I'm really sorry it took so long, I had this chapter finished months ago and just didn't know what was missing. I also had to hand raise two sets of Sugar glider twins ;^; But anyway here it is, sorry again ;~;
" I'm not kidding I had the weirdest dream, you were even in it I think" He looked over the counter and out the kitchen window. He looked like he was trying to remember, but it was going to be borderline impossible after how drunk he was last night.
Juniper was trying desperately not to laugh.
I couldn't even tell him if I wanted to, You saw me naked, confessed your love, and broke into my house?"Today I'm going to make sure everything is set here, the wall is intact and introduce myself to all the newcomers." Juniper leaned against the counter and drank coffee, watching Preston nod and take another bite of his mac and cheese. After what happened last night, it was better than he didn't know if she could help it. He didn't force himself on her, and the thought of him knowing that it wasn't just a dream made her cringe.
" How can you eat that so early in the morning?" Juniper scrunched her nose up and Preston looked up confused.
" Hey, I grew up on this stuff. Besides there's not much to eat out here in the wastes."
" Look we go to all this trouble to grow our own produce, we might as well teach everyone how to use it and cook with it. Codsworth was designed to do this type of thing." Juniper called for him out the side door.
" Coming mum!" He hovered through the door.
" Codsworth, If I made a place for you to cook, sew and perform all of your original tasks, would you show other people how to do those things?" What Juniper always thought were his eyes refocused
" What I'm asking is, I want you to help these people learn how to take care of themselves. Most don't know how to even use the produce they're growing, I'm sure we all can learn something from you." She smiled and watched him hover a bit higher.
" Mum, It would mean the world to me. When can we start production of this building?" Juniper looked at Preston and he put down his spoon.
" If you draw up the plans I can get them to Sturges and we can start gathering supplies later today."
" That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I'll go grab some paper and I'll look for a location."
Juniper spent most of the morning drawing out plans for the new building kitty corner to hers, across the street. Struges used chalk to outline where each room would go, and how much of the original foundation from the previous house they would use. Later, she decided to create lesson plans on what Codsworth should show them.
I might not even be here when the building's donePangs of guilt ran rampant, and she put down the pencil and looked through the open front door of her house. She watched people walk down the street, most of them were heading back to their assigned task. Sometimes she envied them, they didn't have that much to worry about. Although so many of them had experienced loss, and came here looking for a fresh start they were relatively safe. Juniper hadn't felt safe since she was sitting across from Al talking about Codsworth. She sighed and put her hands onto her head.
I need to get out of here, I'm just not ready to be here again yet.She put her hand down on the table and looked at the pale line on her ring finger. She kept her ring on a chain now around her neck, unable to fully part with it. There was a certain loneliness that came with not wearing her ring, but it also was too painful to relive the memory of losing Al every time she saw it.
" General?" Preston was in her doorway watching her concerned.
" Sorry, just have alot of my mind. Did you need something Pres?" She ran her fingers through her curly hair and turned to face him. He sighed and walked into her kitchen.
" I know I can't stop you from going to Goodneighbor, I'm also sorry I made it seem like I didn't have faith in you." Juniper went to say something and he stopped her,
" Sometimes All I can remember is the Juniper I saw struggle to learn how to hold a musket, or the one who didn't know that water has radiation in it. I Know you've learned alot these past months, and I didn't mean to belittle you. Goodneighbor has a reputation, when you go there just be careful. " Juniper sighed and smiled
" Why didn't you say that before!" She reached out and punched him in the arm, he recoiled and looked confused. Soon her alarm clock was going off, and she got up to turn it off in the other room.
" I don't have a watch and I need to keep track of the time somehow. Especially if I have such a full schedule today." Preston started laughing so hard Juniper felt her face turning red.
" Why wouldn't you just scavenge around for a watch. General Juniper of the minutemen, who carries around an alarm clock because she can't find a watch in all of the wasteland. Beep beep beep" Juniper pushed him aside and walked through the doorway.
" I have civic duties to attend to" With that she turned and stomped away, with Preston still laughing. Preston only ever joked when they were alone, she wasn't really sure why.
I guess I do the same thing…For the rest of the day Juniper created plans for the next few weeks. Codsworth's school, new buildings for settlers, an area to try and harvest fish from the river, and getting ready to eventually retake the castle. The last was the hardest out of all the plans, not only did they need more people, guns, and medical supplies, they also needed to train all of the new people.
