Enormously awkward group meetings were a new thing for V

Usually, it was some form of disdain, hatred, or even outright explicit violence between parties. A gun loudly slammed on the table as a statement of power. But not everyone sitting in the same room, with no sound other than Falco chugging beer after beer, and the shower running.

Because yeah, after Falco called her by name, Rebecca didn't answer. She went into V's weapon stash, surfaced from it with a bottle of industrial strength soap, and disappeared into the shower. She had been there for almost half an hour. Not a word muttered, not a gaze, not even a grimace or a gesture.

"I am gonna need an explanation here." Said V, grabbing the shotgun Rebecca had left on the table. He could barely lift it with one arm, the thing must have weighed almost thirty pounds. "Last thing you two told me, she had died the night you raided Arasaka."

Falco was starting to stumble on his words after so many beers "Ah…. Yes, she… I didn't see. I just went by… what Lucy told me."

"I saw Adam fucking Smasher drop on her from the top of Arasaka Tower." Said Lucy, hugging her legs in a foetal position. "What the fuck was I supposed to expect?"

She was probably right. After all, V had seen the man. A giant mountain of metal and weaponry with barely anything human left in it. Even someone with titanium bones would end up as a stain on the ground.

"You never… entertained the idea?"

"Our gang's never been the best at keeping its members alive, V. We learned to let go a long time ago."

"If it gives you any peace of mind, I didn't think they had survived either."

The voice was Becca's, coming from the bathroom. Soon after she came out, with about as much clothing as she had gone in.

Her figure not being covered in grime made a fee of her tattoos more clear, and the contrast between her blue RealSkin and her normally coloured arm even more evident. It also confirmed that the blood stain on her face wasn't just that, and that she had indeed tattooed it on.

"I find it hard to believe you wouldn't at least check your friends…"

"Who said anything about friends?" sighed Rebecca, shaking her head from side to side. "We were members of the same group of punks, not friends."

V scratched his head.

"Catch." a beer flew from Falco's hand to V's. He opened it with a hiss "You are a nice guy, V. But that idea of yours, of friendship and rainbows, isn't really worth much. Even the tightest of groups have their grievances and disagreements."

"I know, been in Heywood for long enough. But your group isn't an enormous mafia, you were six or seven people. Small groups are run by people with tight relationships. Maybe not friendship, sure, but still."

"Different people just have different outlooks in life, even if we are forced to work together." shrugged Rebecca, opening a beer of her own "Before David, I stayed because my brother was on good terms with Maine, and because working for Faraday brought good eddies. After that… I guess David was just a natural leader. If it wasn't for him, I would probably have left."

Maybe projecting his own feelings towards everyone he met wasn't a great idea, V thought. Maybe his relationship with Jackie was a rarity after all. A relationship between equals, sharing their thoughts, finishing a job and going for beer and teriyaki afterwards. A bond between legitimate friends. Between partners. The nights Jackie asked for advice on where to take Misty for a date, of them sparring with Viktor as a referee, of Mamá Welles inviting V for enchiladas a few times.

Maybe what they had just wasn't for everyone.

"Still, did you two hate each other or something? First time I see Lucy curled into a ball."

"We weren't on good terms, it was mostly indifference. I didn't like how quiet and reserved she was, and she doesn't like how upbeat I am. Ain't that the truth?"

Lucy nodded silently.

"Then why are you like this? I would expect at least some relief."

Lucy curled up even more, if that was possible. She hid her face on her legs. V's curiosity almost pushed him to ask, but he could see clearly as day no question would be particularly welcome.

And if Rebecca knew anything, she didn't show it. Other than a frown, that is.

"Anyway, Falco, still got a car? We are leaving."

"What? Where to?"

"To Lucy's and David's old apartment, where else? You ain't driving though, I don't wanna die if you crash the car while driving drunk."

Rebecca had never been inside the apartment before.

As much as she would have liked to, she never felt like it was her place to be. It was Lucy's and David's. Their own little corner of Night City, for them to unwind and be together. David had bought it with his share of their first real big job, and invited Lucy to live with him. Not without a few stammers and tripping over his own words.

If Maine had been there, he would have teased David. Or Pilar, Pilar would have laughed at him.

Rebecca sighed and took a look out the window. The apartment rested near the top of one of Night City's largest megabuildings, giving an ample view of the streets below. The view was almost surreal. Cars small like pebbles, people small like ants… It was no wonder, Rebecca thought, that Corpos treated people the way they did. That view was bound to mess with anyone's outlook on life if granted for long enough.

It was probably for the better that they were only seen as ants. An ant was inoffensive. Unthreatening. And that couldn't be further from the truth. Pilar hadn't died to a corpo.

Yes, it was better to be ignored as an ant, than put down as a rabid dog.

Rebecca forced her eyes away from the window. Back into the apartment.

"This is one hell of an apartment." V whistled in awe "Must have been what, eighty grand?"

