It was my stupid idea. We had finished in Dry Rock Gulch early and deeming it unsafe to stay the night we moved on to Safari Adventure. It was dark and it had started to rain. It was dangerous to travel to an unfamiliar place during these conditions. Gage had told me to reconsider but me being the brilliant Overboss ordered him to listen to me. He didn't fight with me and because of that we were running in the dark away from some creature that ambushed us as soon as we walked into the front gates.

Neither of us got a good look at what it was before it clawed at Gage. It made a gash in his stomach. He writhed in pain as I tried to think of a plan. That's when I looked up and saw the tree house. "Up there, come on, Gage!"

I grabbed his elbow trying to help him along. He was clutching his stomach and wincing in pain as we made our way through the maze. The rain was coming down and the thunder cracked in the sky above us. "Left, right, follow the arches towards the tree!" I was barking orders as the roar from the irritated monster continued to follow behind us.

We made it to the elevator and I helped him on it. He was on the floor, unable to stay standing. I clicked the button rapidly "come on, come on." I was hysterical as I saw the bushes moving as the monster approached. I flashed my light on its face as it made its way around the corner, it looked like a mutated alligator. Its claw lunged forward again and I squeezed my eyes shut waiting for it to strike me. I opened my one eye when I didn't feel anything. I watched the thing grow smaller as the elevator took us up.

I threw my head back sinking to the floor with Gage as I let out a sigh. He grunted and it brought me back to the task at hand. I bent closer to him to get a better look at his wound. He was bleeding badly. I felt my heart thudding faster "oh, God, Gage." I tried to stay calm as the elevator stopped and I dragged him out on to the floor.

I worked quickly, stripping him of his armor, and shirt. The cut was deep. I fumbled with my bag bringing out blood packs, gauges, stimpaks, and any other medication I had collected on my travels. I didn't realize it but tears were streaming down my face "it's alright, Gage, I'm here. I'll take care of this." My hands didn't stop moving as I worked to patch the wound.

"its fine, Boss. You don't have to take care of me. I've been caring for myself for a long time now." He protested.

"Shut up, Gage." I said frantically as I injected a stimpak in him.

He grunted again "it hurts too much, Boss. I don't think I can hold out much longer."

I looked at him as his eyes started to flutter "Porter..." I kept working, my eyes darting in between tending his wound and him "Porter please stay with me. STAY WITH ME. I'm going to take care of you now. You don't have to do anything alone, you have me."

"Porter…?" he said softly and then he passed out from the pain but I kept working. I was not going to lose him.

The storm had died down when I finished. I wrapped him in a sleeping bag and let him rest. I lit some lanterns that I found in the tree house. I took a breath, realizing I finally had a chance to breathe. I rubbed my neck as I watched Gage rest quietly. He looked different without his eye patch and heavy equipment on him. I looked closely at him now. Laying so innocently.

I reached out and gently traced the lines on his face. Each line filled with wisdom brought on by a harsh lesson. And his eye; where a line that was light pink from the rest of his skin stretched across his face. A permanent reminder of his first gang he ran with. He carried the burden of his life, I could tell. Even if he didn't want to admit it. I laid down next to him propping myself up with my elbow, my arm arched around his head. I stroked his Mohawk as I admired him.

He was strong, a stable, solid being in such an unstable world. He grew into that though. Based on what he told me he was scared when he was young. He ran away from his home because he couldn't see his parents being treated like that anymore and he was too afraid to stand up to the Raiders, so he became one. If only the Minutemen were stronger than, maybe he could've joined the cause and helped his family. When you're backed into a corner, like he was, with only a few options to choose from, you have to make tough calls. I know how this world can make you feel. Helpless and hopeless at times. He only had two options, stay or run. I know what I would pick.

I fell asleep curled up next to him so I would be close if he needed me. Thoughts of a young Gage swirling in my head.

"Boss..." I heard Gage call to me in a gruff low tone.

I woke up slowly and then all at once when I realized he needed me. "Yes, I'm here, what do you need?"

He just looked at me for a moment and then spoke "you fixed me up?" He still seemed a little dazed.

"I told you I would." I continued to look at him.

"Why did you do that? Risk your own life to save mine. You should've just left me." He looked away now.

"I told you I had your back. I could never..." I paused thinking about how horrible it would've been to leave him there to get ripped a part "ever leave you."

"Boss..." He was gazing more intently at me now. He still seemed confused that someone could care for him in a way. His lips were parted and I stared at them feeling myself move closer. He tried to fight his body that was lifting his lips closer to mine like a magnetic pull. "Boss, what are we doing?" he said it in a whisper as our lips were inches from each other. We were so close we shared the same breath.

"Shut up, Gage" I said with a half-smile as our lips pressed together.

