUGH!" Andy bellowed. "Jenny get your ass inside or you won't have a fucking place to live. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Jenny gaped at her older brother in rage. Her face turned purple. She stomped inside, shooting Evelyn one last dirty glare.

"Evelyn I'm sorry for what my sister said. We weren't raised like that." Andy sighed.

"Don't apologize Andy. But I'm warning you, she needs to stay out of my way." Evelyn retorted.

"I understand." Andy agreed.

Evelyn stomped all the way back to her house, dimly aware of Charons quiet footsteps behind her. She stomped inside, then she stomped all the way upstairs, kicking off her boots and armor as she went. She flopped down onto the bed and kicked off her pants furiously, making soft, irritated noises as she did so. Charon stood in the doorway, silent. Evelyn stared at the ceiling.

"A dirty ghoul fucker." She spat. "I saved this fucking wasteland. I saved this TOWN from a megalomaniac with skyline issues. But I'm a dirty ghoul fucker, ruining THE FUCKING SANCTITY OF THIS FUCKING RUSTING TRASH HEAP!"

Charon remained silent. He had warned her that humans wouldn't approve of her fraternizing with him. But that did little to assuage his guilt. He had ruined her reputation. A reputation she had bled for, fought for, nearly died for. He had been selfish. He just stared at her sadly.

"I'm sorry if they hurt your feelings." She called to him softly.

"Their opinions are not of any importance to me." He said stiffly.

"Come lay with me." She pleaded suddenly.

He couldn't refuse her. Not with the sad look on her face. He sat down on the bed, slowly removing his boots and armor. Very carefully he lay down next to her. He had been careful to leave space between their bodies but she ignored that completely, curling into him. She nuzzled his shoulder and wrapped her and around him. He reached out and carefully removed the bobby pins holding her hair in place. She made no move to stop him, so he slowly unraveled her hair from the braids she had secured it in. He ran his fingers through her long hair, loving how soft it was.

"You like my hair huh?" She asked.

"I have never seen a woman with such long hair. Have you ever cut it at all?" He asked as a reply.

"It's been trimmed and I won't let it get much longer. It's not very practical. But I'm vain, and it makes me feel pretty." She admitted.

"You are beautiful." He stated.

"Thanks. So are you." She said. He rolled his eyes. They rested there quietly for a few minutes.

"I think you should give the West boy a chance." Charon told her reluctantly.

"Excuse me?" Evelyn said as she pulled back to stare at Charon with confusion and hurt.

"You could build a life with him. No one would call you names in the town square. You could grow old with him. Have children." Charon explained quickly.

"You think I care what some bitch calls me? I can grow old with YOU. And what? You and I couldn't have kids?" She dismissed fiercely.

"We could not. Ghouls cannot reproduce." He answered softly.

"We can adopt." She shot back.

Charon sighed. "I will outlive you."

Evelyn grinned. "Kinda cocky aren't you?" She teased. "Are you saying you won't find me sexy anymore when I'm old and wrinkly?"

"If I still had skin I imagine I would be wrinkled." He said. "I am already quite old."

"I done care. I want you." Evelyn said firmly. She crawled on top of him and gave him a hard stare. "And you want me. Why are we having this conversation? You do want me don't you?" She asked, suddenly looking unsure of herself. The fear in her features made his chest ache.

"Of course I do. I just want what is best for you." He replied, reaching up to cup her chin in his large hand.

"Loving you is the best thing that's happened to me in a long time." She whispered with a smile.

"Your love is the best thing that has ever happened to me." He admitted with a smile of his own.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"**_You wanna be shot for war crimes or do you wanna report for mental reconditioning? Seems like a simple choice son. You know what ya did was fucked up. Your CO already faced the squad, Brass wanted you to have an option. So what'll it be?"_**

Evelyn watched Charon twitch uneasily in his sleep. She wrapped her arm and leg around him, pressing a kiss to his forehead. The stress left his features and he melted into her embrace, finding peace in her. She enjoyed his sleepy affection for a few minutes before whispering his name.

"I am awake." He replied, his eyes still closed.

"You don't look awake." She said against his cheek.

"I would be a poor employee if someone wrapping their entire body around me did not rouse me." He replied, she could feel the small smile stretching his mouth.

"We have to go get Ian." She said, though she made no move to break their embrace.

Charon did not reply verbally. He just untangled himself from her limbs and rose. She made a quiet groan of displeasure. She sighed and got out of bed. They moved about the house in an unusual harmony. She gathered supplies and he organized and maintained all the gear she picked out. She watched in admiration as he he cleaned and repaired all her weapons , then swiftly stitched and cleaned all her armor and clothing. It seemed second nature.

"I've never seen a man sew before. Besides a doctor sewing up a person." She commented.

"It is necessary to care for gear properly." He said gruffly. "I could also stitch you up if you needed it. I have basic medical knowledge. I prefer to keep myself in one piece."

"So you couldn't sew me a nice fancy ball gown?" She teased as she stuffed her pack with ammo.

"I am afraid that is beyond my abilities." He replied dryly. "Do you even know what a ball is Evelyn?"

She sent him a sly grin. "Of course I do. A big fancy dance where people wear big fancy dresses and suits. I was raised in a vault Charon. We had history classes." She giggled.

"I have attended balls. Long ago." Charon confessed.

Evelyn stared at him with wide eyes and a large grin. "That means you know how to dance!" She exclaimed.

"It means no such thing." He said firmly. "I hardly remember attending, let alone how to dance."

Evelyn pouted. "I think you're full of shit." She complained loudly.

Charon ignored her as he organized the supplies. He handed Evelyn her oversized pack and situated his shotgun on his shoulder. He bowed his head and gestured to the door with his arm. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Ian was already ready, sitting at the small table by Evelyn's door. He looked up at her with a lopsided grin. "Good morning." He grumbled.

"Morning kid! Ready to roll?" Evelyn replied cheerfully.

"Yep. Already said my goodbyes to Lucy. How long you think it'll take to get to Big Town?" Ian drawled as he followed Charon and Evelyn to the big gates of Megaton.

"We should get there by mid afternoon if we keep up a good pace. You're gonna love it there kid. Everybody is your age, it's not Arefu." Evelyn teased.

"Sounds perfect. Now tell me it's full of lonely girls desperate for my attention." He quipped.

"Well there is Bittercup. She's... Well you'll see." Evelyn laughed. Charon watched their exchange with something that bordered on jealousy. The West boy had a youthful charm. Charon had lost that before he lost his skin. Evelyn obviously had a great deal of affection for the boy and Charon wondered briefly how they had come to know each other and how that bond was formed. He dismissed the query almost immediately. It didn't matter.

All thoughts left his mind as a deathclaw stormed from behind a rusted out semi trailer. A loud whoop split the air and the West boy charged at the deathclaw, seemingly playing a game of chicken he had no chance in winning. Charon barely hesitated before he started pumping shells into the beast, hoping to drop it before it could kill the clearly insane boy.

"Ian! No!" Evelyn's scream startled him. Charon glanced at her before resuming his frantic shooting. She looked horrified. The boy didn't pause. He and the deathclaw quickly met and the deathclaw lunged at him, swiping with its vicious claws. Ian dodged to the side and jumped behind the beast with enviable speed. He didn't waste a moment before he lept onto the deathclaws back. Clearly not anticipating that, the deathclaw let out an outraged snarl and nearly lost its balance. Ian plunged his Bowie knife deep into the frenzied animal before drawing his sawed off shotgun and firing all the shells into the beasts temple- point blank. The deathclaw froze for a moment before crumpling to the ground, very dead.

Ian lay beside the corpse breathing heavily. Charon was the first to move, offering the boy his hand. Ian took it after a moment and pulled himself to his feet.

Evelyn was upon him almost as quickly as the deathclaw had been. She shoved the sheepish boy back, her screams causing Charon to cringe. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! Are you CRAZY?!"

Ian caught her arm as she swung to punch him in the jaw. He pulled her to him and locked her in a bear hug. She struggled against him briefly before hugging him back. "You crazy little bastard you gave me a heart attack! What would Lucy say?" She grumbled, smashed against his chest.

Ian drew back in alarm. "Don't tell Lucy! She'd have a Brahmin." He pleaded.

"Ian that thing could have killed you with one claw in two seconds. What were you thinking?" Evelyn scolded.

"I've killed five or six deathclaws that way. They get real confused." Ian confessed. Evelyn sucked in her lips and her eyes bugged out.

"You're killing me." She croaked out.

Ian just smiled as a reply. They kept walking towards Big Town and Charon had gained a new respect for the gangly boy they were escorting. Any man who wanted to wrestle a deathclaw had to be a tough son of a bitch. Evelyn still looked exasperated. She cheered up considerably when a pack of mole rat pups descended upon them, snuffling and squealing.

"Ohhhhlookit!" She cooed loudly, scooping one of the ugly creatures up. There were five in all, too many to have come from one litter. "Where's your mumma? Are you all alone?" Evelyn questioned the wiggling rodent.

"Put em outta their misery before something eats em." Ian suggested.

"Shut up Ian!" Evelyn snapped, cradling another pup to her. "They obviously grouped together for safety after they lost their parents."

Ian snorted. "Just makes for a bigger meal when the mirelurks come." He said flatly.

"Don't be such a pessimist Ian, for all you know they'll thrive as a pack." Evelyn scolded the young man. Ian was unimpressed.

"I see a settlement." Charon interrupted.

"Yeah that's Big Town." Evelyn said, carefully placing the pups on the ground before standing up. The small rodents shuffled off. "We got here quicker than expected. There's usually a lot more radscorpions."

"Maybe the mole rats ate them." Ian quipped.

"Oh fuck you Ian!" Evelyn groaned, kicking dust in his direction.

"That an invitation?" He leered backed comically, wagging his eyebrows at her.

"You couldn't handle me sweetheart!" Evelyn grinned back.

"Why don't we test out that hypothesis?" Ian shot back.

"No." Charon snapped. The smile fell from Evelyn and Ians faces.

"I was just joking man." Ian said after a long pause.

Charon just growled and continued walking to Big Town. After exchanging uneasy glances, Evelyn and Ian followed. They made the rest of the trip in silence.

They were met by a man wearing what appeared to be poorly cared for riot gear.

"Dusty!" Evelyn cried happily. "Don't shoot me!"

"101? You've got a guy and a big ass ghoul with ya?" Dusty questioned.

"Ian and Charon. They won't cause any trouble. Ian is here to help. I'm here to talk to Red." Evelyn assured the skeptical man.

Dusty lowered his gun and gave them a nervous wave. "After you cleared out Paradise Falls and the old police headquarters we don't get much trouble. A stray raider or two. Sticky is pretty successful when he goes out scavenging. But we can always use the extra help." He informed her.

Evelyn just nodded and made her way across the wooden bridge into Big Town. Charon and Ian followed. Teenagers made their way out of their homes to greet Evelyn, but stopped to stare at Charons hulking form.

"Hi Evelyn!" A young man called out, waving enthusiastically.

"Hi Flash!" Evelyn called back. "How have you been?"

"Oh pretty good. Killed me a raider the other day! Got a new gun!" Flash told her excitedly.

"That's great sweetheart! Remember everything I taught you?" Evelyn said with a kind smile.

"Yes ma'am!" Was the cheerful reply.

Ian leaned in towards Evelyn and whispered "He looks your age, why is he acting like a kid?"

Evelyn smiled. "Everyone in Big Town used to be a Little Lamplighter. There are no adults in Little Lamplight. They raise themselves and each other. Once they turn sixteen, they have to come here. It's not easy for them." Evelyn whispered back.

Ian frowned. "Why do they leave those kids to fend for themselves?" He asked.

Evelyn shook her head. "They do great in Little Lamplight. It's when they have to leave and come to Big Town, that's when they struggle. But I've been helping them over the years and they're doing better."

Ian's brow knitted as he processed the new information. Evelyn continued to greet each of the towns residents in turn. Finally she reached the young woman she sought.

"Hey Red!" Evelyn said happily.

"Hey Evie! What brings you to Big Town?" The bespectacled woman asked with a smile.

"I brought a friend for everyone to meet and I came to say goodbye." Evelyn answered.

"Goodbye?" Red asked.

"Charon and I are headed out west here soon. But I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to everyone." Evelyn said with a sad smile.

"It's a shame you won't be around anymore. I'll miss you." Red said softly, placing a hand on Evelyn's forearm. "Everyone will."

"I'll miss all of you. But it's time for me to wander on. So I'm taking my boyfriend and heading for the sunset." Evelyn said with a grin.

"Boyfriend huh?" Red said, giving Ian a once over.

"Nope not that one. This one." Evelyn said, pulling a started Charon towards her by the hand. He peered down at the young woman.

"Hooo weee! That's a lot of ghoul!" Red gulped.

"Ohhhhhh yeah." Evelyn leered. Charon felt heat in his cheeks. "And this guy is Ian. He's good with guns, has a solid hand to hand and a winning smile." She gestured to the young man.

"Nice to meet you Ian. And um. Boyfriend." Red said quickly.

"Charon." Evelyn supplied helpfully.

"Right. Nice to meet you Charon." Red amended. "You're just in time for the sock hop!"

"Sock hop?" Evelyn and Ian asked in unison.

"It is a dance." Charon said darkly.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Evelyn couldn't hold back her laughter as she listened to Charons grim tone.

"A dance? How fantastic!" She teased brightly. Charon just scowled at her.

"Evelyn!" A female voice called out.

Evelyn turned and Charon barely caught her quiet groan. She forced a smile and called back to a thin young woman dressed in all black. "Hey Bittercup! Hey Kimba!"

Charon hadn't even noticed the quiet girl trailing behind the first. Long black hair and unusually large brown almond shaped eyes, and an elfin chin, this girl was one of the few women Charon could say was pretty. An elbow to the ribs let him know his scrutiny of the other female hadn't gone unnoticed. He looked down at Evelyn but she was already talking to the girls.

"How have you girls been?" She asked politely. Kimba just smiled and waited for Bittercup to reply.

"Oh we've been good. Just, you know, same old thing all day." Bittercup sighed dramatically, her eyes fixed on Ian. "Who's your friend?"

Evelyn grinned. "Oh this is Charon. He's my boyfriend." She said without a trace of sarcasm.

Kimba and Bittercup stared at Charon in amazement and fascination.

"I've never seen a ghoul in person before." Kimba whispered, staring up at the uncomfortable man. He growled in irritation and immediately regretted it. The girls took a step back.

"Holy shit is he feral?" Bittercup gasped.

"No. Just grumpy." Evelyn replied quickly, placing her hand on Charons forearm.

"I was actually asking about your OTHER friend." Bittercup wouldn't be dissuaded.

"Oh. This is Ian. I was hoping he could stay here with you guys for a while. I think he'd do the town some good." Evelyn explained.

"Kimba has room in her place." Bittercup said, a mean grin already in place. Kimba stared at her friend in horror. "He can stay with you, can't he Kimba?" Bittercup teased mercilessly. "You certainly wouldn't be a distraction."

Charon curled his lip in disgust. He really did not like this female.

"Hey, I don't mean to impose." Ian told Kimba gently, with a reassuring smile. Kimba gave him a small smile back.

"No not at all. Come with me, I'll show you where you can stay." Kimba said softly, gesturing behind her. Bittercup looked surprised, then irritated. Her cruel joke hadn't gone as she had expected. She stared at the retreating pair with narrowed eyes. Evelyn grinned at Charon broadly.

"So how did you hook up with a ghoul?" Bittercup asked sourly.

"I begged him for a date until he gave me a shot." Evelyn lied with a sweet smile.

Bittercup didn't even try to hide her revulsion. "You're weird." She told Evelyn bluntly. "Most people say they're just rotting corpses. Is that like, your kink?"

Evelyn set her jaw for a moment. "My kinks aren't anyone's business but Charon is an amazing man. He's smart, strong and protective. There's nobody I would rather have at my back. He's a great person and he has a GREAT butt!" She snarled, her face as red as a tomato. She stomped away.

Bittercup stared up at Charon, mouth agape. "I didn't mean to piss her off. I wasn't being a bitch. I just wanted to understand. From what I hear, ghouls are supposed to be nasty. No offense." She explained.

Charon stared at her a long moment before stating "Evelyn is an incredible woman who does not worry about what people are 'supposed' to be like. She is unique. You would do well to learn from her. Hate begets hate."

He followed after Evelyn, finding her in conversation with Red.

"The dress I have is gray. Not sure what color it was originally but it's a pretty shade of gray now. I've got some light pink ribbon to make a sash with. Do you have a dress?" Red questioned.

Evelyn glanced at Charon. "Yeah I do." She admitted. He frowned. He hadn't seen a dress in her pack. "It's nice. Can I get dressed in your place?"

Red nodded. "Yeah all the girls do. Otherwise Flash and Sticky will come peeping like the grimy mole rats they are." She laughed. Evelyn grinned in return.

Red entered her home and Evelyn hesitated in the doorway. "Sorry about earlier." She grumbled, kicking at the ground.

Charon closed the distance between them easily and embraced her. He pressed his ruined lips to her soft full mouth and cradled her jaw in his large hand.

"You never have to apologize for defending me. You honor me." He told her solemnly.

She stared up at him with a bright smile. "It was all true. You're amazing." She said softly.

He gave her a small smile. "You should go prepare for your dance. I will go find Ian and we will change our clothes. There is a procession of females heading this way." He informed her, planting a chaste kiss to her forehead.

"Make sure you show off that great butt!" Evelyn called after him. He just shook his head.

He found Ian easily enough, the other young men had swarmed around him. He was showing one of them how to clean a pistol.

"So you came in the the vault girl. You getting some of that?" A tall boy asked Ian.

"Evie? No way. That's Charons girl." Ian said, not realizing the aforementioned ghoul was no more than three feet from him.

Charon cleared his throat and some of the young men appeared startled.

"Holy fuck you're huge!" Flash yelped. "How are you so quiet?"

Charon didn't reply, instead he addressed Ian. "Evelyn says we are to dress for the dance. Do you have suitable clothing?" He asked.

Ian finished up with the pistol and returned it to its owner. "Yeah, I've got some clothes in my pack. Nothing fancy." He answered. "What are you wearin?"

Charon hesitated. What would he wear? He didn't have very many options. "Whatever I find in my pack." He replied honestly.

"Fair enough man. Well, may as well get to it. Where we changing?" Ian said easily, looking around to the young men around him.

"We can all change at my place." The young man with the newly cleaned pistol volunteered.

Ian grinned. "Cool, thanks Timebomb. Lead the way."

The group followed Timebomb into a rundown shack. The young men all started undressing immediately, digging through their packs for clothes or lining up to borrow something of Timebombs.

Charon dug through his own pack, irritated. He wasn't sure what to wear but he guessed combat armor wasn't it. He looked around and spotted Ian sliding into black pants and a rust colored short sleeved shirt.

"Anyone got some water?" Flash yelled.

"Only irradiated shit." Ian called back, holding up a bottle.

"That's cool, it's just for my hair." Flash said, claiming the bottle. "Thanks man."

Charon sighed irritably. He hadn't put any thought into his appearence in a long time. But his hair, what was left of it anyway, was probably a sight. He shook his head in frustration and pulled out a pair of denim pants and a short sleeved black shirt. That would have to do. He slipped into his clothes quickly.

He watched as the young men around him chatted with each other. Guns, girls and food. Charon smirked. Boys would always be boys.

"I've never seen Red or Kimba in a dress before." Flash drawled to Timebomb.

"Yeah me either. I don't think I've seen Bittercup in a dress either." Timebomb replied.

"Yeah but you've seen her WITHOUT clothes." Sticky crowed from across the room. He wore denim pants and a brown long sleeved shirt and had his hair slicked back.

"Oh shut up man. You know I don't remember that shit." Timebomb snapped. "Red still gets pissed off about it."

"Can't imagine why she's jealous. Red is way hotter than Bittercup." A man said from the corner. Charon didn't recognize this one.

"Watch it buddy, that's my lady." Timebomb growled.

"Bittercup ain't ugly." Flash protested. "She's just a weirdo."

"That's an understatement." Scoffed an older looking man in blue.

"Don't be bitter Pappy." Sticky consoled, clapping his hand on the other mans shoulder. "Bittercup just loves to love everybody. All night long." Pappy shoved Sticky away as he made a lewd gesture.

Ian walked over to Charon, looking him over. "You really are built like a yao guai man." He said. "You think I look okay?"

Charon raised an eyebrow. Ian sighed. "Not like that man." He groaned. "I mean, do you think I could impress a girl?"

"You have skin and hair. You will impress more women than I do this evening." Charon replied.

Ian laughed. "Yeah but you've got the whole dark and mysterious thing going for you. How did you impress Evie?" Ian asked.

Charon thought. "I did not impress her through appearances. I shot an evil man in the head." He answered.

"Shit." Ian groaned. "I stink at talking to girls."

"You should tell a woman about your method for killing deathclaws. I found that impressive." Charon offered.

Ian perked up. "Yeah! I guess that's pretty cool. Not a whole lotta guys do that." He exclaimed.

"Okay fuckers. I hear music. Sounds like the girls started without us!" Pappy yelled to the group. "Let's head out."

Charon followed Ian as they all headed out into the night. Charon tried and failed to get his hair to lay flat. He sighed. This was as good as it was going to get. They all hesitated outside of the common house door. Finally, Flash threw open the door with a whoop.

"Let's get moving gentlemen!"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The room wasn't enormous, but it was large enough for the group to fit comfortably. The girls were indeed already present. Charon sought out Evelyn. She stood talking to Kimba, waving her arms and laughing. She hadn't noticed the group of men's arrival. She was breathtaking. Her long blond hair was loose and combed out. She was wearing a bright green dress that fell just below her knees, and her feet were bare.

He made one last attempt at taming his hair before approaching her. "Evelyn." He remarked softly.

She turned with a smile, her brown eyes scanning his appearence. "You look great Charon!" She exclaimed.

"As do you." He replied with a small grin. "Dressing like a woman suits you."

Evelyn laughed. She twirled around, sending the dress flying, revealing her lower thigh. "This old thing? It's been at the back of my storage locker for ages."

Ian strolled up to Charon and clapped him on the back. "Hey Charon, some of the guys are breaking out the vodka. Care to join us?" He asked.

"I'll take you up on that offer!" Evelyn chirped. "Or is this a no girls allowed type thing?"

Ian laughed. "The more the merrier! Kimba?" He asked, offering the petite girl his arm. She took it with a smile. "You make that dress look good." Ian complimented smoothly. Kimba blushed a pretty shade of pink that complimented her brown dress. Her dark hair was pulled back into a smooth knot.

Charon took Evelyn's hand and they set off behind the West boy who was making a good show of wooing the petite girl on his arm. They reached the group and it was immediately evident that they had begun the consumption of alcohol.

Red giggled as Timebomb twirled her around clumsily. The doctor was truly lovely in that moment, all the worry lines had disappeared from her face. Timebomb impatiently flipped his shaggy hair out of his face and grinned at the girl before him. He took a quick sip of vodka, barely grimacing as he did so. Red playfully snatched the bottle out of his hand and danced away, keeping the bottle just out of his reach as she slammed down the alcohol. She gave him the now emptied bottle with a giggle.

An unfamiliar male laugh drew Evelyn's attention to the corner of the room. Pappy was talking to a girl she didn't recognize. One of the new residents no doubt. She was a lovely creature, wearing a deep blue dress. Her golden hair was pulled halfway back. She smiled up at Pappy and placed her small hand on his forearm flirtatiously. This wasn't as nearly as interesting as the sight of Bittercup in a black and red dress about ten feet from Pappy, glaring daggers at the new girl.

Flash stood next to Sticky as they passed a large bottle of whiskey back and forth. Evelyn nearly did a double take when she watched Sticky gently squeeze Flash's hand.

"Didn't you know?" A melodic voice said in her ear suddenly. "They're halfway to being a couple."

Kimba was flushed, and some tendrils of hair has snaked out of her sleek bun, but her eyes sparkled as she looked up at Evelyn.

"Really?" Evelyn asked. "When did that happen?"

Kimba cocked her head to the side. "Not really sure. Flash is so, ya know. Out there. Sticky is the only one who doesn't tell him to go away after about fifteen minutes. Flash always reminded me of an over excited friendly dog."

Charon grunted uncomfortably as both girls gave soft sighs as they watched Sticky move some of Flash's hair out of his eyes with a soft smile. Charon got an elbow to the ribs for his trouble.

"Don't be a jerk." Kimba scolded the enormous ghoul fearlessly.

Charon held up his hands. "Far be it for me to judge." He grumbled as Ian sidled up to Kimba.

"Did I miss something?" Ian asked, handing Charon a large bottle of scotch. Charon nodded his thanks and cracked the bottle open immediately.

"Nothing important." Kimba answered, boldly slipping her arms around Ian's waist. "Would you dance with me?"

Ian grinned at Charon before smiling down at the petite woman before him. "Of course! Shall we?" He said with a half grin. He didn't wait for an answer, instead lifting her up to twirl her around. She threw her head back and laughed, her hair spilling from the bun she had tried to confine it to.

"Quit staring. You're making me jealous." Evelyn told Charon mildly, relieving him of his scotch.

"You have nothing to be jealous of. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." Charon stated flatly.

"Be still my beating heart." Evelyn crowed sarcastically, clutching her hands to her chest. She stumbled backwards in her theatrics and Charon caught her smoothly. Without a word, he placed her hand on his waist and extended her arm out, leading her into small circles.

"What are you doing?" Evelyn asked curiously, shivering as his large hand settled onto the small of her back.

"We are waltzing." Charon stated simply. "It is an old world dance."

"So you do remember how to dance!" Evelyn gasped as he suddenly dipped her down.

"Bits and pieces." He admitted.

"Hey guys, Timebomb has some jet. Care to join us?" Reds voice interrupted them.

"Jet?" Evelyn asked in surprise.

"C'mon vaultie, live it up for once. I'm a doctor. Trust me." Red laughed.

Evelyn looked at Charon, then back to Red. "Oh-Kay." She said uncertainly. "Charon?"

"Where you lead, I shall follow." He answered levely.

They found themselves being led over to a large group. Flash, Timebomb, Sticky, Kimba, Ian, Bittercup, Pappy and the girl he had been dancing with all stood around chatting. Bittercup was still glaring darkly at the girl glued to Pappys side as she drank deeply from a bottle of vodka.

"Sorry guys. It's just not for me." The girl said with a shrug.

"That's okay Skipper. I understand." Red said gently with a smile.

Skipper looked at the doctor gratefully. "Pappy?" She said sweetly. "Could you walk me to my place?"

"Of course!" Pappy exclaimed quickly. They took off into the darkness. Bittercup finished her bottle of whiskey.

"Have any of you tried jet before?" Timebomb asked. Everyone shook their heads. "Okay well it's pretty simple. Hold this part to your mouth, press this button and take a big breath in. Hold the jet in as long as you can. It's okay, you might cough a little, but you should start to feel pretty good pretty fast." He explained, demonstrating the finer points with exaggerated motions.

He handed the jet to Red and the circle started. Sticky and Flash didn't have a problem, but Kimba had a coughing fit that turned her pretty face pink. Ian rubber her back until she stopped coughing. She smiled up at him gratefully and handed him the jet. The jet was passed, person to person until it reached Charon. He immediately passed it to Evelyn without huffing. She gave him a questioning look but took it anyway.

She took a deep breath in, the mist feeling ice cold in her lungs. She coughed briefly and passed the jet back to Timebomb. They stayed in the circle, glancing at each other nervously. Charon watched as the drug hot them, one by one. Bittercup was the first to leave the circle. She let out an uncharacteristic whoop and started bounding around. Kimba quickly joined her, twirling and laughing. She encouraged Ian to join them. Ian didn't need much convincing. Red and Timebomb were already dancing. Flash was talking a mile a minute while Sticky listened absently, smiling gently as he fussed with the other mans messy hair.

Charons attention was pulled to Evelyn, who was dancing with a very late Dusty. Bittercup soon stole her dancing partner but it didn't seem to bother Evelyn. She put her arms in the air and twirled around, laughing and calling out.

"Charon! I'm on a cloud!" She laughed. He couldn't help but smile. Her blond hair was loose and flying. She looked angelic. "Charon come dance with me baby!"

He couldn't resist that invitation. Her outstretched arms welcomed him into a tight embrace. She began to grind up against him in a way that was less than angelic. A quick glance around the room confirmed that the mood in the room had changed. Kimbas legs were wrapped around Ian's waist and it was difficult to distinguish just whose mouth was whose. Dusty and Bittercup had disappeared. Timebomb and Red were both in various states of undress on the floor. Evelyn stopped grinding on him and he looked at her. She was gaping at something openly. He followed her line sight and he raised his eyebrows.

Flash and Sticky were dancing together in a way Charon had never seen two men dance before. Charon had seen his fair share of men loving other men, but never such a lewd display.

"Yeah Flash! Get it!" Evelyn bellowed. Charon was mortified for her. The young man just beamed at her. Then he looked at his partner, who was staring at him with a mixture of adoration and lust. He pushed the smaller man up against the wall and claimed his mouth with his own. Sticky melted into the insistent embrace, eagerly returning the affection. Charon turned away when Flash started kissing and biting at Stickys neck as he pinned the smaller mans wrists above his head with one hand.

"How hot is that?" Evelyn squealed with delight. "Charon how come you don't ever pin me like that?" She didn't wait for a reply, instead tugging Charon towards the door. "Red said we can sleep in the clinic tonight."

He followed her wordlessly until she stopped suddenly. She looked up at him with a bright smile. "Can I ride on your back? I feel like touching the sky."

He obliged, leaning over so she could scramble up him. He gently straightened up, enjoying the feeling of her bare legs and arms wrapped around him.

"It's so pretty Charon! I love you so much!" She cried happily as he moved forward.

"I love you too Evelyn." He replied. He was rewarded with a soft kiss on the side of his neck.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Charon plodded down the steps to the dingy clinic loudly. Evelyn hummed softly in his ear. When they reached the dimly lit room she slid off his back and twirled around singing a long forgotten song.

**_"Made up my mind a long time ago_**

**_When the right man came along, somehow I'd know  
Heart as true, eyes as blue, and his smile as wide as the western sky"_**

Her voice was strong but soft as she danced to the music she created. Charon just watched as her long legs moved with a form of grace rare in the wasteland. He was reminded of the ballerinas of the old world.

**_"Let's ride into the sunset together_**

**_Stirrup to stirrup, side by side  
When the day is through, I'll be here with you  
Into the sunset we will ride."_**

She had no way of knowing what that meant but she could have fooled him when she met his eyes and sang to him. Her hips swayed as she stalked towards him purposefully. He was rooted to the spot when her arms encircled his waist. She gently rocked her hips into his as she reached up a hand to stroke his rough cheek.

"You looked amazing tonight." Evelyn sighed, running her hands along his bare arms. He flinched, knowing she was exploring areas that had long ago lost their skin. She didn't appear disgusted though, just curious.

"Not all of this is from losing your skin." It was a statement.

"No." Charon stated simply.

Evelyn's forehead creased. "Where did you get all these scars? Some of them are really large." She asked, stepping back to examine his arm closer. He resisted the impulse to yank it away from her.

"I am over two hundred years old. I have been in my fair share of fights and battles." Charon reminded her quietly.

"It's not like you forget how you got a scar this big though." She countered, running her fingers down the long gash.

"I was hit with an axe." Charon replied stiffly, reclaiming his arm.

"What?" Evelyn sqwauked. "Who hit you with an axe?"

"An angry husband." Charon said evasively.

"I'm sorry what? Whose wife were you fucking?" Evelyn crowed, laughing

"I was not 'fucking' anyone. Azrukhal was having an affair with a woman and her husband came home early." Charon grumbled irritably.

Evelyn howled with laughter. "Oh my god. And he went after Azrukhal with an axe?! That's my kind of guy!"

"I nearly lost an arm over a woman I had never touched. I fail to see the amusement." Charon growled.

Evelyn just rolled her eyes. "Oh lighten up crab ass." She commanded. "Take off your shirt. I want to look for more scars."

He obeyed silently. As soon as his tattered flesh was exposed she was upon him, exploring him with eager hands. He held completely still, eyes staring forward as she paused at each scar she found.

"Charon are you sure you're a ghoul? I'm pretty sure you're immortal." She joked. "I've never seen so many bullet wounds. You're fucking riddled with them. But these three. Right in your side, what are these?"

"I was stabbed with a screw driver." He answered. "A wastelander tried to take liberties with Willow."

She drew back, looking at him in amazement, ceasing her exploration. "Azrukhal was one fucked up guy. Keeping slaves but totally against rape?"

Charon growled with disgust. "Azrukhal was not above rape. I was returning to Underworld when I witnessed the incident. Naturally, I intervened." He explained.

Her enormous brown eyes filled with an emotion he didn't recognize. He looked away. He jumped when he felt her lips brushing his side. She set to work kissing each scar she found. He closed his eyes and sighed happily.

She tugged him over to one of the cots and demanded he lay down. He obliged and watched through narrowed eyes as she pulled off his pants, then his boxers. He closed his eyes again, bare before her. She continued to seek out and kiss his scars. From the deathclaw slashes on his right hip, to the shotgun blast on his left foot, she kissed her way down his body. He bit back a growl as he felt her long hair glide over his groin.

He only opened his eyes when she leapt up. She was staring at him, not bothering to conceal her lust. With practiced movements, the beautiful dress fell to her feet in a crumpled puddle. He inhaled sharply when she reached behind her and unhooked her bra. It fell to the floor next to the dress. Next, she pushed her panties down the curve of her thighs and let them fall. She stepped out of them on her way to the cot.

She slid herself up Charons body, causing him to let out a low rumble of approval. She lavished kisses on his neck and jawline. He lay as still as possible, letting her set the pace. She rolled her hips suggestively, driving his manhood into the back of her thigh.

"I don't know what to do." She whispered, beseeching him. "I just want..."

Charons self control snapped like a twig. He rolled her under him and placed his arms on either side of her head to support his weight. She let out a soft whimper and wrapped her arms around him, murmuring his name. He would wait no longer.

He lined himself up against her entrance and began to push into her. She was incredibly tight and so wet, it was difficult for Charon to control himself. She was thrashing beneath him, whimpering, impatient.

He froze when he hit a barrier he hadn't expected. He looked at her and she was so beautiful with her long hair disheveled and her eyes wide.

"You have never been with a man before." He stated, staring at her in surprise.

"No." She panted. "So what?"

"Evelyn. No." He said, pulling away from her. He rose from the bed. She sat up, gaping in horror.

"What did I do wrong?" She yelped, beautiful brown eyes filled with tears.

"Evelyn you have done nothing wrong." He assured her as he pulled on his pants. "But you are under the influence of a drug and we are in a dirty bed that is not ours, in a home that is not ours. I cannot disrespect you like that."

She sat on the cot looking broken and he felt the strange clenching in his chest again. He dug a shirt and shorts from the pack Red had so helpfully moved downstairs. He handed them to her and she dressed in silence. Without a word, she rolled away from him and faced the wall. She was curled into a ball, tears streaming down her face.

He crawled into the cot with her and shushed her gently. He stroked her hair as he explained his choice to her.

"Evelyn you deserve so much more. What we have, it means so much to me. I only wish to honor you."

She sniffed. "It's not me? You still want me?"

Charon sighed. "Stopping myself was the hardest thing I have ever commanded myself to do."

Evelyn looked soothed and he moved his large battered hands to rub small circles into her shoulder blades. She melted into him and was asleep within minutes. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head.

A/N: the lyrics are from the New Vegas soundtrack. This is my first attempt at writing a sexual scene, so sorry if it's dreadful.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Charon woke hours before any of the residents of Big Town. He stood outside of the clinic, smoking a cigarette when he spotted what appeared to be two bodies beside one of the run down houses. His eyes narrowed and he hesitated briefly before moving closer to investigate. He regretted his decision almost immediately.

Ian and Kimba were devoid of clothes, limbs entangled. Charon kicked Ian in the ass sharply and snapped "Wake up!"

Ian jolted awake, sitting up quickly, dropping Kimba unceremoniously. He ground the sleep from his eyes with the heel of his hand and stared up at Charon blearily.

"Wassamatter?" He croaked.

"You are nude in public with one of the locals." Charon intoned dryly.

Ian's eyes widened. "Shit!" He looked around frantically. " I don't even know where my clothes went." His eyes rested on Kimba. "Oh god. Where are her clothes?"

"That is not known to me. Take this shirt and put it on the lady. She does not need the world to see her as she is." Charon instructed , digging a red short sleeved shirt from his pack and handing it to Ian. He then handed Ian a pair of boxers and returned to guard the clinic door.

Kimba, upon waking, pulled on the oversize shirt as quickly as she could and darted to her home, hand in hand with Ian. Charon shook his head. He returned to the outside of the clinic just in time for Evelyn to make her loud debut.

She looked a sight, long hair a tangled mess. She blinked rapidly, groaning at the bright light of the morning.

"Charon!" Evelyn croaked out. "I need. I need something." She moaned as she covered her face with her hands. "I don't remember what I want."

Charon just stared down at the small woman and smirked. Drugs weren't for the faint of heart and he wasn't going to coddle her now. She looked pitiful for a few moments before she cleared her throat and swept her hair back carelessly into a bun. It was still a mess but it wasn't in her way anymore. She rifled around in her pockets a moment before sighing irritably. She dug through the pack on his back without a word.

She cracked open a bottle of water but he stopped her from slamming it down.

"That is irradiated. You will be ill if you try to drink that." He warned her, his large ruined hand gently restraining her wrist.

She brushed him off irritably "Fuck it. I'll take some Radaway later." She grumbled, draining half the bottle. He simply raised his eyebrows.

"Have you seen Ian?" She asked after a moment.

Charon nodded. "I have."

"He okay?" She asked, scanning the area with narrowed eyes.

"He appeared to be." Charon replied.

She turned to look at Charon, brown eyes searching his faded blue orbs. His face was expressionless.

"Charon what happened last night? I remember up until about five minutes after the jet." Evelyn asked carefully.

Charon studied her, trying to gauge whether she actually didn't remember or was trying to save some dignity. He decided it didn't really matter. "You danced around like a schoolgirl and asked me for a ride on my back. We returned to the clinic and went to bed." He replied.

Evelyn groaned. "Oh god. Was anyone paying attention? I'm a horrible dancer."

"Most people were preoccupied with one another. Ian and Kimba disappeared together near the time Flash and Sticky made their affections public." Charon replied dryly.

Evelyn let out a giggle. "Damn I wish I had remembered that at least! Was it hot?" She asked.

"I thought so." A male voice broke in.

"Flash! You never told me you liked..." Evelyn stopped short.

The tall young man grinned. "Guys? Didn't know I did til I met Sticky." He answered. "Guess I just like who I like."

Evelyn beamed at Flash. "That's great sweetie. Do what makes you happy. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Love is love." She encouraged, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

"Nobody said anything about love!" Sticky interjected. Flash turned to him in surprise.

"No?" Flash asked quietly, trying to mask the hurt on his face but failing miserably. Charon cringed. He hoped Evelyn would slip away quietly before the situation got out of hand.

Instead Evelyn took Flash by the hand and glared at Sticky. "Come on sweetie. You don't need this shit." She tugged on him gently.

"But you-" Flash began, looking wounded.

"Jesus kid don't put me on the spot." Sticky pleaded.

"You're a real asshole Sticky!" Evelyn snarled. "C'mon Flash, let's get out of here!"

Sticky grabbed her arm and snapped "Will ya let go of him?! He don't need you!"

Charon growled and lifted Sticky by his neck with one large hand. "You will not touch her." He snarled.

Sticky was oddly defiant for someone in such a compromising position. "Tell your bitch to get her paws off him." He gasped. Charon responded by squeezing.

"Put him down!" Flash yelped. Charon looked to Evelyn and she nodded. He dropped the red faced man unceremoniously.

Flash picked up the sputtering man. "You okay man? Sticky?" He questioned quickly.

Sticky glared at Evelyn while he rubbed his neck. "Just cause you got some big attack dog don't mean you're allowed to do whatever you want! You don't see me trying to hold your damn boyfriends hand!" He snarled.

Evelyn drew herself up and snapped back "I don't take advantage of people then bail on them!"

Sticky shook his head. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about you crazy bitch!"

Evelyn spit out a short laugh. "I'd rather be a crazy bitch than a piece of shit who hurt someone like Flash!" She bellowed. The residents of Big Town had gathered to watch the argument, Flash just stared at them with large confused eyes.

"I didn't do nothin wrong you psychopath! When I wanna tell him I love him I will! Don't need no vault girl doing it for me!" Sticky yelled back, oblivious to the crowd. Realization dawned on Evelyn after a moment.

"Oh." She said softly. "Ohhhhh. Kinda... Stole your thunder. Oh." She smiled sheepishly. "Whoops."

"Crazy bitch!" Sticky grumbled, taking Flash by the hand and stomping away.

Evelyn looked at the crowd and let out an embarrassed laugh. "Morning everybody!"

"Well that looked fun." Bittercup intoned.

"Oh shut up ." Kimba snapped. Charon noted that she and Ian were both fully clothed and his red shirt was folded neatly and laying over her arm. She smiled up at him timidly and handed it to him. "Thank you." She whispered. He nodded at her.

"So Vaultie, now you've stirred up trouble, you'll be off?" Red joked.

Evelyn grinned. "Yep. Charon and I are headed to Nevada here soon. Got a lot of people to say goodbye to."

"I'll miss you." Red said, her eyes glistening. "Been thinking that maybe you're right though. Might take a shot at raising my own kid. To avoid rickets, you know." Timebomb rested a calloused hand on her still flat belly and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"It's been great knowing you Vaultie. Thanks for makin this a better place to be." Timebomb said with a grin.

Ian stepped forward with a stony face. "Guess it's time to say goodbye huh?"

Evelyn smiled sadly. "Yeah. Charon and I should get going. Got a lot of ground to cover." She wrapped her arms around the gangly man, squeezing him tight. "I'm going to miss you so much. I'll send word if I can. So don't get too worried if some guys in power armor show up."

Ian chuckled. "Fair enough. I'll be here. Thanks for bringing me. I think I needed to be here."

Evelyn just nodded. She looked up at Charon and gestured towards the road and began to walk away.

"Hey Big Guy!" Ian called suddenly. Charon turned his head slightly, keeping an eye on Evelyn. "Please take good care of her. I'm not sure how much luck she has left." Ian tossed him the pack Evelyn had forgotten.

Charon nodded and grinned. "Everyone gets lucky in Vegas." He turned abruptly and jogged to catch up to Evelyn. She took the pack he offered without a word, the streaks running down her cheeks a telltale sign that she wasn't okay.

They walked for about an hour in silence before she turned to him and sighed. "We're headed to Tenpenny Tower for a wedding. I'm using this invitation as an excuse to say goodbye to an old friend." She explained.

"I have heard of Tenpenny. He does not like ghouls." Charon stated.

"Well he can hate you all the way from hell now." Evelyn laughed darkly. "I shot him in the head."

Charon was impassive. "I see."

"His little fucking dog, Burke, made my skin crawl. Guy thought he was going to marry me. Fucking loon. They asked me to detonate the bomb in Megaton. Because it blocked that assholes view. They invited me up to this beautiful suite and there was this squeaky old man with a sniper rifle aiming it at a woman with two little kids walking by. The lady was a ghoul, who had obviously taken in some kids. That little fucker giggled to Burke about whether he thought he could shoot her in the head or maybe he should shoot her in the hand for touching a human child. I shot him point blank with my dad's old pistol. Then I kicked Burke over the balcony." Evelyn spit out.

"I understand." Charon replied.

"All of them left except Dashwood. Bigots to the end." She grumbled, shooting halfheartedly at a very small radscorpion.

Charon finished it off with a loud blast of his combat shotgun. "So the tower is unoccupied?" He asked.

"Oh no. A group of ghouls moved in. And I made sure Iggy and her kids moved in too." Evelyn explained, as they approached a large building. He could only assume this was Tenpenny Towers.

"Iggy was the woman you prevented from being shot?" He asked.

"Yep." Evelyn said grimly as a large gate opened for them.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Charons eyes couldn't help but wander. This building looked almost untouched by the Great War. He glanced down at his ruined hands. The world outside had changed. But it was like he had been transported back in time.

"Pretty isn't it?" Evelyn's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"It is strange." He answered honestly.

Evelyn nodded. "Yeah it is. Like the world protected this one place." She agreed.

They were interrupted by two children flying at them. Twin boys by the looks of them.

"EVIE!" They chimed in unison.

"Tyler! Tanner!" Evelyn called back, wrapping both youngsters into a hug. "How have you been? Have you been behaving?"

The boys nodded with solemn looks on their faces. The seriousness didn't quite reach their eyes though. Charon observed a spark of mischief that all children seemed to have.

"Where's Iggy?" Evelyn asked, straightening up.

"With Dashwood." One of the boys answered, already looking bored.

"Thanks guys. Why don't you go play?" Evelyn suggested. The boys took off running.

"Iggy is the one getting married?" Charon asked.

The former vault dweller nodded. "Yeah to Michael Masters. He's always such a downer. No sure what she sees in him honestly."

Charon found her statement amusing. The large man simply looked at her. She rolled her eyes.

"You're not a downer. You're just rough around the edges. I love you because you're a realist."

Charon smiled. "And I love you."

Evelyn stood on her tiptoes to kiss the ghoul. He met her halfway. Her soft lips coaxed a sigh from his rough lips.

"Well ain't that adorable." A gravelly voice observed. Evelyn held the kiss for a brief moment.

"Hey Roy." She said with a grin.

"So you've got yourself a man now?" This ghoul was much shorter than Charon, but still put him on edge.

The blond woman was oblivious to her loves discomfort. "Sure do. Roy, this is Charon. Charon this is Roy. Roy lives here with his wife."

Charon nodded at the other ghoul. He felt stupid for feeling relieved that the other man was married. He needed to get his jealousy in check.

Roy nodded back. "You here to see Mike and Iggy commit to lifelong misery?" He asked conversationally.

"Oh you can't mean that." Evelyn protested. The ghoul laughed.

"Nah. It's nice to not be alone all the time. Bessie gives me a reason to keep breathing. And I want her to breathe more than I want to breathe. If that makes sense." Roy confessed.

Evelyn smiled. "It makes perfect sense. And it's a beautiful sentiment." She replied.

Roy snorted. "I guess so." He said. "Speaking of, if I wanna keep breathing I better not keep her waiting. See you at the ceremony tomorrow?"

Evelyn nodded. "See you then. I'm headed to my suite. I need to rest." She replied.

Charon followed her up the stairs, to one of the larger rooms. Once inside, he couldn't help but be impressed. The room was as timeless as the lobby.

He watched as she stripped off her combat armor and boots and walked into the adjoining bathroom in a tank top and underwear. She turned on the faucet of the bathtub and adjusted the temperature before stopping up the tub with the rubber stopper. After the tub was filled with water, she turned off the faucet and disrobed. She sunk into the warm water with a contented sigh. She still didn't speak.

He realized that he was staring at her and turned away. He did a halfhearted sweep of the perimeter before removing his boots and armor. He picked up her discarded apparel and placed it in one of the wardrobes. He took a seat on the bed, not knowing what to do. He flexed his fingers, watching the muscles stretch and contract.

Evelyn emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a gray towel. Her hair was drenched and water was beaded on her shoulders and chest. Charon swallowed but didn't move.

"Hey." The newly cleaned woman said quietly.

"Hello." Came the even reply.

"Tubs all yours." Evelyn informed him. "Towels are in the cupboard."

Charon rose from the bed with a nod. He bathed quickly, briefly wondering how long it had been since he had bathed. Judging by how quickly the water turned muddy brown, it had been a while. He rubbed the cake of soap that he had found on the side of the tub on his ruined body. He rinsed himself off and watched as the filthy water swirled down the drain.

He wrapped a towel around his waist after drying himself briefly. He cursed himself for forgetting his clothing in his pack. When he exited the room he almost dropped his towel.

Evelyn was kneeling on the bed wearing some sort of nightgown. It was short and revealing in all the right places. Pink with black trim. He stopped, unsure of what to do. He just stared at the beautiful woman in front of him. She looked unsure of herself, vulnerable. He knew he should be ashamed at how much that turned him on. But he wasn't.

He approached the bed cautiously, expecting her to change her mind. She didn't say anything. He slipped behind her and he watched her quake visibly as he ran his large hands over the soft skin of her arms. He moved her still damp hair away from her neck. Evelyn inhaled sharply when he pressed his lips just behind her ear. He continued kissing down her jawline as his hands ghosted over her exposed thighs.

"Mmm." She moaned softly as Charon bit her shoulder gently.

"Evelyn?" Charon questioned softly.

"Hm?" She replied.

"May I remove your garment?" The large ghoul asked, playing with the thin strap of the nightie.

She hesitated for a moment before nodding. He lifted up the silky gown and pulled it over her head quickly, but gently. Her hands immediately moved to cover herself but he moved her hands away. He gently squeezed her right breast, unable to hold back the low growl that escaped his lips. She whimpered and Charon pulled away immediately.

"Don't stop!" She hissed, forcing her hand back to her chest.

"Evelyn I think we should establish just how far you want this to go." Charon suggested.

"Well, you're about eight inches so..." She answered with a grin.

"I am serious." The stoic man insisted.

Evelyn sighed. "I know. I don't know Charon. I want you. But I have no idea what I'm doing so I'm letting you take the lead. How far should this go?"

Charon pulled her closer and planted gentle kisses on her jaw. "I think we should explore each other before we go any further." He decided.

The blond frowned. "No sex?"

He chuckled. "Not yet dear one."

Evelyn sighed dramatically. "Can you at least keep doing what you were doing?" She pouted.

She found herself being pushed back. She looked up at her boyfriend with unconcealed lust. He kissed her temple, then her forehead, then her nose. He made it his personal mission to kiss his way down her entire body. As his lips passed over her breasts she whimpered again, causing him to pause. When she made no objections, he resumed his gentle journey.

Her hips were glorious. He had no other word for them. Perfectly rounded, her hipbones protruded creating a striking contrast against her feminine curves. She was round and soft and silky in all the right places.

She giggled outright when he kissed the soles of her feet.

"Sorry. Tickles." She explained when he looked up at her.

Very gently, he spread her thighs apart, relishing her audible hitch of breath. For the first time in two hundred years, Charon tasted a woman, and Evelyn was tasted for the first time.

She squealed and whined, squeezing his head between her thighs as she clawed at the sheets beneath her. She had never felt anything like this. When she felt one of his fingers enter her slowly she cried out his name and a series of expletives.

The man between her legs was relentless, determined to push her over the edge. It didn't take him long after the addition of another rough finger. She chanted his name as she came, making him smile.

She went limp and he crawled up to lay next to her. She enveloped him in her arms, pulling him into a long kiss. She tasted herself on his lips and drew back, touching her own lips. It was unexpected, but not entirely unpleasant.

"Charon." She sighed happily. "Oh fuck I love you."

Charon smiled. "And I love you."

Her eyes swept over him and widened. "Oh shit you're still... Uh." She stammered, pointing.

"Erect?" Charon offered, amused at her mortification.

"Uh yeah." She muttered.

"As much as I enjoyed myself, that was more for you." He told her, running his fingers through her hair.

"Do you want me..." She trailed off. She wasn't a total moron, but she found herself suddenly embarrassed.

The ghoul shook his head. "No dear one. I just want to hold you." He assured her.

"Are you sure? Because I can." She offered.

"I am certain." Charon insisted. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

Evelyn snuggled closer to him. "It was incredible. Can we do it again? Say, tomorrow?" She asked with a sleepy grin.

"I do not see that as a problem." Charon rumbled, amusement lacing his raspy voice.

"'Night babe." The pale woman murmured sleepily.

"Good night Evelyn." He replied, placing a kiss on her forehead.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"I've got a hangover heart from your kisses last night

My head is so heavy the tears blind my sight

You no longer love me, you said, we must part  
And all I have left is a hangover heart"

A soft melody woke Charon. He lay in bed with his eyes closed as he let the words wash over him.

"Too much wine from the bottle makes you feel bad next day

But take another drink and that feeling goes away  
But tell me, my darling, just how I should start  
To lose this old feeling of a hangover heart."

Evelyn sang quietly as she moved across the immaculate room. When Charon finally opened his eyes, he saw that she was completely naked, stretching and contorting her body on the floor. She started on all fours, her hands directly under her shoulders. She curled her toes under her and slowly lifter her hips into the air until her body formed an inverted "V".

"That is inviting." He remarked lazily, propping himself up on his elbow to peer at her.

She took three deep breaths, ignoring him. She stood up, moving her arms to her sides. She placed her left foot on the inside of her right thigh. She took a moment to balance herself before bringing her hands together and taking three breaths.

"I'm exercising." She stated.

He snorted. "Yes. It looks very strenuous."

She didn't reply, instead she lifted her leg straight up into the air. He was again reminded of ballerinas.

"You have old world grace." He remarked.

"I have muscle control." She countered. "It's an important part of unarmed combat. We can't all be unstoppable ghouls with brute strength."

His eyes swept over her nude form. "This is combat training?" He asked flatly.

She grinned, stretching to touch her palms to the floor. "Nah, this is me putting on a show."

Charon growled. "Why do you wish to challenge my self control?"

Evelyn just giggled. "It's a challenge. You're the serious, stoic ghoul. It's my job to make you lighten up."

His eyes narrowed. "Throwing you on the bed and having my way with you is how you wish for me to lighten up?" He asked quietly.

Evelyn froze, her brown eyes sparkling. "You couldn't catch me if you tried." She challenged, her hands on her hips.

He didn't speak. He just bolted forward and grabbed her around her waist. She squealed as she was lifted from the ground. He paid her no mind. He tossed her onto the bed and she lay still, stunned.

He crawled on top of her and looked down at her with an almost feral grin. He didn't move until she whispered.

"I guess you win."

He growled and bit into her shoulder. She yelped and threw her arms and legs around him. He groaned as he pressed into her, stopping when he met with resistance.

"Evelyn, I need to know that I have your permission." He said softly, breathing in her scent.

"Oh for fucks sake. Yes Charon!" She snapped, arching her back, lifting her hips.

He pressed further, waiting for her inevitable reaction to pain, but it never came. Instead, she flipped them over. He had no idea how she managed it but he didn't waste much time wondering as he stared up at her.

Her breasts bounced as she moved up and down, riding him for all he was worth. He placed his hands on her hips to slow her down. He wanted this to last.

She tossed her head back and cried his name as she started to slam herself down on him urgently. He groaned, knowing he wouldn't last long at this rate.

She wailed and collapsed on his chest, he could feel her tightening around him. He groaned and thrust upwards. When she didn't respond, he rolled her over, refusing to be denied his release. It only took a few minutes. He grunted as he came, ignoring her whimpers.

He got off of her and lay on his back, breathing heavily. He smiled at the ceiling. She got off the bed and walked to the bathroom without saying a word. She was in the bathroom for a few minutes before he grew concerned.

"Evelyn?" He asked.

"Yeah?" She yelled back.

"Are you well?" He asked.

The former vault dweller made a disgusted sound. "Yeah. Just cleaning up."

Charon frowned, feeling horrible. "Are you still bleeding? Do you require anything?" He asked.

She exited the bathroom to peer at him curiously.

"Bleeding?" She asked. "Why would I be bleeding?"

"You have never been with a man." He stated simply, as if the conclusion should be obvious. She laughed in disbelief.

"You think my hymen was still intact? Did you not see me lift my leg over my head?" She asked. "I was cleaning up your mess. Ew what a mess by the way."

He stared at her. "But I felt..." He said, still confused.

"I've never had a dick in me. God Charon do we have to talk about this?" She asked irritably, pulling on a bra.

"No." He grumbled as he pulled on his own clothes.

"Good. The wedding is in a few minutes. Wear that outfit you wore in Big Town. I'm going to wear this yellow dress." She said , holding up the article in question.

He just nodded and got dressed. He frowned at the wall as he pulled his shirt on. She hadn't acted like a virgin at all. He wasn't sure why that bothered him. He had never been with a virgin before the war either.

She twirled in front of him, showcasing her dress. It was short sleeved and rested on her upper arms rather than her shoulders. It appeared to be made out of a thin cotton and flared out at her waist. She was barefoot again. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant twist. She looked beautiful.

