CHAPTER 21: Kazdin Meets the Devil

Morning came swiftly to an aching Craig Boone as his body shuffled from his uncomfortable position, head lying on Kazdin's pillow, body hunched forward in an already uncomfortable chair as he subconsciously struggled not to snore, not that it would have mattered.

He closed his eyes suddenly, wincing at the pain lashing through his back, an inevitable sign that his muscles were thickening from four days sleeping hunched over next to Kazdin. He cursed his body softly.

"Damn… hurts." Boone mumbled lazily.

"Hey." A soft voice called.

The voice was music to Boone's ears, having been dampened by grief held in check and solace spent in the silence of Kazdin's presence. Hearing her voice again was as if he had been deaf only to receive a healing touch and all of a sudden his whole world was ringing in sudden clarity.

His head bolted off the pillow… okay, bolted was a misnomer as his heavy neck, thick with muscle tried its best to protest the movement of his head. He grunted in pain but forced his body up to stare into the bleary blue eyes which were fixated on him.

Boone dropped to his knees, blue eyes wide with worry and took his hands from hers to touch her cheek lightly.

"Kazdin…You remember me?" Boone asked softly, his eyes searching hers for a trace of memory.

She smiled weakly at him and her hands left her belly to cup his, pressing their rough warmth into her skin. She nuzzled his knuckles with her lips as wet tears started tracing their way down her cheeks and, finding the obstacle of Boone's hands, were forced to find an alternate route toward their destination which was the soft blue sheets upon which the courier rested.

"Of course. Boone…my… my Craig Boone." Kazdin whispered.

Boone bent forward and kissed Kazdin's lips. Their mouths pressed against one another's and just stayed, hanging in the balance of the essence of relief. Boone's eyes leaked as Kazdin's were leaking, full of relief and joy as he relished their first kiss…their first real kiss unburdened by lust and the aching need to bed one another. This was real, this was raw.

Boone gripped her left shoulder, accidentally causing her to start. Removing his lips, Boone carefully peeled away the right section of her flimsy medical gown revealing a large, red, black and purple bruise.

"I'm sorry Kaz- I…" Boone began only to feel Kazdin's fingers squeeze his tighter. He looked into those endless eyes once more.

"Hey, it's okay. You didn't mean to." Kazdin said softly, her smile returning.

"It's just…everybody has been so worried about you. I've been worried about you. I…I sat here just waiting for you to wake up." Boone whispered, his gravelly voice full of emotion.

"How long were you here? How long was I…" Kazdin started, but couldn't finish the sentence.

"You had a pretty bad head injury. You were unconscious for four days. I think it's about midday now, so nearly five." Boone explained.

Kazdin smiled up at him, awe and appreciation shining from her eyes.

"You didn't have to, that can't have been comfortable! Why did you do that to yourself?" Kazdin asked, voice rising with worry.

She was worried about him?

"I did it for you. I was so distraught that I felt like I just needed to be here when you woke up. I felt I needed to see your face, your lively smile. I wanted to be the first face you saw too." Boone said.

Kazdin couldn't speak. She tried to, only to clam up and turn her eyes away. Her voice was taken away for the moment and she didn't know what to say.

Finally she turned back to Boone. With trembling lips she asked the question.

"But why?"

And for the first time in his life, he truly didn't know what to say to the beautiful courier.

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The morning had gone well for Veronica and the remnants of the Brotherhood and the scribe had to admit, if only to herself, that she was pretty darn proud of the lot of them.

Every one of them was following orders, even the young troublemakers from her last training session. The wrath of the Lone Wanderer had pushed them in line and to Veronica's great relief, not one of them called her weak or stated any belief that she needed a man to fight her battles for her.

Papa Khan had studied his new foot soldiers and nodded, impressed. They had all gotten their jobs. Some were guards stationed at strategic points around the mouth of the canyon and others were placed on guard around the canyon itself. Still others were making a trip to Freeside to purchase much needed supplies for the camp.

Veronica had handed the trio of gatherers a secondary objective to observe and make remarks about what the Freesiders thought about the Brotherhood.

Veronica knew that Kazdin had stated that she wanted to be the one to explore the bustling cityscape and plant little seeds that the Brotherhood was coming back, this time as a helping hand rather than a hindrance. However with her leader and friend incapacitated Veronica knew they had to act now to at least scout the area while they still had the element of surprise, an element that was quickly slipping away.

The scribe couldn't help but sit down on a nearby rock outcropping and think about what had happened with her beloved Brotherhood. Her eyes moistened at the thought, her lips trembling.

Her Brotherhood had been a superpower in the Mojave before the NCR showed up and destroyed all but half of their total numbers, followed by the defeat of Father Elijah's squad at Helios One summarily forcing the Brotherhood chapter into a coma for close to a year.

