Author's Note: Sorry for leaving for a while, the IB program in my school is kicking my ass. Anyway, I'll try and continue again, and keep updating.

-John-

There's a moment, when you're about to die, where your life is flashing before you. My shitty childhood appeared before me, and I saw a kid, crying when he heard of the explosion that took his parents away. I saw him grinning, a brand new Defender in gleaming black and red power armor. Next, he was screaming, clutching at an arm that was no longer there. He fell into Buffout addiction, then out, then back in. He worked tirelessly to become the Outcasts' best mechanic, getting his right arm back. Next, I watched the blooming of love between him and a slave, and then her death at the hands of a green monster. Getting kicked out, wandering, trying to bring her back with machines, failing. I watched it all, and shame fell, heavy on my shoulders.

"Who's going to remember me? Who? I was an asshole. A joke, not a man."

The Yao Gai came closer, drool falling from his mouth, and trailing behind him.

"Maybe I won't be remembered. Maybe I'll be forgotten. But I'm not going to let anyone forget her."

I laid Jade down, smiling at her, and stood up. The Yao Gai stopped, snorting. I met it's beady eyes with my own, seeing hunger and apathy. I crouched slowly, pulling out the knife I kept strapped to my calf. I felt the handle in my left hand, the rubber feeling right.

"Come on. You can fight ME, you rotting shit."

The Yao Gai snorted again, and began it's run, closing the distance fast. I closed my eyes, the taste of blood still fresh, and I barreled forward, determined. I won't die here. Neither will Jade. But the Yao Gai won't be so lucky. It came at me, taking a swipe at me, but I dodged, stepping back just enough for the paw to just miss my chest. I struck, sticking my knife into shoulder, and it growled in agony, batting me aside hard. I was disarmed, while the Yao Gai was unfettered by the attack. It jumped forward, almost crushing me, and lowered it's jaws to crush my face. I grabbed at the nearest thing, grasping Daydals's sledgehammer. With a burst of strength and adrenaline, I stuck the wooden shaft in front of me, and it clamped down, breaking it into pieces. Large splinters became lodged in it's gums, and it yelped, falling back.

"Hurts, doesn't it?"

I slammed my fist into it's nose, forcing it back even farther. While it recovered, I took the chance to rip my knife out, putting it in even more agony. The Yao Gai roared, enraged by my assault. It swung another paw, catching my leather armor, barely missing my skin. I lunged, putting all my power into a downward stab, plunging the knife into it's head. I was screaming, excited by the battle. The Yao Gai, dying, made a final attempt, and sunk it's claws into my chest.

"AAAGGGGHHH!"

I fell back, the world contorting into new shapes and colors around me. I dragged myself along the ground, feeling my life drain while doing so. Jade was still there, face down. I had to get to her, protect her. She'll leave me too. Black was creeping up around my vision, and I felt myself swallowed whole.

-Jade-

I was floating, in a giant puddle of red. I saw my mommy, and the bad men that broke her, every night. Her smile, making me feel warm. She kept smiling, on my birthday. But she never stopped. I don't think she's done smiling, even now. I have to smile, too. I have to. Mommy told me before she stopped talking that I need to smile, to show the world that it can't beat me. It can't. As long as I don't let it.

"Jade!"

John? His mask showed up in front of me, and it scared me, the skull painted on.

"Mister John, I'm here. I'm floating in a puddle, it looks like I'm flying."

I stretched out my arms, laughing. It started getting darker, the puddle. It became black, and I was surrounded by darkness. I tried to fly, tried hard. But then I began to fall.

-Jade-

I opened my eyes, but my right eye stayed close. I tried to open it again, but I couldn't feel it at all. I moved my hand toward it, about to open it.

"Don't do that."

I looked around, noticing the fire I was sitting in front of. It was night time, and there was a man, what my mom called a ghoul. Beside him, there was a lady, too, but she wasn't a ghoul.

"Don't touch your eye. It's not okay, right now, and you might hurt it."

I nodded, my face starting to hurt.

"Where's John?"

The ghoul man made a face, but his eyes grew wide.