He followed her to the lobby but stopped short when he saw it. The lobby was decorated with what appeared to be old white tablecloths draped artistically and paper cutouts. Chairs were set up in rows and a canopy was set up in front of them.

"Oh wow!" Evelyn said softly.

They walked to chairs in the front row and took a seat. The other guests arrived and took their seats. Charon wasn't sure where the ghoul standing under the canopy had found dress pants and a white shirt but it didn't really matter. The guests chattered amongst themselves for a while until an old recording hit the air. Charon immediately recognized the March of the Bride.

A thin woman made her way down the stairs dressed in white. Her skirt was just below her knees and her blouse had long sleeves. Evelyn thought she looked stunning and offered the nervous woman a bright smile. She got a small one in return.

When Iggy locked eyes with her groom, a genuine smile settled onto her face. Evelyn slipped her hand into Charons and looked up at him. He just stared forward. After a moment she felt an almost imperceptible squeeze.

A ghoul Evelyn had never seen before started spouting off about god and love and marriage and Evelyn grew bored. She looked around her. The wedding guests were mostly ghouls, with the exception of the twins and Dashwood. Dashwood caught her eye and winked, giving her a small wave. She beamed back. She looked up at Charon and almost giggled. His eyes were fixed on couple and he looked very serious, almost sad.

Finally, the couple said their vows and kissed. The guests clapped and let out loud whoops. Charon stared at the couple as he was reminded of the last wedding he attended. He couldn't remember who was getting married or why he was there. All he could remember was a beautiful woman in a big white dress kissing a man in a military uniform.

"Earth to Charon?" Evelyn interrupted his thoughts.

"Yes?" He asked. She rolled her eyes.

"This is my friend Dashwood. Dashwood this is Charon." She said cheerfully. Charon glowered down at the old man.

"The old man famous for having a ghoul manservant." Charon said, the last word dripping with venom.

Dashwood laughed nervously. "Argyle was my friend. I'm an honorary ghoul you know."

Charon drew himself up. "Honorary ghoul? You are a delusional, little smoothskin. Do not pretend for one moment you understand what it is like to be a ghoul." He snarled. The old man drew back and Evelyn stared at Charon with her mouth agape.

"Charon!" She admonished.

"I have watched all of my skin fall off. I have watched as anyone I have ever loved has died. I have sat in underworld and waited to die, knowing it would not happen. Now I am a circus freak and a bodyguard. Perhaps I will be lucky and die within the next century. But this stupid little man wants to talk about being an honorary..." He snapped, unable to finish his thought. He turned on his heel and stomped away.

"Charon! Get back here!" Evelyn yelled in disbelief.

He turned and stared at her blankly. "Is that an order Mistress?"

Her confusion quickly turned into anger. "No. Go." She hissed.

He did just that. He stomped out into the wastes. He was so angry that he didn't notice the skinny woman dogging him. He heard a loud buzzing noise before he hit the ground, completely immobilized. He saw a pair of boots approach and a low growl left his throat.

"You're a big fucking shuffler." A female voice informed him right before a large boot came crashing onto his head. Everything went black.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

"Where the fuck ya find him Kiah?" A whiny male voice asked.

"Outside the Tenpenny place. I had to kick 'im in the head, mezz didn't even phase 'im. Thought he was gonna get up and rip my head off. I expect a good price Tweak. Or I'll take 'im somewhere else." A female threatened.

"Yeah yeah. Three?" The male voice snapped.

"Five. He's worth seven."

"Four. You ain't gonna find nobody to pay you more."

"Deal. Might wanna keep an eye on 'im. He's strong. Could prolly rip the collar off if he really wanted to."

"I've got a reinforced one I'll put on him. Here's your fuckin money. Get outta here."

"Fuck off Tweak, I'm countin it."

Charon growled, rising to his feet slowly. He was immediately aware that he was in a large pre war freezer, and that he had a metal collar around his neck. He huffed out an irritated breath. Slavers. LOUD slavers. He touched the collar around his neck but withdrew his hand as it started to beep. Probably not the best idea.

The door to the freezer cracked open and a female face peered in. Dirty and thin, she was a homely female.

"Heya handsome! Awake at last huh? Like yer new jewelry?" She crowed at him. Charon just glared at the woman. "Aww c'mon baby don't be like that. The nice man out here thinks yer awful valuable. Bet he's got some nice jobs set up for ya."

Charon moved forward and she threw open the door with a laugh. She pointed a strange gun at his chest.

"Think ya can kill me before I pull the trigger? The mezz'll set off your collar. Wanna try it?"

A thin black man behind her scowled. "You better not kill my property Kiah." He whined.

The ugly woman gave Charon an exaggerated frown. "Tweak never lets me play. Well zombie, it's been a blast but I'm outta here. Be good now." She called as she retreated, handing off the strange gun to Tweak as she went.

Charon moved purposefully towards Tweak. The small man looked nervous, but stood his ground.

"Stay right fuckin there." He commanded. "Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be. In case ya hadn't noticed, you've got a collar on yer neck. That's to keep you in line while ya learn yer place. For now, you belong to me. But I'm not keeping ya. I just set up the auctions. There's a few of you now so the auction should be within the next couple of days. When I sell ya, I turn over control of yer collar. If ya wanna live, ya obey. Got it?" Charon nodded.

"Good. Now, nice and easy I'm gonna move ya to the pens. It's nicer in there, and you get some fresh air when you want. Don't be stupid man. You try an' run, the collar goes off. You try attackin me, I set it off. Just follow me to the pen okay?" Tweak sounded as if he was trying to soothe an angry child and Charon realized that he must have had this conversation hundreds of times. He was well aware of how slave collars worked and he sighed. He didn't have a choice.

He followed Tweak outside to what appeared to be a shack with a fence around it. It looked like the building he had been in was a pre war diner. He had no idea where he was, and there was no identifying markers to give him a hint. Tweak opened up the gate and pointed inside. Growling, Charon stepped inside. His collar let out a series of beeps and he whipped around to snarl at Tweak.

"Relax big guy, it's just your collar synching with the perimeter. Now until I change the programming, yer collar will only go off if ya try to leave the fenced in area or take it off. So don't do that. The others are inside, try not to kill each other." Tweak explained. "I'll be out to feed ya later on. Just remember, your own stupidity cost you yer freedom. I'm just profiting from your fuck up." With that, he returned to the diner.

Charon paced outside of the shack. He needed to return to Evelyn. He could already feel the unpleasant waves of nausea hitting him. His contract demanded he return to her. His contract demanded he remain alive to serve her. He spit on the ground, knowing it would only get worse. He had tried to disobey orders in the past. The Contract was unforgiving.

A thin girl opened up the shack door to peer at him. She was so thin and frail, the slave collar was loose on her neck. She had long, unkept orange hair and large blue eyes that were too far apart to be considered attractive. She wore a ratty gray dress that barely covered her thighs. She walked out to Charon nervously.

"Hi." She said quietly. "I'm Ava."

He looked down at her with very little interest. He didn't even respond, just kept pacing.

"You can come inside if you wanna. We have some water." Ava continued, not at all put off. Charon ignored her again. She retreated to the shack.

As night began to fall, the gnawing sensation in his stomach got worse. Tweak returned with food and water. Five people filed out of the shack. Ava, the girl from before, an older woman, a teenage boy, a muscular young man and a very old man. They all wore collars, none so much as stepped too close to the gate until Tweak had placed the food and water on the ground and latched the gate again.

"Emmy got too close when the gate was open. Boom." Ava explained to Charon, though he hadn't asked. "Tweak was so mad. Cussin at the collars and all. She was really pretty, woulda made him good money."

"Shut up Ava. He don't care." The muscular man commanded, swatting the frail girl. She yelped, cowering closer to Charon.

"Leave her be Frank!" The other woman commanded. She had blond hair, mixed with silver, and was dressed like Ava.

"You want me to leave her be? Keep me occupied." Frank leered at her. "C'mon Dez, ya know ya wanna."

Dez looked at the muscular man with disgust. He was short and stocky with greasy black hair. He was dirty like the rest of them. His teeth were rotted out of his head.

"Go to hell Frank." Dez snapped irritably.

Soon they were all quiet, eating what meager food they were provided. Tweak had provided one box of food per person and one bottle of water to accompany it. Ava stared longingly at Charons Cram. He kicked it over to her, knowing that if he tried to eat, it would come back up. She beamed up at him and wolfed down half the food, shyly sliding the other half to the teenage boy. He shook his head.

"You need it Ava." He insisted softly.

She smiled. "I'm okay. You need to eat."

He nodded, stuffing the food in his mouth. Charon slowly sipped his water, the radiation combating the nausea. He hadn't disobeyed any orders yet but it appeared that his inability to return to his contract holder was resulting in the same punishmet.

After they finished their meal, the other captives filed back into the shack. After some hesitation, he followed them. Inside, he was immediately reminded of army barracks. The shack was one large room as you entered, with a small bathroom in the back. There was six sets of bunk beds. Each captive crawled into a bed, their eyes on him. He chose the bed farthest from the group, sitting on the bottom bunk.

Suddenly his collar beeped and he hissed. Immediately, the others collars began to beep. Everyone's face mirrored his inner turmoil. Confusion and fear. The beeping ceased and was replaced with a voice.

"Hey! It worked!" Tweaks voice echoed from each collar. "I can talk to you guys now. Cool. Okay. Well, anyways, try to clean yourselves up. Tomorrow I'm bringing ya some new clothes. The next day is the auction. So try to look decent. Remember, the more they pay, the more they'll wanna take care of their investment. Think of it as insurance." The slaver cackled at his own joke. "Just clean up the best you can. See ya tomorrow! Tweak out!"

The collars beeped a final time before going silent.

Ava looked devastated. "I thought it would take a long time for an auction!" She yelped to Dez.

"Big zombie over there probably has a lot to do with it." Frank said, glaring at Charon. Charon glared back. "Big fuck like that? He's gonna have buyers lined up. Strong, cheap to feed, can take a lot of punishment. He's the perfect slave. Big money for Tweak."

Charon looked away. The muscular man was right. Ghouls were a good investment for slavers. Their longevity and strength were prized. They didn't even know about his combat and weapons skills. He needed to get back to Evelyn. The Contract was making him sick. After the auction he would need to kill his new "owner" and find a way to get this collar off.

He lay down in the bed but his programming wouldn't let him sleep.

_**Return to your employer. Obey. Return to your employer. Obey. Return to your employer. Obey. Return to your employer. Obey. Return to your employer. Obey. Return to your employer. Obey. Return to your employer. Obey. Return to your employer. Obey. **_

_**Obey.**_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Tweak made good on his word, bringing clothes along with the mornings food. There were no clothes for Charon, which suited him just fine. Two pink dresses that could barely be called clothing were meant for the women, and merc grunt outfits for the men. The girls retreated to the shack to change but the men just changed where they were. When Ava and Dez came back outside, they looked uneasy. The skimpy dresses provided showed everything.

"I hoped that they would sell me as like a cook or something. I'm not even pretty." Ava blurted out.

The old man spoke for the first time. "Doesn't matter if yer pretty. Ya got the right parts haven't ya? You'll be sold as a whore."

Ava paled, looking to Dez for comfort but she was offered none. Tears started to form in her eyes. Charon felt sick. He had been a slave for two hundred years but he knew female slaves had it much worse than males. He needed to get to back to Evelyn. He needed to obey.

He stood at the fence, staring into the distance for hours. He ignored the other slaves. He ignored the food, sipping water occasionally. The day passed, he watched the sun set, unsettled that he was trapped in a cage. He didn't return to the shack until the moon was high in the sky. Sleep didn't come that night either.

**_Obey. Obey. Obey. Obey_**.

Evelyn walked into Paradise Falls dressed in all black. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek bun, her face was expressionless. She knew that wasn't why people were staring. Fawkes was following her, the super mutant easily parting the crowd. She looked every inch the cold slave owner as she looked up at the auction block. She noted two security guards and pointed them out to Fawkes discretely. Her companion nodded.

A thin black man walked onto the block and grinned at the crowd, his eyes lingering on Fawkes for a few moments. She kept her face blank. She had heard of Tweak from Hannibal Hamlin but had never met him.

She silently cursed Charon. This raid would have been much easier if he hadn't decided to disappear. Fawkes brought a lot of attention, but she knew she couldn't handle a big group like this on her own.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Thank you for coming on such short notice. I assure you that your inconvenience will be taken into consideration in the starting prices. We have some fine merchandise up for sale today. I have no doubt that you'll be pleased. So! Without further ado, allow me to present them!" The slaver called in a booming voice.

"We have Dez! This lovely woman is striking isn't she? Like fine wine, she's only gotten better with age!" The crowd chuckled collectively as a blond woman in her forties shuffled onto the stage, staring at the ground. "She's healthy and strong, has all her teeth and is VERY obedient."

A muscular man walked onto the stage defiantly. His black hair was cropped short, his tan skin a stark contrast to the pale woman next to him. "This is Frank!" Tweak announced. "He's the muscle you need to get hard work done! He's all business, Frank. Brute strength and obedience are all he knows! Very healthy, very strong, Frank is trained in carpentry."

An old man with a long gray beard walked onto the block slowly, not looking at the crowd. "This is Edgar! Edgar doesn't look like much but there's more than meets the eye. MUCH more. Edgar is a robotics prodigy, he can program a Mister Gutsy with his eyes closed. He's a valuable asset to any robot owner. Don't have a robot yet? Don't worry, Edgar can build you one!" Tweak bellowed happily.

A teenage boy walked up next. Tall and lanky, he scanned the crowd nervously. "This is Doc. And true to his name, Doc is a doctor! A useful asset for anyone in these wild wild wastes! He can set broken bones, perform minor surgeries and of course, patch up bullet wounds. He's healthy and smart, and very obedient." Tweak explained with a smile.

A young woman with bright orange hair walked onto the auction stage, trying to cover herself. "Ohhhh gentlemen this right here is a wasteland treasure. She goes by the name Ava. This blushing beauty here is a virgin gentlemen! Brand new, never used, all yours for the right price!" Tweak called gleefully. Evelyn grimaced in disgust. Men to her left started murmuring and calling out.

"Let's see the goods!"

"Take off her dress!"

The crowd pressed closer to the stage and the girl drew back in terror.

Evelyn gasped aloud when a very familiar form charged onto the platform and planted himself in front of Ava with a snarl. The more boisterous members of the crowd stopped short. Evelyn's eyes were locked onto the slave collar around Charons neck. He had yet to spot her.

"Calm down gentlemen, calm down. You've upset our next item!" Tweak laughed nervously. "This big bastard doesn't speak. He doesn't need to! He's a killing machine! You need protection? This is the ghoul for the job. Just look at him guard my property! I didn't even have to order him to. Loyal and obedient! Let's start the bidding for my big zombie here at a thousand caps shall we?"

"Three thousand!" A female voice called.

"Thirty five hundred!" A man to Evelyn's left called.

"Five thousand!" Another woman called.

"Six!" A woman up front called eagerly.

"Ten thousand." Evelyn called loudly.

The crowd went quiet. The woman up front turned to glare at Evelyn but didn't place a higher bid. Charon stared at Evelyn, his expression blank.

Tweak waited a few moments before declaring "Sold! To the lady with the super mutant!" Evelyn made her way through the crowd to hand over a bag of caps in exchange for the remote to Charons collar. As soon as it was in her hand she deactivated the collar.

"Lady! You just turned his collar off!" Tweak yelped in alarm.

"I know." Evelyn said calmly. "Now give me all the controllers or I'll have him rip your heart out."

"What?" Tweak gasped. Evelyn rolled her eyes.

"FAWKES, NOW!" She shouted. The super mutant grabbed the two security guards in front of the block and smacked their heads together. The crowd erupted into chaos as people drew their weapons and began to fire wildly.

Charon picked up Tweak with one hand and began crushing his throat. Evelyn deactivated all the slave collars quickly.

"Okay! They're off!" She called. Charon growled and completely crushed Tweaks windpipe. He tossed the body aside easily and charged into the crowd.

He found a man that tried to touch Ava and he threw him on the ground before crushing his skull with his boot. He grabbed slavers indiscriminately, snapping their necks. Evelyn watched in horror as Charon laid waste to anyone he came in contact with. Broken necks, crushed skulls, even a broken spine.

Fawkes joined in on the carnage, tossing slavers that were trying desperately to flee back into Charons reach. In less than ten minutes, there were more than forty bodies strewn about. The only people who had been spared wore slave collars around their necks.

Evelyn could only stare when Charon approached her.

"What are your orders Mistress?" He asked mechanically.

"I just want to go home." Evelyn sighed. "But we need to get these people somewhere safe. Where are you guys even from?"

"We're from Rivet City." Doc spoke up, indicating Dez and himself.

"I don't have a home. Been a slave my whole life." Edgar informed her.

"I'm pretty far from home. I lived just outside of The Pitt. My brother and I thought we were safe because we weren't sick." Frank said sadly. "I'm going to Rivet City though. I'm not going back there."

"I'm from Point Lookout. I can't go back there." Ava said, looking terrified. Evelyn examined the girl closer.

"You're a Scrapper!" Evelyn declared in surprise. "You're normal though. Like Kenny."

"There's something wrong with me. I'm deformed." Ava said sadly.

"That's debatable." Evelyn snorted.

"Ava, I want you to come back to Rivet City with me!" Doc protested.

"Well there you have it." Evelyn shrugged. "Everyone cool with going to Rivet City? Edgar, you can go with them or you can go your own way. I've got guns for those of you who know how to use them. Ava? Frank? I'm sure you guys know how to use a gun?"

Ava and Frank nodded. Evelyn handed them shotguns she found amongst the corpses. She handed Charon a combat shotgun.

"Fawkes love, I think it's best we part ways now." Evelyn told the super mutant with a soft smile.

"It has been a pleasure as always Evelyn!" Her friend bellowed with a somewhat terrifying smile.

Besides a few radscorpions, nothing bothered the small group on the lengthy journey to Rivet City.

"Harkness!" Doc bleated out as soon as they saw the security officer.

Harkness looked surprised. "Doc! Your mother said slavers took off with you in the night! But there was no evidence of foul play so we just assumed..." He trailed off.

"You assumed he ran off with me." Dez said flatly, disgust coloring her features.

Harkness had the good grace to look embarrassed. "Nothing was disturbed. If we had thought anything was amiss we would have looked for you. Your husband has been a mess." He protested.

"Whatever. Please let me through. I'd rather not parade around in this outfit any longer than I have to." Dez snapped. Harkness moved aside, allowing the group to pass. He nodded at Evelyn.

Dez led them to her room quickly, ignoring curious stares the best she could. Her cheeks were bright red but she didn't hide. Inside and haggard looking man sat on the bed. He was handsome, tall and fit, with salt and pepper hair. He had the scruff of a man who hasn't been taking very good care of himself. He looked up when the door opened.

"Desirae?" He whispered.

Dez burst into tears. "Jim!" She wailed, throwing herself at him.

Jim enveloped the sobbing woman in his arms and burst into tears himself. They clung to each other, muttering things Evelyn didn't even try to understand.

"We should go." She whispered to the group. They all nodded except Charon, who looked as blank as ever.

Doc sighed. "Well, I should go find my parents."

Evelyn nodded. "Lead the way."

The made their way up the stairs to the upper ship. They walked quickly to a large set of rooms. Doc opened the door cautiously.

"Ma?" He called into the room.

"EUSTACE?!" A woman screamed, throwing open the door.

"Eustace?" Evelyn, Ava and Frank asked in unison.

A heavyset woman with gray hair threw her arms around Doc. "I thought slavers had killed you!" She screamed.

"No Ma, they just got Dez and me. This lady saved us all." He told her, trying to pry her arms off of him.

Docs mother released her son to look at Evelyn. "Aren't you that Vault girl? My husband told me about you."

Evelyn nodded. "You're the good doctors wife?" She asked in surprise. "Doc I didn't know Doctor Preston was your dad."

Doc nodded. "Yep. That's who taught me medicine."

Evelyn smiled sadly. "My dad taught me too." She said softly.

"Ma, this is Ava." Doc told his mother, taking the thin girls hand. "She's staying with me."

Mrs. Preston looked so excited she could burst. "Hello Ava! It's so nice to meet you dear!"

Ava smiled shyly. "Nice to meet you too."

"Let's get you a decent dress my dear. I'm afraid your current attire just won't do." Mrs. Preston said, already rifling around her desk. "I'll just go to Potomac Attire and pick you up some things. Why don't you and Eustace get settled in?"

The friendly woman bustled out the door and after a few brief goodbyes, Evelyn, Edgar, Charon and Frank followed her.

Evelyn sighed. "Okay, Edgar I'm going to take you to Pinkerton, he's been complaining that he needs an assistant. He's an old cranky asshole but he's not all that bad. He just desks with machines better than he does people."

She looked at Frank and smoothed her hair thoughtfully. "Shit Frank, I don't know who to take you to. I guess we can set you up in the common room for now. Will you be okay finding work?"

Frank nodded. "Yeah absolutely. Thank you for your help." He said sincerely.

Evelyn shrugged. "It's what I do." She said dismissively.

They escorted Frank to the common room before heading outside. They made the long trek to the bow and Evelyn popped open the hatch warily.

"PINKERTON!" She bellowed. They waited a moment before hearing a grumpy voice call out.

"What do you want?"

"I brought you an assistant. Now get up here! I'm not making my way through your field of traps you paranoid old coot!" Evelyn yelled back.

A few minutes later an old man appeared looking irritable.

"An assistant? I doubt you found someone qualified enough." Pinkerton complained.

Evelyn rolled her eyes and said "This is Edgar. He's a robotics expert, and a freed slave. Help him out."

Pinkerton sighed. "I suppose he won't be totally useless. Come along Edgar, you can take notes while I conduct the experiment this vault girl so rudely interrupted."

Evelyn groaned in irritation and she stomped out of the bow, getting away from the unpleasant old man as quickly as and could.

"Okay gorgeous lets go to my room. I'm tired." She told Charon with a smile. He said nothing.

She smiled at Harkness as they entered the living quarters. She took the familiar route to the room she rented from Vera Weatherly so often that the sweet hotel manager had just entrusted her with the key, knowing she would pay for the nights she stayed without being asked.

The threw open the heavy door and sighed happily.

"Alone at last!" She told Charon with a flirtatious grin. She walked up to the stoic ghoul and wrapped her arms around him. He remained stiff.

"What's wrong?" She asked, pulling back.

"I await your orders mistress." Charon replied flatly.

"Seriously?" She snapped.

"You are my employer and I will do as you command." He told her mechanically.

She stared up at him.

"Charon are you upset with me?" She asked quietly.

"You are my employer. I will do as you command." He repeated.

"I want you to talk to me!" She demanded.

"As you wish mistress. What would you like to discuss?" He asked.

Evelyn stared up at the ghoul in disbelief. "Why are you calling me that?"

"You are my employer. I am addressing you with a respectful title." Charon answered.

"Charon what happened? Why were you at a slave auction?" Evelyn asked.

A look of confusion crossed Charons face briefly. "I am unsure mistress. I can only assume I was captured. I apologize for the inconvenience." He said after a moment.

Evelyn shook her head in disbelief. "What do you mean you don't know? Do you not remember?" She asked.

"I do not." Came the stoic reply.

"What do you remember Charon?" Evelyn asked in alarm.

"You are my employer. You purchased my contract two months ago." Charon replied.

"That's it?" Evelyn snapped.

"That is all I know." He assured her.

"Do you even know my name?" She asked sarcastically.

"No I do not." The ghoul answered.

Evelyn just stared. Her large brown eyes filled with confusion and tears. "How can you not remember? What have they done to you?"

Charon was silent. Evelyn collected herself.

"Okay we're going to see Doctor Preston. Maybe he can figure out why your memory is gone." Evelyn said sadly.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

"Maladies of the mind aren't really my specialty Evelyn." Preston told the agitated blond. "Why don't you start at the beginning? What do you know about his trauma?"

Evelyn sighed. "It's not trauma really. It's some sort of brain washing. He thinks because I hold his employment contract, he has to obey all my orders without question." She told the doctor. Charon sat on a cot looking disinterested.

"Interesting. What happens if he disobeys an order?" Preston asked.

"Um. I don't really know. Charon what happens when you disobey an order?" Evelyn questioned the stoic man.

"I do not disobey orders." Charon stated simply.

Evelyn huffed. "Okay what would happen if you did?" She said through gritted teeth.

"I am punished." Charon replied.

"Punished? How? I've never punished you." Evelyn asked quickly.

"My conditioning punishes me when I disobey an order. I cannot breath, I cannot eat, I feel very ill. It is very unpleasant." Charon provided.

"It's a mental trigger." The doctor said, looking deep in thought. "I've heard of something like this. Mind you, not as serious as this, but before the Great War some soldiers would kill themselves instead of being captured. They had been trained their whole lives that failure would be punished severely and they feared that punishment so much that they would rather die. It sounds like Charon was trained much like a dog to expect pain in response to disobedience. So much so that his own body reacts to mental cues. It's likely he spent his years of training being tortured and now his body does it on reflex."

Evelyn stared at Charon with wide eyes. "is that true? Were you tortured?" She asked.

"I do not know. I do not recall anything past my former employment with Azrukhal." Charon replied.

"He used to remember more. He's told me stuff about his past. Why can't he remember now?" Evelyn asked the doctor.

"That's an easier question to answer actually. You said he went into a frenzy and killed the slavers?" Preston asked. Evelyn nodded. "He was emotionally strained, so his programming suppressed emotions not pertinent to fulfilling his duties. This happens to soldiers in modern times. We call it Battle Stress. He's in survival mode, his previous training probably enforced this, the stress of being captured probably cemented it. Does that make sense?"

Evelyn nodded slowly. "He got so stressed out that he shut down?" She asked.

The doctor shrugged. "More or less, yes."

"Well how do we fix it?" Evelyn questioned.

"My dear, I'm not entirely sure that you can." The doctor said softly. "The programming has been intact for two hundred years. From what you've told me, he was more relaxed and had a semblance of free will when you first met but I fear that was the result of the programming failing over the course of centuries. It appears to be fully functional again."

Evelyn looked horrified. "There has to be something I can do! He's in there Preston. I've seen it!" She said frantically.

"Evelyn, as much as you want that to be true, I really don't think there's much you can do. You're two hundred years too late. The man he was is dead and gone." Preston told her sadly.

Evelyn just stared at Charon. He looked as stoic as ever.

"Thank you for your help Doctor Preston." Evelyn said quietly. "Charon let's go."

Charon rose from the cot obediently. He followed her to her room. She moved with purpose. Once they were inside the room she ordered him to shut the door. He complied immediately.

"Take off all your clothes." She commanded. There was no hesitation. She stripped off her own clothes. He said nothing. "Get in the bed." He lay down quickly. She crawled in next to him.

"Relax." She whispered. She felt the tension leave his body. She curled around him, wrapping her legs around his. "We'll figure this out."

Evelyn sighed. "Charon I order you to remember everything." She said hopefully.

She felt him stiffen. After a few moments he began to shake.

"Charon stop! Disregard that order!" She yelped. He relaxed immediately. "I'm so sorry my love." She cooed softly, kissing his shoulder. "What just happened?"

"I was compelled to obey an order that I was unable to obey. I was punished." He replied flatly.

"Oh Charon I am so so sorry. Please forgive me." Evelyn said sadly.

The ghoul didn't reply verbally. He just gave a short nod.

"Charon do you want to be free?" Evelyn asked.

"No. I only wish to fulfill my contract." Charon replied after a moment.

Evelyn frowned but decided to let it go for the night. She snuggled closer to Charon and sighed.

"I love you Charon." She said softly.

"Thank you Mistress." Her companion replied.

The next morning she woke up alone. Charon was seated in the chair across the room, watching her.

"Good morning love!" She called brightly. "Today we'll head back to Megaton before we go on our big trip. You still up to that?"

"You are my employer. I will do as you command." Came the predictable reply.

"Just what I was hoping to hear!" She called cheerfully as she pulled on her pants. "Oh! Your armor is in the pack by the door."

Charon rose. "Would you like me to put it on?" He asked.

Evelyn stopped to give him a hard stare. "Yes. Please do. And your shotgun could use some maintenance." She responded after a moment, pulling on her own boots.

"It will be done." Charon said, pulling the armor out of the pack.

Evelyn sighed softly. She was determined to act like nothing had changed. Maybe if she didn't force him, he would remember on his own. She couldn't help but feel very lonely.

"Well after you're geared up, we can go to Gary's Galley and get something to eat. Wanna try some mirelurk cakes? Gary makes em fresh daily." She asked.

"If that is what you wish." Charon replied.

"Yep. I do. So let's go." The tall woman said, walking out the door.

When they sat down at the Galley, Gary was upon her immediately with a broad smile.

"Good morning Evelyn! It's good to see you again!" The middle aged man greeted her happily.

"Good morning Gary. We'd like six mirelurk cakes please." Evelyn said with a smile and a friendly wave to Angela Staley as she passed.

"Coming right up!" The cook called, already headed back to the kitchen.

"Did you want something to drink?" Evelyn asked Charon.

"If that is what you wish." Charon replied.

Evelyn sighed. "Do you want water or nuka cola?" She asked.

"Whatever you wish to provide will be suitable." Charon said evenly.

"Angela!" Evelyn yelled, a little too loud.

The peppy waitress bounced over. "What can I getcha?"

Evelyn smiled and said "Can we get two cold nuka colas please?"

Angela smiled brightly. "You bet! I'll be right back."

Evelyn watched Charon watch Angela bound away. She felt a twinge of jealousy but she just dismissed it. Angela returned to the table with two bottles of soda and placed them in front of her patrons with flourish.

"Here ya go!" She said pleasantly.

"Thanks Ange. I wanted to let you know that here soon Charon and I are headed west. We won't be back." Evelyn told the waitress.

"Oh wow!" Angela said. "That's quite an adventure! Well, good luck you two!"

Evelyn nodded. "Thanks."

Gary arrived with their breakfast and placed the cakes in the center of the table with a flourish. "Tada!" He called.

Evelyn laughed. "Thank you Gary."

"You're welcome little lady. Enjoy." The cook said jovially.

Evelyn slipped two of the mirelurk cakes off of the plate before pushing the plate towards Charon. "Eat up! We've got a long walk ahead of us."

Charon did as he was told, devouring the food quickly and taking cautious sips of the soda.

"Did you like it?" Evelyn asked after she was done eating.

"I liked the cakes." Charon replied. "I think I prefer water to this drink."

Evelyn laughed. "Yeah, it's an acquired taste. It's pretty good with rum though. You should have seen Gobs face the first time I tried rum. I about spit it back out at him. He mixed it with nuka cola for me. It's a lot better that way." She told Charon.

Charon didn't respond, just awaited her next order.

"Well babe, let's get off this rust bucket and head back to our rust heap. Home sweet rust heap." She giggled at her own joke. Charon wasn't amused. Of course not. "Would it kill you to give me a sympathy laugh?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Charon said flatly.

"Of course. Because nobody can program the smartass out of you." She grumbled.

They were nearly to Megaton before it hit her. "I didn't order you to laugh."

"No you did not." Charon agreed. He blinked as he was wrapped in her arms.

"You ARE in there. Somewhere." She called happily. "What would you say if I told you I was going to kiss Ian right now?"

Charon thought for a moment. "I will secure the perimeter."

She frowned. "In there. Somewhere." She grumbled to herself.

Evelyn was exhausted by the time they reached the house. "Waddy we're home!" She called out. Wadsworth floated down the stairs to greet her.

"Good evening to you Madame! And greetings to your accepted houseguest Ghoul Charon!" The robot replied.

Charon growled, surprising himself and Evelyn. After a moment she said "Charon is his name. Not Ghoul Charon."

"I will make a note Madame. Is there anything I can assist you with tonight?" The robot answered.

She shook her head. "Not tonight waddy. Thanks though. Actually, yeah. Can you get Charon some water?"

"Certainly!" Wadsworth replied. "Here you are Charon!"

Charon accepted the water hesitantly. "Thank you Mistress." He told Evelyn.

"Of course love. Could you please call me Evelyn?" She asked.

"Yes." Charon answered simply.

They went upstairs and shed their clothing. Charon did so without prompting. They crawled into the large bed and he didn't stiffen when she snuggled close. She smiled into his shoulder. It was a victory, no matter how small.

"I love you Charon." She whispered.

"Thank you Evelyn." The ghoul replied softly.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

"**_Please! Please don't! He's only ten! He's not a danger to anyone!"_**

**_"I am sorry. I do not have a choice."_**

**_"He's just a baby! Just kill me and tell them it's done. Please don't do this."_**

**_"I have to. I have orders from my employer."_**

**_"Why are you doing this? Why?!"_**

**_"If I do not I will be punished."_**

Charon bolted awake with a gasp. He made a quick survey of his surroundings. There were no threats in the room. Just his employer looking at him with wide brown eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked, running her hand down his arm.

He gave a sharp nod. "I am. I apologize for disturbing you."

Evelyn planted a gentle kiss on his arm and yawned. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"Yes." Came the guarded reply.

"Do you remember what it was about?" Evelyn asked, tracing the muscles on his shoulder absently.

"Yes." Charon said.

Evelyn looked up in surprise. "You do? What was it about?"

"I was still had skin, it was long ago. I used to feel bad about what they made me do. The dream was a mother pleading with me not to kill her son." Charon told her.

"Did you?" Evelyn whispered, as if someone was listening.

"Yes." The ghoul looked at her. "I do not disobey orders.

Evelyn couldn't help the shiver that went down her spine. "Was this a memory or a dream?" She asked.

"Both." Charon answered. "I was aware of things in the dream that I was not previously aware."

"That's why you're more talkative isn't it?" She asked, looking thoughtful."Maybe Preston was wrong. Maybe your programming never degraded, you just learned your limits. Found loopholes." She mused aloud. He said nothing.

"I am sorry I do not remember the information you wish I remembered." Charon said after a moment.

"That's okay love. You're in there somewhere. You know, to be honest, we didn't really know each other that well. But you had my back. And damn did you need someone to love you." Evelyn confessed. "I fell for the whole wounded warrior thing at first. But you're a cool guy Charon. You're jealous as fuck, but you're thoughtful and you've got a good heart. You want to help people."

Charon cocked his head to the side. "I have no memory of this."

Evelyn sighed. "I know. But I think it will come back one day. Your name was Liam before the war."

"Liam?" Charon said experimentally.

"Yeah. Liam. You were never married. You never had kids. You were probably some sort of soldier. You used to like apples." She rattled off. "You went to a circus and Yao Guai used to be fat and hairy called bears."

"I do not have any recollection of any of this." Charon told her after a moment.

"I'm really sorry that you don't." Evelyn said with a frown.

Charon stared at Evelyn. "You should rest." He told her.

"Nah. I'm curious about you. Do you feel emotions?" She asked.

"Yes."

"You don't show it." She said with raised eyebrows. "Do you have opinions?"

"Yes." He repeated.

"I'm gonna be honest here, I'm a little confused. You showed your emotions before. Why not now?" She asked.

Charon looked thoughtful for a moment. "My opinions and emotions are of no importance. They are not relevant in my obligations to you." He said.

Evelyn stared at him, an odd expression on her face. "What if I want you to tell me these things?"

"You are my employer. I will do as you command." He stated.

"Okay. Fair enough. How are you feeling right now?" She asked.

"Irritated with all the questions." The large ghoul answered promptly.

Evelyn laughed. "I can imagine. One more?" Charon nodded. "Do you think you could fall in love?"

Charon seemed to contemplate this for a while. "I am not sure. I am content with you." He offered.

"Thanks Charon, that makes me feel all warm and cozy." She said sarcastically. She kissed his his hip. "You got these scars from an angry deathclaw." She informed him. She kissed his stomach. "And these are from an asshole with a screwdriver. He was trying to hurt Willow but you wouldn't let him." She planted a gentle kiss on his arm. "You got this from an axe."

Charon peered at her curiously. "You know how I received all of my scars?" He asked.

"Not all of em. Just some major ones. I asked you one night when I was really messed up. I tried to come onto you by the way, and you were kind enough to pretend you didn't remember the next day." She confessed.

Charon scowled. "I disobeyed an order?"

She shook her head. "No. I've tried not to order you to do anything. I give you choices." Evelyn explained. "I wanted you to have a choice."

"Thank you." The ghoul said, touching her arm. He didn't look at her as he did this.

"How do you feel right now?" She asked.

"Stupid." He grumbled.

"Welcome to my life buddy. The guy I lost my virginity doesn't even remember me." Evelyn patted him on the back. Charon looked at her in surprise. "Yeah that would be you."

"You were very fond of me." He said.

"I still am actually." Evelyn teased.

"What if I am never the person you are fond of again?" He asked.

"Then I'll get to know who you are now and go from there. I'm not giving up on you, if that's what you mean." She assured him, nuzzling his shoulder. "And if you never feel the same way again, I'll learn to accept that."

"You could order me to act as if I do." He suggested.

"Yeah that's not going to happen." Evelyn said flatly. "You might not remember so let me tell you, I do not tolerate slavery. I could never do that to someone. I tried to give your contract back to you as soon as I bought it."

"Why?" Charon asked looking surprised.

"Because I wanted you to be free. That's the only reason I bought it that day." She replied.

"That was kind." He observed.

"It's kind of what I do. That's why I was at that auction. I was going to free all the slaves. I just got lucky that I found you before they sold you. I could have lost you." Evelyn answered, looking pained.

Charon didn't answer. He just lay back down, welcoming her thin body wrapped around his own.

"I am comfortable lying here with you." Charon said after a few minutes.

"I love you Charon." She murmured, half asleep.

"Thank you Evelyn." He whispered, laying a ruined hand on her back.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

He stood in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest as he watched his employer place a kiss on the cheek of another ghoul. They said some tearful goodbyes before she turned to him with a determined look on her face.

"Let's head out Charon. Sarah is waiting for us by the gate. She's going to escort us to the vertibird. You sure you can carry all that?" She asked, referring to the huge pack he had on his back.

He nodded. She had a small arsenal of weapons and ammunition that impressed him to an extent. For a girl who only used a rifle and a power fist, she had many options. She had packed all of their clothing and food in her pack, so at least he wasn't carrying that. She had a ridiculous amount of caps in her pack as well. She had appeared sheepish when she pulled them out of the old refrigerator in the back of the house.

She threw her arms around the other ghoul one last time and he couldn't place why he was irritated by that. They walked to the large gates and were met by a blond woman in power armor.

"Sarah." Evelyn said with a soft smile.

The blond woman looked at Charon. "Hey Evie. Dad said you were bringing a friend. Not exactly what I was expecting." Sarah said.

Evelyn nodded. "Yeah, this is Charon. He's my... Partner." She said hesitantly.

"Nice to meet you Civilian." Sarah told him with a grin. "Well let's get going to the Citadel. We're taking off right from the bailey."

"I'm sure Rothchild is thrilled about that." Evelyn said sarcastically.

"Oh you bet." Sarah laughed.

Charon watched the two blond women interact and he was irritated. He didn't know why. Something about how familiar they were with one another made him uneasy. They weren't into the city more than five minutes before they ran into trouble.

"TALON!" Sarah bellowed suddenly. At her announcement, they were swarmed by men in black combat armor. A green flash passed by his head. He snarled and started firing at the closest mercenary. They were very outnumbered, at least four to one. Charon glanced at Evelyn and saw her loading her gauss rifle at a painfully slow rate. He wanted to scream at her to pick a different weapon when he realized they were all on his back.

Sarah was holding her own, as she leapt and ducked behind an old concrete divider. She popped up to let off a few shots.

His programming kicked in. He dragged Evelyn behind the cover of an old bus stop and hunkered down. Evelyn wasn't content to hide though. She charged back out, and dodged plasma blasts to punch one of the mercs in the head. She didn't even flinch when his head caved in.

Charon was right behind her. There were five mercs remaining as Sarah took potshots at them from behind her cover, Charon and Evelyn assisted by flanking them. In that moment he saw stars and fell to his knees. Something had hit him in the back of the head. Hard. As he tried to focus, he felt a gun pressed to his head. He took one last look at Evelyn. She and Sarah were finishing off the last of the mercs in front of them. He closed his eyes.

"Hey bitch!" A voice called out loudly.

"Charon!" Evelyn screamed.

"Drop the gun fuckstick!" Sarah commanded. "Don't be stupid."

"I ain't walkin outta here. But I'm takin yer fuckin zombie with me." Charon could hear the desperation in his attackers voice. He opened his eyes. He looked at Evelyn through dull eyes. He was sure she and Sarah could defeat this man after he was disposed of. For the first time in two hundred years, his mind was quiet. No programming digging into his consciousness, no orders, no fear. This must be what freedom felt like.

"No!" Evelyn snarled. She charged forward and Charon stared in amazement as she tackled his executioner to the ground.

"Evie!" Sarah yelled. Time seemed to slow as Charon scrambled to his feet and the hunting rifle went off. Evelyn howled with pain, then was silent.

Charon bellowed and snapped the scrawny mans neck. He scooped up his employer.

"Why?" He snarled aloud. Her eyelids fluttered and she moaned softly.

"Are you crazy? He was going to shoot you in the head. That's why." She rasped.

"He could have killed you!" Charon snapped, breaking into a jog as he and Sarah fled through the mall.

"I couldn't just let you die." She whimpered. "God this fucking hurts. Tore right through my fucking arm."

He was silent the rest of the journey. Sarah led them to the citadel.

"Take her right to the B ring. I've got to report to Elder Lyons. Knight Artemis! Take Evelyn and Charon to the hospital!" Sarah commanded.

"Yes ma'am. If you'll follow me?" He asked Charon. Charon nodded.

"I can walk!" Evelyn protested. Since it wasn't an order, Charon ignored her. They arrived at the small hospital and Knight Artemis left without a word.

Charon laid her down on the only examination table. It groaned as if ready to collapse and he hissed in irritation, hoping it would hold.

"Can I be of assistance?" A Mister Gutsy asked.

Charon nodded. "She is injured. She has a bullet wound." He informed the robot.

"I can patch her right up!" The robot declared.

Evelyn groaned. "Do NOT let that fuckin thing touch me." She ordered.

"Please just provide me with the medical supplies. I will tend her injuries myself." Charon informed the robot.

"Certainly sir!" And within moments Charon had everything he needed.

As gently as possible, Charon removed Evelyn's armor and shirt. Yet she still hissed in discomfort.

"My apologies Mistress." He said automatically. He ignored her glare, instead examining her wound.

"The bullet went through the meat of your arm. It does not appear to have damaged any major blood vessels." Charon told her, dipping a cloth into warm water.

"It was worth it." She hissed as he began to wash the wound. He looked at her in irritation. "Ow! Don't be so rough!"

"This would not have happened if you would have let him shoot me. Your friend in power armor would have killed him easily." Charon said flatly.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now Charon?" Evelyn gaped at him.

"Your life is the only thing that matters. You are my employer. I am bound to serve you for good or ill. I weighed the options and my death was the best option to preserve your well being." He informed her as he sterilized her wound. She howled in pain.

"Just like that huh? You decided to die to preserve my 'well being'?" She gasped. "Charon!"

"Yes?" He asked as he injected her with med-x. The effects were almost immediate. She relaxed and her breathing evened out.

"I didn't want you to die." She muttered, watching in fascination as he made small, even stitches in her skin.

"Your concern for my life is unnecessary. I am duty bound to protect you however I can. If that includes dying to protect you, then so be it." Charon assured her.

" I would die to protect you!" She blurted out. Charon blinked.

"Why?"

Evelyn stared at him in disbelief. "Because I love you." She said, as if it were obvious.

"Then I must insist you cease that immediately. I cannot protect you if you refuse to have any sense of self preservation." Charon told her as he pulled a clean shirt out of her pack for her. She feebly punched him in his jaw. "Physical violence on your part invalidates our contract."

Evelyn spit at him. "Fuck you." She grumbled sleepily. Charon rolled his eyes and put her shirt on for her. Her head rolled and he picked her up carefully from the rickety examination table. He settled onto the floor, trying to make her as comfortable as possible. There they stayed for two hours. Even though his legs both went numb and his arms started to ache from propping her up, he stayed. He didn't even try to convince himself that it was part of his programming. He was consciously exercising free will. He didn't dwell on how profound that was. He just listened to his employer breathe.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

"Hey, how's she doing?" Sarah called from the doorway softly.

Charon didn't take his eyes off Evelyn. "She is well. Her wound has been attended to. She is sleeping peacefully." He replied quietly.

Sarah crossed the room and squatted down. She was no longer wearing her power armor, she wore a pair of shorts and a tank top.

"It's too late to leave today now. So the vertibird will take off first thing tomorrow. I'll show you to where you'll be staying." Sarah told him.

"Evie?" She said softly. "You okay doll?"

Evelyn groaned as her eyelids fluttered. "Sarah?"

The shorter blond smiled. "Yeah Evie, it's me. You okay?"

Evelyn groaned again. "My arm hurts." She complained.

Charon rose to his feet, carrying her with him. After a minute he found another dose of Med-X. He carefully administered it and Evelyn sighed happily.

"Sarah?" She asked with cloudy eyes. Charon placed her on her feet, holding her waist with one large hand.

"Yeah Evie?" Sarah asked, stepping closer.

"C'mere." Evelyn ordered. The Sentinel obliged her and was rewarded with the former vault dweller throwing her arms around her. Evelyn kissed her enthusiastically, and after a moment Sarah returned her enthusiasm.

Charon stared at the scene before him with a blank expression but he was surprised. That certainly wasn't what he expected. Evelyn let out a low moan and Sarah slipped her hand under her shirt.

He pulled Evelyn from Sarah bodily. Evelyn whimpered in disappointment.

"No." He growled.

Sarah grinned at Charon. "Think you've got a chance with her Charon? Isn't that a girls name?" She baited the large man.

Charon glared at her. "She is already mine." He snapped. Evelyn was already nuzzling his chest happily. He had no idea where that came from. "My employer." He corrected quietly.

Sarah laughed good naturedly. "I was kidding Charon. Relax. Evie and I are in the past. Let me take you to your bunk." She said. He picked up Evelyn and she immediately started kissing his jaw.

She led him to a deserted room full of beds.

"See you in the AM!" Sarah declared, walking out the door.

He lay her down on one of the beds. He quickly unlaced and removed her boots. He shed his own clothing until all he wore was boxers and a thin shirt. He crawled into the bed with his already sleeping employer.

He wrapped his arm around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Goodnight Evelyn." He grumbled. Her hand rested on his hip.

He was awakened the next morning by a soft kiss to his neck.

"Hey. Time to fly." She whispered.

He rose quickly, pulling on his armor. He helped her put on her armor, taking care to avoid her wound.

"Thanks love." She said with a pained smile.

"Do you require medication?" He asked.

Evelyn grimaced. "No. I need to be conscious for this." She joked. She picked up her pack and swung it over her good shoulder.

He followed her outside, to the courtyard. A small vertibird waited for them. Sarah hadn't come to say goodbye.

"Have you ever flown before?" She asked him, settling into her seat. He secured their packs and shook his head.

"I do not recall flying previously." He grunted, tightening her security harness. He settled into the seat next to her, securing his own harness. As they rose into the air, he gripped his thighs tightly.

Evelyn reached over and took his hand. He was embarrassed by how tight he clung to her.

"We don't have any backup because we needed the extra fuel!" She shouted over the noise of the blades. "We're going to land outside somewhere called Cottonwood Cove. Then we're on our own!"

Charon nodded. The sooner they were on the ground the better. Unfortunately for Charon, the trip lasted about five hours. By the end of the trip he had relaxed somewhat and Evelyn had fallen asleep. How she slept over the roar of the vertibird he could only guess. When they finally landed she awoke with a start.

"Hmm?" She said, looking around groggily. It took her a moment. "Oh! We're here!" She fought with her harness for a while before it unlatched. Charon undid his own and grabbed their packs. They got off the vertibird and looked around.

Charon noted the cacti. In the distance he saw a large group of animals that he had never seen before.

"Whoa!" Evelyn yelped when the vertibird started back up. She and Charon quickly moved away from it. They watched as it rose up and flew off.

Charon looked at Evelyn. "What now?" He asked.

She looked at her Pip-Boy. "Well, the maps the brotherhood gave me are really bad. But Cottonwood Cove is up the road a ways. Must be some sort of settlement? Maybe we can get some better maps and a place to sleep for the night?" She said, sounding unsure.

They walked up the road until Charon spotted a sign. "Welcome to Cottonwood Cove." He growled. On both sides of the sign was a pike with what appeared to be a human skull on it. "That is not a good sign." He warned her.

Evelyn nodded. "Yeah that's not really welcoming is it?" She asked. "Looks old though. Maybe it's just to scare off raiders?" Charon just grunted.

"Charon!" Evelyn hissed suddenly. "What the fuck is that?" She pointed to an animal that had popped up along the road. It was about two feet long, with a scaly body. It was gray, with orange eyes, frills on the side of its head. It approached her cautiously.

"I am unsure. It does not appear to be hostile." He said.

"It looks like a lizard!" She exclaimed, reaching out to touch it. At the contact it rose up on two legs and ran off. "Oh! Come back!" It didn't even turn around. "We learned about lizards in the vault. They're little reptiles. Apparently they didn't stay little. How cool is that?" She trotted down the road happily. Charon followed, shaking his head.

Buildings loomed in the distance. As they moved closer, Charon became more and more uneasy.

"It appears deserted." He observed.

"Yeah. It does. Weird." Evelyn said slowly. "That looks like the main building there." She pointed. "There's stairs to the second floor right here. Wanna head there first?"

Charon nodded. "Height gives us the tactical advantage." He said. He drew his shotgun and followed her into the building. Once inside, Charon raised his eyebrows. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but that wasn't it.

It appeared that they had walked into a small home, with a desk at the forefront. In the right corner was a makeshift privacy wall. On the left was a refrigerator and stove. That's not what drew their eyes though. On the floor were four dead men in pools of their own blood. They appeared to be wearing leather skirts. Evelyn drew her gauss rifle and moved towards the right.

"Haven't I killed enough of y'all" A female voice sighed irritably. A redhead in a vault suit swung around the corner. She stopped short when she saw them. "Well, hi there." She said softly, large green eyes softening. She lowered her pistol.

"Uh. Hi." Evelyn said. "Sorry to intrude, we were just looking for some directions I guess."

The other woman nodded. "I kin prolly help ya w'that." She said. "Where y'all from?"

"Washington D.C." Evelyn told her, moving forward. She peered at something behind the privacy wall. "Um your friend..."

The redhead chuckled softly. "Yeah that's Veronica. She's dead."

"Oh." Evelyn said, her brown eyes wide.

"It's good you an yer buddy came along. I know Boone'd come lookin eventually but y'all kin help me get things rollin. Hey now! Is that there a Pip-Boy? I can download the maps right on there for ya. But I need ya to do me a favor if I do." The strange woman said with a smile.

"Um. Sure thing lady." Evelyn said.

"Amaya." The redhead interrupted. "M'names Amaya."

"Okay. Amaya. What do you need?" Evelyn asked warily.

"I need ya to deliver some letters for me. Got some real upsettin news that my friends need to know about but seems I won't be gettin to it." Amaya said, glancing back towards the bed.

"Why not? Are you hurt? I can help you." Evelyn offered. Charons curiosity got the best of him. He moved forward to peer at the dead girl on the bed. She was a pretty thing, even in death. Long brown hair contrasted beautifully with her pale skin. She wore a black dress with red trim. It was a daring gown, low cut and asymmetrical. On one side it went all the way to the deceased girls ankle, on the other side the dress barely covered her hip. A decorative flower graced that hip. The only thing marring her was the gunshot on the side of her head.

"Well darlin, see that girl there?" She asked, pointing to her dead companion. "I love her. More than I ever loved anybody. I seen a lot of shit in my life. Seen children sold into slavery, seen an old ghoul who spent damn near two hundred years obsessin over some damn money livin in a toxic cloud, seen old world scientists who done ripped out m'damn spine, seen two armies fight over an old dam an I seen a ghost story hate himself so bad he pretended he was Gods vengeance. Hell, I even met a guy who wanted to blow up everybody. I seen a lot in this life. But I'm done. Ain't goin nowhere else without Veronica." Amaya said decisively.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Hey. No. Come on. She wouldn't have wanted that!" Evelyn protested.

"No, prolly not. But she's dead and I know what I wanna do. But don't you worry none!" Amaya said cheerfully. "Imma give you everything y'all need. Got an awful lot of shit but I'll explain the important stuff."

Evelyn looked to Charon in exasperation. He shrugged.

Amaya ignored both of them, instead pulling a large key ring from her back pocket. "These are all m'keys obviously. Yeh kin see that they're all labeled. I couldn't keep track of em but Raul helped me out by paintin on em. These'll open up damn near any door ya come across." She explained, handing them to a stunned Evelyn.

"Now, I wrote these letters out, so yeh kin just drop em off. They kin all read. 'Cept , well I dunno bout Lily actually. Ya'might wanna have Marcus read it to 'er." She instructed, handing Evelyn a stack of folded paper.

"How could I possibly find these people?" Evelyn protested.

Amaya chuckled. "Thought uh that too huh? I'll mark em down on the maps I upload onto yer Pip-Boy. Tha' should be about it. Hand it over an I will get this show on the road!"

Evelyn handed her the Pip-Boy with a frown. "I really think you should take some time to think about this. I mean why are the guys in skirts trying to kill you anyway?" She said.

Amaya waved her hand dismissively. "Oh them? They're jist mad they lost the war. Drove em back east. So every so often they send a few guys to try an kill me. Them ones though..." She gestured to the men on the floor. "They were better than most. Snuck right in while we slept. Shot Veronica first. That was their mistake." She was pressing buttons on both Pip-Boys. Evelyn's gave off a series of beeps and Amaya looked up with a big grin. "All done. Ya got every map I do, all my info and such. Passwords. You're all set." She handed the Pip-Boy back. Evelyn strapped it to her wrist quickly.

"Amaya, thank you. But please, don't do this. There's always another way." Evelyn pleaded with the pale redhead.

"Not for me darlin. I know what I'm doin. Hey Big Guy, in that footlocker is all my weapons and supplies. I'm guessin you're on security?" Amaya addressed Charon. He nodded and started placing everything in the footlocker in the pack he carried.

"Amaya!" Evelyn exclaimed.

"Evelyn calm down. Damn yer nice ain't ya? I'm tellin ya. This is what I want." Amaya soothed, placing a hand on Evelyn's arm.

"I could restrain her Mistress." Charon offered. Amaya laughed.

"I reckon you could try." She said, looking the ghoul in the eye.

Evelyn sighed. "No. Come on Charon."

Amaya smiled brightly. "You'll deliver them letters?" She asked.

Evelyn nodded once. "I will." She agreed.

"Much obliged. Boone wears a red hat, looks mighty cranky. I reckon Arcade will be with him. Tall guy in a big white coat. Raul is a ghoul, wears a crazy outfit but he ain't nearly as tall as yer friend here. Lily is a Nightkin. Hard to miss. She's purple and wears a big ol bonnet. Cass is a pretty girl with a foul mouth. Wears a cowboy hat. They're a group of misfits fer sure but they're good people. I'm glad to have met you Miss Evelyn." Amaya said. Evelyn nodded. She didn't look back as they left.

They weren't even halfway down the stairs when they heard the gunshot. Evelyn flinched, but didn't stop. She looked at her Pip-Boy and sighed.

"Our first stop is called Novac." She said after a moment.

"What is in Novac?" Charon asked.

"Boone I guess." Evelyn said with a shrug.

"You intend to deliver these letters?" Charon asked with raised eyebrows.

"Of course. Did you miss the whole crazy lady thing up there?" The blond woman asked.

"I assumed you were humoring her to get the maps." He said. "She was clearly not stable."

As they walked down the road Evelyn explained "I don't think she was unstable as much as she was sad. She had lost someone very important to her." The tall blond woman paused looking towards the side of the road. "Let's go check out that thing. Looks like it could provide some shelter." She said, pointing to a metal shack.

Inside the small shack, Charon was surprised to see a cot, a desk and a stove. Judging by the layer of dust on everything, the dwelling hadn't been occupied in some time. Evelyn immediately began rummaging around, as was customary for her.

"Lots of food, no ammo, no water." She muttered. "Some caps here though."

"Will we remain here through the night?" Charon asked.