The next morning Juniper repacked her bag and put on her cleaned Vault suit. She'd made sure to comb her hair to make it straight again, the whole tough look is defeated with Shirley Temple curls. She walked through her gate she made in front of the entrance of sanctuary onto the bridge, Preston was standing guard that morning and waved. She knew he was upset she was leaving so soon, but she didn't want to tell him how painful it was to be here, especially knowing Shaun is out there.
"I'll be back soon, take care of everyone!" She waved back and dogmeat barked up at Preston.
" You know I will, be careful out there" He looked more confident than he was the first time she left. Juniper smiled started on her way to Goodneighbor.
" You need to back off, I'm not buying any insurance" Juniper stepped to the side and Finn moved in front of her again. She'd been lost trying to find her way there and now that she was here some dickhead wouldn't leave her alone.
"Pretty thing like you, It'd be a shame if something bad were to happen"
He raised his eyebrows and smirked eyeing her curves. Juniper had, had enough and pulled out her 10mm so quickly he froze.
" Whoa whoa there, let's all just settle down a bit"
A raspy voice came from behind Finn, Juniper looked around him and saw a ghoul. Not just any ghoul but one dressed in a long red trench coat, a tricornered hat, and wearing an american flag as a belt. Juniper stepped back and lowered her gun.
" Is that any way to greet a newcomer to our lovely city?" His dark eyes looked at Finn and he averted the ghoul's gaze.
" Why do you care what happens to her? She's not one of us Hancock" Finn's body tensed up and Hancock walked over to him and put an arm around him.
" I'll be the judge of that, now just be on your way." Hancock smiled at Finn and he shrugged off his arm.
" You're gettin soft Hancock, someday we'll have a new mayor." Finn did the same over zealous smirk, Hancock forced a smile and got closer to him again.
" Listen up Finn," Finn leaned in closer and Hancock pulled a hunting knife on him and stabbed him right in the ribs.
" Jesus.." Juniper sighed and looked around and saw a husky woman with her head shaved smiling watching sandy blonde hair was messy on the side that wasn't shaved.
" Breakin my heart over here, Finny" He looked up at her,
" Hey you alright sister?"
" Yeah, so you're the mayor of Goodneighbor?" Hancock smiled, and extended his arms as if to showcase the entrance.
" You bet I am, sorry your first visit to Goodneighbor started like this. Goodneighbor is of the people, for the people, everyone is welcome here, you feel me?"
I get it, Hancock, american flag, of the people for the people" Of the people, for the people? Oh my god.." She contained a laugh and rolled her eyes.
" I can tell I'm gunna like you. Listen while you're here consider this town your home away from home."
Hancock winked at her and walked through a door followed by the woman with the shaved head.
Now to find the Gunner, If I was a Merc where would I be?
Juniper walked around the corner and saw neon lettering.
" The Third Rail?" Before she could go in Hancock's voice was cutting through the sounds of the small town.
" Hey everyone! Gather around and let's shoot the fat! I know you're all busy doin your own thing but I don't want you to forget what really matters."
People started running up not wanting to miss another word, and Juniper back up next to a quiet man in dark shades. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place him so she kept looking around. She mostly ignored his speech, because politicians were boring even after the war. Juniper also wanted to see who was all here, and how many people there were. A habit that she formed after forming so many settlements in the commonwealth. Everyone starting dispersing and she looked back up to the balcony and Hancock was eyeing her. He raised a brown bottle up towards her and took a drink, she looked down at the third rail and walked through the doors.
Juniper barely made it down the stairs after meeting a ghoul named Ham, when a taller ghoul with a green beret made his way towards her.
"From what I hear, you're extremely capable of handling yourself. Is that true?" His dulled blue eyes were complemented by the dark crimson bloodshot around them.
"Depends on who's asking" She put her hand on her hip and looked around and saw no one else was listening.
" My employer occasionally needs people like you, individuals that are able to handle the worst situations and still come out swinging. I'm unable to tell you exactly what you'd be doing, that's still undecided. You'll be paid fairly, but it won't be without it's risks." Juniper smiled back at him,
" I live for danger where do I sign up, beret?" His expression softened and he smiled.
" I like your enthusiasm, you'll mostly be working under me." Juniper raised an eyebrow and let her eyes wander playfully. This wasn't missed by the beret who cleared his throat, and tried to brush it off. It was meant to be harmless but he seemed more distraught than she would have expected.
