Author's Note: Holy crap, people! I just found out I can view my story stats that show how many hits and visitors...166 visitors for this month so far! It feels like a huge accomplishment that so many people are actually reading this story! Thanks for the support, and for all the people that have subscribed to my story and put it on their favorites list. Thanks for the reviews and like I said, any critiques are welcome! Also, I apologize if the last chapter was a little too mushy. I had trouble writing it but I do have a reason for it.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fallout characters, nor the source material. The only character who came from my own imagination is the name and personality of the Courier, (and I don't own the "Courier" name, either). Oh, and I will probably make some references to Elvis Presley and his songs (and I don't own those either).

Chapter 8: Cross My Heart And Hope To Die

If she didn't have respect for Julie's cause, Raven would have ripped out the doctor's god damn throat. She could not believe what she was hearing. Raven began pacing back and forth in a controlled rage and she was glaring at Julie Farkas with daggers in her eyes. The courier replayed everything in her mind on what Julie had said.

Raven pushed open the tent and saw a woman with a purple mo-hawk wearing a white lab coat. She raised a brow as the doctor turned and saw her. "Is there something you need?" she asked.

Raven nodded and took a few steps inside the tent. "You're Julie Farkas, correct?"

"That's me," replied Julie. "How can I help you, uh...what is your name?"

"Raven Wagner. The King said you could tell me more about his robotic dog."

"Rex?" Julie crossed her arms, hesitation present in her voice. "It breaks my heart every time I see him. He's such a good dog."

The courier nodded in agreement with a saddened look. "Yes, he's a sweetheart." Raven lowered her head and paced around a little before glancing back in Julie's direction. "So the King brought him here for treatment then?"

"Yes, a few months ago. We had to tell him there was nothing we could do."

Raven inhaled a shaky breath but she was not going to give up. "So you can't heal him?"

Julie must have sensed the other woman's cheerless tone. "No," she spoke ruefully. "Rex's condition is way beyond anything we can handle. He requires brain surgery, and some sophisticated cybernetics work, too."

Fuck. "That's...a lot of work. So there's no chance he'll ever get better?" Raven asked as she turned her face away.

"...I didn't say that. While no one here has that kind of expertise, I do know of one man who might fit the bill."

Raven stopped dead in her tracks. What? "Who?"

Julie replied with a cool tone. "There's an old scientist named Dr. Henry who reportedly specializes in this sort of procedures. He'd probably be your best bet. Last I heard, he was living up in Jacobstown, far to the northwest."

Raven turned to Julie questioningly. "How long have you known about this?"

"I tried to explain to the King but he ju-"

Raven cut her off with a quick wave of her hand. "Stop."

It took all her willpower to know kill this...this... "Ok, so let me get this straight, Julie. The King came in with Rex and all you told him was that there was nothing that you guys here could do? And you never mentioned the scientist in Jacobstown?"

Julie quivered a little. "When I tried to explain, he started throwing things and walked off before I could tell him. He even knocked out one of my doctors!"

The courier pointed a a finger accusingly, "THAT IS NO EXCUSE!" she yelled. "I don't care if he beat the shit out of all of you! It's been months, Julie! You could have sent someone over to give him this information! Or are you too busy saving all the god damn junkies and lowlifes in this shit hole that you forgot about the only man who tries to keep people safe in this fuckin' town?" Raven was spitting nails and she didn't give Julie a chance to speak up. "I can understand if you have a grudge against the man for hurting one of your people, but if not for the King's sake...shit! You could have tried for Rex's sake!"

Julie opened her mouth but nothing came out. Raven didn't even bother hearing anymore excuses. She stormed out of the tent. Raven honestly did not know who was the bigger idiot. Julie, or that asshole Wayne from the other tent with his 'Lou Tenant' bullshit. She could understand Wayne's stupidity. He was probably born and raised that way. But Julie...she was a damn doctor, and there was no room for any screw ups in her line of work.

Raven heard fast footsteps behind her. "Raven! Please wait a second!"

She stopped just before the tent Boone was in. Slowly, Raven turned to face the woman. "What is it, Farkas?"

Julie took a few deep breaths before speaking. "Look, I...you were right. I should have sent someone over to the King to tell him this. It's just...Jacobstown is a long ways away. It's up in the mountains, and there's rumors that super mutants live up there."

