He watched in horror as Percy's blood spread across the ground. She was falling and he watched the slave lift his arc welder to finish her off. Her blood, she's losing so much blood!

He grabbed the dropped arc welder, sawing the man down before he could hurt her more. Cradling Percy in one arm, he ran at breakneck speed for Sandra's laboratory. It doubled as a bunker, and only he and Ashur knew the code to get in. The slavers could take care of the riot. Percy's life was more important than yet another rebellion.

He slammed the code into the keypad, trying not to look at the giant trail of blood behind them.

"Charon! What's going on out there?"

"Another insurrection! Percy's hurt, I need your help!"

He laid her out on the medical bed. She was so pale; the wound looked awful.

"Was this one from an arc welder? It's a miracle her femur wasn't damaged. Charon, bring that medical tray over here."

He watched Sandra work; Percy's eyes kept fluttering closed.

"You need to keep her awake. She's lost far too much blood. Give her a blood pack." Sandra worked fast; it was clear she was quite used to such wounds these days.

She whined as the needle entered her skin. He brushed the sweat-matted hair from her forehead. Percy let out a sigh, squinting up at Charon, she gave him a weak smile that made his heart skip a beat. "I missed this…"

"What? Getting horribly mangled?"

"No, watching each other's backs. We made a good team."

He couldn't deny that.

Sandra finished the last stitch. She applied a stimpak before pouring more antiseptic over the wound and wrapping it in bandages.

Percy winced, gritting her teeth. Without thinking she grabbed onto Charon's shoulder from the pain.

"It sounds like the riot's quieted down. Take it easy for a while."

They left Ashur's haven. Charon's living quarters were closer than Percy's, so they went there. Ashur could be heard over the intercom giving a speech to the slavers and slaves. She settled against his couch as he looked through the fridge.

"Does radiation still heal you?"

"Yeah…and I could really use some right now."

He handed her a bottle of irradiated water. She poured some on her bandages before downing the rest. She felt the couch shift as Charon sat next to her. She felt his fingers on her hair.

"So, why the change?"

"That is a long story."

She told him about wanting a change of scenery; he seemed affected by that. He knew it was his fault, after all.

This time telling the story, she didn't leave out her Punga vision, or his involvement.

"Why the hell was Burke there?"

She didn't have an answer for that. He didn't ask why he was there; he knew why.

"Christ, after all this time he was trapped in that vault?"

"Yeah, but I managed to get him out. He wants to finish his work, and I want to help him. That's why I came here. I had no idea where you were…And I had given up on waiting."

She felt his arm pull her against his shoulder. She didn't resist. Tears stung at her eyes and she took another sip of irradiated water. She felt secure under his arm, a feeling she hadn't known in a long time. The familiarity was strange, but she couldn't help but welcome it.

The adrenaline from the morning was finally leaving Percy's system. His fingers rubbing circles in her hair was bliss.

They laid like that for hours. Ashur hadn't called for him, so he knew he wasn't needed.

'What am I doing?' As he pressed his nose against her hair, he had no answer. He couldn't scare her off, and Charon was beginning to not want to anymore. What would happen when the parts were ready? She would go her way…and where would he be? If absence made the heart grow fonder, then he was obsessed. When he wasn't stuck on the past he was stuck on her. Percy roused slightly, nuzzling closer into his chest before looking up. She licked her lips, glancing towards his.

'What the hell am I doing?'

She leaned up and they were kissing. It wasn't as intense as yesterday, but it was better, oh it was worlds better. Charon was mindful of her leg as she climbed into his lap. Sighing, he opened his mouth to her probing tongue and she was everywhere. Soft but firm, sweet but strong, shy but sure. Always making the first move, thinking ahead. Getting trapped but getting out. Never the same person twice but always, always, herself. She knew what she wanted, and for whatever reason, she wanted him. He was a fool to leave, and an idiot to think he could truly get away. He was tired of running; the last person he wanted to run from was her. As his hand climbed beneath her shirt, Percy arched her back, breaking away for air. Eyes hooded, she stroked his cheek, thumb lightly grazing his bottom lip.

"We shouldn't be doing this…It's going to make it that much harder when the parts are finished…"

Charon pressed a kiss to her thumb, closing his eyes as he leaned into her palm.

"I could come with you, if you'd let me."

"And have you think of another reason to leave "for my own good"? I don't think I could take that again, Charon."

God, his name on her tongue made him shiver. "I don't think I can take being away anymore."

"And you wouldn't leave me?"

His other hand crept up her leg, fingers drawing circles on her inner thigh. "Not unless you ask me to."

"Prove it."

Charon gave her a wry smile, his thumb pressed gently against her clit. He kissed his way from her shoulder to her neck. He felt her pulse speed up, and his thumb drew circles against her, quickening his pace. Charon sucked her pulse, reveling in the tiny moans she made as she grinded against his hand.

