A/n: Oh my goodness, life has been moving so fast for me. Thank you everyone who has been reading and reviewing! Seeing the hits go up and getting that little (1) in my inbox is so encouraging. So sorry for the long delay in updates. Life has been very up and down lately.


Graham tried to ignore what was going on under the table, but Six's hand had drifted down there a second ago, and Vulpes had a strange look on his face. The presidential suite was crowded with Joshua's group's arrival, the beds and couches loaded to capacity. For some, this closeness would be overwhelming, but to members of organizations like Craig, Arcade, Veronica, and the Legionaries, it was normal. Joshua had gotten used to it as well, and was used to accidentally seeing moments of intimacy in close quarters. But, under the table while everyone was eating was certainly no accident.

To his right, Cass made a show of accidentally dropping her fork on the floor. She bent down under the table to retrieve it, and Joshua heard her awed voice utter the Lord's name in vain. Sighing, Joshua turned his eyes back to his scripture.

The words blurred and melted together, and he blinked, backing up from the page. Frowning, Graham pushed the book further away until he could see the words. Still, it was difficult, given that it was about three and a half feet away.

Across from him, Vulpes batted the Courier's hand away and leaned in until his face was over the book. Over the past few days, his antics ranged from amusing to annoying as the doctor medicated him for pain.

"Need reading glasses?" Vulpes asked.

Graham peered into his pinpoint pupils and sighed, unable to deny it any longer.

"I'm sure we can dig up a pair," Arcade offered, "if not in a guest room of this casino, then the Followers could set you up. Reading glasses are surprisingly common."

"There are glasses in the room," Six offered, "and some up in Yes Man's room."

She stood from the table and headed toward her room, intent on retrieving a pair. As Six stepped by Vulpes, his hand shot out to pinch her rear. Graham really hoped she knew what kind of man Vulpes truly was, the things he had done, and the things he would do in a heartbeat.

"I have a question for you," Marcus frowned, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" Graham asked, noting how Vulpes stared at the praetorian in waiting.

"You lied to everyone," Marcus continued, "about Caesar, about Mars. You started everything."

Vulpes smiled at the praetorian and appeared to be struggling to keep from laughing.

"I have remorse for that which I have done," Joshua sighed. He had nothing more he to say. Graham regretted everything he did in the Legion; the lies, the slaughter, the hundreds of crimes. If Marcus wished to be angry with him, then he would understand it.

Still, there was the mischievous twinkle in Vulpes' eyes that made Joshua wonder what was so funny. He certainly didn't find this amusing.

"And I perpetuated it," Vulpes chuckled.

"You perpetuated it?" Joshua repeated.

"Yes," he nodded, "I knew who Edward Sallow was. I knew he was not who he claimed to be, and I did nothing and told no one."

Graham blinked and shook his head at Vulpes. Caesar had gotten that close to him, that he would tell him his greatest secret. He knew that they were close – two dirty-minded men after each other's own heart – but always figured that Caesar would keep Vulpes at arm's length.

"I guess I'm just handsome enough to get a pass," Vulpes continued, "right Marcus?"

The praetorian flushed red and stared down at the floor, his fists clenched. And while Vulpes was busy being smug from being correct, the Courier stood in the doorway shaking. Quickly, she ran forward and deposited a handful of glasses in front of Graham.

"So, that whole town you slaughtered?" Six asked, "that wasn't in the name of God like you acted it was. At least then I could pretend it wasn't for fun." She darted out of the room in a fury, a ding signaling that she entered the elevator.

Vulpes protested and attempted to stand unaided. It took a tremendous effort to come to his feet without the aid of the other Legionaries who didn't do as much as make a move to help him.

"I'm sure you know what a Pyrrhic victory is, Vulpes," Joshua called.

He watched as Vulpes left to pursue Six and crossed his arms. The Vulpes he knew from before wouldn't have bothered to patch things up with the woman.

Perhaps, there was hope for him yet.


He waited impatiently for the elevator to come back down to the presidential suite, his finger mashing the button every few seconds. Vulpes couldn't believe that Six ran off on him without allowing him to say anything. He could smooth this over perfectly if she gave him the chance.

