Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The odd groaning sound reached her ears again. Dinah glanced up from a worn and tattered copy of the Blue Fairy book. The oddly organic moan sounded, and she threw down her book. The woman had been resting her feet on the counter, her heavy spiked boots crossed over one another. The merchant swung them down and pulled her .44 pistol from her holster. The junk shop she owned had been quiet all day. Unusual but not unheard of. Despite her heavy shoes, she stealthily creeped towards her front door and glanced through the peephole. Nothing. What in tarnation.. She pulled the door open and stepped out, pistol still held in her hand. She scanned the empty ugly tiny trading town. Nothing, again. Dinah moved to the side of her establishment, towards one of the workbenches. Something was propped against her store wall, blood smeared on the whitewashed aged brick. The copper headed woman scanned the environment once more. Nothing more than a tumbleweed and a tied up Brahmin stirred in the empty town. 

She knelt down in the redden soil, and gently checked for a pulse on the scarred body. Faint but there. Dinah was a cautious woman but never heartless. She quickly pat the body down and pulled a holster, and several knives from the man, and shoved them in her satchel and around her own waist. The man mumbled something. 

“Mister you are not in the best shape. I am just gonna get you fixed up ok.” The woman once again scanned the barren slowly darkening desert, and turned back to the slumped man. The woman appraised the man’s frame. He looked at least several inches taller then her, but he looked muscled. 

“Alright sir I’m gonna lift you now k?”

Naturally, the injured man did not answer. She bent her knees and managed to pull him over her shoulder like she’d seen in pictures. It worked and she was able to carry the man into her store. She gently dumped him onto his back on her own bed. The light was much better inside, and Dinah could see now that the man dumped on her lap was most likely a Ghoul. His nose was rotted away, and his face was gnarled. It didn’t matter. Maybe he was just a wastelander. Just one warped by the rads. The ghoul was also still bleeding. His leather vest and dark shirt was saturated with his blood. Dinah exhaled and ran to her med cabinet  and grabbed some cleanish cloth, rubbing alcohol, a stimpack and a sewing kit. She managed to grab a lantern to shine more light. 

“Look old man, I am gonna have to clean up these wounds. Please don’t kill me.” 

She unbuttoned the vest and tore the ancient shirt off the man. Two large crude chunks were carved out of the ghoul. These were deep, but not so much that the man would be dead. Unless he had been laying out there bleeding out. 

Dinah grabbed the bottle of alcohol, a roll of bandage tape and some thin cotton. She then glanced at the man’s face, he seemed to still be drifting in and out of consciousness. “This is going to hurt like hell.” She poured the antiseptic over the first wound festering over his right pectoral. The man hissed and growled like an animal, and attempted to move. 

“Sh sh. I am trying-“ she was grabbing the cloth to stop the bleeding from the first wound. She temporarily taped the cloth with a few strips to secure it. She would have to prop him up to secure it better later on. “You’re okay.” The next wound was carved onto the man’s abdomen midline. She repeated the same process, the man not resisting quite as much. She finished the procedure with a stimpack, and gathered the precious medical supplies back into her locked cabinet. She then turned back for the man. She decided he probably needed stitches, so she started sterilizing the needle by running it through a struck match. the young woman quickly glanced out the window, it was essentially night. She decided to flip her open sign, and lock the doors. She then secured her home by pulling a heavy cabinet flush against the door. Whilst she was doing this, she could hear the man’s moans turn into more coherent murmurs. 

“Just want to remind you, that I am not here to harm you. Only help.” She grabbed the cleaned needle and black thread from the store counter and walked back to him. She pulled up the cotton; blood and off colored ichor covered the bandage. The Stimpack must’ve done it’s trick because as she gently placed her cool hand on the man’s chest, his hand went up to roughly grab her hand. She fearfully looked at the man’s now open eyes. 

“What the hell are you doing missy?” A dangerous voice with a southern drawl came from his dried lips. 

