WARNING: This chapter contains extreme violence and non-con. This fic is rated M for a reason.
THE STORM
It had been hard not to notice the way people were looking at her all of a sudden.
After the morning's fiasco with Billy Creel, the whole fucking town seemed to think they were entitled to have an opinion about her love life. Half of them had wondered what a 'nice girl like her' was doing with Colin Moriarty, while the other half thought she was just about the only woman who could handle the guy. Frankly, Shelley didn't give two fucks what any of them thought. She was just happy the whole thing was out in the open with no more sneaking around.
Problem was, there was one person whose feelings really mattered to her and right now, he couldn't even stand to be in the same room with her.
She'd never forget the look on Billy's face when he'd seen Colin slide his arm around her waist. The realisation that glimmered inside his remaining deep brown eye had been full of pain and betrayal. Jesus Christ, she'd never pretended that there was any chance of something between them other than friendship, so why did she feel like she'd just shit all over his feelings and why did it hurt so fucking much…?
Goddamn it, this wasn't how it was supposed to be!
It had all been so perfect, waking up to find Colin snoring loudly with his arm wrapped tightly about her shoulders was something she had craved for too long. The way he smelled, all sweat, musk and alcohol, was like a drug to her and she'd grinned on finding that his cock was hard in the morning as it had been the night before. He sure was a heavy sleeper though, right up until the point she climbed on top of him and lowered her creamy pussy onto his thickness! Then he'd woken with a huge grin on his face and tightly clasped her ass and thighs as she rode him with a passion that was as exhausting as it was energetic! Afterwards she'd dozed for a time, feeling sore but amazingly content. When her eyes had finally fluttered open, Colin had not been there and that's when she'd heard him outside.
It was about then her world had turned upside down.
After Colin had hit him, Billy hadn't even been able to meet her gaze. His mouth was bleeding and an ugly purple bruise was spreading across his jaw, but it wasn't that pain that bothered him so much...it was knowing that she had chosen Moriarty over him. Shelley had tried to talk to him, tried to explain that she could only follow her heart but Billy was in no mood to listen. He had angrily shrugged away her attempts to help and shrank back from her touch like she was burning with rads.
To top it all off, Lucas Simms had come storming up the gantry during all the commotion. The Lawman had seen it all and from the look on his face, he didn't approve one damn bit. He'd asked Billy if he wanted to press charges against Moriarty, and Shelley had immediately leapt to Colin's defence. Billy had just looked at her in disgust as she pointed out that it was Creel's fault for winding up the Irish saloonkeeper and perhaps if he had thought before he spoke and acted less like an asshole then this might never have happened!
That was about the point that Billy told her to go fuck herself and stormed off with what was left of his dignity intact. Part of her wanted to go after him, to tell him that she was sorry and that he was the best friend she'd ever had, but it was just too much of a fucking mess.
For the most part though, she just wanted to get on with her life without any more bullshit interruptions from Billy, from Simms and from the rest of the inhabitants of this fucking town!
Megaton was her home too and who she chose to fuck was nobody's business but her own. God knows she'd done enough to help the others out around here, not to mention the poor saps stuck out in the Wasteland!
She'd spent too much fucking time being a hero, but Colin…Colin was the only one that made her feel like a woman.
Aside from the sideways glances of the townsfolk and their unwanted words of advice, the rest of the morning had been pretty uneventful. After she'd left the shack with Colin, they had gone over to the saloon. He was pleased to note that it was open for business as usual and even offered Gob a semi-sincere word of gratitude before settling in the back office to count the night's take. Shelley had been presented with a plate of Pork 'n' Beans by the ghoul, who looked at her with a curious expression on his face as he set it down before her. When she'd quizzed him about it, he just shrugged and said it was the first time ever that Moriarty hadn't found something to bitch about and that it was 'obviously doing him some good to be with her', not that he would ever say that to his face of course. Shelley had simply smiled and eaten her meal, even offering to share half of it with the downtrodden bartender but Gob just grinned and fetched them both a couple of his special beers instead. As long as Moriarty was happy, it meant less shit doled out to his employees and for Gob, that was certainly worth a drink or two!