Drills, drills and more drills was what her experience-gathering factor had become. Going out only in plainclothes to gather necessary supplies only when it was absolutely necessary was what became of her nightly excursions to the outside to get a breath of fresh air. At least, they had only sent her out for emergencies before she started questioning the Brotherhood's codex.

The more disillusioned she became of how the old ways were slowly killing her family, the more she questioned and hounded and pestered until the Brotherhood started sending her out more and more until she was nearly ushered back out the door as soon as she returned to the bunker, groceries and/or useless pieces of technology resembling scrap metal in hand.

"Here's even more corn and that Furby you wanted me to pick up."She had actually said to the elder on one occasion, only to receive a cursory nod of the head and a point toward the door.

Veronica had started speaking out less often, but still just as passionately as she ever had since then. She knew she was getting on the Elder's nerves but damn it, she didn't care. She would not sit quietly by while her Brotherhood died a slow and painful death just because it annoyed a few people she hardly liked anyway.

"Why can't we give to the people of the Mojave? We could make people like us if we helped instead of taking all the time."She had suggested to Elder McNamara.

"The Codex clearly states that helping the community in a direct capacity is not our mission. We must gather technology that the general populace does not want to give up."He had answered smugly.

"Can we not take on new members though? Why is it that we have to stay down here and let our population slowly die?" Came Veronica's follow-up.

"The Codex states that all members of the Brotherhood must be born into our ranks. We hold the technology we collect because the common everyday person who would join our ranks does not understand it and would use its effects dangerously." The Elder had supplied just as smugly.

Veronica's lips had creased into a thin line and with tears in her eyes she turned and left the Elder's chamber back to her bunk. It was hopeless. All she ever heard was Codex, Codex, Codex.

She had been raised on the Codex as well, but the more she learned the more she turned her back on the fabled Brotherhood of Steel guidebook. The others barely tolerated her attitude, but as she had defiantly spoken before, the Codex was filled with a bunch of 'closed-minded bullshit'.

The lockdown had been the last straw. She knew her Brothers were being hunted by the NCR ever since they took Helios One from Elijah, but while they could not stage an elaborate offensive against them, she knew that simply hiding out below ground was not the answer.

It had been when she was camped out at the 188 Stop and Slop looking sadly out over the distant lights of New Vegas that she had seen - and spied – on the courier from Texas.

Despite the barely contained giggles she had been forced to stifle when she had witnessed their morning activity, Veronica was led to believe that she was a woman who was respectable and who could help Veronica the way she wanted to help the courier.

That chance meeting had led to the thrills of friendship and the heartbreak of being let go, followed by the anger and passion that came with seeing her face again, only to be assured that she had changed and that she finally knew what she wanted. After Kazdin had saved her life from NCR assassins, Veronica knew that Kaz had been for real and again joined with her and carried on with her once again.

The battle of the bunker and the subsequent loss of so many of their members, many of them personal friends of Elder McNamara had forced the man to finally grasp that the old ways were doing nothing more than creating enemies and causing his chapter to fall very swiftly.

Veronica never had to visit a single settlement to try and get proof to convince the Elder. He had already known, fearful as he had been about it all this time, but the near-slaughter of so many of his personal friends had spurred him to take action finally and caused him to withdraw from his Elder position and rejoin the ranks of the Order of the Quill. A new leader was installed and almost overnight Veronica gaped in astonishment as all of her suggestions were finally being put to use.

Veronica had never said so, but she would always be in debt to the courier for not only saving her friends and family, but also for single-handedly ousting McNamara and causing all of her dreams for her Brotherhood to come true.

The reason she had never mentioned this to Kazdin while swearing debt to the woman was because she knew the courier would simply place a hand on her quivering shoulder and tell her not even to mention it. That was simply not good enough. She would face her debt happily in secret and remain with the courier because she had saved the lives of Veronica's most beloved of the Mojave denizens.

Veronica stirred from her pleasant memories at the sound of gravel crunching on the red earth behind her. She looked up and grinned at the intrusion that had relieved her.

"Hey Veronica. Umm, are you alright? I mean, I saw you sitting out here alone and…I know you're a big girl and can take care of yourself and all, but I was just wondering if you maybe wanted some company?"

The halting, shy speech with a slightly amorous touch could belong only to one person.

"Hey, Danny boy. I appreciate the thought, really. Come sit down if you want." Veronica said with a smile.

She could use the distraction. A distraction granted to her from such a tall, tan and good looking man…

Veronica shook her head and looked back into Dan's gorgeous blue eyes set perfectly behind those ever-present thick-rimmed glasses.

"You never did tell me why you seem so nervous around me and not around other women like, say Kazdin for instance." Veronica said by way of starting a conversation.

"Well, I guess it's because out of everyone here Kazdin is more like the leader…well, I guess she is the leader, but she just strikes me as somebody who wants to guide me and so even though she is pretty, she just doesn't strike me as somebody to be flustered around." Dan explained.