"By the way I'm Edward Deegan, It's a pain in the ass but you're going to have to goto a personal interview with my boss. The name is Jack Cabot, he's eccentric just to warn you. I'll let him know you're coming, when you're ready stop by the old Cabot house."
He went to leave and hit his leg on the red ottoman next to Juniper. He cleared his throat and turned back to the bar.
" Ugh, another Merc lookin for MacCready? He's in the back room, more of you come everyday."
The drifter scowled and flopped down onto the nearby couch. Juniper walked over to the side room and tried to eavesdrop on the conversation between what sounded like 3 people.
" 3 months, it took you that long to find me? You guys are getting rusty. Should we take this outside boys?"
" It ain't like that, we're just here to deliver a message. We're giving you one chance to stop taking jobs in the Commonwealth." The second voice sounded deeper, and older than the first.
"In case you forgot I don't take orders from any of you anymore. I left the Gunners for good, so take your girlfriend and leave while you still can." The first voice sounded angry, and Juniper heard him get up while he was talking.
"Fuck this, tell me we don't have to listen to this bullshit."
She couldn't help it anymore and Juniper peeked over to see all three speakers. Two of them were dressed in Gunner attire, which always looked like pre-war military clothing. The one in the middle wore a tattered trench coat and a worn hat with a single bullet attached to the band. His hair looked almost crimson in the red lighting of the room.
" The only reason you're still alive is because we don't want a war with Goodneighbor. We respect other people's boundaries unlike you MacCready."
"Glad to have disappointed you Winnie" He smiled back at the bigger of the two gunners.
" Play it off all you want, but if you operate within gunner territory, all bets are off. You understand?"
"We finished?"
"Yeah, we're finished, common Barnes."
The two gunner turned around and MacCready turn to sit back down on the battered velvet armchair. Juniper leaned against the mannequin casually as they walked by. They looked in her direction right as the mannequin fell down and she caught herself. They both smirked at her and she readjusted herself, quickly making her way towards MacCready.
" You always try to make such good impressions? If your hear to preach, or sell something you've got the wrong guy. You need a hired gun, let's talk." He stood up and Juniper was able to get a closer look at him.
" Maybe, who were those two earlier?"
" Just a bunch of assholes looking to step on anyone, and everyone in order to get to the top. Shouldn't be surprised though, that's what happens when you run with the gunners as long as they have."
"Not sure what the Gunners are kid, should I even know what you're talking about?" Her words hit him, by the way he furrowed his brow.
"First off, I'm no kid and it's probably a good thing you don't know anything about them. I don't want the smell of Winlock and Barnes scaring away my business. What about you, how do I know I won't end up with a bullet in my back one night?"
Juniper tilted her head, and smiled.
He's kinda cute for someone that's not prewar" I guess you don't, it's all part of your line of work right?"
" Can't argue with that. Listen it's 250 caps, no room for bargaining and it's all upfront. What do you say?" MacCready watched her run her thumb down the corner of her pale rosy bottom lip, while she looked away lost in thought.. He'd never seen someone that looked so...so clean. Her hair was swept into a tight bun and her grey eyes were lined with dark navy eyeliner. He got distracted by all the freckles though.
"I'll hire you, but I'll make it 300 caps upfront. We might have to do some side errands, before we make our way to the real job. Any problem with that MacCready?"
Juniper raised her eyebrow and grinned at him. MacCready got up and grabbed his rifle.
" 50 more caps than asked? Now you're speakin my language, where to boss?" MacCready grinned back at her.
"Before anything, I'm going to need to restock supplies, get a drink, and sleep on a real mattress. Come on, first round's on me" She smiled walking back into the bar area and turned around motioning for him to follow her. They had only been sitting down for about 5 minutes before a mr. handy named Whitechapel Charlie hovered over.
" Before you get too liquored up I got a proposition for ya" Juniper eyed Charlie, and shrugged getting ready to listen to yet another job request.
" I got a dirty job that needs a very dirty dirty girl to get it done. 200 caps after it's done of course, interested?"
" Gimme some details first, metal man" At that MacCready almost spit beer everywhere. Juniper glanced over and grinned.
"Clearin out warehouses in town, needs to be someone new to town, jus like urself. No survivors, no witnesses. Now are you in our out." His lense refocused at Juniper and she sighed.
"Alright let's go MacCready, we'll do this then it's time for bed." She yawned and stretched before getting up. Maccready stood up downing the last few sips of his beer, and trailed after her.