Finally, the elevator opened in front of him. Stepping in, Vulpes figured that Six was simply upset with the idea that he treated Nipton as if it was business. Perhaps he didn't place the same value on lives as she did; if he did, he wouldn't have survived as a legionary. So, he would tell her that it was just business.

The elevator doors opened at the cocktail lounge. Six sat in a booth, hugging her knees and staring out at the desert. He took a moment to admire her from across the room, taking in the cascade of curly black hair down her back, the swell of her large hips tucking in sharply at the waist then flaring back out at her rib cage. She was beautiful, and he was still turned on from her earlier antics in the kitchen. This place was private and full of interesting places he could prop her up on and have his way with her.

"So," Vulpes coughed, "under the table?"

She turned slightly at the sound of his voice, but refused to show him her face.

"What about it?" Six sniffed.

"Doing things like that in front of everyone is considered highly improper," he chuckled.

"I know," she replied.

Vulpes blinked, not expecting that kind of response.

"Why, then?" he asked.

"It was naughty," she giggled, her face turning red. Six stretched her legs out on the booth, laying her head against the back of the seat.

He stepped down the stairs to the table and wrapped his arms around her from behind. Six smelled enticing, and he leaned down to nibble on her ear before kissing her neck.

"Why Nipton?" she asked, staring out the window.

Vulpes paused for a moment then renewed his effort. He leaned in, pressing himself into her back, his hand snaking underneath her shirt.

"It was naughty," he panted. His tongue darted out to trace the shell of her ear.

Six batted him away and whirled around. Her face was red, as were her eyes; Vulpes had never seen her so furious. Pouting, Vulpes moved in to embrace her, but she crossed her arms. He hugged her anyway and felt the pull of the scabs on his back as he tried to hold her, crossed arms and all.

"I was following orders," he insisted.

"So?" Six huffed, "you slaughtered a town! Doesn't that seem wrong to you?"

She pushed back and out of his embrace to stare him in the eye. Six refused to let him touch her; she was truly angry. But what was he supposed to do? Should he apologize for something he didn't feel he had to?

"When I am given a mission," Vulpes replied, "I don't bother myself with right or wrong. Nobody does."

Six grew quiet and stared at the floor.

"And thinking back on it, was it wrong?" she asked.

"I don't think back on it," he lied, "Nipton was necessary for my cause. Besides, you've done things necessary for your cause. You killed House, as well as others."

Her eyes were huge as she snapped her attention to him.

"I didn't kill House," she gasped.

Vulpes blinked in shock and stared down at her.

"So, what happened to him?" he asked.

The Courier's chin began to quiver, and Vulpes put his hand on her shoulder.

"What happened to him?" he repeated.

"I disconnected him from the mainframe," she cried, "and put him back in the container."

"So he suffocated?" Vulpes chuckled.

The panicked look on her face made him wish that he hadn't come up with that idea.

"We've gotta check," she gasped, grabbing his hand and dragging him back to the elevator.

And as they rode their way down, Vulpes wondered if he could quickly have his way with her.


Six huffed as she smacked Vulpes away from her. She was still mad at him, and she didn't want him all over her. She did, however, take it as a sign that he was feeling better. But he still had a horrible sense of timing, and she wasn't going to let him off the hook, even though what he was doing to her neck felt amazing.

The elevator doors opened, saving her from him. Six stepped into the kitchen, and everyone turned to look at her. No, she hadn't made up with Vulpes. Yes, everything was going to be awkward for a while, but the Courier wasn't going to just let things slide.

It wasn't that she was about to change Vulpes, or to try to grudge him into lying about his wrongdoing. Someone told her once that true repentance came from the heart, and it was a sin to lie out an apology when you didn't feel sorry. Vaguely, she remembered taking that advice to mind, and didn't apologize for things she didn't feel bad about. It seemed like that was something that Vulpes already knew; he didn't apologize for what he felt wasn't wrong. A part of her wanted to give him a pass on it, for some reason.

She shook the thoughts from her head as Vulpes returned into the kitchen, the click of him closing his revolver's cylinder causing everyone to look up.

"You're not going to shoot him, are you?" Six asked, nodding toward the pistol.

"That's exactly what I intend to do," Vulpes replied. He holstered the weapon in the belt that kept his baggy jeans from falling off.