"And I do?" Veronica asked with a frown, her voice betraying hurt feelings.

"No, no it's not you. I mean you are so beautiful and its like you enjoy talking to me and that…it just makes me shy. It's like I don't know what to say and I don't want to say something stupid and then when I speak it all sounds stupid and all comes out in one big…"

Veronica placed a single finger to Dan's lips and he stopped speaking at the sudden contact. Veronica's lips broke into a smile.

"Calm down, Danny boy. You're speaking a mile a minute. I won't think you're stupid. I just want you to speak your mind. I mean we could be friends, right?"

"Yeah, we could be." Dan admitted with a small smile.

"Exactly. But friends need to open up to each other because friends want to learn about each other. Find out what makes them tick. If it's super personal, then you don't have to say. I'll understand. We all have those, but if that's the case then just say so and we can change the topic. I hope we can get past that one day, though." Veronica said.

She finally removed her digit from Dan's lips when she finished speaking.

"Yeah, I see what you mean. It is super personal. But I think I can tell you the basics for now. Maybe sometime down the line I can tell you the whole story but it's still…sensitive." Dan said softly.

"It's okay. I understand." Veronica said encouragingly.

Dan nodded.

"Well, you see, I used to be…a slave. I was a slave to a group of vipers until a girl saved me. She was always super nice to me and made me feel like I could be more than just the nerdy, shy guy you see right now. Her name was Pearl. Anyway, she and I parted ways a while back and I went into service for the NCR. But before all of that is to blame for why I am so shy around women that I li…well, that I am shy around women." Dan explained.

"You were a slave? I am so sorry." Veronica said sympathetically.

She cupped his hand in hers and squeezed for a moment before letting go and returning her hands to her lap.

"Thanks, but really, it's okay. Before we split, Pearl taught me how to move on and she told me never to be ashamed of what the past had done to me. She taught me to believe in the future. That today is what defines me. So I'm okay in that regard." Dan said. Veronica nodded.

"That Pearl seems like quite the lady. Whatever happened to her?" Veronica questioned.

"I really don't know. Well you see, some things happened. Namely my brother planted a bunch of bullshit into Pearl's head. He convinced her that I was a bad guy. That I was a liar and some kind of… Gigolo. None of that is true, Veronica. I have only ever…well, you know… twice of my own consent. But he got to her and one thing led to another and when Pearl saw me with Lola, she's a girl I used to like, over at Camp Forlorn Hope she got the wrong idea and things just got…bad."

Veronica nodded. She understood all too well what happens when mixed signals interfered with a growing relationship. She still missed Christine Royce to this day, but she had made her choice to leave Veronica. The scribe healed well, even if she still wondered where Christine was.

"Anyway, we reconciled and tried going on together as friends after that, but it just never felt right. I think there was still a bit of mistrust between she and I, and I had gotten into a big fight with her best friend and I'm sure there was a little resentment there.

"On my end, I was hurt. I don't blame her. She had not known me long enough to know any better. But everything just got so…loud and violent that I never really got over it until just recently. We finally woke up from camp one morning and we sat and talked to one another. We came to a decision together that we should just part ways with good memories, and so we did. One hug and about a thousand miles worth of walking the Mojave later, here I am, enjoying a nice conversation with a beautiful woman."

"Thank you." Veronica said.

She took her brown eyes off the distant rock face and smiled at Dan who returned it.

"So that's why you're so shy." Veronica said.

"Yes and no. I was shy all my adult life. I was born into a bad household that, if you don't mind, I'd rather just not talk about. That was followed almost immediately with being captured to be some ugly bitch's slave for a few years, followed by misadventures in love and friendship and it just seems that every time I speak to women, things just get bad and so I learned to just be quiet. Then things don't happen and I don't have to split with people I like." Dan said.

Veronica giggled at Dan's rapid fire delivery and leaned against his strong shoulder.

"Be nice and you and I will be friends for a long time." Veronica quipped.

"Just… be myself?" Dan asked softly.

"Yup. Just be you and I'll respect you. Don't worry, we don't need to talk about your past anymore. In fact, your story about you and your friend reminds me about my first love." Veronica said.

"Really? How so?" Dan asked.

Veronica was quiet for a moment, prompting a quick apology from Daniel. This startled Veronica.

"No, don't worry. It's only fair that I tell you. I was just remembering. It seems like I've forgotten everything but her face." Veronica said.

She was silent a few more minutes before speaking once again.

"She had long dark blond hair and blue eyes. Fair skin. She loved poetry. She had an easy smile for anybody she encountered, especially for me. She was so easy to like that after a while I began to really like her. She said she had always liked me and thought of me as a girlfriend.

"I blushed. We were so young that I never took a moment to wonder if I liked boys or girls. There was too much studying and combat training going on that it filled up most of our days. There was just too little time for me to wonder about my sexuality. So I just decided at 14 that I didn't have one yet. Until she kissed me. It just felt right and it took me in, made me feel like I loved her so much more.

