Thank you to the readers... :D

"Dedric!" Aida screamed rushing towards the terminal where Ulysses stood with her back to her only to have the chain around her waist tighten and pull her backwards causing her to land on her back, hard. She hurried to her feet yanking the chain trying to free herself from its hold. "You can't do this!"

Ulysses walked towards her and pushed her back causing her to trip over her own feet and fall flat on her back. He climbed on top of her pinning her down and pulling the syringe from his jacket, using his teeth to pull off the cap.

"No!" Aida cried jerking her head back and forth trying to stop him from having access to her neck.

Instead Ulysses jammed the needle into her arm causing Aida to screech out in pain.

Her heart began beating quickly, the fear of what he had just gave her causing her to become frantic, her breathing picked up as Ulysses stood up and tossed the needle aside. He hauled Aida up from the ground as her eyes became heavy and she began drifting away.

Dedric's hand wrapped around his stomach as he slid down the rocky wall of the cave next to the Death Claw that had just nearly killed him, the leather of the armor under the bullet proof vest had melted to his stomach where ED-E had hit him. His face pale and the short facial hair from not being able shave for the last few days was caked with dirt and mud from The Divide. His breath hitched as he attempted to push himself up off the ground taking the rounds next the NCR soldier with him as he left. He limped through The Divide, escaping death around every corner and ruined building, towards the bunker that his pipboy guided him to. He carefully slipped through the door and made his way through the large building, opening what doors he could trying to find Aida. He stumbled towards an old clouded window, wiping it with his hands, he peered through it to see Aida unconscious on a large table her hand dangling off the table and her fingers brushing the floor. He hurried to the terminal rubbing his face to try and clear the fogginess out of his vision so he could see the monitor clearly.

He punched the wall next to the terminal, when the sixth password he entered had been incorrect, quickly regretting it when his knuckles broke open and the warm thick crimson fluid flooded over onto his fingers. He studied the words on the screen, his hands shaking as he attempted another password. He could barely keep his hands steady as he took his time entering the word not wanting to have to try to unlock the terminal again because he entered the wrong letter.

The door hissed open next to him and he hurried through it leaving the terminal open. He pushed Aida's hair away from her face with a shaky hand. He could hear her breathing through the mask, letting out a sigh that at least Ulysses had enough humanity to give her a mask and stop her from getting radiation poisoning. He shook his hands, trying to get rid of the shakes, before he wrapped his hand under the back of Aida's neck and pulled her head up.

She groaned slowly opening her eyes to see Dedric. She closed them tightly shut again trying to clear her fogged mind. "Dedric?" she mumbled trying to make out a clear image of the man.

He nodded pulling her into a tight embrace.

"You reek!"

He chuckled letting her go and helping her sit up right onto the table.

Aida's jaw dropped as she looked at the state that he was in, he more than likely had radiation poisoning, his face covered in scratches and gashes, his vest had multiple bullet punctures and his hand was dripping blood from his finger tips. She hurried off the table, Dedric catching her as her legs went weak.

"Sit down." He breathed pushing her back towards the table.

"No you sit down." She pushed his hands away and steered him towards the table.

"I have to get to Ulysses."

"It can wait for a moment." She glared at him pushing him down onto the table. His breath hitched when she began pulling at the armor carefully removing it. His body under the armor wasn't any better, he had multiple bullet wounds and she could see where he had dug them out with his combat knife.

Dedric screamed and grabbed her arms as she tried to pull the leather armor down to see what damage was done to chest. "It's melted."

"Melted?" Aida gave him a concerned look, running her hand across his face and causing her palm to pull off a thin layer of dirt. "I can't help you with that until we get back to the Mojave. I don't have my kit with me."

"I'll be fine." He groaned as he tried to push himself up off the table.

She pushed him back down. "At least let me patch what I can."

"I got it." Aida called as the container hissed open.

Dedric looked up from where he stood, trying his best to put on the new riot gear that Aida had found.

"ED-E!" She smiled putting her hands on each side of the eye bot and pushing her cheek against the cool metal. The eye bot gave her a happy beep.

Dedric dumped a bottle of water onto his face, scrubbing the stubble the best he could with his fingers trying to free the dirt and blood from it. He still felt weak and his stomach was turning he knew he had the beginning stages of rad poisoning.

Aida grabbed the riot helmet from the table, using a cloth to clean the goggles. "Ready?" she smiled at Dedric as she stood on her tip toes and helped him secure the helmet.

He followed behind her as she walked towards the elevator. "I think he is just hurt."

"Who?"

"Ulysses. I think this place meant something to him or he had family here."

Dedric looked down at the ground.

"I think if you could just talk him this wouldn't have to end with either of you dying." She frowned grabbing his hand and giving it a tight squeeze.

He looked down at her. "I'm smiling." He looked away. "Just thought I would clarify that since you can't see my face."

She laughed resting her head against his arm.

They both looked up when the doors hissed open, Dedric tightening on Aida's hand when he saw Ulysses with his back to them.