"Yeah. Barricade the door." She said, flopping on the bed. A cloud of dust burst into the air and she coughed as it filled her lungs. "Oh fuck." She hacked out.

"I could just keep watch." Charon offered.

Evelyn looked at him. "You could. Or you could barricade the door and sleep next to me." She said.

"Which would you prefer?" He asked.

"I'll let you decide." She said, rolling to face the wall.

"I will keep watch." He declared, pulling a solitary chair to the middle of the room and sat in it. He faced the door. "When do you wish for me to wake you?"

"At dawn probably." She said. "I want to get these letters to these people. My main goal in coming here was to get away from all of the shit in D.C. and find somewhere to settle down. The letters are spread out all over, so I can decide where I want to be after I've seen the places. So I can definitely rule out Cottonwood Cove."

"A wise choice." He commented.

"Maybe this Novac place is nice. Two of these people settled there. Arcade and Boone. You think they're together like a couple? That's what she made it sound like, but they're definitely tell guys." She asked.

"Two men in a relationship is not unheard of." Charon grunted. "Nor is two women. You and the sentinel for example."

Evelyn was silent. "How'd you know about Sarah?" She asked after a long pause.

"You kissed her and she mentioned the past that you both shared." Charon replied.

"No wonder she didn't come to say goodbye." Evelyn sighed. "She... Well she didn't take us ending well. Kissing her would have messed with her head a little bit. God I'm a fucking bitch."

"You were heavily medicated." Charon said.

"Yeah but still. I devastated after my dad died. I was a mess. I wanted to die. I finally got the nerve to do it after the purifier was up and running. I figured I had done everything he had sacrificed for, so now I could die. But first I wanted to see it. Wanted to see the water so many people bled for." Evelyn told him quietly. "Have you ever seen the Tidal Basin? It's not much to look at but it's clean now. Pure. Just like dad wanted. I decided to swim in it. I don't know why. I felt like my life had fallen apart over some water, so I deserved something. So I stripped down and swam around for about an hour. I was floating around when someone jumped in. I heard the splash but I decided if a mirelurk was gonna take me out, at least it would be in clean water."

"This is why you did not fight the woman in Cottonwood Cove." He observed out loud.

"Yeah. Wanting to die because she lost someone. I get that." Evelyn agreed. "Sarah was the one who came in the water and got me. She thought I was hurt. She just picked my naked ass up and tossed me on the shore like I was a dead mole rat. When I told her I wanted to die she just started laughing at me. Of course that pissed me off. I took a swing at her. She kicked my ass with one hit. She called me weak. So I proved her wrong. I don't know how we started... You know. But she cried when I broke it off. I've never seen her cry before or since."

"Do you still want to die?" Charon asked.

He heard her roll over on the mattress. "Nah. I want to live. I want a normal life. Get a house, get a dog. Be left alone. I'm done saving the world." She answered.

A half an hour passed before her breathing became even and Charon was sure she was asleep. He lit up a cigarette with the dilapidated stove in the corner of the room. He returned to the chair and glared when it groaned under his weight. He didn't want to disturb Evelyn. As he finished up his cigarette she began to whimper in her sleep. She began to thrash around.

He tried to ignore her. He tried to squash the urge to go to her. This wasn't part of the contract. He had no means of protecting her from her nightmares.

"Don't go." The quiet plea struck him like a bullet. He hunched his shoulders and rubbed his face with his palms. He rose and with a grunt, lifted the metal desk. He carried it over and placed it in front of the door as quietly as he could. Still, it made a loud thud that echoed against the metal walls. She bolted upright with a gasp. "Charon?!" She yelped.

"Yes Mistress." He grumbled.

"Evelyn." She corrected, flopping back down. He approached the bed cautiously.

"Evelyn." He said quietly.

"Hmm?" She mumbled.

"Are you well?" He asked, suddenly unsure of what to say. She didn't answer, already back to sleep. He stood there staring at her for a long while. Part of him screamed for him to return to his chair. Another part seemed to whisper for him to stay and lay with her.

He compromised, sitting down next to her carefully. Feeling the weight shift on the bed, Evelyn scooted closer to him, wrapping her body around his hip. She nuzzled into his lower back. There they remained until the suns first rays began to peek through the gap above the shacks metal door.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

"It's really ugly and cute at the same time. I wonder what it is?" Evelyn asked, petting the strange animal on the nose. It rubbed its large horns against her when she stopped petting it.

"I do not know. There is a large... Structure in the distance." Charon informed her.

"Yeah Charon. Kinda hard to miss the big dinosaur." Evelyn said, rolling her eyes. "We're almost to Novac. We're looking for a tall guy in a white coat and a guy with a red hat. So keep a lookout."

Charon grunted. As they drew closer to the "dinosaur" he noticed that near it was a large building. It looked like a hotel.

Evelyn spotted the man in the white coat before he did. She tore off.

"Arcade? Are you Arcade?" She yelled as she hurtled towards the man. Charon sighed aloud. Very subtle.

The man froze, peering at her as if she was mad. Charon didn't blame him. "Yes? I am?" He said slowly.

"Oh awesome! I have a letter from Amaya for you!" She exclaimed happily, digging through her pack. "I have one for Boone too." She handed him his letter.

"Oh. Um. Well, I can take you to him. If you would follow me?" The doctor said, his eyes locked onto hers. She tilted her head and giggled. She removed her helmet and shook out her hair.

"That'd be great. Thanks Arcade." She beamed at him. Charon stared at her through narrowed eyes. Her mannerisms were... Odd. She followed the tall man to one of the many doors on the side of the large building. He knocked on the door before sticking his head in the room.

"Craig? Are you decent? You have a visitor." He called. Charon heard footsteps and the door was pulled open.

"Yeah?" This man reeked of the military. He was shorter than Arcade, with brown hair cropped short. He stared at them from behind sunglasses, his arms crossed over his chest. The red hat they had been told about rested on his head.

"I have a letter for you from Amaya." Evelyn said cheerfully, not at all phased by his cool demeanor. He held out his hand.

"Oh my." Arcade said suddenly. He was reading his own letter. "Amaya is dead."

"What?" Boone asked sharply, turning to his own letter, scanning it quickly.

"Oh. Yes. She asked me to deliver these letters because she was, um..." Evelyn trailed off.

"She ended her life after assasins killed her friend." Charon supplied.

"What friend?" Arcade asked in alarm.

"Veronica? I'm sorry for your loss." Evelyn said, laying her hand on the tall mans arm.

"Thank you. I'm afraid I didn't catch your name?" Arcade said, peering at her.

"Evelyn. You can call me Evie." She smiled sweetly.

"Well Evie, how did you come across Amaya and Veronica?" He asked.

"We actually wandered into Cottonwood Cove and she was there. She was kind of... Crazy. Really friendly, I couldn't convince her not to hurt herself. I tried." Evelyn explained. "And she asked me to deliver letters to her friends in return for some maps of the area. She gave me all of this stuff though. If you guys want it?"

"No. If she gave it to you, she had a reason." Boone interrupted. "Her letter said an army of ghouls was coming from the east. That you?" He asked Charon.

Charon just glared at the man. "Army of what now?" Evelyn asked.

"Ghouls. They're coming to kill anything that ain't a ghoul. At least that's what the letter said." The man in sunglasses snapped.

"According to the letter, there's a large army of ghouls on their way here, they've already crossed through part of the Legions lands and they aren't slowing down." Arcade explained.

"What? What's a legion land?" Evelyn asked, completely confused.

"Where the hell are you from?" Boone asked.

"Washington D.C." She replied.

"Really?" Arcade asked in surprise. "I can't believe it's still standing."

"Parts of it are." She giggled, fluttering her eyes at him. "We flew in on a vertibird yesterday."

"That's Enclave tech!" The blond man said in surprise.

Evelyn frowned. "Like hell. Brotherhood of Steel tech."

"You're Brotherhood?" Boone asked.

Evelyn shook her head. "No. Well, technically, yeah. It's an honorary title they gave me after I blew up an Enclave mobile base. But I'm more of a loner. Well not anymore. I've got Charon for security now." She explained.

"The brotherhood took on the Enclave?" Boone asked, looking surprised. "Didn't realize they cared about the civilians."

"Elder Lyons does." Evelyn said simply.

Arcade interrupted their tangent. "So you know nothing about a ghoul army?" He asked, running his hand through his hair.

"No I don't. There's no ghoul army in D.C. at all. There's a settlement but not anything close to an army." Evelyn replied.

"If they're taking territory from Lanius, there has to be thousands of them." Arcade told Boone.

"Yeah." Boone agreed.

"Um. Yeah. That's horrible I guess. But is there somewhere to sleep for the night? Because I'm not big on sleeping outside." Evelyn interrupted them.

"It is horrible. My letter states that the ghouls are coming to kill anything that isn't a ghoul. Your friend may get by unscathed, but you're in the same boat as we are." Arcade informed her, ignoring her question.

Evelyn frowned. "Of course. I apologize for seeming disinterested, I just don't really have anything to do with all of this." She said.

"Yeah you do." Boone corrected her. "Amaya picked you to give all her shit to. You've got all the passwords right?"

"Well yes, but I can just as easily give them to you." Evelyn protested.

"Nah. She gave you letters. Made you into a courier. She was a courier, now you are." Boone stated, as if she should understand.

Evelyn looked at Arcade. "I'm guessing there's a point to that whole... Whatever?" She asked. Arcade laughed, but stopped abruptly when Boone turned his head in his direction.

"Ahem. Yes. Amaya was a peculiar woman. She seemed completely disorganized on the surface, but she never did anything without purpose. She chose you as a courier to let us know that you're the one she chose as a... Well successor, is the best word I have for it. You're her replacement." The tall man explained.

"Nope. Absolutely not." Evelyn declared. "I told a crazy bitch that I'd give her friends some letters, not take over her job."

"Amaya isn't a courier anymore. She's a leader." Boone snapped.

"Indeed. After she pushed the NCR back to California and kicked the Legion back east, Amaya has been the only political leader New Vegas has. She's created a strong community, weeded out the bad apples, so to speak. Vegas and the surrounding areas are free and look to her for guidance." Arcade agreed.

"If they're free, then what would you need me for? It's not like they'd just accept me anyways." Evelyn protested.

"With these letters, I know they will. The Followers are sure to. If you're Brotherhood, I know they will too. The King will go along with anything Julie says, and Marcus will rally the Nightkin and mutants behind you. Yes Man will accept you because you have all the proper data. The rest will fall in line." Arcade trailed off, appearing lost in thought.

"Who all do you have letters for?" Boone asked.

Evelyn shook her head. "I don't know, a bunch of people. Let me check." She pulled the stack of letters from her pack. "Lily, Raul, Joshua, Harland, Nolan and Cass?"

"Harland and Nolan don't sound familiar. What locations are these meant for?" Arcade asked.

Evelyn looked at her Pip-Boy. "Harland is in somewhere called Freeside, southern part." She said. Arcade peered at the local map and let out a small laugh.

"That's got to be the The King. I knew his name wasn't really The King but I never put much thought into what it could be. Alright where is Nolan?" He asked.

"Hidden Valley?" Evelyn said. "I'm not understanding. It looks like he lives underground? Is he in a metro tunnel?"

"Metro. Tunnel? No. At least I don't think so." Arcade said thoughtfully.

"It's a bunker, the Brotherhood is in there." Boone interrupted.

"Oh. Well, Nolan must be the Elder?" Arcade guessed.

"This is ridiculous. Here." She thrust the pile of letters at Arcade. "Charon, let's go. I'm done here." With that, she dropped the letters and started to stomp away. Arcade scooped up the discarded letters and lopped after her. He grabbed her arm roughly and Charon acted.

He grabbed the skinny man by the back of his jacket and lifted him off the ground. "Do not touch her." He growled. Behind him, he heard a rifle cock. He whipped around, dragging the startled blond man with him.

"Wouldn't do that if I was you." Boone had a sniper rifle pointed at his head, finger on the trigger. He squared himself with a low growl, an action Charon mimicked.

"Whoa! What the fuck?! Charon! Drop him!" Evelyn yelled, looking more pissed off than worried. "You keep pointing that gun at him and we're gonna have problems." She snapped at Boone, leveling her gauss rifle at him.

"Craig!" Arcade said softly, still sitting in the dust that Charon had released him into.

"I'm not worried." The sniper challenged her.

"Enough!" Arcade yelped, leaping to his feet. He stood in front of Evelyn with his hands out. "I meant no harm and either does he. Just please, hear me out." He pleaded. Boone lowered his rifle a few moments after she lowered hers.

"He doesn't like when people touch me." She said, laying her hand on Charons arm gently.

"My apologies, to both of you. Craig is the same way about me." Arcade explained.

"I'm not who you think I am. I'm not some hero your friend picked out. I'm just trying to help her out because she helped me." Evelyn said with a sigh.

"You're all we've got." Arcade told her grimly. Evelyn stared at the tall man for a long while.

"What do you need me to do?" She asked, sounding defeated.

"For now? Deliver these letters and set up a meeting of the community leaders to discuss the impending threat." Arcade informed her.

"I can do that." She sighed, running her fingers through her long hair.

"Great!" Arcade said with a large smile. "Let me show you to Amaya's old room. Yours now, I suppose." She nodded and they were lead to another door. "You have the keys?"

"Yeah. She gave me a ton." Evelyn said, lifting the large key ring. "They're kind of labeled?" She read the tiny words painted on each key until she found one that was promising. 'Nov. Room'

The door popped open and Arcade smiled. "There you are. Somewhere to rest for the night. Will you start out tomorrow then?"

"Yeah. Looks like Cass is next?" She said, peering at her Pip-Boy. "Where should I have her meet you guys? Here?"

"No, I imagine we should all meet at The Lucky 38. Thats where Yes Man is and that's where Amaya made decisions." He pushed his glasses back up his nose.

"Okay. Thanks." She said, gesturing at the room.

"No. Thank you." He answered, patting her shoulder.

Charon entered the room before Evelyn. When he declared the room was safe, she stomped in slowly. She threw herself on the bed with a dramatic sigh. "Oh creepy." She muttered, throwing a teddy bear to the floor.

Charon stood next to the bed. She looked up at him. "So yeah, they're definitely gay for each other. And that's such a shame. Arcade is the sexiest man I've seen in, well, ever. So tall. So clean. Mmm." She pouted.

Charon didn't understand the anger that curled in his stomach. He blinked a few times before walking across the room and taking a seat between two wardrobes. She stripped off her combat armor and kicked off her boots. She fell asleep looking through her Pip-Boy. Charon didn't sleep at all.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Cass is in an old military outpost, called the Mojave Outpost. When Amaya pushed the NCR back, it was abandoned. Now Cass is running her caravan operation out of it. She was close to Amaya. But I must warn you, Cass is a tad bit hotheaded, it would be best if you were more diplomatic than you were with us. Refrain from speaking ill of Amaya if you can." Arcade told Evelyn as she double checked her supply inventory.

"I apologize for that. I wasn't quite myself yesterday. I think it was the vertibird trip." Evelyn said with an apologetic grimace.

"You were a bit overwhelmed. I completely understand." Arcade dismissed, patting her hand.

"I'm used to shit going to hell by this point." Evelyn grumbled. "Well, we're off to go find Cass. I'll have her meet you at the Lucky 38. After Cass, we're going to see Lily, then Raul, then we're swinging around to go see Joshua. He's the farthest away. After we see Joshua, we'll go see Nolan and then on our way to the Lucky 38, we'll chat with Harland. Sound good?"

"Wouldn't it be better to stop at Hidden Valley before you go to Zion? That way you aren't backtracking as much?" Arcade asked.

Evelyn sighed, looking at her Pip-Boy. "Yeah I guess that would work. Amaya's notes on Zion are nice. Clean water, friendly locals, something called banana yucca fruit that she seemed to enjoy immensely."

"She did enjoy them. You'll have to be wary of her notes though. Especially if they appear to be opinions. Amaya saw the world a little differently than most. She never really had a lot of negative things to say. Except about slavery. She hated slavery so much." Arcade warned her.

"Well, she and I have that in common." Evelyn stated flatly. "See ya in Vegas Arcade."

They walked along an old road, cracked and faded, but still there. Evelyn startled Charon about three hours into their trek by lifting her arms and bursting into laughter. She howled with it until tears ran down her face. She collapsed in the middle of the road, and stared up at the sky.

"Are you well?" He asked uncertainly.

"Nope." She said with a laugh. Her laughter turned into a sob.

He kneeled down next to her. "Evelyn, what is wrong?"

"I am so TIRED Charon." She whispered. "I can't get away from the world. I traveled as far as I fucking could. And people still **_NEED_** me."

"You do not have to do this. We can just find somewhere you like and you can put it all behind you." Charon soothed her awkwardly.

"I can't. What would my mom say? What would Dad say? Dad **_DIED_** to save the world. I can't disappoint them." She rambled.

He leaned closer. He examined her face briefly.

"Evelyn." He growled sternly.

"I'm HER FUCKING DAUGHTER. A TOTAL SAINT OF THE FUCKING WASTELAND! How do I live up to that?" She continued.

"Evelyn." He insisted.

"_Selfless_ James, putting her dream above all else. Even his own goddamn daughter." She hissed.

Charon grabbed her by the chin roughly. "Evelyn look at me!" He barked. Her brown eyes widened as she fell silent. He let go of her and lay his rough hand on her cheek. "How much did you take?" He asked.

"What?" She whispered.

"Med-X Evelyn. How much did you take?" He asked firmly.

"I dunno. Takes away the pain." She mumbled.

"You are not well. Please allow me to help you." Charon asked stiffly.

"'M fine. Leave me alone." She snapped, rising up on shaky knees.

"You are not fine." He insisted.

"Get the fuck away from me! Don't touch me! That's an order!" She snarled, pushing his hand away. She fell over from the exertion.

He rose and took a deep breath. "No." He said quietly. He swallowed the bile rising in his throat and picked her up. She struggled momentarily before giving up.

The walk to the Mojave Outpost was hell. Charon was sure of that. His head was pounding, he could barely breathe. He felt overwhelmingly nauseous. But he kept on. Even when he saw a giant metal set of statues, even when his programming screamed for him to obey the order he had been given.

He stumbled into the first building he saw. Evelyn tumbled out of his arms when he sank to his knees. Almost immediately, he felt better. He rose. "Please help her." He asked the group of startled women in front of them.

"Good god you look a sight!" An elderly woman wearing a white coat moved forward. "What happened?" She asked, kneeling to look at Evelyn.

"She was injured. I over medicated her." Charon lied.

"Oh Lordy. That stuff is pure poison. Take her in back for me. I'll set her up with an IV of water, gotta clean out her system." The matronly woman commanded. Charon grimaced and followed the instructions. He watched as the woman put a needle in Evelyn's arm after she stripped off her armor.

"I'm Charlotte, by the way. You're lucky. I've just arrived from the Boneyard. There wasn't a doctor here until yesterday." The woman informed him, her green eyes bright. "Wouldn't have helped ya if I thought your friend was a junkie. But she's too pretty for that. Too clean. How'd she take a bullet in the arm?"

"She was protecting me." Charon mumbled.

"Big fella like you? Musta been quite a situation." Charlotte remarked with a smirk. "So what, she's your wife?"

"She is my employer." Charon replied. "Will she be alright?"

Charlottes eyebrows raised. "Not many employers take bullets for their employees." She noted. "But to answer your question, yes. She will."

"Thank you."

"You're more than welcome-" Charlotte trailed off, as if realizing she didn't know his name.

"Charon." He supplied.

"Charon." She repeated. "Well I'm pleased to meet you." She stuck out her hand. He took it carefully.

He nodded his agreement. He pulled an old chair next to Evelyn's side and waited. He paid no mind to the women who came in to gawk. He wanted to hold her hand. He wanted to curl up next to her and protect her from the world. But the last order she had given stopped him. So he waited for her to be okay. He waited for her to open her eyes.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

Her eyelids fluttered. Evelyn sighed softly as she came back to consciousness. The first person she saw was Charon, slumped over in a chair beside her. He bolted upright as soon as she shifted her weight, his eyes flying open.

"Hey." She croaked out, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Hello." He whispered. He had a strange expression on his face.

"Can I have some water please?" She asked. He dug through her pack immediately, handing her a bottle of purified water. She tried to open it, to no avail. "My arms feel like mush. Could you?"

Charon opened the bottle and held it up to her mouth. She gulped it down too quickly and began to cough. She spluttered all over herself.

"My apologies mistress." Charon said, leaping to his feet, searching for something to clean her up with.

"Don't worry about it Charon. And stop calling me mistress." Evelyn said, waving her hand at the chair he had been seated in. He sat down immediately and awaited her next order.

"Where are we?" She asked, looking around.

"The Mojave Outpost." He answered, looking at his hands, splayed out over his knees.

"How did we get here? What happened? Why the fuck do I have a needle in my arm?" Her voice was rising with each question.

"I carried you here after you ingested too much Med-X and collapsed. The needle was placed in your arm by the doctor here. She said that it would flush the Med-X from your system." He answered flatly, still staring at his hands.

"Oh. Shit. Shit. I remember. Shit." She groaned, fidgeting with her hair. "Charon, I'm so sorry."

"You do not need to apologize. I disobeyed your order." He blurted out.

"What order? I didn't order you to do anything." She asked, sounding confused.

"You ordered that I not touch you. I carried you here, despite that order." He said.

"I thought disobeying orders made you sick?" She asked.

"It does." He agreed. "My programming punishes me. Though I understand if you would want to punish me yourself."

"Are you kidding me Charon? You made yourself sick to get me here safely. I should be thanking you. Fuck that. I am. Thank you Charon. You saved my life." Evelyn said fiercely.

"I disobeyed you." He protested.

"I've never really been big on your whole situation. I'm proud of you Charon. And incredibly grateful. Can you please come here? You're too far to hug and I'm attached to this damn needle." She sounded grumpy and when he dared look up, he was shocked to see tears in her large brown eyes.

He moved closer and she clung to his hand. He stiffened. "Disregard any stupid orders I've made." She grumbled into his forearm. He immediately felt better and leaned over to embrace her. She wrapped her arms around his chest and buried her face in his neck. He drew back and stared at her. She smiled sweetly and something clicked for him.

"Evelyn!" Her name tumbled from his lips as he stared at her in amazement.

"What?" She asked. Her eyes surveyed his face, trying to understand. He looked as confused as she felt.

"I do not know. I just..." He trailed off hopelessly. "I want.."

"What?" She whispered. She reached out her hand and cupped his cheek. He nuzzled her hand and took a deep breath.

Very gently, he pressed his ruined lips to hers. She sighed happily, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Employer my ass!" A voice scoffed from the doorway. Charon immediately stood defensively in front of Evelyn. A very pretty woman stood there, leaning up against the doorframe. She had red hair, under a beat up cowboy hat. Freckles dusted across her cheeks and nose, with full lips, pulled into a frown. She wore a brahminskin jacket and a pink and white checkered shirt under that.

"So handsome, what else ain't true? Your girlfriend there a junkie?" The woman asked irritably.

"She is no junkie." Charon growled, stepping forward. She woman met him halfway. She tipped her hat back and stared up at him, her mouth twisted into a snarl.

"You think you scare me cowboy?" She spat it him.

"Charon please!" Evelyn soothed from behind him. "I'm not a junkie." She told the woman. "I'm just here to deliver a letter. I'm looking for someone named Cass."

The woman didn't take her eyes off of Charon. "Well, you found her." She said.

"You're Cass?" Evelyn asked. "Charon, get her the letter please."

Charon glared at her for a few moments more before turning and rummaging through the pack on the floor. He found it and thrust it at the still glaring redhead. He turned to see Evelyn removing the IV from her arm with a grimace.

Cass just stared at the paper in her hand. "Who is this from?" She asked suspiciously.

"Amaya." Evelyn told her, struggling to her feet. Charon wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. She sent him a grateful smile.

Without a word, Cass unfolded her letter and began to read. "Jesus." She hissed. She folded the paper back up carefully. "She's really gone?"

Evelyn nodded grimly. "I'm sorry for your loss. Boone and Arcade wanted me to ask you to meet them at the Lucky 38 at your earliest convenience." She said softly.

"Fuck. Guess I'll have to." Cass said softly, looking sad. "Did anyone tell Veronica?" She asked.

Evelyn sighed. "I'm so sorry, but Veronica passed away. That's why... Amaya took her own life." She whispered.

Cass swallowed hard. "Oh fuck. Yeah. That makes sense. Amaya loved her so much. All she wanted was to live a normal life with Veronica. What happened?"

Evelyn ran her hand over her face, fidgeting with her hair.

"Assasins killed Veronica while they slept. Amaya entrusted these letters to me. Then she shot herself." Evelyn explained.

"Legion?" Cass asked. Evelyn nodded. "Those dumb fucks!" Cass snapped, punching the doorframe. "They couldn't just leave her the hell alone!"

Evelyn stared at her feet as tears fell down the redheads cheeks. After a few minutes, she composed herself.

"Sorry I called you a junkie." She grumbled, grinding the tears out of her eyes with the heel of her hand.

"That's okay. Sorry for being unconscious." Evelyn offered.

Cass let out a short laugh. "Been unconscious a few times myself. It's pretty late, you and your buddy want to bunk here for the night?" She asked.

"We'd appreciate it. We've got a lot more letters to deliver." Evelyn said with a smile.

"Yeah. Amaya was pretty thorough. So you've seen Boone and Arcade?" Cass asked, leading them to a room full of beds.

"Yes we did. In Novac." Evelyn replied as Charon eased her onto the bed.

"Together?" Cass asked with a large grin.

"Yes." Evelyn said with a giggle.

"So they're fucking?" Cass asked.

"I think so. Boone almost shot Charon." Evelyn laughed.

Cass laughed loudly. "Welcome to the club buddy. Ya touched Gannon didn't ya?"

Evelyn giggled. "He did. Arcade grabbed me, Charon grabbed him, Boone threw a fit, I threw a fit. It wasn't funny at the time, but man we must have looked crazy."

"Ya fit right in here. We're all fucking crazy in the Mojave. Well, it was nice meeting you- shit, what's your name again?" Cass asked.

"Evelyn. It's nice to meet you too Cass." Evelyn replied.

"Well there's a bottle of whiskey with my name on it, so I'm outta here. See ya around." Cass walked out of the room.

Charon tucked both of their packs under the bed Evelyn was in and pulled off his boots and armor. He dropped into the bed next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"You remembered." She squeaked happily, squeezing him. He shook his head.

"I do not remember anything. I just... Feel." He tried to explain. "I feel... I do not know. But you are mine." He whispered.

"Mind, body and soul." She echoed a sentiment that had all but faded from her mind.

"Exactly." He said, propping himself up on his elbow. He looked thoughtful.

She smiled brightly. "Told you! I knew you were in there somewhere!"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Fuck this place. Fuck this heat. Why did we do this?" Evelyn complained loudly, wiping sweat from her forehead. Charon didn't reply. He just kept walking. "This stupid Pip-Boy must be broken. It keeps telling me to go north. But we've been walking all fucking day in this blistering heat and there is no Jacobstown in sight." She took a few potshots at the large insects by the side of the road. "Just these fucking bugs of doom and the scary goat skull things."

"I could skin and dress them." Charon offered.

Evelyn swiveled around to glare at him. "We are NOT eating giant green bugs." She stated firmly.

"I was referring to the goats." Charon said, hiding a grin.

"Ew." Evelyn grumbled. "Oh my fucking god, there it is! Salvation is nigh!" She yelled happily. She began to run towards the settlement, stoping a few hundred feet away. Charon saw why.

"Mutants." She hissed. "At least three."

"They have spotted us." Charon observed.

"Shit." Evelyn snapped. "Why aren't they shooting at me then?"

"I do not know. Perhaps they are not hungry?" He offered.

"Was that a joke? Really?" Evelyn groaned. "Kiss a guy one time and he's a comedian."

"You kissed me more than once. Just today." Charon reminded her with a crooked grin.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "I regret it all. Smart ass." She growled. "But seriously, should we just... Walk up there?"

"I will." Charon decided. "If necessary, I will fall back."

"But they could shoot you!" She protested.

"A better outcome than if they were to shoot you." Charon pointed out.

"Um no." Evelyn said. "It's not."

"You are my employer. Your life is much more valuable than my own." He insisted, moving forward.

"You're an ass!" She snapped from behind him.

He ignored her, instead keeping his eyes on the mutants in front of them. As he got closer, he noticed one of them looked different. Something about its mouth. The mutants observed him but didn't start shooting. That was a good sign.

"What business do you have in Jacobstown?" The mutant with the strange mouth asked.

"My employer and I are searching for someone named Lily." Charon rumbled, his fingers itching for his gun. He balled his hands into fists instead.

"The human down the road is your employer?" The mutant asked. It was then that Charon realized his voice sounded much different than the mutants he was accustomed to.

"Yes."

"Tell your employer that anyone is welcome in Jacobstown, so long as they don't start trouble." The mutant informed him. Charon turned on his heel and returned to Evelyn.

"You are welcome inside the city so long as you do not start trouble." He informed her.

"Awesome." Evelyn sighed.

They walked up to the mutant Charon had spoken to previously and Evelyn gasped.

"Holy shit, you're ALL mutants?!" She yelped.

"Yes human. Jacobstown is a settlement for mutants. There is one other human here, and one other ghoul. Your friend says you are looking for Lily?" The mutant asked patiently.

"Uh yeah. Lily and someone named Mark? To read to her." Evelyn stated, her cheeks red.

"I am Marcus. I can read to Lily. But what am I reading?" The mutant asked.

Evelyn plopped her back down and dug through it, pulling out a wrinkled letter. "This is a letter from Amaya." She told him. "And just to get this out of the way, Amaya has passed away. She took her own life after writing these letters and entrusting them to me. I'm really sorry for your loss."

Marcus didn't bat an eye. "That is a shame. Amaya was a good person and a friend to Jacobstown." He told her. "I will read this to Lily. Come."

They followed Marcus further into the settlement before Evelyn had to smother a giggle. Before them was a mutant in a sun bonnet and red rimmed goggles, wearing the tattered remains of a shawl embellished with a faded daisy. To top it all off, she was indeed purple, Amaya had said that she was.

"Hello Dearie!" Lily bellowed.

"Hello?" Evelyn said hesitantly.

"What have you brought for Grandma today?" Lily asked, as pleasantly as she was able.

"I have a letter from Amaya? Marcus is going to read it to you. I'm Evelyn and this is Charon. We are going to give you some privacy okay?" Evelyn sounded very confused.

"You do that dearie. You should go meet Doctor Henry. He's a nice man." Lily suggested. "He's inside."

"I will, thanks." Evelyn said with a small smile. She and Charon walked a short distance before she turned to him. "That was the weirdest fucking thing ever."

She whispered.

"It was strange." Charon agreed.

"Let's go meet Doctor Henry I guess. I could buy some stims." Evelyn sighed, walking towards the large dilapidated resort. They walked inside and she squeaked.

"Oh look. More purple people eaters." She said quietly. Charon held back a snort.

"Can I help you?" One of the purple mutants asked awkwardly.

"Um. We're looking for Doctor Henry?" Evelyn said, tilting her chin up to look the mutant in the eye.

"The uhh good doctor is... Over there." The mutant grunted, pointing to the right. "Do not look at me!" It yelled suddenly.

"Oh! Sorry!" Evelyn yelped, looking away.

"It is all right human. I am sorry." The mutant grumbled, stomping away.

"What the fuck?" Evelyn asked Charon. He shook his head and they walked through the doorway the mutant had indicated.

The first thing they saw was a petite ghoul woman. She wore a black dress under a white lab coat. She had the biggest, most beautiful blue eyes Evelyn had ever seen. Those eyes were locked on Charon.

"Hello. Welcome to Jacobstown." She purred, extending her hand to Charon. He surveyed her a moment before taking her hand and smirking.

"Thank you." He rumbled.

"Where is Doctor Henry?" Evelyn snapped suddenly.

"Behind me." The woman said, not taking her eyes off of Charon.

Evelyn stared at them for a moment before huffing and seeking out the doctor.

"More interruptions? Always with the interruptions. Calamity! Who are these people?" An older man snapped irritably, as he spotted Evelyn approaching. Calamity ignored him, already in conversation with Charon.

"My name is Evelyn. And Lily told me to come find you." Evelyn explained.

"Did she now? By name?" Henry asked, suddenly interested.

"Yes?" Evelyn said.

"That's excellent progress. Her memory seems to be improving now that the cure has been administered." He mumbled.

"Do you have any medical supplies I can buy?" Evelyn asked, ignoring his strange mumbles.

"You'll have to speak to Calamity about that. She's talking with your friend over there. I say, he's a large ghoul isn't he?" The doctor blurted out.

They watched the ghouls chat back and forth, and Evelyn bristled when Calamity placed her small hand on Charons forearm. She was giggling and tilting her head flirtatiously, those big blue eyes sparkling. Charon still wore a smirk.

"Yep. He's a big guy." Evelyn agreed at last. "Calamity!"

The woman turned to look at her, looking irritated by the interruption. Evelyn strode over to her, drawing up to her full height. She dwarfed the petite ghoul.

"Henry said you could sell us medical supplies." She said stiffly.

"Of course human." Calamity told her with a simpering smile. Evelyn didn't like the way she said "human" and found herself bristling again.

"Well?" She snapped, her hand on her hip.

"What do you need human?" Calamity asked, smug that she had gotten a rise out of her.

"Stims, Radaway, bandages." Evelyn snarled.

"I have stims and bandages. No Radaway. I don't have to worry about that." Calamity said sweetly.

"Yeah well some of us have skin we would like to keep." Evelyn retorted.

"Skin is overrated human. Isn't it Charon?" The petite woman asked, flashing Charon those baby blues.

"I have gotten along without it well enough." Charon stated.

Evelyn pursed her lips. "Yeah well, that's great. I'm going to go see Lily. Why don't you just stay here with your new friend?" She said through her teeth.

"If that is what you wish." Charon replied, not even looking at her. Evelyn rolled her eyes and stormed out of the resort.

Lily was just outside, standing with Marcus.

"Hello dearie! My my you look cranky." Lily said happily.

"I'm fine, thanks Lily." Evelyn couldn't help but smile at the mutant.

"You can count on the support of the Super Mutants and Nightkin." Marcus told her.

"Nightkin?" Evelyn asked.

"Those like Lily." Marcus explained.

"Oh, purple mutants?" Evelyn asked. "I mean- Shit. I'm sorry." She added hastily.

"That's quite alright human." Marcus assured her. "What do you need us to do?"

"Um. Well, can you meet Arcade Gannon in New Vegas? At the Lucky 38?"

"We can." Marcus replied simply.

"Okay great. I'm sending everyone there. So head out whenever you're ready." She told him.

"Boys will never stop disappointing you dearie. You just have to find one that's worth it." Lily interrupted.

"Thanks Grandma." Evelyn said with a giggle. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You do that dear. Where are you staying tonight? I don't want you to catch a chill. Marcus dear why don't you show her where my pumpkins cabin was? I'm going to miss my pumpkin." Lily stated sadly.

"She loved you very much." Evelyn assured the forlorn looking mutant.

"I know she did. She sent you after all." Lily brightened up.

"I'll show you to Amaya's cabin, though I'm afraid only she had the key." Marcus told her. "I can remove the door easily though."

"No no, that's okay. I have her keys." Evelyn explained quickly.

"Very well." Marcus said, leading her to a small cabin across the courtyard. "Should I find other sleeping arrangements for your ghoul?"

"That's okay. He'll come looking for me soon. That's kind of his thing." Evelyn grumbled.

"Very well. Good night human." Marcus told her as she unlocked the door.

"Thank you Marcus!" She called after him. She stepped inside and closed the door. She looked around and cringed. What was up with Amaya and teddy bears?

She tossed three of them off the bed and threw her pack into the corner. She flopped down on the large bed. She kicked her boots off and tried to get comfortable. With a high pitched growl, she sat up and yanked off her armor. She felt a little exposed in a tank top and underwear but she figured not a whole lot of people tried busting into a city of super mutants.

She rolled around the bed restlessly. She was jealous and she knew it. Charon had talked to and smiled at that other woman. Did she have a right to be mad? He was only with her now because of this stupid contract.

She pulled the well worn piece of paper from her pack and looked at it. The words had long ago faded, but she wasn't ignorant to its significance.

Was she forcing him into this? Was she no better than the slavers she fought against? She resolved to be better in that moment. She refused to push anything on him. If he wanted to spend time with Calamity, that was his business. She didn't own him.

The door slammed open. She yelped and aimed her old pistol at the door. Charon stood in the doorway, looking relieved.

"I could not find you." Charon stated, staring at the paper in her hand.

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry, I should have let you know." She gulped, putting the pistol back under the pillow.

"You forgot your medical supplies. I procured them." He stated, indicating his pack.

"Oh, thanks Charon." She forced a smile.

"You are holding my contract." He pressed.

"Yeah. I was, uh, looking through my pack. I was about to put it away." She lied.

He just stared at her. It was clear he didn't believe her.

"Well Charon, I'm going to get some sleep. You should too. If you want." She said. He nodded. She rolled over and he turned off the light. She heard him shut the door and remove his combat armor. Her heart was beating so fast she thought he might be able to hear it.

He lay in the bed next to her. She held her breath. He slid closer and wrapped his arm around her.

"What are you doing?" She gasped.

He moved away from her instantly. "My apologies."

"What about Calamity?" She asked, rolling to face him. It was too dark to see him.

"What about Calamity?" He echoed back.

"You don't have to do this. I've been pushing you. And it's not fair." She told him.

He was silent for a long time. "You are going to sell my contract." He stated flatly.

"What? No!" She exclaimed. "You're allowed to fuck whoever you want. I'm not petty enough to sell your contract over that." She took a deep breath. "You're free to do whatever you want. All that I ask is that you have my back in combat."

Charon was quiet for so long, she thought he had fallen asleep. Just as she began to drift off, he pulled her to him. "You are mine." He said softly. He pressed a dry, rough kiss to her forehead.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"You treat my granddaughter well young man." Lily growled at Charon fiercely. "Or Grandma will get you."

Charon blinked at the ridiculously dressed mutant. "I will." He told her.

"See you in New Vegas!" Evelyn called as they started out towards somewhere Amaya had only labeled as "Raul's Shack". Lily waved goodbye as she and Marcus headed inside to pack up the supplies for their journey.

They walked along the old road as long as they could. "This is kinda nice actually." She told Charon. "Back home, the roads never stayed unobstructed for so long. Wide open, flat land. Not too many surprises."

"The people here seem less chaotic." Charon observed.

"Right? People are rebuilding here, rather than trying to kill each other over bullshit. I'm glad we came here." She said. Her large brown eyes sparkled as she beamed at Charon. "I'm glad you're here with me."

"I am glad to be here with you." Charon confessed, looking uncomfortable.

"You okay?" She asked softly, halting. Faded blue eyes scanned her face.

"I am. I am struggling to remember things." He told her.

"Like what?" She asked, leading him to a deserted campfire on the side of the road.

"I cannot recall why I feel this way about you." He said, piling brush into the fire pit.

"It'll come to you. Don't worry." Evelyn assured him, lighting the fire with an old engraved lighter Amaya had given her.

"It distracts me." Charon grumbled.

"Not being able to remember? Try not to think about it." She said with a smile, pulling the metal pot out of her pack. "Cram okay?"

"No. I am distracted by you. I want to touch you and watch you. I want to make you smile and to listen to you laugh and talk and sing. It is frustrating." He told her.

She blinked at the neon pink cubes of gelatinous goop that plopped into the pot.

"Charon!" She whined happily. "That's... Really flattering. Like the best thing I've ever had anyone say." She sat the pot by the fire and moved over to him. He looked nervous as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"These feelings distract me from my obligations." He told her.

"Your obligations?" She asked sweetly, grinding her hips against his.

"I am bound by my contract to protect you and defend you to the best of my abilities. I have failed you already." He said sharply.

"How? I'm here, I'm alive, I'm great." She argued.

"You nearly died from an overdose. It was almost too late before I realized what you had done." He reminded her.

"You can't save me from everything." She sighed, releasing him. She dug around in her pack and pulled out a large metal spoon, two tin plates and forks.

"I must." He told her as she dished out the food. She handed him a plate wordlessly.

"Thank you." He grumbled softly. They ate quickly, and she rinsed the utensils and plates with water.

He didn't complain when she took his hand and squeezed it tightly before resuming their journey. They ran out of road and started walking through the brush.

"We aren't far. I think I see the shack" She said after a few hours. "All she said was that Raul was smaller than you and wore a strange outfit."

"Evelyn stop." Charon barked suddenly. She complied immediately. "Deathclaws!" He hissed. Evelyn didn't see anything. She scanned the distance but still saw nothing.

"Where?!" She asked.

"They have spotted us!" He snarled. "Run for the shack now. Do not stop, no matter what!"

She saw them then, running at her full tilt. There were four of them. She pulled her gauss rifle off of her back while Charon fired away.

"Evelyn there is no time! Run!" He bellowed. She hesitated for a split second before firing at the closest deathclaw. It went down with a thud. "Evelyn please!" The panic in his voice scared her. She stopped trying to reload and ran for the shack. She ran as fast as she could and a ghoul threw open his door as she approached.

"Inside señorita!" He shouted, tearing towards the deathclaws. She slammed the door behind her and slid to the floor trembling. The gunfire only lasted two minutes at the most. She rose to her feet and opened the door hesitantly. There were no deathclaws waiting outside of it to eat her face off. That was a good sign.

She stepped outside and noticed the strange ghoul leaning over a motionless figure.

"Charon!" She screamed. She ran towards him. She threw herself to her knees. This was bad. There's was so much blood. "Oh god. Fuck fuck FUCK!" She screamed in panic. He let out a weak cough. She mentally shook herself and dumped out her pack, scattering food and medical supplies. She used a combat knife to cut his armor off of him quickly. It was shredded anyway. She poured a bottle of water out to clean as much blood off of his as she could. It didn't help very much.

She jammed a stimpak into the flesh around each gash she found. And she found a lot. She dipped one of her tank tops into vodka. "Charon, baby? This is gonna hurt but I've gotta clean you up before I sew you up okay?" She explained in a high pitched voice. He didn't respond. He had passed out. She began to wash all his wounds with the vodka soaked shirt and cringed at how large the wounds were. The tissue over his left collarbone was shredded.

"Find me my Med-X please!" She ordered the ghoul that was still hovering nearby. He nodded and began searching the grass while she started stitching Charon up.

"This is all I could find!" He told her, handing her three syringes. She administered them into the meat of Charons thigh. She quickly wrapped him in all the bandages she had. She stuffed all her supplies back into her pack quickly.

"Can you help me carry him to the shack?" She asked the stranger. He hesitated a moment before nodding.

"I can try. He's a big guy." He told her in an accent she had never heard before. "I'll get his shoulders, you get his legs yeah?" He asked.

"Yeah. Please be careful, his shoulder is torn up pretty bad." She instructed. As gently as they could, they lifted him up and slowly carried him to the shack. She knew it was the adrenaline making this possible, and just barely. They lowered him onto the only bed in the shack. His breathing was shallow, but steady. She turned to the stranger.

"You did a good job at patching him up. Not a lot of people would do that for a ghoul." He told her.

"Are you Raul?" She asked, eyeing his strange outfit. He wore a large hat with a wide upturned brim that tied under his chin, dark brahminskin pants and a matching jacket with flat shoulders.

"That I am. But you have this old man at a disadvantage. I don't know who you are." He said with a smirk.

"My name is Evelyn. That's Charon. We came here to deliver a letter from Amaya." She told him.

"Ahh. Something bad happen?" He asked.

"She took her own life. How did you know?" She asked.

"The boss didn't make a habit of letting other people take care of her business. You got that letter?" He asked. She handed it to him.

"Sorry it's so wrinkled." She apologized, stroking Charons cheek.

"Eh. I can still read it just fine. Well, it'd be better if it was in Spanish but what can you do?" He joked. Evelyn just stared at him blankly. "Never mind. Your friend gonna be okay?"

"I hope so." She whispered. "Thank you for helping him."

"Don't worry your pretty little head. I heard him yelling for you to run. Figured he couldn't be all that bad." Raul dismissed.

"He's a wonderful man." She said with a small smile.

"That so?" He asked her. He smiled at her.

"Yeah. Arcade Gannon wants you to meet him and everyone else at the Lucky 38." She told him.

"I can do that." Raul said simply. He grabbed a pack by the door and grinned at her. "Take care of mi casa."

"What? You're leaving NOW?" She asked.

"May as well." He said with a shrug. "Stay as long as you need. Thanks for the letter."

"Thank you Raul. You saved Charon." She whispered.

"Señorita, it was my pleasure. Warms my old bones to see love in this place." Raul said, pausing to look at her. "Those big eyes of yours remind me of someone I used to know." Then, he was gone.

Evelyn sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Charons cheek. His breathing was coming easier, but was still somewhat shallow.

"I hope you wake up soon." She told him. "But don't worry. I'm going to take care of you. We don't have any more Med-X but plenty of everything else."

"I am awake." Charon grumbled, his eyes still closed. Evelyn yelped.

"Jesus! You scared the shit outta me." She complained, before her expression softened. "Can I get you anything?"

"Water please." He said quietly. "Irradiated."

"Baby I've got plenty of purified water. Don't worry." She assured him.

"Irradiated is better. Helps." He coughed out.

"Oh-kay?" She said, pulling out a bottle of cloudy water. "Here. But take it slow okay?" She said, holding it to his lips. He drank gratefully, and pulled away with a low sigh.

"Thank you." He told her. He finally opened his eyes, his faded blue eyes locking onto hers.

"Of course. Thank you for killing those deathclaws." She said with a small smile.

"You are my employer." He said, sounding tired.

"I hate that fucking contract." She sighed.

"I would have done the same thing without the contract." He mumbled, drifting back to sleep.

"I love you Charon." She said quietly. She took his hand and he squeezed it gently, before falling back to sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The Med-X wore off in the early morning. The sunlight had just started to stream in. Charon awoke with a quiet groan. His entire body hurt. Through the fog of pain he realized Evelyn was fast asleep next to him, sitting up. She was holding his large hand in both of hers. With every ounce of energy he could muster, he rolled over on his side. He hissed in agony quietly. Evelyn didn't stir.

"Evelyn." He grumbled. Nothing. "Evelyn!" He barked. She jerked awake.

"Wha? Hmm? Charon!" She jumped. "What's wrong? You okay?" She asked.

"As well as could be expected." He said flatly. "Please lay with me?" He asked softly. She squinted, trying to make out his features.

"I don't want to hurt you." She whispered, as if someone could hear her confession. She wanted nothing more than to curl up next to him and lay her head on his chest. She wanted the comfort of his heartbeat to reassure her that she wasn't alone.

"Please?" He repeated. She had never heard him use this tone.

She crawled into the bed as carefully as she could, wincing when she moved the mattress too much. At last, she was laying on her side, facing him. Even in the dim light, she could see the pain etched into his worn features.

"I need you closer." He said. Her heart thudded at his choice of words. There was no question, just a simple statement. It seemed innocent enough, and if anyone else had said it, she wouldn't have given it a second thought. But Charon never minced words.

She moved closer, and he immediately put his arm around her. She sighed happily.

"Do you need anything?" She whispered.

"You are all I need." He said quietly, stroking her back.

"I love you." She said, feeling giddy.

"And I love you." He said. She shivered. Hearing him say that nearly took her breath away.

"Charon?" She asked.

"Yes?" He replied.

"You sounded scared today." She said. "You didn't think we were going to make it did you?"

He sighed. "I was almost certain that I would not. That is why I told you to run. But you refused and I feared that you would be killed. That idea terrified me." He admitted.

"Dying doesn't scare you? Not even a little?" She asked.

"No. I was protecting you. If we had both run, the deathclaws would have easily made their way into this shack. I could only hope that I would provide them with a distraction." He told her.

"You can't just do that shit. You don't get to sacrifice yourself. I hate that contract." She grumbled.

"Today had nothing to do with my contract. I would have done the same thing if my contract did not exist." He told her, groaning in pain as he tried to adjust himself into a more comfortable position.

"Why? You know that's insane right?" She asked, running her fingertips across his cheek. She took immense pleasure in the smile that ghosted over his lips as she did so.

"I love you. Is that not reason enough?" He replied with a pained smirk, his eyes closed.

"I love you too, and I would really prefer if you were alive." She chided him. "If Raul hadn't come along, I'd be all alone. You'd leave me all alone in a strange place? Who would protect me?" She challenged. Her voice had risen unintentionally.

"You have made your point Evelyn." He sighed. "I will do my best to remain alive."

"Are you being sarcastic? Because I'll poke your shoulder." She warned him.

"I would never dream of it." He said, sounding tired.

"You sounded scared when you first came to me." He pointed out.

"I was terrified." She admitted with a small laugh. "There was so much blood and you looked half dead. I carry a lot of medical supplies but your injuries looked severe. They _are_ severe." She corrected herself.

"I felt half dead." He told her. "I was so happy to see you. I was bleeding out and all I wanted to do was kiss you. You have ruined me." He smirked.

"Charon!" She giggled, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"I blame the blood loss." He teased, smiling until he hissed in pain again. Evelyn frowned, hating herself for not buying more Med-X in Jacobstown.

"What do you think about this whole ghoul army thing?" She asked suddenly.

"I am not surprised by it." Charon told her.

"Really?" Evelyn sounded surprised. He played with her hair, running it through his fingers.

"Humans do not treat ghouls well. Is it surprising that they would group together and fight back?" He asked.

"Well, no. But isn't killing all humans a little extreme? If they want equal rights, I get it. But it's not going to help their cause by being violent." She reasoned.

"The prejudice was already there. I see it on the face of every human we meet. They are repulsed by me. Though I have done nothing to deserve such revulsion, it is always there. They do not look past my appearance." Charon noted.

"Would you have joined them? If you had the free will?" She asked.

"In another life, perhaps." He answered honestly.

"You know all these people that we're going to drop letters off to? I think we're helping prepare an army to fight these ghouls." Evelyn told him.

"I had thought of that." He replied with a nod.

"Does it bother you?" She asked.

"No. They are a threat to you. I will not allow anyone to harm you." Charon replied fiercely.

"I thought I was done with wars." She sighed.

"War never changes." Charon stated.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Charon was whimpering. This fact alone broke Evelyn's heart. Fast asleep, Charon didn't react to her carefully placed, gentle kisses on his chest in an attempt to calm him.

"Charon!" She called quietly. His eyes snapped open and he tried to sit up. He let out a sharp hiss of agony. "Shhhh. Lay there. It's okay. Shhh." She soothed.

"Evelyn." He groaned. "My shoulder burns."

She slipped off the bed quickly to dig for more medical supplies. Her fingers ghosted over something Amaya had given her. She pulled it into the light. It was ridiculous in her opinion. A soda bottle with three small glass tubes taped to it, all connected by what appeared to be medical tubing. It was with all the medical supplies Amaya had given her, so it stood to reason that it was medical too.

She quickly flipped through Amaya's notes until she found a note on crafting something called Hydra. From the description, Evelyn was now holding Hydra, which was composed of cave fungus, nightstalker blood and a radscorpion poison gland. She had no idea what the first two ingredients were. But it was an anesthetic and helped regenerate bone growth. That would ease his pain and help heal the damage to his ribs.

It needed to be administered intravenously. She dug around until she found a few empty syringes. She grimaced when she uncorked the bottle. She drew out a syringe full of the foul smelling liquid and looked at Charon nervously.

"This should help you." She whispered. She kneeled by his side and stabbed the needle into his arm quickly. She swallowed hard as she pushed the plunger down. She quickly removed the needle and refilled it with the remaining Hydra. She sat the full syringe on a small table carefully. "Is it helping?" She asked after a few minutes.

"I feel very strange." He replied slowly, his eyes wide.

"Strange how? Like you're dying strange?" She asked nervously, checking his pulse. It seemed normal.

"I cannot feel my... Self." He said. He looked curious. "I can move, I think." He lifted his arm slowly, flexing his fingers like he had never seen them before.

"No, don't move. You need to rest. You need to tell me if you start having trouble breathing or you start blacking out." She ordered sternly.

"I will. May I have some water?" He asked, still mesmerized by his own hands.

"Of course baby." She said quickly, grabbing the half finished bottle from earlier. She held it up to his lips and he drank deeply. He finished the bottle and smiled at her.

"Thank you." He said softly. "Do you have plans for today?"

She let out an incredulous laugh. "No. We're here until you heal. At least a week. If not more."

"Good." He stated simply.

"I wouldn't force you to keep moving while you were hurt." She stated, looking hurt.

"I would kill another deathclaw for a week with you all to myself." He teased. She stared at his grin in shock. She moved closer with narrowed eyes.

"Are you _high_?" She asked, peering at his pupils. "You ARE!" She confirmed.

"I feel good." He said with a small shrug. "Will you lay with me?"

"I should make you something to eat." Evelyn said with a small smile. The clear disappointment on his face made her heart skip a beat. She kissed his worn cheek.

She busied herself with warming up some Dandy Boy Apples in a metal skillet that she found on a shelf. She added water to the skillet and watched the apple slices rehydrate. The smell of cinnamon and sugar hit the air and her stomach rumbled in response. She added more water and another box of apples. Once they were softened, she began to mash them with a large metal spoon and turned off the burner. She scooped two servings into a large bowl, deciding she and Charon could share.

"Apple mush for breakfast!" She called happily, sitting next to him.

"Applesauce." Charon said, peering into the bowl.

"What?" She asked absently, filling the spoon for him.

"That is applesauce." He told her, taking the bite she offered him. "Before the war, it was called applesauce." He told her with his mouth full.

"How do you know that?" She asked, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head. "Did you remember that?" She looked ecstatic.

"Yes. My grandmother used to make applesauce." He told her, waiting patiently for the next bite.

"Oh my god!" She squealed. "You remember!" She bounced a little and clapped her hands.

"Remember?" He asked, growing impatient and reaching for the spoon himself. She swatted his hand away and scooped up the food for him. He ate it happily.

"Do you remember me buying your contract?" She asked. He tilted his head to the side and thought.

"I do not." Charon declared. Evelyn's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"Do you remember dancing with me in Big Town?" She asked hopefully.

"I do not dance." He growled, scowling.

"You did that night." She assured him, stuffing his mouth with apples, before eating some herself.

"You should eat the rest." He told her. When she began to shake her head he raised his hand. "I am full." She scarfed down the rest of the bowl quickly, but couldn't bring herself to be embarrassed. She rinsed it off in the sink and returned to the bed.

"You have told me that we have been intimate." He stated suddenly, giving her a sly grin.

"Do you remember that?" She asked with raised eyebrows, as she watched him play with her hair.

"I remember you telling me that we have, not being intimate." He told her, combing his fingers through her hair. "Your hair. I like it very much."

She couldn't help but laugh. "You've actually told me that before. I need to cut it."

His fingers wrapped around the hair in his palm. "Do not cut it." He stated, but there was a quiet plea behind it.

"Okay. For you, I won't." She agreed with a smile, kissing his cheek. He pulled her closer and kissed her roughly. "Charon!" She protested. "You're hurt!"

"I do not hurt right now." He argued, kissing her again. "I have wanted to kiss you since you were screaming profanities at the sight of my blood yesterday."

"That was a fuckton of blood!" She exclaimed.

"Yes. It was. But I am much better now." He agreed, kissing her neck. She was suddenly very aware that he was unclothed aside from his boxers.

"Charon. You're _hurt_." She insisted. He ignored her, nipping at her neck. She sighed softly, tilting her head back to give him better access. "You're impossible." She told him. She felt him smile into the crook of her neck.

"You are the most incredible thing I have ever felt." He rumbled, trailing his hand across her hip.

"That doesn't even make sense!" She giggled, his teeth grazing her earlobe.

"This makes no sense, but here we are." He laughed.

"Why doesn't this make sense?" She asked as he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed each individual knuckle.

"You. You are amazing. Heroic. Exquisite. Incredible. Beautiful. Intelligent. I am a ghoul." He said simply, looking at her with such sincerity she didn't know what to say at first.

"You're amazing. Selfless. Smart. Protective. Gorgeous. You're _my_ ghoul. And more importantly, I'm _your_ human." She told him. "Now, you're going to sleep. You're hurt. You need your rest." She insisted, pulling away from him.