"After that night, I felt happy for the first time in my life. We grew together since then, but it took a bad turn when it came time to decide whether we wanted to stay with the Brotherhood or if we wanted to leave. I couldn't imagine leaving my friends and family, but she was just the opposite. Her parents were so angry that she was a lesbian. Being a closed community, some members think that means that we are all obligated to procreate.

"Her parents were constantly on her for being gay. I mean, homophobic didn't begin to describe them. They hated me because I was her girlfriend for a long time. They called me filthy names and tried to force us apart. Didn't really work when you consider that the bunker was so tiny that we were literally together for the majority of the day. Plenty of places to hide too. And of course their separation attempt didn't work because we just didn't give a fuck and we visited and hung out together in front of everyone regardless. Can't say I miss the Royce's. Assholes got what they deserved." Veronica said bitterly.

"Anyway, the day came and all of us kids decided if we wanted to stay or to go. She was adamant about leaving. I argued with her in front of everyone, including the elder and her parents, who were actually pushing her out the door more or less. She said if I stayed then I was no better than her parents. She asked if I was gay or not. I told her I was never gay, that I just never cared about sexuality. She said fine and left. I screamed at her never to come back. It was a giant mess."

"I bet. I'm sorry you lost your first love. That's horrible." Dan said sympathetically.

He squeezed her hand, mimicking what she had done to him. Dan sighed, but didn't remove his hand from hers. Veronica smiled over at him and, taking initiative, turned her hand so she could lace her fingers through his.

"I was so mad at her from then on out. I was hurt as well because I did miss her. I just didn't expect her to be so cavalier about it. I was hoping our love would convince her to stay, but after showing…I don't know what to call it, like, Heterophobia or something, I don't know… I just came to realize that she was no better than her own parents, exactly what she accused me of. She said I was more or less a Homophobe for not caring about sexual generalization. I think that was what broke the camel's figurative back. Since then while I still miss her, it's like if she came back and stood before me, apologized and asked me to run away with her…you know what? I don't think I would do it." Veronica said, shocked herself at just how far she had gotten over it.

"You wouldn't?" Dan asked, interested.

"No. No, I wouldn't. It's not like that anymore. I have other people I love in this little group and leaving you all would be a disservice. I don't know what I would do without Kaz. Don't tell her but if we ever parted ways again, I would never be the same again. And Boone…I never thought I would say this but he and I are best friends. I love the guy and he told me he loves me. He's like a brother to me. I could never leave this group. I mean I could, I guess, but I don't want to." Veronica said.

The revelations were so peaceful to her ears. It was like with every confession Veronica was feeling the weight of the world slipping from her shoulders for the first time in years.

She found Daniel's fingers squeezing her own. She squeezed back, enjoying the feeling of his large, rough hands.

"This has been a wonderful little talk, Danny boy. Thank you." Veronica said looking back into his eyes.

"The day's not over yet. Is there a…a reason it has…to end right now?" Dan asked, looking at her from under his brows, his face red and tilted toward the ground.

Veronica nudged his face to look at her with her unoccupied hand, placing her finger just below his chin and pushing up gently.

"Are you asking me on a date?" Veronica asked coyly.

Dan started to stammer, only to stop speaking for a moment with no small trace of bravery and look at her eyes again. The way they seemed to smile at him by themselves.

"I hear Bonnie Springs at the mouth of the camp is lovely at sunset." Dan said with a smile.

Veronica smiled back at him, her eyes crinkling in the corners. She squeezed his hand again.

"I'm there. You bring the picnic this time Danny boy." Veronica said happily.

Dan's heart did a little flip in his chest at the prospect of hanging out in a more intimate capacity with the beautiful scribe.

"You've got it. I'll go prepare things and give my unit their orders. I'll finish up business and I'll see you at the pond about…" Dan wondered aloud.

Veronica thought for a moment.

"7:00?" she suggested.

Dan nodded. It would give him three hours to prepare everything and make sure his group of Brotherhood recruits knew what they were to be doing that evening.

"Perfect." Dan said before standing up and wishing Veronica well before he moved to complete the day's responsibilities.

Veronica sighed happily before rising to do the same.

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"I… I want to get up. I'm sure everybody is worried about me."

Boone shook his head, placing a gentle hand on her much healthier right shoulder.

"That isn't advisable, Kaz. Andrew said that his wife really should run some tests on you to make sure you can handle to strain."

Kazdin pursed her lips in thought, trying to bring a clear picture of who this new person was. She gave up when no recognition presented itself through the veil-like fog that her brain seemed to be under.

"Andrew?" she wondered aloud.

Boone mentally kicked himself.

"Sorry. Andrew Ross. He is one of the Khans, a leading advisor to this tribe's chief. I think I'll let him tell you his story himself though. It is an interesting one, I'll give him that." Boone explained.

