Heidi put the magazine she was reading down when she saw me rise in the morning.

"Good morning Delaney," she said through her bright smile and happy eyes. The yawn I had coming on disappeared due to my smile.

"Good morning to you, Heidi. You're in a good mood." She got up and walked a few steps away.

"Yeppers! And you should be, too."

She smiled at my confusion. Just before I could ask any questions Boone walked in.

Nobody said anything for a while. Heidi broke the ice with the clearing of her voice, "I'll be outside guys."

Heidi left the room, and I slide out of the bed to meet Boone across the room.

"Morning," I said to him.

"Look," Boone began, getting right to the point, "I would have died if it weren't for you."

"Right." I said with my head tilted to the side, eyeing him curiously.

"... Right." He hesitated.

I laughed, "That all?" He looked away with his face angry as always.

His lips moved, but he mumbled.

"What?" I asked.

Boone gave me an annoyed and angry glare, "Thanks," he said.

I smiled widely, "You're so welcome."

We both stood there for a bit, not particularly looking at the other.

"Look," he started, "I need your help."

Right there, in that moment, Boone told me everything. Everything. About Carla, about his hatred for the legion... He opened up to me. The funny thing is, I had no idea why.

I'm not complaining though.

What's even funnier than that was the fact that he needed help clearing out an old campsite.

"Why, Delaney! What's so funny about that?" You ask? This particular campsite has been taken over by a rather large group of legion men. Now isn't that hilarious? Sure, I'm rather mad at them (mostly a certain frumentarri leader) but not enough to betray them this much.

"Heidi, I guess I just... Had to let off some steam." I told her, once she finally stopped yelling at me.

The moment we got back, Boone bragged about us defeating them. He said he was happy that his old spot where he and Carla would be together in peace was now safe again, and that he'd remember to take better care of it. If he doesn't, we might be clearing out some deathclaws next time...

"Blowing off steam? Delaney, that's horrible. That's like me being mad at you, and when an assassin comes up like, 'Hey wanna murder this entire family?' And me saying, 'Sure! Let's go kill all of Delaney's loved ones because ya know, I'll just be blowing off some steam!'" Heidi was yelling awfully loud. I was worried that someone might actually hear us. Though we were outside of Camp McCarran, I felt like Boone might be listening.

"Would you please quiet down? And no, it's not like that." I countered, growing tired of this.

"How isn't it, huh? That's exactly what it's like."

"I don't have any loved ones for you to kill anyway, Heidi! Shut up already! This is my life, back off for one second!"

Heidi's mouth was slightly open, and her eyes much more so; She stared into mine with them. I unclenched my fists, not even noticing that they balled up into fists.

Heidi whipped around, ready to stomp away, but instead she faced me again.

"I'm sorry if you feel like I'm trying to boss you around, but I'm not. I'm trying to help," she said in a cold, rather upset sounding tone. "Just... Keep your head on straight."

"Yeah." I said, turning my head the other way. The words, 'loved ones,' echoed through my mind. As a kid, I had dad. As a teen, I had Nick. Now... Everyone was gone. Heidi was here but I wondered if she cared about me. I mean, as much for me to love her like a friend.

"The legion will kill you if they find out!"

I looked up at her at the sudden outburst. Her eyes were swollen and red. Her cheeks were wet from tears. Did I do this? Did I... Make my only friend cry? Heidi ran away, confiding into Camp McCarran. The sun beating down on my neck made my queasy stomach churn more than before.

Adjusting my backpack straps a little, I decided I'd explore. It'd both be beneficial to know the area better, and get things off of my mind. But as I began walking away from the camp, someone grabbed my backpack.

"Wait, I was waiting for you." He said.

I turned my head and looked at Boone. His face wasn't down as it usually was. If anything, he seemed more... Uplifted.

"Is something wrong?" I asked him. Now fully turning to face him, his gaze fell back to the ground as it often was.

"No..."

I gave him an annoyed look. Why must he be so difficult all the time?

"What do you need, Boone?" My impatient voice accidentally coming up through those words.

Out of nowhere, he lunged forward at me. At first, my mind thought about putting my arms up in defense. Soon after though, I realized he was hugging me. All that I could think to do was hug him back.

"Thanks," he said into my shoulder. His tone was the usual monotone, uninterested voice he talked with. Yet, I still felt a certain genuine touch in it.