Over the course of the day, the saloon filled up with the usual faces. Old man Vargas, Lucy West, Leo Stahl, Doc Church, hell everyone was there…except for Billy. A caravan had come in about mid-afternoon and so the place was jumping with folks looking for a meal and a brew. Colin worked the room like the skilled host that he was, his 'Irish charm' and ready wit grabbing their attention as easily as he took their caps. There were a couple of times when things looked like they might get a little rowdy, but Colin had simply jumped on any troublemakers before they got started. As gracious as he was, there was no mistaking the powerful menace beneath his amiable exterior.
Nova had come down later for her evening shift and she smiled fondly when she spotted Shelley sitting at one of the tables. As she sauntered over, she flirted and chatted with the guys from the caravan, letting them see enough to make them sit up and take notice but not enough to let them think they could get away without paying. Whatever else could be said of her, she knew how to play the guys well.
After remarking that Colin was in an unusually good mood, Nova had taken one look at Shelley's face and laughed. 'You two good, I suppose?' she'd asked without any trace of judgement in her tone. 'We're on the same page now.' Shelley had answered and then yelped as Colin grabbed her from behind and started nibbling suggestively at the back of her neck. 'Same page!' Nova had joked as she left them to it. 'Honey, looks like the whole damn book to me!'
Shelley would have liked to have talked more to the pretty redhead, but Nova was on Colin's time now and there were plenty of john's in town looking to part with their hard-earned caps for a half hour with the best fuck in the wasteland.
Shame they didn't realise that she was so much more than just a pussy on legs. Shelley wondered if any of them ever saw through to the woman beneath the stockings…
"Y'alright me darlin'?" Colin whispered into her ear as he wrapped his thick muscular arms about her waist. "I lost you there for a minute."
"I was just thinking…" Shelley answered, twisting in his embrace so that she was facing him. "You know, men are such assholes."
"Hey now!" Colin exclaimed, raising a thick arched eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, brought that little outburst on?"
Shelley sighed as she looked into his bright blue eyes and then kissed him forcefully on the mouth. "It's nothing Colin. I guess I'm just tired, is all."
"I'm not surprised." He purred, sliding his hands beneath her jeans and cupping the firm flesh of her ass. "You've had a restless night sure enough. Sure'n if I'm not feelin' it a little meself."
"Did I wear you out, old man?" Shelley grinned as she twisted her fingers through the coarse white hair of his beard. "You can't tell me that after one night with a little-ole innocent vaultie like me, the great Colin Moriarty is ready for his bed!"
Colin laughed as he lifted her onto the bar sending bottles and glasses clattering to the ground. With a smile that was as hungry as it was genuine and heedless of the cheers and jeers from the assembled crowd, he pushed himself between her legs as his tongue explored every part of her mouth and lips. As he crushed her against his chest, he pushed hard against her groin using the solid length of his manhood to draw attention to just what he had in mind…
"Now tell me, little girl…" He murmured as he trailed kisses down her throat. "Does that feel like I'm worn out to you?"
There were more than a few people now, who were staring with open-mouthed curiosity at the spectacle that was being played before them, but Shelley didn't care. She reached down to stroke his cock through the thick cotton of his pants and squeezed hard, drawing forth a groan of needy pleasure.
"It feels like this thing needs feeding again." She breathed, feeling a pleasant slickness between her thighs. "So, you wanna come back over to my place?"
A cry went up from one of the tables as a fight broke out between a trader and one of the local boys.
"Aw Jesus…" Colin muttered as he leaned past Shelley's torso and grabbed a baseball bat from behind the bar. "Would you look at that now. I turn me back for five minutes and all hell breaks loose."
He palmed the bat carefully, feeling its weight and letting the rest of the onlookers see that he was not about to have any trouble in his saloon.
"Listen darlin' I have a thing to take care of right now, but how's about you slip home, grab a few things and come back here while I explain the house rules to those pricks over there." He grinned like a Cheshire cat. "It'd be nice to have me own girl in me own bed for a change, and I do so love you in that little black number…"
Shelley slid down from the bar and offered him a wink as she skilfully weaved through the crowd. "Just make sure the sheets are clean!" She called as she made her way to the door, but Colin was already engrossed in a rather one-sided debate with both of the offending parties about the rules of Moriarty's saloon. The fact that Gob had a shotgun pointed their way seemed to be helping the argument some, but at the end of the day, no one fucked with Colin Moriarty.