"A hundred. Checked the property value." answered Rebecca with a shrug "David had a higher share of our spoils, being the boss and all. Guess this is where it all went after he chromed himself up."

"I knew that you two were living together in a new place, Lucy." said Falco, seemingly mostly over his drunken state "But I had no idea you had picked one of the most expensive ones in Night City."

"It was… a gift. He said I could watch the launches better from here."

As if by prophecy, the night shone bright with new light. In the distance, a spaceship took off from the platform. The rocket soared for several seconds until it was out of sight.

Certainly an outlandish dream. Going to the moon. It wasn't as if Rebecca didn't have her own stuff she wanted. But it generally was a new gun. Or another Tattoo. Or to kill some nosy piece of shit that annoyed her a bit too much. Nothing even remotely close to being launched off the fucking planet.

"Why do you have the keys?"

Lucy. She was angry. Understandably so. She was probably the co-signer on the contract to buy the whole place. Why had the keys, the right to enter, had gone to Rebecca, and not her?

"I saw him again after the plaza crumbled, you know?" she whispered. "He… didn't recognise me anymore. He transferred all his properties to me."

"I don't believe you." Said Lucy with a deadpan "All his stuff to you, without a word."

Anger started welling up on Rebecca's stomach. Few things angered her more than people talking shit. What she had experienced that night was for her, and her alone.

"I have his last fucking words tattooed on my face."

Whatever Lucy was going to say died before leaving her lips. Maybe it was the realisation of what her words meant. Or maybe it was Lucy realising she couldn't blame Rebecca for David's death. The frustration of not being able to pin the burden of guilt on someone that she could strangle with her own hands.

Rebecca didn't know for sure. She had never been the best judge of character. And probably never would. She had trusted Kiwi, after all. And many before. And probably, many in the future. That was the way things were when people got into her little group. Perhaps not friendship, but trust was always there to some extent. Sometimes, that trust ran a bit too far.

"Now you have your place and your money back." she said while her eyes momentarily shone blue "I am out."

With those words, Rebecca left the apartment.

There was something about Lucy she would never be able to get along with. And the worst part was that she couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe it was her way of being. Or maybe, just maybe, it was Rebecca's own jealousy towards what Lucy had with David. As pathetic as that sounded.

She arrived at the street. The same streets she had been sleeping in for like a month now. If she had to be honest with herself, she didn't know where to go next. She didn't really have a place to stay, unless she wanted to count the underside of a bridge. And upon seeing Falco's car, she also remembered that she didn't have a way to go back to her own specific bridge other than walking. And that it was almost an hour away by foot.

"Need a lift?"

Rebecca sighed. Falco had followed her. Because of course he had. However, once she turned around, she saw V was also with him.

"What are you doing here?"

"A few things, actually." He said, counting with his fingers "First, it sounded like Lucy needed a bit more space for herself. Second, I don't like heights. And third, I haven't had the chance to shower today, despite sweating like a pig in an armed car chase, due to a certain someone hogging my shower for an entire hour."

Rebecca chuckled. At least he had a sense of humour. "Fuck off, V. I need to find a place to stay."

"And I need someone to help me with some job I have right now. My hiring agency gives priorities to blue midgets with gun fetishes."

"You have Falco and Lucy. Who are you up against that you need more muscle?"

"Arasaka."

Rebecca exploded into a fit of laughter. It took her almost a minute of uncontrollable laughter to notice that V wasn't smiling all that much.

"...shit, you're serious."

"I have… some issues that I need to bring up with them. Very pressing issues."

"And you got Lucy to go along with that vague ass explanation?"

"She came to me because she knew my circumstances. She knows I am desperate enough."

"What are you talking about, choom?"

"It's a bit too long to explain, but I'll do it if you work with us."

Rebecca couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had fought Arasaka goons before so she knew exactly how brain-dead an idea it was.

"You too, Falco?"

He shrugged "I am just the car guy. But V's a target, y'know. Stole something very important to Arasaka. And you know who they call for when something important gets stolen."

Rebecca's expression smirked.

"That metal fucker."

"Yeah… I'd rather avoid a fight if I can help it." Said V shaking his head. "Last time I saw him, he ripped a buddy of mine in half with his own hands, no weapons needed. But if we get the chance, he's all yours. What do you say?"

"You're fucking mental. I say Falco gives me a ride. I need to pick a few things up." groaned Rebecca. What if she gambled her trust on someone one last time? At least the ride promised to be a fun one "And I need your workbench."

Author's notes:

Been a while, hasn't it?

Sorry for the long wait. Xmas was about the only time I have to see my family since I study abroad, and after I came back I was swarmed with exams. Only finished em two weeks ago, actually.

I start college next week, which ironically means I have more free time due to lack of exams. Writing pace should speed up a bit again. Rest assured, I haven't abandoned this fic. Just had… a bit of a rest. Sorry for the short chapter too, but it didn't really feel right to continue it