"And what if he doesn't want to be shot?" she growled. He was being absolutely ridiculous, once again.

"He's been disconnected from his network," Vulpes replied, "at the best case scenario, we have a two-hundred year old man on life support that has nothing to do but lie in bed, thinking. There is no life left for House to live."

"House?" Boone asked, "He's alive?"

Six stared at the floor in shame. He was alive because she didn't have the guts to take care of him herself. She betrayed him, saw him, and then left him to rot in his container without any company. Perhaps, she was a bad person. She certainly hadn't thought of what House would have wanted.

"Maybe," Vulpes shrugged, "we won't know until we check."

"Just a very few can come with," Six frowned, "I don't want to treat him like some kind of show."

"And he isn't?" Vulpes asked.

Her jaw dropped in shock. Mr. House was a person, not an animal. This was not a zoo. But she had treated House like a sort of freak, and hadn't given him the decency of allowing him to choose what he wanted. She stuffed him back into his corner, where she could forget about him and go on her way.

Vulpes stepped in closer to her to tell her something quietly.

"If you really believe that everyone has a right to live," he murmured, "then they should have a right to die as well. You know my pistol will take care of it quickly."

She swallowed and nodded.

"Let's make this respectful then," Six sighed.

The Courier left the room, with Vulpes and Boone close behind. Wordlessly, they entered the elevator and took it up to the penthouse. With each second, Six tried to keep everything together, but as she looked down at her hands, she noticed that they were shaking. She told herself not to cry.

The elevator dinged and opened, and she was the last one to step out into the suite. Six waited to follow Vulpes and Boone, but quickly realized that she was the only one who knew where House was. She stepped out in front of them, and led them down the stairs into Yes Man's chamber.

"Hello!" the bot greeted, "it's good to see you've got all of your friends together, just like you wanted. I knew everything would work out!"

Six nodded and stared at the false panel that led to House's chamber.

"Is House still alive?" she asked. She hoped beyond all hope that he wasn't. She didn't want to deal with this.

"Yep!" Yes Man chirped, "Since you put him back in the chamber, his support systems have been fully operational. I didn't bother to do anything with him, since he's harmless as is. Besides, I figured you had plans for him."

"I forgot he was there," the Courier admitted.

The false panel opened, along with the next series of panels that led down to House's secret chamber.

"Well," the bot chuckled, "I guess you remembered now. He might like some company, since he's been laying there all by himself in a helpless state for a long time without his network to spy on Vegas. A man could go insane like that, ya know?"

Six nodded and felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at Boone, his concerned gaze steeling her for what they had to do. Leading on, the Courier stepped into the hidden room and into the elevator that led down to House's bunker. When the elevator opened, Six saw that everything was as she left it, with the sealed container at the end of the long platform. The smell coming from the area reminded her of an old person, only multiplied.

"He's over there," Six frowned. Her voice sounded loud to her own ears as she pointed toward House's container.

Vulpes nudged his way between the Courier and Boone, approaching the console. Six watched as he scrolled through the menus on the bright screen.

"We could sanitize the chamber with electricity," he remarked, "That would take care of him permanently."

Six shook her head violently; that wasn't even an option. Vulpes merely shrugged and ordered the terminal to open the chamber.

A hiss sounded as a mist began to form around House's container. Through the fog, Six saw the outline of the container moving and raising House's bed so he could look in the direction of the elevator. The mist settled quickly, revealing the shriveled husk that was House.

Six heard Boone swear under his breath behind her as Mr. House opened his cloudy eyes. She wondered if they had sight, or if they were only capable of sensing light.

"And she brings part of her harem to do her dirty work," House coughed.

The Courier was about to protest, but Vulpes stepped forward to examine the two-hundred year old man. He walked around the chamber that housed and sustained him, poking and prodding at the tubes and wires that ran all around the platform.

"Your animal brain couldn't understand the science involved in sustaining me," House grumbled.

Vulpes laughed and grabbed a tube that had a yellow fluid in it.

"I know this is a catheter," he replied, "and if I ripped it out, it would hurt." He grabbed another tube. "This gives you oxygen, and removing it would suffocate you. I could systematically destroy you, one tube and wire at a time. Would you like that?"