“I was going to sew up your gaping wounds sir.” 

The ghoul glanced at his wounds. “How would I know that you weren’t the one carving me up to sell at this here..” He then glanced around at the packed junk store. “Fine establishment?”

“I simply found you unconscious and bleeding all over my brick walls. I wouldn’t be healing you if I wanted you dead. Now, will you please let me go so I can sew up the rest of your woun-”

The man almost panically attempted to find his weapons. “Where the fuck did you put my gun you little urchin?!” He turned to look around him.

“On me-” The ghoul did not hesitate to lunge for her. He was greeted with her .44; it’s muzzle against his forehead. “I’ll leave my weapons and your own over there. You can have them back after I sew you up. Deal?”

“ I am a very foolish person to make deals with sweetheart.” 

“Well you are not exactly in the best position to be complaining old man.”

He regarded her for a moment, and released his grip on her wrist. “And what would you get out of this deal?”

“Not dying would be preferable, or not being stolen from. That’s pretty much it.”

She was not foolish. She kept her eyes on him as she backed up to set his gun on the counter, as well as her own. Luckily the man did not move, if he did she would have shot him without a second thought. 

“Now, may I please sew up your nasty wounds?”

“Be my guest darlin’.”

“My name is Dinah.”

“Well too bad, not gonna remember that.”

She walked cautiously back to the reclined ghoul. She threaded the needle and poised her hand over his skin. Dinah glanced up at the man now watching her intensely. “This is going to hurt like heck.”

The man shrugged. “Used to it with a body that’s falling apart. Do your worst.”

She put her hand down on his chest, still surprised at it’s warmth. She started the careful and tedious process of sewing the man’s leather tough skin together. “Your body is sure warm mister. Do you have a heat stroke?”

The man barked a laugh that would’ve once been warm and charming. “That's how my skin is. Another gift from the wasteland and the rads.”

“Oh.”

The man glanced around as she was halfway for his first wound. “What the hell do you sell in this shack?”

“The better question is what I don’t sell, I mostly sell parts.  I scavenge, take apart and sell or restore too.”

The ghoul winced as she pulled the string tight and knotted.She then started on the second wound. 

“Bounty hunter right?” Dinah asked not looking up from her work. 

“No, I raise one headed brahmin.”

“Funny. I assume you simply lost count of the bounties you’ve completed?” 

The man only nodded. “Wait,” He paused and touched his torn shirt. “Why the hell did you tear this? It’s the only one I have.”

“I’ll just give you a new one. I am sure I have some.”

“You’d just do that.”

She tugged again, it seemed to sting. “Yes.”

“For free?”

“Uh huh.” She hummed, snapping the string with her canines. She then stood and grabbed the bandage tape and more cotton. Dinah motioned for him to sit up. “Take the duster and vest all the way off.”

“Excuse me?”

She held up the tape and fabric. “I need to be able to wrap it securely around your torso. Can’t do that with clothes in the way.”

The Ghoul flashed a sly grin at her. “Little lady, if you had wanted to see me shirtless, you could’ve simply asked.”

Dinah despite herself blushed. The stupid man noticed. 

“Don’t have a lot of men coming on by and making jokes like that  to you doll face?”

She swallowed and simply walked over to him after he obeyed her command. After she snuggly tied the badge over both wounds, she stood back to survey her work. The ghoul too glanced down at her work and nodded. “Hate to say it missy, but you seemed to have done a mighty fine job.” 

“Thank you.” 

The man quickly swung out of the bed and Dinah quickly scurried to grab her weapon off of the counter. 

“Hold you fire hellion. I was just grabbing my weapons so I can get out of your hair.”

The young red head was putting her supplies away as she called back to him. “I do not think that would be smart sir.” 

“Why?”

“Well, I am pretty sure there’s a sand storm incoming.”

“How the-”

The radio in the corner of the store that had been quite playing Frank Sintra and Dean Martin started to let off garbled noises. 