"Charon…ahmm…" She pulled him back up, kissing him passionately as her legs began to shake and her toes curled. He swallowed her moans as she came, collapsing against him, trembling.

Percy grabbed his shirt as he moved to get up.

"Oh no you don't; I'm not falling for that again. Stay with me for a bit longer."

"We need to change your bandages, Perse'. Let me up unless you want to lose that leg"

"My leg's fine. Besides…I wanna return the favor."

Percy slid to the floor, working the buckles on the bottom half of his armor.

"You really don't need to," Charon put his hands on her shoulders in protest, but he didn't put up much of a fight. He had been straining against his pants for a while now. Just her presence was…exhilarating.

"Don't tell me what to do; I'm still a little pissed. It's gonna take a little more than that to get me to trust you again. Although..."

Percy finally freed his cock, her fingers tracing up and down the shaft before thumbing the crease just below his tip.

"...you having my back wasn't the only thing I missed."

She looked up with a smirk as she flattened her tongue against the tip, and if ghouls could blush, Charon would have been completely crimson. His mouth watered and hips jerked involuntarily as she took him in her mouth with agonizing slowness. He stiffened as he felt her nails dig into his inner thigh. A frustrated whine escaped his throat, but he didn't care about that moment of weakness when it was her causing it.

"Patience, big guy."

He nodded wordlessly and she took her hand away. Charon clenched his fists against the couch. Giving her control was proving harder and harder with each stroke of that silky hot tongue. He couldn't stop the groans and moans as she slowly began to bob up and down, hollowing her cheeks and swirling her tongue across his seam in wave patterns. The blood in his veins burned as she moaned alongside him. Looking up, the realization that she was touching herself while she worked made his cock twitch.

Charon threw his arm over his eyes, trying to control his breathing as Percy's lips reached his pelvis. Her velvet lips…fuck he couldn't think straight when he could feel his tip rubbing against her scorching throat.

Suddenly her teeth came into play, brushing against his base as she moved her lower jaw back and forth.

He tensed, looking down at her. She was looking back up at him with a somber and bitter expression, and for the first time in his life, he was truly scared of the tiny vaultie with her mouth…and teeth around his cock.

"I am sorry. You know who's good for you and who you can trust…even if it's me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Mhmm"

She went back to bobbing and sucking with such fervor, his head flew back, panting and gasping.

"Shit! Perse' waitwaitwait—ah, damn!"

One of her hands moved back to stroking herself while the other worked his balls.

"Percy, no I'm gonna—"

She must have come, because she let out a loud ravished wail, choked by his member and he couldn't stop himself.

His hips bucked uncontrollably as his seed shot down her throat.

She couldn't hide the smug look in her eyes, climbing back into his lap. Charon was shaking and sweating, holding her close as he breathed in her scent, heady from arousal.

"I could have told you that, dummy." She drank more irradiated water, rinsing his taste away as Charon caught his breath.

"Serves me right for doubting you…"

Percy's wound began to itch, so it was time to change the bandage.

"My hero." She smiled as he unwrapped her bandage. Percy finished another bottle of water as he worked. She wondered if she would actually start to glow if she drank too much.

"So what are we doing to transport the parts? They are too big just to carry."

"There are a few repurposed truck hitches we can use. It will take longer than walking, but it's doable. So, Jefferson Memorial, huh?"

"James wanted to be close enough to the waterfront, but still get the occasional mutie visitor." She wiggled her toes playfully as he finished.

The slaves were back to work by now. Percy went to take a walk and stretch her leg. Charon went to talk to Ashur. He wasn't sure how the man would react to him quitting, but it was already a long time coming. Charon couldn't stand it; he was practically a slaver himself!

Ashur was with his wife and child. Charon listened at the door.

"None of them got in here, did they?"

"No, but that girl, Percy? She got hurt pretty bad during the riot. Charon brought her here and I patched her up just fine, but…Their relationship is as you suspected. If she asks for an escort back to wherever she's going, he will more than likely volunteer, and never come back."

"I was afraid of that…"

Charon backed away as he heard footsteps getting closer to the door. Leaning casually against the wall of Ashur's office, he looked up as the door opened. He wished he was as good at lying as Percy when Ashur said "You heard everything?"

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Ashur scoffed. "Cut the bull, Charon. After what we've been though, I'd like to talk with you honestly."

He sighed. "Percy wants me to go with her."

"And you're going to leave? Just like that? You know how good this girl is at lying through her teeth. How do you know she isn't playing you?"

"This isn't about her. Not completely. Ashur…I admire your dream, but between Wernher and the riots I don't think Marie's cure will be the answer."

Ashur's eyes narrowed. "What are you saying, Charon?"

"I'm saying that your followers are hardly any better than slavers and raiders. You may want to end slavery, but do they? I would hope the trust you have in your men is well founded, but I have my doubts. We have been through a lot, and I don't regret helping you, Sandra, and Marie. But I won't stand by and watch this continue."

