#stopdroppose

Time was passing by as Gage was awaiting for Lucy to wake up after their hassle in the vault, still keeping her weapons stored under the chair he was sitting on. It was awkwardly silent, only the sound of him puffing the smoke of the cigarette in the air could have been heard but as he finished, throwing the butt aside she finally opened her eyes and slowly pushed herself up by the elbows from the scraps of mattress Gage found around.

- Are you okay, Boss? Gage stood up from the chair, awaiting the response before approaching her.

- Fuck...my head. Why does it hurt so much? She touched her forehead with the tip of the fingers where he hit her, leaving a small bump.

- Well...you weren’t quite yourself back there so i had to...put you down, one way or another. Knowing she is back to her senses he walked up to her and offered a hand.

- Shit...sorry, i couldn’t control myself and...the voice...ugh, he kept pushing me to do it. She mumbled and grabbed his hand, standing up shortly with his help and bumping against his chest.

- What voice? I didn’t hear anything. He looked down at her, curious.

- The same voice i heard sometimes...when i arrived here and later too. It doesn’t matter...its probably just drugs or my mind playing tricks on me over and over. She didn’t know how to explain it to Gage, as she wasn’t sure herself why that voice and the mysterious figure strangely similar to her pre-war boss was present around her.

- You sure you are okay? Because if there is more, then that’s the time to tell me. Gage never liked secrets among people he decided to work with, especially when their relationship became as unprofessional as it was. None of them would admit openly their feelings but they were just going on with it, without too many words. It felt easier like that in the place where no one knows what next day might bring.

- Yeah, we have some cores to deliver for now and then we need to make sure our plan gets to Nisha’s skin and her gang. Lucy still preferred to dodge the confusing talk about that shade, hunting her on a few occasions. There were more important things and she would rather touch such topic on a more stable ground rather than in a dirty old storage, before starting a massacre in Nuka Town.

- Alright..i won’t push it but we will get back to it, eh? He noticed her troubled face, trying to dodge the direct eye contact as they were standing close to each other.

He knew the time is running short so he decided to use the last occasion of them being just together in a place quiet and safe before storming back to the business to ensure no matter what they went through they are still standing together on a solid ground. As she finally looked back up at him he caught her chin with his fingers and leaned down to kiss her. This time it was just a soft kiss, with no rushing and no necessary pushing, the one that said he cares about her despite how crazy things get around them. She closed her eyes and gave back in with no hesitation, her hands just wandering over his shoulders and chest. He accepted her for how she is, even if confused or slightly chaotic but there wasn’t an option of saying “no” to everything that place has offered and especially to a man who gave her back the purpose in life she was willing to give her mostly blackened heart into.

- Right...anyway, good to have you back, Boss. He said as he pulled off, reaching for her knife attached to his leg strap and handing it to her.

- Thank you, Gage. She smirked and took a knife from his hand, her soft blush slowly fading away from the cheeks. - Check how is the situation outside while i get myself ready. She ordered and approached the pile of her gear stored under the chair, that Gage took away earlier.

As he left the room and she was crouching and gathering it up she heard the steps behind her back, stopping nearby. The shivers crawled upon her arms, she wanted to look but knowing its probably who she think it is she just froze.

- Not again....he will just go away, like always. She whispered to herself.

- No i won’t. The voice echoed, directly to her ears.

As she slowly turned her head, she spotted him, again but this time being so close the details were more visible, sharp and still familiar. The same shadow of a man, showing up for reasons she couldn’t connect neither understand.

- You aren’t real, its just my head. I killed you, i saw your body on the ground before they nuked everything. She finally turned around and stood up, facing the living memory of her pre-war employer and chef, Harrison.

- Wrong, Feit. I’m here, just...in a different shape and form.

The figure of the shadow was a man in his 50′s, still dressed in the clothes he died in, wearing the same stoic, serious face that was shouting her orders back then.

- No...no, that is not even possible. Why do i even talk to you...i’m just crazy. She shook her head in disbelief and took a step forward, almost sure she will just go past him, her shoulder going through his, like a ghost but this didn’t happen. She could feel her arm brushing his as she walked past him.

- Stop. She gasped loudly as he grabbed her by the wrist.

- Fuck..let go, what do you want? Just go away already, like you always do! She tried to pull her hand off but the grip was strong, almost painful.