Six was reminded of a coyote playing with a mole rat before killing it. Seeing a reminder of what Vulpes was and what he could do was nauseating.

"Stop being mean," she said. Promptly, he dropped the chord that he held and made his way back to her. She shouldn't have been surprised that he listened so intently to her, but it was still a shock, given his incredibly stubborn streak.

"Memento mori," Vulpes nodded, "but then again, I suppose you have had plenty of time to do that."

"Where did you learn that?" House asked, "Indulge me."

"I am the former head of Caesar's Frumentarii," Vulpes shrugged, "and now that I've told you, I have to kill you."

House didn't find the old spy cliché funny in the least.

"And you knew this all along?" he asked, eying Six.

"Not all along," she replied, "and it had no effect on my decisions anyway."

Vulpes drew his pistol from his belt, his jeans inching downward with the movement. There was a red impression on his hip from the revolver. He hadn't worn a shirt in weeks, and even beat up, Vulpes still looked really good. The Courier tore her eyes away before she got caught staring.

"Shall we give him a choice as to the means of his death?" Vulpes asked, casually motioning with his revolver toward the incapacitated man.

"We didn't even ask him if he wanted to die," Six insisted.

Vulpes stared at her, blank-faced. It seemed to take him a while to collect his thoughts. Had she said something stupid again? Six was at the point where she didn't care.

"You don't ask an enemy if they want to die," he replied, "they picked the side opposite to yours; upon capture, their death should be guaranteed." House watched the weapon wave around with each gesture Vulpes made. "Unless you want to have him beg for death," Vulpes continued, "in that case, you're a dirty, dirty girl."

"I do not!" Six gasped.

"That's essentially what you're doing," Vulpes shrugged. Their eyes met, and Six was instantly reminded that he was on painkillers and his mouth filter was completely gone. Still, the things he said reflected what he thought when he wasn't on them. Despite the fact that she cared for him, he had a wicked streak. Six wondered how he could love her, given that they were so different.

Vulpes was right, in a strange way. Asking House if he wanted to be shot was like essentially asking him to beg to be killed.

"I at least want your consent," Six said, "so I know for certain that I'm not murdering you."

A laugh came from House's dry throat, as bitter and worn as the Mojave that he tried to conquer.

"You murdered me the day you broke into this chamber," House coughed.

Vulpes raised the pistol to take the shot, but Six grabbed his arm. Wordlessly, she took the weapon from his hands; this was her job, not his. Six stared down the barrel and peered into House's old eyes.

Killing Caesar was easier; she reached out with her securitrons, blowing him up without a second thought. Had she been in front of him, Six wasn't sure if she would have been able to go through with it. But this killing was out of mercy; the machines could sustain House for an almost infinite amount of time like they had in the past. He would be alone, locked in a tank, unable to move for the rest of his life.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," Six whispered.

She pulled the trigger and was unprepared for the pistol's massive recoil. It jammed her wrist backward, making the Courier almost drop it. She should have used her own gun, but at the same time, she felt that she deserved the pain.

As Boone asked her if she was okay, Vulpes took the weapon back. Six nodded quietly; she would be okay, eventually.

"If you're going to lead this place as its own nation," Vulpes nodded, "you've got to grow a pair, and fast. This was an excellent step toward that goal. I can suggest, but I will never decide for you."

"You'll have to do uncomfortable things," Boone agreed, "but we're here for you when you have to make decisions."

It was then that Six noticed the world again. She saw the corpse of Robert House, his head nearly disintegrated from being shot at point blank with a .44. She felt his splatter on her as a hand gently ushered her back toward the elevator.

When they arrived back at the penthouse, Yes Man's congratulations fell on deaf ears. Six wasn't in the mood to celebrate, and felt it inappropriate to do so. Boone's arm wrapped around her shoulder, pressing her onward to the elevator that would take her back.

She needed a shower. Six felt dirty, inside and out.


Canyon Runner glanced across the room to steal a glance at Cassidy, only to be caught. She made a show of stretching and popping her back, thrusting her breasts outward in an attempt to get attention. It was unnecessary; she already had his attention.

Vulpes stepped into the kitchen, his skin reddened from being cleaned. His pistol finished the job with House permanently; the amount of destruction it did would be impossible for House's machines to repair.

