I left Doc Mitchell's over 45 minutes later. After getting a few stims and first aid items, we had a nice talk and he asked where I was coming from and I think I surprised him when I said a vault in Washington D.C.

He had said he came from Vault 22 on the strip and we talked about vault life then he asked me why I left, and so I told him the whole story. He was quite chatty and by the time I finished my story about the purifier, I could almost see the lightbulb flash on in his head.

"You're the Lone Wanderer ain't cha?" I winced at that

"That's what they call me. That or 'that crazy kid from Vault 101' . I didn't expect people to know of me this far west. And I was hoping they wouldn't, could you please not tell anyone until I understand the politics a bit better? I don't want to be dragged into anything or targeted by anyone" the Doc thought for a moment then gave a sympathetic nod.

"Your secrets safe with me. Stories spread fast 'round here and it don't matter how far away from here they started. Traders brought some special water and a story about a girl from a vault from somewhere out east. I reckoned that was your doing eh?"

We continued a nice chat about my adventures until I bid him farewell and promised to visit at some point in the next few days. Neither Dogmeat nor I had drank anything since our early lunch and I didn't want to bother Doc Mitchell anymore than I already had. And I left Dogmeat outside the whole time, he was probably melting in the sun, hopefully he went somewhere shady while he waited.

As soon as I stepped outside the wave of heat hit me like a super mutant swinging a club. I looked around for Dogmeat and found him laying in the shadow of the decks railing, panting and staring at me.

"Sorry about that. Lets go get a drink from Trudy."

We went in the Prospector Saloon expecting to see Cheyenne and Sunny but much to Dogmeats dismay, they weren't in here. I walked over to where Trudy was cleaning off one of the tables and helped her clean some dishes. I asked for some water for Dogmeat and was getting the caps out when she stopped me and said,

"Oh don't worry about it. It's on the house."

While Dogmeat was drinking, I asked if it was ok if I use one of the booths to clean my guns and armor. She replied that as long as I cleaned up after myself I could host a party in here. I quickly ran to my room and grabbed my bags and went back to where Dogmeat was still drinking and smiled at the mess he was making.

I sat at one of the smaller booths, not wanting to take up more space then I needed, and set up shop. I put a cloth down and got out my weapon repair kit, that I put my cleaning supplies into and got to work. Starting with Blackhawk, then the Perforator, then the Terrible Shotgun, then my Backwater Rifle, then lastly cleaning my Victory Rifle.

As I finished cleaning up the Victory rifle I heard Trudy curse at her radio and bang on the top of it. I remember her saying something about guys breaking her radio now. I got up and asked her if she wants me to take a look at her broken radio.

"Sure, the outside looks okay, but I think something broke on the inside. There'd be caps in it for you. I do like to hear what's going on in the world. And that Mr. New Vegas seems like such the gentleman."

I looked at her radio and popped open the back, finding the problem and fixing it in record time. While I was working a man in a makeshift blue riot gear chest piece came in and started yelling at Trudy. Trudy held her ground and I was just about to join in but while they were fighting, Six came in and watched for a second before scanning the rest of the bar before his eyes landed on me and I looked him up and down.

He had changed into a brown duster with a similar kind of riot gear chest armor as the guys yelling at Trudy, and jeans. He also had a few more weapons than he did last time I was him. He had a weathered 10mm pistol in a holster inside his coat and a machete on his left hip, a combat knife on his other thigh in a sheath, and a camouflaged assault rifle strapped onto his back with a strap that went across his chest. He also carried a duffle bag with what looked like more guns and supplies inside. I lifted my eyes and we made eye contact.

We held it until the man in blue stormed past him and pushed his shoulder. I snapped out of it and went to my seat to continue to work on the Victory Rifle. Trudy walked over a few moments later after talking to Six and handed me 75 bottle caps while thanking me for fixing her radio and offered to bring me some food. I looked at the time and I must have cleaned the shit out of my guns because I took 3 hours on them. Usually I'm traveling and I need to clean them fast just so they don't jam but when I have free time I will take my time and scrape every speck or dust off them.

After Trudy walked away to bring me some fresh gecko steak that Sunny and Six brought back from hunting, Six sat down across from me and started up a conversation.

