Sorry the last chapter sucked so much- I'll try to slow down and correct my spelling and grammatical errors a bit more this chapter. Auto correct is a bitch. At any rate I hope you are all enjoying the story!

Chapter Ten: Fuck You

"What?" that was all Charon could manage to say through gritted teeth, as his bloody fingers held the smaller being closer to him.

Grace was shaking a bit from the surprise, but she soon gathered up her courage again. Checking up on her ghoulfriend, she made sure he hadn't reopened up any wounds, or made his condition worse. A cold sweat ran over his chilled body but that was the extent of it.

"I'm fine..." he grumbled as he looked back at the other man, his eyes narrowing and reading him- wanting to make sure he was telling the truth.

Through the radiation and years of aging, he could see that the other was indeed telling the truth. Glancing to the ground and shaking his head, he tried to qualm his rage boiling inside his chest. It felt like a hot poker was stabbing him over and over, making him angrier with each passing second.

"You fucking left us," he growled, standing up and steadying himself on a nearby wall, "You left us in that hellhole,"

Roy frowned, "I did it to keep you safe," he was so much calmer than when Grace had spoken to him- as if he was a completely different person.

"I don't give two fucks if it was to help me! You were the only god damned family I had and you left me!" he growled more fierce than a feral.

There was a long awkward silence before Betty finally got between them and pushed Roy away from his brother a moment, "Listen! I know you all got some family issues! But it can wait! Look at your brother Roy! He's hurt!"

Roy's brows furrowed and he growled as he peered over at Grace before giving a nod, "Fine, but if she does anything to you-"

"Hush your mouth Roy! I will NOT have you hurting his girlfriend!" she was stern and her voice forceful. It was easy to see why he'd fallen for such a strong willed woman in the first place.

Roy closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of what was left of his nose, giving a curt nod, and approaching his brother and Grace. With a simple look over of the human he looked at Charon and quirked an eyebrow, the two of them speaking a language without words- one only brothers would seem to understand with looks alone.

Charon's eyes narrowed and then eased, before he looked at Grace, gave a nod, and a small hint of a smile. Roy's eyes widened in response, earning Charon a sigh and a head shake, "Alright, I'll trust her for now,"

Grace and Charon spent the next two days at Roy's hideout. Charon had been sleeping almost the entirety of the time, waking up briefly to eat, go to the bathroom, and speak with his brother. Most of the time the talking was yelling, and more often than not it ended with Charon passing out from being overwhelmed and too weak from injuries.

Worst part was he was still too weak to move, though his injuries were getting better, "Probably just the stress of everything dear, don't worry about it too much. Roy was out an entire weak after an injury like that, and I wouldn't be surprised if Charon is out for just as long,"

"I..." Grace stopped a moment and rubbed her eyes,"It's my fault... I should have warned him- we were heading this way to help get some homeless ghouls into the Tennpenny tower so they could live happily for awhile but- god I just feel so horrible he ended up this way,"

"You... came out this way to help some homeless ghouls? Where exactly are you from dear?" Betty blinked a few times as she brushed some hair away from her face.

"Vault 101 was where I was born but, I live in Megaton now," she gave a smile as she tucked the ragged blanket a bit more over Charon, letting the ghoul snore away peacefully.

"That's... a very long way from here- at least a good three days trip!" she was amazed that someone would come all the way out there for that, "We are the homeless ghouls,"

Grace followed Betty outside the recovery area where Charon was sleeping, "You mean, you guys are the ghouls? Wow, I'm surprised that Roy hasn't stormed in there guns a blazin!" she laughed.

"He did try once you know! Right after that horrible Tenpenny shot me in the stomach, and sent me into a dead sleep for almost two weeks- Roy was afraid I'd never wake up," she frowned, as she placed a hand on Grace's shoulder carefully, "He's not a bad person really, I promise you he just- he has a hard time trusting anyone anymore,"

Grace gave half a smile, "I won't hold it against him so long as he doesn't slam me into any more walls- I think I still have that migraine from a few days ago,"

"Really? Be careful dear, wouldn't want to discover you have brain hemorrhaging or something of the like," the ghoulette gave a worried glance towards the other's skull, "I know he can be a bit rough,"

"Like I said, I won't hold it against him, I've seen what slavers, and all sorts of people have done to others first hand and it's... unsettling to say the least," Grace shook her head, regretting it once her head started pounding again.