Kazdin struggled to rise to a sitting position only for Boone to put a bit more pressure on her shoulder to try and discourage further movement. Kazdin sighed in frustration.

"Craig, let me up! Please?" Kazdin said, irritably.

Boone wanted to stand his ground for the stubborn courier's sake, but the look of determination that was set in her eyes told him that she had had quite enough of lying in that cot.

"Craig," she said, softer this time, "I know you are only trying to protect me, to do what you think is best. But I have been cooped up in this bed for five days. My back is killing me and my neck is stiff. I have a bit of cabin fever, but please, don't worry about me."

Boone still looked unsure, but his hand moved from her uninjured shoulder back to his lap as he stood. Kazdin smiled at him.

"Besides, you'll be there if I get woozy and fall down. You can catch me." Kazdin said with a pretty smile. Boone smiled back and rose.

"Help me up, please." Kazdin said, offering him a hand.

Boone took it within his and he held her steady while she got her feet back under her. Her legs ached quite a bit as their muscles started the process of atrophy. She wasn't crippled by any means, but the sting in her calves and thighs made her hiss with pain.

Boone looked into her eyes, the obvious question made known to Kaz when she looked into the rugged blue orbs.

"I'm okay. Just some pain in my legs. I'm a little dizzy, but I can stand." Kaz reported.

She tentatively let go of the safety bar that was Boone's solidly muscled arm. It was warm and hard, bulging with power and Kazdin found herself to be turned on.

She was more than a little reluctant to let go of Boone's appendage, but she found herself standing on her own volition, albeit slightly shaky. Boone kept his hand nearby her lower back, just in case.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this walking thing." Kazdin beamed happily.

"Just… just take it easy. I don't want to take you back broke." Boone said.

Kazdin giggled at his attempt at humor. She certainly appreciated the gesture that he wasn't being a wet hen about her. For him to do so would smother her, and the idea of that did not turn her on. Thankfully he was being supportive, but not overbearing.

"I got it." Kazdin answered, taking a few halting steps toward the tent flap.

She was only slightly unsteady, but she picked it up quickly and in no time at all was hopping, testing her weight on both legs and walking forward and backward and sideways. She pronounced herself ready and reached for the tent flap that would lead her outside to the unexplored, at least to her, settlement of Red Rock canyon.

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Red Rock canyon was bustling more or less as the clock neared 7:00 pm. Veronica said her goodbyes to her troupe and a couple of curious Khans who were chatting amicably with the scribe as she regaled them with tales of her Brotherhood.

As she strode away from the training area she nodded hello to Senior Knight Lorenzo as he approached her, his group having dispersed upon their return.

"Hey Lorenzo. Welcome back. How was your trip?" Veronica asked, a smile on her lips.

"Well, it wasn't a vacation. A few dozen geckos and a pack of coyotes stood in our way, but we got through alright and we raided the safe house's inventory for our stockpile. We came away with dozens of plasma and laser weaponry and of course our heavy weapon. A few more suits of power armor too. We have one reserved and waiting for you, even." Lorenzo reported.

"Aww, you shouldn't have. You know just what to get a lady who has everything, don'tcha?" Veronica quipped wittily.

Lorenzo laughed and nodded.

"I guess that's one way of saying it. Say, where is Kazdin so I can give her my report too?" Lorenzo asked, cocking his head slightly.

Veronica sighed. The light of a nearby freshly built campfire flickered across her face, leaving a bright orange glow to her white skin.

"She is resting in the medical tent. She sustained a good hit to her head and we are all waiting for her to wake up." Veronica replied. Lorenzo nodded.

"That is unfortunate. I wish her a speedy recovery." Lorenzo said melancholy.

"As do we all, brother." Veronica said.

She flashed him a sad smile before continuing on toward the Brotherhood Remnants' camp. She returned just in time to see the foreboding silhouette of Stella Mayford approaching in the distance. A few yards behind her, two more shadows were making their way toward them.

She looked curiously toward Sunny Smiles who shrugged in reply. Getting to her feet, the redhead approached the recon armor clad scribe.

"You know what this is? Any idea?" Veronica asked, staring off into the distance as the trio of dark figures grew nearer.

"Not really. Stella went missing a day ago, so that tall one is probably her. But no idea who the other two are. None whatsoever." Sunny replied, her own eyes trained on the approaching figures.

Veronica was silent for a moment.

"Should we train our snipers on them? Just in case?" Sunny asked, her voice taking on a harder edge. Veronica looked back at her.

"No. Just keep our weapons ready. We should be safe by sheer numbers alone, but some people are brave." Veronica answered.

"Or crazy." Sunny retorted. Veronica smiled at that and agreed.

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Kazdin made her way down the slope at a moderate pace. Her need to see her companions again and assure them that she was safe pleaded with her brain to quicken her gait, but at the same time the last thing she wanted to do was to risk more injury.

