Jack was bargaining with the proprietor at the trading post when it suddenly got quiet. The proprietor was staring toward the door. Jack turned to see who had come in. She was striding into the store, her small frame held tall. The short cap of silvery blonde hair glinted in the morning sunlight with pink and silver. The loose seaman's garb was belted tight to her figure with the weapons belt, studded with grenades, ammo and various dangerous looking items. The pack she carried with such ease looked much too large for her.
"Calli", he grinned, holding out his arms. She slid into them and raised her face to his. He kissed her soundly. "You're back early.", he said. She smiled.
"I missed you.", she murmured against his chest.
"Mmm, I missed you too. I was about done here. You coming back to the ship when you've finished here?", Jack asked.
"Later, I have to see a few other merchants too. I'll just look around till you're done.", Calli responded.
Jack grinned, hugged her briefly, and turned back to the proprietor. The little interlude wouldn't interfere with his business sense.
After Jack left Calli took his place at the counter and began unloading her pack. It took the better part of an hour to haggle over the items and come to terms suitable to both parties, though perhaps a little more suitable to Calli. She was pleased with the amount she had gotten for the salvage. She still had to pick up her altered armor and a nice dress she had also had altered. Most of the work on her wardrobe she would do herself on the voyage back home as she was a competent seamstress after years of practice, but she wanted to be presentable for Jack's family.
It was mid- afternoon before Calli made it back to the Tradewind, her pack now holding only her armor and few personal items, as well as the usual items required when trekking wild areas. Jack was in his small office which was really just an alcove off their room.
Calli dropped her pack to the floor and went over to put her arms around Jack and peer over his shoulder at the books.
"How's it looking?", she asked. He turned to pull her down onto his lap.
"We've done better. Not going to be much profit this trip with all the problems we had. Repairs took most of what we made and I still have to make a down payment on the repairs to the Sea Grate."he sighed. Calli nodded.
"I made quite a bit on salvage. It can go toward the repairs.", she said.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Did you? Tell me all about your trip.", he said. So Calli told him about Caleb and the mountain cat, finding the vault, and the salvage she picked up from ruins she had come across.
"I didn't take much from the vault.", she said. "It had too much in there I have to think about. It's pretty much untouched so I just took some of the more common items. Most of the salvage came from ruins I found and a small group of people living in the mountains. They were very nice. I traded them some of my meds for mountain cat pelt and made a pretty good profit. I've always got plenty of meds."
Jack didn't ask about that as he knew most of her meds came off dead raiders. Instead he said, "You found the vault? I wasn't even sure it was real. I don't know how you do it, Calli." She laughed.
"I like to talk.", she said with a grin.
Jack said a little uneasily. "Mom wants us to come to dinner tonight since we're sailing in the morning. My brother will be there. Do you mind?"
"Not at all.", Calli said airily, leaning in to give him a quick kiss before slipping from his lap. She picked up her pack. "I got a new dress to wear. Want to see it?", she asked, grinning expectantly as she pulled the dress from the pack.
Calli blinked again as she was introduced to Jack's brother. "Wow.", she said. "Two of you." Zach laughed.
"Not quite. My twin here got all the adventurous spirit. I'm just a fisherman. This is my wife Lilly." Lilly smiled at Calli.
"Hey, Calli,", she said. "I guess Jack didn't tell you his brother was his twin."
"No,", Calli said, casting Jack a pointed look. "It's a real pleasure to meet you, Lilly."
The evening went much better than the first one. Zach and Lilly seemed quite intrigued by Calli and entertained by her stories. Lisa seemed softened in her attitude toward the little scavenger and shared stories of their childhood that much amused her. Even his Mom seemed a little less intimidated, maybe because she had reduced her armament to just a side arm, out of consideration. Calli seemed to relax and enjoy the evening.
The night was again warm and gentle as they strode toward the dock. "You seemed to get on well with Zack and Lilly. I knew my family would like you.", Jack said. Calli smiled at him.
"They're fine people." They walked along for a bit.
"I will marry you. I like your brother.", Calli said unexpectedly. Jack glanced at her, trying to make the connection.
"You'll marry me because you like my brother?", he queried. She laughed.
"No, I'll marry you because I love you and your brother said it would make you happy. Will it make you happy?".
