-((Quest Break))-

-Craig-

"Do you know how long she'll be like this, doc?" I sat on the long, white sofa beside the queen-size bed Crimson is currently lying on. After the Legion ambushed us nearly an hour ago, we managed to escape with minor injuries. Well...almost all of us. One of the Legionaries used one of his Super Sledge to try to knock me out, only to have my fellow courier friend act as a scapegoat for my protection. It's great that she protected me, but it fucking hurts how Crimson hasn't woke up from her unconsciousness for the past half hour.

The Followers of the Apocalypse doctor used his stethoscope near Crimson's collarbone, trying to listen to her heartbeat. "She's still breathing, her heart rate is slow, but I doubt I have the estimate on her awakening, Mr. Soldier." He took the medical device off of his head. "But a bold maneuver Ms. Courier attempted to provide protection for you, only to be the one who took the fall."

I wish I didn't have to hear what the doc said about Crimson. Just those words alone about her actions stung me twice as bad as a Cazadore's stinger. "At least she is willing to protect those close to her." I hope my choice of words drive the pain away from within me. "Even at the cost of her own life."

"But it's also her ill-advised decision to recruit a Legionary neophyte into our contingent." He turned his head at my confused expression written all over my stern structure on my face. "Pardon my assortment of words I've chose," he scoffed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I get like that whenever I am pissed off at something I am highly not fond of, like your lover's rash decisions that went against ours."

"She's not my lover!" I stood up quickly, having both my broad hands clenching tightly into fists. "I'm getting fucking tired of hearing everyone say that she is. She's just a friend of mine, and she knows that I am married. Why can't everyone just fucking stop with that word already!?"

The doctor shook his head, crossing his arms over his lab coat while an apprehensive glare formed on him. "Friend...I beg to differ, Mr. Soldier. The tensions, the flip-outs, having each other's backs, denying even hearing of the word lover in any sentence you hear from anyone you and Ms. Courier come across." He briskly stepped forward and took a fistful of my shirt, yanking me close to him. "Your actions proved your words wrong, Mr. Soldier, and I am not a simple minded imbecile who believes every denying word you speak. You know that Legion recruit is just a step away from whisking her feet off the sand if you don't do anything to stop it!"

"Get your fucking hand off my shirt!" I growled under my breath. "There will be no fucking way that Legion bitch is going to take Crimson away. Even if my legs are either amputated or cut off, or my arms gone missing, I'll still crawl my way to the bastard and rip his face off with my teeth!"

"Yeah," Arcade kept his glare locked with mine. "you'll be saying that once you're dead and Mr. Recruit makes your courier cohort his bitch!"

SNAP!

I feel like my mind has completely shut down while I stand and stare at the doc. My blood began boiling quickly, feeling the rage steam out of my ears. I locked my hands around the doctor's neck, shoving him towards the mirror next to the door leading to the town of Novac. "Take that back!" Now he has pushed my buttons to far!

The doctor tried to gasp for air through his tightened throat. "Y-You...you're easily..." He spoke. "angered when someone...thinks badly...of Ms. Courier!" I clenched my hands tighter around gia neck, only to feel something kicked my midsection, pushing me a few feet away from the doctor. "Hmph...for a married soldier, you defend another woman." I lift my head up to see the doctor adjusting his attire. "Committing adultery towards a woman you've met nearly a week ago, I wonder what our other cohorts will say about this?"

I motioned my hand up and point at the door. "There's the exit! Go ahead and tell them, I don't care! All I care is about is making sure Crimson is safe and has pulled through her deep sleep."

The doctor nod his head, placing his left hand on the doorknob. "Tomorrow morning, I shall be making my departure back to the Old Mormon Fort from here. Tell Ms. Courier my service with her are no longer needed due to her recruitment of one of Caesar's followers." He twist the knob to opens the door for him to escort himself out. "Vale, Mr. Soldier..."

"Good riddance, we don't need you anyway..." I mumble once the door closed behind him. I'm glad he'll be out of my and Crimson's hair for a while, getting tired of him barging into our business. I turned my head to see the courier still lying in one place, not even shoving the doc to the mirror wasn't loud enough to wake her up. "Crimson..."