"Do not leave me." He plead softly. "Please."

"I'm not going anywhere. Just get some sleep." She relented, scooting closer. He slipped his fingers between hers and closed his eyes. She followed suit.

"You should marry me." He grumbled sleepily.

"What?!" She asked, her eyes flying open.

"Is that distasteful to you?" He asked, his eyes opening slowly.

"Yes. I mean no. It's not distasteful. Yes, I will marry you. When you ask me when you're sober. Properly." She told him with a smile.

"I am happy." Charon sighed, closing his eyes again.

"Me too." Evelyn whispered to him.

She slipped off the bed and over to their bags. She needed to update the inventory in her Pip-Boy. She frowned as she dug through her well worn pack. Charons bandages would need to be changed and she didn't have any more. She would have to cut some of her shirts up and sew them together. She had done it before, but wasn't keen on doing it again.

She set to inventorying Charons pack and almost screamed in delight. She had forgotten about the medical supplies he had gotten from Jacobstown. Bandages and stimpaks. Both would help her take care of the ghoul sleeping peacefully. She finished taking inventory and sat on the bed next to him.

Not for the first time, her eyes swept over his form, trying to imagine him with skin. He must have been devastatingly handsome. He had high, angular cheekbones and a strong jawline. His eyes were closed, but she imagined the faded blue orbs had once been bright and clear. A lot of his hair was gone, but the patches that remained were a beautiful shade of auburn. His muscles were defined, but not excessive. He had earned the definition through activity, rather than an attempt to gain it.

She thought about what she would look like as a ghoul and wrinkled her nose. Her lightly tanned skin would fall away, her small upturned nose would be gone. Her long blond hair would fall out of her head. Her full lips... She cringed, vowing that she would avoid excessive radiation. She knew it was shallow. But she was fond enough of her appearance that she didn't want it to change so drastically.

She pulled out her brush and ripped the snarls from her long hair unceremoniously. She stripped down to her tank top and panties, glancing at Charon to make sure he was still asleep. He was. She turned the ancient sink on and slowly began washing the grime off herself. Then she returned to her pack and dug out the green sundress she had worn in Big Town. She slipped it on and waited.

Charon woke up an hour later. As he blinked the sleep from his eyes, they adjusted and rested on Evelyn. She watched his eyes travel up and down her body, and he finally met her eyes.

"You are not real." He grunted, looking sad.

"What?" She asked with a laugh, moving closer.

"Are you?" He asked, looking surprised.

"Of course I'm real you weirdo. No more Hydra for you." She giggled, sitting on the bed.

"I was dreaming. I still had skin. We were in a big city. You were on a stage, dancing. You wore all white. It had something to do with birds and a lake." He rambled on.

"Definitely no more Hydra." She laughed. "I just wanted to surprise you. You liked this dress the last time I wore it." She admitted softly, her cheeks turning red.

"I am sure I did." He grimaced when he tried to lift his hand to her cheek.

"Are you hurting again?" She asked.

"A little." He confessed.

"I'm gonna have to leave and get more supplies." She sighed, frowning. She hated the idea of leaving him alone but she only had one dose of Hydra left and she knew that wouldn't cut it.

"Dressed like that?" He said, sounding alarmed.

"No!" She laughed loudly. "You look so disapproving!" She sighed. "I'll put my armor back on. We aren't that far from a trading company according to the maps. I'll go there, stock up on everything and come right back."

"You should not go out alone." Charon argued, looking very displeased.

"I don't have a choice. You need to get better. I need you to get better." She said, kissing his cheek.

"Stay with me today." He ordered, sounding petulant.

"Of course baby." She agreed, snuggling up to him carefully.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Charon wasn't happy. Now that he had sobered up, he was more reserved and didn't voice his displeasure. But Evelyn could tell just how little he liked the idea of her leaving. She didn't feel bad. She had stayed the entire previous day with him, as he requested. She handed him his shotgun and kissed his cheek. He grunted irritably. She couldn't contain her smile as she walked out the door, swinging her pack onto her back.

She checked her Pip-Boy again, to verify that she was indeed going the right way. She frowned after she had walked only a short distance and found herself sweating. Was it always so damn hot here? She took off her helmet, the light breeze feeling heavenly against her scalp. She would have loved to take off her armor, but she wasn't quite that foolish.

She had been walking for about half an hour before bullets started to whizz past her head. Three men charged at her, and if they hadn't been wielding weapons, Evelyn would have laughed. She had seen some ridiculous things in her life, but these people, they were something else. They wore brahminskin skirts, metal knee guards and the silliest helmet she had ever seen. It looked like a tiny version of the strange goat creatures that roamed the hills and valleys she and Charon had already crossed.

She drew her gauss rifle off of her back with a sigh, but she soon discovered that was an unnecessary action. Three loud shots rang out, and the strange men fell, one after the other. She whipped around, thinking Charon had tailed her, despite her direct order for him not to. Instead, she found herself face to face with a smiling man. Or more accurately, she found herself staring at his chest. This man was huge. Bigger than Charon.

"Hello." He said simply, flashing her a wide smile. He had short black hair and bright blue eyes. She had never seen anything that blue. His skin was tanned lightly, stubble indicating that he hadn't shaved in a few days. His nose was a little crooked, and he had a long scar running from the corner of his left eye, down to his chin.

"Hello." She replied awkwardly, when she realized that she had been staring. "Thanks for the assist."

"Aww shit, that's okay. I hate ta see a lady in trouble." He said in his incredibly deep voice. He had the same accent that Amaya had, she realized. "Ya looked a lil surprised to see the fiends."

"Is that what they're called? I thought they were just crazy." She laughed, quickly sweeping her hair into a bun.

He grinned. "Well, they're crazy too. But yep. Fiends." He said. "M'names Vincent. What's yers?"

"Evelyn. Nice to meet you Vincent." She replied, offering him her hand. He took it after a moment of hesitation.

"Where ya headed Miss Evelyn?" He asked conversationally.

"Crimson Caravan Trading Company." She replied, reading off the Pip-Boy. "I need to restock my supplies."

He tilted his head to the side. "Would ya mind terribly if I walked with ya? I could use some supplies m'self and I admit, I'm a little lost." He asked, laughing quietly.

"I'd love some company." She said, returning his smile. His pleasantry was infectious. "Don't you have a map?" She asked, as they resumed walking.

"Not really. I jus' arrived here about six months ago, so I'm makin my own map. Took damn near six months to get here as it was, but I made it." He replied.

"Six months? Where are you from?" She asked, glancing at him curiously.

"Texas ma'am." He replied proudly. "Followed m'wife here."

"Won't your wife be missing you?" Evelyn asked.

"No she sure won't. By the time I got here, fella had shot her in the head." He responded.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" Evelyn gasped.

"Oh she ain't dead or nothin. Least not far as I know. She just don't remember me at all." He assured her.

"That's still awful for you. I'm sorry that happened. She didn't want to give it a shot?" Evelyn asked, immediately regretting her choice of words.

Vincent laughed. "Naw. She seemed happy. See, our families got together when we were real young, twelve or thirteen, an decided that she an I would get married an our farmsteads could join together. So that's what we did." He explained.

"You got married when you were twelve?" She asked incredulously.

"Surely did. Didn't live together til we were fifteen though." He said. "She never took to me. I thought it was cuz I'm so big ya know, always knocking stuff over and such. But when I got here, she had shacked up with a woman. She seemed so happy, I didn't even have the heart to ask her to go back to Texas with me. Guess I just stuck around 'cause I like it here well enough."

Evelyn halted and stared at him. "That's really... Something." She said. He smiled.

"Yeah. How 'bout you? You married?" He asked. She started walking again with a small smile.

"Not yet. But he asked." She revealed, and she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

"Congratulations!" He whooped. "Hey, is that what we're lookin for there?" He asked, pointing with his shotgun.

"Looks like it!" She said excitedly, picking up her pace. She ran towards the large compound. Vincent kept up with her easily. She reached a large door, where a guard was standing.

"Hi, I'm um, here to trade?" She asked uncertainly. The man just stared at her.

"The lady is here to trade. Ya gonna let us in?" Vincent asked pleasantly, drawn up to his full height. Despite his easy smile, he looked incredibly intimidating.

"Yeah, yeah of course." The man scrambled to pull open the heavy door for them.

"Thanks!" Evelyn called with a smile as they walked in. The guard just nodded, staring at Vincent. That wasn't the only stare they got either. Evelyn was reminded of the looks she got when she traveled with Fawkes.

They approached a black man with a red bandana tied around his neck that was standing by a large amount of supplies.

"Hi, I'm here to buy all the medical supplies you have?" Evelyn said.

The man looked her up and down, before his eyes rested on Vincent. "If you've got the caps, I've got the supplies." He told her.

Soon, Evelyn was loaded down with all the bandages, stimpaks, Med-X, alcohol and Radaway that the man had. Vincent bought all the food and water the man had.

"Thank you kindly." He told the clearly alarmed man. He received a nod.

"Mind if I walk ya home? Don't like the idea of ya travelin all alone. Dunno why yer man let ya out alone." He told her as they started walking back towards Raul's Shack.

"He's hurt." She admitted. "That's why I needed these medical supplies. Gotta get him back to his gorgeous self." She giggled.

He nodded. "When I heard my wife had been hurt, I was sick. I couldn't believe she ran all the way here, then got shot. Things was supposed to be better here." He told her, looking troubled. "I wasn't the best husband. But that don't mean I wouldn't have got her here safely."

"Didn't you know she was leaving?" Evelyn asked, her brown eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Didn't know til I got the letter. She thought I'd try an stop her I guess. Dunno why she thought that. I never did anythin to her. Did my best to make sure she had everythin she wanted. In all them years I never touched her. M'brother kep' askin why we never had no kids." He looked at Evelyn with a mournful look on his face. "I just figured if I was good to her, she'd want..." He trailed off.

"You never had sex with your wife?" Evelyn gaped at him.

"She never wanted to. Certainly wasn't gonna force 'er. She already got forced to marry me. Couldn't take anything else from her." He said.

He blinked in surprise when Evelyn wrapped her arms around him. "She didn't deserve you." She told him firmly.

"I dunno about all that. I can't blame her. I jist wanted her to be happy." He said with a small smile. "But Amaya always had her eye on the horizon."

She froze. "You've got to fucking be kidding me." She snarled, looking up to the heavens.

"What?" Vincent asked curiously. Evelyn grimaced, unsure of what to say.

"Your wife? Was she a redhead?" Evelyn asked carefully.

Vincent smiled. "She sure is. Met her?" He asked. "How is she? Haven't seen her since I first got here."

Evelyn chewed on her bottom lip, looking up at Vincent, as she tried to come up with the right way to break the news. His smile fell. "She's dead ain't she?" He asked.

Evelyn just nodded, touching his forearm gently. "But she was happy. I promise. She loved Veronica. She was a hero." She told him.

"I had heard that." He said softly. "Thank ya for tellin me. Guess it's time to move on."

"Go to the Lucky 38 in New Vegas. Tell Arcade Gannon that Evelyn sent you, that it's important that you stay there until I get there." She decided suddenly.

"M'not much for gamblin." He remarked. She hated the slump in his shoulders.

"I promise, you'll be glad you went." Evelyn said.

"Well, I'd like to get ya back home in one piece afore I do anythin else." He told her with a small smile.

She pointed at the shack in the distance. "That's me there." She told him. They approached the shack carefully, making sure that nothing hostile was lurking around.

She opened the door and sighed happily, Charon was sitting up in bed. Vincent suddenly threw her behind him and pointed his shotgun at Charon. She squeaked in displeasure.

"Who are ya and where is Evelyn's man?" He barked sharply, pumping his shotgun with one hand.

With a grimace, Charon rose and leveled his own shotgun at the hulking man in front of his employer, his Evelyn. "Get away from her." He snarled.

"Charon!" Evelyn yelled. "Vincent no! That's him! That's my husband!" She swallowed. "Almost!" She amended. Vincent lowered his weapon immediately. Evelyn pushed past him and ran to Charons side, forcing him to sit back down. He grunted in pain. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"My apologies. I wasn't quite expectin a..." Vincent trailed off.

"Goul." She finished for him angrily.

"I didn't mean to offend." He said, his hands raised.

"I love him. And I think he's the most handsome man alive." She said fiercely.

"I ain't here to judge anyone's marriage. Lord knows mine was a damn joke." Vincent said, looking contrite. Her anger softened.

"It wasn't a joke. You were a good husband." She told him. "And I'm sure you will be again."

She turned to Charon and pulled the Med-X from her bag. "Here you go baby." She told him, dosing him quickly. "I'll change your bandages in a bit."

"I have missed you." He told her quietly, keeping a wary eye on their visitor.

She kissed him softly. "I missed you too."

"Charon, this is Vincent." She said, straightening up. "Vincent, Charon."

"Nice ta meet ya Charon." Vincent said with a polite wave. Charon inclined his head. "Yer perdy beat up. What happened?"

Evelyn smiled at Charon brightly. "He protected me from deathclaws." She chirped, proud on Charons behalf.

"Ain't no small feat there." Vincent said, smiling. "Well Miss Evelyn, I'd best be off. I'll see ya in Vegas."

"See you in Vegas Vincent. Remember, Arcade Gannon." She reminded him.

"Gannon." He repeated. "Was nice meetin ya Charon." He called before closing the door behind him.

"Who was he?" Charon growled, enveloping her in his large arms.

"Amaya's husband actually." She told him, nuzzling his neck. "He helped me out on the way to get the supplies."

"I should have been with you." He growled as she nibbled on his jawline.

"Mmm but then you'd be wearing clothes." She whispered. She was rewarded with a shiver running up his spine. "I like when you're only wearing boxers. She trailed her fingers down his chest. "But I like it better when you're not wearing anything."

Charon growled. "You first."

She never took her eyes off of him as her clothes hit the floor.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

"Are you sure that you're up to this?" Evelyn asked Charon, a worried expression on her face. Charon was irritated. She had asked that question six times already. His clenched his fists and sighed. He tucked a tendril of hair that had escaped her bun behind her ear. It had been six days since she had returned with a giant man in tow and he was feeling much better.

"I am certain. Hidden Valley is a great distance from here. We should leave now if we hope to arrive within the next two days." He insisted. She sighed and followed him out the door.

He was wrong. It took them three days to reach Hidden Valley, and when they did Evelyn wanted to howl with rage. There was absolutely nothing there, besides a giant dust storm.

"No fucking way. The map says this guy lives in the middle of all of this shit." She snapped, smacking her hand against the ancient chain link fence. It rattled, but could barely be heard over the howling wind. "How is there only wind in one spot? That makes no sense!"

"Perhaps something in the area is creating the wind?" Charon suggested. Evelyn didn't reply, as she was digging around in her pack. She pulled out two long brown scarves.

"Cover your mouth and nose. Not sure what we're gonna do about our eyes but oh the fuck well." She snarled, wrapping a scarf around her face. He did as she asked, wanting to offer her some sort of comfort. But he sensed any attempts at placating her wouldn't be welcomed.

Narrowing their eyes, they braved the fierce dust storm until they stumbled upon an old world bunker. The concrete structure was covered in ancient graffiti, sentiments of love and anti-war propaganda. Evelyn wasted no time throwing open the old steel doors and taking shelter within. Charon shut the door behind them, and the sounds of the storm faded to a whisper.

Evelyn whipped the scarf off her face and thrust it back into her bag. She dug around a bit until she pulled out a pair of necklaces. Charon recognized them as Brotherhood holotags. He was surprised, but said nothing as she put them around her neck. She crossed the room and pressed the intercom speaker next to another large door.

"Hello?" She asked. She was met with silence. "I'm looking for Elder Nolan?" She continued. The speaker crackled to life.

"Repeat that?" A voice hissed out, slightly scratchy, but loud.

"I'm looking for Elder Nolan?" Evelyn replied. After a long pause the door opened and she found herself at the end of a gauss rifle's barrel. Charon growled and stepped forward. She held up her hand and he halted, glaring at the man before them.

"Identify yourself!" Snapped the rifles owner. He was a tall, handsome man. He wore power armor, but wasn't wearing the helmet. His brown eyes were narrowed at her, suspiciously.

"Knight Evelyn Evans." She stated firmly, her gaze never wavering. "Lyons Pride Elite, under Sentinel Sarah Lyons. D.C. Division."

The man lowered his weapon, staring at her in surprise. "You're a long way from home Knight Evans." He said quietly.

"I am, sir." She agreed politely.

"Paladin Ramos. Head of Security." He introduced himself stiffly. "You said you were looking for someone?"

Evelyn nodded. "Elder Nolan. I have a letter for him, sir." She replied. Charon was surprised to say the least. She sounded and behaved every inch the dedicated soldier.

"Elder McNamara." The paladin corrected. "I will take you to him. Who is the ghoul following you?"

"Thank you sir. My companion is named Charon." She said flatly. Ramos nodded.

"Follow me."

They made their way through a bunker that put Evelyn on edge more than she cared to admit. This place looked so much like Raven Rock it made her feel sick. She fought the urge to look to Charon for comfort. She had to play the stoic Knight. She spared one glance back at him. He was looking around them with narrowed eyes.

They reached a dark room, where an older man sat, staring at a terminal. He looked up when they entered the room. He looked tired. His hair was white, skin tanned, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"Elder, this Knight has come a long way to deliver a letter." Ramos said.

"Thank you Ramos." Nolan even sounded tired as he dismissed the paladin.

"Sir." Evelyn stated, stepping forward. "Knight Evelyn Evans. I'm here to deliver a message from a woman named Amaya."

"Thank you Knight Evans. I must admit, I am surprised the courier would send someone in her stead." The Elder stated, accepting the wrinkled paper. He turned on a small light and read through the letter quickly.

"This is troubling news. What part do you play in this?" He asked.

"I'm just delivering letters sir. Trying to help any way I can." Evelyn said simply.

"Why?" Nolan asked. "This isn't your fight."

Evelyn sighed. "It never is."

The Elder nodded as if he understood. "Thank you for bringing me this letter. I trust that your duty has concluded and that you will move on?" He asked.

"Almost. Arcade Gannon has requested that I ask all the people who received letters to meet him in New Vegas, at the Lucky 38." She informed him.

"This isn't our fight either." Nolan remarked, his eyebrows raised.

"I was under the impression that it was everyones fight sir." Evelyn argued.

"We rarely interfere with the things that go on beyond our doors Knight. Helping these Wastelanders does nothing for us, we gain nothing. Therefore, we will do nothing."

"Do what you want. There are cowards in every fight." Evelyn said softly, her tone dangerous.

"You mistake me Knight Evans, for someone who can be goaded. We will not take part in this war. Thank you for the letter. Goodbye." He said sharply. Evelyn nodded tersely.

She didn't say anything until they were far from the bunkers, and within sight of a small town. "Amaya's notes say that we can sleep here." She bit out. He didn't say anything. She was clearly irate. She lead him to a small house and carefully pushed the door open.

"Hello?" She called into the house. He placed a large hand on her shoulder gently, and she whipped her head to the side to glare at him. He wasn't cowed in the least.

"Wait here, while I check the premises for threats." He ordered.

"Charon, I'm fucking tired. I'm not waiting for you to look for the boogeyman." She shrugged his hand off her shoulder.

He pushed her against the doorframe pinning her arms roughly and kissed her. She struggled for a moment, before she melted into him. He released her immediately. She looked up at him, her expression a mixture of anger and confusion.

"I am checking the premises for threats. You will wait here." He told her sternly, stomping into the house. She waited for him to return.

"All clear." He grunted. She nodded, and walked quietly behind him, as he showed her to the bedroom. She stripped down and slid onto the dingy mattress with a soft sigh.

"I want to change your bandages." She told him. "It's been too long."

"I would appreciate it. My injuries have begun to itch." He admitted quietly.

"That's good. Means they're healing." She said absently, as she unwound the bandages from his chest and arms. "They're looking really good actually. You'll have some new scars."

"Am I too deformed for your liking?" He asked quietly. She rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips for the first time in days.

"You're all I like most of the time." She told him, securing his fresh bandages. "Can you believe that asshole? He's just going to hide in his hole in the ground while the rest of these people fight."

"Fear deters many men from being great." Charon said cryptically.

"I guess. Tomorrow, we have to go get as many supplies as we can carry. We're going to Zion. It's a long trip. But once we talk to Joshua, we get to go all the way to Vegas. So yay for that long ass trip." Evelyn grumbled.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

"We aren't too far now." Evelyn gasped, hating how sweaty she was. Charon nodded, handling the heat a little bit better than she was. "I see... Something up there? Looks like a little camp. We can rest there for a little while."

"As you wish." Charon replied flatly, not hinting in the slightest that he was exhausted and overheated.

They approached the camp and Charon was uneasy. The camp was empty, but had been very recently abandoned. The charred remains of a fire were still warm. Footprints in the dust were fresh. Evelyn plopped down with a happy sigh, ignoring his discomfort.

"The Northern Passage is right up there." She pointed at a large rock formation and tossed him a bottle of water. He followed her gaze as he drank the whole bottle of cloudy water. "Amaya's notes say that there's tons of clean water there. I'm so excited. I need a bath like you wouldn't believe. I bet you'll feel better after a bath." She shot him a sly grin. He growled and felt a very different heat shoot through him.

"Evelyn." He grumbled. She hefted herself to her feet and moved closer, but still out of his reach. She wiggled her hips and grinned at him.

"You can help me wash up when we get there." She offered. He smiled up at her, and she found herself flushing. He looked... Happy. Her breath caught when she realized that she had seen that expression before. In an old, faded photograph that her father had always kept close. The same photograph she had taken from his body and was resting in the pack by her feet. Her mother was looking straight at the photographer, beaming. Her father was looking at his wife with the same expression that Charon wore on his face in that moment. She shivered despite the heat, and leaned down to kiss him.

"I love you." She whispered.

"And I love you." He replied, his hand brushing her cheek.

Reluctantly, she pulled away from him. "We've gotta get moving." She told him. He nodded and rose to his feet. He pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. She smiled and snuggled into him for a moment.

They found the large cave easily, and didn't hesitate before entering. Evelyn turned on her Pip-Boy light and gasped. In front of them, next to a footlocker was a cage containing a corpse.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" She yelped, moving forward for a better look. The dead man was completely nude and looked as if he had been tortured, quite recently. "Who would do this?" She whispered.

Before Charon could reply, the corpse let out a quiet moan. Evelyn screamed and fell backwards, landing on her butt. Charon went to pick her up, and they were attacked.

Two ghouls descended upon them with machetes, but paused when they saw Charon. Charon took advantage of their hesitation and shot the smaller man in the head. He fell back with a thump. The larger ghoul disarmed Charon quicker than Evelyn could track. He threw his machete to the side and grinned at Charon.

"I never liked him anyway." He rasped. "The revolution has begun my friend. A new world order is in the making. Join us." He growled, charismatically. He kicked Evelyn in the head and her vision went blurry. She heard Charon roar.

When her eyes finally refocused, she couldn't believe them. Charon and their attacker were engaged unarmed combat so skilled, it was graceful. The stranger blocked and countered every move Charon made. She had never seen anyone with that amount of skill. They mirrored one another as they traded blows that would have shattered bones if they had landed. The grin never left the strangers face. They backed away from each other, catching their breath, circling one another.

The stranger tilted his head to the side suddenly and barked out "Unit XOS Soldier, Identify yourself!"

"Sergeant First Class Liam Montgomery RA16-989-597." Charon replied immediately.

"I knew it!" The stranger laughed. Evelyn tried to rise to her feet, but her head was swimming.

Charon charged the stranger but the man just laughed and said "Jay Seven Niner Ex Zero Niner Four Golf."

Charon dropped to the ground instantly. Evelyn screamed and crawled over to him. The stranger just watched.

Charon was completely still, his eyes wide open. He didn't respond to her touch, or her gentle pleas. "What did you do to him?!" She shrieked at the stranger.

"I freed him human. I killed his programming. Like you should have done long ago. But of course, typical smoothskin, you kept him enslaved. I'll kill you for him." The stranger said with a crazed smile.

She scooted back as fast as she could, as he advanced on her. "Get the fuck away from me!" She screamed in panic. "Charon! Please!" She wailed as the ghouls hand closed around her neck. He squeezed and her vision began to fade around the edges, before going black.

She awoke to Charon staring at her. She coughed weakly and reached up her hand to touch his cheek. He flinched away from her. She tried to say his name, but her throat hurt too much. He sat a bottle of water by her and looked at her nervously. He slid the pack off his back and set it by her feet.

"I must go." He told her quietly. With great effort, she shook her head no. He paid her no mind as he walked away.

It took her nearly an hour to get up and move around. She drank the water he left and moved over to the cage. She pulled it open and touched the man inside gently. He screamed shrilly and she pulled her hand back quickly. She dug around in her pack, pulling out her medical supplies. She saw the ghoul that had attacked her a few feet away, his neck at an odd angle. She knew he was dead.

She kneeled down and dosed the man in the cage with Med-X. He whimpered in protest. After a few minutes he opened his eyes and began to tremble.

"I have to get you out of there." She whispered softly.

"No! Please! No more!" He begged, tears filling his pale blue eyes.

"It's going to be okay." She soothed, pulling him out. He wailed and tried to curl up in a ball.

"Please no more. I beg of you. Please." He cried.

"Honey no. Shhhh. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you." She tried to calm him. She began applying stimpaks to his more severe wounds. She tried to straighten him out.

"Noooooo." He moaned.

"Please, let me help you. I only want to help you." Evelyn pleaded.

"Evelyn?" A quiet voice asked behind her. She turned around and nearly sobbed aloud when she saw Vincent. "Are yew okay? What happened?"

"I... Help me." Was all she could manage.

"A'course!" He said, moving forward. He spotted the ghoul in the corner and paused. "That ain't yer man is it?" He asked.

"No." She whimpered. "Please, I need you to hold him down so I can help him."

The injured man took one look at Vincent and screamed again. "NONONONONONOOOOO!"

"Lord, what happened to 'im?" Vincent asked.

"He's been hurt. And he's terrified of me. I need to clean him up and get him comfortable. He's dying." She told him.

"Well, lemme hold 'im. Hey there little man, I'm not gonna hurt you." Vincent squatted down and tried to assure the wounded man. The man continued to thrash and wail. Vincent sighed and punched him in the head, knocking him unconscious. "Sorry." He told Evelyn sheepishly. "But he wasn't gonna cooperate. Dun think I did any damage."

She shrugged. "It works." She set to work, tending to the mans wounds. She frowned. These wounds were serious, but it was clear that they had been made to inflict pain, not disable. She noted in horror that it appeared that someone had flayed off patches of his skin on his back, arms and chest. He might have been handsome before he was tortured. His what little skin he had that wasn't cut bruised or burned was tanned, his nose strong and his cheekbones high.

"He's going to be okay." She announced. Look through that pack for some underwear and a shirt for him." She requested. Vincent complied immediately. He pulled out a pair of Charons boxers and a large gray shirt.

"Lemme help ya get him dressed. Ya did a good job with them stitches." He said, pulling the clothes into the smaller man with ease. He pulled a blanket out and laid the man on it.

He then turned to Evelyn. "Where's yer man?"

She looked at him miserably. "I don't know." She whispered.

"He run out on ya?" Vincent growled.

"Not exactly." She explained the entire situation to Vincent while he set up his bedroll.

"I figger he'll be back soon." Vincent said after a moment.

"I hope so." Evelyn said, rolling out her ow bedding. She wanted to be near the injured man, just in case. "What are you doing here? I thought you were headed to Vegas?"

Vincent scratched his head. "Well, I was gonna. But I wanted ta see Zion Valley. By the time I got here, Amaya was talkin bout her visit there. Said that was were she found happiness. Wanted to see it fer m'self." He told her. "M gonna get rid uh that body. We don't need that in here." He moved towards the corpse and sighed. "There's two of em. Well. Guess I'll get rid of em both."

She watched the mountain of a man easily carry both of the bodies outside in one trip. "Vincent, I want to stay here a while, long enough for this guy to get back on his feet. Would you..." She trailed off.

"I wouldn't even think of leavin ya here on yer own." He assured her, laying down.

"Thank you." She whispered, curling up into her own bedroll. She felt lost and so very alone.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

"NOOOOOOOO! PLEASE NO!" The injured man wailed in terror. Evelyn bolted upright, kneeling beside him quickly.

"Shhhh. It's okay. You're okay. No one is going to hurt you." She soothed, running her hand along his forehead gently. He reached up and clung to her, gasping out sobs. Vincent cleared his throat behind her.

"Ya think his mind is gone?" He asked quietly. She shifted until his head was in her lap. She stroked his hair and made comforting shushing noises until he drifted back to sleep.

"I hope not. I feel horrible for him. I can't believe someone could do this." She replied.

"The dead ghouls... They did this?" Vincent asked with a scowl.

"I think so. Somebody cut off some of his skin." She said.

"That's jist sick." The large man said, his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Yeah. I wonder who he is. He's gotta be tough. Some of his injuries are months old. They were doing this to him for a while." She remarked, examining some of his older injuries.

"Poor bastard." Vincent said. "Well, I'm gonna get back to sleep. It's still perdy early. Ya gonna stay up with 'im?"

"Yeah. Just in case he has any more nightmares." She answered. The injured man was already restless, twitching. He only seemed to calm down when she was petting his cheek or hair.

"I dun think he's gonna stop havin those for a while. They broke him down good." Vincent observed, settling back down onto his bedroll.

Evelyn comforted the injured man for hours. She didn't look up until she heard loud footsteps. Vincent was up in a flash, standing in front of them protectively.

"Evelyn." A familiar voice rasped out.

"Charon?" She asked, peering around Vincent.

"Hey Charon. Good ta see ya again." Vincent said, moving aside. "Miss Evie, why don't you let me take over with our friend here?"

"Be careful." She warned. Vincent lifted the man carefully as he whimpered. He settled onto the ground and rocked the man gently. He looked very uncomfortable as the other man clung to him.

Charon kneeled in front of Evelyn. "I am sorry that I left. I was overwhelmed." He told her.

"Are you okay? What happened?" She asked, reaching for his hand. He took hers gingerly.

"I am no longer in your service." He stated simply.

"He really turned off your programming?" She asked.

"He did. He choked you. I could not move. I thought he had killed you. When I was able to move he told me that he had 'taken care of the slaver for me' and I broke his neck." Charon looked pained. "But you were not dead. You were unconscious. My mind was empty. There were no orders, no programming telling me what to do. I took my contract and I burned it."

"You're free? That's so great!" Evelyn exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "That's all I wanted for you!"

"Do not make me go." Charon said, his faded blue eyes shining with unshed tears.

"What?" Evelyn asked, stunned.

"I know you have found someone else to protect you, but you are all I have." He explained.

"What are you talking about?" She asked. He looked past her to the large man behind her. "Vincent? What? No! He's just heading the same way that we are." She said with an incredulous laugh. "Did you really think I'd just send you away?"

"I was unsure of how you would take my newfound liberation." Charon said, still sounding uneasy.

"Do you love me?" She asked quietly.

"Of course!" He exclaimed, looking confused.

"Good. 'Cause I love you. I thought you fucking left me." She sniffled, letting her tears fall.

"No!" He gave a strangled cry. "Never!" He wrapped his arms around her. "You are everything."

"Don't ever do that again. Please." She begged.

"I will not. I will never leave your side again." He promised.

"You better not." She warned. "Or you have to sleep in your own bedroll."

A snort behind them caused them both to turn and look at Vincent. The large man cleared his throat and mumbled "Sorry."

"Let's get some sleep. I need to be up in a few hours to check on that guy, but I think Vincent has it handled for now." Evelyn told Charon. He nodded and kicked off his boots, and stripped down to his thin shirt and denim pants. They crawled into the bedroll and Evelyn sighed happily. She planted small kisses on his chest and he brought his arms around her. They both fell asleep happy.

If the injured man had a poor reaction to Vincent, his reaction to Charon was infinitely worse. He screamed in absolute horror, begging Evelyn to protect him.

"Shhh sweetheart, I'm right here. No one is going to hurt you. I promise." She cooed. "I'm going to give you more medicine okay? It might sting a little but it'll feel better really quick. I'm right here. Nobody is going to hurt you." She injected the petrified man with Med-X and watched his eyes grow cloudy.

"I frighten him." Charon stated quietly.

"Yeah. Those other ghouls were torturing him. His life isn't in danger anymore but he's still a mess. When he's a little more calm, I'll introduce you. He doesn't like Vincent either." She told him, holding the injured mans hand.

"He likes ya well enough." Vincent broke in. "Must not think a woman is much of a threat."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Or he's noticed that I'm not doing anything to hurt him, and that I patched him up. Sexist jerk." She grumbled.

"Hey there handsome." She cooed at the hurt man. "Can you tell me your name?"

"No. You'll kill me." The man croaked out.

Evelyn's eyes widened. "What? No. Nobody is going to hurt you. I promise." She assured him.

"I was not a good person." He told her miserably.

"That's in the past. Nobody is perfect. You're safe here." Evelyn told the scared man.

"I enslaved women. Burned whole villages. Stole children away from their parents." He told her. The guilt overcame the fear in his blue eyes.

"He's Legion." Vincent growled, rising to his feet. The man squeezed his eyes shut and began to tremble. "Them fuckers killed my wife!" He snarled, moving closer. Evelyn shielded her patient with her body.

"Leave him alone!" She yelled, louder than she intended. "He was locked in a cage when Amaya shot herself."

Vincent stood perfectly still, murderous rage etched on his features. "Ya heard all the shit he said he done. Don't waste yer time on trash like that." He seethed, his jaw clenched.

"He knows he was wrong!" She cried. "Don't you?" She asked, lifting herself off of him.

"I was four years old when I was taken from my family. I have known no other life since. I do not deserve your mercy." The man whispered.

"It's never too late to change. I'm going to help you." Evelyn said firmly. "Do you want my help?"

"I do not deserve it." He replied. Charon knelt down by the smaller man and looked him in the eye. The injured man let out a whimper.

"My name is Charon. I have done things in my past that are not unlike what you have done. I did not find myself deserving of Evelyn's help. But she insisted and I am grateful. Allow her to help you." The large ghoul explained patiently, careful not to make sudden movements.

Vincent cleared his throat. "My wife loved this place. She fought two armies that wanted to destroy it. But it was more than a piece uh land to her. She loved the people, ya know? She seen a lot in these people, makin somethin outta nothin. She came here ta start over. I reckon ya deserve that chance too." He said awkwardly, looking at Evelyn as he spoke. She smiled up at him and mouthed 'thank you'.

"See? You're safe. Can you tell me your name now?" She prodded, squeezing his hand.

The man swallowed and his eyes darted around before he whispered. "Vulpes."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

"It's nice to meet you Vulpes." Evelyn told the man in front of her, with a small smile. He cringed.

"You are probably the only woman who has ever said that to me." His pale blue eyes were wide, even as his face contorted with guilt as he stared at the cave wall.

"I'm sure I won't be the last." Evelyn said, patting his hand. "How long have you been here?"

Vulpes swallowed audibly. "In this cave? I don't remember exactly. But not long." He replied. "I've been in that cage a long time. I lost track of time after four months. That was... A long time ago."

Evelyn frowned. "They dragged you and this cage around? Why?" She asked, her eyes narrowed. She felt a mixture of anger and sadness on his behalf.

"They captured me outside of a camp in Arizona. They killed the rest of my group and used me as a guide. I wish they had killed me too." Vulpes confessed, turning his face away from her. She pretended not to see the tears falling from his eyes.

"I'm glad they didn't." Evelyn whispered softly. "I'm sorry nobody helped you before now."

"You're a fool. I'm a monster and should have died like a dog in the dirt." Vulpes told her miserably, shaking his head.

"I don't think so." She said, smiling at him. He closed his eyes, as if her kindness overwhelmed him.

"Thank you." He told her quietly.

"Vulpes?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yes?" He replied, meeting her eyes slowly.

"The people that hurt you, what do you know about them?" Evelyn asked.

"They are scouts. They've already plagued our- I mean, Legion, lands. They were here to make maps and report on any defenses they saw." He told her.

"Do you know what they know? Like what they've seen? Have they reported anything back? Who are they reporting to? How big is this army?" She rattled off her questions quickly.

"I... Do not... I am not sure." Vulpes said, curling up a little more. He looked frightened again.

She backed off instantly. "Okay, okay. That's fine. Thank you for your help. Why don't you get some sleep?" She soothed, petting his hair. He drifted back to sleep after a few minutes.

"I think he knows exactly what ya were talkin about." Vincent said quietly, taking a seat next to her.

"I agree." Charon commented.

Evelyn nodded. "He's scared. He doesn't want to tell me everything he knows." She said.

"What difference does it make? Ya think he's protectin the Legion?" Vincent asked.

"He is protecting himself. He is useless to Evelyn after she knows the things she asked." Charon explained. Evelyn nodded.

Vincent nodded. "Ah, that makes sense. He dun trust ya not t'kill 'im once ya know what ya wanna know." He realized aloud. He gave her a strange look.

"I don't take it personally!" She protested.

"Well, do ya plan to kill 'im after he tells ya what ya wanna know?" Vincent asked, his blue eyes looking black in the dim light.

"Of course not!" She hissed. "He's been hurt enough to atone for whatever sins you think he committed!"

"I dun think ya understand the Legion Evie. He was right when he said he was a monster." Vincent persisted. "Do ya know what they did to women? To the old, the sick, the injured?"

"No. But I don't-" She began.

"They enslaved them Evelyn. The ones that wasn't lucky enough t'be burned, that is. I heard plenty uh stories, but lemme tell ya what I seen myself." The large man snarled. "Was makin my way here when I crossed through a destroyed village. The whole thing had been burnt t'the ground. All around me hung Legion flags an burnt bodies." Vincent stopped to compose himself. "Bodies of women, children and the old lay all 'round me. Then there was the crosses. Women lashed to crosses. Most was dead but I found one..." He trailed off for a moment.

Evelyn stared at him in horror. "What happened?" She asked, not sure if she really wanted the answer.

"She was jist a lil thing. Only fifteen years old or so. I got her down and asked her what happened. She had been up there near a week. She told me the Legion had stormed in, killed anyone who resisted em and took off with all the boys from the village." Vincent growled.

"Oh my god." Evelyn whispered. "What happened to her?"

Vincent set his jaw. "She died later that night. She'd been up there too long. There was nothin I could do. I buried her, an kept goin." He said. "Dun even know her name."

He looked at her, anger clear in his eyes. "She was lucky. The girls they take get sold into slavery. They're either worked or bred to death. A life of grueling work and rape. Ya still think he's worth savin? That's what he stood for." He snapped.

"He was taken from his family when he was nothing but a baby." She protested. "He didn't know any better."

"That's bullshit an ya know it. There's no excuse for what he did. Ya can't tell me he never questioned it, and if he didn't, he really is a monster. Ya don't treat other people like animals. 'Specially someone defenseless." Vincent growled.

"Do you really think less of me for helping him?" Evelyn asked softly.

Vincent sighed. "A'course not Evie. I jist want ya to know that some people, they dun deserve yer kindness. Ya can't redeem everybody."

"I like to think I can try." Evelyn said with a shrug.

"I used t'think Amaya was odd." Vincent chuckled. "Where'd ya find this woman?" He asked Charon.

Charon smiled. "She found me." He lifted Evelyn's hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

A peaceful silence settled around them as Charon pulled her into his arms. He pressed his cheek to hers, sighing happily.

"Ya know? I dun think I wanna see Zion." Vincent said suddenly.

"Why not?" Evelyn asked.

"I been chasing after a woman who didn't love me fer a while now. It ain't helpin me none." He said simply. "Can't keep livin like this. Dun wanna be alone anymore."

"I understand." She replied with a sad smile.

"I'll see ya in Vegas Miss Evie. You take care of yerself huh?" He said, rising. Evelyn stood too.

She hugged the mountain of a man and after a moment, he squeezed back. "Please be careful Vincent." She said.

"Ya have m'word." He said solemnly. Then he was gone.

"Do you think he's right?" Evelyn asked Charon. "Should I just leave this guy here?"

"That is up to you." Charon replied.

"I don't think I'd forgive myself if I did." She sighed. "He's hurt, he's scared and he's all alone. Who am I to judge him?"

"He admits his wrongs freely." Charon reminded her.

"Do you think I'll regret this decision?" She asked, her brown eyes narrowed.

"I do not. I think you have shown him kindness enough that he will question returning to his past." Charon replied honestly.

"I love you Charon." Evelyn sighed, leaning against him.

"And I love you." He replied.

They both groaned when Vulpes began to scream in his sleep.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

"I don't think he's ready!" Evelyn hissed at Charon, trying to be quiet.

"He has been moving around on his own for two days." Charon argued. "You cannot continue drinking irradiated water. We need to move on."

"I'm okay Evelyn. You can travel." Vulpes interrupted.

Evelyn sighed. "I just don't want you stressing yourself out. You've been through a lot." She told the quiet, solemn man. They had been in the cave for two weeks, and Vulpes had yet to complain about anything.

"Charon is correct. You will grow ill if you continue to drink unclean water. You've done enough for me. I don't wish to take up any more of your time." Vulpes told her, his pale blue eyes locked onto hers.

Evelyn tilted her head to the side. "You seem to think you're going somewhere without me." She said softly. He just blinked. "Vulpes, you're coming with us. You can't be alone until I get you properly outfitted. And you still have a fever."

"I don't wish to burden you further." Vulpes insisted.

"How long do you think you'll last out there in a thin shirt and underwear? " She asked. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. "No, shut up. You're coming. Charon can carry you, if you want to argue." She put her hand on her hips and raised one eyebrow.

"As you wish." The former legionnaire said, inclining his head.

With that settled, they started packing up their makeshift camp. Vulpes insisted on carrying something, so Evelyn entrusted him with the bed rolls. With a deep sigh, the tall blond woman lead them through the cavern, the only light in the darkness shining from the Pip-Boy on her wrist.

When they finally emerged into the sunlight Evelyn let out a happy sigh.

"Oh my god you guys!" She called out. "Look at this place!"

"This is Zion Valley." Vulpes informed her. "I've been here once before. It seems like a long time ago. It looks the same." He scanned their surroundings, looking nervous.

"You okay?" Evelyn asked.

"I am." He replied, his face going blank immediately. Evelyn narrowed her eyes. Vulpes had an unrivaled poker face. Charon took her hand and she instantly slid up to him and pressed herself to his chest.

"I love you gorgeous." She said, a big smile on her face.

"And I love you." He growled back, cupping her chin so he could kiss her.

"Let's find that river. I want to wash up." She said suddenly, pulling away from him. She giggled at his noise of displeasure. "C'mon, you know you want to see me naked." She wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively.

"Yes." He agreed simply.

She laughed loudly, darting forward. She turned her head to smile at him as she ran and he took off after her. As he closed, in she screamed in mock fear. He grabbed her, lifting her from the ground and she squealed in delight. "You win! You win!" She panted between laughs, kicking her legs.

"I always win." Charon rumbled, placing her on her feet carefully.

"Mmmm. Lemme give you your prize." She purred. She pulled back suddenly and gasped "Shit! Vulpes!"

The quiet man was just catching up, and he looked to be in rough shape. He was panting and his skin was beet red behind the yellowing bruises and scars.

"Oh god Vulpes! Are you okay? I'm so sorry. Fuck!" Evelyn rambled, approaching the doubled over man carefully. "Sweetie, sit down, catch your breath. Let me get you some water."

"I... Am... Fine." Vulpes gasped out, but he wasn't fooling anyone.

"Sit!" Evelyn commanded sternly. He plopped to the ground, still breathing heavily. "You shouldn't have overexerted yourself. You look like shit. We'll make camp here." She decided.

"Here?" Charon asked, sounding displeased.

"Yes Charon, here!" Evelyn snapped. "It's my fault he pushed himself."

"Evelyn the Dead Horses camp isn't far from here." Vulpes objected. "I assume that's where you're going?"

Evelyn was surprised. "Yeah. How'd you know?" She asked.

"They control most of this valley. I could only assume." Vulpes said, grimacing slightly as he adjusted his legs, absently rubbing at a part of his chest that had been skinned by the ghouls that held him hostage.

"Stop touching that spot! You're not helping it heal!" Evelyn chided, batting his hand away. He looked angry for a moment, before carefully setting his jaw.

Over the last couple of weeks, Evelyn had noticed that he was unaccustomed to being told what to do by a woman. At one point he had addressed her as "Woman" and made it sound like a dirty word. He had cowered when Charon growled in irritation. Which had caused a minor argument between the couple. Evelyn insisted that Vulpes had been through a lot and Charon had been vehement in his belief that it didn't matter, the smaller man was being disrespectful and didn't need to be coddled. After that, Vulpes was more respectful, but Evelyn saw glimpses of who he had been.

"Hey, I'm only bitching because I care." She told him, softening her tone. He nodded.

"We are not far from the camp. I believe I can handle the walk there." He said quietly.

Evelyn looked unsure. "You look kind of clammy. Maybe it would be a good idea to get you there. I need more medical supplies." She said uncertainly. She chewed on her bottom lip.

Charon walked over and offered Vulpes his hand. The bruised man took it after a slight hesitation. Charon pulled him to his feet and it was decided for her.

Vulpes wasn't wrong. Evelyn followed the map on her Pip-Boy, not complaining as they had to slosh through a damn river to get to the camp. The mouth of the river widened to reveal a well protected camp. The camp was crawling with people in the strangest outfits she had ever seen. She had thought the fiends had looked odd, but these people really took the cake.

A woman walked towards them, scowling slightly. Her eyes opened wide when she spotted Charon. She wore barely any clothing, just a blue top that barely covered her chest and a matching pair of what appeared to be some sort of underwear. Her head was shaved and she had a fan of feathers behind her head, attached to the back of her top.

"How ridiculous." Evelyn muttered.

"You are strangers to Zion." The woman stated, her voice sounding accented.

"Uh yeah." Evelyn said, stepping forward. "I'm looking for Joshua?"

The strange woman tilted her head. "What are you?" She asked Charon, then her eyes fell on Vulpes. "You are not well." She stated. She wasn't wrong. The former legionnaire was looking rather pale, and his eyes were out of focus. His breathing appeared labored.

"I am not." Vulpes agreed, sounding dazed.

"You will come with me." The woman stated, holding out her hand. Vulpes reached for it, but Evelyn cut him off.

"What? No. You're not taking him anywhere." Evelyn growled.

"He is not well. I can help him." The woman said evenly.

"I- Shit. Okay." Evelyn agreed reluctantly. "Do you know where Joshua is?"

"Yes. Follow me. I will take you to Joshua, then I will help this man." The woman said, marching forward, towards a cave in the cliffs that surrounded them. Vulpes trailed after the woman like a puppy, and after a moment, Evelyn and Charon followed suit.

They walked into the cave a ways before the woman announced them.

"Joshua Graham, this woman and the Bad Spirit that joins her wish to see you. This man is not well." She announced bluntly. A man stepped into the light, and Vulpes uttered a loud gasp. The injured man collapsed into a heap on the ground.

"Vulpes!" Evelyn yelped, moving to the unconscious mans side.

"Waking Cloud, you should attend to him." The man stated gruffly. Evelyn stared up at him in amazement. He was covered completely in bandages, save for around his eyes. He wore denim pants and a white shirt under a black vest of some sort. His eyes were narrowed at her, his arms folded over his chest.

The woman, Waking Cloud, easily lifted Vulpes up. Evelyn was surprised at her strength. She carried Vulpes over to the corner, grabbing something off a nearby table as she went.

"Who are you?" The man asked Evelyn quietly. Evelyn rose, offering the man her hand.

"My name is Evelyn." She told him as he took her hand carefully. "Are you Joshua?"

The man nodded. "I am. What brings you in search of me?" He asked, sounding suspicious.

"Amaya wrote you a letter, Charon, if you could?" Evelyn asked her large companion. Charon nodded, fishing around in her pack until he found the paper.

"The courier chose not to bring it herself?" Joshua asked.

"Amaya killed herself after Legion soldiers killed her girlfriend." Evelyn stated with a sigh, already tired of having to break the news to everyone she met. Charon handed the letter to Joshua.

"I see." The bandaged man said, reading through the crumpled piece of paper quickly.

"Sorry for your loss." Evelyn stated awkwardly.

"Amaya was a good woman. The wasteland will miss her." Joshua stated. "I have not seen a ghoul in a very long time."

Charon let out an irritated huff of breath. "You must forgive the natives of this valley. There are no ghouls here. They think you are some sort of demon." Joshua told Charon. "But while I am surprised to see a ghoul, I am more surprised to see a Frumentarii."

"A what?" Evelyn asked. "What's a Fruitman Tarry?"

"A legion spy." Joshua said simply, tilting his head to indicate Vulpes. Waking Cloud was busily applying something to the injured mans wounds.

"Vulpes? He's just hurt. I'm helping him." Evelyn said with a shrug. "How do you know he's a fruittyman?"

"His name has made its way to me. Vulpes Inculta. The Desert Fox." Joshua said cryptically.

"Um. Okayyy then. Well, I'm just here to drop off that letter. So if I could just buy some supplies off somebody and get a place to sleep for the night? Then Charon, Mr. Fox over there and I will be outta your hair." Evelyn said, pointing to Vulpes, a fake smile plastered on her face. "Oh! And Arcade Gannon wants you to meet him in New Vegas, when your available?"

Joshua folded his arms back over his chest. "I can, and will sell you more supplies. However, I will not leave this valley, nor will the Frumentarii." He stated sternly.

"Pardon me?" Evelyn asked quietly, stepping towards the bandaged man.

"Caesar would love to see me dead. I cannot allow a spy to leave this place." He stated, not backing down.

"You aren't hurting him." She snapped, her hands balled into fists.

"I have no intention of hurting him, Waking Cloud is helping him now." Joshua said quietly.

"He's coming with me. You aren't keeping him here like some prisoner!" Evelyn's voice was rising.

"So much affection for a man you claim to barely know." Joshua baited harshly.

"He's scared and I won't abandon him! I'll fucking fight my way out of here if I have to!" She yelled.

"He is right to fear. Even Ceasar feared the Malpais Legate." Joshua let out a strange bark that Charon barely recognized as a laugh.

"What the fuck is that even supposed to mean?" Evelyn snapped, her face twisted in irritation.

"It means that the Frumentarii must stay here. No harm will come to him. You have my word."

"No fucking way!" Evelyn snarled.

"Evelyn." Charon whispered. "This is not an altercation we would make it out of. We are heavily outnumbered."

Evelyn looked betrayed and Charon cringed, but didn't take back what he said.

"I can't just leave him." She argued.

"I give you my solemn word that he will not be harmed. And if in time he proves that he is trustworthy, he will be more than welcome to leave Zion." Joshua interrupted. "I have medical supplies. You mentioned needing them."

Evelyn looked tired and very upset. "Charon can you take care of this for me? I'm going to go check on Vulpes." She whispered sadly. She didn't wait for him to reply. Charon turned to Joshua.

"You will kill the man." Charon wasn't asking.

"I was being honest. I have no intention of hurting him if he proves to be as harmless as your companion claims." Joshua said evenly, pulling out a large box full of supplies. "Is she in love with him? Is that why she is so upset?"

"No!" Charon snapped. Joshua looked up at him, but didn't say anything. Charon sighed and paid for all the medical supplies. He began to walk away, and Joshua called after him.

"This place will destroy the kindness in her. You will watch it shrivel and die. Her only chance is The Lord."

Charon turned and stared at the bandaged man for so long that he began to shift uncomfortably. "She does not need anyone but me." Charon stated at last, turning around and walking away.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six

**_A/N: I tried my hand at more smut. So if that's not your cup of tea, you've been warned. Happy reading :)_**

"What the fuck?" Evelyn hissed, looking up. Charon did the same but flinched as something cool and wet hit his cheek. And then again. He cautiously reached out his hand, his palm to the sky. Water droplets hit his palm and pooled there.

"Where is it leaking from?" Evelyn asked. Charon turned to look at her. She looked so irritated, her hand on her hip. She wore nothing but her bra and panties because she was getting ready to bathe.

"The sky, I believe." Charon mused.

"The sky doesn't leak Charon." Evelyn said patiently.

"It does when it is raining." He told her with a smile as the water started to pour down more quickly.

"Is it dangerous?" She asked, looking up.

"The locals do not appear to be concerned by it. Most of them are sleeping out in the open in the camp." Charon observed.

Evelyn nodded. "True. It feels kinda nice." She sighed, slipping off her remaining clothing. She tilted her head back and let the sky water wash away the grime that had built up on her during the journey to Zion.

Charon stepped forward, quickly shedding his own clothing. He brought his arms around her and she opened her eyes. She smiled up at him and pressed herself to his chest happily.

"I like this a lot." She whispered. He nodded his agreement, rubbing gentle circles into the skin on her back. "Mmmm." She moaned softly.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered. She whimpered and stood on her toes to kiss him. He growled and kissed her back, clutching her upper arms possessively.

"Charon." She sighed. She rubbed her pelvis on his thigh. He fought back a growl when he felt just how aroused she was.

"Evelyn?" He asked with a small chuckle.

"I want you." She said, nipping at his neck, her hands running over the patchwork of skin and flesh on his back.

"You have me." He teased, biting into her shoulder, his hands finding her breasts. He squeezed gently, chuckling as she threw her head back and moaned.

"Don't make me beg." She hissed. Her long blond hair was drenched from the rain and she was clinging to him as if her life depended on it.

Carefully, he lay her down on the riverbank and kneeled between her legs. "You are breathtaking."

"Please." She whispered. Her quiet plea undid him.

When he pressed into her, he almost froze before he realized that the strange whine that he heard was coming from his own throat.

"Yesssss." She hissed, her eyes squeezed shut. She bucked her hips to meet his thrusts, but he pushed them down roughly. Her eyes flew open and a strangled whimper fell from her lips. The look he was giving her now was very similar to the look he wore when he had gone berserk in Paradise Falls. His fingers dug into her hips, and she knew she would have bruises later. He slammed into her fiercely and she briefly wondered if her hips would survive this night. As he continued to thrust, she stopped wondering anything. She just focused on how good he felt, and the intense feeling that was building in her as he growled and snarled possessively as he told her that she was his.

She screamed wordlessly as the world crashed around her and she imploded. She was almost sure that the world was ending, the second Great War was upon them. She was certain that she was burning alive, even as the rain washed over her. She couldn't move. She didn't even try. Charon roared somewhere above her, and she could have sworn she heard her name before the world went black.

She wasn't moving. Charon shook her, but her head just rolled to the side. Panic shot through him as he scrambled to his knees and stroked her cheek. Her pulse beat strong against his rough fingers when he checked it.

"Evelyn?" He asked. She had screamed. He must have hurt her. He was absolutely horrified. "Evie?"

"Mmm?" She grumbled, her eyes fluttering open. His faded blue eyes were the first thing she focused on and she gave him a small, happy smile. "Charon." She sighed sweetly.

Charon let out a shaky huff of breath and pulled her into his lap. "Evelyn!" He stroked her hair and covered her cheek in kisses. "Are you alright?" He asked, holding her tight. She leaned into his embrace, nuzzling his neck.

"Of course I'm alright. That was incredible." She giggled, wiggling her butt against his thigh. "Ew. I'm all squishy." She complained. He laughed nervously.

"What happened?" He asked. She turned her head and looked at him with her eyebrows raised.

"What do you mean 'what happened'? Pretty sure you were there." She said with a laugh. "Now carry me the river so I can wash your gross off me." She commanded. He sighed and obliged her. She laughed in delight, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He lowered her into the water carefully and she yelped. "Fuck! That's a lot colder than I was expecting!" She lay back and let the water cover her. "The rain stopped." She commented, staring up at the sky.

Charon looked up. "So it did." He sat in the river next to her, watching her rub her arms and legs. He began to wash himself and she slid behind him.

"Let me get your back." She replied to his questioning look. Her long fingers began to run over his ruined skin and he sighed, content.

"I love you Charon." She said, resting her head on his shoulder, her long legs wrapped around him.

"And I love you."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Vulpes, I don't want to leave you here." Evelyn was holding the terrified mans face in her hands. "I don't have a choice sweetie."

"They will kill me. Don't leave me here to die, please!" Vulpes begged. All the arrogance he had recovered in the weeks prior was gone. He was the same scared man Evelyn had rescued in the cave. It broke her heart, the tears in her eyes only emphasizing that.

