Rook, noticing Morgan had fallen asleep, rose from the bed.
"She will require time to heal." He stated and looked over to Garry. "Do not bother trying to chase Hamilton. You will not be able to track him now, and has had ample opportunity to disguise his path."
Rook returned the kitchen knife to the kitchen and then pulled a bug invested quilt off the floor and threw it over the fire.
"I will to go find sustenance for Morgan. She will be weak when she wakes up." He unholstered his pistol and lay it on the bed next to her, before heading for the door.
Garry sighed and fell back in his chair, glancing over to Morgan as he envied her position of just having to sleep it off. He wouldn't go after Hamilton, that would be suicide but Hamilton shouldn't even be alive right now...
This was entirely Rook's fault, not only had he put Morgan in danger but he'd also put Garry and Heather in danger as well...
The Wastelander fell silent, wondering if ditching the survivors was the best course of action...
Rook headed out, picking up the fallen M40 along the way. He then went tracking molerats, stray dogs, whatever he could find.
Morgan whimpered in her sleep, groaning and slowly opening her eyes a little, letting the smallest slits of light inside.
Garry glanced over his shoulder as he heard Morgan stir, quickly standing up to be by her side as he looked her over.
He didn't know if he should bother talking to her at this point as she looked barely conscious...
Fucking Slavers... Morgan thought, groaning again. Fucking Hamilton.
Fucking...people...
"You awake?" Garry asked, slowly leaning over the scientist and taking a look at her eyes.
"You're lucky... I thought you were screwed for sure..."
Rook soon returned with a skinned and somehow cooked molerat. Its carcass was charred, but it had been cooked all the way through. He dragged a chair over to the side of Morgan's bed, and sat down, setting the mound of meat on his lap. He tapped the side of her cheek with his hand. "You awake?" Garry asked, slowly leaning over the scientist and taking a look at her eyes.
"You're lucky... I thought you were screwed for sure..."
Rook glanced at Garry before turning back to Morgan.
"Open your mouth." Rook instructed her softly.
Don't tap me...
Morgan moaned in pain and opened her mouth, letting it hang limply open.
Garry slowly stepped back and sat back in his seat, refraining from saying anything to the android as he didn't have the energy for any drama.
Rook broke off a piece of the molerat and stuck it on top of Morgan's tongue, before instructing her to chew.
Morgan chewed slowly for a long time before eventually forcing herself into swallowing it. She groaned again and opened her eyes a little wider.
"Gotta..." She began. "Cook...B-better."
Rook didn't reply and just stuck another chunk of meat in Morgan's mouth.
She chewed and swallowed that too before opening her eyes fully and looking at Rook weakly. "No...More.."
Rook nodded and set the carcass aside.
"Update me on your status." Said Rook, which probably meant, 'how do you feel?'
"Painful." Morgan replied back. "Weak."
She sighed softly.
"You will have to stay largely immobile for awhile."
Rook glanced behind himself at Garry and Heather. "What are your intentions? Will you stay here? Or do you intend to move on?"
"Dunno, I thought that that prick would be dead at this point... Didn't really count on some asshole fuckin' it up back there." Garry replied, bitterly, glancing off to the side before sighing.
"I think we're safest together, if Hamilton does come back, we'll stand a better chance that way."
Rook wanted to point out that it was really Morgan's fault for leaving her position, which was a clear breach of military protocol and would've gotten her dishonourably discharged for endangering the safety of her companions, or if she was an android, reprogrammed; but, decided it didn't really matter.
"I must go to Governor's Island." Said Rook. "Will you two looks after Morgan?"
"D-don't...leave..." Morgan pleaded, looking up at Rook with large eyes. "Me.."
"If I do not stop the PRCT's broadcast, Morgan, you will all become brainwashed."
Rook set a hand on Morgan's arm. "You are my friend. This is the only way I can keep you safe."
"Takes time to build..." Morgan reminded the Android. "Don't...go..."
Rook was obviously conflicted. Protecting Morgan was his primary mission. But how could he better protect her- stopping a threat before it even started, or defending her from actual, real-life threats?
"You cannot move, Morgan." Rook reminded her. "You could be in bed for days to weeks. We do not know how much progress the PRCT has made."