She's going to have to know, assassin. You can't hide the truth from her. The words the Legion fuck told me hours ago got me thinking. Should I be telling Crimson what had happened four years ago, letting myself dig through the memory graveyard and pulling up its coffin I cast aside? Bitter Springs was one of the reasons why I have these damn problems inside my mind during my time in the military. And that bastard there, he was a Great Khan back then, but why a Legion now? Why did he appeared four years later and tell me that Crimson was near the aftermath of that massacre?

"Crimson..." I walked to the side of the bed and sat down carefully with myself facing her. I placed my right against her left cheek, caressing her cheekbone with my thumb. "I don't know if what that fuck said was true, I wont let his words alone tear my companionship away from you." I leaned myself forward, placing my lips against her forehead gently before touching mine against the spot. "I'll keep waiting for you here until you wake up. And once you do, I will talk to you about Bitter Springs. You're the only person I trust out of all our traveling companions we've been waking with. And..." I lift my head back up to see her peaceful face, feeling my lower eyelids filling up with tears each second I eyed the courier. "damn it, what if that bastard and the doctor are right?" I whispered as I let my tears land on Crimson's cheeks. "Have I started to feel like you're becoming my lover?"


Running...

Why am I running? What am I running away from? Where am I running to?

My breath heavy, my legs sore and numb from running through an unknown, empty area. Full of sand, rocks, dried up plants, I have completely no idea where I am at. My mind is completely blank, except for something telling me to 'run'. But where am I away from and where am I running to?

Run! Don't look back!

I kept hearing those words somehow, but who was the one that said that to me? Run? Where to? I tripped over something hard against my left ankle, making me tumble several times onto the hot ground that caused some scrapes and burns inflicted on my arms and legs. I even feel a throbbing sensation on my ankle seconds after I fell. "Aurgh..." I groaned.

Pushing myself up with my frail and burned arms, I turned my head and opened one of my eyes to see some four-legged creatures walking slowly towards me, their mouths opened showing some white fangs. I sat up on my bottom, trying to scoot away from whatever those things are feet from me. I was too scared to even yell for help nor have the strength to get back up on my feel. I feel petrified, knowing that this might be the end for me. One of the animals ran up to me and opened its mouth, but its head exploded feet from me that caused an ear-piercing scream escaping my lungs.

"Get back!" A voice hollered followed by another noise. "Get back!" Some dots appeared on different places on those animals, while the rest scurry away from where they were at. "Those damn dogs, wish Papa Khan can keep them on a shorter leash." Someone said from behind me before appearing within my sights. He twist his head, showing his fair skin tone, hazel eyes, jet black short hair swept back wearing a black thing over his white shirt with a strange drawing on the back saying "Great Khans". "Hey, are you okay, wastelander?" He held a hand out at me.

Wastelander? What is that? I glared at the stranger blankly, still shaken up and horrified by the near-death experience. I raised my hand up and grabbed his, having the unknown figure pulled me slowly to my feet. I wish I can show my gratitude to the stranger, but nothing is trying to escape my lips.

"Never seen you before around this part of the wasteland." The guy spoke, putting some kind of weapon on his back before folding his arms over his torso. "Glad I managed to come here at the right time before you became dog meat. Why're you over here anyway without a weapon?"

What should I say to him? Yeah, he did save my life from those dog things he told me, but whatever is in my empty mind got me apprehensive if I should run from him or stay. "I...don't know..." I squeaked. "All I remember is waking up against a rock with these kind of...whatever it is..." I pulled some of the strange, dirtied cloth on me and eyed it. "next thing I know, something somewhere was telling me to run. But, I don't know where?" I scratched my head, feeling a bunch of small balls of my hair and little items stuck everywhere in it. "Huh?" I kept on feeling my hair with both of my hands.

"Hmm..." The stranger lowered his big black brows. "you sure stick out like a sore thumb with your hair being so long like that. It's all knotted up with twigs, dirt, and such." He reached into some small sack attacked to his left hip, grabbing a sharp, metal object with a black, plastic handle on the end. "Glad I brought scissors with me in case I ever get any knots."

"W-What...what are you going to do to me!?" I flinched a foot back from the stranger holding the metal object. "I don't know what you're going to do with that thing, please don't hurt me!"