“The radio tells you the weather?” 

“No.” She pulled out a can of pork and beans from a cupboard near the medicine cabinet. “Only if there’s a sand storm. I think it has something to do with the blocking of radio signals.” 

The ghoul turned to the window closest to him. He glanced through the small part of exposed glass. As Dinah had said, it was starting to get hazy with dust. 

“Shit.”

“Told ya.” After setting herself on the counter, she had managed to open the can and offered it to him. “Hungry?” 

“No. Am thirsty though.” 

“Here.”

The ghoul was hit with a carton of water. He gently picked up the mostly clean water. Dinah mistook his amazement for suspicion. 

“I boiled it today. I’ll drink it first if you’re worried about-” 

The ghoul did not answer. He leaned on the counter where she was still sitting. He took a long swallow from the carton. 

“Please, drink the whole thing if you need it. I have plenty still in deep storage.”

The eyes that still retained a bit of original color in them caught her own. “Foolish thing to say to a stranger who might kill for clean water.” 

Dinah only shrugged. “Well, I trust you.”

“Again I advise you against trusting me, or anyone out here.”

Dinah bent over the counter and grabbed a dark cotton button up and gave it to the ghoul. He put it on and they stayed in silence for a few more moments. “How’d you end up bleeding on my doorstep, bounty hunter?”

The man had moved across from Dinah and was resting against the wall, his weapons next to him. His eyes were closed. “Some Ghoul hunters. They wanted a piece of me for some sideshow or recipe or something. Told me it was for a good cause as they were carving me up like a turkey.”

Dinah felt disgusted. “That’s barbaric.”

The Ghoul opened his eyes and regarded the young woman perched above him. He chuckled darkly. “Little lady, I have no idea what world you lived in, but our reality is barbaric. I have had way worse done to me. And done worse.” 

Dinah stayed awake until the Ghoul fell into a fitful sleep. She grabbed her own blanket from her bed and gently spread it over him before falling asleep upright,  her pistol in her hand facing the man. 

Chapter Text

He left before she awoke. The ghoul left nothing behind, it was almost as if he didn’t exist. Dinah didn’t think much of it, she was simply glad he was able to feel well enough to leave. The rest of her day was boring. Her neighbor came over to do some trading both in conversation and for goods. Some raiders attempted to steal supplies from her 2 weeks later, and had meet a violent but not deadly outcome.  She kept herself busy and away from loneliness by shooting some rad roaches that had been nesting in an abandoned home. Dinah didn’t see the ghoul until a month later. It was a breezy and hot Sunday evening, the notes and croons of the Ink spots playing through her ancient radio. The only source of life outside her little bubble in a vast desert. The bell on top of her door rang. She had her hand on her gun ready to shoot if it was trouble that walked in. Heavy boots. It was bright outside, so she had a difficult time deciphering what was entering her store. The ghoul

“Surprised you're still alive sweet cakes.” 

“I have a name.”

“I’d rather call you pet names, it seems to fluster you.” 

He glanced at her defensive stance, her eyes held poorly contained fear. “Have trouble come knockin’ recently?” 

“Like you care.”

“I don’t. ‘Cept,” he glanced around her store. “You might have what I need.”

He moved to grab his gun and she already had hers shakily pointed at his torso. “Woah there kitten. Careful where you point that thing.” He had a swagger to him she didn’t see when he was dying on her doorstep.  

 “Look I was almost assaulted or worse last week by a bunch of chem crazed lunatics. I can point this darn thing wherever I desire, old man.” Her hand kept shaking and the ghoul simply pulled the pistol out of her hand, and threw it on the counter. 

“Don’t point a gun at me unless you mean to fire it.”  He took a step forward and grinned at her. “Also shaking like a fawn does not bode well for accuracy. Don’t know how exactly you’ve stayed alive..” 

“None of your business mister.”

