The Courier took the I-88 to Novac alone. It wasn't really that dangerous, not compared to the fucking deathtrap that was the I-15. She'd once spent a terrified afternoon huddled on a ledge, waiting until it was dark enough that she could sneak back to Goodsprings without being seen by a fucking deathclaw colony.
It was dark when the Courier got there, but she'd timed it on purpose, so Boone would see her walking towards the town. She thought she could feel him watching her as she walked up the road. She thought briefly about trying to look at him through the scope of her rifle, but she wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't see that as a threat and shoot her for it.
She raised a hand to wave, in case he was watching.
She took the stairs inside the dinosaur slowly, and stood looking at the door handle for a long time before using it.
Boone stood with his back to her.
"Hi," she said finally.
"What is it?" He didn't turn around.
"I just- I wanted to say sorry, and-" she began, but he cut her off.
"Go wait in your room. I'll come talk to you when I finish this shift."
She hesitated, uncertain.
"Go on," he said, not unkindly.
She left.
It had been a long time since she'd last been to her room in Novac. It was kind of embarrassing, really. The wardrobe was full of worn and dirty clothes from before the war and bits and pieces of armour. She'd stacked things she thought looked interesting in places all over the room – the table was covered in eggs from different creatures, and on the TV shelf she'd put an odd statue she'd found of a grumpy-looking gnome. The safe was full of 9 and 10 mm pistols and subs that she hadn't used for a long time. There was nightstalker blood in a little jar next to her bed. Why would she even pick that up?
She thought about tidying, but only pushed the teddy bear off the side of the bed before climbing in. She fell asleep almost immediately.
She awoke to a gentle knocking. Sunlight was coming in through the cracks in the boarded-up windows.
"It's open," she said, voice blurry from sleep.
Boone came in and sat down on the couch next to the bed.
"I didn't know if you'd still be here," said the Courier, stretching.
"What, you thought I'd find a more permanent solution to my problems?" He smiled, humourlessly. "Can't say I haven't thought about it, I guess." He looked away.
She sat up, swinging her legs off the side of the bed to face him. "That's not really what I meant, but-" she broke off. "I'm... sorry. For saying those things at Cottonwood. I just got angry, I didn't mean it."
He smiled, again, maybe actually amused this time.
"Yeah. You fight real dirty."
She smiled back, tentatively.
"Can't hold a grudge, but I kinda make up for that by offending people all at once instead. Sorry."
He shook his head.
"It's not important."
The Courier sighed and bowed her head.
"Will you come back? Please?" she asked, not looking at him. "I don't think I can do this without you."
"Do what without me?"
She laughed, involuntarily.
"Fuck, pick something. Look," she gestured, "everything right now seems like it's heading somewhere really bad. And I think there are a lot of people relying on me, but the thing is they're all relying on me to do different things and I can't figure out who's right. Fuck." She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes.
"Shit, I'm so fucking whiny lately. Maybe you're right about talking to someone. I don't know."
Boone was looking at her, brow faintly creased. It might have been concern, but it also might have been waiting for her to get to the point. She gathered herself.
"Anyway, I came up with a plan to take out Caesar, and I actually specifically need your help with it. You interested?"
"Tell me about it."
"Well, Cass and Veronica and I are going to dress like slaves, and we're going to need you to dress like a legionnaire and get us inside the Fort. Then, when we're inside, we split into teams and kill everyone."
"You want me to wear Legion armour?"
"Yeah I know. Sorry. It's just our best chance to get as many people in as possible. It only has to be for maybe an hour. Please? You're the only one who can realistically do it. I mean, we can't disguise Lily at all, I don't think they let ghouls in the Legion, and I'd rather keep Arcade out of serious combat. Rex can probably come though."
Boone looked at her for a long time. It felt like he was measuring her somehow.
"Okay," he said at last.
"Thank you," the Courier said, smiling in relief. "So much. Hey, about Bitter Springs-"
"No." Boone stood, ready to leave.
"What?"
"Not interested in talking about that right now. Later. Maybe."
"Oh. Okay. Sorry. Then, uh, you get some rest here, I'll go pick up the girls from the 38, and we'll collect you on the way to Cottonwood."
Boone opened the door.
"It's good to see you again," he said, looking out into the daylight. "This place is..." he didn't finish, just went out and closed the door behind him.
The Courier looked at the door a long time, then got up and started to gather the few things she'd brought with her. It was a long walk to the Strip and back before dark.