"So you're just going to walk out? You are many things, but I never took you for a coward."

"I know there's nothing I can do to change the way things are here. I'm leaving because there's nothing left for me here. There's everything with Percy."

"My God. You're in love. I don't mean to be crass, but there are certain bodily aspects that are…difficult to look past."

Rage welled up in Charon. After all this time, another fucking bigot.

"Percy's been able to look past a lot for me. Even if she found me completely repulsive, I would follow her to the ends of the earth. I owe her that much."

Ashur crossed his arms. "I'm disappointed in you Charon. But I won't stop you; even if you are making a mistake. The parts are ready. I want you out of my city sooner rather than later."

Percy looked down as they walked through the lower levels. No one was happy to see them, even if they were leaving. She felt sick. The radio might call her a hero, but now, when so many people needed help…she was useless. Ashur had escorted them to the outer gate. Percy turned to him.

"You better do right by your citizens, Ashur. People aren't tools for your vision, no matter how idyllic."

"If you were so concerned, you wouldn't be taking my right hand man. But I'm not going to argue with you now. I only hope that you will honor your words and supply us with clean water if the time comes."

"Only if you aren't still a slaver when the time comes." She retorted.

It had only been a day, but Percy already missed the sun. The smog of the Pitt blocked out all light. Charon shielded his eyes against the light. Damn…too bright.

Percy noticed his discomfort. Fishing through her bag, she threw him some sunglasses.

"Don't go blind on me, big guy."

The cart was heavy, but they made progress, even if it was slow.

"I wish the freeways were still whole…and for that matter, I wouldn't say no to a car either."

"How long would this have taken two hundred years ago? You know, with cars and freeways."

Charon chuckled. He was pulling while she pushed. Looking back, he admired the otherworldly glow of her hair in the sun.

"About an hour, maybe two if there was traffic."

"Shit…One more reason to curse the bombs, I guess."

They stopped when the sun finally dipped below the horizon.

Percy fiddled with the radio while Charon heated up some pork and beans.

"What's with Enclave radio? You've been around, any weight to their words?"

Charon poked at the camp flames. "I thought they'd been wiped out back in the twenty-two forties…But about fifteen years ago, that radio station started playing. Seems like a sick joke if you ask me; those Enclave bastards were the real deal."

"GNR it is, then!"

They ate in silence except for the radio, but it was a comfortable silence. It was strange to feel so familiar after so long. Charon opened a bottle of whisky, taking a sip before passing it to her.

Percy blushed. "Oh…no thanks. I'm trying not to do that anymore. The other day was a slip up."

"An understandable one, but it's good that you're easing up now." Charon rubbed his head, looking up at the sky. If there was one thing to be grateful to the apocalypse for, it was the stars. There weren't any streetlights to hide them. The breeze was pretty nice too. Charon watched Percy lay down a perimeter of mines.

'Always thinking ahead.'

She settled down next to him, her head resting against his chest.

"After you left, my friend Amata sent out a distress signal. The overseer, her father, he had gone mad with power. Half the population of the vault was dead when I got there. When I was growing up in the vault, I knew there was corruption, and I honestly prayed that somehow I would be able to leave that place. This boy Wally Mack, he was a sick fuck. He'd had this plot that involved me and him taking over the place. Secrets and plots were so common there. Even I was part of a plot. I just didn't know it at the time. My old teacher was apparently training me to replace the overseer. I only became a preacher because Brotch knew people would flock to a religious leader during times of unrest. He probably thought the Overseer and Mack would burn each other out; then the only person left would be me. Mack tried to pick up that plan when I returned. I never felt safe around him…and I'm not proud of what I had to do to keep that horny bastard at bay when we were kids."

"You did what you needed to do." Charon lit up a cigarette, taking a long drag. "But if I ever see him and he tries anything…"

"You won't need to worry about that." Percy accepted the cigarette when he passed it. She slowly blew out the smoke as she said, "He's dead. He wanted me to kill Amata, so I killed him. I want to feel bad about what I did, to have come up with a more peaceful solution at the time…but if I had left him alive…he would have been a danger to everyone."

She shifted closer to him, shivering as the wind picked up.

It was little comfort to know she had been sleeping with one eye open all her life.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked, putting his arm around her and hiking up the sleeping bag.

"Because I understand why you killed those Talon Company guys. Someone has to stop monsters like that from hurting more people. Even if it means you being the one pulling the trigger. You aren't the monster, Charon. They were."

'I want you to know I don't hate you, and I'm not scared of you…only what you do to me.'

As she drifted off, Charon thought about his own past.

The things he had done, and the things done to him. He remembered the woman in purple's words. That she would outlive him; that she would never die. Despite his ghoulish state, a part of him still believed her. That she was out there, somewhere. Making someone else's life hell. His eyes grew heavy as he watched the stars above, praying that if she was still alive, she would never find him. And if she did, that it would be by his hand that she finally died. After what she'd done to him, Charon deserved that much.