"How'd it go?" Veronica asked, watching as Boone entered as well.

"Her hand's going to be sore," Boone remarked, "not sure if that or her heart will feel better first. She's not the killing type."

"A .44 isn't a gun for a woman," Marcus shrugged, "besides, both the gun and killing take practice."

Canyon Runner looked at the floor in shame. A .44 was too much gun for him as well; he would always be at the bottom of the pile. That fact hadn't bothered him, because he knew his place. But his world changed, and Canyon Runner still felt like he was the least. Was this to be his place here as well?

Vulpes removed his pistol from where it had been tucked into his belt in order to clean it, and Canyon Runner watched as Cassidy eyed him. If Vulpes wanted her, he knew that he could have her. Thankfully, the other man's interests lie in Six. It still didn't do much to quell the anxiety Canyon Runner felt as he watched Cassidy lusting after Vulpes.

He was the opposite of Vulpes in every way. Canyon Runner was plain, his skin, hair, and eyes all a similar shade of brown. Though these were the traits of the Blackfoot tribe, Canyon Runner didn't carry them well like Marcus. He was short, possibly shorter than Cassidy – he hadn't been close enough to her to be sure – and it was a trait that was shameful for a man. His looks, along with his intellect, were average at best.

Canyon Runner watched as Cassidy quickly removed her hat and pushed red tendrils of hair away from her face. He wished that she would keep the hat off, and wished that she would let her hair down. A blush crept across his face as she caught him staring again and gave him a genuine smile.

"How old are you?" she asked.

"Twenty," Canyon Runner replied, hoping that somehow his answer would please her.

Vulpes coughed and looked at Cassidy. Her face was turning red.

"Cradle robber," Vulpes accused. Canyon Runner didn't understand the expression; he was plenty old enough to have a woman, if he was allowed. Men in his position didn't usually get such privileges.

"I'm not old," she grumbled, "I'm thirty-seven."

He couldn't believe his ears. Cassidy couldn't be thirty-seven, not with how she looked. Vulpes didn't reply to her, stood, and made his way out of the room.

In that second, Canyon Runner made a decision. Cassidy was too old to catch the eye of most men, and that put him at an advantage. There were only two obstacles in his way: Vulpes, his superior, and Arcade, Cassidy's male guardian. He stood and left the kitchen, intent on asking Vulpes for permission to pursue Cassidy.

Canyon Runner found him at the end of the hallway, leaning on the doorframe to the bathroom. As Vulpes stared into the room, there was a look on his face that he hadn't seen before. Canyon Runner wondered what caused it, and called out to him. There was no reply.

"How do you carry those?" Vulpes asked, nodding toward whoever was in the bathroom.

"How do you carry yours?" Six replied from inside the bathroom.

Vulpes coughed and shifted against the door.

"It's a bit uncomfortable at the moment," he chuckled.

Canyon Runner approached the doorway and immediately saw what had distracted Vulpes. He was rooted to the spot, and saw why Cassidy was perceived as second to the Courier.

"You should shut the door," Vulpes told her, glancing back at Canyon Runner.

Six looked up from washing her hair in the sink and walked toward them, drops of water running down her bare breasts.

"They're just boobs," she chuckled, "besides; you're the one that opened the door."

With that, the door to the bathroom closed in Vulpes' face. Vulpes stepped back and blinked in shock; apparently, he wasn't invited.

"I'm sorry," Canyon Runner blurted, though whether it was from accidentally seeing his woman topless, or Vulpes' apparent rejection, he wasn't sure.

"So long as you know that those are mine," he shrugged, "we'll have no problems."

Canyon Runner supposed now was as good a time as any. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for the question he was about to ask.

"My interests are elsewhere," Canyon Runner replied.

"Really?" Vulpes gasped, "I couldn't tell."

That had to be impossible. There was no way that Vulpes couldn't see his attraction to Cassidy. Unless, he was joking with him.

"What are you doing out here with me?" Vulpes murmured, keeping his voice quiet so the others wouldn't hear him. He pointed in the direction of the kitchen and nodded. "She's in the other room."

"Asking your permission," Canyon Runner replied, adding in a 'sir' to make sure that Vulpes understood that he knew his place.