The figure raised a hand up, curling both sides of his lips slightly while his eyes glared right at me. "I'm not going to kill you, I promise." He walked around me so he cstand behind me. Feeling a little tug on the center of my head, I heard some kind of snipping sound. "See, not so bad. All I am doing is shortening your hair so it won't pose a problem to you in the long run. And sheesh, I've never seen hair that goes down to the back before." He continued to tug more of my hair, more snipping sounds from behind me and feeling my head getting a little lighter.

I don't know about this. Why is this stranger doing this to if I don't even know who he is!? Well, whatever the reason might be, I hope it's not going to kill me. "Why are you doing this to me?" I asked, feeling my hair being tugged some more.

"I just wanted to help," he spoke, hearing his footsteps moving through the dirt to my view. "I love to help other in their time of need. It's pretty much in my nature..." He laughed a little, placing the scissors back into his sack. "Well, I did manage to cut most of the knots and twigs off your hair," he held up some long, metal object from the holder close to my face. "I hope I did a good job..."

I eyed my now shortened hair that reaches onto the base of my shoulders. Amazed at how I look, I can see my face turning red. "I..." I was about to express my gratitude to him, but he quickly brought his long item back into his holder before kneeling down with some big sack from his back on the ground open. He brought out some rolled up clothing and reached it up to me. "Umm..." I grabbed it with both of my hands. "what's this?"

"I think you need a new set of clothing." The stranger got back up to his feet, slinging the sack back on his back. "You don't want any raiders of Fiends to make you their next killing target just by one look at how you dressed right now." He turned around to have the drawing face me. "I'll make sure to look the other direction while you go change behind that rock."

"Umm..." I gulped, seeing the huge rock feet from me. "Thank you...uhh..."

"Corwin," he spoke. "Corwin Paz of the Great Khans. You?"

"I don't know if I have a name..." I clenched the clothing tightly in my hands. "I can't remember anything prior to my awakening."

"Well," Corwin spoke. "because of your hair color, a very unique color I've never seen before in my life, how about Crimson until you find your real name?"

For the first time, I actually did the same gesture Corwin dis with his lips: curling both sides up. "I can live with that until I figure out who I am." I turned my back towards Corwin's back so I can get onto some different clothing he offered.


"So, where are we going again?" I asked Corwin while we walked through a long road far off the east. After quickly changing into a blue, baggy long sleeved shirt, tan pants, a big hat, and a red cloth tied around my neck, Corwin decided we head over to a certain place he mentioned just a while ago...which I can't seem to remember what he said.

"I'm going to see my sister, Maylene." Corwin answered, walking beside me. "She's now resting up at a Great Khans encampment called Bitter Springs, a place where all the sick, wounded, and the elderly are there to be treated. My sister has been sick with an fatal disease for a few years, and it might kill her at a young age if she don't have the proper antidote."

I glared at Corwin, feeling my heart sank for some reason. "Oh...I'm..." I turned my head towards the ground. "I'm sorry to hear that..."

"Hpmh," I looked back at the Great Khan, seeing a smile formed on his face. "Don't be." He rummage through his pocket for a small tube with some strange substance in it. "This vial contains the exact ingredients to yelp cure the disease from my sister. It took me a few years of begging to have the Followers of the Apocalypse concoct this." I noticed a little drop dropping down his face. "Finally, I can cure her sickness and take her back home once and for all." There was a small growling noise coming from Corwin, then me. "O-Oh, all this excitement about my sister sure got my hungry!"

Now I'm confused. "Umm...where do you live? Sorry if I seem so-"

"Nosey?" He cut me off. "Actually, it's great that I am walking beside someone and talk about anything I wanted to talk about. Though, I wish the NCR are the same way..."

"NCR? Never heard of that..." I said.

Corwin shook his head, making a grunt through his throat. "The New California Republic, a bunch egoistical megalomaniacs. Their military prowess is sloppy, their leadership is shitty, and their president likes to make sure all of his followers suck his dick just to male sure order in the Mojave is regulated." He took out two red, round items out of his sack. "Here, have an apple. We shouldn't be walking on an empty stomach."

"Thanks." I took the apple item off of his hand. "Sounds like you hate this NCR thing."