She finally approached her allies' camp only to find a loose conglomerate of Paladins and Scribes focusing their attention on the mouth of the cave. She noticed Veronica and Sunny speaking to Stella. There were two figures flanking the tall, well-muscled former Ranger as well, but Kazdin didn't recognize them.

She looked to Boone who shrugged. He palmed his 10mm submachine gun with a questioning look on his face.

"No. Just be ready." Kazdin said.

He nodded and approached the camp alongside Kazdin.

Several Paladins nodded at her or offered kind words expressing their joy at seeing her up and about. Kazdin nodded, smiled, spoke or shook hands with everyone who engaged her, but kept her answers short and sweet as she made her way to the mouth of the canyon.

"I don't know who you think you are Stella, but how can we trust two complete strangers? I think you are putting this group at more risk than you know." Veronica said.

By the tone of her voice she was obviously miffed with the former Ranger in question.

"I already told you, Andrew…" Stella began only to be cut off by one of the figures in black.

She held a helmet underneath her arm. Her hair was shorn except for two tufts on either side, shaped upward to resemble horns.

"Alright, listen bitch, we don't need to stand here and be talked about. You have a problem, you talk to me. We came to help your team and all we get is criticized. You need to cut that shit out."

"Hey!" Kazdin called out from a couple yards away from her friends and the two newcomers.

They all turned to look at her. The people she knew looked startled and happy to see Kazdin. The newcomer with the uncovered head scoffed at her, crossing her well-defined arms across her ample chest.

Veronica and Sunny immediately sprinted toward Kazdin and they both wrapped their arms around her hospital gown covered form, gently hugging her as they surrounded her with their warmth.

"Oh my God, Kaz! I am so happy you are safe and awake. How do you feel?" Veronica gushed as she buried her nose in Kazdin's heady black hair.

"You've been out cold for days now, are you sure you aren't severely injured? Can you remember us?" Sunny asked as soon as Veronica was finished speaking.

Her friends' worry and relief to see her warmed Kazdin's heart with happy awe. She smiled and kissed both women on the cheek as she returned their hugs.

"I am safe ladies. I feel a little like shit, I can't lie. My back and neck are stiff, I have a major headache and my legs hurt…But I am still alive and well. I will be fine guys, don't worry. And yes, Sunny, I still remember both of you. All of you. How could I forget my best friends?" Kazdin said with a loving smile.

After a few exclamations of relief Kazdin separated from them. She turned and regarded the two new ladies with an even look.

"You kind of walked into a stiff situation." Veronica said.

"Yeah. Stella saw fit to leave without saying anything and she brought back a couple…friends." Sunny supplied helpfully.

Kazdin nodded.

"Kaz, do you think you can handle the stress? We can take care of this if you want to…" Veronica offered, her worry apparent.

"No. If nothing else, I miss leadership responsibility. I'll take care of this." Kazdin said.

She set her features to the sharpness she used when she was being Kaz the Leader, rather than the Friend.

She approached the two women warily. She looked to Stella and offered a hand. Stella took it firmly and a smile moved across her lips.

"It's good to see you in one piece." Stella said. Kazdin smiled back at her.

"Albeit, a bruised, painful, stitched back together piece. But one piece nevertheless." Kazdin quipped. Stella laughed.

"It's good to have you back." Stella said genuinely, releasing the courier's hand.

"Thanks. I could say the same to you. Why did you feel the need to leave?" Kaz asked.

"Andrew told me about a contact of his. I wanted to get a jump on our recruitment. I remember you saying you wanted better soldiers to add to our ranks." Stella said. Kazdin was silent long enough for Stella to allow a sting of guilt to enter her mind.

"I was just trying to help." The ex-Ranger said softly, a hint of sadness creeping into her voice.

"No, don't worry. It's okay, I'm not mad at anybody. I appreciate you taking the initiative. Thank you. But I would rather you take somebody with you, just in case next time. I'd hate for anything to happen to my favorite Ranger. At least until I have the chance to kiss her." Kazdin said with a wink and a grin.

Stella nodded her head with a chuckle of her own.

"We'll see about that." Stella challenged.

"Even you have to sleep sometime. I'll get ya one day." Kazdin said.

Stella clapped her larger hand upon Kazdin's undamaged right shoulder.

"Stella, you're a grown woman. No need to be sorry. It really is okay. I just want you to be safe. You are absolutely free to come and go as you please unless whatever it is places the rest of us in danger. We're good, okay?" Kazdin reiterated. Stella nodded firmly.

"No problem. I appreciate it." The taller woman said.

"Anytime."

Kazdin smiled and winked again at Stella before turning back toward the two women.

The unmasked girl was grinning, her eyebrows cocked up in mirth at the display she had witnessed.