- I promised to protect these i care about, long time ago, when we first met. You might not remember since you were a kid but i kept my promise. She took a step back, still struggling but he caught her other hand as well.

- Protect? You fucking haunt me! Why? She asked, the irritation raising in her voice.

- It’s your fault! Your memories, the bad ones of me, you project them and i’m stuck with these too. The experiment...you never believed in, was real, i’m here now, i was with you in a pod for two hundred years, my soul. The more his voice and informations were being shoved in her face the more her eyes were widening.

- And why do you tell me this only now?! After all that time i have been here?

- It’s the gas, in this vault, sharpened your mind and allowed me to stick around for a longer while, memories of this place...we have been here together..a lot. He released her as he slowly started fading away.

- If...this is truth, what do you want, how do i...get rid of you? I can’t live with you doing this to me all the time. She noticed him disappearing again, asking question in a rush.

- I don’t know Feit...but i only discovered that desire can be a strong force of a feeling. Just...try to think better of me, kid.

As he finally faded away, she dropped to her knees, gathering the thoughts of what just happened. Harrison was indeed her boss before the war, provided her with job, money source, some care but tough fatherly love too, it felt toxic at times but she never dared to let him down. He was weird in a way, despite being shot on many occasion, never bled, barely aged and believing there were experiments projects on building synths but back then were causing quite a baffle. Was it really the truth he was that failed project which managed to escape and sneak itself between the criminal society, driving on with his own plans and possesing a power normal folk could only read in comics. She ran a hand over her face, this was the worst moment to hear about such things, out of nowhere, just like that but she had no choice but to swallow it for now, hearing Gage going back towards the room forced her mind on a task at hand as she swiftly pulled herself back up.

- Boss, we might need to leave the cores for now. Porter looked more nervous than usual.

- What is it? Lucy joined him, walking beside towards the exit and stumbling upon Lizzie with an operator guard. - Lizzie? What are you doing here?

- Nisha attacked first, not so long after you left. She was breathing rapidly, running all the way from Nuka Town to deliver the news, leaning forward and holding herself onto the knees with her hands. - Its a massacre, it would have been worse if Mags and Mason didn’t know the plan.

- Shit, we need to get back there, now. Gage nodded in agreement. -Lizzie, get these cores and set up this park, we need make sure they will have as little places to hide. She threw her a bag filled with strong orange shade glowing out of it.

- You sure Boss you don’t want me to go with you two? Lizzie asked, peeking curiously inside the bag.

- I’m sure, Lizzie. I need you here and you know more about any tech than two of us. Lucy nodded at her and shook her arm. - Wish us luck.

- Not luck but a decent firepower, Boss. Lizzie smiled at her as she straightened herself up, handing them a few grenades in exchange.

- Alright, be careful, Lizzie.

The duo left in hurry, running without a break towards the Nuka Town entrance, seeing flames raising from behind the walls and shouts of battle echoing in the nightly dark sky. A certain familiar shadow was right behind them.

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As they stopped at the entrance, hugging the outside wall and peeking inside they could agree it was indeed a massacre, disciples specialty and Dixie was the one leading all that bloody chaos.

- William! She shouted as she spotted the operator in the crowd mixed with pack and bodies of these unfortunate to find cover dropping around.

- Boss! William was leading a small operator group near the market, helping the traders flee to safety of its walls and block all the doors while Mags was busy around the Parlor.

- How’s the situation? Gage asked as they ran up to him, dodging the flying knives and bullets covering their backs.

- It’s a fucking mess, Porter if you didn’t notice yet but we will get them all, sooner or later. His voice was calm and focused. William’s manners were the same, even on battlefield in the middle of mayhem, still finding a window to brush a hand through his hair that were getting messed up in a rush of a fight.

- Mason sure has a good time. Lucy spotted a bunch of pack leaded by the spoken man, his adrenaline pumping high as his face was twisted in a crazy cheerful manner, covered in blood, giving it all to the disciples through the bullets of his rifle and fist crushing the throats of these defeated, their howls and growls making some take a few steps back.

- Yeah, anyway, where is Nisha? She asked directly.

- We didn’t see her, Dixie is leading along with Savoy in other parts of town. William sighted deeply, scanning down his armor being already covered in thick splatters of blood. - Great....

- No wonder its a chaos then. We need to find her first, they will most likely start to give up once she is dead. Lucy suggested.