Corwin shook his head while holding the other item in his hand. "Not really. The NCR and the Great Khans are really not in good terms with each other. Papa Khan told me that the NCR annexed their original settlement far off north of here. Damn president wanted his military power to grow and flourish as what Papa Khan told me, but I consider that as a devastating plague waiting to wipe out every wastelander here." He turned to me. "I'd watch my back with those guys if I were you, Crimson."

I nod once before taking a bite at the apple item. "Are we close to you sister now?" I asked with the particles in my cheek.

"Yes, we a-" Corwin was interrupted by some ongoing popping noises happening in the distance. "What the!? That's coming from Bitter Springs!" He rummage through his pocket for some eyewear and hand it to me. "Here, cover this over your eyes, and use that red bandana around your neck to cover the rest of your face. We can't let anyone track you down if they see your face!" He started to run.

I took the eyewear and placed it over my eyes. Hell, the lenses pretty much shield my eyes from the bright sun above. I placed the red cloth over my mouth like Corwin said for me to do, before I try to catch up to him. "What's going on?"

"Gun shots, multiple ones." Corwin spoke. "Who could ever invade Bitter Springs now!?" The both of us kept running the rest of the stretch of land towards some incline between a bunch of rocks. I also hears so e screaming an yelling happening further towards the hill. "Stay here! I'll go check it out!"

I stopped myself midway through the hill, letting Corwin run up alone to whatever is happening ahead of here. But something from within me made me...curious. I continued up the rest of the hill to whatever this Bitter Springs place is, hearing a bunch of popping noises echoing from there. "Corwin?" I yelled, seeing a full view of everything that left me in a state of something worse than becoming dog food. A bunch of lifeless people with gunshots, cuts, and blood everywhere- some with clothing like mine before I changed, even some with an unrecognizable type of brown armor and headwear with a symbol of a two headed animal on the torso. There was even spots of blood on some of the tents.

"FUCKING NCR SCUM!" I heard Corwin yelled once I caught sight of him shooting down a few people with the strange armor. "DIE YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!" He used his long, metal object and stabbed the guy on the throat, pushing the limping body down to the ground with blood pouring out of the cut. "MAYLENE!?" Corwin dropped both of his weapons to the ground, whipping his head around in a frantic motion. "MAYLENE, ARE YOU HERE!? Oh, Dios, espero que no te maten!" Tears began to pour as he placed both his hands up onto his frizzy hair.

"B-Brother!?" A small girl, looking almost like Corwin, limped her way toward Corwin with her hand held on a bloody spot. "Brother...what happened!?" She began coughing when she got close to Corwin.

Corwin knelt down on one knee and firmly placed his hands on the girls shoulders. "E-Everything will be alright, sis. Don't worry, I'll make sure to carry you out if this place and have the doctors patch you up. I even got the cure for your sickness!"

The girl coughed some more on her brother. "Y-You think so, Corwin?"

Corwin nod his head at her. "Si, mi hermana! If you can take the antidote right now, you'll no longer have that sickness anymore, thanks to the Followers of the Apocalypse!" He dropped both of his hands down from his sister's shoulders to the small bag on his left hip, bringing out the vial with the substance in it. "Maylene," he looked at his sister. "Take this quick!"

"O-Okay." She said, reaching her left hand towards the vial. But something zipped past me, having a small hole appear on the side of the girl's face, making her fall down to the ground with the vial still in her hand. "C-Cor...win..." She whipered.

"Maylene!?" Corwin's eyes widen while staring at the now motionless child on the ground. "No...no no no no NO!" He picked her up carefully in his arms. "You..." His voice shook. "you're so close...in breaking through your illness. Why would the NCR do this to you!" He then pulled her close to him, cradling the dead body as he weep. "Mi hermana..."

I walked up to him in silence, feeling such a heavy feeling inside my chest. "Corwin...Im so sorry this has happened to you...who could've done this!?"

"The NCR..." Corwin kept his head low and eyes closed. "they did this! They killed all of these innocent people here! But why would they do this!?" He lift his head up to see me, but his face started changing dramatically. "Go," he yelled. "you've got to get out of here!"

I was about ro ask why he would say that, until something round touched the back of my head through my hat. "Stay still!" My heart skipped a beat as I turned slowly to see a guy with glasses, some red headwear, and some different armor with a patch on both sides of his shoulders showing a skull with two weapons behind it in an X formation. "Take one inch from me and I'll shoot!" He growled, but his head twitched ro one side, making him lower his weapon down. "Oh no..." He spoke.

