Hello Stranger, can you tell us where you've been?

Panam sighed gently. She had been sleeping rather soundly after V had woken them in the night panicking at the darkness. It had taken opening the window and allowing the bright, distant city lights to illuminate the room in a faint glow for him to finally fall back into a peaceful sleep. She had followed him back into unconsciousness not long after, with his head tucked beneath her chin. The room was brighter now, the sun had come up, and she could feel Vs lips against her skin. He was leaving a trail of kisses from her sternum, along her collarbone up to her shoulder.

"Good morning." He purred into her ear. His rough hands wandered freely about her body pulling at the fabric of her bodysuit.

"Seems like it might be." She teased breathily. The Nomad turned her head to kiss him languidly, lazily. One of his hands palmed her breast through her shirt. "Oh." The mercenary grinned but didn't pull away from her lips, he moved his hand further up tugging on the sleeves of her shirt. No further instruction needed, Panam sat up pulling him with her. With her lower lip trapped between her teeth she slowly lowered one side of the suit and then the other, freeing her chest. Vs eyes were dark with want, he surged forward.

"Need to see all of you." He said into the skin of her jaw, his hands tugged on the suit until she lifted her bottom and he could throw the offending garment aside. Her skin tasted like honey, he couldn't help the need to kiss, lick and nip. He was an addict. She gripped the bottom of his tank top and ripped it over his head in one go. He blinked in surprise.

"The feeling is very much mutual." She told him seriously. Her eyes roam over his new scars and injuries sadly. Gently she reached out and touched the fresh pink scar running along his ribs. She remembered the blood seeping weakly onto the dirt, no heartbeat to encourage the bleeding. Her hand began to tremble. "Are you okay? I don't want to do anything that could hurt you." He caught her hand in his own and pulled her into a hug. Her arms wrapped tightly around him and she tried to fight a sudden onslaught of tears. V could feel her shaking in his arms.

"Hey, hey. I'm here. I'm alright." V soothed affectionately. He pulled them back down to the bed with her curled on top of his chest. "You found me. You saved me." Her head was shaking in the negative and her fingers had clenched into a fist on his chest. "What? Of course you did. I know you're the only one who knew it was me at Arasaka. It was you that called Rogue wasn't it? If you didn't call Rogue, she wouldn't have called River." He remembered the cold, he remembered the dark. "I would've died out there."

"I shouldn't have had to call Rogue!" She pulled away angry. "I should've been there V!"

"No." He answered immediately.

"Excuse me!?" She roared. She sat up and faced him with fire in her eyes, he followed her up.

"No, Panam. There was no way I was bringing you, the best thing that has ever happened to me, into fucking Arasaka! I did that once before and 'saka killed 'im dead. I was not going to let that happen to you." He roared right back.

"And if it were me? If I had had to storm Arasaka to save my life? Would you have let me go alone?" Her eyes flashed dangerously. He faltered. "I should have been given a choice V." Tiredly she dropped back to the bed pulling an arm over her eyes.

"That's… That's different." V could tell how weak an argument he was making.

"Shut up V." She raised her hand and carefully slapped it against his chest. He caught her hand and held it to his chest as he lay down beside her. "I think you forget that you changed my life for the better too." she mumbled quietly, turning toward him and splaying her hand over his heart. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me V. Before you... I slept in my truck in alleys and on the side streets of Night City. I had left my clan. I had no family." she raised her hand to cup his cheek.

"What about Scorpion or Mitch? They cared about you." He frowned. His fingers had found her hips, they were tracing invisible doodles into her skin.

"Of course they did. But they were my clan, not my family. Demonstrated that on our first gig together. They offered gear, but not help." She reminded him. "Nomadic law. Protect your family, protect your clan. In that order."

"Damn. You guys are big on that huh?" His hands and fingers traced along her spine now.

"It's how we as Nomads survive. Otherwise we'd be no better then Raffen Shiv." She sighed. "Point is.. Somewhere along the way you became part of the Aldecaldo family but also my family."

"Panam.."

"I need you to understand V." She whispered, tracing his bottom lip with her thumb. He exhaled shakingly.

"I… I… I can try Panam." She frowned and started to pull away. He locked her into his arms. "No, wait." He begged. "I never had family Panam. Like ever. I'm not even sure who cared for me as a baby. I mean there's no way I could feed myself right? And there's no way my mother was capable..." He shook his head. "If I ever found anything worthwhile I would hide it. On the streets nothing is yours. My mother would take any food I could bring home, her friends would take anything of value. I had a Tyger Claw gangoon break my nose 'cause Ma sold the broken laptop I was supposed to fix for him. She used the eddies to get high or something. Vik had to fix my nose next time I snuck out of that place."