"Dear, if there's anything you need help with you just talk to me alright?" Betty gave an award winning grin. She was definitely the most beautiful ghoul Grace had ever seen, and it made her blush just seeing the other smile.

"Well, actually-" Grace stopped a moment and fidgeted, "Charon's been trying to teach me to- kill things- but I'm not very good at that... I mean bugs? No problem! But the more human they get? It's so hard,"

"It's never easy no matter how you look at it," Betty frowned, "But, perhaps I can talk to Roy about it? Or better yet, until I talk to him you can talk to Michael?"

Grace shrugged, "Isn't he a little bit err... shaky?"

"You mean cowardly?" Betty chuckled, "He can be, but he's amazing with a gun,"

"Well, if you say so, there's not really much I have to lose is there?" the wanderer sighed.

Grace missed again. Training by herself for the past two days while her companion slept, she was trying to get used to killing feral ghouls. They were just as human as a human in her opinion, only they had completely lost their minds. She NEEDED to get used to killing without the dire need to. Otherwise it would only cause Charon or herself to fall into dangers hands again- and next time? They wouldn't be as lucky.

"Dang it!" she hissed, as a feral noticed her sniping, and came towards her, "Shoot, shoot, shoot!"

BANG!

A shot fired overhead, and the ghoul dropped without another sound. Doing a 180, Grace turned to see Roy standing there- his gun cocked, and a frown coursing over his lips.

"Charon's been too soft on ya, you're weak," he hissed, "Heard from Betty you want help? Fine. I'll do it but under two conditions,"

"S-sure, whatever you say," she was amazed at how efficiently the other had killed the feral, without even a hesitant glance.

The room was very dim and yet he still killed him. The smell of rot hung heavy in the air, yet he wasn't distracted. The area was crawling with ferals- but he was unfazed. It was amazing.

"One, you're going to help us get into Tenpenny Tower one way or another," he nodded.

"Already was, but okay," Grace smiled.

"Two, if I say something you do it- I don't care if you're in tears by the end of it- got it?" he kept his look firm.

"Okay," she nodded, "Just tell me what to do,"

Roy knelt down next to Grace, and set his own gun down before getting behind her and lining up her sight with another feral, "Shoot,"

Graces hand pulled the trigger, and as she went to shoot the shot missed- the feral had luckily not noticed.

"Hmm, that's odd, I thought I told you to fucking shoot! Not knock the god damned gun out of our hands!" he yelled in her ear.

Grace tensed up, "I-I tried! I just-,"

"Did I TELL you to talk back you pathetic sack of shit!? I told you to shoot! Now- we're gonna line your god damned sights up and try the fuck again maggot!" he growled, as he set up her sights again, and they repeated the process.

Grace was shaking by the end of her second day of training. Taking a bottle of water and downing the whole thing in a few gulps as she held her pounding head in her hands. Training had gone on for 6 hours straight the first day, and a good 8 this last day. When she messed up, Roy would approach her again with haunting words and commands. He'd make her do the whole process over- and there were plenty of ferals to practice on.

"If your partner was over there he'd be dead!"

"You call that shooting? You'd be DEAD if that was me!"

"Ferals would be feasting on your corpse if I wasn't here to drag your ass outta the fire!"

"Raiders would have fucked you over in more ways than one and it wouldn't be pretty!"

Taking another few deep breaths she recalled her last few shots:

Roy had lined up her sights, perfectly aimed at her kill, and after several mis-shots and failures? She shot one dead center between the eyes. More gore and splatter than she would have cared to see, she nearly threw up each time. But each shot was perfectly timed and each shot was perfectly aimed. She had nightmares about this kind of thing the first night and now they were real.

A whimper left her throat as she shook her head and looked over towards Roy- who had concluded their training was over today.

