The sun was setting on another day's hard march, and Sarah was amazed by the time they were making. With such speed there was no doubt that they would reach Megaton tomorrow. He had really pushed them...of course brotherhood knights could keep up, but it was definitively a march faster then they were used to.

Which the grunts from the budding fire gave voice to. "Man, I keep expecting my armour to pop a joint."

Smiling Sarah looked over at the four knights that was going to guard Megaton, all sitting around the starting fire while digging through their packs for their rations. They were still in their armour, but their helmets were put aside and their faces fixed on the fire. If anyone actually dared to attack the camp they would be slow to react...

"Hey, at least you don't have to carry this minigun, the ammo alone would snap your back in a moment."

"Nice try, carry your own ammo."

"Damn...got any sugar bombs then?"

Sarah chose not to discipline them though, they were tired and grouchy...not to mention nervous about the many rumours about the enclave, they deserved to unwind. Besides, they were relatively safe where they were, deep in a crater hidden away between a standing building, two piles of rubble and some broken wire fence. The only way to them was to the west, through the opening in the fence...and there John stood, rifle in hand as always.

At the thought of the man Sarah's smile faded, John had pushed the pace, but he had never really marched with them... He had always been a dozen feet away, busy staring at...well she didn't know what really since he hadn't taken his helmet off. Heck, he hadn't taken his armour off since they had left the citadel, not even to sleep.

Maybe to get used to the power armour...but Sarah doubted it.

"Make sure you cook food for me and John as well." Sarah ordered, then hung her helmet on a piece of steel sticking out of some rubble. "And check those guns before going to sleep!" A dull grumble was all the answer she got, making her smile, they probably didn't like the idea of being garrisoned in a place devoid of the usual action...

Walking up the small crater Sarah ignored the usual looks she got whenever the men thought she wasn't aware of them and instead focused on the figure further off.

Standing in the hole in the fence John had his back to her, the plasma rifle of his glowing a little in the growing darkness, head turned towards the setting sun. If one didn't know better one could think him a statue, an unmoving sentinel stuck in time. Of course he wasn't though, and Sarah briefly wondered if he would at least look at her at the sound of her approach.

He didn't though, still facing the setting sun his armour glowed orange in the warm light...Sarah stopped a few feet away, unsure if she should interrupt his thoughts.

"Sarah." The man still didn't turn away, still looking at the sun. Was he testing the light filter or something? Or did he see something in the horizon? She didn't...hey...how did he know it was her? "Good that you're here, I wanted to talk to you." The voice was still neutral, like it had been before, she didn't like it...

"About?" Sarah asked, taking another step forward and briefly wondering if she should draw her own rifle. Ever since the man had come with doctor Li and her friends she had been worried that he would explode in anger or sadness...or something! But it hadn't happened, meaning he was still a ticking bomb in her own opinion...one did not stay that calm after losing one's father!

The man finally moved, turning to look at her, making her thankful that his helmet was still on. "I have received a distress call on my pip-boy. From my old home in the vault..." He paused, apparently judging Sarah's unsure look. "It's from an old friend of mine requiring my help, and I will help them."

"Well...if anyone understand loyalty it's me. But can't it wait? There's quite a lot of stake and we can't have you take unnecessary risks and waste time...we could do it for you if you wish?"

Even with the helmet on she was certain the man was smiling, if only weakly. "They would not let you in, and if you got in anyway it would become chaos. Besides, it will only take an hour, two at most."

Sarah forced a smile. "Confident aren't we?"

"Yes."

"Ah..." Sarah found herself blushing, it was like talking to Gallows, except she wasn't sure where she had this man. "Was that it?"

"No." Reaching up John grabbed his helmet, the joints hissing as he pulled it off. The face under it had gotten gaunter, almost the same as she'd seen back at the memorial once...not surprising since she hadn't seen him eat. Of course that probably meant he was eating away from company, but it still meant none but him kept check on how much he was feeding himself. In the shadow of the sun behind him it was hard to tell...but she was sure his eyes were red-rimmed from crying, though he wasn't crying at the moment, nor did he sound sad as he spoke: "It's about Megaton."

"What?"

"There's a ghoul in there."

"Okay..."

