They sat on top of that small mound, no firepit, no warm mean... just the two of them in the cold darkness of the desert night. She hugged her legs closely to her chest, the coldness getting to her, and she could feel herself getting sleepy...

"They weren't seeing what we were seeing... they just told us to shoot, so that's what we did."

Her eyelids fluttered as she sleepily glanced over at Boone.

"Even...?"

"Even."

"You did what you had to do as a soldier," she had told him. The look on his face was one she didn't expect from him. It was relief. "You didn't want to. I know you didn't. But if you go against protocol, that's treason and grounds for execution- you knew this, Boone." She drew lines in the sand. "I can't really say I understand since I wasn't there, but... if this is eating at you after all this time, that means something."

Boone took a peek back at Jovie to see that she had closed her eyes. He didn't know why he had chosen to stay. Hell, he didn't truly want to be here to begin with. But he had wanted to go... with her. He had never even told Carla of what had happened here, but here he was with Jovie, guns in hand. He started to stand up to cover her up with a blanket when he saw it. His blood congealed. No. Not tonight. Not here... Not again.

He grabbed Jovie by her shoulders and shook her. "Jove! Jove, wake up!"

"Huh? What is it?" she sleepily asked, rubbing her eye.

"Legion, and they're in numbers."

"Oh, shit," she gasped, jumping up and fully awake now. "Here? Why?"

"They must have intel that we just got this place back on its feet, but it's still struggling," Boone replied, loading his sniper rifle. "Huhn, kind of a funny thing. I come out here just to think, and here they are."

"Coming right to us," Jovie grinned, handling Maria. "Saves us time looking for them."

Boone shrugged. "I don't know about that. But I knew... I knew the day I met you, it was destiny. I had to go with you, and this is where it led me." He put his hand on her shoulder. "We may not make it, Jove."

Jovie nodded. "I'm aware. Even so, we have to try as hard as we can to protect the refugees. We're not the only fighters here."

Boone smirked. "Give 'em hell?"

Jovie pulled back the hammer on Maria. "Like always."

Jovie ran up the hill, past the graves of the people who died during the massacre years ago. Boone basically climbed up the side of the hill to position himself so he could have clear shots. He saw the Legionnaires making their way into the camp, and immediately, Jovie executed one without a problem. Then, she ducked behind a rock, a bullet ricocheting. Boone looked down his sights and popped two as though they were nothing. He checked down to see Jovie running out of cover and taking an injured child in her arms, bullets flying by her. He looked down his sights again and saw two or three Legionnaires with Brush guns. One of the NCR soldiers killed one while Boone killed the other. Jovie handed the child to his mother and turned around just in time to kill a Legion mongrel, but there were more. One bit down hard on her arm, the other on her waist, tackling her to the ground. She grunted, fighting the two off, until she took Maria in her other hand, which was not her dominant hand, and prayed that she could kill it. A blast, and it slumped off her arm, dead. She pushed the other mongrel off, and she could hear the pops on the hill as Boone continued to take down Legionnaires.

"Jovie!" she heard Captain Giles call out to her. A shot, and the mongrel was dead. Jovie put her hand on her waist, wincing slightly. More shots, but from where?

"Oof!" an NCR trooper grunted as he was hit with the butt of a brush gun. They heard it, behind one of the makeshift homes. Jovie and Giles ran to see a Legionnaire, and at once, Jovie took him out. Giles tended to the trooper as Jovie ran throughout the camp, still hearing the pops from Boone's gun.

Boone looked through his scope to the left to see more making a flank attack from the gravesite. He inched slightly, moving enough to where-

"Found you, you bastard."

In just enough time, he turned over, using his sniper rifle to block a machete from piercing his chest. He grunted, the Legionnaire no doubtedly stronger than he was.

"I was wondering when this wretched place got a First Recon dick on their side," the man spoke. "But I know you. You're washed out by now."

Boone grunted and moved his feet to one of the man's feet, twisting him over, both of them falling down the hill. And she had seen it.

In a daze, Boone shook his head, standing to his feet. The legionnaire also was up by now and ready, dagger in hand in stead of his machete, which he had dropped on the fall. Boone had lost his rifle as well and went to pull out his pistol, but the man advanced, making Boone jump back. Relentless. He ducked, moved, would use his arms to block attacks meant for vital areas.