Well, no one except her of course…
And that thought made her smile.
There was a rad-strom blowing outside. The wind was loud and fierce and the steel walkways creaked and groaned as they heaved against their restraints. Shelley frowned and pulled her jacket collar up, trying to keep out the worst of the weather but the damned dust stirred up by the wind seemed to be getting everywhere.
On ground level the streets were deserted. Even the Brass Lantern was closed for the night. She figured most people were either at home or in the saloon and as soon as she'd got her stuff from the shack, that's just where she'd be headed back to.
As she gingerly made her way across the alarmingly swinging gantry, Shelley felt the sudden urge to stop. She was outside Billy's house. A hundred things told her that now was not the time, that it was too soon to try and talk to the guy but…for fuck's sake…Billy was her best friend! She had never meant to hurt him and if she didn't at least try to explain, she'd never forgive herself. He'd probably tell her to go fuck herself again, to leave him the fuck alone and stay out of his life but then at least she'd given him the chance to say what he wanted to say.
She owed him that much.
The noise meant she had to bang on the door much louder than she would normally and she felt the sheet steel shaking with the sound of her fist falls. After a few minutes, the door was opened a fraction and Maggie Creel peered cautiously around the edge.
"Oh, uh…hey Maggie. Is Billy home?"
"Shelley!" Maggie smiled and then squealed as the wind threatened to rip the door from her hands. "You better come inside, Shelley! Billy says the rad-strom is mighty fierce tonight and we're having cake and tea and listening to a story and you could listen to it too if you want and…"
"That's enough Maggie." Billy's voice was gruff as he appeared in the doorway. "Go on inside and wait for me."
"But Shelley's here. I thought she could come sit with us and…"
"I said go inside!" Billy's voice was heavy with emotion and the look on his face said more than words ever could. "I'm sure Shelley has other places to be right now, isn't that right?"
"Billy, I just wanna talk to you."
His brown eye flashed dangerously and he pointed to the ugly purple bruise on his face. "Well you know, that last time I tried to talk to you, some mother-fucking Irishman decided to punch me in the face! Now call me crazy dolly, but you can imagine that I'd rather avoid all that shit in future."
"Colin was out of line." Shelley admitted, feeling pathetically inadequate and sick with guilt. "He's a little over-protective."
"Over-protective!" Billy exclaimed loudly, so that his voice carried over the howl of the wind. "The man wants to own you Shelley! What the fuck? I thought you were better than that!"
"Billy, please…!" She held out her hands and shook her head. "I didn't come here to talk about me and Colin."
"So what did you come for, huh?" He crossed his arms and spat on the floor. "Forgiveness, understanding, friendship…'cos I gotta tell you, right now I'm outta all three."
"Billy…"
"Billy what?" Creel scowled as the wind caused the nearby staircase to shriek horribly. "Jesus fucking Christ, I can't do this right now Shelley. Don't you get it? I care about you, goddammit! I care about you too much to watch you throw your life away on some low-life piece of shit like Colin Moriarty." The fight seemed to go out of him and he slumped against the doorframe. "I'm not saying that I never want to talk to you again but I can't, not right now. Just… Just go, okay? Please…just go."
Shelley lunged for the door as Billy disappeared from view. "No Billy, wait! We can talk about this!"
The door closed with a bang, rendering any further protests impotent and Shelley reluctantly began to climb the ramp leading to her own shack. The wind was strong as hell now and she had to put her shoulder to the door just to get inside. Dogmeat looked up as she entered, an accusative look on his canine face as he dashed past her to go take a dump. She'd hadn't intended to leave him for so long, she's just got caught up in the arms of a certain saloonkeeper...
Great. At this rate, she would just about manage to piss-off all the other men in her life! There would only be Colin left!
Wedging the door open for the dog with an ammo crate, she rushed upstairs and shoved a few personal items into her backpack. The hairbrush with most of the bristles still intact, some clean…well, just about…underwear and the silky black negligee that Colin had bought her. God knows it seemed to have quite and effect on the old man!