The mysterious woman beside her showed absolutely no emotion, a quality that both intrigued and frightened the courier. She simply stared at Kazdin through her dark grey visor and she instantly gave Kazdin the creeps.

"Kazdin Willow. The Legend finally shows herself. I swear, you are all Mr. New Vegas can talk about. Gossip says you're building an army. From the reactions of your…counterparts, though, I would say it's more accurate that you are building a religion." The deeply tanned woman mocked, her mirthful grin widening.

"No religion here. Everyone is free to come and go if they want to. They are here because they want to be here. So…I see you've heard of me." Kazdin explained. She cocked a dark eyebrow in the fading light.

"Mmm. The headless specter of vengeance herself, in the flesh." The woman replied.

"If you've heard of me, you've probably heard I am something I am not. So are you surprised to learn that I not only have a head, but have built some very strong friendships?" Kazdin asked, folding her arms and staring unwavering at the other woman.

"You have no idea." The woman answered.

The devil-horned woman's friend moved not an iota, simply staring at Kazdin and nothing more.

"And how does that strike you?" Kazdin pressed. The woman scoffed.

"Honestly, when you think the headless specter of vengeance, you don't think hippie." She remarked, that blasphemous smile never leaving her lips.

It was Kazdin's turn to scoff, a half grin of mockery spreading across her lips.

"Hippie huh? That's what you call it? I see you're not one to take a friend for granted." Kazdin said.

The woman's smile froze and her dark eyes took on a harder edge.

The silence was thick while courier and sniper stared each other down. Boone was impressed. The Kazdin he had met what seemed like so long ago would have crumbled under the pressure that the obviously seasoned mercenary presented with only her look alone.

"You sure as hell have my attention." The woman spoke.

"Do I? Good. You are obviously protective of this woman, although she gives me the creeps; she seems to be able to care for herself. So you are obviously attached and you are going to look down your crooked nose at me for being attached to mine? We're the same when it comes to being 'hippie'. The only difference is that you are both obviously hardened, shirking the fun and frolic and friendship that we enjoy. Don't misunderstand me, I respect that. But you stand there in judgment of me while you are ignorant of the fact that you are just like me."

"I am nothing like you." The woman spat back quickly. Kazdin's grin deepened.

"Really?"

"Oh hell yes, really."

"Pray tell."

"For one, emotion brings weakness. You sit around and play kumbaya, but you fail to realize that your enemies will prey on your friendliness. If you are cold and hard as I am, as we are, then your enemies will turn tail and run, and when they don't, that is when you show them what they missed out on by not running – namely their life." The woman spat her venom.

"Emotion brings weakness huh?" Kazdin ventured.

The courier chuckled as she stared the other woman down.

"You are definitely a rock-solid woman who knows what she wants out of life. You obviously have a truckload of self-confidence. But you are standing there trying your damndest to be intimidating. But you know something, for all your disdain toward friendship and your spoken belief that emotion is weakness, for some odd reason you don't fucking scare me in the slightest."

"Oh I don't? That's only because you don't know me. We have done our best to keep a low profile but here are countless bodies who could tell you just how fucking intimidating we are, except for the fact that they are dead." The woman said haughtily.

"When you look your enemy in the eye and survive what I have survived, then speak to me about intimidation." Kazdin spoke simply.

"Let's get this straight from the beginning. You better lose the fucking bass in your voice when you're talking to me and mine. I escaped death once. I ain't gonna give him a second chance. You want to talk to me about fear…"

Kazdin strode slowly and steadily closer to the stoic woman who stared straight into Kazdin's blue eyes. Kaz came to rest inches from the other woman.

"…I have the top-ranking Colonel of the NCR pissing her pants. I killed the party of Legion raiders who destroyed Nipton because the leader, some guy in a stupid hat and a pretty red dress slapped me. The Brotherhood has my back. The Khans respect me and they haven't even spoken to me yet. The man who shot me in the head ran like a bitch back to Vegas. I make friends like you make corpses. Don't fuck with them and you and me, we're alright. Fuck with them and you'd better hope to God your beautiful sniper rifles can take out over one hundred people. Good luck with that."

The other woman was silent and stayed silent throughout Kazdin's monologue. She offered a nod of her head.

"The Jersey Devil. She's Eagle Octavia." The woman said.

Kazdin nodded her head.

"Kazdin Willow. Good to meet you." The courier said.

"Well, I have to admit… you certainly don't lack for balls." The Jersey Devil commented.

Kazdin smiled at the remark.

"I prefer to say I don't lack for tits. Nothing says you need to compare a woman's toughness with a male body part, specifically one that is not tough in the slightest." Kazdin said.

The Jersey Devil smiled at that one.

"Ain't that true. We have a true feminist in the house." The tan woman said.

"No, can't say that." Kazdin said, shaking her head.

She moved away from the Jersey Devil a couple paces.