"Good thing about First Recon. Useless as shit in hand to hand combat," the legionnaire mocked. He lunged forward, and Boone knocked the dagger away with his wrist then grabbed the man's wrist with both hands. In one swift motion, he snapped the wrist, the man screaming in pain. As he reeled back, Boone pulled out his pistol and capped him in his skull.

"Boone!" he heard Jovie calling out to him. She dodged a bullet, but a Legionnaire went to attack her. She tried to evade the pistol-whip, but she couldn't, and her body slumped to the ground.

"JOVE!" He couldn't believe the scream that came from him. He pointed his pistol at the Legionnaire and shot. The rest who were charging, Boone just fired, mercilessly, while Giles and the other soldiers helped along. But Boone... the look in his eyes.

"My God..." Giles breathed, taking out a Legionnaire. "Look at his eyes... It's as though he's back here those many years ago..."

A scream from the camp... some had snuck through. Boone ran past Giles, knowing she and the others could handle themselves. Three, four were there, three hiding behind makeshift homes, the other holding a hostage... the little girl who had been shot in the leg who Jovie saved. Boone eyed them down, looking for any kind of opening...

Back around the other side of the hill, Jovie was coming to, her head killing her. Giles was shaking her awake, and when her vision focused instead of seeing double, she finally looked her in the eyes.

"Good, you're with me. Get up!"

Jovie jumped up, Maria in hand, staggering slightly. But she realized something... the Legionnaires were dead. But Giles was peering around the hill, pistol in hand. She whipped back around and looked at Jovie.

"What do we do?"

"What? What's going on?"

"Boone is in a hostage negotiation," Giles informed, looking back around the hill. Three Legionnaires have him in his sights behind houses, while there is one who has the girl you rescued in his hands, gun to her head."

"Son of a bitch..." Jovie gasped. "Lemme see." They switched places, and Jovie peered around the hill, seeing just as Giles described. She bit her lip, banging her head slightly on the hill.

"Trade," she heard Boone speak. This made her look around again, mouth agape.

The man with the girl held her tighter. "Exchange?"

"Me," Boone replied. "For her."

The man moved the gun slightly away from the girl's temple. "What would Caesar want with you?"

Boone smirked. "Trust me. He'd rather crucify me himself than have one of you fleas do it."

"Wait... holy shit. Tillanius... that's Craig Boone," one of them spoke.

Tillanius lowered the gun slightly. "No shitting?"

"The one and only," Boone nodded. "Let her go, and I'll go."

"Dammit..." Jovie gritted her teeth. "Giles, I need you and your men to back us up."

"Wait, what?" Giles asked as Jovie handed her Maria and started to move from behind the hill. "Jovie!"

"He's not the only one!" Jovie called out, her hands in the air. The three behind the homes pointed their guns at her-

"Do not shoot!" Tillanius ordered.

Jovie made her way beside Boone, her arms still in the air to signify no harm or weapon. Boone bit his lip so hard, it bled.

"Jove, what the hell are you doing?" he growled.

"I have the Platinum Chip," Jovie continued. She reached in her pocket slowly and pulled out the Chip, showing it to them. "I think this is something your Caesar wants? So how about instead of giving him a little salad, we give him dressing and all?" She laughed, but the Legionnaires didn't move. "Aww, come on. That was funny."

"You are not to come as a prisoner, Jovie, but of your own volition."

Jovie nodded. "I got that part. But that's not going to happen. Thing is, I hate the lot of you. Every. Last. One. The only way you're going to get this chip is if you take me in as a prisoner. Got it?"

"Very well."

"Jove!" Boone gasped.

Jovie took a step toward Tillanius, her arms to her sides, walking slowly. "All I'm going to do now is take the girl. That's it. I'll come back, I promise."

"Jove, stop it..." Boone pathetically begged.

Tillanius pointed his gun at her. "Think I believe that?"

"I'm no liar," Jovie assured. "Look, see? I have no weapon. You're stronger than me, so there's no way I'm going to try to fight you."

Tillanius remained at ready. "One false move..."

Boone saw NCR soldiers sneak up to the three Legionnaires behind the houses and snap their necks, but with Jovie and Tillanius talking , it was silenced.

"Trust me."

Tillanius handed the girl to Jovie, who picked her up in her arms since her leg was wounded. She started walking around the hill, and Tillanius noticed Boone had raised his gun. He glanced at the three dead Legionnaires, NCR soldiers taking their places.

"Wh-"

"Oh, yeah," Jovie spoke, still walking away, "I lied."

