From Delta Ven made the decision to go along the coast to reach Ranger Station Alpha. Oddly, she didn't go to Hoover Dam even though they went past it. He studied the dam through his binoculars when they made a stop for the night. He didn't question her decision to camp in the open rather than go down to the Dam but he did wonder about it. She insisted on taking first watch.

He was having the nightmare again. They no longer started out with Carla. It was Ven that was broken, pleading with him…

"Boone.", the familiar voice cut through the dream. "Wake up. It's your turn."

He started up, staring at the dark face bending over him, the low light from the burned down fire barely illuminating her. He reached up to touch her, then jerked his hand back. She hadn't invited his touch since they had taken the Legion camp.

"I'm up.", he grumped, rolling over and taking up his rifle. She put her rifle carefully beside the bedroll within easy reach and took his place for the remainder of the night.

Early next morning Boone roused Ven. He had breakfast ready. Shortly after they moved on through the mountains. They moved along bighorn trails across the face of the mountains, following the river, watching below for any sign of Legion forces. It was difficult going and was after noon before they rounded the peak and headed toward the camp. It was Boone that spotted the small force on the other side of the river, preparing a river crossing.

One of the Legion caught sight of them at the same time. The ensuing fire fight didn't last long. Even as the last of the soldiers fell Ven's scream ripped through Boone. He whirled as the ledge gave out beneath her, her hands grasping frantically at the edge as she plunged downward. He lunged forward, hitting the ground, reaching out to grasp her wrists as her hands slipped free. He gasped with the shocking slam of pain ripping through him as he took her weight.

Boone lay as flat as he could against the ground, his muscles and joints screaming at the strain of holding 135 lb of solid woman and 80+ lb of armor and gear suspended in mid-air. His 195 lb of solid muscle and sinew was being stretched to the limit. Ven stared up at him, slowing her breathing, calming herself. Boone's hands clutched her wrists, keeping her from certain death on the rocks below, but there was no way he could pull her up. She couldn't get enough of a perch on the surface to help raise herself. She looked down, taking in the rocks below, the river a little farther out, a good 200 feet down. She quickly assessed the situation, her IU calculating angles, wind, force, distance.

"Boone.", her voice was calm and collected.

He looked down at the woman dangling below him, gritting his teeth. Her glasses had been knocked off, a cut running down her left temple, close to the hazel eyes staring calmly at him.

"Listen, you can't pull me up.", she said." If you try you'll just come over the edge with me. Your position is too precarious. I can't release my pack and the weight's too much .You can save me though. You just need to do what I ask. When I'm ready you'll have to let go of me."

"No.", he ground out. "I won't let go of you."

"What, are you Legion that you think I don't know what I'm doing?", she goaded. "Just listen. I have to shift my weight. When I'm in position I'll say 'now' and you push me out with all the strength you can muster and let go. Just don't go over, you hear? Got it?"

"Yeah.", he grunted.

"Okay, hold on, I'm shifting now." Boone grunted against the pain shooting up his arms, down his body as she lifted her legs, planting her feet against the cliffs edge.

"Now!", she yelled.

He shoved out with all he had, forcing his hands open, a sear of pain shooting down his body as he felt something give. He watched Ven flip out and back, her pack falling off even as her body twisted into a perfect dive. The water cleaved before her and she slid down into the depths with hardly a splash. He held his breath, counting, one second, two, three, ten seconds, thirty… Her head popped above the water and she swam toward the rocky shore. Boone pulled his arms in, groaning at the pain, and rose to find a way down to the water.

He finally found a rocky trail going down but hadn't gone far when he spotted Ven making her way up. She was soaking wet and had her pack. She had rescued it from the rocks where it had landed. He turned and made his way further along the cliff edge until he came to a clearing big enough to make a camp. Ven soon followed him. He was sitting against a boulder, his pack beside him, his rifle across his lap. Her rifle lay beside him. He must have picked it up from the ledge where she dropped it when she fell.

