V-Stouted

Disclaimer: Not the most creative of names but works and holy smokes, the site is back up! Its a freaking miracle! Anywho, this is basically an idea I got where V is a 40-50 something year old former Militech soldier and is essentially a version of X-Men's Cable. But without the TK/TP powers.

Summary: Thanks to Dex DeShawn, Vincent 'V' Malkin is re-united with someone from his past.

"I need to know, Vincent, I need to know why you left Militech. Why you left me. I know it wasn't just because of losing your arm and leg and the replacements you got because of it." Requested one Meredith Stout in a soft voice to her estranged husband in his quaint apartment at Megabuilding H10.

She remembered clearly how he'd already been in something of a downward spiral in the month leading up to the loss of his arm and leg. But he refused to ever speak on the matter and eventually Meredith had let it be until he was ready to talk but unfortunately that didn't happen. Not after losing two limbs and gaining cybernetic replacements and culminating in him walking away and ending up becoming one of Night City's best Mercs and having a heavy preference to only be known as 'V'. And it was because of that position and Dexter DeShawn recruiting him and Jackie Welles for a heist on Arasaka Tower that saw the estranged married couple re-unite for the first time in years. Needless to say, Meredith hadn't been too thrilled to see him at first. V, formerly known as 'Cable' in Militech for reasons he didn't like to think about, sighed and ran a hand through his white hair. "It still haunts me, Merry. To this day it haunts me. And no matter what I do, its always gonna haunt me." He told her quietly without looking at her.

Hearing the shame and heartbreak in her husband's voice made the normally cold woman feel a great amount of sympathy for him. Though several days before she knew it would've been unlikely to happen given how furious she'd been with him but that was then and this was now. After several days of planning the heist and being around one another after he'd arranged for her to meet him at El Coyote Cojo as something of a neutral meeting place to keep the peace. Gently, Meredith came up to him and got him to look at her. "What happened, Vincent? What could've been so horrible that made you leave after years of service in Militech?"

And why didn't she just leave with him as it was? She really wanted to go back and have a word with her younger self from then. "Ya 'member how I was said to be the most brutal bastard when it was needed? And how I got the name 'Cable' 'cause of it?"

"I remember. And I never cared because it was never aimed at me and because of the love between us."

V sighed again before speaking. "I… Merry, while on OP I ended up takin' the life of some poor kid… Hadn't even meant too but… It happened. And when I saw that kid on the ground… Somethin' in me woke up and I threw up then and there." He finally told her as he looked away.

Missing the look of wide eyed shock from his estranged wife but not missing the shocked gasp from her. "Oh, oh Vincent." Murmured the Blonde as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Shocking him in the process as he hadn't expected that and before he knew it, the Dam he'd been keeping within himself finally broke and he began to sob out the long held grief with Meredith never letting go of him. Wishing like crazy she'd tried even harder now to get him to talk all those years ago despite the risk that could have had. A little later would see the two in his bed with her cuddled up to him with the two fully clothed as he held her and feeling like some of the guilt on him had been lifted from his chest. "Thank you." He said softly.

"Vincent, I'm your wife, there's no need to thank me." Was her response while thinking yet again that it was time to take a vacation. As not only did she need to deal with the guilt she felt for how she felt towards her husband all these years, but also to re-build their relationship.

V smiled gratefully at her and she raised up momentarily to peck him on the lips. "We'll talk more later, but for now, I think some sleep is needed."

"Yeah… I could use some shut eye now that I think 'bout it." Meredith smiled at her Soldier and pecked him on the lips again before laying her head back down on his chest.

I'm so glad I agreed to that meeting.

Author's Notes: And yes, Jackie is alive and well and is V's protege of sorts and the two stole Saburo's AV thanks to some creative shenanigans on V's part. I probably could have made this a multi-chaptered story but I think it works like this. I might do more with this but we'll see.