"Ya mind if I ask what the fuck we're doing out here?" Jericho was cold, tired, and starting to wonder why Cassie had agreed to Three Dog's request to fix his shitty radio station rather than shove her hunting rifle in the D.J.'s face and demand to know where the hell her father had run off to.

"We're out here," She began fiddling with the dials on her pip-boy, "because I have to find my father…"

"About that," Jericho took the last drag on his cigarette and flicked the butt at the ground leaving it there to smolder, "Why are you looking for some guy who just up and left your ass to die in a big ass underground tomb?"

The girl turned and smiled, "It's getting dark, why don't we start a fire and camp here for the night?" She was avoiding the question and her bullshit was beginning to piss him off.

"We ain't campin' here for two reasons princess," He spat, "One: You haven't answered my question yet, and two: I can see that museum place from here so that shit ain't gonna fly."

The girl gave him her signature glare followed with a quiet, "It's personal. He's my Dad and I need to find him. What more do you need to know?"

"Look," Jericho had lost his patience and wasn't about to put up with this little kid's happy-go-lucky wild goose chase without an answer, "I follow you around riskin' my ass and putting up with mutant fucks, sluts in power armor, and holier-than-thou assholes who think their better than everyone just 'cause they have a radio transmitter and a fuck-ton of free time. I think it's about time you let me in on what the fuck's so important about finding this guy before I fuck off just like dear ol' daddy and leave your ass to rot."

Cassie was shocked and offended by the sudden outburst. She stayed quiet, unable to answer the sun burnt old raider.

"You know what? Fuck you," The disgruntled follower walked past her, "And fuck your old man too. I don't need this shit. I'm goin' back to Megaton…"

"Hold on Jonas, I need to record this first…" Jericho halted in his tracks and turned back to the girl who was apparently playing a holotape out loud on her pip-boy, "I… I really don't know how to tell you this. I hope you'll understand,"

The voice belonged to a man who was most likely the young vaultie's father, "but I know you might be angry. I thought about it for a long time, but in the end I decided it was best for you not to know."

Know what? He was being so vague, "So many things could've gone wrong and there's really no telling how the Overseer will react when he finds out. It's best if he can blame everything on me. Obviously you already know that I am gone. You're an adult now. You're ready to be on your own."

If the kid was ready to be out on her own, she wouldn't be enlisting the help of a dangerous old man she'd met in a bar, "Maybe someday things will change and we'll be able to see each other again. I can't tell you why I left or where I'm going. I don't want you to follow me."

So much for that, "God knows life in the vault isn't perfect, but at least you'll be safe. Just knowing that will be enough to keep me going."

Another voice broke into the conversation, "Don't mean to rush you Doc, but I'd feel better if we got this over with."

"Okay, go ahead. Goodbye sweetie… I love you." The holotape ended there.

Cassie had tears in her eyes, "I found this note on Jonas's body. When my dad left the Overseer went insane and had his goons beat him to death." Jericho stayed quiet. After all, he was the one who had to open his big mouth and ask, "He also sent the guards after me. I knew he was paranoid about people defying him, but I didn't think the Overseer would ever kill anyone. They tried to kill me too but a friend of mine… that psychopath's daughter, got to me first and gave me a gun," The color had gone from her cheeks and she was beginning to shake as she recalled the events of her escape from the vault, "I… I know he said not to follow him… but," those bright blue eyes of hers were glistening now as the tears poured from them, "I d-didn't know what to do… I just ran… I have to find him… I h-have to!" She was on the verge of a total break down, "I-" Jericho reached out and pulled her into his chest with a tight embrace. What kind of an asshole would leave his kid in an underground cage with a power hungry control freak?

To Jericho, it sounded like her old man was only thinking of one person, and it sure ass hell wasn't the kid. The old bastard probably knew that this Over-whatever was a paranoid dick-wad with control issues. He knew what the fucker was going to do but decided to fuck off anyway and leave his kid to her death.

Now this kid was stuck out here, in a new and terrifying place, being comforted by an admitted cold-blooded killer and attempted rapist.

"Shh…" He whispered as he rested his chin on the frightened girl's head, "I didn't know okay…" He petted her hair and waited until her crying had died down into quiet whimpers, "We'll find him, alright?"

He wanted to find the son of a bitch now. For some reason, Jericho really wanted to hurt the guy. He didn't want to put a bullet in his head or shove a frag grenade up his hoity-toity asshole. He just wanted to hit the man.

Hard.

"Jericho…" A muffled voice called out, "You can let go now." Realizing he still had the kid crushed against him, he laughed nervously and released her from his grip, "Y-you aren't still going to leave me are you?" She asked smiling weakly.

He liked it when she smiled.

At least, he liked it hell of a lot more than he liked her crying, "Nah kid."

Maybe he wanted to hit her father because of all the bullshit he had to endure because of him, "I ain't leavin' your side."

Maybe he felt like hitting him because he made the girl break down like that, "Let's go get that god damned satellite dish for Tree Frog or whatever the fuck his name is."

Maybe he was beginning to like being with this kid, "Then we'll go and find your dad."

Maybe he was sick of watching those eyes of hers die a little with each passing day.

She smiled even wider and bounced off towards the museum, "You're the best ! I love you, Jericho!"

And maybe, he wanted her to mean that.

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Author's note: Sorry for the late update… I recently had a two day celebration of my 19th birthday and went out to collect furniture for my new room in my new home.

Jericho is developing a little crush on the Vaultie it seems. 3

However, the girl is to naïve to realize it, so the love is unrequited for now. *teardrop* (Women tend to throw that word love around at anything that makes them insanely happy, poor Jerri.)

I was unsure how to proceed for a bit. Originally I was going to have a drunk moment with the BOS but decided against it. Then I thought, "Hey, Jerri doesn't know what the fuck they're runnin' about for, now does he?" So I wrote this.

I hope to get back on track with the daily updates.