A/N: I really apologize for not updating for not updating much. I have had the worst fucking week in history and I have been trying to focus on self pampering to get me through this. I guess this would be pampering myself.

Chapter 18: Saving Private Cuddles

The sun beat down on my ever pale neck as I shuffled across the concrete expanse of the old military base. The loud clicking of my crutches was a constant reminder of my recklessness.

I had survived a barrage of missiles, had a vision from Mars himself, and now.- now, I am looking for a child's stuffed bear. Mr. Cuddles.

I prefer Private Cuddles. It's more fitting for the base and all.

Lindsay, the girl who lost the bear, was following behind me warily. I was an outsider. She has never seen anyone besides those from the vault or born in the base.

"So, what's your name?" The young girl asked.

"My name is Fox." I replied, cautious of my background.

"Like the animal?"

"Yes, the animal. Do you have any idea where your bear could be?"

She stopped walking for a moment to think.

"I don't really know. I think Arney took him and hid him." She pouted.

"I'll have to have a little chat with this Arney."

"Mister Cuddles might be in the bear necks." She offered.

"What are 'bear necks'?"

"That's where we sleep, silly."

Barracks. She meant barracks. Children were so amusing.

"Let's check the bear necks, then. Shall we?" I gestured her to lead the way.

"Okay!"

Lindsay hauled ass down the pavement with her seemingly infinite amount of child energy. I clicked along the concrete in an attempt to keep up with her.

Damn these profligate crutches.

Lindsay finally stopped to turn around and see me around twenty yards away from her.

"Sorry, Fox. I forgot you're hurt." Lindsay hollered from a building. She sat down on the steps and watched me make my way to her.

Sweat beaded down my face from the heat and immense struggle it was to walk with these stupid walking sticks.

I slammed the door open and walked inside to be greeted with hot, stuffy air that was stale as pre-war cereal. Lindsay stayed outside and away from me.

"Are you mad at me? I swear, I thought you were right behind me."

I let out an exasperated sigh and drug my hand down my face. "No, I am not mad."

"Are you sure? Because my mom says that when she's really mad."

"I can assure you that I am not your mother." I started moving boxes and bags around with one of my crutches.

"I didn't think you were my mom, silly."

I moved to the other side of the room and watched as she shoved things around rudely.

"So, tell me about the people here." If I'm staying here awhile and I'm also on a mission to get them on our side, I might as well get to know them and gain acceptance.

"Uh, there's Pearl. She's sort of like everyone's grandma or something. She came from the vault. She knows a lot about stuff like explosives." Lindsay dumped a crate of toys out onto the floor and let out a noise of pure disappointment.

"Who else?"

"Loyal came from the vault, too. He talks about a broken plane in a lake sometimes. I think he's just going crazy. Jack helps him in the bunkers. He messes with metal and stuff."

I would have to learn the history of these people when I get the chance.

That's it?"

"Nope. You already know Argyll. Pete is the story teller. He knows all about the story of the Boomers and Vault 34. That just leaves Raquel. She can be mean sometimes but she's nice to me. That's everyone who really does anything. We just kind of sit back and do our own thing."

"What do you want to do when you're old enough to work with them?"

She regarded my question with much thought. She looked at nothing in particular then she looked back at me with such fire in her eyes that reminded me only of Sennia.

"I wanna fly!" Lindsay spoke with such passion.

This girl, this child who is completely unaware of the world around her, wants to reach for the unknown and soar.

"You know what I think about that?" I raised an eyebrow.

She leaned in closely as if to hear a secret. "What?" she whispered.

I pointed my finger like a gun for a surprise attack. "Reach for the stars!"

Lindsay squealed and fell back onto the bed. She crawled on all fours onto the floor behind the bed. She shot up with a finger gun and one eye closed.

"Bang! Bang!" She yelled and giggled endlessly.

I dropped my crutches and grabbed my chest dramatically. I coughed loudly and hit the wall behind me. I slid down it slowly while sputtering. As I hit the ground, I stuck my tongue out the side of my mouth and closed my eyes.

Through slit eyes, I could see her smiling and pushing the handle of a broom towards me. She poked me with it and I grabbed it and yanked it out of her hands.

"It was a clever ruse!" I bellowed in my best villain impression.

Lindsay shot out of the barracks laughing. I struggled to pick myself up and retrieve my crutches. I stumbled out of the hot room and out into the somehow-less-hot Mojave. I looked around to find the girl was nowhere in sight.

Damn her speed.

I clicked over to the side of the barracks to find a conveniently placed bush with a give away ponytail.

"I wonder where Lindsay could be?" I said out loudly. I could hear poorly concealed giggling.

"I wonder if she's around?"

A woman walked over towards me nervously.

"Sir, are you looking for someone?" She was clearly terrified of an outsider. She looked ready to bolt at any sudden movement.

I pointed over to the ponytail in the bush. The woman looked back to me with a silent "oh".

I clicked over towards the bush but I moved past it. "She has to be around here somewhere."

The bush rustled loudly and in a moments notice, she jumped at me. My reflexes got the best of her and I moved out of the way in time for her to hit my left crutch.

"I thought I had you!" She whined.

"Maybe some other time."

"How can you move so quickly?"

"It's my job to be alert. It's just what I do."

"What do you do anyway?" She said, brushing the leaves off her jumpsuit.

"I am a business man of sorts."

"What kind of business?"

"I guess you could say the kind that steals children away." It wasn't a complete lie.

"Very funny." She stuck her tongue out at me.

"We have to go look for that bear." I stuck my tongue back at her as I turned to leave.

"His name is 'Mister Cuddles'." She pouted.

"I like 'Private Cuddles.' It seems more... official."

"We should try the hangars next." She tugged me into the nearest building.

Everything here is so hot. It's all concrete. A man was arranging things on a shelf when he turned to look at us. He looked back at his shelf for a moment before he turned wide eyed towards me.

I waved and he turned around quickly as if that would get rid of me. I checked around crates and on the tables.

"Sir, what are you doing?" The man wiped his hands on his pants.

"I'm looking for her bear."

"Lindsay, is he helping you?" The man looked at her for the truth.

"Yes, daddy. I can't find him anywhere and he said he would help."

"What's your name?"

"Fox."

"What do you do for a living?"

"Business man."

"Then why are you here?"

"Business."

The man looked at me with suspicion.

"Lindsay, I think I saw something over by the crates over there." Her dad pointed at a corner without taking his eyes off of me.

"So Fox, where you from?" My name was like a bitter drink in his mouth.

"What's the difference? You don't know much about the outside."

"I repeat, where are you from... Fox?"

"If you must insist, I am from Utah."

"And what kind of 'business' are you doing here?"

"I am an ambassador. I am here to form an alliance between my business and the Boomers."

The man grunted. "Have you talked with Pearl yet?"

"I shall after Lindsay finds Private Cuddles."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I was unaware she changed its name."

"It was a suggestion but she didn't say whether she liked it or disliked it."

"I found him!" Lindsay yelled from the other side of the room hugging the bear to her body.

"I think you may have some business with Pearl as of right now."

"Indeed I do."