She heard Boone fire the shot then Tillanius' body slump over. Then, another body falling to the ground. She turned around quickly to see Boone-

"What?" she breathed. With the girl still in her arms, she ran to Boone, not seeing any blood other than what was dealt with by the attacker on the hill. Lieutenant Markland made his way over and gave him a quick look-over.

"I can't tell until I get him into the tent. Let's go."

XXXXXX

"You never could stop playing the hero... could you?"

He opened his eyes and looked around to see pure white, so bright it made his eyes hurt.

"That's okay, though. It's what makes you... you."

He turned around and stifled a gasp, his eyes hardly able to take it in. There she stood, long blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, and the clothes he last saw her in. It was a dress. A simple, light blue dress, with white heels that she easily maneuvered in. The red lipstick that accentuated her so beautifully, the way her skin was flawless... What was this? A dream? Was it real? Had he...?

"I was wondering when I would get to talk to you," she spoke, clasping her hands behind her back and taking several steps. "You're a very hard person to track down."

"But I've been here." He did gasp this time and covered his mouth. He sounded... younger. Around the time they had first met.

She smiled and turned to him. "You know... we were kinda young when we first met. Remember? It was before they even shaved your hair when you joined the NCR."

Boone reached up and felt hair on the top of his head. He shook his head and stepped toward her. "Carla-"

"I had fun," she interrupted. She then unclasped her hands, and her eyes changed from happiness and filled with a sort of emptiness. "I didn't want to go to Novac, Craig."

"I know that," he nodded, his voice desperate. "I didn't know where else to go... Living in New Vegas was too expensive at the time and-"

"But you know," she cut him off again, her voice wavering, "I was happy there."

This caught him off guard. He noticed the light around her was turning blue- the color of her crystalline eyes. "Y-You were?"

She nodded. "I was just different, that's all. I had grown up around Vegas and I guess... I guess I let it show. Then you came around, and I wanted to see what the outside world was like." A tear fell. "I wanted more time... Just one more time... to see it with you. I wanted to have the baby with you, and I wanted to be a family..." she was crying harder now, and the light was growing brighter. Boone tried to move to her, but it was as though he was transfixed to his spot. "I'm not angry with you. God, Craig, please, you have to let me go. You did what had to be done, and we understand that. We just want you happy."

At this, Boone couldn't hold back his tears any longer. "No!" he shouted. "It's not right... I wanted more time, too! I wanted a family with you. What would our child have looked like... what would he or she have done? What kind of dad would I have been? I wanted that all with you!"

Carla closed her eyes briefly and opened them. Then, he noticed the blue started changing to green... the forest green eyes he was so familiar with now. Her eyes started to change to that color, and her hair started to turn dark brown as well, and she smiled.

"You have a chance, if you'll let yourself."

He held his hand out to her. "No... she's not you."

"She's not," Carla nodded, her eyes and the light fully green, her hair completely dark brown now. "But she is there. She's gentle and... Craig... please. I'm doing this because you deserve love and happiness. There is still so much for you to do, and she can be there for it all." The light then turned to liquid and started to envelop Carla. She smiled and put a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Wait!" Boone cried out, feeling helpless. "Carla!"

"Look for her when the light dies out," Carla whispered.

Boone bolted up in the cot, then winced, holding his head. He reached up and felt a bandage on the side of it, then scanned the area- they were still in Bitter Springs. His eyes stopped when he saw a sleeping Jovie in a rather uncomfortable chair next to his got, her knees drawn up to her chest. He noticed she was without a shirt, but her entire torso and arm was wrapped up in bandages. He looked down at his arms to see them wrapped up as well, and he wondered how long he had been out for.

"Ah, there we are," he heard Lieutenant Markland's voice in his right ear. From the other side of the privacy curtain, Markland came around and put his hands on his hips, a tired smile on his face. "You had a bit of a nasty concussion."

"Thought so," Boone muttered. Hearing his voice, Jovie woke up and sat right in her chair, leaning forward and taking Boone's hand into her own.

"Are you okay?"

"What? Yes," Boone groaned, taking his hand out of hers. He used it to rub his head tenderly. "Any casualties?"

"None, thanks to you two," Markland praised. "Good thing you came when you did. I don't think we could've held them off." He glanced behind him. "Well, Nora wants to stretch her leg. I'll come back to check on you in a few."

He walked away, and Boone looked at Jovie. "Nora?"

"The bullet broke her leg, but it'll heal," Jovie replied, her voice raspy. She was tired. She must have just fallen asleep. "I was so worried she was going to lose her leg, Boone..." She then leaned back in her chair. "What about you? How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Boone shrugged. "Can't believe I passed out like that."