Next she ventured into the kitchen to grab some Salisbury steak from the fridge. Dogmeat loved that shit…he'd soon forgive her if she gave him a double helping! Maybe she would speak to Colin about keeping him round the saloon. There was certainly more room in there and he'd be great at keeping down the radroaches, not to mention the rowdier customers…
With a sudden crash, the front door slammed shut…wind must have caught it.
Shelley set down the plate of food and licked the congealed gravy from her fingers as she crossed the living room. Sure enough, the door was tight. Reaching out to grasp the handle, she pulled hard.
"Uh-uh hero, door stays shut. You and I have a little…unfinished business."
"Jericho…" Shelley felt a cold ball forming in the pit of her stomach as the ex-raider emerged from behind her gun-cabinet with his rifle pointed squarely at her head. "How did you get in here?"
"Same way you did." He answered with a grin that made her nauseous. "Through the fucking door. Nice of you to leave it open by the way…but shame about your dog."
"What the fuck did you do to Dogmeat!" She lunged forward, fear and rage flooding her body with adrenaline but Jericho simply stood his ground and held his finger warningly over his trigger.
"He's out front, or what's left of him anyway. Dumb beast thought he could take me out…just like his bitch of an owner."
A cruel smile played over his lips as he edged forward, backing Shelley against the stairs.
"You bastard…" She gasped, her fingers twitching as her eyes flicked around the room for a weapon. "I'm gonna make you wish you'd never been born."
"Oh I don't think so." Jericho sneered and something inside her froze. He smelled of booze, but nearly as much as he usually did and that meant he was mostly sober.
That meant he was fucking dangerous…
"What do you want…?" She whispered hoarsely, fear finally starting to seize hold of her as she noticed the chilling look in his eyes.
"What do I want? What do I want…hmm, let me think." He made a show of considering the question. "What I want is enough booze to drown in and as much pussy as I can stand however and whenever I want it. What I want is enough caps to buy this fucking town and cut loose all the assholes here who think they are so much better than me. What I want is to rid my world of Colin fucking Moriarty and to piss on his memory while I fuck his little bitch in the ass for all the times she's got in my face…"
Shelley felt the blood drain from her face. "You're fucking delusional…"
"Aw come on now…I thought you liked old men. I've seen the way you come into the bar, all titties and tail hanging out just to get some attention." Jericho licked his lips, his hard brown eyes holding her in place as much as the barrel of the gun. "Never figured that it was all for Moriarty. My guess would've been that you'd be banging Creel, but I see I was wrong. Even he doesn't want your sorry ass now that nasty Irish cunt has been hitting it…lucky for me, I'm not so picky."
"You fucking touch me and I swear I'll end you!" Shelley snarled, anger cutting through the growing terror that was threatening to overwhelm her. "You think you can just walk in here, into my own house and…"
Her head was snapped around by the blow as Jericho slammed his rifle butt into her face. Spots danced in her vision and vomit surged up her gullet as she fell to the floor shaking and sick. It felt like her whole head had come apart and she was dimly aware of the steady flow of blood as it ran across her cheek.
"See, it's always the same with you." Jericho growled as he stepped over her. "That fucking mouth of yours…you just don't know when to shut the fuck up!"
Shelley cried out as the ex-raider dropped a knee onto her chest, bruising, if not cracking her ribs and causing her breath to come in agonised gasps.
"You should just listen more…" A punch to the face split the skin above her eye. "Do as you're told like a good little girl and take what's coming to ya." The world exploded into stars as a punch to the jaw pushed her to the edge of unconsciousness. "Learn what to keep shut…and what to keep open…"
She wanted to fight as she felt her belt being ripped from the waistband of her jeans. She wanted to scream as rough hands forced the denim past her thighs and tore it from her legs without thought or care. She wanted to struggle as those same hands pulled her breasts from beneath her tee-shirt and then squeezed and twisted them until she was bruised and sore.
"See…now I get it." Jericho's voice sounded husky and distant as he fumbled with his zipper. "I can't touch Moriarty, guy has too much on me…but you, heh. He won't want you after I'm done. I take you, I take a piece of him and you know what, that's enough for me. Revenge sure is sweet…"
When she felt the ex-raider's bodyweight pressing down against her blood-soaked, naked skin, Shelley wanted to cry.
When he finally forced himself between her legs, she closed her eyes and her mind and wished for oblivion…
It sure was bad out here. The storm had gotten pretty loud and awful fierce since Shelley had called at his house about a half hour ago.