"Hi. I'm... Six, so a few days ago I got shot in the head by a guy in a checkered suit and I need to know if you know anything about him?" He looked like he was almost begging for some information.

"I got into town last night. Sorry I don't know anything." He looked away looking slightly sadder after I said that but then he must have thought something because he looked back with what could only be hope in his eyes.

"Wait, you said you just got here, does that mean your a traveler?" I nodded and he continued, "Which way are you going?"

"Whichever way the wind takes me. Why?" I can't go around saying I'm looking for the Brotherhood, I don't know what kind of enemies they have.

"If we we're going the same way, maybe we could travel together? We can shoot more things with the two of us." He added a shy smile to the end of his offer. I considered for a moment then thought, 'why the hell not?' I smiled and held out a hand for him to shake, which he did so enthusiastically.

"You sir, have got yourself a deal. By the way, names Hope." He gave me a smile that made me melt inside, but I held strong and didn't show it. I noticed he had a Pipboy on, I'll have to ask him about it later.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Hope. I was planning on doing something about that Joe Cobb guy then leaving tomorrow morning. That okay with you?"

"That's fine by me. I'm guessing that if we do something about Cobb that It'll end up in a fight. I'll finish eating then go to my room and suit up. I'll meet you back here in around an hour." He nodded and called Trudy over and got a Gecko steak from her like I did. As we ate he asked about my guns and I tried to respond honestly but vague enough keep my identity a secret.

"Where'd you learn to shoot?"

"My dad taught me the starters then I learned the rest on my own or from anyone that would teach me. It wasn't hard to learn, you shoot, you miss, you see where it hit and try again. Where'd you learn?" His eyes clouded over and his hand went to the scar on his temple before he answered.

"I- I don't know, I don't remember. I can't remember anything from before the... incident." He winced when his fingers brushed the scar. I felt bad for the man, to forget everything, sure there are somethings I wish I could forget, like all the nights in the Pitt and in Maryland, but I couldn't imagine forgetting everything. I was about to break the awkward silence but Six beat me to it. "Have you ever... forgotten something important or feel like you've lost a piece of yourself?"

I wasn't planning on telling anyone, especially not a stranger, about what happened in Maryland, but I felt bad for him and he seemed so lost, I had to let him know he's not alone.

"Actually, yes. I- a couple of years ago when I was traveling, I helped a woman find her daughter and that led to a tribe that preformed lobotomies on their members. I wasn't planning on getting one but they drugged me and took a small part of my brain out," I lifted my hair to wear the crude scar was to show him. "Then they sent me on a wild spirit walking quest, I had vivid hallucinations and... I saw things I wish I could forget." I lost concentration as I remembered the skeleton of my mother and the giant Schmault-Tec bubbleheads. "Anyways, I found the chunk of my brain later, in a jar in the cupboard aboard the ferry I took to the blasted place." I took a sip of my nuke cola, "I keep that jar on top of my infirmary in my house."

As I concluded my story I looked up at Six and noticed his eyes were wide and his mouth slightly agape. Maybe I shouldn't have sprouted that story within the first hour of knowing him, it's one of the worse ones. Might scare him off.

"Um, I wasn't expecting... That. Wow." By then we had both finished eating and I had checked my clock. 'What the hell? It's 7:45 already? We won't have much time to solve this towns problem tonight.'

I voiced my concerns to Six and he agreed, we'd have to deal with Ringo and the Powder Gangers tomorrow, that was something that would take a few hours, and it was going to get dark soon so we wouldn't have enough time to deal with the Gangers. We decided that we'd do some small jobs and make some caps before we retire for the night.

Sunny walked over to our table after we finished talking and looked between the two of us before giving a small, knowing smile.

I grabbed my bags and called Dogmeat to follow me to the door. I felt Six's eyes on me as I left but ignored him. When I got to my room I threw my bags onto the bed and started getting ready for a fight, putting on my armor and holstering Blackhawk and the Terrible Shotgun. I wouldn't need much else. I grabbed my armors overcoat then, putting the first aid kit from Mitchell in one of the bags on my belt, I left to meet up with Six.