"V…"

"I never had nice things. Good things. To own or to experience." He pulled her closer and buried his nose into the crook of her neck. "And you, Panam… I want to hide you away from the world. I don't want anyone to know how brightly you shine, how truly wonderful you are, because they will try to take you from me. They will hurt you and break you, just because I want you. They took my mother, they took Jackie, I can't let them have you. I know enough to know that family isn't like that. I don't know if I know how to be a family."

"Hey, hey. Family is very much like that." The Nomad ducked her head so their foreheads pressed together. "No matter how hard you try, even if I let you, you can't hide me away forever. I have my own enemies besides that. But don't you think we would both be stronger, together?" his hands tracked fiery trails up her back.

"Together?" He growled. Their lips had migrated toward each other, they were breathing each other's air.

"You and me. Family." She rolled to straddle his lap. Her hands roamed his chest before travelling downward, toying with the edge of his boxers. "Love, trust, respect. That's all it takes."

"I love you so much." He groaned, feeling her hand cup him through his underwear. He moved his hands to her ass and squeezed firmly. She leaned over him and gazed at him seriously. "I trust you more than anyone I've ever known." His hips followed her hand as she withdrew pleading for warmth and friction. "And I respect the hell out of you."

"Yeah?" she breathed just over his mouth.

"Yeah."

"Then let me help you next time!" She growled and surged forward allowing their lips to crash together heatedly. V moved his hands from her firm, shapely rear to her hips so he could grind them into his own. The Nomad groaned and pulled away from his lips to leave a path of kisses down his body. Her lips spent extra time at the scars along his ribs and the top of his hip. She grabbed hold of his boxers and slowly lowered them down his hips, kissing each newly exposed patch of skin.

"God.." He groaned.

"No. Just Panam." She smiled wickedly before freeing him of his boxers and taking his sex in her hand. V threw his head back and hissed in pleasure, unintentionally bobbing his hips to her gentle strokes. Panam chuckled quietly. "V. Look at me." With a helpless whimper the mercenary raised his head to meet her eye. Panam had positioned herself in between his legs, as soon as their eyes met she dipped her head to take him in her mouth. She never broke eye contact.

The sounds that came out of his mouth were not English, but Panam enjoyed them and understood all the same. She pulled back to swirl her tongue around the head of his organ and took him in again. Vs head fell back to the bed and he let out a shaky whimper, he was starting to see stars. Her hands, her mouth, her tongue. Too much! Too much! If she kept up like this he was going to blow before he wanted too.

"Panam. Arugh.. Oh Jesus… Fuuuuuuck. I'm gonna.. I'm.." He felt the cold morning air on his now soaked appendage as she pulled back smiling innocently.

"What if I want you too?" He could feel her lips moving against the skin of his shaft.

"Ahhh… Panam. I'm not sure how many rounds I got in me. Plus isn't Misty supposed to show up for breakfast?" She was pulling on him with her hand now, the sensations were dulled but he still felt like he was on a precipice.

"So?" She frowned. "We have all the time in the world to get off now. I want to do this for you." He groaned… God why was she so fucking hot?! Still he shook his head.

"With you." He insisted. "In you." Her eyes darkened.

Slowly she crawled back up his body, his hands reached for her instantly. Their lips once again crashed together and their tongues battled for supremacy. V rolled them over and positioned himself between her legs. He felt Panams arms circle his neck and her legs wrap loosely around his hips. Their bodies rolled against each other, he could feel the heat coming from her centre as he glided his hand along her thigh. He slipped a hand between them and ran his fingers through her soaked, velvety lips. They both groaned. The mercenary looked at his output and raised his fingers to his mouth and sucked them clean.

"V." She crooned.

He grinned salaciously at her and dipped his fingers to her lower lips once more. Slowly he circled her entrance, once, twice, he dipped a single finger inside her. Her hips bucked. The Merc waggled his eyebrows at her and added another finger and began to pump them into her. Panams back arched off the bed and her hands gripped his shoulders tightly.

"Ugh. Yes. V.." He switched his hand position allowing Panams bucking hips and his pumping hand to rub her clit against his rough palm. "Oh!" She squeezed his fingers tightly. He moaned appreciatively.