He didn't expect the hand smacking him on the back of his head in reprimand, and he tried not to wince. Vulpes corrected him as if he was a child; Canyon Runner supposed that perhaps, Vulpes wanted both women. It made sense, after all; Vulpes had a notorious appetite for women. If he wanted two, then Canyon Runner would have to step aside.

Before he could apologize, Vulpes grabbed his wrist and led him into the Courier's bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Canyon Runner was grabbed by the shoulders, the much taller man staring down at him. This face was the last thing that many had seen before they were slaughtered.

"If you ask me anything about Cass," Vulpes said, "then you should ask advice. You do not ask me permission to do anything, ever. You answer to nobody; you are a true free man, and if you don't act like it, that woman in there is going to lose interest fast." He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the kitchen.

"She's interested in me?" Canyon Runner asked, his eyes wide, "she seems to look at you often."

"I haven't worn a shirt in weeks," Vulpes replied, "and my pants can barely stay up. Of course she looks at me. She's shameless."

Canyon Runner frowned. He knew she was a shameless woman that slept around, as well as drank often. But he was drawn to her wildness, and knew that she acted out to hide the true, kind woman underneath. He had seen it before with captures.

"You make that woman blush and smile," Vulpes sighed, "which, with a woman that jaded, is a feat. Do not mess this up."

Vulpes gave him a quick pat on the shoulder, pushing him toward the door. Canyon Runner took that as his dismissal and headed toward the kitchen.

"And don't you dare ask Arcade for permission," Vulpes remarked, right before he left the room.

Canyon Runner nodded. It was the last order he would obey.


Arcade glanced at the clock, and was shocked. There was no way that he read that late. Perhaps, it was broken. A look down at his watch told him that he was wrong; it was indeed late enough that he should think of going to bed, but he wasn't ready.

He told himself that he would just read one more page, but Arcade knew that he was a terrible liar. Everyone was winding down for bed, except for him. He had to stop bargaining with himself and just put the book away, maybe. But he would just get to the end of this section, so he would have a good stopping point. With that, Arcade proposed to do just that and continued to read.

"Rex and I are sleeping in the penthouse," Six called.

Arcade looked up from his book and frowned. That was very unexpected. Then again, with everything that happened earlier in the day, he supposed that the Courier was just drained. Shrugging, Arcade began to read again as he heard the elevator open and close. It wasn't more than a few minutes before he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

Vulpes peeked into the kitchen and motioned for him to follow him, stating that he had a medical question. Sighing, Arcade put his book to the side and stepped out into the hallway.

"I want to go somewhere private," Vulpes frowned.

Arcade nodded, ushered him into the elevator, and pushed the button to bring them to the cocktail lounge. Vulpes didn't wait for them to make it to the top before blurting out his question.

"How do I fix this?" he asked.

The doctor blinked and stepped back.

"Your back will be fine in time," he replied, "though some loss of sensation is expected."

A glare sent Arcade back against the wall, holding his arms up in defense. Apparently, his deflecting response wasn't going to cut it.

"Look," he sighed, "this isn't something you just fix. She's upset."

Vulpes frowned and glared at the elevator doors as they opened. The pair stepped out into the jungle that the cocktail lounge had become.

"This is about him," he replied, "isn't it?"

Him? As in House?

"It's probably a bunch of things," Arcade responded, "House is probably only part of it."

Vulpes leaned over the counter as much as his back could afford and ran his hands through his hair, grumbling about how he needed to cut it.

"So, she stands around topless talking to me," he growled, "flirts with me, then shuts the door in my face. And later, she decides to put hundreds of feet of concrete and steel between us when we sleep."

Arcade swallowed thickly. Six was really playing with fire with Vulpes. She had to know that.

"Unfortunately, I have no idea," he replied, "it could be she's upset about House. She could still be mad at you from your argument this morning. Or, she's not ready. You know that regardless of what she's done in her past life, she's technically a virgin."

He wondered if he shouldn't have said something about the last part, given the grin that spread across Vulpes' face. Based on that reaction, there was no way that Arcade was going to mention that Six probably still didn't love him back, and that she didn't want to lead him on.

Vulpes pursed his lips and stared at the floor.