"YOU ASESINO!" Corwin appeared in front of me with both of his hands around the guys neck. "HOW COULD YOU KILL MY SISTER LIKE THAT!?" He sound a lot more different than a few seconds ago.

"Y-Your sister!?" The guy tried to talk through his clenched neck. "I-I didn't...know...a-about this! N-Nor...killed her!"

"BULLSHIT," Corwin yelled at him. "I SAW YOU KILLED HER FROM AFAR! YOU FUCKING NCR SOLDIERS DESERVE TO GO TO HELL FOR KILLING MI HERMANA!" And at that moment, Corwin connect his clenched hand onto the other guy's face, making him tumble down before turning to me. "You need to leave, now! I'll make sure to find you once I an done with this murderer!" The other guy wrapped his arms around Corwin's neck, making him gag for air. "R-Run, d-don't look back!"

What should I do!? I wish I can help out Corwin from this guy, but just looking at that NCR guy made my spine shiver. "G-GO! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Corwin threw the guy down to the ground, landing several punches at his face before getting punched too.

I can only glare the two fighting each other for a good few minutes until the same voice echoed the same word it said. Run, don't look back! I ran passed the two, making my way down the same incline me and Corwin walked up. Why am I here? What is my purpose of being here with no memory prior to my awakening? Where am I running to?

Running...darkness...


I snapped both of my eyes wide open, eyeing at the ceiling within some dark room i have completely no idea where I am currently at. "Ngh..." I groaned, moving my hand up to where the Legion assassin hit me with his huge hammer-like weapon. "Where am I?" I murmured, feeling the déjà vu kicking in from when I first woke up in Goodsprings. I turned my head toward my right, seeing Craig sleeping, or snoring, on the white couch beside the bed. Good...I'm back to reality... I sat myself up on the bed, seeing most of the padding and metal plates for my attire sitting on the table to my left. "I wonder who took those off of me..."

"Crimson?" My heart skipped a beat from hearing my name being called from Craig behind me. I twist my head back to see Craig having his eyes opened right at me. He formed a slight, relieving smile at me. "Glad you're alive and kicking."

"Craig?" I chirped, lowing my eyebrows in confusion. "How long have I been out?" Right now, judging by the darkness in the room it seems like I have been gone for a while.

"Seven hours..." He answered as he got up to a sitting position on the couch.

I paled immediately. "S...Seven hours!?" I felt a wave of dizziness overcoming my wellbeing for a bit. "Ugh..." I caught myself with my left arm before I fell back onto the bed.

"Don't try to work yourself up after you just woke up from a coma." He spoke. "But, I'm surprised you're still alive after that assassin struck you on the head with that Super Sledge. Everyone managed to kill off or drive them out of where we were at while Boots helped me get you here in Novac."

"Wait!" I yanked the covers off my lower half so I can hang them over the edge of the bed. "Natalie was with you!? When did she appeared!?"

"Right after the Legion assassin knocked you out." Craig replied, leaning back against the couch. "She managed to catch your distress call while she heard gunshots from the Gulp n' Grub rest stop. I was the one that held you on my back while Boots and I head here as a little sanctuary until you wake up from your coma. My running was a little off, but glad training in the military definitely build up the endurance."

Heat brushed against my face, hearing how Craig was the one that brought me here...of all people. "Thanks..." I lowered my eyes to the floor below me. The whole memory of me meeting Corwin before the tragic evens at Bitter Springs is what's in my damaged mind right now. And as much as I want to talk to Craig about it, but I don't want him to be pissed at me for reminding him. "Craig..." Great, can't believe I am doing this to him. "there's something I wanted to talk to you about..."

"Odd..." Craig fold his arms over his chest. "I was thinking the same thing, actually. Believe me, it took a lot of thinking...but..."

I had to say it... "I want to talk to you about Bitter Springs."

We both went dead silent automatically. Staring at each other from the words we spoke together, this is highly awkward in my books. "You...you do!? But why, Craig? Didn't you say how much you don't want anyone mentioning that place despite how much of a massacre it is!?"