"Your friend is over there. He's in a lot of pain, but there's a chance that he'll be ok. You're lucky. I've never seen a man kill a Yao Gai with nothing but a knife. But he didn't get off scot free, I'll tell you that."

John was on the other side of the fire, but it was too dark to see him. I crawled over, trying to get closer.

"Be careful. Don't touch him, he might get hurt."

When I reached John's side, I could see everything. He was breathing funny, quiet and fast. His chest was red, but dry. His right arm was gone, so I turned to the lady.

"You have to help me find his arm! He needs it!"

The lady grimaced, looking worried.

"Not now, sweetie. It's too dark. This is dangerous to begin with, making a fire here."

I shook my head, and tried to run away from the fire, I fell, and my face hurt, red hot,

"WAAAGHH!"

I felt strong arms pick me up, and the ghoul man put me back on my sleep bag, tucking me in.

"Listen. I'll find the arm for you. But you sleep, ok?"

I was tired, my eye heavy.

"Thank you, mister ghoul man. But could you move me next to John?"

His face moved, trying to look nice.

"Your welcome, girlie. Of course I can."

Beside John, I held onto his hand tight, to make sure he wouldn't leave. Like mommy.

-John-

The Yao Gai's slash was burned into my mind, and the agony was almost impossible to take. I thrashed in the waves of flames, reaching out, grasping at anything. I felt a small hand grip my own, and I searched for it's owner. Jade gave me a fierce grin, happy. And then her right eye melted.

-John-

"AAAAGHHH!"

The sun caught me in the face, and the pain hit me like a deathclaw, hot and intense. Through that, I felt something, hanging onto my hand. It took all my strength to move my head, and see the brat's bandaged head, asleep.

"Jade... you-"

Speech was impossible, for now. The Yao Gai made sure of that.

"Hey. You're awake."

A woman made her way over, trying to put on a reassuring face.

"We found you two lying here, next to a dead Yao Gai. We almost left you, until I saw the girl."

She brushed Jade's hair, her lips slightly curved up.

"I couldn't leave behind someone like her. And someone like you, too. Romero was a bit grouchy about it, but he wanted to help, too. My name's Lisa, by the way."

I blinked, not trusting my words to come up without thorns.

"Hurts to talk, isn't it? Don't worry, you don't have to. Romero's my friend. He's out looking for antibiotics. He can take care of himself, too, so he won't die or anything."

I gave her a quizzical look, wondering why how we had run into such kind people. Lisa read my expression, giving me a reply.

"Call me idealistic, but I believe we Wastelanders should stick together. Otherwise, how do we stay human?"

The profundity of those words made an impression on me, and without realizing, I found myself gazing at Jade. The eye looked bad, a third degree burn that just missed her skull. Maybe the Outcast intended that. But it looked horrible, and I felt guilty. It was my fault this happened. The stupid kid shouldn't have been near the fight.

"I'm back."

I looked over at an approaching ghoul, who hefted a .45 revolver, and a bag of supplies. Romero, I guess.

"I found some antibiotics. It was a lucky find. It'll keep them ok for a couple weeks. But we can't stay with them, Lisa."

Lisa shot up, frustrated.

"What are they going to do without protection, huh?! Some animal could just come along and have a banquet."

The ghoul threw the meds at us, and turned to Lisa.

"We can't stay here. It's dangerous for us, too. If they're blessed, they'll live. But we can die anytime now, as well. Let's go."

The ghoul gathered his things, and gave a silent nod at me. Lisa looked disappointed, but she left with Romero, giving one more fleeting look back at Jade and me before she was gone. I sighed, and slowly reached for the bag, trying not to hurt too much. I was delighted to find Buffout.

"Thank... you..."

I popped a few, and the pain went down to a dull, but still quite painful, throbbing. I tried my hand at standing, and injected a stimpack into my thigh as I did so.

"Agh, that's... better."

I noticed my arm beside Jade, and picked it up to reattach it. After that was finished, I snatched up my things, getting ready to leave.

"Can't stay here. Too much... danger."

I gingerly put Jade in my arms, and began a journey to the gas station a ways away. We were okay. Somehow, we were okay.