"Don't wanna be...alone..." Morgan whimpered. "P-please..."
"I don't think it's a good idea splittin' up like this, Hamilton could come for either group." Garry pointed out, leaning back in his chair.
"PRCT might not even matter at this point."
Rook's features did not flinch, nor showed any sign of the confliction he was feeling. He was as stoic as ever.
"Fine." He said, relenting. "I will stay. But we move as soon as Morgan can stand on two feet. Understood?"
"Sure..." Garry grumbled, Morgan wasn't his responsibility, thank God...
"Affirmative..." Morgan whispered, closing her eyes and sighing heavily.
Rook slid his hand down her arm, and curling his fingers around her hand.
Rook... Morgan thought, a small smile appearing on her face as she squeezed his hand back.
"S-sorry I moved..."
"That is alright. Neither of us anticipated him to have shot you or to be carrying a concealed firearm. I should had terminated him when I had the chance."
Rook held her hand firmly, his grip warm. "I am sorry I let you get hurt."
"S'alright Rook." Morgan smiled. "It's a d-dangerous place out here..."
"That is no excuse. I am supposed to protect you. I was right there and I failed my mission."
"Of course, this wouldn't've happened if you'd just let me shoot him..." Garry pointed out, still finding himself incredibly frustrated.
Rook turned slightly to glance at Garry.
"You had plenty of opportunity to make a shot. Do not assign blame to anyone but yourself for not hitting your target. I do not decide when you pull the trigger."
"Yeah, you did, you stood in the way, I couldn't get a clear shot until it was too late!" Garry pointed out, growing more aggravated.
"But hey, at least you got to kick a wounded man whilst he was down, so I guess it was all worth it in the end."
Morgan laughed weakly at the banter before resting her eyes again, soon dozing off…
"I would have terminated aswell if my overwatch was competent." Rook replied in a rather passive retort.
"The mission is ended. Your complaints about it now do no justice." He lowered his eyes to Morgan again.
"You're puttin' this on me!?" Garry snapped, rising to his feet.
"Fuck you, this failed, because you wanted to make a big fuckin' show of it! Too bad you forgot to reload your fuckin' gun before you did, huh?
All you had to do was act like everythin' was business as usual and then back the fuck away, that's all you had to do but no, that wasn't dramatic enough for you, you had to make a big fuckin' scene and get in the way of my shot!"
The former slaver stopped as Heather entered the room, gently putting her hand on his shoulder to calm things down.
"This 'mission' hasn't ended... Hamilton is still alive, Morgan is hurt and we are all in danger...
All of that? Is on you..."
"Hamilton has sustained multiple bodily injuries. His sole weapon is a small caliber Bretta and he is wearing a half-torn Stealth suit. If my grenade did not kill him, there is a great chance he will die of blood loss, infection, shock, sceptic shock, or exposure. On the slim chance Hamilton has survived, it would be strategically ill-advised for him to hunt the four individuals who want nothing more than his dead."
Rook furrowed his brow at Garry.
"Do not try to pin this on me. My logic is undeniable."
"Heh... Didn't know that 'undeniable' was a fancy word for 'bullshit." Garry snorted, glancing to the side and nodding to Heather for her to let go.
"Okay, well one... Do you even have any fuckin' clue as to who you're talkin' about? Hamilton's barely human, I've seen him practically shake off worse than that." The Wastelander pointed out, glancing around the room.
"He'll be back on 'is feet in a day... Longer if we're lucky..."
"You are ignorant to the distinct advantage I have over Hamilton." Rook stated, then was silent, not really wanting to discuss this anymore.
"You can talk a great deal of shit and show off? Trust me, that ain't enough to make you a good match for Hamilton..." Garry pointed out, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.
Garry glanced down to it, frowning as everything began to make sense...
"Does he know?"
"Yes. That is why he shot Morgan. So I would tend to her instead of terminating him."
"Or maybe it was, because he knew that he could hurt her with that gun... Either way, now that he knows? He can and will use that against you..." The Wastelander pointed out, folding his arms.
"Ain't your weakness electricity?"
"Not exactly." Rook didn't bother explaining it to Garry. He returned to the seat by Morgan.
