Kirksville

The warm spring time sun would have made for a pleasant day if the car hadn't broken down in the middle of the road. Hazel was laying in the back while Danse and Dogmeat both sat at the edge of the trunk looking over the road. You can never really know boredom until you've stared at empty fields for two hours straight. The two were out of caps, out of ammo, stuck in an unfamiliar wasteland with no weapons. Just plain out of luck. He crawled further into the trunk. Peering over the seat at his friend, "Hazel. I think we should go look for food."

She was barely awake, exhausted from the nonstop driving. She had gone for nearly twelve hours with nothing but her adrenaline to keep her going, she just wanted to get Danse and herself as far away from Maxson and Hagan, "Yeah…" she stared past him, that driven look on her face still hadn't completely gone away. "I'll be up. Just give me a minute."

He nodded and let her be. He wasn't sure how to take care of her. What she really needed was a stimpak from all the bruises and cuts on her, but the stress of it all, he didn't really know a remedy for that. He climbed out of the trunk and walked around the passenger side. The last of their supply was up there. Papers from the glove box for kindling, and a box of cigarettes. He heard Hazels door open. "We're just a couple of bums, now aren't we?" She laughed, trying to diffuse the situation. Danse walked back over to her. "You ok to go out there Hazel?"

"I can manage, these plain beasts aren't so tough. You give me a sharpen stick and I'll take on all the radroaches and prairie dogs,"

He chuckled quietly "I don't think it's smart to take on all of them,"

"Heh. I know… what do you want to do after that? Go off on foot?"

"We'll see what happens,"

She nodded. "Should be something around here we can use. You take the right and I'll take left, alright?" The two began searching for scrap to shape into weapons.

Hazel talked from the other side of the road, "I still can't believe we were almost there… the damn thing couldn't pull through a little longer 'til we reached the city."

"Let's just focus on getting some food, and planning this situation out."

"You're right, I mean, it could be worse."

"Much worse."

About thirty minutes later, Hazel was grinding away at a piece of scrap metal, attempting to forge it into a makeshift blade. Danse worked on salvaging anything flammable. She started humming to herself. Watching down the hazy road. Getting to Vegas was going to be incredibly hard now. Maybe even impossible. She watched as a single form began to emerge out over the horizon. She stood.

"Danse!"

He looked out at her. "Hm?"

A man was approaching them. Decked out in a faded blue uniform and sporting a hunting rifle. He stopped about ten feet in front of them. Keeping his distance.

"You all lost?" He inquired casually.

"Who's asking?" Hazel rose her pointy metal. Trying to appear as threatening as possible.

"I'm the one who's asking, obviously." He tilted up his sunglasses and smirked at the two of them.

As he stopped in front of them, Hazel realized he was a ghoul. That eased her a little, that meant he couldn't have been with the order or the brotherhood.

"I guess I should have asked why were you asking? Is that better?"

He smirked, "I was just giving you grief hun, no need to get defensive. The names Roadside. I watch this portion of the highway for my precinct."

"Precinct?"

"Yes, ma'am. The Missouri Highway Patrol. Keeping the roads safe since 1931." He tapped the officer's badge on his shirt.

"Are you trying to convince us you're part of some local law enforcement?" Danse scowled.

"Convince? Boy, I've had this job for 240 years. I don't have to prove that to you." He raised an eyebrow at the guy.

"Wow. You must really love your job," Hazel joked.

The ghoul laughed "as much as you can love almost getting shot by ghoul haters every week. Being this close to the Orders border you see a lot of that. You folks want me to give you an escort back to the station? We got a radio and some clean water, whatever you need."

"You don't think were part of the order?" Hazel looked at the car, their cardinal logo was painted on the hood in bright white paint.

"It was obvious the second I saw the broken-down Jeep. The order doesn't let their vehicles go dead. They love 'em too much."

"Listen, Roadside, was it?" Danse walked in between him and Hazel. "We've been through a lot in the last few days and we don't want any more trouble."

"Well I don't either. No one does. I don't know what you two have been up to but if it ended with y'all stealing a patroller car I can only imagine it was crazy, just come down to the station. My boys and I can help you."

"We don't need your help,"

Hazel stared at him in silent shock, grabbed his arm and dragged him to the side. "Roadside, could you give us a minute please,"

"Of course,"

She turned to Danse and kept her voice down, "Seriously? Let's go with him. It's the best option right now."

"Hazel, I've let you make the decisions for most this endeavor but I have to put my foot down on this. You're not in the best shape and if this ends up being another-"

"What just because I had a rough night you think I can't make good decisions?"