"So beautiful." V watched. He watched the way her body took in his fingers. The way her hips and body would shutter if she hit his palm just right. Continuing to pump to his fingers inside of her he dipped his head to her chest. The licked his way up to the valley between her breasts before taking her right breast in his mouth. He flicked his tongue over the already hardened nub of her nipple then quickly switched to her other breast. One of her hands had moved to grip the hair on the back of his head and pressed him harder into her chest. He gently nipped at her nipple making the Nomad gasp.

"V… Inside. Please." Never one to make a lady beg V withdrew from her chest and pulled his fingers from her once more. He moved to lean over her and position himself, but his shoulder had started to ache terribly. He let out a pain filled groan. She had sobered at once. "What's wrong? What is it?"

"I'm fine Pan. Just my shoulder." He winced as he rotated the offending joint. She hummed in sympathy.

"Poor baby. Here." She rolled them so that she straddled his lap again. "Is this okay?" He reached up with his good arm and palmed her breast, squeezing her nipple and nodding eagerly.

"Very okay. Very, very okay." He agreed. She rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Gonk." She lifted herself up a little higher and took hold of his member. He gasped and bucked. Carefully she ran his head through her folds, lubricating him enough to journey inside. "Mmm." She hummed. When she was sure they were ready she sent him a look. He gulped and nodded. She slowly lowered herself on him, her mouth dropped open into an 'o' shape. Unhurriedly she bobbed on his cock a few times before taking him all the way inside.

"Aaah. Shit." V grabbed her hips and held her still. "So tight." He panted. The Nomad was smirking at him from above and he rolled his eyes good naturedly. Gently he encouraged her hips to begin moving on his. She leaned over him and pulled his bottom lip into her mouth. He groaned and reached for her ass cheeks. He squeezed the muscular mounds of flesh in his hands, pulling her faster and harder onto him.

"Oh fuck." She gasped breaking their kiss. Unable to help himself he reached up with both hands to fondle her chest, he ignored the throbbing in his shoulder. Panam pushed herself up. She left her hands on his chest and began to rock her hips against his faster. Vs hands trailed up her arms to grasp her elbows, he started to meet her thrusts with his own.

Their eyes met. V was amazed at the intensity in her chocolate eyes. She was looking at him like… Like he had died and come back to life. But that's what he did though, isn't it? No one has ever looked at him that way. With a small smile he realized he only ever wanted her to look at him like that. Jubilant he reached up around her neck and pulled her down for a desperate kiss. When they broke for air V couldn't help wincing and attempting to stretch out his shoulder. Panam rolled her eyes but pressed a kiss to the side of his jaw and pushed herself up once again.

She leaned back and gripped his ankles. Her eyes fluttered closed at the new sensations caused by the angle change, but smirked knowing she was well out of his reach for now. V watched as once again her body took him inside of her. Her hand was roaming her own chest, squeezing and pinching, her head was thrown back, he could see beads of sweat rolling down her muscular abdomen… Fuck it was so erotic! He slipped a hand to her clit, she squeezed him so tightly he saw stars.

"Ah!" She gasped.

"Holy fuck! Ugh." His hips jerked up to meet her. He could feel the muscles in her thigh begin to quake as she approached her summit.

"V.. Oooooohh. So close." her hips pumped uncoordinatedly against his, he could feel her squeeze him again. "Oh. Fuck."

"I'm.. I'm." He was panting. He grabbed her hips once more, planted his feet and pumped up into her with everything he had.

"Oh. Oh! Oh!" Panam tumbled into oblivion, squeezing him so tightly he followed her into bliss and exploded inside her an instant later. She collapsed against his chest breathing heavily. His arms wrapped around her.

"Ugghhhh." V twitched sensitively. He let out a breath. "Wow."

"I know right?" Panam asked with an impressed chuckle. V let out a hearty laugh and kissed the top of her head.

"My family." He lowered his head and kissed her tenderly. The Nomads' eyes lit up brightly even as they filled with tears. She cupped his cheek.

"Yes V. Your family. I love you."

"What are you grinning at over there?" she asked with a grin of her own. After a shower and breakfast Vik had given V the all clear and the couple had wasted no time packing what little the Merc had and piling into her truck for the journey back to camp. He was sitting in the passenger seat watching the wide expanse of barren land speed along beside them. The ride had been quiet thus far, Panam was curiously anxious about something and he didn't want to push. Their talk that morning had been good, but there were still things that clearly needed to be discussed. At her question he smiled wider and answered.

