AN- Good evening, loves. I finally sat down for some planning on the next few chapters and will have them outlined completely if not written by the time this is posted. On a sadder note, my poor X-Box has died, so for parts that I can't remember, I am relying on YouTube. *sad face*

Chapter 8: And Jimmy Will Go To Sleep

"YOU AREN'T ACTING VERY MUCH LIKE A HERO, SIX!" She slammed the door. For two days he had been in that room, lost. It had been a very boring forty-eight hours attempting to snap him out of it, after all Lt. Williams had left the very night he met the courier, and Ranger Porn-stache was not all too keen on letting her out of his sight without an escort.

She slid down the door frame, biting her lip. She was worried, not that she would ever admit it. Why should she get so attached to some guy? The door opened and the courier stood there, his stupid grin once again plastered on his face. "Let's get going, the trail's getting cold!"

***********Hetalia**********

"Hang on there traveler, you'll want to steer clear of this area. It's irradiated to high hell." The weather-beaten, middle-aged, African-American, trooper with an adventurous mustache stopped them.

"Then, why the hell are you still here?" The courier was more brazen then he had been before the temporary mental break.

"I was stationed here before the incident." The trooper started before going on to say that the Legion had been responsible for the deaths and fates worse than that befell all those that did not join that patrol.

Callie smiled slightly. "Don't worry, Sergeant Astor, We're here to help."

He sighed in relief "I want you to put down the troopers that changed."

The courier nodded, "I understand…" Turning away from the trooper, pain was wrought across his face. "Mercy Killing," he whispered. "If only mercy was available for me." He walked off drawing his weathered 10 mm as she drew her sniper rifle.

She passed him her stash of Rad-X and Rad-Away, "I'll head up to the ridge and watch your back."

The sergeant offered him an Advanced Radiation Suit. "This should help keep the radiation out. It was something we found a while back. I considered using it myself…" he paused wrought with emotion he was trying to hide.

He nodded "I understand, Sergeant. Callie, here's the plan: I'm going to clear out the ghouls and the other creatures starting from the bridge and going through the town. The radscorpions are going to be the toughest part of this. If you can take them with AP, that will make it easier. They're on the farther end."

She nodded before starting up the hill. "Be careful, Six." She shouted as she started to climb the ridge outside of town. It wasn't too far up, but enough so she could see over the town.

He watched the ridge from the small camp outside of town. Once she was in place it was time to move in. He took a deep breath. "Killing them is putting them out of their misery…" he reminded himself.

He readied his pistol and squeezed the trigger as the first ghoul ran at him blade in hand. "They're not human anymore…" He whispered. That same ghoul's head exploded dramatically as the bullet tore through its flesh. The corpse lay there as he reached into its collar and yanked the dog tag from the severed neck.

From the ridge she whispered softly, "c'mon you bastards. You see the suit, get where I can…" She inhaled sharply as the first radscorpion took the bait, entering the narrow view of her scope. The Armor Piercing round spun in what seemed to be slow motion as the radscorpion's shell caved in and the meat exploded from its underbelly.

The next two ghouls had yet to see him as he ducked into the shadow. Stealth was not in his favor but with their backs to him he could at least get one of them before the came running. The bullet was quick, bursting through the chest of the first one and nicking the other. A strange feeling overcame him, a melancholic sadism coursing through his being. He took out his knife as the ghoul he nicked ran toward him. His blade rammed the creature in the breast bone as it stabbed into his arm. He hissed in pain, tearing the blade out. His own combat knife was lost but two more dog tags were in his grasp.

A smile crossed her lips as she found her next target aiming for the base of the tail. Silent and deadly; as an elite unit of her troops said "the last thing you never see." The firing pin met the primer of the next round; the explosion within the rifle expelling the bullet and destroying the creature as it moved toward her companion.

There was a glint in his eye as the Glowing One neared him, preparing to release a burst of radiation. His blade flew straight and true as he launched it toward the now dying creature. With that his 10 mil was once again raised and ready to fight taking out the remaining as easily he had the others. This strange rush felt vaguely familiar, though he couldn't remember a time when he had experienced it.

It wasn't long before all the creatures that were out in the open were exterminated. Packing up her sniper rifle, she leapt from the ridge, landing neatly. Her .357 quickly found its way into her hand as she met up with him. He snapped as he heard the feet hitting the pavement behind him, his pistol pointing squarely between her eyes. He paused, a moment of confusion could be seen in his eyes before he lowered the pistol, "Sorry, Callie."

She looked at him cautiously before smiling, "No problem. Shall we clear out the buildings? It's a job best suited for two."

He took a deep breath, "Yeah, sure."

Nearly every house was boarded up or empty. Finally they reached the last house. She took a deep breath. She could sense one of her people were inside. Yes, her people- those others, when they forgot themselves also forgot her. They were no longer human, and no longer citizens. She looked at her traveling companion. "Be careful, there's someone inside and I don't want them to get scared."

She opened the door carefully her pistol finding its way home to her hip holster. "Hello?" She called as she entered. The house was dark, though she could smell gecko steak cooking in the kitchen. She walked through and found a ghoul standing there, in a private's uniform, cooking a steak.

He looked at the woman in surprise. "Don't you know it's dangerous here? You could end up like me."

"Private Kyle Edwards? It's good to see you're still… well." She gave a prize-winning smile that even Alfred Jones would have been proud of.

"Well? How am I well? I'm a fucking monster, a decaying corpse. Who knows how long until I become a shambler?" He sat down in self-defeat, placing his head in his hands forlornly.

His nation sat beside him, gently reaching for his hand. "It can be hundreds of years before you lose your faculties." Her voice was gentle, and matronly. "You're still a citizen of the NCR, a trooper."

He sputtered a moment. He felt warmed by her presence and her words. "I can't go back out there. I can't let them see me like this. They'll exterminate me like the others."

Six entered the room, and she halted him. "Kyle, why don't you head up to Ranger Station Echo? The unit up there is almost entirely like you. I can even work up the transfer."

His sense of duty was renewed, feeling as though he could take on the Legion. "I really appreciate that, ma'am. Who are you, though, that you can do these things?" He asked genuinely curious.

"Let's just say I have connections. You can call me Callie, though." She smiled brightly.

"Umm, Cal, what about the dog…." Six started.

"Kyle, we'll get you set up with some new tags when you get up there, I need those ones to tell Sergeant Astor that things were resolved."

He gladly gives her the id tags as she pulled out the map, pointing out the location of the Ranger Station. "Thank you again, Callie."

A/N: Thank you all for your continued patience. I really suck with maintaining a schedule for updates. Every time I post I tell myself and all of you that it will be only a few days or a week, but I lie, for that I apologize.