"That was more than a rough night."

"We don't have much of a choice, Danse. We're out in the open in these fields. If anyone other than him had come along just now…"

"Then what are we going to do when they end up pulling their guns on us,"

"We're going to have guns pulled on us no matter what out here!"

He went quiet. Thinking. "Ok. We'll go with him. But the minute I decide the situations gone sour I'm taking us out."

"That's fine… I really don't think this is going to be a problem, though. I have a good feeling about him."

"We'll see."

The two returned to Roadside, Hazel spoke first. "Roadside, we'll take up your offer. Thank you for helping us out."

"The pleasure's mine," He nodded happily "You folks stay close now. There's a lot of things out here that'll pick you off if you wander too far out."

The fields were quieter than death. It was like an expanse of nothingness for miles on end. Hazel had no idea how anyone could live out here. It seemed like the kind of place irradiated monsters would be lurking, like the glowing sea. Slowly, a set of buildings began to appear out of the haze in front of them. They had been walking for what seemed like an hour.

"What is this place?" Danse asked. He was helping Hazel stay upright, he didn't know why she decided to walk, but he wasn't going to question her preferences.

"Kirksville. We set up shop out here about 30 years ago, after the original station out Macon's way was compromised. Ah, I don't mind it though, being stationed in a ghost town has its perks." Roadside swung his rifle over his shoulder as they got further into the town.

"What did you mean by compromised?" Hazel asked, intrigued.

He looked out over the expanse, regathering his memories "way back in 2261, towards the end of the troubles with the Brotherhood of Steel. The police station was destroyed by knights in some sort of last effort. Damn. That was so long ago…"

Danse became much more interested in the conversation.

"You say you were part of the Midland war? I've read about that. If you don't mind me asking, how did it end?"

"You don't know? It was surprisingly simple. KC ended the quarrel by allowing the brotherhood to use their airspace for those blimps, long as they stayed out of the actual city,"

"So, the brotherhood has clearance… Then they obviously aren't trying to take KC, so the Order…" Hazel frowned.

"The Order and the brotherhood have their own quarrels, but I have to admit, they have helped us out a lot by pushing the majority of the forces out of the plains,"

She sighed. Even more happy she didn't blow up the Midwest chapters weaponry.

The group walked up to the old Kirksville police station, the building was the only one in town with power, the windows had homemade metal bars over the glass and a reinforced steel door. A beautiful shiny vertibird was perched on the roof. Hazel's eyes lit up.

"So, you said you two were from Boston?" Roadside opened the door for them. "What's the news out there?"

"Well. In a way. We are."

"Say again?"

"My friend and I had to leave because. Uh… we caused some issues with the local brotherhood chapter. It was a big mess. I'm sure its calmed down by now but…" Hazel sighed.

"So y'all got problems with the brotherhood and the order? No wonder you're trying to get to the Mojave."

Inside the station, a group of men in blue were playing cards. "Roadside," one of them looked up. Smiling "how was highway 63? Didn't have any trouble, did you... Who are these people?"

"Some travelers got lost on their way to KC,"

Hazel waved at them, Dogmeat was at her side, panting. Danse crossed his arms, even though he was beginning to trust Roadside, he wasn't about to be chummy with some rag tag 'police force'.

"Travelers? We don't usually get your types from the Northeast. Lot of people don't make through the territories," the one at the end of the table folded his pair. "Anyways, my names Hawk. These two here are Serval and Nuke. Welcome to Kirksville,"

"It's nice to meet you," Hazel was surprised that they were humans. She figured a lot of the people she met from here on out would be ghouls, based on what Danse had said earlier.

Roadside piped up. "I'm going to let them bunk at the station tonight and radio KCPD to let them know we're letting them inside."

"Inside? You think Captain Moore will go for that?"

"I'm sure she'll be understanding, they're just trying to find safe passage to the Mojave," He turned back to the duo. "You two come with me, I can get you some food, then patch up some of those cuts on ya, miss."

"Thanks…I feel like I just ran a marathon through a Deathclaw nest,"

The boys at the table laughed. "Honey, you sure look it too," Serval smirked, playing his two aces.

Danse set his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him tiredly. "Let me help you into bed,"

Roadside took them upstairs, the several rooms that had once been offices were converted into bedrooms for the four patrolmen. He took them into a room at the very back. From the look of it, the room used to be the bathroom, but the fixtures had been torn away long ago for caps. A queen size bed had been placed inside with a few steamer trunks. He took her over to it and had her lay down. "Hang tight okay? I'll be back soon."