Craig twitched, his eyes widen some more. "W-What!? How do you know about the Bitter Springs Massacre!?"

"This might sound stupid. Craig..." I gulped. "but I was there when it happened..."

"You...!?"" He breathed, but his face shifted to a more angered one at me. "That can't be true. I never seen you in Bitter Springs other than that caravaner and the Legion bastard holding a child in his arms. How ca-"

"I was there Craig, no fucking doubt about it!" I interrupted him, feeling my eyes stinging from the tears forming. "Four years ago, in the memory I have while I was in a coma, I was wearing that kind of attire while I was walking with Corwin to meet his sister with a cure for her disease. The reason why you didn't know it was me was because my face was covered with a dark tinted goggles and a red bandana over my nose and mouth." The tears began to pour out of my eyes. "Corwin gave them to me after I got attacked by a group of dogs. Hell, he even suggested a name for me while I am still trying to fond out who I really am."

"Strange how a Great Khan Legion fuck was the one that gave you that name." Craig huffed while eyeing to the right, not a hint of interest shown in his eyes. "But, how can you be so sure that you were the caravaner back then?"

I wiped all of the fallen tears off my face. "I also saw you being outnumbered by those Fiends six to one." I noticed Craig's head twitches at my direction. "I had a laser rifle at that time, killing everyone or turning them to hot ash before treating your cuts on your left temple, center of your neck, your left bicep, and a three inch gash on your right forearm."

Again, Craig is still surprised. "How did y-"

"Memory." I answered before he can finish asking. "I pretty much have a good memory, a clear picture of where or what a specific thing or item is at. Strange..."

"So..." Craig softly spoke, making me eyed his baffled glare. "that caravan savior...the one who saved from those Fiends attacking me...that was you!?"

I nod in silence, eyeing the floor once more. "I couldn't remember how I woke up in the middle of the wasteland four years ago, only to hear something say to me to run and never look back. Yeah, I ran...only to see a horrible massacre in front of me back then while I was with Corwin back then." I eyed back at Craig again.

"Massacre..." Craig repeated the word I said. "yeah, I guess that might be the word..."

"But..." I paused for a second, hoping I won't pull a nerve on him. "Why would you and the NCR do that?"

I noticed a very painful expression appearing all over his face. "Since we are on the same page with Bitter Springs, I can trust you with knowing what happened..." He became silence for a good minute, taking a very deep exhale with his eyes closed. "It..." He spoke, opening his eyes at me. "There was a...miscommunication..."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "That's it?" I saw Craig silently bobbing his head. "Well...that must've been one hell of a miscommunication."

He can only shrug his shoulders. "Yeah, well. That's how they wrote it up on the reports back then." He took another deep breath. "But we did what we were there to do. People got killed. That's war for you." I saw how his face harden. "Maybe looking back you'd do things differently, buts that's not how it works. In the field, you hesitate, you or someone you care about will die. They teach is that from day one."

I stared at him, but his side of what happened during that massacre sure brought up a good point. "That's true, you can't second guess what you did back there."

Craig could only shake his head. "It doesn't lead anywhere that does any good. I know that much."

"And I bet you still think about Bitter Springs a lot?"

Craig nod again. "Yeah...always. Even when I sleep."

"Well," I spoke up. "maybe it would help to go b-"

"I don't think so!" He snapped at me before I could finish. Guess I did pull a nerve... "It won't change anything. And that's definitely a memory I don't want refreshed... Believe me, I got a lot of bad things coming to me..."

"Because of Bitter Springs?" I asked.

Craig moved his head to the left, avoid any further contact from me. "Life has a way of punishing you for the mistakes you make. Big enough mistakes, punishment can take a while." He breathed deeply. "Mine's not over..."

I feel my blood boiling a little now, though I don't know why. Maybe its the words Craig have been saying that got me all worked up. "Then why can't you make up for your mistakes?" I balled both my hands into fists, trying ro maintain my rage towards the sniper.

Craig twist his back at me, his nose wrinkled with rage. "A murderer who does good deeds is still a murderer, Crimson! And he'll still get his judgement! I left the NCR when my tour was up, I had enough of war for the past several years. So, I decided I was gonna start over." He glued his eyes back onto the carpet, shaking his head with a slight growl. "None of it made a difference at the end. My punishment has yet to be over..."