"No sweetie. They promised not to hurt you." Evelyn choked out. Charon cringed for her. She put her heart into everything, and now she was paying for it.

"I will be by your side." Waking Cloud broke in, kneeling by the shuddering man. "I will allow no harm to come to you Wounded Fox."

"Wounded Fox?" Vulpes choked out. The solemn native woman nodded, her mouth curved into a rare smile.

"Joshua Graham said that your name meant Desert Fox. But Wounded Fox is more suited, do you not think?" She asked.

The former legionnaire stared at her a moment before nodding. "My given name was Desert Fox. When the Legion came..." He trailed off.

"You were taken from your home. What tribe do you hail from?" Waking Cloud asked curiously.

"I don't recall. I was very young." Vulpes admitted. "What tribe are you from?"

"My people are called Sorrows. But those around us are known as the Dead Horses. I am here to say goodbye." She informed him.

"Goodbye?" Vulpes asked, looking alarmed.

"My son has chosen to marry a woman here, and he will not be returning home." Waking Cloud clarified. "His father would have been proud of his choice."

"Is he gone?" Evelyn asked quietly. Vulpes started at her voice. He had been so intent on the woman before him, he had forgotten about Evelyn.

"He died some time ago." Waking Cloud said with a nod.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Evelyn said, her eyes cast down.

"As am I." Vulpes agreed.

Waking Cloud squeezed his hand. "Thank you." She said, looking at Evelyn. "And thank you Wounded Fox." Vulpes and Waking Cloud stared at one another for a long time.

"Vulpes sweetie, Charon and I have to go." Evelyn interrupted. Vulpes looked alarmed again. "Shhh, Waking Cloud is here. You're gonna be okay." She rose and pried his hand from hers.

"I promise you, I will guard over him." Waking Cloud told her firmly. "Come Wounded Fox, I will show you how to harvest the Swimmers. Their meat is good. You will like it." She helped Vulpes to his feet and took his larger hand in hers.

"That sounds interesting." Vulpes said cautiously.

Evelyn carefully wrapped her arms around him, avoiding any wounds she was aware of. She leaned in and whispered something in his ear that Charon couldn't hear. Vulpes nodded and whispered his thanks.

As they made their way out if Zion, Evelyn looked depressed, and deep in thought. She hesitated before they went through the Southern Pass.

"He will be alright. That tribal woman will protect him." Charon assured her quietly.

"I feel like I left a scared kid in a pen full of deathclaws Charon. I abandoned him. How do I know they aren't going to torture him too?" She asked.

"You are not responsible for everyone you meet in the wasteland dear one." Charon reminded her.

"I know! I just..." She trailed off, exasperated.

"I understand Evelyn." Charon told her. He pulled her to him and kissed her temple. She lay her head on his chest with a sigh.

"You really think he's going to be okay?" She asked him hopefully.

"I am sure. That tribal woman looked capable of protecting him." Charon replied.

Evelyn let out a quiet giggle. "Yeah. She looked kinda tough didn't she? I should get an outfit like that."

Charon chuckled. "I am not opposed to that idea. Though the feathers were a bit much."

"Awww that was my favorite part!"

They made it through the cave easily. When she paused by the cage Vulpes had been trapped in, Charon put his arm around her shoulders and lead her away. The exited the cave and she sighed in relief.

"It is getting dark." He stated.

"Yeah. We aren't far from Freeside though. We should get there in a couple hours. Do you think Vincent made it back there okay?" She asked, taking his hand.

"I imagine so. He seems capable." Charon said. They walked in comfortable silence for a while, before Evelyn paused.

"Charon look." She said, sounding awestruck.

"I see it." He said, fighting back a smile.

"I've never seen so much light. It's amazing." She whispered. And it was. Like a beacon of the old world, New Vegas appeared to be comprised of tall buildings that rose up out of the wasteland. The neon glow they emitted could be seen for miles. A mixture of yellow, green, blue and orange combined to let the inhabitants of the wasteland bask in unnatural light. Evelyn was drawn to it, like a moth to flame.

"I'm so glad I got to see this." She told Charon reverently. "This is incredible."

"It is." He agreed. He squeezed her hand lightly, and she turned to him with a smile.

"I think I've found where I want us to live." She said. "Now all we need is a dog."

It was the first time she had included him in her vocalization of her dream, and he felt a strange clenching in his chest. He stopped and lifted her easily while he pulled her to him, crushing him against his chest roughly. Her spine cracked loudly, but she didn't complain, returning the embrace.

"Love you big guy." She said, muffled by his shoulder.

"And I love you." He said, setting her back down. "Where will we find a dog?"

Evelyn laughed. "You know, I'm not sure. Not even sure if they've got dogs here. Maybe we could get one of those lizard things? Those seemed nice. We can name him Liz."

Charon frowned. "That is a female name." He told her. "We would need a female lizard."

Evelyn giggled. "That's rich coming from you _Charon_."

Charon just growled. Evelyn kissed his cheek and giggled.

"Can I ride on your back?" She asked suddenly. He didn't respond, just moved his pack to the front and leaned forward. She squealed in delight and leapt onto him. "This is so awesome!" She crowed.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"Jesus fuckin Christ." Evelyn hissed in Charon's ear. "It's a fucking cult. Look at em."

Charon had to agree. They were surrounded by men that were all dressed alike, talking alike and walking alike. These men were all staring at Charon with a mixture of curiosity and hostility, and it was starting to irritate him. "You are certain this is where we are supposed to be?" He growled. She checked her Pip-Boy and nodded.

"What brings you to the Kings today baby doll?" A short black man asked Evelyn suddenly. She bristled.

"Baby doll?" She snapped incredulously.

"Hey now wildcat, don't get your panties in a twist, I'm only tryin to be polite." The man sneered, curling his lip. Evelyn just rolled her eyes.

"I'm looking for Harland." Evelyn sighed. "I have a letter here."

"Ain't nobody here that goes by Harland." The man said after a moment. Evelyn looked furious.

"The King. She is looking for a man who calls himself The King." Charon said, startling the other men around them, as if they hadn't expected him to speak.

"What business you got with The King?" The man asked after a moments hesitation.

"I have a letter to deliver." Evelyn said with a winning smile, faking a yawn and releasing her hair from the bun it had been confined to. She tilted her chin up and smiled sweetly, looking as harmless as possible. Charon fought the urge to crack skulls together as he watched the men in the room go from suspicious to predatory in a span of thirty seconds.

"Let me show ya to his room baby." The man they had been speaking to said with a cocky grin. He offered Evelyn his hand and she placed her smaller hand in his with a syrupy sweet giggle. Charons jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists as he followed them up the stairs. The man knocked on a bedroom door and called softly "King? Got a broad here lookin for ya."

A man came to the door and Evelyn found herself blushing as his eyes swept down her body. He was absolutely gorgeous. Tall and fit, with short black hair and sparkling green eyes. He was giving her a little smirk. She could tell that under his white jacket and black undershirt, he was muscular.

"Thanks Bobby, I'll take it from here." He addressed the man who lead them there.

"See ya later King!" Bobby called with a wave.

Evelyn fluffed her hair and smiled up at the man everyone was calling The King. "Are you Harland?" She asked, her voice melodic and sweet.

He arched one brow and smirked. "Been a while since anyone called me that doll. How'd you come across that piece of information?" His voice sent pleasant shivers down her, soothing and sensual.

"I, uh..." She squeaked, realizing that she had been gawking. "I have a letter." She whispered. Her face flushed and Charon stared at her with narrowed eyes.

"A letter?" Harland asked, flashing her that smirk.

"Uh huh. From Amaya." Evelyn said, digging through her pack and handing it to him.

"Thank you doll." He said with a wink. Evelyn just giggled. Charon rolled his eyes.

Harland scanned the letter slowly, the smile falling from his face. Evelyn and Charon watched as a series of emotions played across his face. When he looked up, he looked sad. "She really gone?" He asked.

Evelyn nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Amaya was a plucky chick, she spent a lot of time makin this place better for everyone. I'm gonna miss her. Everyone will." Harland said with a sigh. "Did you know her?"

"We only met her the once, when she gave us all these letters to deliver. She took her own life after we left." Evelyn said.

"So tell me, well I don't know who I have the pleasure of speaking with. What's your name?" Harland stated.

"Oh! I'm Evelyn, and this is Charon." Evelyn said, tilting her head towards the silent ghoul.

"Haven't seen a zombie in a while." Harland remarked casually. Charon stiffened but Evelyn just giggled.

"Yeah he's my buddy." She said. Her buddy? Really. So much for husband when there was a good looking smoothskin around.

Charon closed his eyes, trying to ward off the feelings of anger and betrayal. He tossed his pack at her feet and left. He ignored the surprised look on her face. She didn't chase after him. As he retreated he heard Harland ask "What's his problem?"

Evelyn sighed. "Who knows. He'll be back."

Charon let out a low growl. The hell he would. He was just a fucking zombie right? This was the second time she had flirted openly in front of him. And she had just accepted bigotry from some stranger like it was no big deal, like he was just supposed to accept being treated like an animal because she wanted to get up on a strangers dick. He was absolutely fuming.

He was aware that he probably looked a little terrifying walking down the Freeside streets, growling to himself, a large combat shotgun across his back. He wasn't even sure where he was going. He just wanted to put as much distance between Evelyn and himself as he could. He almost missed the soft voice calling out to him.

"Hey! Mister! Hey!" A girl called, flailing her arms at him.

He stopped and squared himself at the small woman. "What?" He barked.

"Hey! Gosh you're fast!" The girl said, giving him a big, toothy smile. "You aren't by chance, a caravan guard are you?" She asked.

"I am not." He told her flatly, examining her. She was a tiny thing, barely over five feet tall. She had strawberry blond hair that was pulled back into a classic bun, with her bangs swooping to the left dramatically. That style had been very popular before the Great War and looked out of place on the scrawny girl before him. She was practically swimming in the dirty gray dress she had chosen as attire.

"Well, what are you then?" Her question interrupted his scrutiny. The question stumped him. He didn't know how to answer. What was he?

"I am a ghoul." He stated finally. The girl laughed.

"Well duh! I can see that!" She giggled. "Can I hire you though? I need to get home and the streets aren't really safe. And then I could really use help around the farm." She blurted out quickly.

"Yes. You can." Charon interrupted her rambling. Her gray eyes widened before she smiled brightly.

"That's great! I'm Alice by the way. Alice Hostetler. What's your name?" She asked, holding out her tiny hand.

"Liam Montgomery." He told her, grasping her slender fingers gently. Despite it being his given name, it still felt like a lie on his lips, so he quickly amended "But most people call me Charon."

Alice tilted her chin up and scrunched her nose. Charon noticed the light freckles on her nose for the first time. "I like Liam better." She declared. "You look like a Liam."

Charon was surprised. "I do?"

Alice nodded. "Yeah. So anyways, home is just east of Gun Runners. My parents recently... Um. Passed away. So I'm going home to take care of the crops. Mom put her soul into that place. I can't let it die." She said, leading him south.

"I am sorry for your loss." Charon grumbled awkwardly.

"Thanks. Fiends attacked them on the way home, I kind of always expected something like that." Alice sighed. "So thanks for taking the job. I don't think anyone will mess with me with you around!" She declared, her eyes widening.

"They will not." Charon assured her. She shot him that million watt smile and went quiet. He observed his new employer. She was odd. She moved gracefully, almost as if she were dancing down the street. She would hum softly at intervals, occasionally sneaking glances at him. He had never seen anyone smile that much.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Evelyn looked around the room, at all the strangers that had only recently become acquaintances. Some of them seemed to know one another, while others stared at the other room occupants curiously. When she entered the room, Vincent had enveloped her into a a surprisingly gentle hug.

Raul was chatting amicably with Lily, while Marcus observed. Boone was glaring daggers at Cass, who was sitting on Arcades lap, with a mischievous smile on her face. Harland was sitting on a table with a smirk on his face, his green eyes fixed on Evelyn.

Upon seeing Evelyn, Arcade disentangled himself from Cass and addressed the room.

"Well. Uh. Yes. Hello everyone. Welcome." He began, shoving his glasses back up. "Now that Evelyn is here, we can get down to business." The doctor cleared his throat.

"As you all know, Amaya has passed away. But before she did, she made sure that we were all aware that she cared about us a great deal and that we are all in danger, yet again." He said.

Raul spoke up. "I dunno what the boss told you but all she wrote to me was that there was some ghouls coming. Ghouls don't really scare me ya know?" He cracked a grin. "Not too sure why I'm here."

"Because Amaya trusted you to do the right thing." Boone growled. Raul nodded, looking amused.

"Guess so." The old ghoul agreed.

"The real question is why is _she_ here?" Harland asked, nodding his head towards Evelyn. "We all know the game. We know what we gotta do."

"Amaya entrusted her with everything, it's clear that Amaya chose her to carry on." Arcade said with a shrug. Harland laughed.

"That's some weak bullshit there buddy boy. You boys are just too chicken to take on the responsibility. Blondie would give you everything in a heartbeat and you know it." He said evenly, smirking

"What, did you want it?" Boone asked coldly.

Harland laughed. "Hell no." He stated simply.

"Does it really matter?" Evelyn snapped, running her fingers through her hair. "I'm here to figure out what needs to be done. The fact is, there is a large army on its way here. Everyone is in danger and we need to figure out what to do to protect this place."

"So use the robots." Cass said dismissively.

"There aren't enough Securitrons for assault of this magnitude." Arcade said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "They'll help of course, but there are thousands of ghouls on their way here. They've already taken over Legion lands. If they can take land from Lanius, they can and will take New Vegas if we expect robots to fend them off."

"So there is nothing we can do?" Marcus asked, startling everyone in the room.

After a moment, Arcade shook his head. "No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that there will be a very real army here soon and we need one of our own." He said.

"Well shit boys." Cass said, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Who knows how to train an army?"

"Train? You need to recruit one first dollface." Harland laughed darkly.

Evelyn sighed. He was right. Can't train an army you don't have.

"Don't sweat it darlin. My boys and I are with ya." Harland soothed her unexpectedly. "And we'll see what we can do about rounding up some recruits in Freeside."

Cass tipped her hat back, revealing her red hair. "I'll let my people to know to try and get some recruits. I've got a ton of supplies we can move into McCarran for ya. NCR left it at the Outpost." She offered.

Boone nodded. "NCR left a lot at McCarran too. Soldiers need to be paid though." He reminded the room.

"Shit." Evelyn muttered.

"It's not so bad." Arcade assured her. You're offering a safe place to sleep and provisions. That will appeal to people on its own."

"Did you think to talk to the families on the strip?" Raul asked suddenly. "You need money? They got it."

"We can't just bust into the casinos and take their money." Cass argued.

"Don't be so dramatic sweetheart. It'd just be collecting a debt." Harland drawled. "Everyone knows House owned those jokers. Everyone knew that with a snap of his fingers, they'd be toast."

"Is that true? Can I do that?" Evelyn asked Arcade. The doctor looked thoughtful.

"Honestly? Probably. If you aren't afraid to be considered a bully." He said after a moment.

Cass laughed. "Bring big man over here when you go shake em down. Ain't nobody gonna bug you with him around." She pointed to Vincent. The large man turned red.

"You have the support of Jacobstown." Marcus said quietly. Evelyn beamed at the peaceful mutant.

"Thank you Marcus." She said softly.

"So we start sending recruits to McCarran, while you go secure our funds?" Cass asked.

Evelyn hesitated. Harland put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't you worry your pretty little head. Me and my boys will start getting McCarran set up, get things real organized-like." He said. Evelyn exhaled loudly and nodded.

"Okay. Yeah. Everyone send their recruits to McCarran, Cass please send the supplies as soon as you can. Vincent can you stick around for a while?" She asked the large man.

"Course I kin Evie." He said with a smile.

"You talk like Mya did!" Cass blurted out.

Vincent nodded. "Yep. Amaya was my wife." He said.

"What?" Arcade and Cass asked in unison.

"It's a long story." Evelyn interrupted. "And we should really be getting shit done."

"She's right." Boone agreed, nodding his head sharply.

"Well I guess we'll just mosey along then." Cass laughed, looking at Vincent curiously. "I'll see you all at McCarran. Shouldn't be more than a few weeks." With that, she was gone in a flurry of swinging hips.

"We will return to Jacobstown to organize volunteers and supplies." Marcus told Evelyn as he herded Lily towards the door.

"See you soon dearie!" Lily called happily.

"Bye Lily!" Evelyn called back, smiling brightly at the large Nightkin, waving cheerfully.

"That's my cue to scram doll." Harland said, his ever present smirk widening. "I'll see ya in McCarran." He winked and exited the room quickly.

Boone didn't say a word, just nodded. Arcade hesitated before sending her a smile that was almost apologetic. He followed his partner out the door.

"Hey seniorita." Raul said, scratching at his shoulder absently. "How's my shack looking these days?"

Evelyn smiled. "I made sure it was clean before we left." She assured him.

"Where's your marido?" He asked.

"My what?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Husband. Where's your man?" The old ghoul asked, just barely grinning. "How's he doing?"

"Was wonderin the same thing m'self." Vincent interrupted.

"Charon? Who knows." Evelyn laughed lightly, trying to conceal her concern. "He wanders off when he gets fussy."

"Huh. Interesting." Raul said, sounding bored. "I'll see what I can do about finding out about these ghouls eh? Can't hurt to have some inside information."

Evelyn nodded, sending Raul a grateful smile. "That would be really awesome of you." She said. He nodded and left without another word.

Vincent just looked at her for a while. She was starting to feel antsy when he finally asked "So what happened wit yer man?"

Evelyn let out a shuddering sigh and sank into a chair. "I pissed him off and he didn't give me a chance to explain before he took off." She admitted.

"He keeps bailin on ya when ya need him." Vincent observed. He didn't sound judgmental, he was just making a statement.

"I let Harland call him a zombie and didn't defend him." Evelyn sighed. "He has every right to be mad. I just couldn't risk pissing off Harland. He controls a big part of New Vegas."

Vincent nodded. "He'll be back around won't he?"

"I hope so. It's been two days and I'm starting to worry. He knows where I am. Why isn't he here yet?" Evelyn asked, twisting some of her blond hair in her fingers.

Vincent shrugged, scratching at his own black hair. "Some take longer t'calm down than others I s'pose." He offered.

"Yeah." Evelyn grumbled, hoisting herself to her feet. "What do ya say we check this place out? It's huge and I'm a little curious, not gonna lie. Old World stuff is really cool. I bet there's some two hundred year old whiskey around here somewhere! And I could really use a drink."


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

Alice Hostetler was crazy. This was soon apparent to Charon. It was the harmless kind of crazy, and it amused Charon almost as much as it annoyed him. She was careless and had no idea how to keep herself safe. She couldn't shoot, couldn't sneak, it was a wonder she was alive at all. But she was, and was a happy little thing. She swayed to music only she could hear as she moved around the rundown little farm that she called home.

They hadn't really discussed what his duties would be, she just showed him to a small room and pressed too many caps into his hand. He sat on the bed she had provided and sighed. He was lost in thought and didn't look up until she knocked on the door an hour later. She was wearing a large blue shirt that came down to her knees. She was swimming in it. She had a bundle of clothing laying across her arm.

"Hey Liam! I'm washing some clothes, why don't you give me yours and I'll wash them too?" She chirped, smiling brightly.

Charon cleared his throat. "These are the only clothes I own." He admitted.

"Oh. Okay! I'll look for something for you to wear while I wash them. Be right back!" She said, dropping the clothes she was holding into a heap on the floor. She bound away, smiling. He watched her retreating form, noticing how long her legs were in proportion to the rest of her body.

She returning with a large gray shirt and a large pair of dark gray cloth pants. "I couldn't find any underwear, sorry." She said, looking genuinely sorry. This girl was something else.

"That is alright. Thank you." He found himself saying, disliking her discomfort.

She beamed at him. "Let me give you some privacy. When you're ready, just bring the clothes outside. I wash them in clean water, but I don't use soap. I like to reuse the water for the plants and the soap would make them sick. I scrub them super good though." She chattered, picking up the clothes she had dropped earlier. She flounced away, humming happily and he could only stare for a moment. Such an odd little woman.

He stripped his armor and clothes off quickly, pulling on the clothes she had provided. The shirt was tight across his chest, but fit well enough. The pants were too short but fit his waist well enough. He picked up his clothing carefully and brought it outside. He almost laughed at the spectacle.

Alice was by a large barrel that had been cut in half, filled with water. She was drenched and her hair and escaped its bun and hung limply in wet ropes around her face. She spotted Charon and waved cheerfully.

"Hi! Just drop em right in! I tripped and fell in a second ago. It's okay though. I could probably use the bath after the long trip." She giggled. "But we usually bathe in the house."

He placed his clothing in the tub and she continued moving and wringing the clothing out. She repeated this process multiple times with each article of clothing before she wrung them out and handed them to Charon. He stood there uncomfortably until she was done.

"What are you doing? Hang them up silly!" Alice laughed. She lead him over to a strange structure. It was made up of two metal posts with a length of rope in between them. She took a shirt from his arms and placed it over the rope. She spread it out, smoothing away wrinkles before she moved onto the next article of clothing. Soon all the wet clothing was hanging over the rope, drying in the Mojave heat.

"Could you help me water the plants Liam?" Alice asked.

"Of course." Charon replied, accepting the bucket she offered him. He watched her scoop out water from the barrel, walking over to the neatly kept rows of plants. He followed her example.

"These vines here are buffalo gourds. You can eat the seeds and they're useful to people with know how, cause they can help counteract venom. Ma called em snakebite tourniquets." She told him, carefully watering a row of vines. "These ones aren't ready for harvesting yet but it looks like we'll get a good sized crop this time around."

She pointed to a row of tall plants, with broad leaves. "That's maize. You can eat it by itself, bulks up mole rat stew like you wouldn't believe, but I usually sell it to the twins that own the Atomic Wrangler. They make booze out of it." She told him as she helped him water each plant. After the first three, she let him finish the row and nodded her approval enthusiastically. "You're a natural!" She encouraged him.

She walked over to the tub and sighed. He watched her wiggle her hips comically as she tried to lift up the barrel. The combine weight of the barrel and the remaining water proved too much for the petite girl and it didn't budge. "Oomph!" She yelped, falling backwards with a laugh.

Charon bit back his own laugh, and helped her to her feet. "Let me." He said, lifting the barrel easy.

"Thanks!" She said with a huge smile. "Follow me." She lead him to the last row. This one was made up two different plants. One was a cactus of some sort and the other looked pretty nondescript, just some spiny leaves.

"These are barrel cactuses and agave plants. They need the most water, they're my big cap makers." Alice told him, helping him water each plant. "I make homemade Nuka Cola and Sasperilla, and sell it to the casinos. It's cheaper than the real thing, so they save money, I make money and thirsty people get a nice drink. Rad free."

"That is impressive." Charon remarked, placing the empty tub behind the house as she indicated.

"My mom taught me everything I know." She said with a cheerful grin. "I'm glad she gave me a second chance."

"A second chance?" Charon asked.

"Yeah." Alice turned pink. "I was kind of a nightmare when I was younger. I was going to run off with a guy, do bad shit. Mom found out and a lady helped get everything back on track. Mom even forgave me and I..."

She trailed off.

"And?" Charon prompted.

Alice looked ashamed and Charon wished he hadn't said anything. Her gray eyes were wide as she whispered "I kind of, well, I pulled a gun on my mom." Charon kept his face blank. "I'm not a bad person! I swear. I was just really confused and sad back then. Please don't think badly of me!" She begged, looking devastated.

"I do not." He assured her, placing a calming hand on her cheek. He jerked his hand back immediately, embarrassed. She smiled up at him sweetly.

"I'm glad." She said softly. Her hair was already starting to dry in the heat, forming strawberry blond ringlets. She looked much better like this than when it was forced into the sideswept bun. "Let's get inside, I'll fix us some lunch. The clothes should be dry by the time we get done." Alice interrupted his scrutiny.

He nodded. He decided not to stay silent.

"Alice?"

She turned, her ever present smile in place. "Yeah?" She asked.

He cleared his throat. "Thank you. For hiring me, and teaching me about plants and washing my clothes." He blurted out.

Her smile widened. "Thank you for all your help Liam. I appreciate it." She told him.

"Alice?" He asked.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Your hair looks nice like that."

Her hand flew to the curls framing her face, twisting them in her fingers. "Thanks Liam. I was getting a little tired of the other style." They both blushed before entering the house.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-One

"It's been a fucking month Swank. Cachino paid up two weeks ago. TWO WEEKS! Marjorie paid up as soon as I came to collect. What's the fucking hold up?" Evelyn snapped. She glowered at the nervous man before her. He anxiously ran his fingers through his dark hair, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Evie, baby, you're askin for a real-dealio of caps." Swank began.

"I don't want to hear it." Evelyn interrupted. "Swank have you met my associate?" She gestured to the giant man behind her, who was currently cradling a riot shotgun in his enormous hands.

"I uh, can't say I've had the pleasure." Swank gulped, his eyes darting around the room.

"Maybe you should get to know him a little more... Personally." The threat hung heavy in the air. Vincent rolled his shoulders and tilted his head side to side, audible pops emphasizing Evelyn's unspoken warning.

"That's really not necessary." Swank blurted out quickly.

"Tell me, which hand do you write with?" Evelyn asked pleasantly, examining her fingernails.

"What? Why?" Swank asked, his breathing noticeably faster.

"I'll have him break that arm last." Evelyn said, lifting her brown eyes up to the now terrified mans face and smiled brilliantly. "And then I'll have the Securitrons come down and take out the trash." Vincent stepped forward.

"What? No! No! Let's not be hasty. I can move some stuff around. I'll get you your money right now. Right now!" Swank yelped, pressing his back to the wall behind him.

"Well why didn't you say so earlier? Go ahead. We'll wait." Evelyn said, stepping aside. The dapper man scurried away and Vincent chuckled.

"Break that arm last?" He asked, his eyebrows raised. Evelyn giggled.

"I'm a cold bitch, what can I say?" She replied with a smirk. "I couldn't really say 'Pay me or I'll nag you to death while my big buddy over here scolds you senseless' now could I?"

"Naw, I reckon not." Vincent agreed. "Harland will be pleased to see the funds. He's been complainin somethin fierce bout needing more ammo for all the recruits."

Evelyn scowled. She didn't want to think about Harland right now. Because if she thought about Harland, she would think about Charon. And when she thought about Charon, she thought about the pretty little redhead. And she hated that fucking pretty little redhead, with her pretty little smile and her pretty little hand in Charons.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Swank's return. He handed her a large briefcase.

"It's all there. Hundred thousand caps." Swank said. "You can count it if you want."

Evelyn sent the scrawny little man a sweet smile. "Don't be silly Swank. I trust you. I know you wouldn't dream of making me come back here." Her smile dropped. "It wouldn't end well."

"It's all there!" Swank protested.

"I'm sure it is." Evelyn agreed. "Have a good day Swank." She motioned for Vincent and they made to leave The Tops quietly. She felt the eyes of the Chairmen on her, but ignored them as she crossed the casino floor. They made it to the door before Vincent put his shotgun on his back.

Once outside, Evelyn let out a quiet little whoop. "Can you believe it? I feel like a master criminal." She laughed.

"Yeah well, let's git goin Vikki, we got a King waitin on this money." Vincent laughed.

"Lead the way Vance." Evelyn smirked.

They made their way down The Strip quickly, and made it to Camp McCarran before nightfall. Evelyn couldn't help but smile at their base camp. Recruits had been pouring in for six weeks. Harland had been hard at work recruiting and training. Boone had organized a group of experienced Followers of the Apocolypse to head up combat training, while Arcade had found an unlikely partner in a man named Jack. Jack made chems for a living, but upon hearing the recruitment spiel from Cass, had decided to join up and make medical supplies for the fast growing army.

Marcus had rallied nearly forty mutants and Nightkin to their cause, and she could tell that the sight of them milling around still frightened some of the newer recruits. Lily was already a camp favorite, helping anyone who asked enthusiastically, if not a bit overzealously.

Evelyn headed straight for the main building. She wanted to give these caps to Harland and lay down for the night. Vincent headed in the opposite direction, to seek out Cass no doubt. The large man had taken a liking to the fiery caravan owner. From what Evelyn could see, the fondness was mutual.

Evelyn scowled again, thinking about Harland. Her scowl only deepened when she opened his office door and found a scantily clad blond floozy sitting on his desk, giggling away.

"Evie! Good to see ya baby doll." Harland locked onto her with his piercing green eyes. He barely looked at the half naked blond as he ordered her up to his room. The little floozy huffed irritably as she hopped off the desk and sauntered out the door, pausing to shoot Evelyn a dirty look.

"Keep walking bitch." Evelyn snarled.

Harland raised one eyebrow. "Well now. That wasn't very nice." He remarked mildly. "No need to be jealous baby."

"Save it." Evelyn growled, plopping the briefcase on the desk. "Brought you more funds." She turned to leave but Harland called out to her.

"So you spend one night with me, and now you hate me? That's cold." He said.

Evelyn whipped around. "That was a mistake." She hissed.

It had been a mistake. A big one. She and Harland had gone to Gun Runners to speak to a man named Isaac. Isaac would be able to supply their army with weapons and ammunition, and with steady business, would be able to offer them a solid discount. He lead them back to his home to draw up a contract, and that was when Evelyn had seen them.

Charon was right there, not five hundred feet away. Evelyn made to call out to him, but the words died in her throat when she saw the pretty little redhead leap onto Charons back, laughing loudly. Charon was smiling as he pried the small woman off of his back and held her in front of him, her legs dangling as she giggled. She wiggled out of his grasp, landing on her ass with a loud laugh. Charon reached down and pulled her to her feet, not releasing her hand until he spotted Evelyn.

They stared at each other for a moment before Harland's voice interrupted their staring contest.

"Evie? You comin doll?" Harland called. Charons face twisted into a scowl.

In the same moment the pretty little redhead called to Charon. "Liam? Hurry up! I've got to make dinner!" Liam? She knew his real name? Even her fucking voice was pretty. Evelyn watched Charon turn on his heel and stomp towards the woman that was everything she wasn't.

She didn't pay attention as the contract was drawn up, Harland took care of the details. She simply didn't care. She didn't care when he took her back to Freeside. She didn't care when he started handing her drinks, she didn't care when he started skipping the glass and just started handing her the bottle. She didn't care when he pressed a kiss to her neck. She didn't care when he started pulling off her clothes. And she didn't care when he pushed her onto the bed gently.

He interrupted her reminiscing. "You think that redhead was a mistake too?" He asked, knowing that he was twisting the knife. "Bet he keeps repeating that mistake."

"Fuck you." She mumbled.

Harland snorted. "You have. And it wasn't that great." He goaded. He looked contrite immediately. "Can't we just play nice?" He sighed.

She ran her hands through her hair. "Yeah. We've got a job to do." She relented.

Harland nodded. "Thanks for scroungin up the funds. Boone thinks the troops could use some grenade training." He informed her. She nodded.

"He's probably right. You guys are doing a great job." She admitted.

"So are you Evie." Harland assured her.

"Thank you Harland." She said softly.

"Can we be friends?" Harland asked.

"Of course." She sighed, pulling her helmet back on.

"Care to join me and my other friend? Misty I think?" He asked, his smirk wide. Evelyn rolled her eyes.

"Don't push it asshole." She snorted, shaking her head, unsuccessful in her attempts to keep a straight face. "Don't make me get Vincent in here."


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-Two

"Liam? It's time for breakfast! I made something new!" Alice called cheerfully from the doorway. Charon rolled over with a groan. He looked at her bright smile and grimaced. Alice was so upbeat. Always. Today she wore a brown dress, he had watched her slowly sew it together in the evening over the last week. It was odd to see her in something that fit. She looked so small, swimming in all her other clothes. He stretched languidly, feeling tired.

He hadn't been sleeping well for weeks. He was plagued by dreams. Some were worse than others. Most nights he dreamed about the people he'd been forced to hurt. The night before he'd dreamed of Evelyn. She had been smiling and dancing, her lips on his neck. It was always nice until he woke up. Then his chest ached and he felt cold. He wanted to hate her. But he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried.

He pulled on some loose cloth pants that Alice had made him. That woman was something else. She was tiny but she had a larger than life personality. She was sweet, funny and genuinely kind. She never made him feel anything less than equal, never even mentioning the fact that he was a ghoul. She overpaid him for how little work he was actually doing. He helped her out around the house, and with the farm. But she fed him, clothed him and provided him a bed.

Charon had begun to suspect that the petite redhead was just lonely. In the three months he had worked for her, no one had come to visit her, nor had she gone to visit anyone. She seemed content to listen to him tell her what little he could remember about the Old World. She had never asked about Evelyn, and he never brought it up. She had caught him staring off into the distance sadly a few times, but she would just smile and squeeze him into a tight hug. Alice loved to hug.

Alice had noticed her that day, out in the field, of course. She had asked him to teach her how to defend herself. She would amuse herself for hours trying to catch him off guard. That day in the field had been the first time she succeeded. Alice had pounced on him while he was out searching for horsenettles. He had laughed at her joyous little shriek of triumph. She was still laughing when she wiggled right out of his grasp and fell backwards. He pulled her up and froze. Evelyn was right there, staring at him.

He had released Alice, who began to trot back towards the farm, singing cheerfully. He stared at Evelyn, wanting to call out to her. His breathing quickened, he could feel his hear pounding. She was right there. All he had to do was walk over there and kiss her until she was breathless. But then that smoothskin from Freeside was there, calling her baby. He hadn't even noticed him until the smug fucker spoke. Charon felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Evelyn ignored the smoothskin, still staring at Charon. Alice called for him, and he reluctantly turned to leave. Evelyn didn't stop him, even as he prayed that she would.

On the way back to the farm, Alice skipped alongside Charon, trying to keep up with his long strides. Her curls bounced and she started panting lightly from the exertion.

"Did you know that girl?" Alice asked after he slowed down to allow her to catch up. Her cheeks were flushed bright red, sweat beading on her forehead.

"Yes." He grunted, nodding his head once. He refused to meet her searching eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked, placing her hand on his arm to halt him. He reluctantly looked into her gray eyes and fought back the urge to withdraw from her. He wanted to shrug her small, pale fingers off of his ruined skin. He didn't want to let her get too close, didn't want her to grow tired of him too.

"I am fine." He said flatly.

"Did she hurt you?" Alice asked, her face twisted in concern. Her concern for him made his chest ache all the more.

"I am fine." He repeated. She nodded, and didn't push the subject. Alice never pushed the subject. She just squeezed his hand and flounced back to the farm.

He was brought back to the present by Alice bounding back into his room excitedly. Her strawberry blond curls bounced wildly and she grabbed his hand. She wasn't at all put off that she was pulling with both hands and he wasn't budging. "C'mon c'mon c'monnnnnnn!" She bleated happily. "It's ready!"

"What is ready?" He asked, allowing himself to be lead forward by the exuberant little woman.

"The surprise!" She giggled.

"What surprise?" He questioned, lifting one brow.

She didn't answer, just gestured at the worn table. He blinked at it for a few moments.

"You made pancakes. With syrup." He said quietly. He felt a lump forming in his throat.

Alice nodded, her smile so wide it looked like it might be painful. She was rocking on her heels, looking very pleased.

"Alice." He said, staring at her in amazement. "How?"

She giggled in delight. "Well you were telling me that they were your favorite from when you were a kid, so I thought I'd try. It's just flour, water, yeast, agave nectar and I ground up some dandy apples into powder to mix it in. I fried them, and the syrup is just agave nectar cooked on the stove until it thickened up." She explained. She clapped her hands together. "So try it! Eat! Eat!" She urged.

He sat down and cut into the pancake. It certainly resembled the pancakes from his fuzzy memory. He took a bite and smiled at her. She looked so hopeful and nervous. It really was good. It tasted sweet and dense. He decided he very much enjoyed Alice's pancakes. He didn't remember what pancakes tasted like anyway. He was just surprised to see her go through so much effort to please him. Surprised and oddly pleased.

"These are very good." He told her, his mouth still full. She beamed at him and started eating her own. They didn't talk while they finished their breakfast. They just smiled at one another. He looked up from his plate and caught her grinning at him slyly. He smirked in return.

After they had both finished, Alice got up to clear the table. She reached for Charons plate and he placed his hand on her arm. She looked at him quizzically.

"You did all this for me?" He asked softly.

She smiled. "Of course."

"Thank you." He didn't release her arm.

"What are friends for?" She asked. He stood up quickly, and she just stared up at him. He could see her pulse jumping on her neck. He leaned down and carefully pressed his lips to hers. Her lips were softer than he had expected, and she tasted like agave nectar. Charon decided that he liked it a lot. She sighed sweetly and kissed him back. Her small hands snaked up his waist and rested on his bare chest. He flushed, realizing that he had forgotten to put a shirt on. He felt a little thrill knowing that his ruined skin was on display and she was still kissing him like she never wanted to stop. He placed his large hand on her small back and she pulled back.

"I'm so sorry." She said, looking up at him sadly. The warmth he had been feeling drained from him so quickly he thought he might be sick.

"What?" He asked, trying to pull her back to him. He didn't want to hear that she didn't want to be touched by a ghoul.

"It's not right." She whispered. He froze, backing away from her. She just stared at him with those silver eyes. "I can't ever be Evelyn."

"What?" He repeated, startled. He hadn't told Alice what her name was. How could she have possibly known?

"You say her name in your sleep." Alice relied, answering his unasked question. She paused before asking, "Was it the girl over by Gun Runners."

He swallowed. "Yes. That was Evelyn." He admitted. His mouth was dry. He felt terrible.

"You love her huh?" Alice asked, pushing him back into the chair firmly. She brushed his cheek with her fingertips, ever so gently.

"I do." Charon said, staring at the floor. Alice sat in his lap gingerly. She gave him a reassuring hug, her breath warm on his face.

"So what happened?" She asked.

"She chose another man. One with skin." Charon said miserably. He didn't want to talk about this. Ever.

"The guy that was with her?" Alice asked.

"Yes." Charon sighed deeply. Apparently she wasn't going to drop it.

"We're a sad pair aren't we?" Alice asked with a light laugh. "Loving people that don't love us." She lay her head on his shoulder.

"We do not have to be sad." Charon suggested. He breathed in the scent of her hair. She smelled like the cactus fruit shampoo that she made and the open sky.

Alice studied his face for a long while before she gave him the most heartbreaking smile that he had ever seen. "No we don't. We can go find this Evelyn girl."

Charon shook his head. "That is not what I meant." He argued. He rubbed his thumb along her palm.

She lay her head back down. "I know. But that's what we're gonna do." She said softly. He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a few minutes.

"What if she does not want to see me?" He asked, disrupting their comfortable silence.

"Then she's an idiot." Alice said fiercely. Charon watched a single tear trail down her cheek, and squeezed her tighter. They remained like that for the better part of the morning.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-Three

The conversation from a week prior kept playing over and over again in Evelyns head.

"_**That's not possible." Evelyn whispered, staring at Arcade in horror. She hated the look of pity on his face, hated what he was saying. The nausea she had become accustomed to in the previous two weeks was replaced by a much stronger sickness, flat out terror and dread. **_

_**Arcade ran his fingers through his blond hair. "Evie, I'm sure I don't need to explain exactly how it's possible." The doctor told her softly. **_

_**"Well, how do I take care of it?" She asked, her face looking drawn.**_

_**"Take care of it?" Arcade asked, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "I'm sure there are other people who can tell you all about that. I'm far from an expert on infants." **_

_**"I mean to get rid of it Arcade." Evelyn sighed. She rubbed the bridge of her nose in **_

_**"Get rid of it?!" Arcade yelped. "No. No. You can't do that."**_

_**"I don't need your opinion Arcade! I need fucking options! I cannot be fucking pregnant!" She snapped, her hands curled into fists. **_

_**"You can and you are Evie!" Arcade snapped back. "And if you try to seek out some alleyway butcher, you'll die. I've seen it too many times. No real doctor will help you."**_

_**"Why?" She whimpered, her face crumpling as the tears came forth.**_

_**"Because life is precious. A gift. With life there is hope. There's too much dying and pain." He told her, looking fierce. "You're scared now, but it will get better. This is a gift."**_

_**Evelyn sighed, her shoulders slumping as she brought her hands up to her face. Arcade patted her shoulder awkwardly and left her suite.**_

"I didn't mean ta eavesdrop." Vincent interrupted her misery. She hadn't left her suite since that fateful conversation. She had barely moved at all. "But I heard Boone talkin to Arcade a lil bit ago. They was talkin bout yer... Condition." She looked up at him through bleary eyes.

"It's okay. Saves me from having to explain I guess." She whispered.

"Miss Evelyn, ain't my job to tell ya what to do and it ain't my right. But kin I ask ya somethin?" The large man asked. He looked hesitant.

"Yeah." She said softly, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Why don't ya wanna be a mama?" His blue eyes were filled with sympathy and she looked away. She didn't deserve his sympathy. She had done this to herself. For the most part anyway.

"I don't know how." She admitted, the tears flowing again.

"Well jist do what yer mama did." Vincent suggested, taking her hands in his. "I'm sure every new mama gets a lil scared at first. But mamas been doin their duty forever."

"My mom died giving birth to me Vincent. I never had a mom." She said. "I can't be somebody's mom."

Vincent squeezed her hands. "Ya are though. An I think you'll do a good job. But ya know what we gotta do?" He asked.

She looked up. "What?"

"Gotta find Charon." Vincent said, bobbing his head.

She jerked away from him and shook her head vehemently. "No!" She shouted. She felt sick again.

"He has a right ta know." Vincent insisted. "I always wanted ta be a daddy. Ya shouldn't take it away from 'im."

"He's not-" Evelyn couldn't even say it. "Ghouls can't have children."

The sight of Vincent's blue eyes going wide bathed Evelyn in more shame than she had ever felt. "So Harland..." He trailed off.

"Yeah." She hiccuped miserably. The large man scooped her into his arms carefully.

Evelyn sobbed into his shoulder. Her whole body shook as she broke down.

"He's never going to stop hating me now." She sobbed.

"Ya don't know that." Vincent soothed, stroking her long blond hair. "He loves ya."

"He replaced me!" She screamed. Her face turned red. "Like I was nothing!"

"Ya hurt him." Vincent reminded her softly. "Hurt people do crazy thangs sometimes. You hidin from him ain't gonna help ya none." Evelyn just kept sobbing.

"Evelyn?" A strange voice broke in. Evelyn and Vincent turned to the door and Evelyn gasped.

The petite little redhead she hated so much stood there, twisting a beat up old cowboy in her hands. She was so pretty, standing there in her brown dress and little white shoes stained by the red dust. Her hair was a wild tangle of curls but it worked for her.

"What do _you_ want?" Evelyn barked. She didn't have the energy to pretend she didn't know who she was.

"I came here to..." The redhead started, before she sighed deeply. "I need to talk to you."

"I don't care what you need." Evelyn snapped.

"Evie." Vincent admonished.

"You think I want to be here?" The redhead snapped. "That I want to come to you and tell you this? You don't deserve him! You don't love him!" Little fists rested on petite hips and the small woman trembled with rage.

Evelyn leapt to her feet. "How dare you! You think because you've been fucking him for four months you love him? You think you know me? I love him more than anything! He's my fucking everything and he left me! I wanted to die! You stupid bitch!" Vincent held Evelyn back, lifting her from the ground as she fought to get ahold of the much smaller woman. To the redheads credit, she didn't back away. That seemed to enrage Evelyn further. She kicked for a few minutes before going limp. She started crying, her despair clear on her face. Vincent set her down. She crossed her arms over herself and hugged as if trying to contain her pain.

The redhead cleared her throat, gray eyes wide. "He loves you." She said softly, looking as if the sentence pained her. "He's here."

Evelyn lifted her head. "Here?" She whispered hoarsely. She looked confused.

"He didn't think you would want to see him." The small woman said. "He's in the lobby."

Evelyn didn't reply. She took off at a sprint, brushing past the redhead. She threw herself into the elevator and pressed the buttons urgently. She slapped at them impatiently, screaming in frustration. She needed to get down there before he left! After what felt like an eternity, the doors opened with a loud ding.

And there he was. He was wearing different clothes, but he was exactly as he always had been. Impassive and quiet. She didn't stop to think that she looked a mess, her blond hair greasy and limp. She wore the ugly green and pink lounge pants he hated so much and a ratty off white tank top that had a tear at the bottom where the worn fabric had given way to her nervous tugging. She just ran to him.

"Charon!" She wailed, throwing herself into his arms. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, clinging to him as she cried.

His arms wrapped around her, holding her up by her thighs. "Evelyn." He breathed against her ear, nuzzling her cheek. "I have missed you so much." He told her as her tears hit his cheek. "Do not cry dear one."

"Charon." She whimpered. "I love you. I love you. Love you." She chanted.

"And I love you." He murmured, setting her down gently. She wrapped her arms around him, not willing to let go.

"You left me." She whimpered, peering up at him.

"You were with someone else." Charon said, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. He cradled her face in his large hands carefully. "I only wished for you to be happy."

Evelyn sniffed loudly. "How could I be happy without you?" She asked in disbelief. "I've been miserable."

"I am not leaving again." He said forcefully. His hands rested on her waist, close to her ever so slightly distended belly and she flinched, reality setting in. She pulled away.

"You will." She whispered miserably.

"I will not." He insisted. He reached for her again, clasping her hands.

"I messed up Charon." Evelyn couldn't look at him. "Bad."

"It does not matter. It is the past." Charon said firmly. "I love you."

"It's not that!" Evelyn said in frustration. She lifted up her shirt. "It's this." She pointed to her stomach.

Charon blinked at her. "You have gained weight?" He asked.

Evelyn looked down with a frown. "You can tell? What? No!" She groaned. "I'm pregnant Charon." She said so softly that she was barely audible.

The large ghoul looked as if someone had dumped a large bucket of cold water over his head. "That is not possible." He said, staring at her stomach, looking almost frightened. "Ghouls cannot have children."

"I know." She replied, tears filling her eyes again.

Realization crossed his features. "I see." He said. "The smoothskin from Freeside." His entire body stiffened. He let go of her hands, his hands gripping his thighs tightly.

"It was only once." She pleaded, fighting back the tears. "I know it's not an excuse, it was a mistake. And I'm so, so sorry."

Charon lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I love you Evelyn. Every part of you. Even this." He lay his large hand against her stomach. "Especially this."


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty-Four

"Evie you shouldn't be out there baby doll. Not in your condition." Harland admonished. He stared at her belly, almost fearfully. His green eyes were wide and his face was twisted into obvious discomfort. Evelyn sighed. She had been avoiding him. Who knew Arcade was such a gossip queen? But there she stood in his office at McCarran, because Boone had sent word that she was needed. The news he had given her was far from pleasant but she agreed, this was her responsibility.

"Thanks for your concern, but I've got shit to do. The world doesn't stop just because I'm knocked up." She said. Charon hadn't left her side since he had returned, and she could practically feel the rage coming off of him in waves. He didn't like it when Harland was anywhere near her.

Harland stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground. "About that Evie..." He began. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"What about it Harland?" Evelyn asked mildly, her eyebrows raised. She didn't miss the growl Charon couldn't contain.

"Well I just... Damn I don't know Evie!" Harland groaned. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say or do in this situation! The kid... It won't want for anything. Okay? That's all I'm trying to say." She had never seen the charismatic man so flustered and she had to bite back a laugh.

"Really Harland?" She asked, shaking her head. He looked offended.

"Is it so bad that I'm showing some concern?" He asked defensively. He ran his hand through his dark hair, mussing it up.

"You need not concern yourself with my child or my woman." Charon snarled, stepping in front of Evelyn. He glared down at the Freesider. Relief flooded Harland's features and he took a step back.

"Your-? Ohhh man buddy boy, I been grossly misinformed. My apologies." Harland's smirk was back. He shrugged his shoulders and gestured to the barracks. "The soldier boys you're lookin for are in that red tent in the first row there. Boone was in there earlier yellin about a court martial, but I figure that's up to you. You're the lady with the robots after all." He walked away, whistling cheerfully.

Evelyn peered up at Charon with a rather dopey look on her face. "What?" He asked.

"Yours." She choked out, her eyes overflowing.

He sighed deeply. "Yes. Mine." Charon said with a nod. He kissed the top of her head, trying to usher her forward.

"But-" She protested. He gave her a sharp glare. The words died on her lips.

"Will you deny me that?" He asked irritably.

"I didn't know you wanted that." She whispered. "I don't want it." She admitted. Charon stiffened and she quickly continued. "I don't want this." She said, gesturing towards her stomach. "It's just a reminder that I fucked up. And I hate it. I hate it and I don't want it." She prodded at her abdomen in disgust.

Charon set his jaw and grasped her wrist tightly. "Do not ever say that!" He commanded, fighting to keep his voice level. "That child is part of you."

"I don't want it. I'm going to give it away." She whimpered. "I can't look at it every day, reminding me that I fucked up. You'll start to hate me. You're going to resent me."

Charon squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. "You are not giving our child away. You do not hate our child. And I will never resent you. Ever." He sighed. "I hate _him_. I hate that he touched you. I hate that he gave you something that I cannot. I am grateful though. Our family is complete and without him, that would not be possible."

Evelyn took several deep breaths and nodded. She smoothed her hair back and squared her shoulders before marching towards the large front doors of the main building. Charon hesitated for a moment, then followed her. They walked outside and Evelyn hesitated before the red tent.

Boone had designated the scarlet tent as the "Officers Tent." Evelyn wanted to roll her eyes. She felt like she was playing a game of pretend with all the titles they tossed at her. General? President? Evelyn was Evelyn as far as she was concerned. Amaya had rejected titles before her and she decided to keep up the tradition. Besides, Boone had looked murderous when she asked if she could be Queen of New Vegas.

Charon watched her put on the severe 'soldier' face before they entered the tent. Inside, three young men were on their knees, bound, with their chins slumped against their chests. They all looked up when he and Evelyn walked into the tent, and it was clear that the smallest boy amongst the group had been crying. A severe looking young woman handed Charon a piece of paper and saluted Evelyn before leaving the tent. Charon sighed as he read through the incident report. They were all young, none of them had reached their twenty-first birthday. All three before them were brothers, and they had tried to sneak off in the middle of the night with weapons and supplies. One of their group hadn't survived being brought in by Boone and his trainees.

"Boone already briefed me." Evelyn waved away the incident report. She looked at the boys in front of her and sighed deeply.

"Hello gentlemen. Do you know who I am?" She asked.

The largest of the group swallowed before replying softly, "You're General Evans ma'am." His blond hair was cropped close to his head and his blue eyes were bloodshot.

Evelyn nodded. "That's correct. Who are you?" She asked.

"Private Caleb Matthews ma'am." The boy replied. He stared at the ground. Charon looked back to the incident report. Caleb was the middle brother, at nineteen he dwarfed his eighteen and twenty year old brothers easily.

"And you? Who are you?" Evelyn asked the smallest kid, not unkindly.

"Joseph Mmm-Matthews. I mean, Pppp-Private J-Joseph Matthews." The young man stuttered. He had black hair that was a little scraggly and dark brown eyes. He had been crying recently. He looked absolutely petrified. Charon scanned the report and confirmed that Joseph was the eighteen year old.

"And that means you're Eric?" Evelyn asked the last kid. He looked like a bigger version of Joseph, with shorter hair.

"Yes ma'am." Eric said, the first to meet her eyes.

"Gentlemen, I'm sure you know why I'm here." Evelyn said. None of the Matthews boys responded so she continued. "You stole from me boys. You stole from New Vegas. You took an oath to defend the territories and people under the New Vegas flag and you broke that. Major Boone tells me that's an offense punishable by firing squad."

Joseph started crying again and Caleb looked near tears. Eric closed his eyes and set his jaw.

"This is my fault ma'am. My brothers didn't want to do it." He told Evelyn. "Don't punish them for my mistakes."

"Eric!" Caleb protested. Tears filled the young mans eyes and he was shaking his head.

"Shut up Caleb!" Eric barked.

"You can't just-" Caleb argued.

"Enough!" Evelyn snapped. The siblings fell silent. "Joseph, why don't you tell me what happened?"

The dark haired teenager took a steadying breath. "Oh. Okay. Uh. Www-We were pppp-patrolling with Riley. And he sss-said that if we left nnn-now then we could get Ma out of Vegas bbb-before the gggg-ghouls ggg-got here." He cast an apologetic look towards Charon. "Said we would need the www-weapons and food. And Ma... Mmm-Ma is all we got."

"Riley is the man you went AWOL with that refused to surrender and was subsequently killed during detainment?" Evelyn asked.

"Yyy-yes ma'am." Joseph said with a nod. Evelyn nodded for him to continue. "So we, www-we left. Bbb-but it wasn't all Eric's fff-fault." He blurted out defiantly. His brother shot him a dirty look.

"Thank you Private. I've heard all I need to hear." Evelyn said after a moment. "Charon, please release Private Joseph Matthews and Private Caleb Matthews." Charon complied, untying the younger siblings. He offered them a hand and each took it in turn. The stared at their bound brother sadly.

"Report to your commanding officers immediately." Evelyn ordered. They each gave her a halfhearted salute before hurrying from the tent.

Evelyn knelt down in front of Eric and untied him. He rubbed his wrists and looked at her in confusion. She sat in front of him cross legged. "That was so stupid. Noble, but so fucking stupid. Riley was going to shoot you all, take everything and leave your bodies there to rot. His journal was recovered with his body."

Eric looked sick and Evelyn shook her head. "Look, I understand wanting to protect your parents. I really do. But you went about everything wrong. You should have talked to one of your superiors if you felt like civilians weren't safe." She admonished him.

"I'm sorry ma'am." Eric said, his head bowed in shame.

"Major Boone suggested that I make an example of you and your brothers, show the other recruits that I run a strict, no nonsense army. He said executing you all would prove that I'm a good leader."

Eric swallowed loudly, but didn't look away. "I understand ma'am." He replied softly.

"You took full responsibility, so the full punishment falls on you." Evelyn said decisively. Charon glanced at her in surprise. She was really going to have the boy executed?

"Yes ma'am." Eric said quietly.

"You're to clean all the latrines. I want them to sparkle. And then you'll report to Corporal Hodgens for kitchen duty. In a month, you're going to meet me here. I'm going to put together a task force to clean up the South Vegas ruins, that way we can start moving civilians in closer. The whole purpose of this army is to protect the citizens Private Matthews. I want you to know that." Evelyn stated firmly.

Eric was gaping at her in shock. "You want me to clean the latrines ma'am?" He asked, his voice lifting an octave.

"I trust you can handle that Private?" Evelyn asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Yes! Of course!" He said, before quickly adding, "Ma'am."

"Then get out of my tent." Evelyn ordered, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. The young man scrambled to his feet and rushed out of the tent. Charon smiled when he heard him calling for his brothers.

"That was kind." Charon remarked, lifting her to her feet carefully. "Boone will be disappointed that you went so gently."

Evelyn snorted. "Boone can suck it. I'm not here to scare these fucking people. They're all here because they _are_ scared. I'm here to show them that I'd we all work together, they have nothing to be scared of." She said. "Those kids made me realize that an army isn't any good if the civilians are left vulnerable. I'm gonna talk to Marcus about taking the Nightkin into the south side and making it livable so people who want to feel a little safer can go there. Get some Securitrons to patrol like they've got on the strip."

Charon nodded. "How will you feed these civilians?" He asked.

"So I was thinking..." Evelyn said, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Evelyn you are not exploring those vaults!" Charon snapped.

"Oh come on Charon! Amaya wrote that Vault Three is cleared out and loaded down with supplies that the Fiends were too stupid to access! That would give us a good start and then we could find an expert on farming, some of those people who were sharecroppers but never left?" Evelyn cajoled.

Charon sighed. "Fine." He grumbled.

Evelyn let out an earsplitting shriek and threw her arms around him. "Thank you love." She said, kissing his jaw. He pulled her tighter against him and rubbed his rough cheek against hers.

"You would have done it anyway." He grumbled.

She grinned up at him and said, "Of course I would have, but I love that you gave me permission."

"I love you." Charon told her, laying his forehead against hers.

"And I love you."