"Take your time. I'm going to take a nap,"

He nodded, following Roadside back out of the room, closing the door behind them.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you two meet?" Roadside asked. Danse looked at him, getting past his ghoulish physique was becoming less of a challenge the more they spoke.

"I actually recruited her. Back when I was a Paladin,"

"Paladin?" The two went downstairs, "as in a Brotherhood Paladin?"

"Yes. We met because of the Brotherhood. She was… she was one of the best soldiers under my command."

"That's sweet. So, she was a good soldier huh? That's what you liked about her…?"

"Well. Yes, it was very admirable; all she did in such a short time. Then… after all that, when she finally left. They decided she was too big a threat to keep around," he cringed.

"A threat? She doesn't seem all that threatening to me, almost sweet even," the two went into the staff kitchen. Roadside opened a cupboard. Handing Danse a Nuka Cola. "What could one girl even do to a group so big?"

He took a drink before he answered. He didn't realize how thirst he was. "She was considered… unstable. By the Elder. Long before she had left, before I…" he sighed "he told me about how he feared her allegiance could shift at any time. Being that she always acted on what she believed was the right thing, rather than what was best for the Brotherhood."

"So, the girl gets rejected for having a moral compass. That definitely sounds like something the brotherhood would do."

Serval, after hearing them talking, went into the kitchen. Danse finally had a good look at him. He was a small, sneak type. Young, maybe the youngest of the group. "Hey Roadside, I just checked the radio. It should be ready whenever you need. I don't know if you'll get ahold of Moore herself but-"

"Yes. Thank you Serval. I'll make contact soon." He set down his soda. "Hey, while you're up, can you bring a stimpak to the gal upstairs, that's probably what she needs to get her energy back."

The young man nodded happily and left.

Danse raised an eyebrow, all the names they had for each other seemed rather silly "So do you all go by code names or something? I'm sure your real name isn't Roadside."

"Of course, Code names make it easier to keep our identity and personal lives secret. You never know who you're going to cross paths with. Besides, Roadside sounds much better and intimidating than Joseph Brown,"

He nodded "Sure,"

The ghoul reached in to a cupboard and took out a can of beans. Emptying it into the pot on the counter and turning on the stove. "So how long have you guys actually been together?"

"Well we've known each other for about three years now and- "he paused "wait. You don't think Hazel and I are together, do you? Is that what you're insinuating?"

"You two aren't? Wow, you could have fooled me."

"You really thought…" he was completely shocked "why? Does it really seem that way?"

"Well, you two certainly do look like a couple. And the way you stood in front of her back on the road. Not to mention the way she smiles at you, it's all so very… well. Loving."

"We may be good friends, but I'm certain she does not feel such a way for me. I don't think she ever wants to find love again."

"I'm sorry I assumed…" he quietly went back to stirring. Danse desperately thought of some way to change the subject.

"So, what's it like being a ghoul?" Oh, God why did I say that?

"Hm?" He appeared unfazed, like he had heard the question plenty of times before. "Not much different from being human if you ask me, though the immunity to radiation is nice." He smirked. "I guess the worst of it is the people hate you because your skin is falling off, I never understood it."

Danse restrained himself. Until he had met Hazel that he himself had believed that ghouls were just abominations, needing to be purged from a world that was meant for humans. It was so easy to forget their own humanity, just because they were called something different.

"You seem deep in thought,"

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be. There's just been a lot to take in from this… Endeavor,"

"Ah. I see," he poured the beans into an old tin bowl. "How about you take this up to your friend, I'll go radio the PD,"

"Thank you," he went back upstairs. In the back room, he expected Hazel to be asleep, instead she found her standing over by the trunks on the wall, going through them. "Hazel?"

She looked over at him. "Oh hey, you're back already,"

"What are you doing, exactly?" He set down the food and walked over to her.

"I was just trying to find something to wear other than this old tank and vault suit look, thought there might have been some clean clothes in here I could change into. I'm feeling much better now," She looked at the bowl, "is that for me?"

"Yes… Roadside heated up these pork and beans for you," he picked up the bowl again, handing it to her.

"He's so kind," she smiled. "See? I told you these people weren't any trouble."

He smirked, he had to admit, her judgment of people always seemed on point. "You were right. Now you should get back into bed, I can ask Roadside if he has any clothes to spare."