"Why's that?" J.D. asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Well, I don't know about you, but the first thing that comes to mind when I think about the word 'feminist' is some stuck up cunt who thinks that mere mention of the word 'man' is some blight upon the uber-female race. Thing is, my momma taught me to be confident and not to let anybody intimidate me. I guess you could say I done took it to heart." Kazdin answered.

J.D. laughed. Kazdin smiled.

"I gotta say, I loved that answer. I see your point." The other woman said.

"Well think about it. There is no need for half of the feminist women's viewpoints. Every other belief that they hold dear seems to be a bitchy protest against something. I believe in marriage. I believe in being a wife and mother one day. Maybe a long time in the future, but nevertheless. A feminist would cluck her tongue at me and insult me, calling me a slave to old fashioned male dominated blah blah blah, blah blah blahbity blah. Well fuck you, asshole, I find solace in the thought of being a wife and mother."

"Again, self-confidence is a strong point with you." J.D. quipped. Kazdin nodded.

"Again, you can go ahead and blame my parents for that." Kazdin repeated.

"So, where you from?" J.D. asked.

"You gonna tell me where you're from?"

"Sure. I don't see why not."

"I'm from Dallas, Texas. Lived in the ruins of the old Reunion Tower. It was a Brotherhood headquarters for the Texas chapter." Kazdin answered.

"That certainly explains it. Texan women are naturally tough."

The Jersey Devil was truly impressed and she did not admit to that easily.

"Well, I'm from a town called 'Enton in New Jersey. Used to be called Trenton, but the first settlers who emerged from the vault, I forget which number because it was so very long ago that I don't want to think about it, saw the highway sign which was missing the first two letters. So they just went around calling it 'Enton. My great, great, great, however many greats grandparents helped wall the shit out of a section of the homes to make the community and keep it safe from the various wasteland horrors." J.D. reported.

"Ingenuity was definitely a common denominator with our ancestors." Kazdin remarked.

J.D. agreed quickly.

"Well, this is our camp. Used to have a better one before the asshole NCR destroyed it. So we are here now in a transitional settlement. Welcome to our humble abode. You can have a cot in the main tent or you can have a sleeping bag, your choice." Kazdin said, turning and sweeping a hand toward the Remnants camp.

"We'll take a sleeping bag. We won't sleep with the general population. No offense, but we prefer someplace higher up and hard to find. That spells safety to us. It has always been that way. And besides, I'm sure not everybody would welcome us as open minded as you did. Or even worse, they would welcome us with open arms. That means they will ask a bunch of questions and, gah…No thank you." The Jersey Devil spat, grimacing.

"Speaking of which, Eagle hasn't said a word since we began talking. She okay?" Kazdin asked, taking in the black clad woman who merely folded her arms, her visor tilting downward ever so slightly.

"Yes, she is. She doesn't speak to anybody besides me. Her choice, not mine. She has her reasons, but unless she wishes to one day regale you with those reasons, I will not speak of it either. If that is a problem…"

"Not at all. We all have secrets and pasts we're loathe to speak of with outsiders. I understand completely. I was just curious."

"Well thank you, I guess. Most people are offended that she doesn't speak. Or they try to make her speak by just talking and talking without shutting up. All that does is piss her off." The Jersey Devil said, her voice dropping an octave.

Kazdin looked at Eagle Octavia. She approached a few steps closer. Eagle shifted back a step warily. Kazdin offered a smile to the woman. There was no way to know if it was returned.

"Eagle Octavia, it is nice to meet you. I don't want you to think I am trying to make you talk. I do understand. I just want to say that if one day you would like to speak to somebody, I am always here. As long as you guys are respectful and non violent, we will welcome you. I appreciate your interest in joining us and I think you will make excellent additions."

Kazdin turned and began walking away, not waiting for nor expecting an answer from the silent woman.

"C'mon, Eagle. Let's get situated." The Jersey Devil said, looking at her partner. She nodded and joined J.D. in following Kazdin Willow.

"This will be interesting." J.D. commented as she stepped into Red Rock canyon for the first time.

A/N: Just to let everybody know, my car has stopped working. It has something to do with the transmission. I don't know, I'm not a car guy. I'm a writer. I just drive 'em. But, needless to say my vehicle hasn't been working nor in my possession for a while now. I have limited transportation as it is right now. The reason I am telling you all this is so you understand why/if there are extended periods of time between updates. Don't give up on me ladies and gentlemen; I am still writing to my heart's content between working and surviving.

Also, I still do not own the Original Character Pearl. Ghoulmask created and adapted Pearl because she is a freaking genius when it comes to fleshing out believable characters.

I know I drop her name a lot on here, but aside from the fact that we are good friends, she is a very gifted and talented writer. My favorite Fallout story on this site so far, and no I am not being biased, is Human Nature. Her other series are really good, but my favorite is Human Nature. She has been a great supporter and friend to me, and it is my pleasure to talk her up and get her name out there if I can.