"Just thinking about the future. Family." And he had been. Especially now that he had a future to look forward too. The mercenary knew he would have to deal with his family issues and soon, but for now he was going to celebrate. That meant all sorts of wonderful, future scenarios were tumbling about in his head. For just a moment he could see Panam seated behind the wheel with a full pregnant belly, glowing. Or he could hear the small voices of their children calling to them from the backseat of her truck. Momma. Daddy.

"Oh really?" she interrupted his musings with a concerned smile. "All good I hope?"

"The best." He smiled serenely. Making her snort in amusement.

"Do I want to know what your future holds?" She teased lightly.

"Only one thing I know about my future that's consistent." V told her.

"Trouble?" The Nomad offered sarcastically.

"No!" He paused. "Well alright, two things then. Trouble… and you." He reached across the centre console and placed his hand high on her thigh, just teasingly dipping his fingers toward her centre. She snatched his hand away and tried to send him a warning look, though not a very effective one.

"If I wreck my truck because of you…" She cautioned while smiling brightly.

"I'll buy you a new one." he shrugged easily and sent her a teasing grin. She brought their joined hands to her lips and pressed a kiss to his knuckles.

"I don't want a new truck. I like mine."

"Then we will rebuild." He declared goofily. She smiled.

"You're in a good mood."

"Should I not be? I survived my greatest challenge to date, I got the girl.." She snorted. "I'm heading.. Home? I think." She squeezed the hand she still held.

"Yes. Home. If that's what you want?"

"Well we basically just got married, I guess we should start living together." He mused quietly beside her.

"We… We what?" She dropped his hand in surprise and turned her focus from the expansive highway to him. Her cheeks had taken a lovely pink hue.

"Oh. Umm…" He reached to scratch the back of his head embarrassed. "Family." She just chuckled nervously. "I have always known family as.. Well, like some sort of combination of husbands and wives.. Maybe a few kids."

"Kids?" she gasped.

"I mean.. If it happens." He shrugged.

"You want to be my husband?" She asked, shocked. Then she blinked because that sounded way nicer than she thought it would. "Married?"

"I just figured that's how the camp will see it. I mean, I'm with you first Panam and the Aldecaldos second. Family before clan." He grinned sheepishly. She thought deeply.

"I figured the whole jumping into marriage thing was a Nomad stereotype." She tried to joke. In the time the couple had known each other Panam had seen two other couples at camp meet, date and enter the lifelong commitment. It wasn't that she was opposed to marriage either, but there were certain responsibilities spouses would have to take on for each other. Certain status changes within the 'society' of the camp would occur too... And kids, Jesus, that was a topic Panam ran from screaming.

"It makes sense why you'd do it." He offered. "If you don't want to Panam that's alright. I get it. You've got a lot on your plate with helping to lead the family, integrating some gonk-ass city boy into Nomad life and now preparing to go over the border… I get if it's a lot. Just wanted to let you know that… ahem I guess I'm not against it." They were quiet for a time.

"Our marriage would need to be registered." She eventually spoke into the awkwardness of the cabin. Her heart was racing. Panam Palmer discussing marriage.

"Huh? What? Where? With who, the government? Why?" He asked, confused.

"With the Aldecaldos." She told him, smiling. "At the Hub."

"The Hub?" He was just further confused.

"A central planning and/or meeting place for all Aldecaldo Families. It's just a way to keep track of who is in charge, how many families there are wandering the US, Aldecaldo populations, it's a huge trading centre as well. If a family starts running into trouble or they have excessive wealth taking it to The Hub is what we do." She explained. Thinking of the bureaucratic process the 'caldo Elders put in place for leadership bids and marriage registration. It's not like there were ridiculous amounts of Aldecaldo Families running around.

"Why are marriages important?"

"They aren't, typically. So long as new Aldecaldos are being made I don't think The Hub really cares. But… My brother and I are of the sole survivors of a legacy family and I am also leading a Family. If something were to happen to Saul we would cease to be the Bright family and become the Palmer Aldecaldos." She directed the truck onto a dirt road leading away from the highway. "If I get married they'd want that on record because if something happened to me, unless there was a major protest, the Family would take my husband's name until a new leader was elected."

"Oh. Well if something happened to you, something definitely happened to me." He told her simply. She rolled her eyes.

"Saul and I had been discussing taking the rest of the Arasaka tech there." Panam said. The truck came upon a cliff's edge, overlooking the Badlands. She cut the engine and gazed out ahead of them for a moment.