Raven didn't speak for a few moments. She was trying to so hard not to deck this woman, but Julie had a point. "Super Mutants don't concern me. A trek in the mountains doesn't concern me. I don't care if I have to walk across the whole damn country. I made a promise to the King and nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to stop me from breaking my word."

Julie made a soft smile of hope. "Listen, I don't have much but if you really are going, I will spare you all the supplies I can. No charge."

Raven sighed. Now she felt bad for yelling at the woman. "No, you need those for the people here. I would only be taking away things that they need more than I do. I appreciate the offer, Julie, but I can't willingly accept it." the courier stopped for a moment to look at her Pip-Boy. "If you could tell me where exactly Jacobstown is, that would be more than helpful."

After Julie pointed out the destination on the Pip-Boy map, Raven knew it would take her at least a day or two of walking to get to the town but this only seemed to thicken the dark-haired female's resolve. Soon after Julie left, Raven walked into Boone's tent. The sniper was laying on his cot with a grim look.

"So," he said, "when are we leaving?"

"We're not leaving. I am," Raven corrected Boone. "You still need to rest up and there's no way you can manage the walk. Not in the condition you're in."

Boone grumbled. "Wagner, you're going to get yourself killed."

Raven sat down in a chair next to his bed. "Yeah, well...with my luck, I'll just come right back out of the grave."

Her bed ridden friend laughed softly. "Probably, you stubborn bitch."

Raven guffawed at him. "Was that supposed to be an insult?" she teased. "Or did those bastards on the roof shoot you in the head when I wasn't lookin'?"

"Haha," narked Boone. "Very funny. I bet you a hundred caps you get stabbed to death by a Cazador stinger."

Raven shook her head in amusement. "Well, if I die how will you get the hundred caps, genius? And if I win, you'll still be out a hundred caps."

"I'll go out there and take the caps from your corpse if I have to. And I'll leave you out there to rot if you get yourself killed."

Snickering came out of the girl's mouth. "Well, glad to see your sense of humor is intact."

"I wasn't kidding." Boone sat up with a hard look on his face. "We're both hell bent on dying, but I want to make sure you remember why you need to stay alive."

Raven leaned in closer to Boone. "We have a mission, Boone. I won't die until after the mission is complete."

Like two peas in a pod, both her and Boone were. It was a very peculiar bond that they shared. In the last few weeks of traveling together, Raven felt they had become close. Strictly platonic in nature, but still close. In all seriousness, Raven felt Boone was like an older brother. While she was unsure if he shared her sentiments, the courier was glad to have the man around all the same. Going up to Jacobstown without him was going to be difficult, but she knew Rex needed this done. Raven knew the King needed this done. Sooner rather than later.

Still, she would need a little time to gain extra caps for some stronger weaponry, better armor, a mass quantity of medical supplies and ammo, and some food and water. She'd probably have to tell the King about her plans first, though. She wasn't sure he trusted her quite enough to let her take his most prized companion out into the Mojave Wasteland. But she made a promise to the man. It was more than that, though. Thinking about Rex made Raven think how much she wanted to turn back the clock. Raven thought about her own dog from long ago. Jackson was always a trouble maker, just like her. If she knew then what she knew now, maybe things would have turned out differently.

It was going to be a long trip to Jacobstown.

The King was troubled. He squeezed the bridge of his nose in frustration. Rex was sleeping comfortably on the foot of the bed, but only because Rex was exhausted after having suffered another massive brain spasm. Watching his furry friend howl and cry tore into the King's insides. The King had carried his dog to the third floor afterward so that the sick canine could rest. The King's groupies had not been happy about it and left to go do some browsing around town.

He thought back to the salvager who he'd purchased Rex from and it brought a melancholy smile to his lips. Rex was dinged up extensively and the salvager had recently lost all her items in a Fiend raid. Her only option was to sell her cybernetic dog, much to her dismay. The King gave her double the caps to what she had originally asked. It had been a very good day for the King. For two reasons. The memory of silky blonde hair and soft pink lips invaded his mind when he heard a yawn from Rex. He turned and stroked the dog's neck.

"There you go, boy. How are you feeling, Rexie?" asked the King.