"Hamilton does not have the equipment to effectively neutralise me. In the event we engage him, he will be at a disadvantage."
"If you think that..." Garry began, folding his arms and sighing heavily.
"You've already lost, I used to work for him, you'd be amazed how quickly he can turn the tables."
Rook was silent, having no response for that.
"Well, we've got a day, as I said... We might have longer, who knows?" Garry shrugged, sitting down on his chair.
"But... Just remember what I said... For her sake."
Rook just gave Garry a slight nod, his eyes still on Morgan. "Do you two want your own room? To sleep? I do not need it."
"Yeah, might be a good idea givin' Heather 'er own space... I'm takin' first watch, so I won't be needin' it." Garry shrugged, leaning back against the wall.
"Is Heather your wife?"
Garry looked a little confused by that question but quickly realised that their relationship wasn't exactly clear.
"Nah... We're just friends, the sex is just for fun."
Rook canted his head.
"You have intercourse with a wife?"
"Nah, that's usually when 'intercourse' stops..." Garry grumbled, with a smirk, remembering the tangents his old man used to go off on.
Rook just looked confused.
"Why?"
"You're confusing him..." Morgan whispered, waking up again.
"He'll figure it out, eventually... Just make him read a few romance novels or somethin'..." Garry shrugged, slowly sitting up and grabbing a bottle of purified water.
"Need somethin' to drink?"
"Desperately" Morgan croaked, looking to the pair.
Rook extended his hand out for the water.
Garry unscrewed the top and held the bottle to Morgan's lips, slowly introducing the water to her mouth...
Morgan raised her head a little bit and drank a small amount of water before she had to pull back, sloshing only a little on her shirt.
"Thanks..." She wheezed, able to speak a little better.
The Wastelander gave her a slight smile before resting it on the bedside table, glancing up to Rook before looking back to her.
"How does it feel?"
"Numb if I am honest..." Morgan mused. "Is the bullet still in me?"
"Nah, went straight though..." Garry explained as he put the lid back on the water.
"Don't know if you'd be here if it didn't..."
Rook was silent, still unknowingly holding Morgan's hand. His thoughts were elsewhere, as he stared blankly across the room, and out the window.
"Probably not..." Morgan noted before growling quietly. "If I ever see Hamilton again, I'm gonna shoot him myself. See how he frigging likes it..."
"Heh... I think that'll just piss him off." Garry replied, falling glum as he did so.
"Aye..." Morgan said, looking just as glum. "I'll just explode him instead."
"Negative." Said Rook suddenly. "I shall terminate him."
"Well, whatever you do, just make sure the asshole stays dead..." He shrugged, falling silent as he noticed that the sun had completely gone and that it was now night time. It was amazing how distracted he'd been over the past four or so hours...
"We...already tried that one." Morgan said carefully. "L-look how that turned out..."
Rook noticed the fallen sun as well.
"You should all rest now. The human body does not operate well under exhaustion."
"If I sleep anymore, I'll die..." Morgan sighed, aware of Rook holding her hand.
"As I said, I'm takin' first watch soon... Morgan should get some sleep, I think Heather already has." Garry shrugged, he'd gone many-a-night without sleep in the past, it was no big deal to him.
"It is your decision." Said Rook. He motioned for Morgan to move over, so that he could climb onto the bed. "I will initiate a brief rest then."
"Do you seriously expect me to mo-move?" Morgan groaned. "Not like this..." She sighed and gave Rook a look.
"Climb over me, j-just be careful."
"You should use the couch or a bed roll, y'know one of the beds that don't already have a sick person in it." Garry pointed out, finding it hard not to get annoyed at Rook's insensitivity.
Rook canted his head at Garry, like he didn't understand.
"But I share a bed with Morgan. She is my friend." He rose to his feet anyhow. "Very well. I will get my own."
Morgan went a little red in the face and fell quiet.
"I get it but you're just goin' to make her worse by movin' her or fussin' over her... Trust me, she's better off with 'er own bed." The Slaver sighed, feeling like he was talking to a child.
Rook nodded. "Understood." He retrieved the pistol from where he had set it on Morgan's bed and then went over to the couch, which he proceeded to lay down on.