"Not bad kid, I see why Charon has his eyes on ya," he took a drag off of his cigarette as he spoke, letting the flavor linger on his tongue before he spoke again, "You're a kind heart- and a pure soul if nothin else,"

"I hate killing, but I know it's a necessity if I'm going to save anyone," she gulped down more bile in her throat, "I have to find my dad,"

Roy took a moment to think before he spoke again, "I never said it was gonna be easy smoothskin, but... I do admire the fact you don't senselessly kill things. It reminds me a lot of the young Charon- ya know the pre ghoul one?"

"Hard to imagine he had a hard time killing anything," she half chuckled, her mood improving a slight bit.

"Oh yeah, cried like a god damned baby with his first kill, and even harder when it was his first human kill," Roy's smile faltered at that one.

"Oh," Grace's smile faded away when he spoke, "Who'd he...?"

"Radiation is cruel to the people it affects- and even crueler to the people it lets live," he sighed, "Some wither in pain moments before death- Charon had the decency to kill a human who'd been suffering from the radiation and was in excruciating pain. After that killing was easy for him,"

Another long silence followed, and Grace's brows furrowed in frustration. She'd had it so easy in the vault- taken everything for granted, and even had a set position as a priest inside the vault. The only thing she ever feared in there was Butch and his- now what seemed like- dinky little pocket knife. Now? That little pocket knife seemed like a much better weapon to have to face off against rather than go against insane super mutants, feral ghouls, unforgiving raiders, wildlife with a hunger for human flesh- yeah... the vault was a paradise compared to out here.

"Do you regret leavin that vault of yours?" Roy added after awhile.

"How'd you...?" se was surprised he knew.

"Charon," he shrugged, "The meds made him open his mouth a bit more than he probably should have, and I know a LOT more about you than I'd care to smoothskin,"

Grace's face flushed a deep red when she thought of what Charon could have possibly shared with his older brother. Hiding her face in her hands she could only fear of the escapades he may have described when they...

"No, I don't regret it one bit," she scoffed, prying her mind away from the sensitive moment, "I'd rather know the truth than be fed a lie,"

Roy let out a laugh, "You sound like this kid from a movie O' mine back before the war,"

"Were they as dumb as me about everything?" she half chuckled, and half spoke seriously.

"Oh, as dumb as you and then some," he laughed some more as he sat back, "See this kid was in a dream world, they called it the matrix, and when he had the choice to live in ignorance or learn the truth? He picked the truth. He put his life in danger to figure out what exactly went on in the human's real world- and let me tell you it wasn't pretty,"

"Sounds... kinda scary," Grace added as a shiver ran down her spine.

"Oh you have no idea girly, and that's not even the worst of it!" he smirked.

"W-what's the worst part about it!?" she found herself sitting on the edge of her seat wanting to know if she'd share the same fate as this said hero.

"I'll tell you some other time- after all, we need to keep some stories around, otherwise we may just end up shooting each other out of boredom," Roy twirled his cigarette in his mouth.

"I... highly doubt that Roy," Grace laughed.

"See, there's another thing you share in common with that character," Roy must have warmed up to her at least a little bit- since he slapped her hard on the back in a playful manner and began to bark out a laugh.

"Ow... uhh, what's that?" Grace bent backwards a bit to still the new pain in her back as she looked at him.

Roy gave a playful smirk, "You've laughed at your superior, and lived,"

It had been a week, and Charon had finally recovered enough to eat on his own and stay conscious. Grace had refused to do any sort of conquering mission without the knowledge that her companion was safe and recovering. Not that Roy minded too much- he felt uneasy leaving his brother there unattended with severe injuries. But now Charon was up and ready to fight- or at least he thought so.

"Charon you're still recovering!" Grace felt herself trying to keep him from going outside the room, "You need rest!"

Charon shook his head, "No, I'm not leaving you in HIS hands, to go ALONE, and take sense into the bastard Tenpenny- who mind you- would shoot you for being a 'zombie lover' faster than your pinky finger could twitch,"

"Charon! If you don't funny recover then you won't be well rested for our latter trip this week! I need you at full health!" Grace growled as she tried to barricade the doorway.

Charon gave a glare, "Is that an order? Is that what you wish?"

Grace stopped in her tracks, her heart thumping in her chest as she clenched her hands into fists, "Charon... you know very well I don't give you commands, you have your own free will, and your own ideas..."