I clenched my teeth tightly. "How do you know your punishment isn't over!?"

Craig eyed me again, leaning forward so his face is nearly a foot from mind. "Because I'm still alive!" He growled.

I wish I cam contain myself much longer, but I had to punch his face with my right hand and clench his neck with my left. His face full of stymie glares right up at my infuriated face. "You think death is the only solution for you to end the psychological trauma buried within your mind!?"

"Better than fucking living and sleeping day by day, having the same scenario play on repeat!" Craig growled through his clenched teeth. "If you had a mind just like mine, you'll be dealing with it too!"

Glad I didn't clench his neck so hard, I wouldn't let him speak what he would be saying now. "You're suppose to be part of the NCR, protecting the innocent and wounded out in the wastes from any intruder of hostility that might come their way! Why aren't you doing that!?"

Craig yanked my hand off of his strong throat, placing both of his hands tightly against my forearms and slammed me onto the bed. "You think that all people who murder the enemy are called saints!?" He growled, his face now inches from mine. "Even as a saint of the waste, we still murder in different ways as possible to survive out there in the Mojave. We kill for food, we kill for territory, we kill as we are ordered by our superiors, fuck...we kill for either sport or just being a mindless, killjoy, chem-filled, raiding wastelander. Whether not we choose to deny our murders from the past, its still clings onto you for the rest of your life until it eats you from the inside out! Mine has yet to devour me whole!"

"Then why can't you make it up!?" I yelled at him.

"I can't!" He yelled back at me, seeing tears dropping out of his eyelids. "I hate thinking about the past, Crimson! I fucking hate it!"

I glared back at the hurt sniper above me in silence, for a moment or two. "Craig.." I murmured, now feeling my teats pouring out of the corners of my eyes, all because I severely hurt my companion. "I-I'm...I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have pushed you too far to make you like this..."

He began to soften up, leaning further towards me with his forehead connecting with mine. I feel my breathing quickened along with his just the thought of how close our mouths are. "Don't be, Crimson. In fact, I rather be venting out my problems than to let it build up and explode within myself. Because there is someone in my mind I want to protect first. Someone I rather express my past to and never receive a painful judgement from in the long run. And...someone who I can show my love for."

"Love?" My heartbeat quickened once I opened my eyes, glaring at his shimmering green eyes. "Craig, don't you love Carla? She your wife and you're j-" Craig shut me up with his lips softly pressing against mine.

He part his lips away, but still close to where they are still touching. "Never mention that name, Crimson. I'm done with her." He brought himself back to what he was doing, causing me to slowly shut my eyes. The same feeling from yesterday night began to rise, making me wrap my arms slowly around his neck to bring him closer. The fire burning in me, roaring and building from what me and Craig are doing. Fuck, I'm surprised no one has barged into the room and interrupted us.

"Craig..." I tried to breath from the small break we made. I couldn't help myself much longer, something about me just longed for this to happen, but to a harden NCR 1st Recon widower. I wrapped my arms even tighter around him, drawing him even deeper to the connection that I have never felt before. Damn, I don't know why, but I wish this feeling won't last...

I felt Craig lift himself away from me, staring at me again with those soft eyes of his. "I can't be burying myself deeper into the past even when it involves my dead wife. You're all in my mind now, Crimson." He whispered. "Something about you...it makes me curious."

More heat formed all over my cheeks. "Curious? About me?" I spoke softly.

He nod, moving himself away from me to sit himself back on the couch. "Yeah, it's shocking to hear that from me." I got back up to see him staring at me. "But am quite as shocked at myself as you are."

"Why?" I flinched a little.

"People around this town always see me with Carla," he replied. "I've been faithful to her, stayed by her side and kept her company at her worst times of her life. But...thinking how that Legion bastard mentioned her complaining about wanting to go back to New Vegas, it dug a deep hole in me, asking myself if I had made the right choice to be with a pompous bitch who'd rather live in the big light filled with drunks and greedy gamblers..." A smile formed back on his face. "Then you came along. You're completely different from her: you're not greedy, by how you rejected my offering of caps and that ranger back at Nelson, you've made a name for yourself probably across all of the Mojave because of you assisting the NCR, and the will to protect your comrades in dire need. Carla doesn't have any of what you have now."

