(Dez)

"And that is how I got here and am now talking to you!"

I tell Gob and Zack after arriving in Megaton. It didn't take long after me and Cassidy woke up, since it's sort of a straight line. I told Cassidy to piss off for a bit, while I went to talk to Gob and Zack. Explaining the story to them, though, took longer than I thought.

"That is…one interesting story."

Gob says taking a drag of his cigarette.

"I like the part where Charon came from nowhere. That's badass."

Zack says it as if it's some made-up entertainment. Still, it makes me smile. I wish I had made it up, you know. Wish I had fabricated this entire story to make up for lost time because Charon and I were too busy doing the dirty to really rush back here. But I didn't. It is how it happened, and it hurts just the same.

"Where'd this Cassidy man go, anyways?"

Earlier Gob wanted me to live with him and Zack. He said that my plan might not work, and that I should take safety precautions. He was worried, since my old house was vacant and I conned the keys off of Simms, that Cassidy would do something. I told Gob I take enough precautions and all I need to do is sleep with a gun next to me. He didn't really see the humor in that, and is a bit annoyed with my nonchalant attitude. Truth is, I'm too drained emotionally to care today. I just want one day, thinking that everything will be alright. The world can end again tomorrow, and that'd be fine with me, so long as today I thought only good things.

"Probably home by now. It's not even sunset but he's all sleepy and shit."

"Don't you find it odd he followed you here?"

"No, Gob, I find it completely normal. Of course I do But I can't do much about it now. He's my pawn."

Gob sighs and hands me the bottle of vodka he was sipping out of. I love vodka, but I make sure to take it easy and only sip it. Zack watches from across Gob's workroom, envious of my adulthood. Even though there's no drinking age out here, at all, there's still parents. And Gob is one. Maybe after Gob goes up to bed, I'll give Zack a shot or two. He's probably already lifted a few bottles for himself anyways.

"Dez, have you thought of what may happen if Charon doesn't come hunting him down?"

I shake my head, pushing the bad thoughts away and taking another sip of the vodka. Handing it back to Gob, I sigh. You know, there is such a thing as support. I appreciate Gob's realism in all of this, but I'd like to just hope for a while, even if it isn't going to do me much good.

"I figure though, if that happens I'll just find him again. Cassidy said though, that Charon might be dying."

Both Gob and Zack stare at me. Zack's more worried than Gob, but I'm guessing that's due to knowledge and age. By now Gob's immune to most things, like I am, but he still worries. Just not as openly. I light a cigarette, this is the last thing I wanted to talk about.

"How so?"

Zack asks, moving closer and sitting on the floor between the chairs Gob and I sit in. Shrugging, I look down at him. Looking at Zack, in all his naïve innocence, brings me just a bit more hope than I can bring myself. I want Charon to come back, not just for me, but for Zack, too. He doesn't understand, how much he means to Zack. Doesn't understand that, although we're dysfunctional as hell, this is our family. Gob and Zack, are like the sitcom-related roommates who never leave, whilst Charon and I are the tyrannical couple, deeply-loving, and badass beyond all belief. In my story, everyone has a happy ending. But, everyone has to earn it. Outside, a strong wind hits the house, and makes a colder-than-usual draft creep through the cracks.

"Hm. It's getting cold."

I forget to answer the question about Charon. Really, I just don't want to. Maybe the weather-talk will make everyone forget and understand that.

"When I lived at the shoreline town, we'd have cold days. Nothing like this chill, though. What's going on?"

Inhaling on my cigarette, I look at Gob waiting for my answer.

"It snowed once here. Maybe the seasons are preparing to change like the use to. Dunno. Sleep with some extra blankets tonight."

"Gob I have no blankets. I haven't even been in my house yet, I came straight here. Hey whatever happened to Lily anyways?"

Zack looks back at me while he gets up to look out the window.

"Wasn't Lily that woman who'd never let me play with her kid?"

"Yeah, she was. Actually she left here not too long after you and Charon made house together. Don't know what happened to her."

Gob answers both me and Zack. Another strong wind hits the house, and we cautiously look at one another. Getting up, I join Zack in staring at the window. The sun won't set for a few more hours, but there's graying clouds coming in. It hasn't snowed since that last time, but it feels like it could. The thermometer on the wall, says that it's around sixty degrees the F one. So…that's pretty cold. At least, for what we're use to anyways. My arms catch a chilling draft, and I rub my skin.

"This doesn't look good."

I say, staring at the not-so-happy gray clouds. If it snows soon, and Charon isn't here, then he's out there. He's out there, alone, and cold. His endurance is far better than mine, but I don't care. Think of the one you love most, cold, alone, near-death in a barren Wasteland. It hurts, doesn't it? Knowing, you can't really do anything.

"Snow? I don't remember snow…what's snow?"

