Hundreds of Miles from Moore...

My vision blurs and swings when I'm first released from my cloud of slumber. Instinctively, my muscles tighten and I squint in an attempt to prepare myself for consciousness. I'm not entirely sure what happened last time I awoke, but I don't want it to happen again. All I can truly remember is someone pinning me down and touching me in some way. Thankfully, when my vision clears I see two of my closest friends and one of my most trusted doctors waiting for me. Julie Farkas offers me a smile and I try to speak. Her fingers on my lips stop me. I see an emotion cross her face that I can't identify. Julie tells me once again why I can't speak.

"We don't have your teeth in yet. We'll put them in as soon as you're moved to your rehabilitation center, then you'll be able to talk.". I nod a tiny bit. Julie hasn't been letting me even look in a mirror, try to speak, or even raise my own arms to look at my hands. It terrified me at first, but I trust Julie. That's why I've followed all of her advice to the letter. My doctor rubs my head a little and makes me a promise.

"We're going to move you, but we need to tell you where and how first.". I nod. I trust her, and I know she'll do what's best for me. Julie stops touching me head.

"Cass and Veronica are going to take turns carrying you, and when they stop you'll be in Novac. They're going to avoid towns and settlements, though.". I nod a tiny bit and the woman gives me a small smile.

"Alright. Now, there are some things you need to know.". I feel a hand intertwine with both of my own hands. I can't look, but I know Cass and Veronica are holding my hands. I try to make eye-contact with Julie to avoid having to look at Cass, but it's not use. Eventually, I break eye-contact and look just slightly above Julie's eyes. If anyone notices they don't call me out. I might have forgiven Cass for what she's done since she seemed so heartfelt and sincere, but that doesn't mean I'm over the training she hardwired into me. I stop concentrating on eye-contact as I listen to what Julie has to say to me.

"You're thin. Really, really thin. You're going to look at yourself and not recognize yourself. That's okay. Your hair is only a little bit of fuzz right now and you don't have any teeth. That's also fine. You don't have any muscle and are going to need help doing just about everything. That's fine. You're going to feel like shit and be in pain once we start weening you off the medications. That's fine. You're going to look like a completely different person than you once were, but the important thing is that you don't let it get to you. Alright?". When I nod she turns from me. Julie begins discussing with Cass and Veronica what they need to bring, how they need to carry me, and what I can and can't eat.

I focus on not panicking. It's like I've been asleep for years, then woke up to find out that everything is different about me. I squeeze the hands holding mine tighter. I'll need them to get through this. They're my closest friends and I trust them both with my life. If they can't help me through this time, then nobody else can. Finally, Julie walks out of my line of sight before returning with a thick bag. She hands the bag to Veronica, then begins fiddling with something by my side. Veronica and Julie both move out of my sight. Cass comes around, scoops me up in her arms, and lifts me out of the bed. I'm numbed by painkillers, so I don't make a single noise when I'm yanked from my refuge. Veronica reappears and places a three-legged coyote on my stomach. I begin petting the animal as Cass carries me.

I turn my eyes downwards and curl up on myself. Cass is carrying me like I'm her bride, only I'm bent over and my lower back is dangling down from Cass' grip. That means I'm stuck looking at my coyote companion while my hands are trapped behind my knees. It's an awkward position to be in, but I don't dare say anything to Cass. Slowly, I rest my head against her chest. I work on calming my breathing down. I've never slept without a mask around my face, so it's a struggle to fall asleep even when unconsciousness is my last refuge. The thumping of Cass' heart is what finally lulls me into sleep.


A Few Inches from the Courier...

I have my gun already loaded and dangling by my side. I could do it right now. I'd just have to find a way to gently remove one arm from the Courier, grab my gun, and fire into Veronica. The woman's walking ahead of me with complete trust. The Courier would be awoken by the noise, though. I could just start running and not give her enough time to see what was going on, then claim bandits or legion attacked and killed her. Only that's too risky in case she starts getting suspicious. I suppose I could always use my knife. Just dig it out of my boot somehow, then stab Veronica in the back both figuratively and literally. Veronica wouldn't make a noise when she went down, I could continue on to Novac, and nobody would be the wiser. We're in the middle of nowhere right now.

