"Well there's always Gomorrah." Ellie said with a hopeful tone accompanying her sarcasm. Veronica gave chuckle and wiped away a few small tears from her tired eyes.
"Maybe I could use my extensive knowledge from the brotherhood to treat the plethora of diseases those hookers must have."
"Yeah" Ellie said, full on laughing. "They'd make great use of you, that's for sure." Following the statement, Ellie blushed a bit as she realized how odd and slightly perverted that sounded. She averted her piercing gaze to the fire they had made from some boards from the decimated Follower's Outpost and tire from a nearby junk pile. Veronica and the Courier had decided to turn away from the horrific day.
It had started with Veronica's desire to save the Brotherhood, protect her judgmental, but undeniable family. However, they had never been the type of people to accept change, or adapt at all. It was her intention to prove to them just how beneficial change could be, but when Elder McNamara reject her proposals and blinded himself to any possible solution, she had a brief sense of loss before repurposing herself, calibrating her desire to help to work with a different outlet rather than letting it wither away. That outlet was to join The Followers of the Apocalypse. They had a goal rather opposite to the Brotherhood. To help others rather than themselves. But when Veronica reached for her new future as an aid to humanity and life in general, her old family crushed her dreams with a power armor clad fist, assuring she'd never be free from the past that was determined to follow her around the Mojave for her remaining days.
For Ellie, the adventure that would consume the rest of her days shifted into gear that night by the burning wood. Her heart was fluttering like the wings of a Cazador at the sight of Veronica illuminated by the light of the fire. Her hood had been pulled over her hair, and she seemed to be attempting to cowere from reality within the oversized robes. Her face barely protruded, but the part that did was lit up as if she was from outer space and her eyes were each planets, glowing in the spectacle of the sun. Ellie felt her heart soften, she felt like Jason Bright when she shifted her gaze back to the woman before her, forever idolizing the stars and the moon.
The passion in Ellie had been ignited when she first met Veronica, that hot day in Mojave. Well every day in the Mojave was hot. At first Ellie had pegged her for a chem addict with all that jittery behavior and odd remarks. She remembered musing about the tragedy associated with a beautiful girl like her tossing her life away to chems. But it turned out she was tossing her life away for something equally assured to fuck around with your life, the Brotherhood of Steel. Now here they were. Roasting maize and mantis, one of them still slightly crying.
Veronica looked at Ellie, no trace of humor or joy evident in eyes whatsoever.
"What now? Really. Do I wander? Do I try again and let more people who can actually save lives get slaughtered? What happens after Hoover Dam?" She gave an exasperated sigh and looked to the dark sky above.
Ellie didn't think about her words at all, impulse took control as she whispered a response.
"We could stay together."
Veronica's neck snapped towards the courier. "Indefinitely?" she asked cautiously.
"Yeah, maybe. We make a good team. We can help people across the wastes. Help grow food, pull two-headed cats out of mutated tree men, and even kick some raider ass along the way. And when we get old, dusty and tired, we'll find a nice ditch to settle in."
Veronica smiled a bit then scoffed. "After so many years, I'm pretty sure you'd get sick of me and leave me in said ditch."
"Please, who'd make all of my ammo?" Ellie said with her dorky smile. Veronica pondered it, what kind of life she could have with the courier. It would surely be a full life, filled to the seams with adventure, adrenaline, and lots of nights like this.
"Well I guess it'll have to do!" Veronica said with a phony sigh. Then she let the smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth take over. "Thank you, Ellie. Everything you've said, your friendship, it's actually meant the world to me. And there's no one I'd rather grow senile with."
"You're already senile." Ellie said, gently patting Veronica on the back, before pulling her into a tight hug. "Pre-War jackasses used to have this phrase. Excelsior. It means onwards and upwards. Move passed this and things will only get better, Ronnie."
Veronica smiled at the nickname that had been bestowed upon her and leaned into the hug. She believed the courier. Excelsior.