- Alright Boss but we stick together. They nodded at each other and rushed deeper into town, having their eyes all around for anyone trying to put them down and looking out for one particular crazy woman. As they were moving forward, Gage putting his rifle and precision to good use and Lucy covering other member gangs around as well as themselves with her pistol and blade ready to stab anyone entering their private zone the loud and girly cheerful voice finally got to them. Dixie was nearby Cappy Cafe, harrasing the traders and tourists that didn’t manage to escape the town on time.

- Oh, come on, we just want to have a little fun, at last! Her shouts got disturbed by the bullet flying next to her head. She was crazy but still a dangerous opponent.

- Finally, the mighty sweet Boss herself showed up to join the party but i bet you can catch me. She ran away, disappearing between the crowds fighting, inside the alley.

- Fuck, we can’t let her get away, not now! Lucy rushed after her but Gage got caught up in assisting the others, losing her from the sight.

- Shit, Boss, wait! Gage yelled after her but to no success as the sounds of war were louder than his tries of stopping her.

Lucy realized how fucked she was once she ended up in a dead end with Dixie on her back, appearing from the shadows and away from everyone else.

- Oh my, we might actually finally have a nice girl chit chat. She was chuckling, her madness and confidence striking a pinch of fear in Lucy’s heart. Dixie was everything she never wanted to become, mad, wicked to the bone, killing just for pleasure of it. She was still bad person but never lost her humanity in a process, never let herself to arise to a level of a crazy psychopathy everyone thought Dixie is.

- We couldn’t find a better fucking occasion, indeed. She responded and pointed her pistol at the disciple but she was fast, even than she ever was, lunging right at her and slashing the blade through her arm. Lucy dropped the pistol, pain forcing her so and blocked the next attack with her knife, carried in the other hand, stepping backwards till she meet the wall. She realized to defeat the opponent like her she needed support. They were exchanging swings, some of them missing and striking the concrete wall Lucy was forced to and cuts, some of them leaving painful cuts and droplets of blood flying around. It was too intense, Lucy had to force herself out of that corner. She pushed forcefully Dixie aside, despite her blade puncturing her in the ribs and started running towards the main street.

- Oh already going? But we had such a nice talk Boss. Dixie smiled, widely, knowing she is scared and walking in a girly jumpy manner after her, calling her out.

- Shit, shit...Lucy knew its too late to regret running after her but as she turned around the corner she spotted Savoy, coming to her direction from the crowd in the main street as well as Dixie voice echoing through the alley behind. She caught a deep breath, pushing a hand to the wound and retreating back towards the back entrance of Nuka Cade. She smashed the rusty lock from the door and kicked the door open, hoping to escape the deadly duo pursuing her. Her body was full of cuts from Dixie and the wound in her ribs was slowly becoming a visible problems as she had problems to catch a breath.

Lucy ran through her pockets for any stimpak, anything that could put her back on feet and give at least slight chance to win that fight. Meanwhile Gage was running all over the town, looking for her, worried and angry but forced to continue the assistance with remaining disciples.

- Really, nothing in here? The door leading outside the nuka cade workshop were sturdily chained, impossible to break in short amount of time she had and the only thing left in her pocket was last dose of calmex.

- Fucking hell. She stumbled on a piece of scrap and dropped near the pile of robotic parts and other broken metallic scraps, all mixed in a big messy pile. Kneeling down and hearing the steps slowly shortening the distance towards the door she pushed the needle inside her arm as there was nothing else she could do. She laughed silently to herself, at her own stupidity and impulsive decisions always making her end up in these kind of situations, just this time one thing changed. Lucy found her place, the people she could stick around without feeling bad for who she is, as they were crocked in a same fashion and a man she wanted to keep in her daily life, even fall in love with. Her mind strangely drifted back to all the memories of this place and Gage and what the shadow told her recently along with it.

- I don’t want to die..not now. If you promised to protect me that might be the perfect occasion. She joked to herself but the tear shined in her eye and dropped down her cheek as the door shat open.

- Well, well, so we meet again, Boss. A fucking pleasure. Savoy stepped in and pushed Dixie away from the door. - Just us, Dixie. I want to have some fun too, just two of us.

- Ughhh you always ruin the fun Savoy, fine but leave me some scraps for later. Dixie hmphed but left them alone.