However, my brain was freaking out. My head felt like it wanted to remember something, or think about a certain topic... But it couldn't. It felt like when you're about to say something, and you spend all day trying to remember what it was. This wall between my thoughts and memory only vanished later in the day...

Heidi said she had to go to the New Vegas. Well, Boone said Heidi said that. I went and apologized after Boone released me because I felt horrible. She was hesitant at first, but seriously she loves me. How could she push me away? The same goes for me.

Boone, being good with the NCR, vouched for us (Well, mostly Heidi. I've been on good terms with the NCR for a while now due me to helping in the past.) which got us an action free adventure into New Vegas via the monorail!

We were walking up Freeside, the gate to the strip just ahead. Boone's eyes were lit more than usual; It must have been a while since he's been here. Heidi on the other hand wasn't as excited as I was expecting. I was about to ask her about it, but she spoke first.

"Thanks for coming with us, Delaney. This must be hard for you." I tilted my head, wondering what in the name of Hell she was talking about. But when we reached the Securitrons at the gate to the Strip, my eyes caught sight of the makeshift beds laying on the ground to the right. Seeing that it was night, people were sleeping on them.

It all hit me at once - the memories of Nick I've been successfully keeping out of my head. All I could do was try to force them back down and in the dark. But I looked at Boone who was digging around in his pocket for his pass. The wall of which was earlier blocking the topic I wanted to remember when I hugged Boone was suddenly broken. The epiphany came from my excited heart and raced through my body. The warmth reached the tips of my toes and my fingertips.

Boone was just like me.

"Boone," I said aloud. He looked at me with curiosity, but neither of us said anything. I knew his story, and he knew nothing about me. He couldn't possibly feel the attachment I so quickly created in that moment. Just as he has lost his last love, I had lost mine. We both despised those who took them away, we both felt lost in the world. But the I realized... The legion was who picked me up. I got my motivation from them. They were my feet keeping me held to the ground, never floating away into endless sadness. Heidi and I were Boone's feet, doing the same for him.

"You okay, Delaney?" Heidi whispered when she saw my doe eyes staring at Boone's confused ones.

"Great." I replied in a kind voice.

"Pay the fee." Beeped the Securitron. Boone showed them his pass like I did, but Heidi had a problem.

"I don't have the money to get through," she said.

"Haven't you been here before?" I asked her. She nodded her head.

"Yeah, not the Strip though. I came here to get into the Strip, didn't have the money, so tried to get some. I only helped the King though. Then I went back to Novac... And..." She stopped talking, and looked into the distance. I followed her gaze and assumed she must have been getting an idea. That, or she was really intrigued in the garbage building in her view.

"The King! That's it! He owes me a favor!" She exclaimed, and we followed her as she sprinted to their building.

How long has it been? And hour? Two, three? All I know is I've never seen Boone smile so much, and I've never heard him laugh so genuinely.

Heidi said that the King owed her a favor, and after a few minutes of haggling with him he gave her a pass into the Strip.

Boone and Heidi have had a few too many drinks here at Gomorrah, where we currently sat. They were taking their chances in Black Jack with some other disgusting drunks.

"WOOH! Winner!" Exclaimed a sloppy looking Heidi.

I blocked out the rest of their screaming. I pulled a stool to the corner of their table a while ago. Being an unluncky, prohibition type of person, I've been sitting here while they get wasted and loose money.

"Delaney," Said Boone. I looked up at his swaying body. Heidi was right behind him, yawning.

"We said we should get a room," he said with a few slurs here and there. I stood up.

"Great idea." I said, leading them out.

Best idea all night, if you ask me.

"Why," Boone started talking, but hiccuped before starting again, "Why didn't you play?"

"I have bad luck." I said, keeping my answers short due to my hatred for talking to drunks.

"And drinking?" He asked.

"I just, don't like alcohol." The stars were barely visible from this city. The bright lights from the hug buildings took up all of the stars light. Where would I look to keep calm now, if not the usual night sky? I might loose it.

"Hahaaa! Yeah, duh Boone. I knew that." Heidi fell onto Boone as she butted her way into our talk. She was definitely much more drunk than Boone.

"Why did YOU know but I didn't? Not fair," he said. I smiled at the childish wording.