She smiled and got back into bed. Danse couldn't help think about what roadside had said. No, he thought to himself, she couldn't possibly love a synth.

Downstairs Roadside was sitting at the radio, trying to get ahold of the police department. He turned the dial carefully, honing in on their signal. Instead, a voice came through on his side. It was too static to hear well, "hello?" He called into the Mic. "Hello? Hello, this is Missouri Highway patrol base 9, is anyone there?"

"Yes, hello!" The voice came through more clearly, "this is Lancer-Captain Red of the Brotherhood of Steel, can you hear me? Over."

"Yes, I can here you, are you in need of any assistance?"

"My team and I are searching for a duo of rogues that may have been headed this way, a woman by the name of Hazel Jones and possibly a synthetic that refers to himself as Danse. Over."

Roadside paused, surprised, "haven't… seen anyone like that on the roads. We don't get many traveling out this way,"

"Have you seen any other vertibirds perhaps? Over."

"Just those from my men and other patrol chapters, I'm sorry, I don't believe I can be much help to you-"

The transmission cut out, guess they were done talking. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. he figured he should tell his guests that their friends were looking for them.

Danse had asked around with the other patrol men for fresh clothes, the men had a white tee and officer pants to spare. Hazel was changing back in the room. He waited outside, pressed against the wall, still absorbing the conversation him and Roadside had in the kitchen. He could hear rather speedy footsteps coming up the stairs. He saw the old ghoul walking toward him. "Mr. Danse?"

"Yes…?" He asked cautiously. His appearance gave him a feeling of discomfort.

"I just got off the radio with some brotherhood soldier that I intercepted while trying to locate the kc station. They asked if I had seen you two or anything suspicious out on the road,"

He froze. "oh… no…" he turned toward the wall and breathed. He didn't know Maxson would send a team after them. It was so unlike him to do that, but he supposed he wouldn't know Arthur anymore, being how long it's been. "You… What did you tell them?"

"I told him I haven't seen any travelers, and that was that."

He sighed. "I suppose that's good… God, what am I going to tell Hazel?"

Almost on cue, Hazel opened the door, "Hm? did you say something, Danse?"

"I…" he shook his head. He decided to just be outright with her. "Apparently, Roadside had just been informed by radio, that there's a Brotherhood squad looking for us,"

She frowned, "I meant to tell you."

"You knew?" He looked surprised "How? Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I'm sorry, Danse! I-I saw Maxson at the Midwest Chapter, they were restocking their supplies when I had snuck in… I tried to sabotage their Vertibirds but I guess it didn't slow them down,"

"Arthur is here? Jesus…"

She saw that shook-up look come over his face. "Do you need to sit down? Here, let's talk about this somewhere private," she walked over to him and set her hand on his shoulder, guiding him into the bedroom. She turned to Roadside. "We just need a minute…"

"I understand," she closed the door behind him.

Danse paced back and forth, "I don't understand this! What is going on, why is he doing this?!"

"Hey, calm down, it's going to be okay,"

"This is not okay, Hazel! None of this is okay!"

She jumped, feeling her heart skip a beat. He had never yelled at her like that. "Danse…"

He looked at her, she was taken back by his words, her eyes were filled with obvious discomfort "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"

She sat down on the bed. Arms crossed over her stomach, like she was going to be sick "Maybe I shouldn't have done this," She sighed, Danse sat next to her, giving her his attention in an attempt to be more empathetic. She looked at him, "I should have just stayed in the commonwealth, stayed with my friends…. And left you out of this, God… How did I figure two people could fly safely New Vegas?" She squeezed his arm.

"No," he turned toward her, "I wanted to go one this adventure, with you. You're my best friend Hazel Jones. I care deeply for you and for your safety, and if anyone can make it to the Mojave it's us. We're two of the best former brotherhood soldiers, remember?" He smirked, but Hazels brow was still furrowed with grief, he frowned, thinking of something else to say, "Maxson would have killed you if you stayed there, and… Who knows who else he would have hurt too? You're the general of the Minutemen. A hero to a lot of people. People that are willing to fight for you! If you had stayed there would have only brought more problems to the civilian population,"

"I don't know if it would have been like that," she murmured, "but thanks for the pep talk," Cautiously, she went in for a hug. He was surprised, but slowly, he put his arms around her too. "Do you really mean that?"

"Mean what?"

"That I'm your best friend?"

He smiled, "Absolutely," he let her go, she seemed much better after he had said that, "… How about we wait to discuss this until tomorrow morning?"

She nodded, "tomorrow... Then we can plan our next move."