It's great Craig told me about how I am completely different from his dead wife, but something doesn't seem to add up. "But..." I wish I can figure out the right words to say without making this conversation too awkward. "why did you kiss me?"

Craig's face brightened up like mine have. "I already told you. There is someone in my mind who I can show my love for. That someone..." He gingerly placed a hand on my face. "is you, Crimson. The lowly courier who've I've grown attached in the past week since we've been traveling. I don't care what anyone says about you, nor how much everyone tease us about the both of us. I didn't tell you everything I've hidden inside me just to fuck around, no!"

"But why me, Craig?" I asked. "Why me of all people would tell me all of this!? What do I have that no one else has!?"

"It's called trust, Crimson." He replied. "I didn't have that with Carla...not one bit. I couldn't bring myself to tell her everything about what happened during my tour...even in Bitter Spring. My trust was not all that with her, assuming she'll just think that I am a wreck from thinking about it. But you...heh," he smirked. "I feel much more better talking to you about everything. Things are now...at ease. And...to tell you the truth...like Carla, just hearing you talk...that damn tomboyish voice of yours." He chuckled, somehow in a joking matter.

"What about my voice?" I raised a brow up. "Is there something bad about my voice?"

Craig shook his head. "No, I wanted to make sure you're still alive after every nightmare I have about you. And seeing you, it leaves me speechless but relieved that you're still present. I'll do what I can to protect you, Crimson. I vow on my last breath in this damn wasteland. Even protecting your from that bastard with a price on my head."

All of the pain, everything about regarding anything, even the mention of Carla, is now fading dramatically. Now a new feeling has formed after hearing Craig's confessions, something that is pulling towards this 1st Recon soldier of a powerhouse faction. Something...more. "Craig..." I spoke, slowly entwine my fingers with his against my face. "Something about me...is pulling me closer to you...I can't figure out what it is..."

"It's love, Crimson." Everytime I hear Craig call my name out, it made my heart beat harder. Craig dropped his hand down but kept his fingers locked with mind. "Something I've been feeling for a while. I didn't have the guts to tell you how I feel, even though we've known each other to a while..." He paused for a second. "Actually, longer than that if you can include the time I pulled my rifle at you and nearly killed by the Fiends. But after knowing it was you behind the caravan outfit, I think there is more than just love I can give to you."

"What more can you give?" I had to ask.

His cheeks became a few shades darker than it was before hand. "When the time comes...I don't want to make you uncomfortable if we were to..further our relationship. I owe you a lot for saving me. Who knew you would be my caravan savior I've been looking for...all these years." Craig showed a warm grin at me, still making my heart flutter rapidly than a Bloatfly's wings.

I don't know what is up with Craig nowadays, its really strange for him to be acting like this despite telling me his past, which he warned me not to remind me. "Craig, it's strange how you told me your past even though you told me to never ask or remind you about what had happened in your past."

"Just because I have finally warmed up to you doesn't mean you can tell everyone that." Craig warned me, his smile disappeared. "I don't want any more teasing happening from everyone else, especially that scumbag bounty hunter or worse, that Legion fuck stain."

I only rolled my eyes and shake my head a little. "Craig, I am not going to do that to you. Even through a short duration from the time we've met at the Dino statue, I learned who and what you are by observing."

"Speaking of observing," Craig chuckles a little. "it looks like you need something to eat after being in a comatose for so long. Really hate for you to get a good night rest on an empty stomach."

I nod, slipping my right hand on my growling stomach. "Yeah, last time I ate was before the Legion ambushed us from afar." Then my mind clicked an idea."Craig, can I ask you something?"

His brows twitched a little. "Sure."

"Well, since my laser rifle now has a scope attached from Simon before we left the rest stop," I spoke. "maybe you can still teach me how to snipe from afar tomorrow?"

"I am trained to both snipe and spot, Crimson. "Craig grinned again. "The NCR didn't make me part of the 1st Recon division just to use the rifle with a scope. Tomorrow morning, say...seven a.m. I'll be having my binoculars with me so I can help spot even a small mantis from 1000 feet."

"What, so you can show off again after my one hundredth failed attempt?" I giggled.

Craig responded with a middle finger..