Seeing them drunk made me miss the Legion. I enjoyed listening to them complain about these dogs and their alcohol. I was just happy that Boone and Delaney didn't smoke.

"Because," Heidi pretended to whisper, "I know more about her." She giggled.

"Shush, Heidi." I said, beginning to worry that she'd let my secrets slip out.

Boone was about to talk again when he walked into another person. Both fell back.

"Watch it, buddy!" Said Boone, already standing back up.

"Shut up, stupid drunk." The guy stood up, and looked around. He seemed to be searching for someone.

"Let's go, Boone." I said. This guy was wearing a fedora that matched his brown suit, but I could see that he was pretty buff. We didn't need any problems.

Boone's voice went cold, "You watch it." He probably thought that sounded cool in his drunken mind. Boone shoved the guy, and next thing I know, Boone was on the ground.

"I don't have time for you." He said. Boone wouldn't give up though. He was back on his feet, fists up.

"Calm down, Boone! Let's go!" I said, walking towards him. Heidi ran in between him and me though.

"Nobody hurts my friends like that!" She yelled at the man, fist flying towards his face.

"Shut up, woman!" He said, and without any hesitation his fist forced a left hook into her face. She flew down to the side.

"I told you I have no time for this. You should have listened to the only smart woman here." He said. Heidi was crying in pain, saying, "My nose! My nose, it's bleeding!" And the fact that Boone was still sitting on the ground holding his ribs told me that he too had been hurt.

"Hey." I said just before he walked away.

"You didn't have to get so violent. Learn some self control." I spat the words at him. He laughed.

"Self control? I'm not wasting my life by drinking, gambling, smoking, and fucking every day and night in this gross city."

The way he talked like he was high and mightier than me made my blood truly boil. Normally, in a situation like this, I'd have walked away with my head high. But this guy had hurt my friends worse than they deserved, and then he had enough nerve to sass me?

"You don't know me well, then, because I don't do that either." I reached into my bag that was on my back and pulled out my knife. Considering the damage this guy has already done, I figured a weapon was needed.

"Go away, or you'll wish you had."

Again, he laughed.

"I'd love to see this." He said, walking towards me. Whoever this guy was had no idea of my hand-to-hand combat skills. I was with the Legion for a while, that's their prime!

My left fist went for his face, but only as a fakeout. The knife in my right went and slit a cut across his stomach. He looked down with wide eyes.

"Imagine if I had the intentions to kill you." I said. That knife could have went straight through his stomach to spill out his guts if I chose to.

"You don't?" He said quietly, walking towards me again.

"Well, I do!" And he lunged forward. I tried to sidestep out of his way, but he knew it was coming. My eyes squeezed closed as he grabbed my shirt and ripped me towards him. I winced as my body made contact with the ground. His throw was vigorous enough to send me rolling a few feet away from him. My bag fell off, and I dropped my knife. He walked towards me, but picked up my bag on the way.

"Stupid woman, not so smart after all." He dropped the heavy bag on my stomach. A sound of pain escaped my mouth. I reached into the bag, looking for something to use against him. My revolver maybe? I knew I should have left it in the thigh holster. Maybe even my hunting rifle would work.

"Yes, reach for your weapons you weakling." He laughed and ripped my bag out of my hands.

"How many weapons you got in here?" He asked, soon holding it upside and shaking them all out. The mess of my stuff was now a pile between him and me. Both of our eyes looked at one thing, then each others.

My necklace from Caesar.

"The mark?" He asked, eyes widened. I used my elbows to hold myself up a bit. I knew this guy wasn't just wasteland garbage. He must have been from the Legion. Funny that he questioned that and not the armor.

"Who are you?" We said at the same time. I pursed my lips and looked away. I heard paper crinkling and saw his pull and unfold a note. He read it over, occasionally glancing at me.

"You're..."

I expected, "the profligate!" Or, "The traitor!" Maybe even, "the girl!" But I never would have guess the next two words:

"The target!" He dropped the paper and pulled a knife from his belt. I can't believe I didn't think he'd have one.

"The what!?" I exclaimed as he jumped up with the knife in both hands, and if I hadn't rolled away, it would have been impaled into my throat. Again he ran at me, and I leaned left. He assumed I was trying to dodge, so he slid in front of me. But really, I planned on that. Using the momentum from leaning, I sprinted to the right. I ripped my rifle off from my back and aimed at him. He was running towards me again, but froze when he saw his disadvantage.

