"God damn it!" Dedric slammed his cards on the table receiving a sly grin from Cass. "You are fucking killin me, ya know."

"Yeah yeah just shut up and pay me your caps."

Dedric shook his head as he pushed his stake of caps across The Tops old poker table. "Bunch of bullshit."

"Hate the game not the player."

He smiled as he shook his head running his finger over the small hole just below his hair line.

"Again?" Veronica frowned as she watched his fingers.

"Nothing some more whiskey won't numb." He flashed her a bright crooked smile taking the small glass and quickly swallowing its contents. He shook his head and turned back to Cass. "I say we hit the slots."

"You sure you can even walk?" Cass raised her eyebrow as Dedric pushed himself out of the chair.

"Better than I can sober." He laughed holding his hands out to the girls.

"Don't be an ass." Cass growled as she pushed his hand away.

He shrugged holding it out to Veronica and helping her to her feet. Rex stuck close to his side growling as each armed guards passed them.

"So NCR business again tomorrow?" Veronica watched as Dedric slid onto the stool and pushed his chip into the slot.

He shrugged. "More like Boone business told him we would head down to Bitter Springs." He looked over the slots machine squinting his eyes to where he could hear Swank arguing.

"Look baby doll it's nothing personal nobody can carry weapons."

"If you want to keep your head then me and my companion will keep our guns."

"That's not going to happen to happen sweetheart, you are lucky you even got that thing past the NCR." Swank looked the huge mutant up and down as the dog next to the young woman growled at him.

Dedric hurried out of his chair as the young lady reached for the rifle on her back. "Whoa…" He hurried between Swank and the woman as he held his hands up in the air. "Listen if you don't want to give up your weapons I'm sure we could work something out that won't end up with anyone getting their head blown off."

"You know the rules." Swank glared at Dedric.

"Look there are plenty of good rooms at the 38, you won't have room service but you will get to keep your weapons and your rather large friend here can even join you." He smiled at the woman in front of him as she glanced over her shoulder at the mutant.

"Fine."

"Great." Dedric clapped his hands in front of him trying his best to keep from swaying. "If you all would just fall me I will show the way and get you all situated. He hurried to the door holding it open for the young woman and her… guests. "Nice dog."

She kept her eyes forward.

"Are you from around here?"

"Look I don't like being asked questions and I am not going to answer any of your questions so you are wasting your breath."

"Okay…" Dedric sighed turning to look at the hotel as they walked towards it. The elevator ride to the rooms was silent, the woman had gave him a nasty glare when he had began whistling and he figured it was her way of nicely asking him to stop. "Here we are." He smiled as he pushed the door open and motioned into the room. "If you need anything I am just in the suite above."

"I am sure we will be fine." The woman kicked the door shut after her dog leaving Dedric alone in the dimly lit hallway.

"Thank you Dedric. Oh any time beautiful lady maybe you could join me for a drink? Oh I would love to!" Dedric mocked as he stepped into the elevator. "You're so handsome and oh how I find that scar on your head so dangerous and sexy." He smiled as he stepped into his suite.

Raul raised his eyebrow at him.

"Liquor…" Dedric laughed nervously. "Does crazy things to one's mind."

"Uh huh." Raul watched as Dedric shut the door to his bedroom.


Dedric sat in the old Mormon fort running his hand across his head as the sounds around him seemed to ring.

"I can give you something for the pain." Julie frowned as she watched. "I'm sure we could gather something other than med-x."

"I'm fine Julie just need to rest a bit." He kept his eyes tightly closed the light felt as if he was being shot all over again.

She frowned as she left the tent closing the flap tightly behind her.

Dedric groaned as he tried to tighten the bandana around his eyes, it seemed that each head ache was worst then the last.

"He's right this way, if there is anything you can do for him…" Dedric hear Julies voice as she pulled the tent open again.

"What's wrong with him? He looks perfectly fine to me."

"Well he has brain trauma and suffers from horrible headaches. Dedric hunny this is Aida she's helping out with patients."

"Pleasure." Dedric groaned holding his hand out and shaking the woman's when she gripped his hand.

"Whatever you can do would be appreciated, he is a bit of a hero."

"A hero huh."

"I do what I can." He smiled his wide bright smile towards the sounds of the voices.

He heard the stool slide against the dirt on the tent. "Okay so my dad use to get headaches after working all day in our vaults clinic." Aida whispered slowly pulling his hand away and removing the bandanna once the tent went dark again.

Dedric sighed as her small fingers began to massage his head.

"You must have a headache if you walked the streets without doing your hair." Aida whispered running her fingers through long hair on the top of Dedric's head that she was sure was usually plastered with product or glue to keep it standing upright.

"You know girls love them bad boys and nothing says I'm a bad boy like Mohawk." Dedric smiled as his body began to relax. It wasn't long before Aida's fingers brought him the sleep he had been wishing for.