Garry watched as he left the room, falling silent somewhat before looking over to Morgan.
"I think you need to work on his house trainin'..."
"I try to..." Morgan smiled. "Its a slow process, but we're getting there."
"He reminds me of Heather... I still ain't all there with her." Garry sighed, leaning back in his chair as he did so.
Morgan chuckled quietly. "Yeah but it's harder for Rook. He doesn't understand feelings fully yet."
"He understands freedom... That's somethin." Garry shrugged, looking over to Morgan with a tired look in his eyes.
"At least he don't miss bein' a slave."
"Mm." Morgan nodded in agreement. She'd probably never forgive herself for rescinding Rooks freedom.
"I don't think he gets consequences... Or that his actions have 'em. I don't think he'll learn from this and if he don't, then there might not be a next time." The former slaver reminded her, with a heavy sigh.
"I'll speak to him when he wakes up." Morgan decided. "It'll be...ok."
"I know you're tryin,' I know that he's tryin' but... I can't have that happen again, not if Heather's the one at risk, y'know?" The Wastelander explained, slowly looking over to the sleeping android.
"I am aware." Sighed Morgan. She toolooked over at Rook, her face softening. "It ain't his fault..."
"I know... But the best lessons are learned the hard way." The Wastelander replied, keeping his voice low.
"Agreed. As I said, I will teach and explain to him." Morgan nodded. She leaned back in the bed some more, sighing softly now.
"I shoulda been more careful..."
"Well, at least you walked away from it... Or you will, that's somethin.'" Garry shrugged as he returned his attention back to his 'patient.'
"Most people don't get that chance..."
"My lucks gonna run out a somepoint..." Morgan mused, seeming more intrigued by the thought than worried.
"But for now, I think I have to rest some more after all…"
"A'ight..." Garry uttered, slowly pulling himself up, stopping half way towards he door as he turned back to Morgan, a question burning at the back of his throat.
"Did you... 'Build' him?"
"No." Morgan replied simply. "He escaped the Commonwealth, and came across my house, which promptly exploded." She chuckled at the memory.
"Wouldn't trade it for the world..."
"Oh... I guess that makes sense, well, a little more sense at least..." The former Slaver sighed, wondering how things could get even more complicated.
"Need anythin' before I go?"
"No I'm kay." Morgan smiled. "With Rook right here, I'll be safe."
"A'ght..." The Wastelander sighed, slinging his rifle over his shoulder as he made his way over to a vantage point.
Rook just stared up at the ceiling, still completely silent.
Morgan watched Garry leave before she stretched her good arm and winced slightly. She grumbled and settled back in bed, turning to look out the dirtiest window.
"You are not sleeping?" Rook finally said.
"Neither are you." Morgan mumbled. "I'm...not tired at the moment."
"I do not sleep."
Rook rose into a sitting position.
"You should rest, Morgan. You need your strength."
"I know..." Morgan sighed. "I just...have too much on my mind to think about sleeping right now."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I..." Morgan looked back, giving Rook a sad smile. "Not really. It's stuff I'd rather forget..."
"I am your friend." Rook stated. "Behavioural psychologists think that talking is one of the kinds of therapy."
Morgan closed her eyes. "Later..." She whispered. "Once I... wake up." She then sighed. "It feels weird sleeping alone."
"Do you want me to join you?" Asked Rook, canting his head.
Morgan shamefully nodded. "It is unwise though. It hurts to move.."
"O-okay." Morgan whispered.
Rook rose to his feet and advanced on the bed. He scooted onto it and gently lifted Morgan aside, clearing space for himself, and then pulled her back up against himself, mindful to keep her injury from rubbing against anything or stretching it.
"Is this okay Morgan?"
"You are warm..." Morgan noted as she nodded. "M-more than okay."
"Alright." Rook nodded, securing his arms around her, to conserve space.
"Go to sleep now, Morgan."
Morgan was already fast asleep by the time Rook had finished speaking. There was a smile on her face, and she looked truly happy. Happier than she has been in the past couple of days.
Rook stared up at the ceiling, remaining silent once he realised Morgan was asleep. He did not move even an inch all night.