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter Forty-Five

"It'll be fine Charon. Boone said he was the one who cleared it out with Amaya. If he says they're dead, they're dead." Evelyn assured the frowning ghoul in exasperation. He glowered at her.

"That does not mean that more degenerates have not taken up residence in the previous occupants absence." Charon argued, marching ahead of her and sweeping the perimeter before he allowed her to step forward. Evelyn bit her lip to prevent herself from snapping back. She was getting tired of being treated like a fragile child.

They moved into the vault and Charon wrinkled his nose in disgust. Evelyn promptly gave in to the overwhelming urge to vomit, sending the contents of her stomach all over the floor.

"Oh my fucking god!" She gasped, wiping her mouth.

"Cover your nose with a scarf. It will help." Charon commanded. Her eyes were fixed behind him and he stepped closer, blocking her view. "Do not look. You will be ill again." She blinked a few times before nodding. She dug around in her pack and pulled her old tan scarf out. She wrapped it around her face carefully and sighed in relief. "Better?" He asked her.

"Yeah. God. I think we can safely say this place is empty." She said. "Nobody could live with that." She pointed behind him.

"I would think you would be accustomed to corpses by now." Charon remarked, walking ahead of her.

She paused to stare at the dead body on the ground. She could scarcely recognize it as human, let alone the gender of the corpse. It was half decayed, gray and bloated. Some flesh had slipped off of it in places and it was lying in a large puddle of greenish brown liquid. "I've seen plenty of bodies. But never like this."

"Evelyn!" Charon called from the hallway in front of her. "There are many more bodies like that in here. And worse."

"Worse? How can it get-" She called back, moving behind him and the words died. "Jesus fuck! What the hell?!" She screeched.

"Animals. Something in here is or was eating the corpses. I imagine whatever it is was sealed in accidentally." Charon intoned. Evelyn stared at the decayed carnage and was tempted to throw up again.

"Well whatever the fuck it was, it's probably dead now. There's no way it could last six months with no food or water." Evelyn said, staring at the ceiling, trying to convince her rolling stomach to calm down.

"I agree." Charon replied, guiding her away from the macabre sight before them. Thankfully, the next hallway was clear of dead. A terminal jutted from the wall, next to a locked door.

"Give me a minute, I'll get this open no problem." Evelyn muttered. She started tapping away at the keyboard and Charon stood guard. After about five minutes she crowed triumphantly and the door slid open.

"Fuck yeah! Jackpot!" She yelled, her voice bouncing off the metal walls. Inside the small closet was stuffed with crates upon crates of bottled water.

"We cannot carry all that." Charon said with a frown.

"Of course not babe." Evelyn said, looking at him as if he were stupid. "I'm going to have Harland send some guys to pick all this up. I just wanted to make sure it was here before I wasted their time."

"You could have sent someone else to look." Charon grumbled.

"Everyone else has shit to do. I'm sick of being cooped up in that suite all the time." She complained, trying to push past him.

"Yes. A soft bed and warm shower. How terrible." Charon replied sarcastically, blocking her movement. "Tell me where you want to go and I will take the lead." He demanded.

Evelyn huffed loudly behind her scarf. "Towards the clinic. I hope there's still some medical supplies. The signs on the wall say it's to the right there." She pointed towards a dimly lit walkway. Charon could already smell the corpses that littered the floor as he moved right. He wrapped an arm around Evelyn's waist and gave her a nod as he began to lead her past the scattered body parts.

The clinic was thoroughly destroyed. Gurneys were overturned, assorted medical implements were scattered all around. Crude graffiti adorned the walls. Cupboards were wide open and empty.

"Shit. This place is a fucking disaster." Evelyn groaned, smoothing her hair. The blond locks had started to escape the braid and hung in her face. She pushed it back and scowled.

"Addicts occupied this vault. It makes sense." Charon reasoned.

She nodded tersely. "Yeah. Fucking addicts. Every fault has at least one." She froze, her eyes going wide above the scarf. "Every vault has one! So Dad locked the good stuff in his..." She trailed off, scanning the room quickly. "Desk!" She yelled, bolting towards the upturned metal desk.

"Do not try to lift that!" Charon snapped quickly, dissuading her from the action he knew she was seconds from attempting. He crossed the room quickly and lifted the desk with a grunt. He dropped it upright and the loud clang hurt both their ears.

Evelyn dropped to her knees instantly, yanking on the drawers until she discovered that the large left drawer was locked. She pulled a bobby pin from her head and made short work of the lock. It clicked open and Charon could tell that she was grinning behind her scarf. Her eyes crinkled up and she glanced up at him proudly.

She pulled open the door and squealed happily. "Med-X and Buffout! Tons of it!"

"I can carry that." Charon offered. Evelyn nodded and jumped to her feet quickly. She dusted off her knees and started loading boxes of Med-X filled syringes into his pack. She topped it off with twenty bottles of Buffout. "See? Aren't you glad you left all that shit back in the suite? Told you we wouldn't need it." He didn't reply, just shook his head.

"Now for the kitchen! Let's look for some food!" She announced cheerfully. "We should get there through the common area if it's anything like one oh one. Just head right up here." She indicated a vague direction with her head. Charon lead them out of the clinic, as cautious as ever.

The kitchen was worse off than the clinic. There were no bodies in it, but there was a disaster of food packages and...

"Is that shit?" Evelyn asked. "That looks like shit."

"I believe so, yes. Though I believe it is from an animal." Charon replied.

"Fucking disgusting." She grumbled, shaking her head. She carefully navigated herself across the room, "I'm gonna unlock this pantry with this terminal. I'm not even gonna open that freezer. I learned my lesson in one oh eight." She shuddered visibly. She moved towards the terminal around the partition but froze.

"Charon?" She asked uncertainly. He stopped searching a cupboard and was at her side within seconds.

"Yes?" He asked. He spotted what had drawn her attention immediately. "Ah."

"Found where the shit came from." She said quietly. Charon nodded.

Before them crouched two very thin and very scared dogs. Both looked to be in rough shape, mangy and missing hair in large patches all over. Their thin tails hung between their legs as they whimpered weakly.

"How are they even alive? Amaya and Boone cleared this place out months ago. Like six months ago. Even eating the dead people..." Evelyn trailed off, taking in their surroundings. "They're probably dying of thirst. Eating all these salty snacks."

Charon crossed the room and grabbed a large metal pot from the floor. He filled it at the sink, and put it in front of the emeciated dogs. The scooted closer, before falling on the water, whining happily. He pulled out a bag of dried Brahmin meat from Evelyn's pack and set it on the floor by the water. They snatched it up so quickly Evelyn wanted to cry. She had seen her share of hungry creatures in her life, but the pure delight these dogs took in such meager provisions made her heart ache.

After they had had their fill, they looked up at Charon hopefully. "No more for now." He told the dogs firmly. "You will get sick."

Their tails wagged happily and Evelyn reached out to stroke their bristly tan fur and they rubbed against her hand eagerly. The smaller dog moved closer and licked her hand. "Hey there pretty boy. Hi." Evelyn cooed. "You're gonna come home with me. Yes you are."

"I do not think the smaller one is strong enough to make the journey." Charon interrupted her affectionate words. "You should open the pantry, and verify that there is food inside."

Evelyn sighed loudly, knowing he was right. She moved away from the dog reluctantly and made short work of the terminal, tapping at the keyboard furiously. The door slid open and she nodded happily. "It's stuffed full of food. Look at all that Cram." She turned to look at Charon and almost laughed aloud. She couldn't keep the smile from her face.

He had scooped up a dog under each arm and they dangled complacently, wagging their thin tails. He offered her a small smile. "Shall we head back?" He asked.

"You bet babe." Evelyn giggled, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. The left the dim, smelly vault behind, and she wasn't sorry to pull the scarf away from her nose. She took a deep breath of the fresh air and followed the man she loved down the road. He carried the dogs as if they weighed nothing.

He cut an impressive figure in the setting sunlight. He was a tall wall of muscle, but with two dogs under his arms he looked like a hero. She beamed at him. He was certainly her hero.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter Forty-Six

"Titan can go with me. He'll keep me safe." Evelyn said, rubbing her face against the large dog. "Won't you? Yes you will, you ferocious beast you!" The dog demonstrated his ferocity by whining happily and rolling over to bare his stomach. Evelyn rubbed his belly lovingly.

"I do not feel comfortable with you going out alone, even with a dog." Charon argued. "And why would you bring Titan, not Maddox?"

Evelyn sighed. "Maddox gets all the attention because he's bigger. Titan needs love too." She kissed a cold wet nose and giggled when Titan snorted at her. "Besides, Maddox doesn't listen to anyone but you." She said, pointing to the large dog sitting by his feet.

"Can it not wait until I get back?" Charon tried a different tactic.

Evelyn began brushing out her long blond hair carefully. "You know it can't. I need to inspect the south side so they can start moving refugees in. Then I have to go talk to a few local farmers to set up a deal with them so we can actually feed these people. Arcade and the rest of the Followers have the sharecrop farms up and going again but we need something now, since they won't be ready to harvest for a few months." She told him, slipping into her lounge pants.

Charon found himself momentarily distracted when she pulled off her shirt. He placed his hands on her waist as she dug around in the wardrobe for a tank top. She froze and he watched a shiver go down her back. He kissed her shoulder and she sighed. She leaned back against him and his hands slid to rest over her stomach. He found himself doing this often, enjoying the feeling of the small swell there. "You are getting bigger. I can feel it." He whispered in her ear, sounding content. She groaned and pushed him away.

"Don't remind me." She muttered. She didn't like to talk about her pregnancy at all. She pulled on a loose shirt and crawled into the large bed, curling up into a ball. Charon would normally let it go, but this time he slipped into bed behind her and pulled her gently until she lay flat on her back. She stared up at the ceiling

"I wish you were as happy about this as I am." He said softly. He kissed her stomach and she sighed.

"I'm getting fat and puking all the time. Why should I be happy? My pants are already getting tight." She complained.

"You are more beautiful than you have ever been. I am sorry that you are feeling ill though." He said, rubbing her hipbones. "I love you and our little one."

"Let's get some sleep. You've got to get up early." Evelyn said, rolling on her side. He didn't see the heartbroken look on her face. He moved behind her and buried his face in her hair. He was asleep within minutes. Evelyn lay awake much longer, stroking Titans back with her foot.

She was awakened by him sliding out of the bed. She watched him with heavy eyes. He moved around the room quietly. He got dressed and carefully filled his pack for the journey. He noticed her watching him and smiled at her fondly. "You should go back to sleep. It is still very early." He whispered, sitting down on the bed. He smoothed her hair back and stroked her cheek.

Her heart ached at the thought of being separated from him again, but she knew it couldn't be helped. "I'm gonna miss you." She croaked.

"I miss you already." He told her with a sad smile. "I will hurry back to you, I promise."

She nodded. "I'll be safe, I promise. I'll bring Titan with me whenever I leave, and I'll tell Boone where I am at all times." She said, sending him a sleepy smile.

"Thank you. Now sleep." He ordered, kissing her forehead.

"I love you." She called.

He stopped in the doorway and smiled at her already sleeping form. "And I love you." He said quietly. He hoisted his pack over his shoulder and was gone.

Evelyn woke up to her dogs bellowing as if another Great War was upon them. Titan was standing over her snarling, while Maddox was standing in the doorway barking loudly.

"What the fuck?" Evelyn grumbled, pushing Titan off of her. "Maddox shut up!" She yelled. The large dog plopped down on his haunches and growled at whatever was outside her door.

"Evie? It's me!" A familiar voice called cautiously. "I see ya have some new friends."

"Hold on Vincent!" Evelyn called. "Maddox! Get over here! Vincent is my friend." She shoved past the dog and pointed to the large man. "See? Friend. Not food." Maddox just stared at her, his head cocked to the side. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Well, they're good at their job." Vincent remarked with a laugh.

"Apparently." Evelyn grumbled. "Thought you were spending time with Cass on the Strip?" She asked. Maddox seemed to realize that Vincent wasn't going to hurt Evelyn and jumped up on the bed next to Titan for a nap.

A dark look crossed the large mans face. "I was. Til she disappeared wit another man. Then I figured she weren't what I was lookin to spend time with." He said, sinking into a chair. Evelyn sent him a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry big guy." She said, patting his knee. "Some girls are just wild at heart."

"Guess so. So I figured I'd ask ya if ya had anythin for me to do. Where's Charon?" He asked, looking around the suite and noticing the other mans absence.

"He's meeting with Raul. Boone thought it was best another ghoul meet with Raul, just in case the guys he was gathering intel from were watching him." Evelyn said, pulling open a package of snack cakes.

"Makes sense. Got anythin I kin help with?" Vincent asked, declining the snack cake she offered him with a shake of his head.

"If you want, you can come to the south side with me. I'm checking on the progress Private Matthews and his group have made. Then I'm meeting with three farmers to try and convince them to sell their crops to us for cheap." She said with her mouth stuffed full.

"I kin do that. When do ya wanna get goin?" He asked.

"I've just gotta get dressed and then we can go. I'll meet you in the lobby." She said, walking towards her wardrobe. The large man nodded and walked out of the room. Evelyn pulled on some clothes abd hissed in irritation when the pants she chose bit into her. God she was already getting fat. She kicked off her favorite pair of denim pants with a snarl. She pulled on a loose pair of pants and made her way to the lobby quickly. Vincent was holding a worn piece of paper in his hands, his bright blue eyes looking cloudy. He spotted Evelyn and gave her a sad smile. He folded it carefully and ran his hand through his cropped black hair.

"Whatcha got there?" Evelyn asked curiously. He hesitated for a moment.

"Jist an old letter from Amaya. Sometimes I look at it an wonder why she wanted to come here." He said, stowing it away in his pocket.

"Are you homesick?" Evelyn asked her friend, concern etched on her face.

"Naw. Not homesick. Miss somethin I never had. If that makes sense." He tried to explain. He shrugged helplessly.

"You're lonely." Evelyn guessed. He thought for a moment before nodding. She wrapped him in a tight hug and he returned it. "It'll be okay. I promise. It'll get better."

"Why wasn't I good enough?" He asked, his voice muffled by her hair.

"You knew her better than me. I only met her the once. But from the sounds of it, she was gay." Evelyn said, rubbing his back.

"I mean fer anyone." He sighed unhappily. "Wasn't enough fer Cass either."

"Oh Vincent." She cooed. "You've just had some bad luck with women. The perfect woman for you is out there, I'm sure of it."

"I reckon so." He pulled away, sounding glum.

"Well you've always got me! Friends til the end!" Evelyn declared cheerfully, nudging his shoulder with her own.

He gave her a small smile. "Yeah. That's true. Let's go see this here new settlement yer all excited about."

They made it to the South Vegas ruins and Evelyn was delighted. The workers had cleared out a lot of the debris and trash, while using the remaining structures as a foundation for new housing. It was ramshackle and a total eyesore, but the citizens moving in would have a roof over their heads. Securitrons rolled around, guarding the perimeter Arcade had helped her program for them. Titan raced around her happily, sniffing the ground as he circled her.

"Private Matthews!" She called happily, spotting the oldest Matthews brother hard at work fixing a water pipeline.

"Ma'am!" He yelled back with a large grin. He jogged over to her and Vincent immediately.

"Everything looks great Eric. Is Marcus around?" She asked the beaming Private.

"Thank you ma'am! Marcus and the Nightkin are breaking ground for a new potato field. Joseph did some soil tests and under the layer of clay, the ground is perfect for potatoes. It's a lot of work getting to it, but the Nightkin are great at it." He informed her.

"That's so great! You and your brothers are a wonderful asset to our operation here Eric. Thank you." Evelyn complimented him sincerely.

"Thank you ma'am. It's the least we can do. The civilians should be able to come here within the next month or so. Ma said she would love to come." Eric told her with a smile so wide his gums showed.

"I can't wait to meet her." Evelyn replied with a smile of her own. "Please tell Marcus that I stopped by and let him know I said everyone is doing a fantastic job. We have to get going, but I'll be back through once the civilians arrive."

"Will do ma'am." Private Matthews said with a nod. He saluted Evelyn sharply and Evelyn returned it with a wink. The dark haired man blushed and hurried back to the pipeline.

"Well they're loyal ain't they? Even if you're the strangest general I ever saw." Vincent intoned with a laugh.

"I'm the best general this damn army has!" Evelyn declared with mock severity.

"Ain't you the only general this army has?" Vincent asked, one brow raised.

"Yep!" Evelyn laughed. "Let's get going. Titan! Get your ass over here!" She called after the dog that had wandered a short distance away, sniffing the ground excitedly. At the sound of her voice, he picked up his head and cocked it to the side. His tongue lolled out of his mouth as he seemed to grin at her.

"I dun think yer dogs all that bright." Vincent remarked. The large dog in question trotted up to Evelyn when she started making kissy noises at him.

"Shush you, what he lacks in brains he makes up for in ferocity! He'll take your leg off. Won't you baby?" She rubbed Titans head affectionately. He dropped to the ground and waited for a belly rub.

"Oh yeah. He's real fierce." Vincent snorted sarcastically.

"Jesus Titan, you're makin me look bad!" Evelyn giggled. "Come on you lump." She clapped her hands and the dog jumped to his feet.

"Arcade marked this first farm in my Pip-Boy for me, it's a little ways away from Gun Runners." She told Vincent as they walked along the Old World road.

"Ya think the farmer will be willin to help us? Or am I s'pposed to act like I'm gonna break their legs." Vincent asked. He looked halfway between serious and amused.

"I think we'll play nice on this one." Evelyn laughed. "I think it's a mutually beneficial deal. They get a definite amount of caps, and we get food for the troops. There's the added bonus of protection too. I would never leave a supplier unprotected." She said, growing serious.

"Does sound like a good deal." Vincent agreed. They continued on in comfortable silence, occasionally laughing at Titans antics.

Suddenly, Titan stiffened as they came into view of the farm. He let out a low growl and Evelyn drew the Gauss rifle off of her back and peered through the scope.

"Fuck!" She hissed. "Fiends! At least six. They're shooting at someone in that house!"

"We better git down there then." Vincent declared. Evelyn nodded and they broke into a run, moving as quickly as they could with guns in their hands.

Once they were within earshot, Evelyn yelled loudly to draw the Fiends attention. There were eight Fiends total, although one was cradling a wounded shoulder. Whoever was in the house had fought back. "HEY ASSHOLES!" Evelyn screamed. Titan charged forward, barking and snarling. Vincent wasted no time in firing off rounds, his shotgun blasting louder than Titans bellowing.

Evelyn leveled her rifle and shot at the nearest Fiend, smirking darkly as the blast took off nearly half of his face. She reloaded, hating how long the process took. But the power of the shots couldn't be denied. Her rifle would stop a deathclaw in its tracks. Vincent continued to fire at the remaining fiends, cutting their numbers from seven to five. Titan leapt at the injured Fiend, a snarling blur of fur and teeth. The woman's screams were cut short by a powerful bite to the throat.

Vincent swore loudly as a bullet slammed into his leather armor. The armor did its job, but the impact gave him pause. Evelyn quickly shot his attacker in the head. He gave her a grateful smile and she winked back. She swung her rifle onto her back and ran at a female Fiend. She was screaming wordlessly as she slammed her powerfist into the woman's face.

A pool cue upside her head had Evelyn flat on her back, blinking up at the wide open blue sky in surprise. Vincent bellowed loudly and she watched his shotgun fly through her line of sight. "Fuckin thing is jammed an them Fiends busted inta the house. Evie I need ya to get up!" He told her urgently.

"Go! I'll be there in a second! Go help the farmer!" She croaked, pulling herself to her knees. He nodded and raced into the house. Evelyn rose to her feet feeling a little unsteady, but tried to clear her head by shaking it.

She made it into the house just in time to watch Vincent crush the last fiends skull against the floor with a sickening crunch. He continued to smack the mans head against the floor for a minute longer, and for the first time, Evelyn witnessed the pure brute strength of her large friend. His face was splattered with blood as he stared at the Fiends corpse, lost in his rage. For a moment, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of his breath, coming out in harsh pants.

"Thank you!" A high pitched voice cried breathlessly. Evelyn found herself wrapped in small arms. "Thank you so much!"

"Uh, it was no trouble. Glad you're okay." Evelyn said, patting the girls back awkwardly before disentangling herself. "Looks like we got here just in-" Evelyn trailed off. "You!" She croaked out.

"Evelyn?!" The woman gaped at her, gray eyes wide.

"Alice. Hi." Evelyn said after a moment. "Didn't know this was your place."

The petite redhead nodded. Her eyes fell on Vincent and she frowned. "Where's Liam?"

Evelyn stiffened. "He's out gathering intel. It's kind of classified." She said, trying to keep her tone friendly. "That's Vincent."

The large man stood up and lumbered over. "Nice t'meet ya ma'am." He said, offering her his hand. She glanced at it hesitantly and he flushed under the blood on his face. His hands were equally covered in blood. He let his hand drop quickly. "Sorry bout that."

Alice smiled up at the enormous man brightly. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You saved my life. Thank you." She hugged the large man, not seeming to care that blood was smearing on her light blue dress. Vincent looked surprised but returned the embrace gently.

"We actually came here to talk to you about selling your crops to the New Vegas Army. We would be able to have guards stationed here to protect our asset if you chose to sign a contract with us." Evelyn said after clearing her throat uncomfortably.

"You want to buy all my crops?" Alice asked in surprise. "I only have a small garden really. What I yield could feed about twenty people for a season."

"You've got so much land though, that's really all?" Evelyn asked in surprise.

"Well it's just me. I can't take care of three acres on my own." Alice said with a shrug. Her strawberry blond curls were a mess and she was having trouble keeping her hair out of her eyes.

"Would you be willing to plant more if you had help?" Evelyn asked thoughtfully, offering Alice a hair tie from her wrist.

"Well yeah, but I can't afford that." Alice replied, pulling her unruly hair back into a small ponytail. "Do you think you could throw all the bodies into a pile? If I leave them like that, they'll attract deathclaws and who knows what else. Not to mention the smell." She asked Vincent. He nodded his head.

"Sure kin." He agreed readily. The women watched him scoop the two bodies from the dining room up and carry them outside. "So you're the one fixing up the South Vegas ruins." Alice said after a moment.

"Yeah. I'm organizing a few different projects." Evelyn said, nodding her head.

"How is Liam?" Alice asked, glancing at Evelyn as if she expected her to throw a fit.

"He's good. He goes by Charon, you know." Evelyn said softly. "That's how I was introduced to him."

"He told me that. But he seemed like a Liam to me." Alice said, picking at her thumbnail.

"I think he misses you sometimes." Evelyn blurted out. Gray eyes rose to meet her brown orbs and she was glad she had said it. Alice looked comforted and grateful.

"He loves you an awful lot. He'd have dreams about you. He'd call your name." Alice told her after an awkward pause.

"I really do love him. I'm just kind of fucked up sometimes. I make mistakes." Evelyn told the other woman. Alice nodded and gave her a smile.

"Everyone messes up. One day, I'll find my Liam. Er, Charon." She corrected herself with a grimace. Evelyn laughed and the women smiled at one another.

Vincent walked back into the house and leaned against the doorframe. He gave Alice a bright smile. "Got everythin taken care of. Bodies are burnin in the firepit." He assured the small woman.

"Thank you so much Vincent!" Alice chirped cheerfully. "Why don't I show you to the bathroom so you can clean up?" She offered.

"Thank you ma'am. That'd be wonderful." He said with another smile.

They stared at each other grinning until Evelyn leaned down and whispered into Alice's ear. "Maybe you just need a Vincent." Alice turned bright pink and giggled.

"Come on Vincent." She said, offering her tiny hand to the large Texan. He took it carefully and Evelyn watched them disappear into a room in the back of the house.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter Forty-Seven

"Is it just me or does it ALWAYS feel better to braid your hair after a shower?" Alice called from the bathroom, walking out wrapped in a towel. Her hair looked very red when it was red, and her limbs were covered in freckles. Her hair was pulled into a tight braid and it was twisted into a bun. Curls had already escaped it though, framing her face in frizz.

Evelyn tied off the braid she had just finished and laughed loudly. "No I agree." The young women looked at each other and laughed. "I have a shirt that would be big on you, that you can wear to bed. Are you sleeping in Vincent's room?" Evelyn asked, wiggling her eyebrows deviously.

"Oh my goodness! It's not like that!" Alice cried, her face turning bright red. She started to chew on her thumbnail.

"But you are." Evelyn prodded, tossing Alice a large shirt.

"Yes. He's a nice man." Alice said softly, pulling on the gray shirt quickly. It fell just above her knees and she twirled around once out of habit.

"He's a great guy." Evelyn agreed, pulling on one of Charons black short sleeved shirts and a pair of shorts. She cuddled into the materiel of the shirt momentarily, inhaling his scent. She missed him. He had been gone two days and she was starting to worry. "He's saved my ass more times than I can count." Evelyn flopped onto her large bed carelessly, scooting up to rest against the headboard.

"Where did he go?" Alice asked, hopping onto the bed with Evelyn. They sat up and Evelyn handed her a bottle of vodka off the bedside table and grinned.

"He's just looking around a little to make sure everything is okay, and he's probably looking around for Charon. He knows I'm getting restless." Evelyn told the petite redhead. Alice nodded and took a deep drink from the vodka. She sputtered a little.

"Oh my god!" She squeaked. She pounded a small fist against her sternum.

"It's two hundred years old." Evelyn snickered.

"My chest is on fire!" Alice wheezed. She took a few steadying breaths and she burst into a fit of giggles. She looked at the bottle in her hand, grinning at Evelyn slyly. She took another drink of the vodka quickly, barely coughing this time. She offered the bottle to Evelyn but the blond woman shook her head with a small smile.

"Can't." Evelyn sighed sadly. How she wished she could.

"A tough adventurer like you can't handle it? No way!" Alice crowed, chugging back more of the potent alcohol.

"I'm pregnant." Evelyn admitted. She looked down at her lap with a frown.

"Oh my god! That's so great! Liam must be so excited!" Alice said after being speechless for a moment. "So I never really stood a chance huh?" The smaller woman looked forlorn.

"He didn't know. He could have stayed there with you. He told me that you insisted he find me though." Evelyn revealed. "You could have just let him stay. Why didn't you?" Evelyn had been dying to ask Alice that question all day.

"Because he wouldn't have been happy." Alice said after a moment, staring off into the distance. "I was hoping that he would come back after we came here and found you. That he'd choose me."

"I can't say that I'm sorry he didn't." Evelyn admitted.

Alice laughed brightly. "I sure wouldn't believe you if you did!" The vodka was almost gone.

"But there's always Vincent. He's pretty good looking." Evelyn said, changing the subject.

Alice flopped over dramatically and yelled "Oh my god is he ever! Those eyes! That smile! And he's so huge! And that accent!" Evelyn laughed as the other woman gushed. "I cannot get over his arms! One of them is like, all of me!"

"You're tiny though." Evelyn stated. She was right of course. Alice was very petite and wasn't quite five feet tall.

"Well duh. He could just pick me up and- oh my god I love this song!" Alice shrieked, leaping off the bed. She flailed her arms wildly to the upbeat song. After a moment Evelyn joined her. They belted out the chorus together.

_**"Cause I got spurs that jingle, jangle, jingle  
Jingle, jangle  
As I go ridin' merrily along  
Jingle, jangle  
And they sing, "Oh, ain't you glad you're single?"  
Jingle, jangle  
And that song ain't so very far from wrong  
Jingle, jangle"**_

Evelyn and Alice shimmied around the room as they sang, Alice more than a little wobbly from the vodka. She grabbed Evelyn's arms and they spun around in circles, imitating dances both of them had only read about. They were laughing hysterically when Evelyn heard a throat being cleared. She turned around and smiled so wide her cheeks hurt. She swatted Alice on the arm. The farmer looked around as if she didn't know where the gently blow had come from.

"Alice?" Charon stood in the doorway, looking surprised. Vincent was behind him, with a similar expression on his face.

"Charon!" Evelyn bleated excitedly. Alice looked surprised for a moment before she grinned happily. She waved enthusiastically at the men at the door.

"Liam!" She yelled. Then she spotted the man behind Charon. "Vincent!" She charged past Evelyn and Charon both, flinging her arms around the mountain of a man. Vincent was obviously pleased, returning the embrace immediately.

"Well hi there Miss Alice." Vincent said with a laugh. Charon was staring at Alice in surprise. He looked at Evelyn and she smiled nervously.

"Alice is visiting until we can get some workers out to her farm. We were, uh..." She trailed off with a shrug.

"Dancin an laughin like two crazy people?" Vincent supplied, looking at the small redhead that was stroking his upper arm almost lovingly with interest. Evelyn but back a laugh and it came out as a snort. "Miss Alice, I do declare yer drunk as a mole rat."

"A little bit, maybe." Alice agreed, resting her head on Vincent's chest.

"Drunk?" Charon asked, sounding bewildered and a little concerned. He crossed the room to Evelyn. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. "You are wearing my shirt." He grumbled.

"I missed you. It made me feel better." Evelyn suddenly felt vulnerable at the confession. He had only been gone two days. Was she being too clingy?

"And I missed you." Charon said, rubbing his cheek on hers. "You were drinking?" He asked. She could hear the frown in his voice as his right hand found her stomach.

Evelyn shook her head. "Not me. Just Alice." She said. "I wouldn't do that." She sounded a little offended, but she didn't move away from him.

"I am glad. I have the information you requested." He told her. "You will be pleased I believe."

"Can it wait until tomorrow?" Evelyn asked with a sigh. She didn't want to talk about army stuff right then. She just wanted to enjoy his company.

"Of course dear one." Charon said. "I am surprised to see Alice here."

"Are you mad?" She whispered. They watched as Alice cajoled Vincent into dancing with her. The large man was surprisingly graceful as he twirled the lovely Hostetler woman.

"Of course not. I am pleased that you are not upset with her. She is a nice person." Charon replied. "I love you Evelyn."

"I love you too gorgeous." She smiled up at him happily and let out a joyous peal of laughter when Charon expertly twirled her around. He pulled her close and they moved in small circles, like they had done so many months ago. His faded blue eyes captivated her as she blinked at him in amazement. He was humming softly as he stared down at her.

"I'm gonna kick them out." She whispered softly and he gave her an amused grin. "Hey you two!" She yelled. Vincent looked at her. "Get outta here."

Vincent laughed and scooped up the wobbly redhead. "Come along Miss Alice." Alice sighed happily.

"See? I told you!" She called to Evelyn, who could only laugh.

"Let's get to bed." Evelyn said after they had gone. Charon nodded his agreement. He removed his armor and boots.

"I am going to shower. I will join you shortly." He told her. She smiled up at him and nodded. She crawled under the covers and cuddled up to the pillows.

He returned to the bedroom wearing nothing but boxers. She looked up at him and groaned.

"God you're so fucking hot. Look at you." She hissed. He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Get over here." She demanded, holding the covers open. He turned off the lamp and slipped into the bed next to her.

Her hands and lips were upon him instantly. He let out a soft moan as she rubbed his back. "You're tense as fuck baby." She whispered, working at a knot in his back with her thumbs. She rubbed his back for about half an hour before she realized that he had fallen asleep. She smiled and placed a kiss on his bare shoulder. She wrapped her long arms and legs around him and let herself drift off.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter Forty-Eight

"They're sick?" Evelyn asked in disbelief. She seemed to be voicing everyone in the rooms doubts. She had called a meeting so that Charon could relay all that he had learned to the entire group.

"Apparently." Charon said. "A plague of sorts."

"That actually makes sense." Arcade interjected, looking thoughtful. "An ordinary army of that size would succumb to outbreaks of disease amongst the ranks. It's just the reality of cramming a bunch of people in a small place without proper means of sanitation."

"Can ghouls even get sick? I've never exactly heard of one catchin a cold." Cass asked. She kept glancing at Vincent, who was busy ignoring her.

"The ones I served with never got sick. Not from radiation, bad food, never even broke out into a rash from certain kinds of plants." Boone said, picking lint off of Arcades lab coat.

"You guys act like there ain't a ghoul in the room to ask." Harland said, sounding impatient. "So Zombie, can ya get sick?"

Evelyn was on her feet in a flash. "Call him that again and we're gonna have a problem." She hissed. Harland stood up and drew himself to his full height.

"That a threat Evie? Because I don't take those too kindly." He growled back, his eyes narrowed. The ordinarily well put together King looked rough. His clothes were wrinkled and his pale face was drawn. His pupils were huge and she could see the sweat beading on his forehead.

"I'm thinkin you better back off little man." Vincent commanded in a low voice. He rose from his own chair. Harland didn't even look at him.

"Harland are you okay?" Evelyn asked, peering at the man in front of her in concern. His eyes were out of focus.

"What?" He asked. "No! I'm mad at you!"

"Harland are you on something?" Evelyn asked, tilting his head to the side. Arcade moved closer, curious.

"Of course not. I don't do that shit." He grumbled.

"Something is definitely wrong with you, you're burning up." Evelyn said. "I can't help you if you won't tell me what you took!"

"I didn't fucking take anything!" Harland hissed. He started to wobble. Evelyn pushed him back into the chair. He didn't get back up.

"What did he take? He's gonna die if you don't tell me!" Evelyn questioned Harland's guard.

"Ma'am he didn't take anything. I've been with him all day, no exceptions." The young man looked beyond nervous. "He had breakfast alone, then he had lunch with a new Kings hopeful. Guy was a real sport about us not lettin him in. We ain't never had no ghouls in the Kings." The guard said, looking at Charon apologetically.

"He has been poisoned." Charon said suddenly.

"What?" Arcade and Evelyn asked in unison.

"A ghoul arrives and leaves suddenly, and now he is sick. It would appear that we are being watched." Charon explained his theory.

"Fuck." Boone and Cass chimed.

"Charon get him to our room! I have medical supplies in there, I've got some antivenom and we'll give him an IV of water, try to flush his system." Evelyn demanded, already walking out of the room. "Arcade come with me!" She called.

Charon picked up the weakly protesting man roughly. He wanted nothing more than to bash his head in. But he didn't. He carried Harland to the room he and Evelyn shared, and tossed him on the bed unceremoniously. He watched as Evelyn pulled off the other mans clothing and had to turn around in disgust. Harland's guard flushed and turned around as well.

"Baby I know but I have to look for needle marks." Evelyn soothed softly. "Arcade I don't see any. Get him that antivenom while I start this IV." Charon turned around, feeling a little ashamed of his jealousy. The dogs paced around his feet anxiously, not understanding why there were so many people in the room. Maddox plopped down next to Charon, while Titan waited by Evelyn.

"Harland? You doin okay sweetie?" Evelyn asked, tapping the poisoned man on the cheek.

"You lied to me!" Harland accused weakly. He fought to focus on her.

"What? Harland you're sick. Relax." Evelyn replied, smoothing his hair off his forehead.

"Ghouls can't have children!" He hissed. Evelyn froze.

"What?" She asked softly. She didn't dare look at him, so she busied herself pulling the blankets up around him.

"I asked around. It ain't his." Harland said. He was focusing a lot better now.

"Harland can't this wait?" She asked, looking back at Charon anxiously. His expression was as stony as ever.

"What? Does he not even know?!" Harland asked, ignoring her request.

"Harland!" Evelyn growled.

"I'm dyin. Don't really have time for later. Name him after me okay?" The King looked up at her with his dazzling green eyes.

"You aren't dying you big baby!" Evelyn snapped. "You're doing better already. Your color is coming back."

"I'm not? Good. I'm still mad at you. Did you think I wouldn't find out?" He asked.

"Does it matter?" Evelyn asked, exasperated.

"Course it matters!" Harland snapped. "Somebody almost killed me and my kid would have never even known me."

"Harland for fucks sake." Evelyn groaned.

"That is not your child." Charon stalked towards the bed looking furious. Maddox followed him, growling at the man on the bed.

"Hate to break it to ya buddy but ghouls can't make babies." Harland argued.

"I am aware." Charon growled quietly.

Harland stared at Charon for a moment before letting out a mirthless laugh. "Oh I get it. You're playin pretend." He looked at Evelyn. "You weren't even gonna give me a chance? After all that shit you told me about your dad? A kid needs their dad." Evelyn simply gaped at him.

"Uh. I'm going to go talk to Craig and let him know that The King is going to be alright." Arcade said awkwardly before fleeing from the room. Harland's guard looked like he wished he could join the doctor.

"What do you want me to say?" Evelyn asked softly. She sat down on the bed. "We weren't ever more than friends. Were you expecting some big family thing? I have my family." She pointed at Charon.

"I dunno Evie. I didn't even know I could have kids. It's never been an issue before. I don't like bein iced out before I even get a chance. Ain't about you. It's about him." He pointed to her stomach.

"I didn't think-" Evelyn began.

"You didn't bother to ask! I'm not tryin to steal you away from your man. I just want a chance to meet him."

"You know it might not be a 'him' right?" Evelyn asked. Harland's eyes widened.

"Her?" He asked. Evelyn couldn't help but laugh.

"It's a fifty-fifty thing I hear." She said.

"That'd be pretty swell too." Harland said, looking lost in thought.

"Evelyn, we must go. The others await us." Charon interrupted. His tone was flat.

"Oh right. Okay. Harland, feel free to rest up a bit. You'll be okay in a few hours." She told the man in her bed.

As they walked back to the large room to speak to the others she looked up at Charon. He was silent and staring straight ahead. "Are you okay with all that back there?" She asked him quietly.

"We will discuss it later." He grunted. She nodded and swallowed nervously.

"The King is going to be alright." Evelyn announced. "But he's lucky. It looks like this ghoul army knows a lot more than we thought. And they aren't above trying to kill us one at a time apparently. So I need you guys to be careful."

"We could just avoid ghouls." Cass said. "Sorry Charon." She added, looking at the large ghoul and shrugging.

"You are correct. But do not let it turn into a war on the ghouls that call this place home." Charon replied.

"This will be difficult. The enemy wears the face of our citizens." Marcus said from his corner. Everyone started. For someone so large, Marcus certainly disappeared into the woodwork when he wanted to.

"We're just going to have to do our best. But I better not hear about ghouls being mistreated. If there's ever any question, you bring them to me." Evelyn demanded, looking around the room sternly. Those she had come to view as friends all nodded.

"It may be advisable to prepare anything you eat or drink yourself." Arcade suggested.

"Don't go anywhere alone." Vincent chimed in.

"That means you Gannon." Boone growled. He glared at the taller man.

"I'm sure none of the Freeside needy I assist are trying to murder me Craig." Arcade argued.

"It's dangerous." Boone snapped. "I won't lose you."

"Craig." Red bloomed on the doctors face as the grumpy sniper pulled him into an awkward one armed hug. Evelyn suspected this was as affectionate as Boone got in public. "No going out alone." Arcade agreed quietly. Boone just pulled the blushing man onto his lap and glared at the rest of the room. Daring them to say anything. Arcade looked beyond pleased.

"Guess I'll get headed back to the Outpost. Vince, care to walk a girl to the door?" Cass asked the large man as she stood up.

"I got things t'do. You be safe now." Vincent declined politely. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment before she pushed her hat forward.

"Suit yourself." She said, sauntering from the room. Marcus followed her, inclining his head to Evelyn as he went.

"Do you need either of us for anything?" Arcade asked, extricating himself from Boones lap.

"Could you guys set up some extra patrols around Freeside?" Evelyn asked, twisting the tip of her braid thoughtfully. "And maybe get a description from Harland so we can try to find this guy?"

Arcade nodded. Evelyn headed back to her room and was surprised to see that Harland was already gone. Maddox and Titan looked up when she entered the room, their tails thumping against the floor excitedly. Charon headed straight for the bathroom to take a shower.

"Hey boys!" Evelyn exclaimed softly. They trotted over to her happily and she patted them both. "How are my handsome boys?"

"Evelyn?" Alice called from the doorway. She looked lovely. She wore a green dress and her strawberry blond curls were pulled back with yellow ribbon tied in a bow.

"Hey Alice. What's up?" Evelyn asked, beckoning the petite redhead over.

"Have you seen Vincent? I went into that room but um." She broke off, sounding embarrassed.

"What?" Evelyn asked, taking a drink from a bottle of purified water.

"That doctor and the man in the red hat were in there." Alice said.

Evelyn's eyebrows raised. "Oh yeah? What were they doin?" She asked with a giggle.

"Kissin like they was never gonna see each other again." Vincent called as he walked through the door. Titan leapt up on him excitedly. Titan loved Vincent. The large man man rubbed the delighted dogs head and sides affectionately. "I was lookin for ya Miss Alice." He told Alice.

"I was looking for you too." Alice smiled wide.

"I'm takin Miss Alice to the Strip tonight." Vincent informed Evelyn. "She ain't never been there."

"Awww. That'll be so fun for you guys. Behave yourselves." Evelyn laughed.

"You bet." Vincent replied with a grin. He offered Alice his arm and they waved goodbye cheerfully.

Charon walked out of the bathroom in a short sleeved shirt and a pair of boxers. He leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hey there gorgeous." Evelyn said with a smile. She approached him cautiously. He didn't say anything, just watched. She stood so close that he could feel the warmth of her skin, but she didn't touch him. "You're mad." She whispered.

Charon tilted his head to the side, considering her words. "No. I am concerned." He said at last. "I do not want to be pushed out of both of your lives."

"Oh Charon." Evelyn breathed. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his chest. "You're the love of my life you. I'm not giving you up for anything." He didn't say anything, just squeezed her back. "Do you think you could love anyone as much as you love me?" She asked suddenly.

He pulled back to look at her. "No." He said firmly.

"Good. Because I demand you make an honest woman out of me before this kid is born. Don't want people to talk." She replied with a grin.

It took a moment for her meaning to sink in. His chest ached as he smiled. "You will need a white dress." He told her, capturing her lips with his own.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter Forty-Nine

"Oh my God Alice!" Evelyn whispered, her hands touching the cloth reverently. It wasn't exactly white, it was the lightest, palest shade of purple that the Lone Wanderer had ever seen. And it was stunning. Evelyn twirled slowly, eyeing her reflection in disbelief. She had never felt so beautiful. The strapless gown hugged her curves, the bodice scooped to follow the swell of her breasts. It ran sleek down her lithe body until it flared out at her knees with a graceful and understated set of ruffles. Her distended belly was barely noticeable.

"Fits like a glove!" Alice gloated triumphantly. She beamed at the taller woman. "You won't believe the story behind that dress."

"Magical fairies rode down from heaven to deliver it?" Evelyn asked, peering at her bottom in the mirror.

"Not quite." The small redhead giggled. "I found the materiel and the pattern in The Tops. It was in a wardrobe in our room. Who knows how long it was there for? But..." Alice was grinning like a maniac.

"But what?" Evelyn asked, still entranced by her reflection.

"I'm not sure Liam will be half as thrilled with what Vincent found for him to wear." The farmer giggled brightly.

"What did you find?" Evelyn asked curiously.

Alice shook her head. "No way. I'm not spoiling it. You'll see for yourself in a few hours."

Evelyn sighed happily and crossed the room to sit on the bed. "I can't believe it. I'll be a married woman soon."

Alice squealed excitedly. "I know! Are you nervous?"

Evelyn thought. "Not really, no. I'm excited. And I wish my dad was here. But I'm happy." Tears welled up in her large brown eyes, as if to contradict her.

"Don't you dare! We just painted your face with two hundred year old gunk! Don't mess it up!" Alice ordered sternly. "Dab! Gently!" She handed Evelyn a delicate square of cloth, made from the same materiel as her gown. Evelyn complied immediately. She knew Alice was right. That make up had been a miracle in itself.

"Vincent is with Charon?" Evelyn asked, after she made sure a cosmetic disaster had been averted.

"Yeah. They're getting all handsome for us." Alice laughed. She looked down at herself and frowned. "You sure this isn't too... You know."

Evelyn smiled. Alice had been uncomfortable all morning in her skintight mint green dress. It was shorter than she was accustomed to, falling a few inches above her knees. The cap sleeves softened the deep neckline a little. It was a daring dress, but not lewd. "You look great. Don't worry about it. Has Vincent seen it yet?"

Alice snorted. "I feel like I should be working in Gommorah in this getup." She complained. "He hasn't seen it yet, he'll probably hate it."

Evelyn rolled her eyes, the black liner only emphasizing her disbelief. "I'm sure he'll love it. Don't be silly."

"Well, we're all ready and have two hours to kill. What do we do?" Alice asked, settling onto the bed carefully. She crossed her legs,smoothing her dress cautiously.

"You could tell me about Vincent?" Evelyn prodded, checking her hair in the dingy mirror.

Alice had descended on her earlier that morning, just as she was stepping out of the shower. She had brushed out Evelyn's hair and wrapped one inch sections of it around shotgun shells. Evelyn had been dubious of course, but after it had dried and Alice removed the shells from her hair carefully, Evelyn was delighted. Her normally straight hair fell down her back in soft waves.

"Not much to tell. He's a perfect gentleman." Alice said with a wistful sigh. "He kissed my forehead."

Alice could see Evelyn's eyebrows raise in the mirror. "Really?" The reflection asked.

"Yeah. He's very polite. Me hugging him makes him uncomfortable." Alice confirmed. "I think you're the only person he's comfortable touching."

Evelyn shrugged. "Probably because he knows I'm in love with Charon. I think girls make him nervous. I'm just one of the guys." She laughed. Alice joined in.

"Ha! I doubt it. One of the guys wouldn't have put bow ties on the dogs." Alice teased as they watched Titan chew surreptitiously on the black tie on Maddox's neck.

"They're very handsome in their ties!" Evelyn laughed, shooing the patient animals apart. "Besides, if Charon has to dress up, they do too. Can't have any of my boys feeling left out." She directed her words at the dogs affectionately. "Let's go see if Julie is here yet." She told Alice, heading towards the door.

"But Liam isn't supposed to see you! What if he's out there?" Alice protested.

"I'm sure he's still getting ready. We'll sneak. Sneakier than Boone leaving Gomorrah." Evelyn giggled. She wiggled her eyebrows at the smaller woman.

"Oh my word. You're crazy. Alright. Let's go." Alice relented, pushing herself up from the bed with her usual grace. "You know that crabby man wouldn't glance at anyone else. Can't say I'd mind if somebody looked at me the way he looks at Doctor Gannon."

Evelyn smiled fondly, thinking of Charon. "It'll happen some day. Im sure that Vin-" She stopped and squatted down, picking up a stray piece of paper. It was out of place in the spotless hallway of the Lucky 38.

"What's that?" Alice drew closer, sounding curious.

"A letter of some sort." Evelyn said, unfolding the well worn paper carefully. "Somebody must have..." She trailed off as she began to read the faded words. "Huh."

"What?" Alice tried to peer over her shoulder.

Evelyn cleared her throat. "Vincent. You must bring her back. You know what it means to the ranch. Things will be taken care of in your absence." She read aloud. "Then, it's signed in some sort of Old World crap I've seen a few times before."

Alice pulled the letter to her level. "Fancy letters. My mom used to use that when she dealt with NCR reps. Let's see. It says 'Sterling North' I think. Who's Sterling North?" The redhead cocked her head to the side.

"I have no idea. But somebody wanted him to bring a woman back to a ranch." Evelyn said.

"Probably his wife?" Alice suggested.

"Oh yeah. But why would Sterling North want her back there?" Evelyn asked, frowning.

"Maybe that was her dad? You said their families made them get married." Alice reasoned.

"Oh wow. I never thought about that. She's got a family somewhere that doesn't even know she's gone." Evelyn said, sounding a little sad.

"Her mom is probably worried sick." Alice whispered. Both women were quiet as they contemplated the sad reality.

"We should give Vincent his letter back." Evelyn broke the silence.

"We probably shouldn't have read it. He gets sad when he thinks about Amaya." Alice said.

"Well. We could leave it on the floor here. Then we won't have to bring it up." Evelyn suggested.

Alice nodded. "Good idea." Evelyn folded the letter back up and placed it on the floor.

"Let's go see if Julie is here. It's nice of her to officiate." Alice said, pulling Evelyn along by the hand.

"It was either her or Harland. And Charon would have killed him." Evelyn half joked. "So I'm glad she agreed to it."

They rode in the elevator to the top of the casino in silence. The dogs sat at their feet, uneasy. The canines hadn't adjusted to elevators yet. Maddox and Titan scrambled out of the door as soon as it opened with a loud ding.

"Oh wow." Evelyn exclaimed softly. Arcade and Cass had said that they were going to decorate, but she hadn't expected anything like this. All the furniture had been moved, leaving a large open space, only marred by six rows of chairs. White canvas drop cloths had been cut into strips and tied into bows to hang from each chair.

A redheaded woman was draping canvas bows along each window. She was wearing a deep blue dress that flared out into layers of ruffles under her bust and fell just below her knees. She wore tan boots and her brilliant red hair was pulled into a thick braid, embellished with a broc flower. Boone and Arcade were watching her.

She let out a string of curses that had Alice and Evelyn's eyes going wide. "Cass?!" Evelyn asked in disbelief.

The disgruntled woman turned around, nursing the thumb that she had smacked with a hammer. "Hey Evie! What are you doin here already?" Cass asked.

"You're wearing a dress." Evelyn said instead of replying.

"Yep. The only one I own." Cass agreed. "You aren't supposed to be here yet. Charon could be here any minute. Get outta here."

"We came to see if Julie was here yet." Alice said, still staring at Cass.

Cass appraised the other redhead slowly. "Well look at you. Showing off your itty bitty titties huh?" Alice flamed bright red. Cass smiled coldly. "Where's Vince?"

"I'm right here. Miss Evie ya should get back to yer room. Charon is finishin up as we speak." The large man was ridiculously stealthy for his size. Even the dogs looked surprised to see him. He looked at Cass in surprise. "You look real nice Miss Cass."

"Why thank you Vince. You're lookin pretty good yourself." Cass complimented him, batting her eyes sweetly. Alice glared at the caravan owner with all her might. The Texan was wearing a black suit similar to the ones Evelyn had seen at the Ultra Luxe. He had trimmed and combed his black hair and he did in fact look very handsome.

Vincent just smiled and offered Evelyn his hand. Evelyn took it with a smile of her own. "Play nice ladies." She ordered her friends. Alice sighed and Cass smirked.

As they ascended the stairs, Vincent leaned in. "Did ya know Miss Cass was..." He trailed off.

"Capable of looking like a woman?" Evelyn laughed quietly. "Nope."

"I ain't never seen her without her hat afore."

"Who knew she had hair under there?"

"Lookit the way Boone is eyein her. I think the doc might rip it out."

"Shut up. No. Oh my god he is!"

They paused and leaned on one another to laugh as they waited for the elevator.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter Fifty

"What?" Evelyn asked, a small smile tugging at her lips. She looked up at her large friend from where she was sitting on the bed.

"What?" Vincent echoed, blinking at her. He scratched at the back of his head absently.

"You're staring at me funny." Evelyn said, her eyebrows raised. He didn't stop staring.

"Ya look so different. Ya look like somethin out an old story." Vincent said with a soft smile. "Yer beautiful."

Evelyn flushed under his intense gaze. His blue eyes almost seemed to glow in the dim light of the suite. "Thank you sweetie. I'm really happy that you're here with me."

Vincent smiled. "Course I'm here. Ain't no place I'd rather be than by yer side. I love ya Evie." He told her. She beamed up at him and threw her arms around his broad chest.

"I love you too Vin. You're the best friend I ever had." She confessed into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her carefully and kissed the top of her head.

"It's time t'go." Vincent told her, pulling back. For a moment he almost looked sad.

"Already?" She asked, suddenly nervous. Her brown eyes searched his face.

"Yes ma'am. You ready?" He confirmed.

"I think so." She sounded less than sure.

His eyebrows knitted in concern. "Evie ya dun have to do this if ya don't wanna."

"I do. I really do. Just jittery." She told him, taking a calming breath.

"Yer sure this is what ya want? To marry him?" Vincent asked.

"I'm sure." She said, standing up and smoothing her dress. He offered her his arm and she slipped her arm around his, her fingers resting on his black jacket. He lead her towards the elevator, looking serious. The bow tie adorned dogs followed dociley "Thank you for walking me down the aisle." She told him as they waited to arrive at the Penthouse.

"It's my honor." He told her with a fleeting smile.

As soon as they walked in, music blared from the old jukebox. Evelyn nearly burst into tears. She had no idea where Cass had found an old holotape with the wedding march on it, but she would forever be grateful that the caravan owner hadn't overlooked the small but important detail. Vincent lead her down the aisle slowly as she took it all in.

It seemed like everyone she had met in the Mojave was in attendance. All of the people she had delivered letters to were there. Lily and Marcus sat in the back next to Raul. The Matthews brothers were in front of them, looking sharp in their uniforms. Arcade, Boone and Cass sat in front of them.

And then her eyes locked onto Charon. The crowd melted away. There was no one in the entire world except the man in front of her. He was so handsome. He wore a black tuxedo, and the tie and vest that matched her dress must have been Alice's handiwork. He locked eyes with her and a smile lit up his face. As she drew near, he held out his hand and she took it eagerly, not breaking eye contact.

Vincent took his place behind Charon and Julie Farkas stepped forward. The Followers leader looked lovely in a dark gray dress under her white doctors coat. Her hair was as spiky as ever, but she had dressed up the entire look by wearing a thin ribbon tied in a bow around her head.

"Today we are here to witness the joining of two lives." Julie announced to the small crowd. "Evelyn and Liam have been so very fortunate to have found a love so true. A truly rare and wonderous thing. The couple has chosen to recite their own vows. Liam?"

Charon squeezed her hands. "Evelyn, you are my world. You are more than I dared ever hope for. I am overwhelmed by how fortunate I am to have you. I swear by peace and love to stand, Heart to heart and hand in hand. Mark, me O beloved one, and hear me now, Confirming this, my Sacred Vow. I will keep you safe from harm. We will walk this world arm in arm. Equals in all, we may stumble but never fall." His words were from another time, Old World words that he must have recalled from a lifetime ago.

A lump rose in her throat, and when she opened her mouth, only a squeak came out. She cleared her throat and willed the tears in her eyes not to fall. "Today I ask of you beloved one, to become part of me. With you, I share my innermost self, my mind and my heart. With you, I have lost all fear and found the greatest courage. I have learned to love and let myself be loved. With you I have found grace and only in your eyes, gracefulness. Love has reawakened me, a rebirth, a new beginning. With you my beloved, I am understood. With you, I am home." She recited the very words her mother had to her father so many years before.

The love on his face nearly overwhelmed her while it gave her strength. She barely heard Julie pronounce them man and wife. He pulled her forward and kissed her so fiercely, yet so softly that she felt like she might burst into flames. She needed air, but she needed him more. The small crowd burst into clapping and he pulled back to look into her eyes. He brushed away her errant tears with his thumb and cradled her face in his large hands.

Alice tapped him on the upper arm and held out her hand. He looked surprised for a moment and then smiled.

"I was so nervous, I forgot." He grumbled sheepishly.

"What?" Evelyn asked stupidly.

He took her hand and slipped something metal on her finger. It was thin and copper colored. Perfectly smooth.

"What is it?" She asked, looking at it with a slightly puzzled smile.

"A wedding ring. I have one to match." He held up his left hand and showed her. His was thicker than hers, but just as smooth. "They are traditionally gold, but this is the best I could do."

"You made this for me?" Evelyn asked, staring at the metal in amazement. It fit perfectly.

"I did." Charon replied. He looked unsure and she immediately soothed him.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever owned. I'm never taking it off." She declared, laying her head on his chest as she admired the object she had only ever heard about in stories. He held his hand up next to her and she looked up at him. "We match perfectly in every way. I love you."

"And I love you." He said, kissing the top of her head.

"Can I introduce myself as Mrs. Montgomery now?" She asked, teasing him sweetly. He only tightened his grip on her.

"You would take my name?" He asked, sounding awestruck and pleased.

"Of course. You're my husband." She said seriously.

"You are my wife." In that moment, she knew that she would do anything to keep him as happy as he was in that moment.

"You bet gorgeous. You're stuck with me now."


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter Fifty-One

"I don't think it can hear you baby." Evelyn laughed, propping herself up on her elbows to peer at her husband. He had lifted up her shirt and was talking to her swollen belly, as if the growing child within could hear him. He had taken to doing this nearly every night. Now that she was about six months along, the unborn child had started to kick her mercilessly. She winced as the assault on her ribs began.