Manya Vargas had been round after that. Seems Nathan had gone off again and an old guy like that wandering about in this storm was just looking for trouble. She'd asked Billy to help find him and he'd readily agreed. Nathan might be a little touched, but he was one of the good guys at heart. They'd found him pretty quickly, taking shelter near the Craterside Supply and wondering to himself why Moira wasn't opening the door. Manya had managed to convince him it was because it was the middle of the night and eventually, the old guy had sort of understood.
After seeing them both home safe, Billy had seen Jericho slinking back into his hole looking a little worse for wear. The asshole had probably been pissing his life away in the Saloon as usual. With any luck, one day he would drink himself to death. Maybe he could get Shelley to suggest it to Moriarty as an option…
Damn. He wasn't ready for those kind thoughts just yet.
Making sure his bandana was tied tightly about his head, Billy Creel looked up at the bright lights of Moriarty's Saloon and took a deep breath. It wasn't a place he wanted to go, but if he ever wanted to speak to Shelley again he'd have to go there sooner or later.
The thought of her with him just didn't seem right and the way the old bastard had flown at him this morning was nothing short of insane, but in the end Shelley was his friend. She was stupid, she was dangerous, she was downright crazy, but she was still his friend. With a sigh, Billy leaned against the metal railings and tried to let the storm blow the feelings of anger and resentment from the corners of his mind. Not that he'd ever understand it…not as long as he lived. Shelley was amazing, a true hero to some…a saviour to others. She was beautiful and funny, fierce and proud, a girl he would have given his other eye for just to be with…but she wanted someone else. She wanted the guy with the mean Irish temper and half of Megaton in his back pocket.
Jesus…didn't she realise that the guy would only hurt her in the end? Someone like Moriarty would never really appreciate just what he had until it was too late and by then, who knows what shit he would have put her through. She'd be left alone, hurt, probably heartbroken and with nobody to help her pick-up the pieces.
That would be when she would need her friends.
That would be when she would need Billy…
"Aw shit…" He muttered into the wind, pulling his collar up and resolving to go see her. He may not have any love for the prick she had chosen to be with, but he wouldn't lose a friendship over it. He thought more of her than that.
As he pushed away from the steel balcony, he heard a high-pitched whine coming from below. Squinting against the particles of rust and grit that were blowing into his face, Billy spotted movement on the gantry below.
"Dogmeat…?"
Something wasn't right…
Billy raced down the ramp to the side of the grievously wounded animal and recoiled in shock when he saw the blood pooling beneath the stocky cattle-dog.
"Oh shit, boy." He gasped as he pressed a hand to the…fuck no…the bullet hole in his chest. "What happened to you, Dogmeat? Who did this to you? Hold on, boy. I gotta get you to the Doc or Shelley will have my…"
Shelley…
Billy didn't know how he arrived outside her shack. One minute he was kneeling next to the injured dog, the next minute he was here, pushing gently against her door with a sick feeling deep down inside his guts.
"Shelley…are you in here?" His voice seemed too loud, even over the din outside. "Shelley, it's Billy…are you okay?"
There was a sound, a muted cry from the floor just ahead and Billy cautiously crept into the room. There was something on the floor, something glistening and wet that let out muffled whimpers as it tried to move.
"B..Billy…" The voice was barely recognisable.
With shaking hands, Billy flicked on the light switch and felt his heart leap into his mouth. Hot tears burned in his eyes as he dropped to his knees beside her naked, bleeding torso and covered her with his jacket. He could barely see as he gently cradled her to his chest, her face a bloody pulp and her eyes still wide with terror despite the swollen tissue surrounding them. She tried to speak again, and then gasped in pain, each breath causing her to shudder in his arms before she was forced to give way to the agonised sobs that wracked her body and caused her to shake like a newborn brahmin calf.
As the storm continued to rage outside, Shelley gave in to the shock of her attack and began to wail in agony and anguish.
Holding her with as much tenderness as he would a sick child, Billy Creel silently wept.
Though there is build-up of violence leading to the rape scene, I tried to keep the descriptive writing to the minimum needed to preserve the flow of the story.
It was never my intent to shock or offend and I do not and will not ever condone sexual violence.
Gixx.