If Veronica's body was ever found, then whoever stumbled across it wouldn't bother investigating. One more murdered soul in the Mojave is nothing to look too hard at. The only thing stopping me is the fact the Courier's coyote is still awake. He can't tattle on me, but might start barking whenever I move or go to kill Veronica. Besides, I can't carry the bag, coyote, and Courier all at once. It's easier to have Veronica along. Even if it means more of a headache for me later. I'll just have to find a way to kill her in Novac and either hide her corpse, or convince everyone someone else did it.

Honestly, I wish it didn't have to come to this. I wish Veronica wouldn't have been so close to the Courier. But she is, and this has to happen. Veronica is protective enough that she won't let me just spirit the Courier away. And, if I leave her alive and spirit the Courier away two things could possibly happen. Veronica will hunt me down herself and either take the Courier for herself, or kill me and take the Courier for herself. There's also a chance Veronica will simply inform the NCR that I have the Courier and went rogue. That'll result in the NCR hunting me down, killing me, and killing the Courier. None of those options sound fun. I could, possibly, convince Veronica to come with me and share the Courier. She seems reasonable and selfish enough to like that. Only I don't like that.

The Courier originally traveled with me and I know her better. She was mine to begin with. My friend nuzzles deeper into my chest and I inwardly sigh. When did it get like this? I use to be her friend. I use to just be content with traveling with her. I guess some part of me liked having something to baby and take care of. When my caravan company went under I just focused on the Courier instead. Her idiocy got me hooked. She needed me to take care of her. She was something to consume all of my time and energy. Like a project or company that relied on a sole person to run it.

Then, she started trying to get smarter. I think that's where it all went downhill. I started interfering and making it to where she'd always need my help. Maybe I couldn't give up the one thing I had going for me. If she left me, then I'd just be sitting around the Mojave Outpost drinking all of the time. That's not a life I want. So, I'm selfish. I want the Courier to stay dumb and weak so she'll need me, and I'll always have something to do. And, I like the Courier. I truly do. I still consider her a friend. Now that's not bad, is it? To just want to help my friend while helping myself. A little selfish, but not too bad. The only thing I've ever done to cause her direct distress was when I trained her to look me in the eye and let me touch her, but that helped both of us!

I got to finally touch her and look her in the eyes to further baby her, and she was finally able to act some semblance of normal. It was a compromise for both parties. She only got a little smarter and I still got to baby her. It works out for everyone. Veronica is a sick fuck, though. She wants to fuck the Courier. I would have fucked the Courier when the woman had large tits and I was drunk enough, but not now. Veronica is thinking about someone with the mind of a child in a sexual way. That's just wrong. I adjust the Courier in my arms as we continue walking. I don't care what Veronica thinks or does. I'm not giving the Courier up. Ever.


Hundreds of Miles from Cass and Veronica...

I slam the doctor against the wall as I place my face only a few inches away from his. Henry cringes and Calamity begins cursing at me. I snarl at the doctor a question I've already asked him multiple times.

"Where is she?!". The man sticks to his guns. "I don't know where the Courier is!". I tighten my grip on his shirt, pull him away from the wall, and slam him back into it. Something cracks and he groans as his face twists in pain. I press him harder into the wall and spittle lands on him as I keep screaming at the man.

"She came to you to get her dog's brain fixed, and you have to know where she is!". I slam him again and another crack greets my ears. I continue my interrogation.

"The transmission ended near a canyon only a few miles from here, scouts reported a brahmin with three people leave here a few weeks ago, and you're the only doctor capable of treating wounds!". I don't slam him again, but I give him a helpful reminder.

"The Courier would have bullet wounds. You're the only one capable of treating them.". He shakes his head. I rear in preparation of slamming him again, but one of my boys speaks up.

"Can we describe the two who went off looking for the Courier?". I hesitate and inwardly curse myself. Cass and Veronica would have to be traveling with her now. We didn't print wanted posters for them, but they would still be known. I nod and rattle off a description of Cass and Veronica off. Henry shakes his head. I slam him yet again. A series of cracks as the man closes his eyes and begins panting. His assistance is the one that breaks.

"New Vegas! We sent them to New Vegas!". I feel a vein in my neck twitch. That bitch is planning something. There's no other reason a soldier like her would go to New Vegas. I drop Henry and begin running.