She tossed her pack down and knelt beside him.

"Let me look at that arm.", she demanded. He was obviously in pain. She carefully moved the arm, ignoring his grunts and grimaces, running her hands down the arm, wrist and hand.

"Good.", she said, relief in her voice. "Nothing's broken. It's out of socket though. Just lean forward and relax as much as you can. This is going to hurt like hell." He clenched his teeth against the scream of pain as Ven, planting one foot on his back, jerked the arm back into its socket.

"Now take off your armor. I need to massage those muscles before they freeze up on you. They've probably taken some tears from the strain." He wasn't arguing at this point. She helped him remove the armor and undershirt. She pulled the strange salve from her pack and began to gently massage his shoulders and arms. It felt warm and tingly, the pain easing away.

"How did you do that?", he asked. "I've never seen anyone pull a move like that."

"I grew up near a river. Everyone learned to swim early. Diving was fun so I did it a lot. I have to admit I never tried anything quite that extreme before." Her hands were firm and non-personal as they slid over his body.

"Who are you, Ven?", he asked. "Where do you come from?" Ven stopped touching him, turning away to put the salve in her pack.

"I owe you my life, and I expect I'll be able to pay you back for that sometime. But I don't owe you any explanations.", she said harshly.

Ven took her pack and rustled through it. "The food packs are broken so we need to eat them before they spoil. What will you have, the squirrel bits or rabbit?" Boone reluctantly picked up his shirt.

"Rabbit.", he said, pulling it over his head.

It was getting on toward dusk and a light wind was blowing up. It would get cold up here on the mountain after the sun went down. Ven was soaked through and didn't have any dry clothes. Boone considered their options. If they started a fire it would be like lighting a beacon for the Legion saying 'Here I am, shoot me.'

"I think Camp Adam is up this path about two miles. In this terrain it could take us a couple hours to reach it. Do you think you can make it, Ven?", he asked.

"Me? Sure. What about you? It must still be pretty hard to use that arm." Ven tried not to wince as she stood. The incident had left her strained and sore and now she was getting chilled and stiff. The wet leather was also very heavy.

Boone snorted. "We better try to make the camp.", he decided.

It took them almost 3 hours to find the camp, high up in the mountains. Dark was falling around them as they approached. Boone answered the challenge and asked about shelter for the evening. They were allowed to stay in one of the tents, but there was only one empty bunk. Ven shed her armor and climbed under the warm blankets. Boone slipped in beside her. He could feel her shivering from her extended exposure. Without a word he slipped his arms about her and pulled her against him, his hand brushing against the hard metal of the item she wore on a chain around her neck. She sighed, snuggling into his warmth, and fell into an exhausted sleep. He soon followed her example.

The dream came again. Ven, pierced with Legion pikes, her eyes begging. Her mouth opened but it wasn't a scream that came out.

"Craig.", the dream woman said. Her voice was oddly calm and soft. "You're dreaming again. It's just a nightmare, it's all right."

Ven gently stroked his arm, murmuring to him. He was having the nightmare. She sighed. He would never let Carla go. She felt him calm, his breathing slow. She turned over and went back to sleep.

When Ven finally woke the next morning Boone was already gone. Someone had placed her armor by the fire and it was not only dry, it was toasty warm. She gratefully slipped into it and went to find the commander. She had a mission to accomplish.

"Milo.", Ven said as they left the camp behind. "We did as you asked. We've delivered the codes to the rest of the NCR outposts except Camps Golf, Bravo and Guardian. We're headed for Golf now. What are you doing, luv?"

"I'm on my way to the Cove, Babe. I'm going to visit Caesar.", he answered.

"Oh, well, shove a rod up his ass for me, will you? Maybe it'll straighten him out.", she said gaily. Milo laughed.

"Maybe next time. I'm afraid things are coming to a head, Babe. I just need those codes in place.", he said.

Her voice emanated from his Pip-boy. "No problem, Six. We'll have it done by next week at the latest."