The animal did look better after his nap. As if to prove it, Rex barked at his master and sat up quickly. He began panting while the King continued giving the furry parts of him a good rub down. Rex leaned forward and began licking the man's face. A soft grin of amusement played on the King's features. Just then, Rex perked his ears and jumped down. He began trotting toward the bedroom door and the King looked to see the courier walking in. The King saw a cheerfulness to the woman as she bent down to look Rex in the face.

"Look at you, you handsome little devil! You look so much better today!" Raven scratched his head gently and he jumped on her in n attempt to cover her face in sloppy dog kisses.. "Oh you're such a cute boy. You got puppy's breath," she added.

The King didn't know why Raven seemed to like that particular smell. He wasn't exactly fond of it himself. The King stood up from the bed and advanced slowly toward the two. Raven made little growls into Rex's neck and he returned the noises happily. The King watched Rex's tail rush back and forth and it brought a bit of peace to the man. He hadn't seen Rex that happy since...

"Have you found anything out? Or were you just here to chat?" he spoke with a bit more sourness than he had intended.

The courier looked taken back by his tone and immediately helped Rex down. "Two things, " she replied. "Which one did you want to hear about first?"

Rex stared up at them both with wide brown eyes, but the King chose to ignore it. "What did you find out about my friends?" the King assumed what the other thing was about, but he wanted to prepare himself for disappointment.

Her eyes blinked a few times before the shocked expression washed off her face. "The local men were attacked by soldiers. One of the men was identified by rank." she replied.

The King scoffed. "A bunch of soldier boys huh?" he paused and turned his back to the courier. "They usually don't come around these parts since their big base is on the other side of the Strip. If they're comin' over here now, it's got to be for a reason. I didn't want to believe the rumors that they're looking to take over Vegas, but now..." he cut himself off. His hands tightened as he turned back to face Raven. "If something big is going down, I'm sure rumors of it will have spread. Ask around, particularly in the squatter areas where the NCR folk hang. You might also mosey on over to the Old Mormon Fort and chat Julie Farkas up. The Followers tend to be in the know about these things. Just don't ask her what to do about it. She'll probably ask you to hug someone or somethin'." he finished.

Raven nodded and patted Rex on the back of his neck. "Sure thing."

The King and Raven were both silent for a few moments and to him, the air felt tense. He huffed out a large amount of it. "What was the other thing you found out?" he asked.

He watched as she bit her lower lip. "About Rex here..." she stopped, as if waiting for him to approve.

"I'm listening," the King confirmed.

The King spied the slow smile that formed on her lips. "Julie Farkas said a man in Jacobstown can treat Rex," she continued.

"She said what?" he blurted out. "Why didn't she say so when I was there?"

"Julie told me she didn't get a chance to because you uh...weren't too happy about it and stormed off." Raven offered.

"...Actually, come to think of it, " he proposed. "I was pretty angry when I went down there. I vaguely recall something about upending a few tables, maybe knocking out one of her doctors." he knelt down to Rex and started scratching behind his ears. "Anyway, that's incredible news! Oh, but..." a thought just occurred to the King. "Thing is, there's too much going on around here for me to make a trip like that, and I need all my guys just to keep things settled here." he pointed out.

Raven nodded as if she understood completely. "I'd be more than happy to take him there myself for the treatment, Mr. King. He'll be safer than a babe in a cradle," she offered. "Cross my heart, hope to die," she added, gesturing what he only surmised as a cross over her heart.

The King admired the woman's random childlike demeanor, as well as her seemingly infectious nobility. The man was not questioning her ability to work miracles. He just wasn't sure if he could trust her abilities enough to make such a dangerous trek into the mountains. The King had only seen a few moments of her battle spirit and while it was impressive, he needed more than that to remove his doubts. As if she sensed the King's uncertainty, Raven bent forward from the waist to meet his eyes.

"Take a day to think it over, Mr. King," she said. "In the meantime, I'll go check out the squatter areas; see if I sniff out the truth from the lies with the rumors. I'll report back when I find something."

Raven was one hell of a woman. "Miss Wagner, I look forward to our next meeting," he remarked. "Alright, I'll see you later," he cooed.

And with that, she stood and left.

Ok, this may be the last chapter for awhile. Only because I need to stop procrastinating and study for my finals for the next two weeks. If I don't post anything before then, I'll definitely post something afterward. Enjoy!