"I am inordinately angry with Six for denying me," he frowned, "and there is a strong part of me that has the urge to find a willing partner from anywhere, even if that means going out onto the Strip."

"You'd get shot," Arcade replied. He received nothing more than a shrug in response.

"I've also considered going after Marcus," Vulpes admitted.

"You'd get slowly strangled," Arcade chuckled, attempting to inject humor into the situation. He really wanted to know why everyone seemed to spill their problems and secrets on him.

Vulpes turned to glare at him. He wanted to be a coward, and wanted to just pretend this conversation never happened. He wasn't a people person, and until recently, he hadn't even been the kind to have friends. Until Arcade learned that Vulpes was a legionary, he counted him among his friends. However, his impression of the man had been irrevocably tainted. But at the same time, he helped nurse him back to health, and swore to help people no matter who they were. Could he continue to help this man, who was a war criminal? Arcade could choose to ignore him, or play stupid and put him off. But was he that callous?

Vulpes stared at him, waiting for him to say something. This man was his friend, regardless of his former affiliation.

"But you are in love with Six," Arcade replied, "that means something, right?"

Vulpes was silent as he refused to answer the question. By the second, Arcade grew suspicious. Did he just want in the Courier's pants? Because if so, that was not okay.

"I have worries," Vulpes admitted, "one is that I do not love her, and that when I finally have her, I will want no more to do with her, like all the others. The second is worse. What if I am incapable of being monogamous? For months, I was the Butcher's personal pleasure slave. I didn't want any of it, but I loved it at the same time. This made me realize that there was an issue. Am I incapable of devotion? Granted, after she took over Vegas, I felt I would never see her again. But there was the healer, and the unavoidable affair with the Butcher, and –"

"Stop," Arcade ordered.

He had never seen Vulpes in such a state of mental disarray. But what could he do to help? He was in over his head with this. Arcade already thought of a very probable cause for this worry; the Legion made slaves of women, and told men that they were better than them. A man could use a woman however he saw fit. Commitments didn't exist in the Legion. But he had to be sure that this was the cause.

"We need to get to the root of the problem," he mused, "What was your first time like?"

Vulpes froze, the look on his face reminiscent of a veteran's thousand-yard-stare. Arcade had the distinct feeling that he wasn't going to like what he heard.

"I was six," Vulpes mumbled, his voice barely more than a whisper. "My instructor took me into the house after training and showed me."

Arcade wanted to tell him that he was sorry, but he knew that pity wouldn't go very far. Vulpes came to him for help, and he would have to be strong. He couldn't fall apart when his patient's life – his friend's life – was dissolving before him. Being molested could also very well explain his apparent promiscuity.

"That's more than a probable cause," he replied, his voice gentle. "Perhaps that has caused a desire to hold other partners at arms' length. I wish I had answers for you right now, but I don't know where to begin."

Vulpes nodded slowly, refusing to look him in the eye.

"I told Six," he said, "and she fell apart. In regards to my childhood, I have no sadness left to feel."

Then Arcade would feel sadness for him. Walling off emotions with such things was common.

"I'm going to ask you to do something mushy," Arcade smiled, "explore your feelings about Six. Don't think of the sexual side. Think of why you love her. It extends beyond physical attraction, doesn't it?"

He was putting the proverbial cart before the horse, but if Vulpes could adopt a healthier view of sexuality, then it was worth it. Besides, Arcade figured that Six had to feel something for Vulpes. She just hadn't figured it out yet.


It took him a while to get used to the feeling of reading glasses tucked into the bandages near where his ears once were, but that didn't stop Graham from reading until his eyes burned. Vulpes had been rather perceptive of his predicament, and Six had been rather kind to hunt down a pile of glasses. The Courier even included a bunch of sunglasses in the group, an endearing mistake. She wasn't particularly smart, but she had heart.

Truthfully, she was perfect for Vulpes. Her innocence, coupled with her morality, gave the Frumentarius something to think about. In fact, the woman was so inoffensive and sweet that he imagined even Edward had taken a liking to her; after all, they were engaged in the eyes of the Legion. He wondered if Six was aware of that fact.

Arcade stepped into the kitchen, looking tired. Graham enjoyed their conversations, but he was tempted to cut things off short and let he doctor sleep tonight.