"He will be treated with courtesy, make sure that the other knights understand that." He was almost glaring at her, defying her to speak against him.

She forced a chuckle. "The brotherhood isn't really ghoul-friendly but I guess I can..."

"He will be treated with courtesy." John repeated, face set in stone. "Or the enclave will become a GECK and a soldier richer."

"What!? But they were the ones who..."

"Will you comply?"

"Well of course! I'll tell the others too. It's just...I'm just surprised that you'd go to such lengths to protect a walking corpse."

The face didn't change, but once against Sarah got the feeling that the man was moments away from attacking, the same she had seen when he'd spoken to her father. Yet he only raised his hand, index finger extended. "You get one, don't refer to him like that again."

She gulped. "Y...yeah..su...sure, message received."

"Good." Instantly it was gone, hostility replaced by that deceptive calm of his. Turning he went back to staring at the sundown. "Tell me, what will you do while I'm off finding the GECK?"

"What...um...I don't know." Sarah scratched her head, dammit...she didn't like being put off balance, but this man seemed to do nothing but put her into a state of confusion... "The usual I suppose, killing sweeps of super mutants, recon the enclave, and if they prove hostile as they'll no doubt will we'll begin to fight them."

"I wish you luck." Was he kidding? Didn't seem to, then again, who could judge? Did anyone see him express feelings? Save the anger that is... "And don't get killed."

"Well of course not."

"It's harder than you think."

"Yeah...I guess." Sarah winced. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." The man raised his rifle and leant it against his shoulder in a way reminiscent of Colvin. Damn she missed him, why hadn't she brought him along? He would be good handling this guy... "I don't actually remember how long time since..." His words faded.

"Since?" Sarah quizzed, curious despite herself.

"Since I left the vault." The man shrugged. "It seems a lifetime ago. I hope Amata is okay."

"Amata? A girlfriend?" The thought was foreign, the hero of the wastes having a life outside that of war and fighting...one that was close to normal.

"A friend." John corrected, glancing down at the pip-boy he always wore on his left arm. "Got a picture on her on this thing...I remember looking at it during the nights at times, to gather courage to go to sleep." He shrugged again. "That was a long time ago as well."

"The great hero needing to gather courage?" Sarah forced a small laugh, hoping to coax some reaction out of the man. "That's a new one, what will you give me not to spread that around?"

"I don't really care." Was the cold reply. "They can think me as a crybaby or the invincible hero, it makes no difference out in the wastes." He shrugged a third time. "And as I said, that was a long time ago..."

"Do you miss her?" Sarah found herself whispering, as if fearing eavesdropping.

"I've asked myself the same question." Was the mumbled answer. "I do not look forward to meeting her again though...but that is likely due to the circumstances."

"I won't pry."

"You're already doing that..." He pointed out, making Sarah blush once again, since when did she talk to wastelanders about their problems? Maybe she was getting sentimental? "But thank you." Then he sighed, a hint of weariness in his voice. "Oh, and those you can trust in Megaton is Stockholm, Lucas Simms and Nova, always good people who keeps their ears to the ground. Don't give Moriarty anything though, he's dangerous, oh and Jericho is an ass...good shot though."

Ah, back to business then. A little disappointing... "Got it, will pass it on. Though I've actually been in Megaton already and know quite well which people to work with and such, the brotherhood got their ear to the ground as well..." She frowned. "Though I wouldn't have agreed on Nova, isn't she the local whore?"

"And a good friend." John said, was it just her or was there a hint of...emotion in his voice all of a sudden? "So don't refer to her like that, and behave around her."

"Or life gets difficult...got it." Better not have him threaten you again...especially not pointing out that being friend with a ghoul and whore wasn't that impressive...not really fitting for a man like him. Yeah...keep your mouth shut about that Sarah.

"Besides, as I said Moriarty is dangerous, and none knows him better than her I believe."

"Ah."

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

Sarah frowned, was he always like this? No surprise he usually travelled alone... "Excuse me?"

"The sundown I mean." The man lowered his rifle and basked in the weakening light as the sun began to set.

"Deadly I'd say." Sarah muttered, getting assaulted in the night was the worst...

"That's part of the beauty." Was the sombre reply.