"That sounds like a good idea. That Tech is gonna make us major targets for Shiv and Scavvers alike." He nodded to her cautiously. He hadn't anticipated marriage being a sensitive subject, he was happy to stay happily unmarried to her the rest of his life if that was what she wanted. He just figured the Nomads had their own ways of doing things, that she would want some sort of official thing to legitimize his presence. "I don't mean to pressure you Panam. I was just joking."

"I know." She mumbled quietly. The Nomad scrutinized him with a frown.

"Where is this Hub?"

"It used to be outside Albuquerque, but it was moved about 10 years ago. Now it's outside La Grange."

Get back!

"What?" He blinked. His sight blurred for a moment, he could see lines of code crawling across his vision, just like when the Relic malfunctioned. Panam slipped out of the vehicle and leaned against the door. Dread filled V. "Fuck." He exited the truck and slowly walked around to face her. Her arms were crossed on her chest and she was glaring at the dirt at her feet.

"10 years ago Biotechnica was moving a large amount of materials. Livestock, produce, medicine. A real jackpot." She sighed. "Kang Tao, Militech, Maelstromers and a Family of Aldecaldos. All devastated by a bomb dropped by Militech. Everyone one there was killed. Everyone." She looked up at him. "My father died there."

Fire, gunshots, screaming. V wanted to throw up. His vision began to spasm with images that weren't really there.

"They moved The Hub there to construct a memorial. An entire segment of the Aldecaldos, a whole family, had been destroyed in that single, evil act."

"La Grange…" The ground was shaking, or was it him?

"Do you know anything about what happened there?" She asked nonchalantly.

"..I had heard about the bombs. But I was, ahem, dealing with a lot of my own shit at the time." He answered nervously. The Nomad stalked away from him taking in the sights the cliffside offered. V felt himself sway dangerously. What the hell is going on? Why was he remembering… What was he remembering?

"Hmm." She nodded again. "You know, after we found you and Saul called me home… I received some interesting information."

"Yeah?" He jutted out a hand to steady himself against her car. The visions were getting worse, he could hear the screaming. Get back! Get back! Her back remained to him.

"Seems the whole incident was a setup."

"How..?" Vs eyebrows shot upward.

"Apparently some big wig up at Militech. His son broke into his files and leaked the convoy info to basically anyone in the vicinity. Daddio didn't like that and decided to teach everyone a lesson by dropping a bomb. And then they blamed the Nomads."

"I remember…"

"There are a few at camp.. They think it was you who leaked the information. They want to blame you for the bomb."

"I didn't drop a bomb.." His knees quaked under his weight and his head bowed. The smell of smoke and the heat of a nonexistent fire were overwhelming his senses. It felt like someone was trying to split his head open.

"I know." She responded sadly. "...But V, after the story you told me last night… It's not that crazy a stretch to think that, maybe, you were the one who leaked the info?"

"How.. How.." His world turned off.

Fire. Gunshots. Explosions. Screaming.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He just wanted to give Militech a taste of their own medicine. He figured that they would be entirely unprepared for an assault from Kang Tao firepower and Maelstrom chaos. There weren't supposed to be people here. Why were there people here?

A shriek.

"Look out!"

Ahead, a blue glow. What was that? It was expanding, getting closer and closer, it crackled with electricity. Then shrieks were stopping abruptly, cut off halfway out their owners throats. His sight filled with the dome of electricity. He screamed as his muscles contracted and contorted painfully, ripping bone from sinew. His vision was filled with flashing orbs of colour. The electricity danced across his brain, he continued screaming in agony. And then….

It was over. He woke in the night face down in the dirt. It was hours later. It was silent. No more gunfire, no more screaming. He groaned painfully and pushed himself to his feet. For hours he had limped through the wreckage looking for any survivors. He found none.

There were no bodies.

"Find me son…" A red, hot spear pierced his chest. He screamed.

When he woke next he was in a tent. His brow furrowed in confusion. What happened? Faintly he could hear voices. The mercenary took a minute to gather his thoughts and recall what had happened to get him here. He and Panam had had a wonderful morning, then were driving home when he mentioned marriage and she mentioned La Grange. Oh fuck.

Had he flashed to what happened in La Grange? He didn't ever remember going to Texas… He had only travelled between NC and his fathers place in Atlanta. Why was he in Texas? How did the Nomads know he was involved? Why are there no bodies? The Netrunner let out a shaky breath and rubbed his hands over his face. Guess the future was getting put on hold.