"Let's go up to the cocktail lounge," Arcade smiled, "I don't want to possibly keep people up."

Graham lifted a brow and followed quietly. They had their talks in the kitchen every night since he arrived with Craig and Follows-Chalk, and nobody had complained; there had to be more behind this. He stepped into the elevator with the doctor, noting that the man was silent the entire way up. Arcade waited until they had exited the elevator and taken a seat at one of the few empty booths in the lounge before deciding to speak.

"I had one of those moments just now," he sighed, "where someone tells you way too much and you don't know what to do with it and you have to tell someone so that you can try to make sense of it all. And I know I'm probably about to do that to you but I have no idea how to deal with this because I don't know Vulpes that well."

Blinking, Joshua nodded and let the doctor speak his mind.

"When Vulpes came in," Arcade continued, "he hadn't just been flogged. From experience from my work in Freeside and seeing the other bruises and marks on his body, it's plain to see that he was raped. Coupled with the fact that everyone speaks poorly of this Lanius guy, it's easy to know who to point the finger at."

Graham nodded.

"Yes," he agreed, "many distasteful things come from the Legion. Those at the top prey upon those lesser than them."

"You don't know the half of it," the doctor sighed, "he's confused, and from what he briefly told me, I get the impression that it happened on more than one occasion. An 'unavoidable affair' is not what someone would call a single instance."

Joshua frowned and sighed. Edward was usually a good judge of character. But something about the Butcher must have dazzled him. Was it is strength? His cruelty?

There was a long pause as Arcade removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Graham waited for him to settle them back on his face, knowing that he had more to say.

"So we were talking about Six," he continued, "and out of stupid curiosity, I asked him what his first time was like. And he said he was molested by his instructor when he was six. I didn't think it could be as bad as that when I asked, and now I know too much."

Shock, rage, and shame all waged a war within Graham as he realized that this had been part of his Legion. He wondered if Edward ever knew of what happened, but supposed not. Being part of Caesar's elite club meant being as masculine as possible, without a care, worry, or issue.

"So," Arcade concluded, "the guy is molested as a child, beaten half to death as a teen, raped repeatedly as an adult, and then beaten half to death again. I'm sorry, but that's just too much bullshit for one person to have to live through."

Joshua nodded in agreement. But some of that had been reaping what Vulpes had sown; Arcade had to know that. Of course, the incidents that happened when he was a child wasn't part of that, but it did explain some of Vulpes' behavior; most notably, it explained his promiscuity.

"The shittiest part of it," the doctor grumbled, "is that when the guy finally falls in love, he's too confused to know that he's really in love, and too worried to know if he'll even be able to stay faithful. And like an idiot, I told him to search his feelings, even though Six has insisted on multiple occasions that she doesn't love him back."

Graham didn't know what to do with all of that information. He had never been close to Vulpes, and truthfully, didn't like him that much when he was part of the Legion. Edward would always whisk the young officer away into his tent to discuss things that he had made Vulpes read earlier on in the week. And when accidents started happening to the officers in the Frumentarii, Vulpes was always promoted to the next rank. He often wondered if those accidents were by design, and, if so, by whom.

"What do you want me to do with this knowledge?" Graham asked. Though horrified by the thought of young legionaries being molested, he had to think in the present.

"What's he going to do when Six keeps rejecting him?" Arcade asked, dodging the question. So, the doctor wanted information. This made sense; Arcade was very protective of the Courier.

"He's spoiled," Graham sighed, "and very ambitious. He'd have to be forcefully removed for him to get the message."

"He wouldn't rape her, would he?" the doctor gulped.

"I'm not sure," Joshua admitted, "legionaries breed. Not many have a concept of lovemaking. At the same time, Vulpes was the head of the frumentarii, and knows how the world operates outside the Legion. Coupled with his past experiences, I believe he may not."

The doctor visibly relaxed and put his head in his hands.

"Well, I'll be able to sleep better knowing that," he replied, "but tonight, I certainly won't, not after learning what I did today."

Graham nodded in agreement. He wouldn't sleep well for a while; he knew Vulpes' secret, and couldn't mention it.

All he wanted to do was help, and he was powerless to do so.