"Stop at once!" Beeped the Securitrons around us. Boone and Heidi were standing back to back to back with me, making sure the robots kept their distance.

Shoot him! A voice said in my mind; My natural killer instincts I suppose. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I shot him, the guards would attack me. If I let him get away, he'll only return to the Legion and inform them of where I was. We were here for Heidi. She had work to do, I can't let them blame her in any way for this.

"Would you guys get off of me?" I said to Boone and Heidi. They both gave me a weird look.

"Who are you guys? Go away!" I said, winking at them. This way, no matter what choice I made they won't be able to go down with me. Heidi got it, and ran away giggling whilst still holding her nose. The blood all over her mouth from it dripping down was beginning to dry. Boone followed her, though not quite running. He continued to hold his ribs, practically limping down the road with Heidi. I focused back on this Legionary man. I threw my hunting rifle back over my shoulder and into its holster.

"Whatever," I said, crossing my arms.

After that, the Securitrons cleared the area. I watched as he walked away, talking about how weak I was and all that crap. What a disgrace to the legion, being so careless. He walked into Gomorrah as I slowly cleaned up the mess he made when he dumped my bag out. I made sure that the first thing I hid deep in my bag was the legion uniform and mark of Caesar. Thank Mars nobody saw them and flipped out.

When all of the commotion had died down and my mess was cleaned up, I nonchalantly made my way into Gomorrah. I could not risk him getting back to the Legion and exposing my whereabouts. After some time of hiding a blade in my sleeve, asking around, sneaking through hallways, and picking some locks, I finally discovered his room. He was fast asleep on the couch with a book on the floor. I didn't falter to slit his throat and made sure to lock the door on my way out.

Heidi was passed out in the chair, while Boone was in the bed. What a gent. I kicked off my shoes and plopped into the comfy and clean Vault 21 bed. Within minutes I was asleep.

A distant, constant sound of music was ringing in my ears. It was upbeat and fun. However, I felt cold. I wrapped my arms around myself when suddenly I felt something rough around me. I looked down at a thick cloud of dark green smoke slowly wrapping itself around me. I tried to touch it and found that though it was smoke, it felt warm and more like a solid. My hand couldn't go through it at all.

A slight sense of panic ran through me. It grew tighter, but stopped before it became painful. Suddenly I realized I was lying down. The smoke had created a bed under my body, and still wrapped itself around my waist. Eventually the music grew so quiet it wasn't there anymore. Slowly, my dream ended. But when I woke up, the solid was still there.

"Ah-choo!"

My eyes shot open and saw Heidi, groggy and tired looking, willing her nose.

"Morning Delaney." She said, standing up and cracking her neck.

"Man, that was uncomfortable." She yawned and rubbed her stomach.

"I don't feel so great. I should have-" she froze and looked at me.

"What the hell did I miss?" She asked, eyeing me strangely. It's only been a minute between being asleep and awake and she was already confusing me.

"Oh God!" She said, covering her mouth and running to the bathroom.

"Gross," I said to myself. Sounds of Heidi barfing echoed through the small room. I tried to sit up, but stopped when I felt something wrapped around me. Worried that my dream had come to life, I looked down. Boone's arms were rather tightly wrapped around me. Before I had time to even decide how I felt about it, they slowly slipped away. I couldn't help but blush and notice the slight tingling around my waist from the lack of warmth.

"Morning," I said without looking at him, and practically teleported to the bathroom with Heidi.

I've had dreams similar to that before... It's as if the smoke represented his arms around me. When was another time I dreamt of something similar? With Nick?

"Thanks," Heidi said before drinking some water from the sink.

No, no... Somewhere else...

That one dream I had with the ropes... They were around me just like the smoke was, right? So that's an example? Did I have these dreams when peoples arms were around me or something? I laughed out loud accidentally at the thought. The time I had those dreams most often was...

The scary man Vulpes Inculta crept into my mind. The time I had the dream with the ropes was when I was still with the Legion. Was Vulpes the one holding onto me during the night?

"You okay?" Heidi asked,fixing her messy bun. I nodded, and blinked away the thought. That just couldn't be true, could it? That cold blooded killer almost cuddling someone?

"I'm fine," I said, and we returned to Boone.