He watched as she looked through her pipboy walking up the stairs.
I'll get to see how she is in a fight at least.Juniper didn't have any problems picking the lock to the first warehouse, and MacCready was impressed.
" You're just full of surprises aren't you? Gunna have to show me how to do that one of these days." He walked through the door after her and they both crouched down and were silent.
" One on the stairs, and almost a half dozen up stairs...I think?" Juniper grabbed a grenade from her bag and snuck over to the hole in the ceiling.
" It sounded like there were less, what are you?" A few seconds passed and he realized what she was doing. "Are you crazy!?" He watched her plan out the riceshay grenade's path, and she shushed him.
" Hey catch!" She threw the grenade threw the hole on to the side of the wall upstairs and watched it fly to the side.
" Fuck, get out of the way!"
"Grenade!"
She heard Triggermen yelling and sprinting to get away. Juniper made her way to the stairs and held up the double barreled shotgun she had found on her way to Goodneighbor. She waited and right after the explosion the one guy on the stairs lost his balance and fell into her sight. Right before she could shoot, a shot breezed through the air and he was dead in an instant.
"Can't let you have all the fun, right?" She glanced back and saw MacCready in action and was impressed.
" Alright hotshot let's get the rest." Juniper led him through the rubble and took out the last two. The others had died during the explosion.
" It's all clear up here too, one down two to go." Juniper nodded and looked at the next two locations on her pipboy.
"The next two are right next to each other, wanna divide and conquer?" Right after she asked he threw an ammo box over to her.
" If that's what you wanna do, we'll get done alot faster. Just don't go getting yourself killed, you still haven't paid me." He walked down the stairs, Juniper stuffed the box into her pack and followed after him. He held the door open from the outside and she flashed her pipboy at him.
" You should at least know where you're going" Juniper waved her arm in front of him trying to stop him and he rolled his eyes.
"There's only 3 warehouses in town anyway, and we just shot up one of them." Juniper shrugged and flipped her pipboy light off.
" Alright warehouse master, I'll meet you outside in the alley inbetween the only two warehouses left in town. Better?" He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose while she walked towards the warehouse on the left.
What did I get myself into, He looked up at the night sky and exhaled. at least she has caps to spend. It's not like she really needs my help for these types of jobs. She never got a chance to explain the big job she hired me for.MacCready watched her disappear into the darkness of the warehouse, and tried to opened the door for the warehouse on the right.
Makes it look so easy,Juniper was noticed almost immediately, as she took down the first Triggerman she saw.
" Well boys let's see what this doll can do!" The foot steps from the ceiling sounded like there were at least 7 coming down to meet her. She ran over to the staircase and threw down one near the top of the stairs and one by the bottom. Her heart was beating, hard enough to feel in her throat, as she listened for the footsteps.
"Gunna put my feet up after this one, what about you gu-" He was cut off as the first explosion rang through the narrow warehouse. Dust spewed out from the wall that Juniper was crouched against. Fuck now is not the time to get shit in my eye." You're dead, you hear me!" two sets of footsteps ran back upstairs and Juniper sprinted grabbing the second mine. They weren't getting dodged the bodies up the stairs until she saw the backs of the triggermen. Gottcha
Her shotgun was up in an instant and she shot the one closest to her in the side and watched him grab onto the farthest one's suspenders. He fell down and she shot while she had the chance. Juniper sighed and slumped her shoulders down. Her heart stopped when she felt a firm grip grab the back of her head, running into her bun.
" Time to teach you a lesson" he threw her head into the side of the brick wall, when Juniper tried to open her eyes all she saw was a foggy haze. Her hands searched for her gun and when she found the familiar texture she felt like her hand was being crushed. Her hand was being stepped on by the triggerman and she couldn't help but scream as she heard the disgusting sound of her bones crunching.
"Coulda just walked away" He released her hand and she cradled it in her arms. Juniper tried to kick off of the floor to get away from him, her vision was returning but she couldn't see a way out.
He followed her as she drug herself away from him, and he kept smiling.
"The way I see it, one of us is gonna get rubbed out one way or another." His face contorted and she panicked.