God, he was responsible for the death of Panams father.

Why had she brought him back here? V clenched his teeth together and fought the tears gathering in his eyes. His existence had brought nothing but misery to those he loved. Maybe she brought him here to face justice. The thought made his heart ache painfully. Fuck. She should've just left him to die in that pipe. He sat suddenly, maybe he could sneak out unseen before she returned.

"Ah shit!" He cursed quietly. His head was swimming. He reached up quickly, as if holding his skull still would stop his eyeballs bouncing around. That's when he noticed the bandage wrapped around his head. Too much, his body warned. He gagged involuntarily. He tried to stand and stumbled into the storage chests beside the cot.

"V!" Someone called into the tent. He flinched away from the voice and groaned. Without wanting to he collapsed onto his knees. The Merc felt himself start to fall forward, consciousness quickly fading again.

"Jesus Christ! Is he part fainting goat?" A different voice sounded into the space, someone caught him before he hit the ground.

"Just get him on the cot. Mitch go get Marcus." Panam. Whoever caught him lifted him back into the cot.

"His temperature is still really high." Saul. Their voices floated somewhere above him. It was dark. Why was it dark?

"Your eyes are closed V." Something cool passed over his forehead. He forced them open, but even the dim sunlight in the tent felt like lances in his eyeballs. He heaved again painfully.

"Shit. Where is the Ripper?"

"I'm here. Lemme just jack in and.."

He could feel someone foreign accessing his neural network, nothing invasive just a scan of his BioMon. The cool thing slid across his forehead again, soothing the fire raging in his brain. He moaned.

"Temp is ridiculous. Here, I just gotta get into there and.. Thank you." Something jabbed into Vs arm, he didn't react. His awareness faded, the voices lowered, he began floating…

"Ugh." V whimpered quietly. His head ached fiercely, but at least he could open his eyes. The sun had disappeared and the tent was illuminated by the soft glow of the moon. The air around him was cool. He struggled to sit up but a soft warm hand on his chest pressed him back down into the bed. "Huh?" Blurrily he blinked up at the owner of the hand. "Panam?"

"Stay down." She ordered.

"What happened? What's going on?" Again he tried to struggle up and again she pushed him back down.

"You tell me V." She was laying beside him on the cot. Why? The Nomad loomed over him propped up on her elbow. Her face was unreadable. "You said it was over. Why are you still collapsing on me?"

"I don't… I can't remember. Can I please sit up?" He was tired, sore and in no mood.

"No." She answered simply. "You passed out. Again. What can you remember?" So he thought back, again. The flashback, the car ride, the wonderful morning before that.

"La Grange." He whispered. Panam swallowed hard.

"Were you the one that told the Aldecaldos about the Biotechnica convoy?" No, he thought. He remembered specifically choosing factions that no one was going to miss. But… He also remembered being there in La Grange when it happened and the Aldecaldos had definitely been there. Which memory was true? Were they both true? There was one thing that stood out in his jumbled up memories, there hadn't been a bomb. That pain. Where had he felt that pain before? Holy shit.

"It wasn't a bomb…"

"What?" Her brow furrowed.

"I… I was there Panam! I.. It wasn't a bomb. Holy fuck! It wasn't a bomb!" He knew exactly where he had felt that pain. It was in another memory that didn't belong to him, it belonged to Johnny Silverhand.

"What the fuck do you mean you were there?"

"I had a flashback. I… I was there. I could hear guns and feel fire and then…" He exhaled shakily. "I'm so sorry Panam." The panic from the memory and the realisation that he would lose the family he had fought so hard to gain made him gasp frantically. "I'm so.. I'm sorry. I didn't.." He was falling back into the horror. Guilt, terror and hatred closed in on him. It was so dark.

"V!" She cried. She leapt forward cupping his face and wiping away tears. When had he started crying? "What is going on?" she asked him worriedly.

"No one was supposed to be there!" He burst. "Just me… Just me." Who cares if some machines get scrapped, a voice from his past echoed through his head. Useless.

"I'm not useless!"

"Prove it"

"V?" He gazed into her eyes, trying to find the anger or rage or betrayal and all he found was sadness, fear and love.

"I'm starting to remember Panam." He circled his arms around her neck and brought her forehead down against his. Her eyes widened in understanding.

"Your Father. The implants in your brain." Her eyes just filled with more worry. "V..."

"I'm scared Panam."

But save your energy, your journey here is far from over. Come sunrise we'll descend through Judgment Valley.