While Evelyn was less than pleased at this turn of events, Charon was delighted. She had screamed aloud the first time she felt it. He knelt down before her and looked at her stomach with a very serious expression. His large hands had cupped her belly and he waited for nearly fifteen minutes before he felt the faintest of kicks against his palm. He looked up at her with such wonder in his eyes that she couldn't help but smile back.

"Do not call the baby 'it'." He admonished, laying his cheek against her stomach, nuzzling. She giggled as his rough skin tickled her stretched skin.

"Well _the_ _baby_ is kicking you in the face." She snorted.

"That means the baby is strong and healthy." He said fondly. "You are strong and healthy, growing every day. I cannot wait to meet you." He addressed her stomach again.

Evelyn watched him, her chest feeling ever so tight. She hated how unhappy she was, how unable she was to enjoy this. Charon was so in love with this thing inside her already. She couldn't bear to voice her honest opinion about just how much she hated everything about this pregnancy. She felt like some foreign beast was crawling around her insides, making her sick and bloated. She was hurting all the time now, she was tired and puking and just done with this whole process.

But Charon wasn't. Every day he explored her body in wonderment, ecstatic as the child grew and her body changed. He treated her as if she were some sacred being, and he couldn't stop touching her. She couldn't believe that it was possible to feel jealous of some little creature inside of her, but she was. She was beginning to feel less like a wife to him and more like a walking baby holder. And all he ever wanted to talk about was the baby, ways to make sure the baby was healthy, plans for the baby. Quite frankly, she was sick of the little beastie and it wasn't even born yet.

"Arcade said the Ghouls have been spotted in Wyoming." She told him, sprawling out on the bed. "Why are they taking so long to get here?"

"Raul says that they are taking the time to set up outposts and recruit local ghouls to their cause. They do not plan to just exterminate, they plan to take over everything." Charon told her, pouring water into the dogs bowls.

"And nobody is putting up a fight? How is that possible?" She asked, scowling thoughtfully. It seemed unlikely that they were unopposed.

"The Legion is regrouping. They will slow them down considerably. It appears that there are few armies to oppose one so large. The majority of the land is inhabited by small tribes. They fall easily." He said, sliding next to her as the dogs lapped at their water noisily. "The plague weakened their numbers but not enough to slow them down indefinitely."

"I'm getting worried." Evelyn admitted. "Especially with this." She gestured towards her swollen stomach. She couldn't keep the disgust out of her voice.

"I will keep you and our child safe, no matter what." His ruined hand curled around the swell protectively.

"That's _not_ what I meant." She growled. "Pretty soon I won't be able to do anything but turbo-waddle. I can't do inspections or help with training when I'm more suited to rolling than walking."

"You should not be doing any of that now." He argued. It had become a point of contention between them. He didn't want her to leave the Lucky 38 unless absolutely necessary and she hated being cooped up. So far, he was winning out. Sheer willpower and sneaky, distracting kisses kept her in the casino.

"Charon." She sighed, not willing to get into this again. She needed a nap before she went out to the south side to check in with Matthews.

"I do not wish to upset you dear one." Charon soothed, stroking her arm with his rough fingers. She took his hand in hers and kissed his tattered knuckles.

"I'm just tired baby. Lay with me for a little while?" She asked, scooting closer. As much as he drove her crazy, she wanted nothing more than to spend her days wrapped around him.

"Of course." He said softly. They lay together in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. "Evelyn?" He asked in a whisper.

"Hmm?" She asked, sounding half asleep.

"Have you thought of any names?" He asked.

"No." She said, too sleepy to conceal her disinterest in naming the little beast.

"I have." He said after a moment.

"Yeah?" She asked, waking up a little. "What were you thinking?"

"Elijah for a boy. Or Catherine for a girl." He told her after some hesitation.

"After my mom?" Her large brown eyes were flooded with tears. Tears came and went so easily for her. It aggravated her to, well, the point of tears.

"I thought it would be fitting. It is a beautiful name. According to the very old book Doctor Gannon gave me, Catherine meant 'purity' at one time." He agreed.

"Project Purity." Evelyn whispered, staring off into space. The tears slipped down her cheeks.

"What?" He asked her gently, wiping her tears away. She started and looked at him as if she were surprised.

"Do you still have that book?" She squeaked out.

"I do. It is on the desk. Would you like me to get it?" He asked. She nodded. He retrieved it quickly.

"What does your name mean?" She asked. He flipped through the old pages carefully until he found his name.

"Liam is short for Uilliam, a German name meaning 'guardian'." He read.

She gave him a watery smile. "That suits you. What does my name mean? Mom picked it out before she died."

"Evelyn, derived from Evalienne, a French name means 'life'." He told her. She began to cry again.

"She named me Life and I ended hers." She whimpered.

"She is not gone. You carry her with you every day." Charon consoled her. She began to sniffle more softly, her tears slowing.

"Why Elijah?" She asked, wiping at her eyes.

"It is from the bible. It means strong and good. Things every man should be. Things I want to instill in my son." Charon said, a small smile on his face.

"You're really hoping for a boy huh?" She said with a small laugh.

"I will be happy so long as the baby is healthy and strong and safe." He said. "But a boy would make me very happy."

"Here's hoping babe." She said, kissing his arm.

"CHARON!" Arcade burst through the door. "Raul! Help! Urgent!" The tall doctor panted. Charon was on his feet immediately.

"What is wrong?" He asked, pulling on his armor and boots.

"A group of ghouls has been spotted headed towards Raul's. He may need help but we don't want to blow his cover if he doesn't."

"I will go immediately. My love?" He turned to Evelyn. "You must postpone your trip."

"Baby I'll just take Vincent. He'll keep me safe." Vincent was her answer to all Charons woes. The large ghoul trusted the larger man to protect his wife.

"Do not leave without Vincent." He relented. He leaned down and she kissed him quickly three times.

"Be safe. I love you!" She called as he walked away.

"And I love you." He called over his shoulder.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter Fifty-Two

"Ya sure ya should be goin out like that? Yer kinda..." Vincent trailed off when he noticed the murderous glare Evelyn was sending him. "Right. Well we best git goin while the gittin is good!"

"Yeah." Evelyn huffed grumpily, securing the rifle on her back. Her chest armor had stopped fitting properly a month before, so Vincent had fashioned her new armor from thick leather that curved around her belly. She hated it, but she couldn't help but smile when she realized just how much time the big man had dedicated to keep her safe. She had pressed a loving kiss to his cheek and thanked him enthusiastically as she balked internally. She was tired of having nothing fit. She was limited to pajama pants or the dresses Alice made to fit her ever expanding body.

"I'm not wearing the armor. Don't tell Charon." She groused, managing to look intimidating and guilty at the same time.

"He would want ya t'wear it." Vincent protested half heartedly.

"No, he would want me to stay here. And I'm not doing either." Evelyn said, waddling towards the elevator. Vincent sighed but followed without further argument. She pushed Titan and Maddox out of the tiny little space. Dog smell made her nauseated. The dogs howled mournfully as the elevator doors closed.

"Yer back botherin ya again?" He asked as they waited for the elevator to descend.

"How can you tell?" She asked, cradling her lower back with a grimace.

"Yer kinda walkin funny." He said carefully.

"I'm waddling, you mean." She growled through gritted teeth. His eyes widened and he wisely stayed silent.

They walked through the strip, and the tourists all peered at them with interest. Evelyn was becoming easily recognized, in part, due to Vincent. It was impossible to miss the black haired giant with piercing blue eyes. He loomed over everyone and guarded the tall blond woman fiercely. Very few people had the nerve to approach her at random.

As they walked towards the South Side, Vincent kept a careful lookout for Fiends. They were nearly to the new settlement when a dirty, bloody young woman ran up to them, crying.

"Help! Please help me! They took my family! Please help me!" The small brunette woman cried helplessly, wringing her hands.

"Where? Who?" Evelyn demanded, already rushing after the anxious girl.

"I'll show you! The fiends! They took my whole family! Please hurry!" The girl wailed, breaking out into a run.

"I'm coming! Just show me the way!" Evelyn yelled.

"Evie! Ya shouldn't-" Vincent protested.

"C'mon Vincent! She needs help!" Evelyn ordered fiercely, not slowing down for a second.

They ran through the old ruins, moving around decimated buildings and rubble.

"They're just up here! Hurry!" The girl called, disappearing behind a partially intact office building. The pregnant woman was bright red from the exertion but didn't slow down.

"Evelyn!" Vincent shouted, trying to stop the fierce blond woman. But it was too late. She darted behind the girl. He followed with an agitated growl.

"Fuck!" Evelyn screeched, and Vincent crashed right into her, but caught her before she could pitch forward.

They found themselves confronted with a group of six large ghouls, all heavily armored and armed to the teeth. The largest of the group was a little bit smaller than Vincent and had a young child by the hair. The young woman that had lead Vincent and Evelyn there spoke up.

"I did what you asked! Now give me my sister!" She yelled, a nervous tremor apparent in her voice.

The ghoul holding the child turned his head slowly to look at the only female in his group. She glanced at the child and nodded her head once.

"Take care of it." She rasped.

The large ghoul pulled a handgun from his waist expertly and put a round through the back of the little blond girls head. Her older sister screamed and lunged forward, and he put a bullet between her eyes. She collapsed on top of her sisters corpse. He kicked them away from him, his lips twisted in disgust.

Evelyn screamed in horror at the brutality, pulling her rifle off her back. In the blink of an eye, all of the ghouls had their weapons trained on her. But they didn't fire. Vincent took advantage of the situation and pulled her behind him.

"That was as easy as I was told it would be." The female drawled, pulling a cigarette from a pack at her waist. She inhaled the blue smoke lazily. "Can't resist playing hero of the wastes huh?"

"What do you want?" Evelyn asked, peeking around Vincent.

"Vengeance! To claim the land only _we_ adapted to. I want to end the bigotry. Humans are the weak! Evolution has declared us the superior beings, yet we are degraded and treated like beasts!" One of the ghouls snapped from behind thick glasses. His remaining flesh was tinged green and yellow. "The cleanse has begun!"

"Calm down Banner. You're ranting again." The striking woman ordered. She reminded Evelyn of Willow, the sentry of Underworld. Her remaining skin was pale white, contrasting sharply with the various shades of red of her exposed flesh. She flicked her cigarette away with a sigh. "What do I want? Nice little two bedroom, maybe a dog. But for now I follow orders. And my orders are to take you out, then return to camp. Couldn't figure out why I was wasting my time and talent on something like you. Now having met you, I still don't see it. Why are you a threat? You're nothing."

"You think killing all these people is okay? You're monsters! Look at them!" Evelyn pointed to the children on the floor. "They were _babies_! What 'wrong' did they commit?"

"They're just necessary casualties. They would have grown into bigots in time. Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about!" She snapped when Evelyn started to protest. "Zombies! Monsters! Animals! Don't pretend you've never thought the same things when you see ghouls. How about that big ghoul I tracked heading in and out of the city? Do you even know his name or is he just the zombie informant to you?"

"Don't call him that!" Evelyn snapped, shoving past Vincent in anger.

"Oh is he a shuffler? Or are you nice and just call him 'ghoul'?" One of the males taunted. Evelyn stepped forward but froze when the sound of six guns cocking hit her ears.

"Evie git behind me now." Vincent ordered sharply. Evelyn ignored him.

"You don't know shit!" She spat.

"I know all about you human. You're trying to build up an army to fight us. You haven't been out much lately. You've been harder to track. I can see why now. You're a breeder." One of the larger ghouls said, poking at her belly with his rifle. Evelyn drew back with a small howl. Vincent snarled and tried to pull her away.

"You're always with the big human here. Look at how he's trying to protect you now! How fuckin sweet eh boys? Hey human!" The ghoul that had executed the girls crowed at Vincent. "I'm gonna kill your whore and your kid!"

Evelyn had heard enough. She pulled the gauss rifle off her back and fired. The man that had just harassed Vincent went down, half of his face missing. Chaos erupted around them as the room lit up with gunfire.

Vincent roared and started firing. He barely flinched as three rounds tore through his armor. "Evelyn! Git down!" He bellowed, trying to shield her.

Evelyn didn't have a chance. She screamed in pain as a bullet ripped through her shoulder. The force of it swung her off balance and her next shot hit the female ghoul in the sternum. Gore hit the rest of the ghouls as they watched their leader fall. One of them yelled something she didn't comprehend and threw something metal at her. It rolled a few feet away.

Vincent hit her like a bighorner, taking her to the ground. His shoulder drove right into her swollen belly and he quickly covered her whole body with his own. She screamed as new pain ripped through her lower body.

There was a loud sound and a flash of light that left her stunned for a minute. Her ears were ringing as Vincent shakily lifted himself off of her. He kneeled beside her and she could see his scared face. His lips were moving but she couldn't hear him, just ringing.

She hurt. Her shoulder and lower body were in agony. Her abdomen kept clenching. She tried to turn her head but it hurt too much. She tried to speak but nothing came out except a strangled gurgle. Vincent placed a calming hand on her cheek. He mouthed more things she couldn't hear.

The large man scooped her up. He planted a kiss on her forehead and limped towards the South Side. She couldn't hear him but she felt the rumble of his speech with her cheek as it rested against his throat. The world started to blur and fade as she began to feel cold. She looked up and the last thing she saw before the darkness overtook her was a pair of worried blue eyes.


	53. Chapter 53

_**-Authors Note-**_

_**this chapter took me a long time. Mostly because of how depressing it is. Which brings me to my point. This could trigger someone, and if you're easily distressed it might be best to skip this chapter. **_

Chapter Fifty-Three

"Where is my wife?!" The roar startled Evelyn into consciousness. Her eyelids felt heavy as she blinked. The lights above her buzzed quietly.

"She's right here! You need to calm down!" A male voice hissed. There was a crash and suddenly she was blinking up at a familiar face. Faded blue eyes were wide and searching.

"Evelyn?" He rasped quietly, his hand hesitated just shy of her cheek.

"Hey." She croaked. The patchwork of skin and exposed muscle came into focus and she tried to smile. Charon. Her Charon.

"I returned and was told..." He trailed off, looking pained. She tried to speak, but couldn't. He reached into the pack on his back and pulled out a bottle of water. He held it to her mouth and she drank gratefully.

"I'm okay." She whispered, so happy to see him that she barely felt the throbbing in her shoulder.

"Vincent, he said..." Charon trailed off again.

"What's wrong baby?" Evelyn asked, brushing her thumb along his wrist. He looked so upset.

He stared at her with wide eyes. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. He was at a loss as to what to say. "You are hurt." He settled on.

"I've been worse." She dismissed with a cough. "I'm glad you're here though." She suddenly frowned. "That's weird." She muttered.

"What is?" Charon asked.

"It's not kicking my bladder. Usually does while I sleep." She said with a shrug.

His eyes narrowed as he ran his hand over her swollen belly. "Is something wrong with our child?" He barked at someone behind him, someone Evelyn couldn't see.

A thin, sallow man moved into her line of sight. He shifted from one foot to the other, looking nervous. He cleared his throat. "That's what I was trying to tell you." He said. "Your um, wife, arrived in really bad shape, two days ago."

"I've been here two days?" Evelyn interrupted. "Where am I, exactly?" She looked around in confusion.

"You're in the South Vegas clinic. I'm Doctor Aiden Vilkas." The sallow man informed her. "You were brought here by a man named Vincent."

"I remember him carrying me but that's it." Evelyn told Charon.

"As I was trying to say... You miscarried shortly after you arrived here, two days ago." Doctor Vilkas looked extremely comfortable. "The man who carried you in buried the childs remains. You'll have to ask him about the location. Now if you'll excuse me.." The thin man trailed off and hurried out of the room.

"Oh." Evelyn whispered. Her voice seemed to jolt Charon out of thought. He flinched as if he had been struck. He opened his mouth, but only a wheeze came out. Evelyn reached for him. "It's okay baby." She tried to comfort him. He shook his head vehemently and stormed out of the room.

Evelyn struggled to sit up. "Charon!" She yelled as loudly as she could. She got Vincent instead.

"Evie!" He exclaimed, rushing to her. "Ya shouldn't be up! Lemme get ya back down. C'mon now." He scooted her down and smoothed back her hair. "There ya are. Easy now."

"Charon..." She croaked, already feeling sleepy.

"He left in a big hurry. Guess y'all heard about the baby huh?" Vincent asked, fluffing her pillow.

"How am I-?" She pointed down at her distended stomach. "Still?"

"Yeah I wondered that too. Doc says ya might take a week or two t'shrink back down. I'm real sorry Evie." Vincent looked tormented. His bright blue eyes were wide and he had a new scar bisecting the one that ran the length of his jaw.

"Thanks for getting me here." Evelyn said with a shrug. "I'm alive."

"Yeah but yer baby, me landin on ya didn't help." Vincent said, looking miserable. He scrubbed at his scruffy cheeks with his palms.

"Vincent, sweetie, I'm not upset." Evelyn assured the large man.

"Ya ain't?" He asked.

"No. I didn't fucking want to be a mom. Why should I be upset that there isn't something kicking my ribs and bladder all the time?" She snapped, sitting up gingerly.

"Evelyn..." Vincent began.

"No! Fuck that! Why should I be sad about not meeting it? Why should I be sad that I never get to hold its little hand? Or sing to it? Or even know what it was? Or what it looked like? Why should I- Why should I?" Her voice was increasing in volume, and decreasing in steadiness.

"He. He was a little boy. He had all his fingers an toes." Vincent interrupted her gently, and stroked her cheek with his large hand.

"He did?" She whispered. "I worried about that, you know."

"Every mama does." He said with a sad smile.

"Was he-" Her voice broke as she fought back tears. "Was he-" She couldn't continue.

"He was perfect. M sorry ya didn't get t'say goodbye." Vincent said softly.

"I want to go see him." She declared, wiping here eyes.

Vincent nodded. "I kin take ya."

She swung her legs out of the bed and looked down in surprise. She was only wearing a large t shirt.

"Sorry. Yer clothes was all ripped up, so I gave ya one uh my shirts." Vincent said, rubbing the back of his neck. He went to lift her up when Charon stalked back into the room.

"I will carry my wife." He declared. He scooped her up bridal style and rested his face against her throat. Her long, bare legs made a sharp contrast against the exposed muscle of his forearm. "Please lead the way."

The sun was just starting to set as they followed Vincent through the newly rebuilt south side. They reached a clearing and Vincent stopped by a small patch of earth that had been freshly upturned, surrounded by a circle of large stones. A wooden cross marked the small grave.

"Put me down." Evelyn demanded. Charon placed her on her feet gently. She knelt beside the small grave and ran her fingers through the loose soil. Charon knelt beside her.

"Elijah James Montgomery." She whispered to the grave, as if the world was listening. She looked at Charon. "He was a person. He was my son."

He nodded his head as she started to cry. "I never got the chance to love him." She whimpered. "I wanted him to know."

"He knew." Charon told her quietly, pulling her to his chest. "I told him all the time."

He stroked her hair as she cried on his chest. They stayed that way for hours. It was the closest thing they had to being together as a family.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter Fifty-Four

Charon watched Evelyn, his face expressionless. It had been nearly a month since her miscarriage, and for the last week she had been training to get her strength back.

Vincent grunted when she landed a punch to his chest. She circled the huge man like a predator, striking at him at random intervals. He swept her legs out from under her and caught her before she could hit the floor.

"Yer gettin too close. Ya don't strike hard enough r'knock someone my size down, gotta keep yer distance."

"How many people have you met of your size? I hit hard enough to knock most people down." Evelyn griped as he set her on her feet.

"Ready?" He asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Are you?" She retorted, darting in to land a blow to his gut. He caught her easily and tossed her back.

"Yer whole body jumps in the direction yer throwin yer fist. A blind man could defend against that." He admonished.

She let out a low scream of anger and charged him. He dodged and grabbed her. He braced the crook of his elbow on her throat and squeezed.

"Ya wanna learn or you wanna see how many ways I kin knock ya on yer ass?" He asked her impatiently.

Charon stalked forward. "She has had enough. Release her." He ordered.

"No!" Evelyn gasped. She swung her elbow around, trying to make contact with Vincent's ribs. He squeezed tighter and she went limp. He released her immediately. She collapsed to the floor on her knees.

"I've fucking got this Charon!" She rasped, pulling herself up. The large ghoul left the room without another word.

"Ya shouldn't talk to 'im that way." Vincent sighed, tilting her chin up to examine her neck.

She swatted his hands away. "He needs to leave me alone and to quit trying to tell me what to do." She complained, perching on the bar. She looked around the penthouse and sighed. She was so sick of being in The Lucky 38.

"He's worried." Vincent replied, taking a seat across from her.

"He can save it. This is what I do. I fight. I get hurt." She growled, hopping down. "I'm going to see Lily." She marched towards the elevator.

"Lily is in Cottonwood Cove with the other Nightkin." Vincent said, trailing after her.

"Yeah I know." Evelyn said with a shrug, stepping into the elevator.

"Charon won't be too pleased if ya take off fer Cottonwood Cove." The giant man protested with a deep sigh.

"Too bad. I'm sick of staring at these fucking walls. I'm done being a prisoner." She growled. The elevator doors opened with a ding. She stalked into her room and gathered her supplies. She fastened her combat armor quickly. Charon wasn't around and she wanted to get out of there before he tried to argue.

When they stepped outside the Lucky 38, Evelyn inhaled deeply. She had missed the desert air. The sunlight felt good on her face. She smiled for the first time in ages. Her long blond hair fluttered in the breeze and she braided it sloppily as they walked through Freeside.

Inspiration struck her as she bounced along the Old World road. "Let's go to Zion!" She announced.

"Zion Valley? Charon will be worried sick if ya take off fer a week." Vincent hesitated.

"He'll be fine. I haven't been there in a long time and I need to visit an old friend." She dismissed his fears with a wave of her hand. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"Course I ain't leavin ya alone." He grumbled, as she took off north. The reached the Northern Passage quickly, Evelyn seemed to be rushing away from The Strip as quickly as she could.

She hesitated at the cage she had found Vulpes in so many months before. Uncertainty hit her suddenly. "What if they killed him?" She asked Vincent, her large brown eyes filled with sadness.

"You sure you wanna go? Might be bad news." The dark haired man asked carefully.

"I think I owe it to him to find out. I left him there. I should have fought for him. He was scared. And I left him alone." She sighed. She looked weary.

"Well then we best get goin." Vincent encouraged.

Evelyn nodded, looking determined. They marched through the passage. It was midday when they reached Zion and she basked in the sunlight. Vincent looked around in amazement, his mouth hanging open.

"Pretty isn't it?" The former vault dweller asked the large Texan. "And the water is all clean. Wait until you see the rain!"

"Rain? What's rain?" Vincent asked, his eyebrows knitted.

"What do you mean, 'what's rain'? You've never read about rain?" Evelyn asked with a laugh. Vincent shook his head. "It's water that falls from the sky." She pointed up.

"Sounds dangerous." He said, eying the sky suspiciously.

"It's not. The water here is clean. Before the war, it used to rain all the time. That's how all the plants and animals lived. There even used to be animals that lived in the water and never came on the land." Evelyn explained, leading him towards The Narrows.

She stopped by the bank of the river and kicked off her boots and unlaced her armor.

"What are ya doin?" Vincent asked in alarm.

"The two tribes here that control the valley are peaceful, they aren't going to hurt us. And I don't want to get my boots wet." She explained, pulling a pair of shorts out of her pack. Vincent blushed red and turned red when she started to change. Evelyn laughed. "Such a gentleman!" She crowed. "You can look now."

She was wearing a pink tank top and black shorts that showed off her legs. She was barefoot as she pranced through the water humming an Old World song. He waded after her, as she began to sing and sway. He shook his head at her antics, but couldn't help but smile.

She turned her head to call out to him over her shoulder. "All my life I've searched for a land like this one."

"Kin see why. Beautiful here." Vincent called back. The river narrowed as the canyon walls closed in around them. He started to notice pictures painted on the canyon itself. They seemed to tell stories of some great battle.

"We're almost there!" Evelyn called happily.

All at once, Vincent started to see tribals moving through the river all around them. They all wore very little clothing, all in the same shade of blue. Men and women alike had their heads shaved. They greeted Evelyn with smiles and called out in a strange language. Most just peered at him curiously. One woman glared openly as she hissed something to the woman next to her. The other woman started to glare at him too.

"Dun think they like me much." He remarked to the blond woman next to him.

"You're a stranger. They'll warm up. I've only been here once." Evelyn assured him.

The woman that was glaring at him stalked forward and pointed at him. "You! Bad man!" She accused loudly.

Vincent looked surprised. "I'm sorry, what?" He asked.

"You are bad man! Mya say big man, dark hair, big scar. Bad." The woman insisted. She pointed to the scar on his face.

"Amaya told them you were a bad man?" Evelyn asked in surprise. The native woman nodded enthusiastically.

"Bad man!" She repeated.

"She musta been here afore I was able t'talk to her. She was prolly still scared I'd try an drag her back to Texas." Vincent guessed.

"Looks like your wife was pretty popular here." Evelyn said. She turned to the native woman. "Not bad. He's here with me. Keeps me safe."

The woman cocked her head to the side. "Safe?"

"Safe. You know. Protects me?" Evelyn tried to explain. The woman just frowned. Evelyn sighed and placed a closed fist on her chest and then touched Vincent in the same manner.

Realization crossed the tribal woman's face. She nodded and retreated a short distance away. She spoke to the other curious women.

"We're looking for Waking Cloud. She dresses like them. But has this feather thing behind her head. Or Vulpes if you see him." Evelyn told Vincent. He nodded. The walked around the busy camp, and the tribals scurrying about seemed to be preparing for something.

"What's goin on?" Vincent asked, as a young girl crashed into him with an oomph.

"Not really sure. They weren't this hectic before." Evelyn admitted.

"We are celebrating!" A familiar voice informed them happily.

"Waking Cloud!" Evelyn chirped, grinning wide. "I've been looking for you!"

"And why is this?" The willowy native asked. "Looking for a friend?" She smiled. "Come, I will show you."

They followed the happy woman through the twists and turns of the canyon. Soon, they reached a clearing. A tall man could be seen, instructing children on how to prepare food.

"Vulpes!" Evelyn whispered happily, then repeated herself in a shout. "Vulpes!"

She took off at a sprint as soon as the tall man looked up in surprise. She flung herself into his arms in delight. He crushed her to him, beaming.

"Evelyn! It's so good to see you!" He laughed.

"I'm so glad you're here! I'm so glad you're okay! Oh my fucking god, I was so worried!" Evelyn yelled.

"I am well. More than that. I am happy." He assured her.

"I'm so glad to hear that!" She said, pulling back to look at him. He wore black pants cut off just below the knee. He had the same blue designs painted on him as the rest of the Sorrows. His scars had healed well and the paint covered many of them. He had shaved his head and it only emphasized his angular features.

"Did you come for the celebration?" He asked pleasantly, watching Vincent warily.

"No, what are you celebrating?" Evelyn asked.

"Marriage!" Waking Cloud broke in excitedly.

"A wedding?" Evelyn asked, her eyes wide. "Are you getting married?!" She looked from Vulpes to Waking Cloud.

Waking Cloud laughed. "No no! Wounded Fox is far too shy to marry!"

Vulpes turned a brilliant shade of crimson. He looked at his feet with a small, embarrassed smile.

"Let's go for a walk Mr. Fox." Evelyn said, threading her arm through the former legionarys. "Vincent, why don't you help Waking Cloud?" Vincent hesitated but relented with a sigh as she strolled off with Vulpes.

They were a short distance away when Evelyn turned to him and narrowed her eyes. "Shy? You don't strike me as shy Fruittyman. Why are you still here?"

Vulpes smiled. "I am content here Vault Girl. Why are _you_ still here?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"These fucking ghouls man. Coming to wipe out everyone and this redhead volunteered me somehow. Can't even explain it. I've spent my entire adult life being sucked into other people's problems." Evelyn sighed.

"I hear that Wyoming is nice." Vulpes joked.

"And leave all this feel good, blue paint behind?" Evelyn laughed, smudging his carefully painted on lines with her thumb.

"These people... They are incredible. Content. Industrious but not for progress. They are happy. I'm happy here. You know they have women leading them? And these women are strong and capable. But not cruel. It amazes me every day. I admire them for the capability they lead with. There is no fear. Only respect." Vulpes told her, looking thoughtful.

"Funny how that works, huh?" Evelyn jabbed.

"And where is your ghoul? Did you tire of him already?" He retorted.

"No. Asshole. I married him. He's just back in New Vegas." She said, elbowing him in the side.

"If I were married I wouldn't let my wife leave my side." Vulpes said, staring off into the distance.

"Gotta let go of that control thing Vulpes." She teased.

"If I were to marry, it would be because I love her and wouldn't want to be parted from her beautiful face." He said quietly. She followed his line of sight and gasped in delight.

"Oh my god! You're in love!" Evelyn screeched.

"What?" He asked, his eyes snapping to her face. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Oh okay. Good. Vincent needs a good lady in his life. I bet Waking Cloud would suit him just fine." Evelyn goaded. "At least for the night."

"Absolutely not. She deserves much better than to be treated like some common whore! She is an amazing woman." He barked, glaring at Evelyn.

"So what's stopping you?" Evelyn asked, pulling her hair loose from her braid. She combed her fingers through her long blond locks.

"Waking Cloud deserves only the best." Vulpes said simply.

"So be the best." The Lone Wanderer said with a shrug.

"And it's that simple?" He asked sarcastically.

"Sweetheart, I took down the Enclave. I gave clean water to the Capital Wasteland. I set free an entire city of slaves and saved an entire swamp from certain doom. Ain't nothin you can't do with the right amount of determination." Evelyn said grandly, and winked at the skeptical man.

"Perhaps." Vulpes said, sounding amused.

"Looks like the party is starting." Evelyn said, pointing at the encampment. "Are there lots of weddings here in Zion?"

"This will be the first I have attended." Vulpes said, as they walked towards the festivities. The sun was just starting to set as they approached.

The young couple was surrounded by tribals. Some had instruments Evelyn had never seen. It looked like leather pulled over a basket with shell casings tied to the side by leather strips. When they were tapped a deep boom and a tinkling of metal on metal could be heard. Evelyn loved them.

The ceremony was short, but emotional. The young couple embraced passionately, and Evelyn whispered to Vincent. "Should have looked at options for my wedding. I like this one."

"Sure is different." Vincent commented. They were passed a bottle and he sniffed it. "Phew! That's strong!" He declared. Evelyn snatched it from him and smelled it herself.

"Whoa buddy." She giggled. She took a sip and wheezed a little.

"Are you alright Savior of the Wastes?" Vulpes whispered into her ear slyly.

"Shut up Fruitty Man. What is this?" She asked, taking another drink.

"Alcohol made from the yucca fruit." The former legionnaire informed her, taking a drink. He grimaced. "Something made for special occasions." He walked forward to engage Waking Cloud in conversation. She beamed at the tall man and touched his arm. Evelyn watched with a smile.

"I see you've made it back and found your friend." Joshua Graham appeared next to Evelyn.

"Fuck!" Evelyn sputtered, the potent alcohol burning her chest as she gasped. "Where did you come from?"

"I have been here since the celebration began." The former legate informed her, sounding amused.

"Thanks for keeping Vulpes, you know, alive." Evelyn said awkwardly.

"He has benefited Zion. He helps the hunters, he teaches the children our language, he assists Waking Cloud in taking care of the sick or wounded."

"Everyone can be redeemed." Evelyn remarked, continuing to drink. "You know I can help you right?"

"What do you mean?" Joshua asked.

"I can help with the pain, debridement. Then stimpaks will help replace the tissue." Evelyn slurred slightly.

"You seem interested in assisting me." Joshua said.

"My dad was a doctor. I was going to be one too. I like helping people." She said with a shrug. Darkness had fallen and the tribals had lit campfires and started to dance around them as they sang.

"Perhaps we can discuss this tomorrow." Joshua relented.

"You don't have to keep punishing yourself. You've paid for your mistakes just like Vulpes did." Evelyn replied. Watching the celebration.

"Your predecessor said something similar." Joshua said. "Amaya was a remarkable woman."

Vincent was intent on the bandaged man. "Did ya know her well?" He asked.

"Not really, no. She came to Zion and offered her assistance in driving an invading tribe away. She saved all of these people. She smiled a lot, had an accent similar to yours." Joshua said.

"Yeah. We're from Texas." Vincent nodded.

"Were you the person she was running from?" Joshua asked. He didn't sound accusatory, just curious.

"Yep. I was." Vincent sighed.

"And watching over this woman is your atonement?" Joshua guessed.

"Inna manner uh speakin." Vincent agreed.

"The past has a way of catching up to you." Joshua remarked.

"Ain't worried none. If you'll excuse us, Miss Evie looks like she'd like t'dance." Vincent dismissed, taking Evelyn's hand and leading her towards the group.

Evelyn laughed and immediately joined in the fun. She pranced around, trying to imitate the tribals movements. A young man took her hand and she giggled and started dancing with him. She plopped into the sand and laughed outright. Her dance partner moved onto another partner.

A large, ruined hand was offered to her. She looked up and her laughter died in her throat. She accepted the hand hesitantly. She was pulled up, but not released.

"Have you been here long?" She asked.

"Long enough." Came the reply.

"I needed to get away." She whispered.

"I know." Charon replied with a sigh.

"I love you. But I can't handle your sadness and mine too." She explained in frustration.

"I am sad because I am watching you push me away. I only want to protect you." Charon argued quietly.

"I'm scared that you're going to blame me." She admitted. "You're going to blame me and hate me forever." Tears filled her brown eyes.

Charon cupped her chin in his hand and sighed. "You were trying to protect children. How could I hold that against you?" He asked softly.

"I didn't protect him. Or them." She whimpered. Tears upped down her cheeks.

He crushed her against his chest, and cradled her head protectively. "You cannot save everyone."

"I'm so sorry!" She sobbed.

He kissed the top of her head and held her tight. "You have nothing to be sorry for."


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter Fifty-Five

_**~A/N~ Hey so I'm sure you've noticed that updates have slowed to a crawl. Sorry about that. But I'm going to fix that. Between ATN and Collision, I promise you'll get an update at least every ten days. But on a fun note, I totally pre ordered Fallout 4 and spent the entire E3 conference screaming. Pretty excited to see what Boston has to offer**_.

The Lone Wanderer seemed out of place in the cave they were in. Her long blond hair was pulled back into a tight knot and her hands were covered in blood as she softly sang to herself.

_**I just want to be the one you'd love**_

_**(And with your admission could you'd feel the same)  
I'll have reach the goal I'm dreaming of believe me  
I don't want to set the world on fire**_

_**I just want to start a flame in your heart**_

She smiled as she quickly sliced through the ruined flesh before her, separating the dead from the living. She worked with nimble, practiced fingers. She administered stimpaks to each new would that she made. Charon felt a little repulsed as she tossed the chunks of skin and flesh she removed into a bucket by her feet. It hit the metal with an unsettling splat.

"What's with people letting themselves suffer like this? He was ripping off his scabs every time he changed those bandages. And look how tight he was wrapping them. They were keeping the wounds open. He must have been in so much pain." She complained aloud with an irritated click of her tongue.

"Job suffered quietly." Charon replied.

"What?" Evelyn asked absently.

"Old world fairytales." He grumbled, moving closer to peer at the former Legate. "You have been at this for hours. Do you need a break?"

Evelyn laughed. "No. I'm good Charon. I can't exactly leave him half fleshed." She reminded him.

"He does not seem to mind." Charon answered.

"Nah he's pretty out. He's going to be tender for a while. But it's already taking, look." She indicated Joshua's arm. The stimpaks had worked to replace the missing flesh between her carefully placed incisions.

"He will have stripes." Charon noted, sounding amused.

"Yeah, it's not seamless but it's going to be painless." She agreed, carefully working on the fragile skin of the New Canaanite's throat.

"What you are doing is impressive." He complimented.

"Dad always wanted me to help people. Look at this guy. I've read Amaya's journals. He saved all of these people. I bet he was really handsome before all this happened. Such a serious face though. I can see why they wanted him to lead."

"He was also the monster the Legion told their children about to scare them into behaving." A smooth voice replied.

"Something you'd understand huh Vulpes?" Evelyn answered mildly. "Did you ever try apologizing?"

"To whom are you referring?" He asked as she worked on Joshua's cheek carefully.

"To the people you hurt. Duh." She scoffed.

"I wouldn't even know where to begi-" Vulpes stopped suddenly.

"Eureka?" She asked.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing. Never mind, it's just something Jonas used to say." She dismissed.

"Who?" Vulpes questioned.

"Never mind. Just an old friend. Did you figure something out?" Evelyn asked impatiently.

"Perhaps. We retreated and left most of the slaves behind in The Fort. I wonder if they are still alive?" He mused.

"It seems unlikely." Charon said flatly, trying to discourage his wife.

It didn't work. Naturally. "We could always go look. You're going to apologize to the slaves?" She carefully pressed a stimpak over her patients eye.

"I would like to apologize to my slave." He agreed.

"You had a slave?" Evelyn gasped.

"She was a gift from Caesar. She was with me from about age eleven." He informed her.

Evelyn paused her slicing to look up at the former legionnaire with a frown.

"Not in the way you are thinking. Slaves were beneath me." He sighed.

"Slavery is wrong." Evelyn stated sternly.

"I know this now." Vulpes answered, sounding exasperated.

"Holy fuck!" Evelyn gasped.

"What?" Charon and Vulpes asked in unison.

"Joshua?" She whispered. "Joshua?"

"Evelyn, he has enough Med-X in his system to incapacitate a deathclaw." Charon assured her.

"I am not incapacitated." Evelyn nearly jumped out of her skin as the man she had been cutting into spoke. "Chems do not work on me."

Evelyn sucked in a breath. "Why didn't you tell me that?" She gasped.

"It didn't seem important." Joshua said flatly. "I presume you are done?"

"That must have hurt... Like a fucking lot?" Evelyn sounded bewildered.

"It certainly wasn't pleasant." The former legate agreed.

"You're done but you really should rest a few hours." Evelyn said, watching the unclothed man reach for his distinctive armor as he sat up. "And you need to stay uncovered." She ordered, gently grasping his wrist. He looked down at their hands for a long moment.

"I never thought I would see myself like this again." He stated absently.

"You're not going to be perfect, but you're going to be in a lot less pain." Evelyn said, releasing him.

"I am already nearly pain free. I'm not sure what to do. I've grown accustomed to the pain. Without it I feel..." Joshua trailed off, frowning deeply.

"You need to realize that what you were feeling? It wasn't atonement." Evelyn said quietly.

"Under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." Joshua recited words burned into his mind so readily that it was apparent that he repeated them often.

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." An accented voice interrupted.

Everyone turned to look at Vincent in surprise, but his eyes were locked on Joshua. "Ya can't ignore that the Lord is merciful an loves us."

Evelyn and Vulpes glanced and one another with raised eyebrows as Vincent and Joshua began to discuss a book neither one of them had read.

"He'll forgive himself eventually." She told him quietly.

"Now that he's not in constant agony, he might find it easier." Vulpes agreed.

"Now it's time to work on your forgiveness." Evelyn said with a rather grim smile. Charon just sighed.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter Fifty-Sixty

"Whoa." Evelyn said, her mouth agape. "Boone wants this place. I'm telling you that right now."

"Caesar chose this place for its impenetrability. Someone has altered it." Vulpes said, his brows knitted together. His sharp eyes were narrowed as he scanned the area around them. A patchwork of metal was built to fortify the natural gorges.

"What do you mean?" Evelyn asked.

"Crosses used to line the roads here. With prolfligates lashed to them. Or unruly slaves. They've been removed." He looked around thoughtfully. "It's better this way." He added, almost to himself.

"Are you ready?" Evelyn asked him softly. He nodded. Charon pushed open the heavy metal door.

"Whoa!" Evelyn said for the second time within minutes. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but a thriving community wasn't it. That was exactly what they saw though. The descriptions of rows of tents and heavily burdened slaves meandering about that Amaya had written in her journals were no longer there.

Children ran around as women tended a garden. It was a beautiful, well cared for garden. The women looked at the small group curiously, but didn't approach them. They didn't seem afraid at all. Evelyn was astonished.

"Do you know any of these people?" Charon asked Vulpes.

"I do not. Though I cannot guarantee that they weren't slaves. I paid little attention to slaves." Vulpes said with a sigh. "Though none seem to recognize me."

"That one does." Evelyn informed them quietly.

"Which one?" Vulpes asked.

"The one walking towards us with her weapon drawn." Charon said dryly.

"Ah." The former legionnaire spotted the woman in question. She was beautiful. Evelyn was struck by her immediately. Her dark skin contrasted sharply with the light pink dress that she wore. Her black hair was cropped close to her head, and the large machete in her hands only added to her appeal.

"Vulpes Inculta!" The woman declared as she drew close. "You're a fool to return here!" The woman's large brown eyes flashed in anger.

Vulpes tilted his head to the side, trying to place her. "The slave that made the healing powder!" He declared triumphantly.

"I'm honored you remember." The woman hissed. "Now leave!"

"Hey, hey. I'm Evelyn, this is my husband-"

"You _married_ that beast! Do you know what kind of things he used to do to women?!" The woman snapped in disbelief.

"No, no I did not." Evelyn said. "I married this one actually." She patted Charon on the arm. "And no, I don't know very much about what Vulpes did. But I do know that he wanted to come here to try and make amends."

"Amends?" The woman let out a bark of mirthless laughter. "You want _forgiveness_?! Are you fucking insane?"

"I don't expect forgiveness. But I'd like to apologize nonetheless." Vulpes replied.

"Why?" The woman narrowed her eyes.

"Do I need a reason to repent?" He countered.

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Shut up. If you aren't going to be honest, we can leave now." She snapped. Vulpes glared at her for a moment before he gave a resigned sigh.

"Very well." He agreed. "My freedom was stripped from me. For a very long time. I was tortured and degraded. I wasn't treated like a human. I wasn't even treated like an animal. I'm ashamed that I subjected anyone else to that."

"You deserved it." The woman replied.

"I did." Vulpes agreed.

"You're a monster." She told him.

"I am." He agreed. She looked at him intently, and he didn't look away.

"They turned on her." The woman told him suddenly.

"Who did?" He asked, seeming to understand what she meant.

"The other slaves."

"Is she-?" His question hung in the air.

"No. She's still here." The former slave said. "Many left, but a few of us stayed. The legion left all the children behind. Even the boys. Someone had to care for them. More people wandered in, looking for help. This is a refuge now. A safe place."

"Who turned on who?" Evelyn asked, confused.

The woman surveyed Evelyn for a moment. "Do you know what happens to a slave who is favored when master isn't around?" The woman asked sharply.

"I'm afraid I don't. What's your name again?" Evelyn asked.

"Siri. She gets bullied. Sometimes even attacked. It's just human nature." Siri told her, almost sadly.

"Who is 'she'?" Evelyn asked.

"Ophelia." Vulpes supplied, sounding sad.

"She goes by Becca now." Siri told him. "That's her real name."

"Where is she? Please?" Vulpes asked, desperation bleeding into his voice. He was beginning to look agitated.

"Where your old tent used to be. They burned it down, but she rebuilt in the same spot." Siri sounded disgusted.

Vulpes took off at a jog, surprising Charon and Evelyn. The scrambled to keep up. They reached a small canvas tent moments after he did. He stared at it, unsure and a little scared.

"You okay?" Evelyn asked, looking around. A few women could be seen outside of nearby tents, but none seemed to recognize Vulpes.

"It's so different. Everything is different. So full of life. I don't deserve to ask her forgiveness." He rambled nervously.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm sure that it's something she needs to hear even if-" Evelyn was interrupted by a melodic voice.

"Can I help you?" A teenage girl carrying a basket full of clothes walked towards them. She was very tan, with long black hair pulled into braids on either side of her head. Her full lips were set in a small smile. It only took her a few moments to recognize Vulpes.

She dropped the basket and flew towards them so quickly, Evelyn was certain that the girl was going to attack. She was shocked when the young woman threw herself at Vulpes feet and sobbed. "Master!"

Vulpes dropped to his knees and pulled her to his chest. "Ophelia, no! Shhhh." He soothed. He rocked her and shushed her until she calmed down.

Other women had noticed her outburst and looked at them suspiciously. The teenage girl didn't seem to notice.

"I knew you would come back!" Her silver eyes seemed to glow as she looked up at Vulpes reverently. "I saved your book master!" She told him happily.

"No, Ophelia, don't call me that. You're free now." Vulpes pulled the girl to her feet. "You're Becca now." He dusted off her light green dress, smoothing the skirt.

She shook her head. "No. I am loyal. I am obedient. I have never faltered. Even when you were gone. Even when you weren't here to protect me. I saved your book from the profligate fires! _In_ _perpetuum servus tuus oboediens."_

_"_Becca no. Please." Vulpes pleaded, as the other women started to move closer, frowns etched on their faces.

"What's wrong with her?" Evelyn whispered to Charon. "She doesn't seem scared. She's just... Crazy?"

"She has been a slave for a very long time. Perhaps it was easier." Charon replied in a low voice. Evelyn looked at him in disbelief. Charon shrugged. "A well kept slave never worries for or wants for anything."

"But he told her that she's free." Evelyn pointed out.

"She has been free. The enslavement is in her mind." Charon replied.

"We should go. He apologized. He's only gonna fuck up her head more." Evelyn decided. Charon didn't say anything, just glanced at her.

"Vulpes, we gotta go. It's time to say goodbye." The Lone Wanderer ordered.

Vulpes looked surprised, but nodded. "Becca I must go." He told the girl gently.

"No! You can't!" Becca gasped. "You can't leave me! I did everything right! Master please!"

"You there!" One of the other women finally spoke. "You leave her alone!"

"Oh for fucks sake!" Evelyn hissed in frustration as a group of at least eight marched towards them.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter Fifty-Seven

"Leave her alone!" The angry woman repeated. Vulpes looked at them helplessly as Becca clung to him.

"We aren't hurting her!" Evelyn protested. "She's just upset!"

"Becca, come here. Get away from that guy." A tall gangly woman with chin length brown hair ordered. She grabbed the sobbing girl and roughly pulled her away.

"Be careful with her!" Vulpes snapped.

"Oh really _Vulpes Inculta_?" The young woman spit his name like a curse. "Careful like the brand on her back? Or the scars on her wrists and ankles?"

Evelyn glanced at the former legionary. She could only imagine what that meant. She heard the low growl from Charon and she reached out to run her thumb over his wrist. Slavery was a touchy subject for the large ghoul. She watched the shame wash over Vupes. He didn't defend himself.

"I know who and what you are. You shouldn't be here." The woman cradling Becca hissed.

"I came here to-" Vulpes tried to explain, but he was cut off.

"I don't give a fuck why you're here. It took me months to get her to stop crying all night." She snarled.

"I'm sorry." Vulpes said miserably. "Becca I'm sorry." He tried to make eye contact with tanned girl but she just kept sobbing. "I'm so sorry."

With that, the normally calm man bolted away from them, towards the large metal gate. "Vulpes!" Evelyn called after him. She looked at the angry women circled around the sad girl and sighed.

"I'm really sorry. For everything. Is there anything I can do?" She asked.

"You just need to leave." The woman said harshly. "You've done enough."

Evelyn opened her mouth to retort, but Charon placed his hand on the small of her back and she closed it. She nodded curtly and walked towards the doors that Vulpes had run out minutes before. Siri watched them leave with her arms folded across her chest.

"I really fucked that up didn't I?" She asked once they were outside The Fort.

Charon paused. "Some things are better left alone." He said softly. His faded blue eyes surveyed her as he hesitated to elaborate.

"I just wanted to help!" She exclaimed, looking hurt. Her large brown eyes widened as she pouted.

"You did not think. You were so concerned to free the legionary of his guilt that you did not think of the people he hurt. Do you think I should forgive those that enslaved me?" He was gentle in his recrimination, but firm.

"No, of course not!" She said, sounding horrified at that thought.

"You saw his victims. He enslaved those women." Charon pointed out. "They will bear the physical and mental scars of what he did to them for the rest of their lives."

"He's not a bad person." She whispered, almost to herself.

"Evelyn, you cannot cleanse the souls of everyone you meet. And you cannot push people into forgiving." The large ghoul sighed, scrubbing at his cheek with his palm.

"I just want to help people. I didn't mean to hurt those girls. Look how badly I fucked her up though, just by bringing him here." Evelyn ran her hand through her long blond hair anxiously. "And now I don't even fucking know where he is. Where's he gonna go now? Back to Zion? Back to the Legion?"

"Wherever he goes, you tried to help him. You cannot worry about everyone." Charon said, wrapping his arm around her waist to lead her back towards Fort McCarran. "We must return to report to Boone or he may hunt you down. You have been avoiding him."

"Of course I've been avoiding him. He always wants me to do army shit and talk about 'tactical plans' for when 'the enemy' strikes." Charon smirked at her embellished impersonation of the very serious sniper.

"He is doing well training the volunteers." Charon stated.

"Yeah but why does he have to tell me about it? All I have to do is talk to the creepy, overly happy robot." She groused.

"The robot is creepy." He agreed with a nod.

"I bet he'd let me rename him Bob." Evelyn laughed. "Yes Man just seems dumb."

"Bob?" Charon raised one eyebrow.

"Well it doesn't have to be Bob, what about Alfonso?" She said, giggling at her husbands expression. Her playful smile faded as they noticed a small group approaching them from the opposite side of the old world road.

"Three men, one small woman." He told her quietly.

"They're looking right at us. Should we talk to them?" She asked, not taking her eyes off the strangers.

"They do not seem aggressive." Charon said after a moment of study.

"Excuse me ma'am!" One of the men called out to Evelyn. He strode forward, separating himself from his group. He smiled and inclined his head. "Could I trouble ya fer some directions? We're not from around here an it looks like we may have jist got all turned around." His accent was thick, just like Vincent's. He was a few inches shorter than Evelyn, with tan skin and piercing gray eyes. He looked to be around the same age her father had been when he died, his graying hair just peeking out from under a well worn cowboy hat. He was handsome in a rugged way.

"Oh, sure. Where do you need to go?" Evelyn replied.

"Well, I need to get my lil group here to New Vegas." The man said with a grin.

"We're actually headed that way ourselves. You can join us if you'd like." Evelyn offered, surveying the rest of his group. The two men were large, like Vincent. They were blond and expressionless. The small woman looked extremely anxious. She was fidgeting with her black braid, her blue eyes tracking Evelyn's every move.

"Well now! That's mighty kind of ya darlin! I'd be ever so thankful." The short man said.

"I'm Evelyn Montgomery, and this is my husband Charon." She introduced. To his credit, the man didn't even look surprised. He just nodded at the glowering ghoul.

"Well, this here is Ellie, Dirk and Bo." He pointed to each person as he introduced them. "And I'm Sterling North. It's nice to meet you Evelyn."

"It's nice to meet you too Sterling. Your name sounds so familiar." Evelyn replied thoughtfully.

"Well if ya remember why, be sure to let me know." Sterling replied with a smile.

Evelyn laughed. "I sure will. Well, let's get going!" She declared.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter Fifty-Eight

"Take my hand, take my whole life too. For I can't help falling in love with you." The older man crooned at Evelyn, as he strummed the smallest guitar she had ever seen.

The group had stopped to eat and rest, the large, silent blond men lit a fire with practiced ease. They never needed more than a nod from Sterling before they set to work like a well oiled machine. Ellie didn't say much. Her face was gaunt, with gray circles around her eyes. She looked exhausted and wary. It didn't escape Evelyn that Ellie seemed to try and distance herself from Sterling as much as possible. Charon was studying the young woman, and Evelyn wondered what he was thinking.

"So Ellie, what brings you all the way out here?" Evelyn asked with a smile. She tried to reassure the young woman with her eyes. Ellie's blue eyes darted to Sterling, who stopped singing and interrupted smoothly.

"Well, we're lookin fer a friend, truth be told. Maybe ya know 'im if yer from round here." He said.

"Who are you looking for?" Charon spoke, and Evelyn watched the blond brothers tense, identical sneers on their faces. Evelyn felt the ire rise in her. Bigots.

"His name is Vincent. Big guy like Bo an Dirk here. Black hair n'blue eyes like Ellie here."

"He sounds familiar. Does he owe you money?" Evelyn asked lightly. Her face was completely blank.

"Lordy naw. He used t'work for me. He up an disappeared. Wanna make sure he's alright." Sterling smiled, but the mirth didn't reach his silver eyes. Ellie went from looking nervous to looking terrified.

Charon spoke suddenly. "He works for my wife now. We can take you to him." Evelyn shot him an angry look that he ignored.

"Why thank ya kindly." Sterling replied smugly. "Glad t'hear he's doin alright."

"He's doing very well here." Evelyn replied stiffly. She wanted to question her husband, but it wasn't the time or place. So they led the Texans towards the Lucky 38. She had a really bad feeling about the whole thing.

Sterling whistled appreciatively when they stepped onto the Strip. The locals waved to Evelyn and Charon. "Yer perdy well known round these parts." Sterling remarked thoughtfully as one of the young men ambling about drunkenly saluted her.

Evelyn tilted her head and smiled coldly. "I'm the general of the New Vegas Army."

"The general?" One of the large blond men spoke for the first time. He sounded incredulous.

"The one and only." Evelyn replied, her eyebrows raised in amusement. "Why don't we head inside, so I can get Vincent for you?"

"Certainly! Lead on General!" Sterling said, barely letting his sarcasm peek through in his tone.

The elevator was tense. And packed. There was a collective sigh of relief when the doors slid open with a cheerful ding. The group filed out into the hallway of the presidential suite.

Cass stood in the hallway, her arm around a woman with short brown hair, dressed all in black form fitting clothes. They had clearly been drinking. "Evie! Good to see ya!" Cass called out happily. "YO VINNIE! EVIE IS HOME!" She yelled. Her shout set Titan and Maddox scurrying into the hallway excitedly. They spotted Evelyn and started bellowing happily. She knelt down and accepted their kisses.

Vincent wasn't far behind but he stopped at the sight of Sterling. For the first time in all the time that she had known him, Vincent looked scared. Bo and Dirk advanced forward, only to be halted by a wave of Sterlings hand.

"Hello Vincent." Sterling drawled. "Long time, no see."

"What are ya doin here Mister North?" Vincent asked, swallowing visibly, his eyes locked on Ellie.

"Why Vincent, I'm hurt. I was worried about ya. I mean, ya never came back. Never brought my wife back." Sterling smiled, but looked anything but pleasant. "Where is my wife Vincent?"

"She's gone. Killed herself." Vincent said quietly. His bright blue eyes darted around. Evelyn tilted her head in confusion.

"Vincent, what's going on?" She asked the large man. "Who is his wife?"

Vincent stared at her a moment, looking extremely sad. "Amaya." He told her quietly.

"I don't understand." Evelyn said, searching her friends face.

"Allow me t'help ya wit that." Sterling interjected. "My wife has a wild spirit. She got it in her head to leave home one day. Naturally, I was worried sick. I sent Vincent to fetch her for me." He glared at the large man. "Obviously that was a mistake."

"Amaya was your wife?" Evelyn asked.

"She _is_ my wife." Sterling corrected.

"She is dead." Charon stated flatly.

Sterling turned purple. "You damn fool! Do you know what you've cost me?!" He howled at Vincent.

"She was a person! She wasn't a damn brahmin! Ya can't just... She hated you!" Vincent yelled back. He stepped forward, fists clenched. He was as red as a tomato and trembling with rage.

"I don't give a fuck about how she felt! I just wanted her fathers land! That lil bitch could have lived a charmed life, but NO! She had to run around fuckin the help!" Sterling snapped. "You knew the price of failure Vincent!" He grabbed Ellie by her raven hair and dragged her forward. She screamed and fought until one of the blond brothers wrapped a massive hand around her throat. "Now you come with me nicely an I won't kill her right now. You'll tell Weston you killed his daughter. You'll hang. But Ellie here, she'll get to live."

"Don't do it! He already killed mama! I'm as good as dead!" She burst out. The large blond smacked her across the face and she cried out pitifully.

"You leave her alone!" Vincent yelled, sounding afraid.

The woman with Cass reached behind her and pulled two large machetes from her back just as Evelyn drew her gauss rifle off her back. Cass followed suit, aiming her shotgun squarely at Sterling, and Charon aimed his own shotgun at the large man holding Ellie. The large brothers drew their own guns.