"While I disagree with your words- if what you say is true- then I am a weapon. I am a tool for you to use, and a body that shields you from injury," his own voice seemed to waver, "If I'm sitting here in a damned hospital bed I can't-"

Charon was caught off guard by a strong pair of tiny arms wrapping around his torso. The faint smell of strawberries wafting into his nose, and the soft feel of flesh against him. He felt defenseless- he felt weak.

"Charon, I'm ASKING you to stay, you don't have to but... I don't want to lose you okay? You've saved my butt on countless occasions, and now? It's my time to save yours okay?" she let out a sigh and shook her head, "If I let you go out there, you will die,"

Charon leaned against the door frame and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, "And if you die it's on my hands and it breaks contract,"

"Breaking contract? That's what you're worried about?," she sighed and pulled out the small piece of paper, "Charon... I can handle myself a lot better than you think, you're brother's been teaching me a buncha techniques, and I'm-"

"You what," Charon felt his hands grip the door just a bit more tightly.

"I can handle this okay?" she gave a reassuring grin, before pulling away from the hug that had long since become awkward.

"Fine..." Charon sat back down on the cot, resting his head in his hands, "You win- but... you better come back alive okay...? I can't-"

He stopped himself from saying anymore.

"I'll be okay Charon," Grace smiled as she approached him and put a reassuring hand on his leg, "I'll be fine, and I'll be back before it gets dark! Just watch! When everything's a go? You can come back into the hotel and your recovery will be even faster!"

With that Grace turned tail and ran out of the room to meet with the others for their plan to get inside the building. This left Charon alone to his thoughts, his mind racing as fast as his heart. He felt the residual warmth of her hand on his leg and his eyes softened as he placed his hand over the top of it.

"Don't leave me alone like the last time you died," he frowned as he lay back down on the cot to get more sleep.

Grace had talked for over an hour with Roy- the plan? Go inside and talk to Tenpenny about letting the ghouls move in! Simple enough and didn't put any ghouls at risk for being shot!

Grace approached the gate alone, her eyes shimmering in the dull evening light as she rang the bell.

"We've already told you half a dozen times Roy, we are NOT letting a bunch of zombies inside!" the voice growled out.

"Umm, I'm not Roy? My names Grace," she spoke into the speaker, and a bit of a shuffling noise came back.

The voice came out a bit calmer after a moment, "Oh? Not a ghoulie then?"

"Nope! I just came to have a word with Mr. Tenpenny! His building is rather extravagant and I would love to see it!" Grace spoke with a bit of a perk to her voice, she wasn't completely lying.

"Hmm, I don't know... you might need to do some more convincing," his smirk was practically visible in just his voice along.

"Oh! Well how many caps does it take to get someone like me inside! Then again... a big strong guy like you wouldn't let a young defenseless woman stay out here all alone over night right?" grace tried to play the Black Widow card.

"Depends, how many caps you willin to put out... or how much are YOU willing to put out?" he laughed through the speaker.

Bingo. He was easy enough to reel in. Though she hated using her Black Widow moves, they usually paid off.

"Well... maybe you can find out after I speak to Tennpenny? I'm sure we can arrange a more... private meeting elsewhere?" she giggled playfully, and the doors swung open.

Once grace entered the doors, she was met with a few barricade sandbags and a bit of an open space before the entrance to the tower. People were walking to and fro talking to one another excitedly, others just doing trace, and still yet- more were training at the target practice area.

The man she'd assumed she'd spoken with stepped forward- a rather handsome looking man with dark hair and eyes- though his personality left more to be desired.

"Names Gustavo," he smiled as he approached the other, "You're... kinda young don't you think?"

He looked as though he was questioning the meaning of life as he peered at her. He was obviously expecting a woman a bit older than her. But he didn't seem to mind after a while of staring.

"I uhh, travel the wastes a lot actually!" she continued to play cute, "But umm, boy I'm tired... ad I really need to talk to Tenpenny so... I'll talk with you in a minute okay?"

The other stopped her, "What could be so important that you need to pass me up sweetheart?"

Grace felt her skin crawl- this guy was a creep amongst creeps. In her hurry to get away from him she blurted out, "I'm here to talk to him about letting the ghouls stay in the tower!"