Get away get away get away" Get the fuck away from me motherfucker." She tasted iron in her last words and felt the heat of blood pour out of her mouth. That pissed him off and he kicked her ribs hard. As she cried out Juniper got a glimpse of her pistol sticking out of her pack close enough for her to she looked up from it and saw their eyes both started moving as fast as they could trying to reach it first. Right as she clasped the grip he landed a kick into her ribs again and she was in the fetal position. As he went to push her onto her back, Juniper rolled over exposing the pistol, she unloaded into his chest and he fell over while she kept squeezing the trigger. Tears ran down her dirty bloodied face as she shook, slowly the pistol dropped from her hands and heard it drop against the wooden floors. Juniper felt the room closing in as she looked down at the blood everywhere. What was hers, and what was his?
The adrenaline started to fade and the pain started to overwhelm her as she pushed herself up against the nearest wall trying to breathe. Juniper used her foot to move her pack closer as she looked for something to stop the bleeding. She looked down and saw the damage done to her vault suit.
Whose blood is this? Her hands touched her stomach, dyeing them a deep crimson. Right as she was looking at them, MacCready came around the corner and just looked at her.
"Jesus, are you alright?!" He dropped down to his knees, and she flinched not knowing how to react.
" Hey, come on that was the last of them." His blue eyes searched her grey ones and she nodded. MacCready saw her pack., he went to get up and she grabbed his sleeve with her good hand. He looked down at her and she just looked back at him with tears in her eyes.
"I'm going to grab your pack to get a stimpack, and some med x. I'm not going anywhere" She nodded and slowly let go as he grabbed a handful of first aid supplies. MacCready laid them out next to her
" Your hand is broken, and you look like you have a concussion, is there anything i'm missing?" Juniper put her hand over her ribs and he started to grab med x syringes. He injected them into her hand, and made his way to her ribs. Juniper swallowed hard, each time he pressed a needle into her. The next round of shots were stimpacks and slowly she started to realize what had just happened.
" I use to hate needles, every time I went to the doctor." She looked off to the side, looking at the body count in the room, the pain slowly dispersing from her body.
" With all the shit they developed, why couldn't they figure out something without a needle" Her head tilted back until it met the wall and she shut her eyes. He looked up at her and just listened quietly, not knowing what to say.
" It must be hard for all of you. Preston, Struges, Danse, Nick, hell even that ghoul Hancock. You were born into this shadow of what use to be. Maybe it's our fault, all of us that knew war was coming. We didn't do anything to stop it, the first bomb was launched by everyone who did nothing. I'm...I'm just so sorry." Her voice cracked, and MacCready watched her press her forearm to her face.
Is she prewar? How is that possible?
" Listen we've got to get you somewhere safer, can't have you dying on me." He threw her pack onto her back, and she grabbed his arm.
" I can't go out just yet." MacCready rolled his eyes, and she stopped him before he could say anything.
" I won't have this place thinking I'm weak, Like I can't handle myself. I'd be a target overnight."He sat back down and looked her over.
" If you can walk all the way to the Rexford, you'll send a message. Trust me, no one will wanna mess with you especially with the Triggermen's rep." MacCready injected her legs with one more med x, to give the overall appearance that nothing was wrong.
I lost count of how much I just gave her shit.
Juniper wiped her face with some scrap fabric she had found and rebunned her hair. She stood up without his help and she walked past him to the stairs. He walked up next to her and walked in step with her down the stairs. Watching in case she fell, but she didn't. When he glanced over to her, you couldn't even tell she had just been almost killed.
" Walk behind me ok?" She said without looked over to him, as she started to open the door. MacCready followed behind her and looked at the expressions of the people who crossed her path. They looked stunned, no one said a word to her as they walked across town to the hotel.
This woman was nothing like the stumbling vault dweller he met earlier that night. She radiated purpose and strength.
" I'd like a room one with a tub, if you have it." Without asking she tossed caps at the clair and she quickly gave Juniper the room key. MacCready followed her up the stairs into their room, he glanced back down at the hotel staff. She was new to Goodneighbor so they looked hesitant, but caps are caps. Juniper wasn't able to take any of the hotel in, while she was in this state. All that was running through her mind was to keep walking. She opened the door and waited as MacCready walked in behind her. Juniper saw the bed and was about a foot away before she fell over onto it.
" Sorry next time...you…..can...have….the...bed." Were her last words before she was out like a light. He grabbed her pack and tossed it down next to the bed, then he tossed his down next to hers. MacCready laid down on the couch across the room and positioned himself so he was eyeing the door. He watched her back slowly rise and fall,making sure she was still breathing. He was about to fall asleep, when he heard the first muffled snore. Great.