"I think you've worn out your welcome. Get the hell out of my territory." Evelyn commanded. She drew herself up as tall as she could.

"This ain't none of your affair little lady." Sterling warned. His silver eyes were narrowed.

"Let my sister go. Now!" Vincent growled.

"She belongs to me now." Sterling hissed.

Like lightening, the woman next to Cass sprang forward and leapt at Bo and Dirk. Startled, the blond brothers stepped back. She planted a machete in each of their throats, twisting the blades. Blood sprayed all over Ellie, who started screaming hysterically and collapsed onto the floor next to the freshly dead brothers. The stranger ripped the blades from their throats and advanced upon a horrified Sterling.

"Stella! Jesus fuckin Christ woman!" Cass snapped. Stella stopped but didn't break eye contact with the Texan. She licked his employees blood off her lips and sneered at him. Vincent raced forward and scooped Ellie up quickly.

"You should go." Evelyn informed Sterling. He nodded quickly. He darted for the elevator when a shotgun blast made everyone jump.

"Charon!" Evelyn gasped.

"Never leave a slaver alive. They will just come back." He told his wife flatly. Everyone was quiet. Evelyn looked over the carnage on the normally pristine floor. Those stains probably weren't going to come out. Her eyes fell on Vincent. He was on his knees, cradling Ellie, rocking her back and forth. She looked at the doorway, and Alice stood there with wide eyes.

"Well shit. I need a drink." Cass broke the silence.

"Agreed." Stella said, sounding very casual for someone who had just killed two men.

"I will dispose of these bodies." Charon informed the room.

"I'll start cleaning up this blood." Alice offered after a moment.

"I'll help you Alice." Evelyn offered quickly. They walked to the master bath together.

"I don't really know what just happened." Evelyn said as they filled buckets. She smoothed her blond hair back carelessly.

"Vincent is a liar." Alice said angrily. "He lied to all of us." The redheads cheeks were tinged bright pink. She was furious.

The realization that she was right hit Evelyn like a physical blow. Her friend, that she had trusted with her life, was a liar. She stormed out to the hallway, her bucket forgotten.

But he was gone.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter Fifty-Nine

"He _lied_ to me Charon!" Evelyn snapped fiercely. "Who knows what else he lied about? Maybe he's feeding army information to the ghouls!"

Charon sighed. He had listened to his wife yell and complain for days, her rant turning towards ridiculous hypothetical situations rather early on. "Dear one, _enough_." He snarled. He softened his harsh tone by kissing her tanned shoulder with his rough ruined lips. "If he wanted to hurt you, he would have. His lies were not acceptable but he has earned the chance to explain himself."

"I'm..." Evelyn trailed off. "I don't even fucking know what I am Charon. I'm angry and hurt and just fucking mad!"

"I know." The large ghoul soothed his wife, pulling her to his chest and tucking the blankets around her.

"Alice must be devastated." Evelyn realized suddenly.

"She has had very bad luck in the last year." Charon agreed, shifting uncomfortably. Sometimes he would catch the petite redhead staring at him with her bright gray eyes, almost sadly. He didn't regret staying with Evelyn, but he regretted hurting Alice. He didn't doubt that he would have been happy with her. She was a wonderful woman.

"We have to go to McCarran tomorrow. Boone wants me to talk to the troops." Evelyn remembered aloud. She groaned theatrically.

"The soldiers look forward to your speeches. He is also very pleased that Cassidy found Stella." Charon remarked.

"Yeah, he's been rounding up the NCR Rangers left in the territory. They're more helpful than I expected. The NCR burned a lot of them pretty bad." Evelyn told him thoughtfully.

The next day, Charon escorted his wife to the former airport. As they got closer to Camp McCarran, soldiers from the New Vegas Army could be seen out for patrols. Evelyn smiled. Their ragtag group was looking more and more like an army every day. They wore combat armor, painted black, with their helmets painted bright red. They had modeled their armor after Evelyn's. She had smiled when she found out, she was wearing a recycled set of Talon armor. The uniform of the bloodthirsty mercenaries had become a symbol of hope for this entire territory. It was funny how things worked out sometimes.

The soldiers all saluted her as she passed, and they grinned when she saluted back and smiled. She greeted each of them pleasantly and thanked them for their service to the people of New Vegas.

"You inspire them. There is something about you." Charon remarked, an eyebrow raised.

"I'm just charismatic, that's all. Dad used to call me a woman of the people." Evelyn smiled, lost in her memories for a moment.

"Evie!" A tall, gangly blond man loped up to them, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "I'm so glad you came! Craig will be so pleased."

"He thought talking to the troops before the Independence Day celebration would be a good idea, so here I am." Evelyn told the handsome doctor with a shrug.

"Did you know that October twenty-third is actually not only the anniversary of the second battle of Hoover Dam, but also the day the bombs dropped to end the war?" Arcade asked her, as they walked towards the officers tents.

"Huh. No, I didn't." Evelyn told Arcade.

"Craig wasn't very interested either." The tall man smiled ruefully. "He's very busy lately." The Lone Wanderer paused. The Followers doctor sounded almost sad; lonely even.

"I am interested sweetie. I was just a little nervous about the speech. I don't feel very inspirational to be honest with you." Evelyn confided.

"You'll do wonderfully. Everyone adores you. Every time I turn around, the soldiers are singing your praises." Arcade assured her with a lopsided grin.

"They're all crazy. I'm awful. And I'm a blanket hog." She whispered conspiratorially. Arcade barked out a laugh when Charon nodded and his wife elbowed him.

"Craig is good for that." He agreed. Evelyn was satisfied that she had chased the sadness from the tall blond, even if it was only temporary. She hugged the tall man and smiled when he hesitantly hugged her back.

Later that evening, Evelyn found herself standing on the second floor of the former airport, overlooking a large open area that was currently filled to the brim with New Vegas troops. They all looked up at her expectantly. She smiled and waved to the crowd and saw her husband suppress a smile from the corner of her eye.

"It's so great to be here with you on such a special occasion!" She called out to the crowd. "I'm so honored that you wanted me here! I won't take up too much of your time, I promise. I know there's a big party planned, I saw the Garrett twins outside!" Laughter swept through the crowd.

Evelyn straightened up and peered at the men and women that looked to her for guidance in protecting their homes and families. "I want each and every person in this room to know that the sacrifices that you're making to make New Vegas great, are worth it! You are protecting your homes, your families, and paving the way to make this nation greater than ever! A safe, thriving community, full of good men and women! I am so proud of all of you. And you should be proud of yourselves!" Evelyn called. The troops clapped and whooped. She waited for them to quiet down.

"None of this would be possible without all of you. You are heroes! I admire every single one of you! It is my absolute honor to lead you. The things we accomplish now will never be forgotten. We are New Vegas! And we will not go quietly! We won't just survive! We will thrive!" She bellowed. The crowd below her lost its collective mind, cheering, clapping and stomping. "Happy Independence Day!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

"That was good. Short, but meaningful." Boone complimented as she walked towards the concourse.

"I do what I can. They work hard, they just want to celebrate. They deserve the break." Evelyn replied. The sniper nodded once. "Hey Craig, when you get the chance, spend some extra time with Arcade. He misses you." Boone stared at her for a long moment before he nodded twice. He left without a word.

Evelyn sighed. "That went well." She told Charon wearily.

"I believe it did. He is seeking out the doctor now." Charon informed her.

"I meant the speech but that's good." Evelyn giggled. "Look at you Mister Romance." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss the grumpy ghoul.

"Love you gorgeous." She purred against his neck, enjoying the visible shiver her lips sent down his spine as they brushed the exposed flesh where his shoulder met his throat.

He placed his arm around her waist possesively and grumbled back. "And I love you."


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter Sixty

The glow from large bonfire the troops had built in the middle of the camp was nothing in comparison to the rockets they lit off. The sky lit up with flashes of red, illuminating the faces of the people around her. Evelyn saw soldiers dancing and calling to each other happily. The radios could barely be heard over their laughter and chatter.

Cass was being twirled around by a tall blond man that Evelyn almost recognized. But what really caught her eye was Arcade. The pale doctors features flickered in the firelight, but his smile was unmistakable. The source of that smile was pressed close, his arms wrapped around the good doctors waist. Boone and Arcade swayed along to the music as Evelyn gawked.

Charon nudged her shoulder with his own. She looked up at her husband and beamed at him. He took a few moments to just gaze at the beautiful woman he had married. Her large brown eyes sparkled in the dim light, shadows cast across her face made her features seem sharper than they were. Her blonde hair took on an orange tint and he was struck by how fortunate he was to be loved by her.

"You are so handsome." She interrupted his musing softly. "How did I get so lucky?" He couldn't have kept the smile off his face if he had tried. He leaned down and kissed her smooth, soft lips. She pressed closer, clutching his shirt with a happy little sigh. "Love you." She breathed against his mouth.

"And I love you." He replied solemnly, pressing his forehead against hers.

Hooting and hollering drew their attention away from one another. The tall blond soldier planted a kiss on Cass as he dipped her low. The foul mouthed redhead appeared speechless as she gaped up at the much larger man. Evelyn noticed Arcade break away from Boone from the corner of her eye.

The taller man gestures towards the medical tents and the sniper nodded once. In a rare moment of public tenderness, Boone brought Arcades hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles as the doctor made to walk away. Gannon beamed from over his shoulder. Evelyn couldn't help but smile.

"Ma'am, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?" The oldest Matthews brother looked at her with his serious brown eyes, his hand outstretched. She beamed at the young man.

"The honor is all mine Eric." She said, accepting his hand.

The young soldier was surprisingly light on his feet, while managing to make Evelyn feel graceful. "You're turning heads Eric." She told him with a soft laugh.

"Well I had to do something after Caleb caused such a stir with your friend!" Matthews laughed.

"I knew I recognized him! Looks like overseeing the crops hasn't hurt his build any." Evelyn laughed, wiggling her eyebrows.

"General, my ego can't take many more hits like that." Eric complained with a laugh.

"Aww don't give me those sad soulful eyes. I'm sure you've got girls lining up for miles." She teased. His reply was cut off by a loud boom.

At first, Evelyn thought a rocket had gone off too close to the camp, and looked around to order the cease fire. But then she saw it. A group of tents was on fire. Without really thinking, she pulled the gauss rifle from her back and ran towards the tents that were billowing smoke. She was soon joined by an unusually panicked Boone. She soon realized why.

The medical tents were ablaze, and four ghouls were nearby, firing upon nearby soldiers. Boone dispatched them faster than she thought was physically possible. Chaos and shouting filled the air.

"GANNON!" He bellowed. Evelyn scanned the ground, but there was no sign of the blond man. "GOD DAMMIT GANNON! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Boone sounded frantic as he ran for the tent.

"Get help, please!" Evelyn ordered Charon and he disappeared into the night. She knelt down by one of the injured soldiers. His shoulder wound was only superficial, but it needed to be taken care of. A young medic arrived and she was instructing her on how to treat the wound when a scream interrupted her.

"HELP! I NEED HELP OVER HERE!" Boone shouted. Evelyn looked up and gasped. Arcade hung limp in his arms, blood staining his white lab coat in multiple places. His head lolled and his eyes were wide open.

"Put him down over here!" She cried, leading him over to a cleared area behind one of the intact tents.

"He's not breathing." Boone choked out in anguish.

"Give me some room! I need supplies over here!" Evelyn screamed. Matthews appeared with her pack almost instantly. She assessed his injuries the best she could. It looked like he had been hit with large amounts of shrapnel, and had taken a shotgun blast to the side. She ran her hands through her blond hair, his blood streaking her forehead. "Shit! Shit! SHIT!" She hissed. She searched for a pulse. She couldn't find one.

"Boone I don't think-" She began. The sniper started backing away, shaking his head violently.

"Nonononono!" He moaned. "Help him! You have to!"

"He's gone sweetie. I'm so sorry." Evelyn whispered, her eyes filled with tears.

"NO!" The sniper wailed like a wounded brahmin. He fell to his knees, his head in his hands. Evelyn knelt by the body of his dead lover and had no words of comfort to offer.

Charon moved her out of the way roughly, and started breathing into Arcades mouth. He pressed on his chest roughly, and Evelyn cringed when she heard bones cracking. The strangled hack that Arcade let out in that moment would have terrified her at any other time. But it sounded like a miracle.

"He needs more help than I can provide. You must hurry." Charon urged her into action. She realized that he was indeed alive, but he wouldn't stay that way for long. The world started to fade as she focused on the patient in front of her. She was dimly aware of Charon pulling Boone to his feet before she shut everything out.

She removed shrapnel carefully, administering stimpaks as she went along. She checked his pulse every so often, taking comfort in the weak beat she felt under her fingers. The wound in his side was terrible. She wasn't squeamish by any stretch of the imagination but his flesh looked like cram, ground up and steadily seeping blood. She realized that he was going to need blood in the same moment that she realized their blood supplies were gone.

"Charon get me a donation kit!" She snarled, pulling more metal from the doctors side. Her husband returned within a minute and handed it to her. She quickly jammed the needle into her arm, hissing in discomfort. The pack filled far too slowly for her liking, but as soon as it did, she detached te needle from herself and stuck it in Arcade. "Hold this!" She commanded Charon, paying no mind to the fact that she had just turned her husband into an IV stand.

She worked for hours, tending to Gannons many wounds and donating her blood. She pulled the last piece of shrapnel from him hours after the rest of the survivors had been attended to. Boone hadn't moved, just stared on anxiously. She looked up with tired eyes. "He's stable. We should get him inside. If he stays stable throughout the night, we'll move him to the Lucky 38. I have better supplies there."

With a tenderness she didn't know he possessed, Boone scooped up the unconscious man and carried him towards the main building.

Evelyn attempted to rise, but found herself too weak. Her husband scooped her up. "You gave too much blood." He admonished.

"He needed it." She protested sleepily, nuzzling his shoulder.

"So did you. You should eat." Charon growled.

"Tomorrow." Evelyn asserted.

"Now." Charon corrected. He carried her to the galley, and sat her at one of the tables. She was dozing off when he handed her the yucca fruit. She ate it slowly.

"You saved Doctor Gannon." He told her.

"No." She shook her head. "You did. I thought he was dead. How did you know he wasn't?"

"I did not. I saw no harm in attempting resuscitation." Charon said with a shrug. "Do you think he will make it through the night? His wounds were extensive."

Evelyn laughed softly. "He wouldn't dare die. Boone would drag him out of hell himself."


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter Sixty- One

"Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,

War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,

Making it momentany as a sound,

Swift as a shadow, short as any dream;

Brief as the lightning in the collied night,

That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,

And ere a man hath power to say "Behold!"

The jaws of darkness do devour it up:

So quick bright things come to"

Evelyn stood in the doorway, peering at the surprising scene within the makeshift hospital room. The blond man in the bed was paler than normal. There was no color in his cheeks, and his green eyes were closed.

The haggard man sitting by his bedside was who captivated Evelyn though. He was devoid of everything she had grown to associate him with. His sunglasses were gone, and the red beret that was always perched upon his head was resting under his chair. He was reading aloud from a very old book.

She cleared her throat and he paused before finishing up the page. He folded the corner of the page down and closes it. He looked up at her expectantly.

"Have you been here all night?" She asked him quietly. His only reply was a terse nod. She moved closer to Arcade. "I wanted to check on him. How's he doing?"

"His breathing is good. Hasn't woke up yet." Boone relayed flatly. Evelyn felt around for the doctors pulse on his wrist. She counted for a few moments then nodded, satisfied.

"His pulse is strong. I think he's going to be just fine. I only have a few concerns." Evelyn told him with a small smile, trying to reassure him.

"What are those?" The sniper asked cautiously.

"Oh just little things. Concussion, damage to his lungs from inhaling smoke, maybe some nerve damage to his side where he was shot. He's definitely going to sport some new scars." She brushed her fingers against the bandage on the doctors cheek.

"His lungs?" Craig barked, his eyes narrowed.

"Nothing life altering, he might just need to take it easy for a while." The former vault dweller assured the uneasy man.

"He will." Boone said simply.

"You should try to get some sleep." Evelyn suggested. "I'll sit with him for a while."

"Not necessary." Boone grunted.

"Wouldn't you rather be alert when he wakes up? What kind of welcome can you give him if you're half asleep?" Evelyn challenged. She watched him hesitate. "Get some sleep, and if it even looks like he might possibly be _thinking_ of waking up, I'll come get you, okay?"

"I don't want him to think I left..." Boone admitted.

"You've been reading to him for, what, eleven hours? I don't think he'll notice." She smiled at him kindly. "I'll get you as soon as he wakes up, okay? Promise."

Boone nodded before rising and leaving the room. Evelyn sat in his vacated seat. She stared at the motionless man before her.

"I didn't tell him, but, I'm worried. That chunk of metal I pulled out of your back was big. I'm not sure what it hit. You aren't responding to outside stimuli."

"That's because my head hurts and I want to be left alone."

Evelyn just barely stifled a shriek. "Arcade?!" She gasped.

"Uh no. Other side of the curtain." The voice replied. She looked up and noticed the curtain for the first time.

"Jesus fucking Christ I almost had a heart attack." Evelyn grumbled, moving around the bed and pushed the curtain aside. A lanky man peered at her with deep brown eyes. His dark skin contrasted beautifully with the off white sheets of his medical bed.

"General Evans?" He asked, startled.

"Montgomery." She corrected blankly. "I got married."

"Sorry ma'am." The young man replied politely, looking abashed.

"It's okay. Uh. I'm sorry. I don't know your name." Evelyn replied awkwardly.

"Lieutenant Avery Baxter, ma'am." He replied.

"I'm sorry that you're hurt Lieutenant. But we'll have you back on your feet in no time." Evelyn felt odd, but wanted to comfort the injured man.

"Well ma'am, since I'm missing one of 'em, I'd be pretty impressed by that." Baxter laughed darkly. He pulled the blanket back to prove that he had, in fact, had an amputation.

"I'm so sorry." Evelyn whispered, not sure what to say.

"So am I, ma'am. But I'm alive. Maybe I can help from behind a desk." He replied with a helpless shrug.

"I'll see to it personally that you're provided with a new assignment, as soon as you're able." Evelyn stated. "Thank you for your service to New Vegas, and your sacrifice."

"Thank you ma'am. My ma and sisters just got moved into the south side. They said they've never felt safer. We're doing a good thing here." Baxter told her.

"You should get some sleep Lieutenant." Evelyn suggested.

"I'd like to ma'am. You... You aren't going to read, are you?" He asked.

Evelyn stifled a giggle. "No, I think I'll just enjoy Arcades company for a while."

"Thank you ma'am." The young soldier sounded relieved. She nodded and closed the curtain.

She sat down again, examining the Followers Doctor. He didn't look any different, save some color in his cheeks.

"You need to wake up handsome. You've got a man in the other room dying to look at those pretty eyes of yours."


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter Sixty-Two

"He's waking up." A gentle touch to his shoulder and those whispered words had Boone to his feet and moving towards the makeshift clinic. Evelyn stepped aside to let him through.

Sure enough, when those green eyes opened, Boone was right there, staring intently. The doctor blinked up at the sniper.

"Hey Gannon." Boone whispered. Arcade blinked again.

"Craig?" He croaked. He sounded hoarse, but alert.

"Yeah." Boone replied. Evelyn had spent a lot of time with the former sniper in the past year and she could hear the relief in his voice.

"Why is it so dark?" Arcade coughed. Boone snatched up a bottle of water off the bedside table and held it to his lovers lips. The taller man drank gratefully. "Thank you. Could you flip the light on? It's too dark."

"Dark?" Boone inquired, after Arcade was done.

"I can't see a thing. Turn on the light." Came the perplexed reply.

"Gannon, the light _is_ on." Craig said slowly. His eyebrows were knitted together in concern.

"That's not funny." Arcade snapped flatly.

"He's not joking Arcade." Evelyn affirmed, moving towards the doctor. She peered at the tall man, drawing very close to examine his eyes. They looked right past her, but they appeared Y damaged. She flashed her pipboy light at him, hoping to make him flinch. He didn't react at all. She bit her lip at the unfortunate confirmation.

"Evie?" Arcade was beginning to sound alarmed. His hand reached out as if to grasp something.

"I'm sure-" She began, trying to sound optimistic.

"Oh my fucking god!" Doctor Gannon shrilly interrupted. His breathing became rapid. He finally made contact and gripped her forearm tightly as she tried to take his pulse.

"Arcade sweetie-" Evelyn attempted to extricate herself from his frantic grip. It took her a moment to succeed and she rubbed her arm absently. He had quite a grip, Arcade.

"I'm blind!" Arcade sounded beyond panicked. "I can't see!" He attempted to sit up, before he doubled over in pain. Evelyn cringed, thinking of the wound on his side.

"Arcade you need to lay down!" The Lone Wanderer ordered firmly. He flopped back immediately, rocking his head and shoulders anxiously, obviously trying to process what was going on. He kept opening his eyes wide and squeezing them shut.

Boone took the frightened doctors face firmly in his hands. "You're okay." He soothed quietly. "I'm here."

"Craig I can't see you!" Arcades unseeing eyes were wet with tears. "What am I going to do?" His breathing was coming in pants and gasps, and Evelyn frowned. He was beginning to hyperventilate. He was going to hurt himself if he kept it up.

"You're gonna lay down and heal up. Then we'll go home." Boone said simply. He brushed his thumbs over Arcades cheeks, wiping away the stray tears that had leaked out.

"Home?!" Gannon squawked incredulously. "I may as well _die_! I can't see! I can't care for myself, can't go anywhere, I can't even _read_ Craig!"

"It's gonna be okay." Boone replied calmly. Gannon pushed his beloveds hands away harshly.

"This will _never_ be okay Craig! I'm going to be a burden! You'll hate me! You'll leave m- **_OW_**!" Gannon yelped. "Did you just give me a shot?!"

"Yes. It's Med-X. A double dose. You need to calm your ass down." Evelyn informed him, rolling her eyes. The doctor struggled to look outraged as the medicine took effect.

Boone was glaring at the blond man in the bed. Evelyn raised an eyebrow at him and he just grunted.

"The blindness might be temporary." She offered, to break the awkward silence. "I'll do a more thorough exam once he's awake to see if I can figure out what has caused the blindness."

"Don't matter. I'm not going anywhere." Boone all but snarled.

Evelyn went to retort but closed her mouth. The ordinarily stoic man was obviously beyond stressed.

"He's just scared." She comforted him after a full minute of silence. "He doesn't really think you're the type to bail out when times get tough."

Boone didn't reply. He just surveyed the unconscious man in the bed. He carefully lifted Arcade up and moved him to one side of the bed. He crawled into the bed next to the doctor and settled himself on his chest.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter Sixty-Three

"It is late. What are you doing?" Charon whispered. Alice jumped at the sound of his voice, but she didn't turn around. She was wearing a yellow dress that hung on her thin frame. She seemed skinnier than usual, her shoulder blades well pronounced.

"I'm lonely Liam." She replied, still staring out the large window. The Penthouse was deserted, as always. Except for the last Hostetler. The petite woman was curled up on the windowsill, gazing off into the distance.

Charon didn't know how to reply. She had had her heart broken twice in a year, once by him and then again when Vincent disappeared. Her knees were tucked up under her chin, and she still hadn't turned around. He did the only thing he could think of.

He sat down next to her, and she finally looked at him. He almost wished she hadn't. Her silver eyes were rimmed red. She had been crying. He wanted to brush the errant curls from her face, but hesitated. She stared at him miserably, and he fought to keep his face neutral.

"I wish we would have never come here." She whispered. "I miss my home. I miss my life. I miss before."

"I can escort you home." He offered, concerned for his tiny friend. Her stare was intense.

"It won't be the same." She all but growled. He flinched at her sharp tone. Alice was never short with him.

"It won't be home without you." She confessed. The tears started flowing and he froze. He was overcome with an overwhelming urge to run away from this uncomfortable situation. "We could have been so happy."

"Alice-" He began, but she interrupted.

"No! I could have made you happy! She bought you like a dog and used you because she has a ghoul fetish! I see it every day! Does she know your favorite color? Your favorite food? Does she fucking know anything about you other than what she wants from you?" Alice was a small ball of rage, on her feet with her fists clenched. Charon was alarmed. He had never heard her curse before.

"She is my wife." He replied, unsure of what to say.

"Fuck you Liam." She hissed, and stalked away. He reached out and touched her arm to halt her, but withdrew when she rounded on him. She almost didn't look human, in the dim light. She shadows sharpened her features and her narrowed eyes seemed to glitter.

"Don't touch me!" She shrieked, her anger boiling over. "Don't you ever fucking touch me again!"

Charon lost his temper, grabbing her arms roughly, pinning her in place. He could see the fear behind her rage, and he felt guilty for a moment.

"I would have never hurt you on purpose Alice." He growled. He was glaring at the small woman.

"You could have chosen me! I did everything right! She fucked some pretty boy that insulted you, got knocked up and yet you still chose her! What makes her so damn great? Huh? Is she that great in bed? Or is she just the first person to look your way?" Alice spewed her aggressions quickly, as if she had been dying to scream these things at him.

He released her in disgust, backing away from her. He had never seen this side of Alice. She was throwing things at him that Evelyn had clearly told her in confidence.

"Face it Liam, she took advantage of a slave. You don't love her. She owns you, contract or not. She won't even call you by your real fucking name." She left then, only pausing to give him one last baleful look.

"Well, that was something." Cass drawled from the door. "I came looking for booze, looks like I found the drama though." Charon just sighed. "Didn't think she had the balls. Figuratively speaking, of course. But I guess dyin will do that to you."

"What?" Charon asked sharply.

"Evie didn't tell you?" The caravan owners eyebrows raised to the brim of her battered cowboy hat.

"Did not tell me what?" Charon gritted out impatiently.

"Hostetler is sick. Some sort of wasting sickness. Gannon thinks those fuckers from Texas brought it and when she was cleaning up their mess, she got infected."

"Nothing can be done?" Charon was aghast, but he kept his voice level.

"They're looking, but they haven't... Evie really hasn't talked to you about this?" Cass asked. Charon shook his head. "Well, she knows more about it than me."

Charon returned to the room he shared with his wife and she was reading a book in bed. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Hey gorgeous!" She chirped.

"Alice is dying?" He barked out, before he could approach the subject more cautiously.

Evelyn sighed. "I asked her not to tell you." She sounded irritated.

"She did not. Cassidy did. Why should I not know?" He asked defensively.

Evelyn let out an irritated huff. "Because I knew you'd get all worked up and I didn't want to..." She trailed off.

"You did not want to what, Evelyn?" He asked flatly.

"I just wanted us to be able to enjoy our time together." She shrugged.

Rage flowed through Charon. "You kept her illness from me, so I would not inconvenience you?" He snapped in disbelief.

"Don't say it like that! You freaking out wasn't going to make it any better!" Evelyn replied angrily, tossing her book aside.

"You do not get to decide these things for me!" Charon growled. "She is my friend! I-" He snapped his mouth shut. He could only imagine how she would respond if he told her that he loved Alice.

"I just thought it was best, I'm sorry." She frowned, trying to pacify him. "Come to bed. I want you to hold me." She lifted the blanket and patted the bed.

Charon gaped at her. He mechanically moved towards the bed but froze, Alices words from earlier ringing in his ears.

_**A slave. **_

_**Only interested in what she wanted from him.**_

"I must go." He said at last.

"What? Where are you going?" Evelyn asked, sounding enraged. He just shook his head and walked towards the door. "Charon!" She yelled.

He turned around and looked at her, not bothering to hide his distaste. "Liam. My name is Liam."


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter Sixty-Four

What was he doing? Had he really just walked out on his wife? He had. He didn't feel bad. He knew Evelyn was safe and would be well cared for, even with him gone. She simply didn't need him anymore. He was over two centuries old, yet his only marriage had lasted just over a year? What kind of a mess had he made of this free will stuff? He couldn't turn back now. His heart simply wouldn't let him. He felt as if he was under contract again. He _needed_ to get to Alice. He _needed_ to find her. He only hoped she would forgive him. What if she wouldn't? What if she hated him now? He felt stricken and sick to his stomach. She had to. He _needed_ her.

Where was she? She couldn't have gone far. He had been walking and thinking for half an hour. Charon narrowed his eyes, but couldn't see very far ahead of him in the darkness. The wind had picked up and the dust blowing around didn't help matters. He gritted his teeth before he swallowed his pride and shouted her name into the darkness.

"ALICE?" He bellowed as loud as he could. He paused a moment and listened. There was no reply, so he kept going. "ALICE? PLEASE?" Where was she? What if she was gone already? What if she didn't go back to the farm? Where would she go? He had no idea. He would find her though. He'd search this whole damn desert.

After an agonizing few moments he heard her. "LIAM?!"

"ALICE! STAY WHERE YOU ARE. I AM COMING!" He yelled, relief flooding his body. He ran straight ahead, his footsteps loud, even to his ears. He would have run right past her if she hadn't reached out and grabbed his arm. He swung around and swept her up into a tight hug. She squeaked in surprise as her legs dangled, but she hugged him back all the same.

"You cannot be out here by yourself at night!" He scolded, setting her down gently. He could barely make out her features in the dark, but he could tell she was confused. He was so happy that she wasn't gone, he was smiling at her stupidly.

"I'll be alright Liam. You shouldn't have come all this way to escort me." Her tone was flat, guarded. She ran her hand through her strawberry blond hair nervously.

"I am..." He trailed off, suddenly unsure. How should he explain?

"You are what?" She asked.

"I want to go home." He told her softly, cringing at how nervous he sounded.

"I'm not stopping you." She told him, stepping back. Her tone was cold, hurt.

"With you." He quickly clarified. "I want to go home with you. And stay. If you will allow me." He pulled at the frayed edges of the pocket on his armor anxiously. Really? That's how he eased into this?

"What?" The small woman sounded bewildered, but he heard the hope in her voice. Her hope gave him hope. His heart started pounding in his chest and he wondered for a wild moment if she could hear it.

"You see me Alice. For who I am. Not who I was forced to be. You saw me and you... You cared anyway. You did not want to save me. You just wanted, well, me." The large ghoul wasn't very good at expressing himself, but he hoped she understood.

"Oh Liam!" She whispered, her small hand cupping his cheek as she stepped close. "I love you for the being the man who gave a scrawny girl a chance at surviving. For telling me about your past and listening to me tell you about mine. And for not hating me when you found out that I wasn't... I wasn't a very good person."

He wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, crushing her to him. "Alice you are the best person I have ever met." He mumbled into her wild curls. She stepped back and took his hand.

"Let's go home Liam." She said softly, lacing her fingers with his. She lead him to the small farmhouse, her hand never leaving his.

The house was dark, but she busied herself lighting candles and lamps. The orange glow from the flames flickered and cast shadows on the beautiful woman before him. Every doubt he had melted away as she began to sing.

**_"Green clouds in the sky  
Seem forever but we know by-and-by  
That they fade just like caravans passing by  
Love seemed like that before_**

**_Since I found you there's no doubt left in my heart  
I've cleared all the raiders away  
I see it clearly so we don't need any chart  
No prospectors, no mercs  
No brahmin-baron jerks"_**

She smiled at him shyly. He smiled back, and crossed the room to hug her to him. She was so tiny, but he was certain that this felt right. His heart swelled with a new emotion and he wondered if this was what real love felt like. He felt safe, happy and at peace.

"I love you Alice." Flew from his mouth before he could overthink it. He wanted to smack his head on a wall. Two hundred years of the strictest control and now, **_now_** he couldn't shut up?

She smiled up at him, almost sadly. "Oh Liam. Please don't say that until you mean it. I'll love you anyway, you know."

"I do mean it Alice." He argued firmly. "I would not have come if I was not sure."

"What about Evelyn?" The petite redhead countered evenly.

"I will always be grateful to Evelyn. But I was confusing gratitude and concern for love. And I believe she cares in her own way. But she is living with ghosts and grasping for someone to hold onto in a world that only wishes for her to save it." Faded blue eyes bore into her silver eyes as he tried to make her understand that what he was feeling was real, even if he didn't fully understand it yet.

Something must have gotten through because she nodded slowly. "Did you tell her that?" Alice asked.

"I-" Charon faltered. "I did not. I confronted her about keeping your illness from me. And then I just knew. I knew I needed to find you."

Alice looked incredibly sad in the dim light. "You know I'm sick?"

"Cassidy told me. If I had known..." He trailed off.

"Are you only here 'cause I'm dyin?" Alice asked, backing away from him.

"Alice! No!" He was horrified at the thought. "No. Please do not say that. You are not dying. Doctor Gannon is looking for a way to help you." He stepped closer, his look pleading. She didn't back away this time.

"Well, he was." Alice said with a shrug.

"What?" Charon asked, alarmed at how dismissive she was.

"With you here, I doubt Evie will take too kindly to them helping me." She explained, looking tired.

He was aghast. "You are her friend. She would not abandon you to an illness."

"I doubt she considers me much of a friend now Liam." Alice laughed but there was no mirth.

"I- I am so sorry. This is my fault." Charon couldn't believe how badly he had messed this up. His actions might have cost Alice her only chance at a cure to her illness. He wanted to think Evelyn wouldn't do such a thing but he was unsure.

"Don't be silly Liam. I'd rather be sick for a few months and have my time with you than live for years without you." Her words made him feel like his heart was breaking. He couldn't fathom someone placing so much value in his company. She stood on her tiptoes and kisses under his chin lovingly. "Come on love, let's go to bed."

She lead him into her room, and he mechanically began to remove his boots and armor but froze when she began to hum and undress. As she slid her dress off, his breath hitched. She was so thin now. She looked fragile. She slipped off her bra and pulled on a large shirt that she pulled out of the dresser in front of her. He recognized it as one of his own. "You okay?" She asked, catching his stare. He could only nod as he stripped down to a short sleeved shirt and boxers. She smiled at him and sighed happily. "You are so handsome." She remarked. He felt his cheeks heat up and once again appreciated that he had no skin to display the crimson blush.

They crawled into the bed and she immediately snuggled into his side, nuzzling his chest. "I can't believe you're actually here. This is all I hoped for and more." She sounded sleepy as she confessed her feelings, and a strange ache filled his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her nearly on top of him. He didn't know how to explain just how glad he was to be there but she seemed to understand anyway.


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter Sixty-Five

"I know he's here." Charon's eyes flew open. He groped out in front of him, reaching for Alice. She wasn't there, but he could hear her.

"I never said he wasn't. He's sleeping." Alice sounded odd. Almost put out. He quickly disentangled himself from the blanket and padded out to the entryway. He froze when he realized who was standing there. Evelyn looked livid, and his appearance didn't seem to calm her down any.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Put on your pants. We are leaving!" She snapped at Charon, then rounded on Alice. "You're supposed to be my friend! Not fuck my husband! Whore!" She snarled. To her credit, Alice didn't flinch away from the much taller woman.

"Get out of my house." Alice ordered flatly. Evelyn was red with rage. The smaller woman didn't even have time to react before Evelyn's fist slammed into her temple. Alice crumpled to the floor, and Charon leapt to shove Evelyn away from her.

"Leave her alone!" He snapped, bending down to scoop the unconscious woman up swiftly. Evelyn gaped at him, her brown eyes wide and shimmering with tears. "She is ill and you struck her? Why would you do such a thing?" He lay her down on the dilapidated couch and turned to glare at Evelyn.

"Why? WHY?!" She shrieked. "SHE SCREWED MY HUSBAND!"

"No. She did not." Charon stared at the woman he thought he had loved. Her long blond hair was disheveled, and she was splotchy in her anger.

"I fucking saw you come out of her room Charon! WITHOUT FUCKING PANTS ON!" Evelyn yelled, her hands balled into fists.

"I was sleeping Evelyn." Charon replied flatly. "You have saved me a trip. I am staying here with Alice." He decided being honest and straight to the point.

"You're _what_?" Evelyn hissed, her eyes narrowed. She stepped forward. "I'm your fucking wife Charon!"

"It was a mistake." He countered. He knew he was being cruel. He needed her to understand.

"A mistake?" She echoed in disbelief. She was staring at him as if he were insane.

"You were my owner. I thought I loved you." He explained. "I was simply grateful to be treated as a person again."

"You're telling me that you don't love me?" Her voice was soft, and he hated how hurt she sounded. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't want to lie to her

"I will always care about you." He said, touching her forearm. She stared at his hand.

"I love you though." She said, not taking her eyes off of his hand. Her tone was flat, all the anger gone.

"I am sorry that it had to be like this." Charon felt helpless.

"So that's it? You're just done with me?" Evelyn asked, pulling her arm away. "After everything we've been through, you're just going to throw me away for some farm girl?" Tears welled up in the brown eyes he knew so well and she scrubbed at them angrily.

"I love her." He confessed. She stumbled back as if she had been struck.

"How could you do this to me?" She whispered, not bothering to wipe away the tears that started to pour down her cheeks. "All I ever did was love you Charon."

"No Evelyn!" He snapped, suddenly angry again. "What you felt, it was not love. The things you have done, they were not out of love."

"How can you say that?!" She gasped.

"You cannot love someone you do not know." Charon replied. "You know nothing about me. You freed me, you cared for me when I was hurt. These are things I will always be grateful for." She just stared at him. He began to feel uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze.

"I guess we're done here then." Evelyn whispered.

"I am sorry." He said.

"You're sorry for what? Lying to me? Or screwing around?" The sadness was replaced by rage in her eyes.

"I did not 'screw around' Evelyn." Charon growled. "You are the one who slept with Harland!" He reminded her.

"We weren't fucking married! And I didn't go and fall in love with him!" She yelled back, her hands balled into fists.

"No! You just made a child with him!" He didn't even have time to regret his harsh words before her fist smashed into his jaw, staggering him.

"Fuck you zombie!" She snarled, spitting in his general direction. She stormed out the door before he could even reply. He squeezed his eyes closed in frustration. He hadn't meant for it to happen that way.

"Nasty temper she's got." He was startled by Alices voice. "Although bringing up the baby was a little low."

The small woman stood up and gingerly touched the side of her face that Evelyn had struck her on. A bruise was already blossoming, covering a good portion of her cheek.

"I did not intend to- I do not blame her for that. I do not know why I said that." Charon sighed.

"Don't you? Truth tends to come out when you're angry." Alice asked shrewdly. He contemplated her words.

"Maybe I do. She let him sully her without hesitation after he degraded me. I meant nothing." He frowned. "If she had been more careful, we would have a son. I begged her to be careful, to stop being foolish. And now he is gone. It is her fault. It was my one chance at having a family. She destroyed it. She never wanted to be a mother. I think she was happy."

"Liam!" Alice gasped. "Do you really think that?"

"Part of me does." He admitted. "She wanted nothing to do with him. She told me that she hated the baby. I tried so hard to help her feel excited. She is nothing but selfish."

"Oh Liam." Alice sighed. "I'm so sorry."

"It does not matter. I am here now. With you." He said, ghosting his fingers along her jaw.

"I'm sick Liam. There isn't much of a future with me left." Alice looked at him sadly, her silver eyes bright. "I'm going to leave you all alone."

"Do not say that. If Doctor Gannon will not help you, we will find someone who will." He insisted, pulling her to his chest.

"I just want to make sure that you know what you're doing. Evelyn is healthy, strong. You could have a life with her." Alice told him quietly.

"I love you Alice. I would rather have one day with you, than forever with her." Charon tipped her chin up to peer at her. "But you cannot give up hope. You _will_ get better. I will make sure of it."


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter Sixty-Six

"I don't really think she needed us." Cass told Raul, her eyebrows raised high. She wrinkled her nose as gore hit her scuffed boots.

"She does seem to have it covered, huh?" The ghoul sounded amused, but didn't take his eyes off of Evelyn.

The tall blond woman was circling the last remaining ghoul around an ancient table. She had already killed the other three members of the small scouting party that had holed up in an abandoned bar. The leader was nearly as big as Charon, and seemed half feral. He was circling Evelyn like a wild animal, grinning maniacally. She was covered in the blood of his friends, the combat knife she had slaughtered them with poised in her hand.

"You okay princess?" He growled at her. "Fuckin shame I have to cut up your pretty face."

Evelyn let out an enraged snarl, flipping the knife in her hand deftly. She leapt forward onto the table, using that momentum sprung forward and up to reach him and slam the knife through his temple. He crumpled, taking her with him. She leapt to her feet immediately, stomping down on his head with her thick soled boots.

"Stay down fuckin shuffler!" She hissed angrily. She issued a few kicks to his face, just to be sure.

"Hey now." Raul complained mildly. She looked up, her pupils dilated and her teeth bared. He stared at her until she relaxed and mumbled an apology.

"No more Psycho for you. Or you're gonna win this fuckin war by yourself." Cass laughed, a little uneasy. The Lone Wanderer had been experimenting with more chems than she was comfortable with lately.

"We should put their heads on spikes, as a warning." Evelyn suggested suddenly, her knife materializing in her hand again. Her eyes were glossy and her mouth was twisted in a smile that Cass could only describe as terrifying. She cast an alarmed look at Raul.

"Whoa there boss. Maybe another day, huh? Boone needs us back." Raul reminded the tall blond. She grimaced but nodded her agreement.

"Should we worry?" Cass whispered, as the blond took off towards McCarran at a full gallop.

"Nah. She's just trying to deal with her _amado_ taking off. She'll be okay." Raul didn't sound concerned, but his frown spoke volumes. "Maybe hide the Psycho though, eh?"

They jogged after Evelyn, making it to the ancient airport before sundown. A soldier Evelyn didn't recognize met her almost as soon as she walked through the gate.

"Ma'am." She said politely, standing at attention.

The Psycho had started to wear off and she had a headache. "What?" She snapped irritably.

The brunette seemed taken aback but forged on. "You have a visitor in the officers tent. He's been here all day."

Evelyn felt a little guilty at the girls contrite tone and breathed in deeply before putting on her best smile. "Thank you- uh, I'm afraid we haven't met." She admitted.

The girl seemed delighted and flustered at the same time. "Private May Essex ma'am!" She yelped eagerly.

"Thank you Private Essex, I appreciate it." Evelyn amended and saluted. Cass and Raul headed towards the main building, speaking to one another in low tones. Evelyn hadn't noticed Raul reach into her pack and remove the Psycho from the side pouch.

She went to the red tent immediately, stopping short when she saw who was inside.

"I didn't think you'd be back." She said after a long, awkward silence.

"I know." The large man looked at his feet, shame evident on his face. He didn't elaborate, or offer an explanation.

"You just fucking left! You didn't even say goodbye!" She accused, and to her horror, burst into tears.

"Oh Evie!" She found herself crushed to his chest, strong arms wrapped around her tight.

"I missed you." She mumbled against his collarbone.

He pulled back and peered at her with his striking blue eyes. "I missed yew too Evie. I got alotta explainin' t'do. I know. I jist need a chance fer ya tuh hear me out."

"Don't be stupid. Of course." Evelyn hugged him again, too relieved that he had returned to be angry.

"I'm real sorry Evie." He said, his chin resting on top of her head.

"I'm just glad you're back." She admitted, sniffling.

"Where's Charon? Gotta apologize to him too." Vincent asked after a few moments, breaking the embrace.

Evelyn grimaced. "Gone. Left with Alice." She grunted, suddenly very interested in the hole in her denim pants. She really should have patched it. A good chunk of thigh could be seen.

"When do ya expect em back? S'ppose I oughta apologize t'Alice as well." The Texan asked.

"They won't be. He left me for Alice. Couple of weeks ago." The Lone Wanderer sighed. She really didn't want to explain this.

"Whaddya mean? Yer married." Vincent gaped at Evelyn. If circumstances were different, she would have laughed at his confusion.

"Not anymore. He's with her now." Evelyn shrugged helplessly. Suddenly, she perked up. "Hey! Maybe you can help Arcade!"

"How'd ya reckon?" He asked, still looking confused.

"Well he's been trying to figure out what's wrong with Alice, but it's tough. Some of his sight has returned but not enough to read. So all he's got is Boone when Boone isn't busy doing... Well whatever Boone does." Evelyn explained, dragging him towards the door. "They're at the Lucky 38, cmon, we'll go see them now."

"I dun understand. What's wrong wit Alice?" Vincent asked, trailing after the tall blond woman.

"We think those guys from Texas brought a sickness with them. She cleaned up their blood and now she's really sick. Coughing up blood, lost a ton of weight. It's bad. And nothing we've tried has helped." Evelyn explained.

"Sounds like consumption." Vincent said thoughtfully. Ain't heard uh anyone here havin it though. North musta brought it with 'im."

"Are you gonna explain that whole situation to me? Why did you lie?" Evelyn asked, looking at him from the corner of her eye. He cringed.

Vincent sighed. "Started out jist bein an easy way to get people to answer questions. Weren't all lies, y'know. I loved Amaya. Thought she loved me too."

"So what happened?" Evelyn asked softly.

"I guarded Amaya. My daddy owed North a whole lotta money from gamblin. So when he died, me an mama went to work on his ranch to pay off the debt. It was a trap. He kept chargin us more than we made jist to live there, keeping us in debt." The large man spit on the ground.

"Fucking scumbag!" Evelyn hissed. She'd known many like him. Like fucking Moriarty.

"Yeah. Well, a few years back North decided to try an up his standin in the world by marryin Amaya. Her daddy owned the biggest Brahmin herd in Texas. Dunno why he thought North would be a good match for his daughter, but he agreed to it." Vincent told her sadly.

"Just like that? He didn't even ask her what she thought? What she wanted?" Evelyn stared at the large man in shock.

"Well, see, Amaya was always open about where her feelings lay. An her daddy was none too pleased with that. She was an abomination in the eyes of his God. Nobody else wanted to marry the woman who wanted to lay with other women. They was too afraid that God would smite their herds and farms." Vincent replied, a frown firmly in place.

"What the fuck!" She snapped incredulously. "Superstitious yokels!"

"Uh huh. So North brought her to his farm and locked her up in the guest house. She wasn't allowed to leave for near four months. I was the only one she saw, day in and day out. Got to know each other real well." Vincent explained. "We convinced North to give her some freedom, so long as I was around to watch her.

"That sounds like a miserable existence." Evelyn felt a rush of sadness for the redhead she had only met briefly.

"It was. But I loved her already, I think. She was so smart, so sweet, she was the first person who didn't look at me and see only my size." Vincent stared off into the distance as the lights of New Vegas lit up their faces. "We used to just lay in bed together, laughin an talkin bout runnin off to New Vegas together. Sometimes heard about it on the radio, sounded like a nice place. She used to talk bout the house we'd have together. How we'd get a dog an plant a garden."

"So what happened?" Evelyn asked.

"One night, North got really drunk. Decided he wanted to consummate his marriage." Vincent paused, his fists clenched tightly at his side.

"Oh my god." Evelyn gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth. Her brown eyes widened, dreading what she knew was coming.

"I tried to stop him. Tried tellin him it was wrong. He told me to shut up or it'd be my mama an my sister next." Vincent growled through gritted teeth. "So I shut up. Didn't do a goddamn thing. Even when she was screamin for me."

"Oh Vincent!" Evelyn cooed, throwing her arms around the large man. He extricated himself to continue his story.

"Couple hours later she came out, looked at me with these dead eyes an said if I didn't let her leave tonight, she was gonna kill herself. So we left together. I thought that was the start of our lives together. We walked the whole night. Didn't say a word the whole way. Bedded down the next night an when I woke up she was gone, took all the supplies with her." Vincent paused as they reached the doors of the Lucky 38. "Had no choice but t'turn back an pretend I had been lookin for her. Took him a while, but North tracked her to the Mojave. Sent me after her."

"Did you get to see her before she died?" Evelyn asked as they entered the elevator.

"Sure did. Heard all about her afore I did though. She was a force of nature, Amaya. She did so many great things fer this place. Finally ran into 'er by accident out by Novac. I was helpin a lady set her bighorner calfs leg when Amaya galloped up, all smiles, offerin help." Vincent smiled at the memory. "We were both so startled to see one another, we jist stared for a while. She pulled a pistol on me as soon as I tried to hug her. Told me that we needed to talk. Lead me out into the desert at gunpoint."

"Oh damn." Evelyn said, her eyebrows raised.

"She told me that she wasn't ever goin back to Texas, she'd kill me first. When I told her I wasn't gonna try to bring her back, that I loved her, she just glared at me, then left me there, staring at some cactuses like a fool. I think maybe she could have loved me. If I had protected her." He admitted.

"You were protecting your family Vincent. No one can fault you for that. North was just fucking scum." Evelyn insisted.

"Coulda done somethin. If I'd killed him then, he couldn'ta hurt no one." Vincent argued darkly. The elevator dinged and they stepped out into the hallway.

"Arcade?" Evelyn called. "Are you decent?"

"Evelyn? Yes, yes I am. I'm glad you're here. I think my vision is improving. I was hoping you could come examine me." The tall doctor replied. Evelyn heard him bump into something and swallowed a giggle as he swore.

"Hey Gannon, look who's here!" Evelyn bleated excitedly, cringing immediately when she realized the implications of her words. Arcade snorted and rolled his recovering eyes.

"Well, I see it's someone. Large. Charon?" He guessed.

"Try again Doc." Vincent said quietly.

"Vincent?" Gannon sounded shocked. "I didn't expect a visit from you."

"Well I figured I oughta make things right. Evie said ya needed help helpin Alice. Sounds like consumption t'me, but I'm no doctor." The large man informed the Followers doctor.

Arcade blinked. "Consumption? That's... That was wiped out long before the war. They had a vaccine and everything. How could..." He trailed off before perking up. "You'll need to go see Julie at the Fort. Ask her for every book she has on tuberculosis."


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter Sixty-Seven

"You look beautiful, as always." Charon argued. He was standing behind Alice as she peered at the cracked mirror in the bedroom that they shared. No matter how thin or tired she got, those silver eyes and that smile still set his heart racing.

"I look like I'm dying. I look like I'm dead already." She replied with a snort, gingerly prodding at her gaunt face. His eyes met hers in the mirror and she smiled at him sadly. "You look scared love."

He quickly put on a blank face. "I do not." He argued. "I want to take you to the clinic. Perhaps they can help." The truth is, he was worried. She had been deteriorating before his eyes. He was terrified of losing her.

The small woman shook her head. "I'm just not feeling up to it today. Maybe tomorrow." She insisted, punctuating her statement with a deep cough.

"You said that yesterday, and the day before." Charon reminded her, rubbing her back carefully. "I will carry you."

"You can't just carry me the whole way." She gasped, doubled over from the effort.

He didn't reply, just scooped her up bridal style. She was far lighter than she should have been, as tiny as she was. She just leaned her head on his shoulder and ran her fingers along his cheek. He shifter her slightly and grabbed his combat shotgun as he walked out of the house.

He made his way towards North Vegas as quickly as he could without jostling her too much. He was so focused on watching for Fiends that he didn't notice the tall blond loping after him, followed by a man larger than he was.

"Charon!" The bellow stopped him in his tracks, and he swung around with an irritated huff. Evelyn raised her hand up in an awkward greeting. She jogged over to him with an anxious look on her face.

"Hey! We were just on our way over." She told him. He blinked for a moment before nodding his greeting. Evelyn peered at the woman in his arms. "How's she holding up?"

"She is not well. I am taking her to the clinic." Charon informed her, raising his voice to speak over Alices wheezing cough. Vincent frowned and moved closer, but Charon backed away immediately. "Is there something you need?" Vincent had a cold look on his face, and Evelyn glanced at him with a frown.

"We want to help. Arcade and I can help." Evelyn said. He stared at her large brown eyes, searching for deception or deceit. All he could see was determination and kindness. "Please, let us help her. We're her best shot." He nodded slowly.

"Thank you."

As Charon gently lay Alice on the bed in the Lucky 38, it really struck Evelyn how tiny she had become. She didn't miss the way that his fingers intertwined with the ailing redheads as he tucked her in. She wondered if he had ever touched her with as much tenderness and love. Her chest ached as she watched him smooth the strawberry blond curls down and away from Alice's eyes.

She shook her head and set to work setting up the antibiotic cocktail IV bag that Arcade had taught her how to make. "Hey Alice, can you hear me?"

"I can." The young woman wheezed her affirmation.

"Good, glad you're with me. What I've got here is a series of antibiotics. It's going to fight the disease. After that runs through, I'm going to give you a saline drip to get you hydrated and then we'll see if you can keep some food down. Sound good?" Evelyn bustled around the small woman. Preparing her arm for the IV. She was bone thin and winced even though Evelyn was as gentle as possible. Charon was watching her closely, concern etched on his ordinarily stoic face. "Okay on three you'll feel a poke. One, two, there we go! All done!" Alice was motionless. If it weren't for the soft wheezes, Evelyn would have been concerned.

"Is there something you can do for the pain?" Charon asked quietly. Evelyn checked to make sure the bag was flowing properly and nodded her approval.

"Absolutely. I'll get her half a dose of Med-X. She's too thin for a full one." Evelyn readily agreed, digging through a drawer.

"She is in a great deal of pain. The coughing..." He trailed off. She hadn't ever seen him so anxious.

Evelyn touched his arm sympathetically. "She's going to be okay. Arcade knows what he's doing." She reassured him firmly. He nodded and inhaled deeply. His pale blue eyes locked on the much smaller woman.

"Hey Alice, you're going to feel a prick and you might be a little sleepy. That's okay." Evelyn explained as she untucked the blankets from around the smaller woman's legs. She administered the pain medication directly into Alice's thigh. She smoothed the pale pink dress back down before tucking the blankets back in. Then, she looked at Charon and gave him the brightest smile that she could muster. "Okay, I'll be back in a little while to check on her." He nodded again. Evelyn gritted her teeth. He couldn't bother to actually speak?

He pulled a chair next the the bed and sat down. He reached over and fluffed the pillows around Alice's head. She gave him a weak smile and he returned it. He took her tiny hand in both of his and told her to get some rest. He bowed down to kiss her temple. Evelyn swallowed hard and squeezed her eyes shut. She had to get out of there.

In her haste, she crashed into Vincent. "Oh shit, sorry!" She yelped. The large man caught her easily, keeping her from falling back.

"Slow down there Miss Evie!" He chuckled. He stopped short when he saw her face. "Oh Evelyn." He cooed, wrapping his arms around her.

She broke down, tears pouring down her face as she clutched his shirt. He stroked her hair as she cried, rocking her from side to side. "He's so happy." She choked out.

"But isn't that a good thing?" Vincent asked carefully.

"What did I do wrong?" She asked, sniffling. "Why doesn't he love me?"

"Oh Evie." Vincent sighed. "You didn't do nothin wrong. Ya can't blame yerself for how his heart feels."

"I tried so hard, and I fucked everything up." She admitted in a whisper.

"No." Vincent told her firmly. "Ya loved him with all yer heart. Lovin someone ain't wrong."

"But I'm the one alone." She rested her head on his chest, taking comfort in the warmth of his body.

"Not alone. I'm here." Vincent corrected, his lips brushing against her ear. "Evie, I-" He stopped himself.

"What?" Her brown eyes were framed by tear soaked lashes, and he wondered if he had ever seen a more beautiful woman. She was thin and willowy, all legs and tan skin. Her angular cheekbones gave her a severe appearance, but he knew how bright she could shine when she smiled.

He couldn't find the words to express what he wanted to tell her, so he just cupped her face in his hands and gave her a sad smile. She looked up at him in confusion.

"Are you okay?" She asked, clasping at his hands.

"Yeah. I'm good. Jist glad t'be here." He smiled brightly. His electric blue eyes never left hers, and he was rewarded with a genuine smile.

"I'm so glad you came back. I missed you so much." She admitted, casting her eyes down shyly.

Vincent took a deep breath. "Evelyn, I-" He couldn't get it out and he dropped his hands to his sides in frustration.

"I should go check on Alice. I want to make sure she's comfortable." Evelyn sighed. "Thank you for being here." She wiped her eyes and took deep breaths.

"Course I'm here. No place I'd rather be." He told her as she broke away from him. She smiled again and he took a deep breath. "Evelyn, I love you."

She grinned. "I love you too. You're my best friend." She told him as she squared her shoulders to face the happy couple in the other room. She didn't see the expression on his face; part frustration, part sadness. She really didn't understand.


End file.

Fallout, Friendship, Romance