"Very happy.", he said. He was also happy they would sail for DC in the morning. He would have her to himself for a couple weeks.
xx
Calli leaned on the rail and eagerly watched the dock approach. It had been an uneventful trip from the Bay and trading had been good. They would make a profit this trip but that wasn't what Calli was thinking about. She was scanning the dockside. Her face lit up as she saw Hawk standing at the dock, waiting. Then her expression clouded.
"What's wrong?", Jack asked.
"What if he doesn't know me? I've changed so much.", she said worriedly.
"It'll be fine, Hawk will understand.", Jack said. Calli turned to go to their room.
"You tell him first.", she said.
Hawk sighed and shook his head after Jack explained why she didn't come out to greet him.
"She's always been afraid of mutating, you know", he told Jack. "We'd better go get her."
"Yeah", Jack agreed. "You were there, weren't you? When the GECK activated. Did you get sick, too?"
"I was sick a couple of weeks ago but I'm not sure it had anything to do with the GECK. I had a few other issues.", Hawk said thoughtfully, stopping at the door to Jack and Calli's room. Jack opened the door and they went in.
Calli was waiting in the room, already dressed in wasteland armor. She smiled tentatively at Hawk when they came in. He looked her over carefully.
"Well, you weren't exactly big before. You're so tiny. However are you going to keep up with me?", he teased. Calli grinned.
"Don't worry, big guy, I can still run rings around you, you big klutz." Jack smiled with relief. Calli was going to be all right.
Elder Lyons looked up from his desk as Calli, Hawk and Jack entered. He looked the woman over carefully.
"Well, it doesn't take a doctor's report to see you've changed, Sally.", he said. Calli smiled.
"Yes, sir. I've changed a lot, that's why I've taken a new name. It's Calli now. That's what we wanted to see you about. I'd like to change my name again." The Elder leaned back, putting his hands together.
"Are you asking me?", he asked drily.
Calli laughed. "Well, sir, we are asking you to marry us."
"Is that so, Captain?", he asked, addressing Jack.
"Yes, sir, I've asked Calli to marry me."
"All right then, you can work out the details with the scribes. I'll preside over the ceremony for you. Is that all?", he asked.
"Well, sir", Calli said, sobering. "I was wondering how Sarah is. May I see her?" The Elder slowly shook his head.
"You can see her if you like. It may even do some good. I know you were friends. There hasn't been any change. I'm afraid she's still in a coma.", he said sadly.
"I'm so sorry", Calli said, biting her lip. "If I have your permission, I'd like to talk to her doctor." The Elder studied her.
"If you think it will do any good, go on. You have my permission. Now you'd better go make arrangements for your wedding."
Calli went to see Sarah before the ceremony. She seemed weak and wasn't regenerating. She checked her radiation level and found it low. She went to find Dr. Bening to discuss the case. After all, she was a qualified doctor as well as having experience with the GECK mutation forces. She had some suggestions that might help.
The wedding took place the next day on the Tradewind with as many of their friends as cared to make the trip from Megaton. It set the trading schedule back by a day but in Jack's opinion it was well worth it. The party went on late into the night at the Black Stone. Calli had called on Charon and paid him well to have his mercenaries guard the party, though Charon and Reilly were invited as guests.
Jack sealed his claim by placing the traditional ring on her finger. Calli studied the ring, a perfect circle of gold to symbolize their union. She wouldn't wear it long since she knew the slightest wound near it would cause it to heal over, the ring being permanently engulfed by her body. Jack was aware of this also and didn't expect her to keep the ring on all the time. It wasn't safe to wear jewelry of any kind when she was working.
Hawk and Calli stayed with the Tradewind until it moored at Rivet City. Calli wanted to spend as much time with her new husband as she could before he sailed for Baton Rouge, and Hawk had plans. After leaving the Tradewind the partners headed into the wasteland. At Hawk's request they were going to the southern cave.
"Why are going to the cave?", Calli asked, matching his long stride with her easy trot.
"It's a surprise.", Hawk replied.
"A surprise?", she asked, astonished. "Come on, tell me."
"Then it wouldn't be a surprise.", he grunted. She watched him curiously, but he wasn't telling.
"Have you found any other references to any weapon that could have formed the valley?", she asked.
"No.", Hawk responded. "Have you?"
"Nothing.", Calli said thoughtfully. "It must have been top secret and developed late in the war. Just think of the power it would have to take to blast out a valley so vast, and push walls straight up for 10,000 feet, let alone cut round, smooth tunnels out of those walls. It's practically unimaginable! But there it is, and with no radiation either. If it just wasn't so dry it would be perfect for us.", she sighed.