From the moment James saw his daughter again he knew something was up. It wasn't the rough Wasteland look that had overtaken her, the way she seemed to hold a weapon with ease when a BB gun had previously been almost too much, hell, it wasn't even the over six-foot ghoul she had attached to her hip, or was it?
James had been elated to see Kate again, surprised but elated all the same. But there was something about her companion. He had never been a man of bigotry, James always liked ghouls and treated them as equals. It wasn't the fact he was a ghoul...no, it was that they were hiding something. He noticed things, little subtle things specifically between the two of them. The ghoul had lifted Kate out of her pod, for a moment James had seen how close they were. They touched without boundaries, unaware or uncaring of watchful eyes. But when he had left his own pod and walked towards them something changed.
The ghoul had put his daughter down immediately, cutting off all physical contact He had looked at James, but not in the eye. Even his Kate had seemed to be hiding a secret from her father. She didn't bring much attention to the ghoul. She had introduced him as Charon and told James that they had been traveling companions for quite a while. The ghoul had been pleasant but distant. James sensed a nervousness about him that was odd. What did Charon have to lose?
Charon left James alone with his daughter to catch up. As the ghoul climbed the stairs back into the old garage, he attempted to question Kate without raising suspicion. All she would tell James is that they were very good friends and she trusted him with her life. That wasn't helpful at all.
Despite being unsure, James let the topic slide. After all he hadn't seen his daughter in almost a year. James was proud of how well she had adjusted to life in the Wastes. She held her gun with ease, telling him about taking down a Behemoth with her stoic companion. When James first saw how different she looked, he had worried his little girl had been destroyed by the immorality of the world. Kate had always been a good kid, and seeing her again assured him that she still was.
Most importantly James apologized to Kate. He explained that he didn't realize the Vault would take their anger out on her, and that he had intended to come back for Kate. The only thing that made him feel worse than leaving her was having to beg for her forgiveness. James could see now that although she had grown from it, his decision had been rash and irresponsible. Kate had accepted his apology without question. Although he felt undeserving, James was thankful. The two of them had always been everything for each other. He could not imagine life without seeing his little girl again, thank god he hadn't missed his chance. They took the remainder of their alone time to catch up. James told Kate about the project he left the Vault for. Kate told her father more about the countless good deeds he had heard over the radio.
His daughter also discouraged him from immediately returning to Rivet City. "Dad, I know your work is very important, but I want to spend time with you." Kate had said. James couldn't argue with that. Project Purity was a pressing matter, but he had neglected his daughter for far too long. He decided to stay with her, a least for a few more days.
After about an hour of talking, the ghoul poked his head back in. Kate greeted him with a smile and apologized for keeping him waiting. The three of them stood awkwardly together until Kate suggested they eat and turn in for the night. She cracked open two cans of pork and beans for them to share. Before James realized it, Charon had fashioned a fire for his daughter to cook over. Kate gave him a big smile; a look James had rarely seen her give anyone. She hadn't grown up with many friends in the Vault. As James recalled, he, Amata, and his assistant Jonas had been it. Most of the other kids had bullied Kate, leaving her scared of anyone unfamiliar or unsafe. James wondered how his daughter had befriended someone as terrifying as Charon. It wasn't just his ghoulish appearance; his demeanor was enough to frighten anyone. But when they ate, Kate had sat next to him as if he didn't scare her at all. When telling James about taking Paradise Falls, she had even touched his arm when she got too excited about the story. Charon had shot her a disapproving look, which James found strange. It was the first time they had touched since Charon took her out of the pod. Even though it struck him as odd, James had brushed it off in favor of listening to his daughter's story.
Once dinner was over, Kate decided to turn it in. She pulled a mattress down from the garage above. It was the only one, so she offered it to both James and Charon. James had turned down his daughters offer, while Charon had simply said, "Go to sleep Smoothskin." Kate rolled her eyes and flopped down on the mattress.