His disposition changed immediately, "Tch, figures... how much did that ol Roy pay you to do this huh? I'll pay you double to off him, plus I'll give you a good ol fashioned sniper rifle! Come on~ It'll be much more exciting than letting a buncha flesh decayed, rotting corpses in here with the risk of devouring our bodies!"

He seemed oddly convinced she'd say yes- but Grace refused. Putting her hands up to her face she shook her head, and made a face.

"Oh no! I'm terrible at killing things really! I could never really kill something on my own!" that was only partially true.

He rolled his eyes, "Take the elevator inside to the top floor- you can't miss the old fart on the top balcony..."

Grace gave another nod and headed inside before the merc called after her, "Yo! If you do happen to want a good time you know where to go!"

Yeah, he was definitely a creep.

The inside of the building was a mansion. A chandler decorated the interior of the entrance hall, a few candles lit the room in the darker corners, several shops were set up downstairs, and that was besides the fact the building had three floors to explore- according to the directory on the right when you walked in. Grace was so taken in by the sights that she'd bumped into a resident. She caught herself and turned towards him with an apologetic look on her face.

"I am so sorry! I should look where I'm going!" she felt stupid by the fact she didn't see him.

"Oh no worries my dear! Just enjoy the sights!" the voice was oddly familiar... then it hit her.

Her eyes glazed over the other, a white beard adorning his face, and his dark eyes brimming with the light of an adventurer, "You sound... oh... OH MY GOD! ARE YOU DARING DASHWOOD?!" she felt embarrassed when she'd realized she'd yelled that out loud.

"Actually, yes I am young lady," he smiled from ear to ear, "Always nice to meet a fan!"

"I love your stories! I always wanted to know what happened at the end of your one adventure in the caves! But... the radio never reported it..." she felt a little disheartened by that face.

"Sorry to disappoint you young lady... but even I don't know how that one ended," he shook his head, "I gave up adventuring after I was separated from my dear manservant Argyle,"

"You mean... you never saw him after that?" Grace's brows furrowed.

"No, I don't know where he is either but- I'm sure wherever he is, he's living it up with the spoils of an adventurer! He was a damn good one too!" he laughed at the thought, "Oh, if you do happen to see him while you're out in the wastes- can you give him my good wishes? Let him know I hope he's doing well?"

"Of course Mr. Dashwood! I'll let him know!" Grace gave a nod to the other as she continued towards the elevators, and up to the suit floor.

The interior of the elevator was boring- dull wood panel, and a red carpet attached to it. But once you entered the suit floor? EVERYTHING was extravagant. The floor was a polished oak with a red carpet you'd see in old Oscar picture books lining the pathway to the rooms. The walls were well kept and the paint was some of the first Grace had seen that wasn't cracked or that the wall paper wasn't peeling off.

Vases sat alongside the walls, and the oak tables they sat upon looked to be brand new- though she knew better. A nice pistol sat on a one nearby, and without an owner around? Grace helped herself to it. No one would miss it if they'd just left it lying around anyway like that right?

It wasn't long before she was met by another guard who- with some convincing- allowed her to pass through he door without any qualms. The man did however give her a nice little threat before she entered- saying he'd kill her if there was any funny business.

Grace agreed to not cause any ruckus that he would notice, and approached the balcony door- opening it to see a cocky old man sitting in a lawn chair and his sniper rifle at the ready to fire at poor unsuspecting ghouls. She took a deep inhale ans she looked at him with observing eyes. After a moment she spoke.

"Hello? Mr. Tenpenny?" she smiled as she took a seat next to the man.

"Oh, Ms. Grace! The pleasure is all mine," he continued his survey before he spoke again, "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting before now, but I've heard all too much about you, you know!"

"O-oh? So... uhh, I don't suppose you know why I'm here then?" she gave an awkward grin.

"You want those flesh eaters to come inside of MY building, and just for an FYI? I will not allow it!" he shook his head as he gazed through his sights again.

Grace gave a pout as she looked at the other, "Oh come now, pleaseeeeeeee?"

The man stopped a moment, "What would you gain from getting these ghouls inside my home?"

"Peace of mind- that's all I want," Grace nodded.

"Well then, when you put it that way... I suppose my answer just has to be-" he stopped to ponder his answer.