- Stupid bitch, she might not even realize we got fucked and we are losing. He chuckled from under his metallic mask. - Still, i hope to bring a souvenir down with me, in a shape of your sweet dead body, Boss.

Lucy remember what he left her after their last meeting and she was sure he won’t be as gentle this round. Despite the pain and wound she still pulled herself up with the knife ready in one hand, pushing the other one to the wound. Savoy was big, strong and determined, pushing her off balance even with a successful block, dropping heavily to the ground with the next swing. He sat over her, pushing himself onto her and wrapping his hand around her throat.

- Now..this is gonna be a fucking pleasure. She was struggling, trying to free herself but she was too weak in her state, slowly giving up and just hoping deeply Gage or anyone would find her right now. She closed her eyes, feeling like the time slowed down for a moment, a green strokes of smoke raising around her and flying towards the pile of scrap behind them. When Savoy raised his hand with a sharp blade in his palm ready to strike her, a robotic skeleton raised from underneath the parts, lunging at him and pushing him away.

- What the fuck. He stood up, fast, looking as the synth like structure standing between him and Lucy, prepared to attack and its eyes glowing in a strong green shade, swirls of same color raising around it.

- I swore i won’t fail again to protect these in my care! The broken arm proved to be more dangerous than it looked, its tip sharp as the disciple knife, ripping through Savoy armor and exposed parts. Despite being a broken structure Savoy struggled, failing to keep up as the synth was furious and tireless. He shoved the whole broken arm into his abdomen, filling his body with a swirls of his smoke, slowly burning him from inside. Savoy screamed his lungs out as an energetic and supernatural power swallowed him whole inside and his half burned body dropped shortly to the floor. Gage heard these shouts from distance when running around the alleys.

- Harrison...? Can’t be..how? Lucy struggled to keep her eyes open as the synth turned back to her and nodded.

- Yes. You didn’t want to die, your mind got so focused on this along with drugs it finally pushed me away. He kneeled over her and looked across the room for any stimpak. At the same time Gage finally managed to find her, storming into the room with his rifle raised up at the synth and noticing Savoy body next to him.

- Get the fuck away from her! Boss! He gave a warning shot, bullet bouncing off the metallic structure.

- Gage...stop! Its alright, i’m okay now, he is on our side. Lucy raised her hand. - Please tell me you have a stimpak. She coughed up some blood onto her hand as she covered her mouth.

- Of course i do. He rushed to her and scanned her body. - Christ, what were you thinking?! Going off, alone like that. He injected the meds in her body and slowly pulled her back to siting position, looking at the synth beside them.

- Wasn’t the first time i was stupid like that. She rested her head against his chest, relieved.

- Now, what the hell is this? He nodded towards the robotic creature.

- It’s...Harrison..i think. My boss from before the bombs fell...my last secret i didn’t tell you about. She sighted, noticing his surprised look. - I’m sorry but that was...too crazy to even tell you about, i barely could understand it. We will talk about it once the fight it over, okay? She brushed his rough cheek with her hand, her amber eyes glancing at along with a soft smile.

- Uhm...alright, Boss. He gave a suspicious look to Harrison as he stood up, not being even sure what kind of questions to ask about this but most important was that Lucy was found and safe, in his arms. Temptation to kiss her right there was strong, too strong to hold it any longer even with a pair of green eyes looking down at them. He didn’t care and felt the same need striking from her as she pulled herself up even closer.

Covered in blood, messed up and tired, they were just happy to survive yet another fight, most important one on that journey, ensuring some safety and her position in the town. Their lips met once again, caught in a passionate deep kiss, Gage keeping her close, wrapping his hand around her back and Lucy just hanging onto his shoulders. Harrison even if not sure what he was at this moment still had enough decency to look in another direction.

- Gage, .i..lov...

- I know...Boss, shit... i..feel the same way. He interrupted as she mumbled once he pulled off.

They looked at each other for a moment, knowing what words they wished would come out of their mouths but in the raider world that sentence was almost sacred, scary, to hear it out loud, yet they knew and kept in swollen in back of their mouths for now.

- Right...Harrison, you need to hide here till its over and we figure..you out. They will just turn you into a complete scrap otherwise. Lucy slowly stood up, feeling the stimpak working onto her wounded body.

- Fair enough, Feit. Just be careful since i won’t be around from now. The synth jaw moved and its face twisted in a grumpy expression she knew and remembered from back then.