His bottom lip fit with mine perfectly as we held it there for a moment. I bit his bottom lip as we pulled away slowly his lip coming with mine as we parted. We looked at each other and held our gaze for a second as we kissed again.

I brought my hand to his cheek, lightly resting it there, as we kissed repeatedly. Our breathing became heavy as our kisses grew faster. It was something that both of us had been fighting for a long time now. He couldn't move much, still in a little pain. He winced "I'm sorry did I hurt you" I adjusted myself so I wasn't laying on his stomach.

"Don't you dare move" he said in a low raspy voice. I watched his eyes move around my face, taking in every feature. We continued to kiss.

I pulled away kissing his neck and chest. My lips lightly touching his skin with such gentleness. I hadn't gotten a chance to really enjoy the fact that he was laying shirtless in front of me. I lightly traced my hands around his chest muscles. I couldn't see his abs as they were covered with the badges I had treated him with. I moved lower tracing the lines by his groin. I stopped as they continued under his pants. I looked at his face, his eyes were closed savoring my touch. I smiled to myself at the fact that he enjoyed my touch so much.

I moved back to his face as I stroked it lightly with my finger. We were connected again by our gaze "you should get some rest" I lightly kissed his lips again. "I'll be right here."

His face crinkled in pain as he slowly moved his arm around me. He rested his large heavy hand on the small of my back and pushed me closer to him. I entwined my legs in his as I fell asleep beside him. It was the first time in a long time that I slept soundly.

I felt a warm drop of something hit my cheek and then slide down my face. I clenched my face in confusion. Then I felt it again, a few more times. When I woke up a shirtless man was towering over me with the severed bloody head of one of those crocodile looking creatures. I sat up and scurried backward out of the way of the dripping blood. "What the fuck?" I said wiping the drops from my face.

The man just looked back at me. His face inquisitive. He sent down the creature and slowly approached me. He turned his head as he studied me. Gage was waking up now and tried to get up to attack the strange man. He winced in pain. "Hey, get away from her!" he went for his gun.

"Wait, Gage!" I stopped him. The man touched my cheek. Then his own face as if making the connection that we were of the same species.

"I Cito." He touched his chest as he looked at me, his face relaxing. "It been long time since I see another person or girl before."

"Hi…" I said. "Where are you from?"

It took him a second to respond "I live here. Family in trouble from monster. Cito try to kill monster but Cito one man. Cito not strong enough." He pointed to the dead animal.

I worked out what he was trying to tell me for a few moments. Then he wanted me to go with him. I wanted revenge on these mutant things after they had hurt Gage, so I agreed to help.

"Where are you going?!" again Gage tried to get up but clutched his wound. "You can't go out there with those things, I don't give a fuck who this guy is…"

"Come on, Gage. I'll be fine. We have to do this anyway if we want the parked cleared. You need to rest." He was gripping my hand as we made eye contact. I didn't break it, showing him that I could handle it.

He sighed, shutting his eyes and hanging his head "Alright, fine." He eyed the shirtless jungle man who was waiting for me by the elevator. "Just be careful…and no funny business."

I followed his gaze to Cito and then chuckled "Wow, Gage. I didn't take you for a jealous type."

He flushed "I'm not. That's not what I meant." He grumbled before going to lay back down "I'm just worried about you is all."

I smiled and then leaned down to kiss him. I kissed him with everything I had and bit his lip as I pulled away. He grinned "You don't need to worry." I kissed his cheek softly one last time and went to the elevator. We stared at each other until we were no longer visible. It was time to focus.

When I was finally done darkness was starting to cover the park. I was tired, bloody and beaten but the Gatorclaws were taken care of. Cito had reconnected with his family, which turned out to be a group of Gorilla's, and everything was right with the world…well as right as it can be in the abandon apocalyptic amusement park world.

All I wanted to do now was see Gage. I knew I would feel better than. I always did after being with him. When I made it to the tree house he had gotten himself to the bench that was on a small patio overlooking the park. I walked over to him and smiled "Is this seat taken?"

He smiled and I sat down. He pulled me to him so I was laying on his chest. We were silent for a few moments as we watched the sun set over the horizon. One positive thing about this new world was that the sunsets seemed more beautiful. Probably the radiation causing the vivid color. I felt his lips kiss the top of my head and I grinned as I craned my neck up to look at him. I lived for the normalcy of these moments. I wanted so badly to live in this tree house forever with him and not worry about anything. Not worry about the raider gang that I led, or the fact that I had no one and nothing to fight for in this world.

We went to lay back down as the sky went black. He held me clothes, our bodies pressed together, and legs tangled up with each other. I caressed his back lightly as his breathing steadied and he fell asleep. I followed shortly after, falling asleep to the sound of his heart beat.