"You pushed yourself too far," Jovie fussed, fidgeting with her bandages. "I saw you fall down that hill. Scared the hell out of me."

"Speaking of which, what the hell kind of game were you pulling?" Boone asked, hostility in his tone. She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not taking any shit from you," she replied. "I was playing the same kind of cards you were dealing. We knew we had to save that girl. Legion wants us both, so we had a better shot. Only thing was, I actually had a plan other than suicide."

Boone looked away from her. "I told you. I wasn't expecting to survi-"

"Yeah, well? I was!" Jovie fumed. "You think your life is just something to throw around? That no one would care? That just because Carla is gone, you and Manny are at odds, and you think you have no one, that you can just go off and die?!"

"Jove, I'm not in the mood for this," Boone groaned. "Wanna give a lecture? Do it to the kids here. Wanna be useful? Do me a favor and just go away."

At his words, the look on her face was enough to make him wish he had never said them. She got up and walked out of the medical tent, and he heard a sniffle from her. For just a second, she was gone, then she came back and threw his backpack at him, her eyes red.

"Go home, Boone," she calmly ordered.

"Excuse me?"

"Go home," she repeated. She walked out, but he stood up, following after her, the backpack falling to the ground.

"Go home as in?"

"Novac."

"No."

"Boone, don't you get it?!" she fumed, turning and stopping at the same time. They didn't care if people were watching. "I'm done! I'm. Done. I can't... I've done everything in my power to help you, to be your friend. And every time I think we have a breakthrough, you do something to break me again." She continued walking, despite her side bleeding from the dog bites. She ignored Markland's calls for her to get back in the medical tent to rest. "I know you've had it hard, but I have too! That's why I wanted to try to stick together... to be like everyone else and be there for each other. And it worked! It worked with everyone except for you."

"I'm not like the others, Jove."

"Don't you think I know that?" she sighed, throwing her hands in the air. She smiled for a second. "That night... when we danced... it was..." Then she closed her eyes and clenched her fists. "What did you do it for?"

"Huh?"

"When you danced with me. Why?"

Boone shrugged. "You were sad."

She rolled her eyes. "For Christ's sake, Boone, gimme a break."

"I'm not joking around," he said. "You were sad, and that song came on, and I just... thought it would help."

She laughed then put her hands on her hips. "What am I supposed to do? Keep doing this? This battle-slash-alliance we've got going on?"

"It's more than an alliance."

"Shut up."

"It is."

"I said to shut up, Boone!" she yelled. He reeled back, shocked. Her eyes... if the fires of hell could exist in them, they would have been there. "There's no more of this. There's no more of talking, of trying to help... of anything." She started crying, and she put the palms of her hands on her eyes. "I didn't have to come out here, but I did. And look what it got me. Look at what it did to me!" She staggered slightly. "No more... no more..."

Boone stood there for a brief moment before deciding to speak, letting her cry. He could see every raw emotion she felt, and it was all because of him.

"Look for her when the light dies out."

"Jove. I'm going to speak now. Okay?" No response from Jovie, so he continued. "I don't think you realize what this has done to me. Coming here... facing my past, my sins... seeing the ghosts of those I killed... the children... it does something to a person." He took a step toward her. "You're right. You didn't have to come here with me. I was the one who asked you to, as a matter of fact." She was still crying. He had broken her... He had never seen her cry like this, not even when she was face-to-face with Dead Sea. "I am thankful you did." A sniffle, and she stopped crying. "I think... I think I know what I want to do now. After coming here. After traveling with you, watching what you do. I want to help people. Go around and give aid to whoever needs it. Like you." She lowered her hands, her cheeks wet with tears. He put his hands on her cheeks and dried them with his thumbs. "You have to understand... there are times where I'm not... 'me'. And I don't mean to be that way, but..." He moved closer to her. "I take it out on you, and I shouldn't. I'm sorry." He let go of her cheeks and put a hand on top of her head. "You have this way about you, Jove. I've never seen anything like it. You change people. You changed me. And I don't ever want you losing sight of that. Okay?"

"So... you're not leaving?"

"Not a chance in hell."

"You'll be nicer?"

"Try to be." He lowered his hand and placed it under her chin, tilting her head up. "I know it's a lot to ask, considering, but... please be patient with me."

"Okay," she nodded.

And before she realized what was to happen, she felt his lips on hers.