Zack looks at me, then at Gob who corks the vodka and sets it on his desk.

"It's like cold Abraxo Cleaner. Very cold, Abraxo Cleaner."

I tell him, staring out at the sky. If it is going to snow, it's going to be later. Although I'm not good at judging weather since all we have is hot, and hotter. Aside from rain. Even then, it's hot.

"It's good the weather is changing though. It's been the same for so long, maybe now this place will grow actual plants."

Gob has sarcasm in there. I catch it. Walking away from the window I sigh. The Wasteland isn't prepared for cold, let alone snow.

"I hope it doesn't snow. Charon's still out there. He'll be cold. You can't build a fire in snow."

I mention to Gob as I sit down. Zack comes over, and sits back on the floor.

"Why not?"

He asks, and Gob and I laugh a bit. There was a time, though, when I didn't know what snow was, either.

"Because it's wet. Like rain, almost. You'll see."

I tell him, putting my cigarette out in an ashtray. Gob watches some people in the shop looking at some weapon modifications. He really should hire someone to stand guard. Not me, though. I have better things to do. Not sure what those things are yet, though.

"I really think you should stay here, Dez. There's no need to go off into your old house with a guy you hardly know. It's a setup for disaster."

"I've had enough disasters to know how to prepare myself for them."

He's worried, I understand that. I can see why, too. After all the things I've gone through, put him and Charon through in the past with my reckless behavior, his worry is justified. It's just, I have this crazy theory. I think that if I stay here, and not in my own, old/new house, that Charon won't come back. Cassidy and I have to be seen together, in the same house. Or at least going into that house. Simply traveling here with him won't be enough, because word will get to Three Dog like it always does that the Lone Wanderer parted ways with the mysterious stranger. If I part ways, Charon won't have any reason to come here. He'll assume I've taken care of myself. No. I still want to be, that damsel in distress, who needs constant rescuing.

I spend a few more hours with Gob and Zack. Gob and I drink a bit more, while Zack just laughs and watches us. He listens to the stories I have, of when Charon and I lived together. I leave out the blackouts, leave out the arguments though few and far between, and only tell him of the more comical moments.

"I went to kiss him once, and he put his hand over my face and pushed me in the dirt."

"Why?"

"I have no idea."

Gob and Zack howl with laughter. They can see that, perfectly, because it's how Charon and I once interacted with one another. Truth is, I can't figure why he did that, but it made the both of us laugh. We always played tricks on one another during the day. If we were out patrolling, making sure no Raiders or wanderers got too close, or out hunting for food. At night, though…it was much more calm and intimate. I don't want to remember those nights. It hurts too much.

"I should get going. It's getting late. I get my own bed tonight!"

"If Cassidy isn't already in it."

Gob gives a wise remark and I promptly give him a love-tap on the back of his head. More laughter from Zack, as I say my goodbyes and venture out. It's cold. Colder, than really, I've ever felt. The wind hurts my neck, the only thing not really covered by the vault suit. This thin material doesn't do much to keep me warm, but Gob gave me a pack full of blankets and old sweaters to keep warm in. I'm not sharing with Cassidy, either.

"If it's going to snow, it better hurry up because I hate the cold."

I say to no one as I light a cigarette with shaky hands. The wind blows my lighter out a few times, but I get it. Slowly walking, because I know Cassidy is home and I don't want to see him, I gaze out over Megaton. I'm taking the long way, up past the saloon. You know, just so I can have some alone time. Alone time Cassidy robbed from me, the bastard. I've never seen Megaton in the snow.

It was beautiful, even though it was cold, the last time it snowed here. Charon and I had a ball-of-snow fight. I smile, remembering it. The warm memory, chases away the chills for a minute. I don't feel so alone, when I think of times like that. The string-lights of Megaton guide me on my walk, and I'm reminded of how tied to this place I am. It's almost, like a second vault.

"Hey…Charon…I'm thinking of you tonight."

I whisper between clouds of smoke coming out of my mouth. People pass me, silent, with no words or a second glance. It doesn't bother me, I don't care about them. I come to the saloon, and stare up at it. This is where it all began, really. Almost seventeen years ago, I'm guessing, maybe more. I came to this very saloon, a bit scared, stupid, and inexperienced. I met Gob here, the first nice person, the first smiling face. Well, he wasn't smiling but, he was nice to me. This is where, I first came, when the vault door closed behind me, and when my life changed entirely.

Another cold wind hits me hard, and I shiver. Getting back inside my house should be my main priority, not having a dandy trip down memory lane. Shaking my head, I focus on the right now, instead of tomorrow. Right now, I'm safe in Megaton where Charon told me to go. Right now, I'm walking home, with hopes that soon I'll see him again. Right now, I'm a bit stupid, and a lot foolish, for thinking these things. Right now, I don't really give a fuck. I just want to hope.