“You would be right for once. Now, I might be needing some specific screw for my gun,” he slowly placed his pistol on her work space dividing them. 

Her eyes lit up. She gently emptied the barrel and cradled the weapon as if it was a bird. Dinah waved the ghoul away from the counter. 

He left to peruse the overcrowded shelves for supplies he might need. Several moments later the door to the shop opened and a leathery human male came trotting into the store. 

“Just Me D! Come to-” The man spotted the tall ghoul and started, pulling a 10 mm from it’s holster. “There’s a damn Zombi-”

Something was thrown at the old coot; a small wrench. “Put your gun away Dex. He’s a customer, and if I hear you say that slur one more time I will make sure my wrench is “accidentally” thrown at your face, not at the wall.” 

“Geez D, calm down. Fine.” The weak gun was stashed away. “ I just wanted to ask if my camera was finished.” 

Dinah walked around from the workbench and handed the man his pre war camera.  “I also loaded some undamaged film into it for you. Now where’s the two radios?”

“Oh, uh-” The man slowly started to back out of the room. “You see those radios are real valuable, and McMillan asked if his boys could use it-” 

“You're telling me I spent hours toiling over that thing, fighting a bloatfly nest for nothing? Not even caps?!” 

Dex had already started out the door. “Yeah but… you don’t need it. You’re only hiding back here anyways. Sorry I broke the agreement but-“

Dinah was on the edge of tears. She had spent an entire month and a half fixing that camera for the promise of those two way radios. She even neglected her own scavenging so she could finish the task sooner.  

The ghoul took a single glance at her and grabbed the small man by the shirt with both gloved hands. “ Well, that’s no way to talk to a lady.” 

Dinah smiled at the ghoul. “Yes. He’s right. Dex you did this to me before, so you gotta fix it. Where’s McMillan?” 

The man was struggling against the ghouls iron grip. “I’ll never tell. He’d go nuts if he knew I agreed to give them to you before offering it to him.”

Dinah grabbed a black cowboy hat to cover her from the scorching heat. “He’s at the saloon isn’t he?” 

She looked up at the ghoul. “Don’t let him go, he owes me.” Dinah reloaded her gun and his retightened pistol. The ghoul nodded  at her. “Holster my gun will ya?. Both hands are on this piece of shit.” 

She rolled her eyes and walked over to him, catching his eyes. “Where-“ 

“Left hip sweet cake.” 

She moved his duster and gingerly patted to find the holster. She found it and placed his gun into it. As she pulled away he winked at her and grinned. “Could’ve at least asked me to dinner.” 

Dinah blushed but at this point she was madder than embarrassed. 

“Let’s go.” She skirted around the men and hopped outside. 

The ghoul dropped the man and aimed his newly fixed pistol at him. “You heard the woman get moving.”

The man hesitated and the ghoul tripped him. “Oops.” 

The weird posse slowly traversed the rundown trading town. The saloon was a half mile from the junk shop, and no wildlife halted their progress. 

Outside, Dinah looked mad but collected. Inwardly she was anything but. Fuck- freaking piece of work. McMillian didn’t need two radios, his boys were loud enough to be heard halfway across the Nevada Desert. Dinah marched right up the swinging doors and slammed them open. 

The three men playing cards started and reached for their weapons. 

“Just me handsome. Put down your weapons.”

Mcmillan a middle aged bearded man about her height, merely shrugged his shoulders as his men put their weapons down. 

He folded, placing his cards on the table and took a sip of a bottle before looking at her with a none too kind smile. “My favorite little hanger on. What brings you into my fine establishment today?”

Dinah nodded at the ghoul and he brought Dex in. 

“He’s with me.” Dinah said with a smile. 

Walsh, a thin scarecrow of a man swallowed. “Haven’t seen a ghoul down these parts for a while.” His hand started to once again move towards his gun. 

“Stand down.” His boss growled

“Dex,” Dinah turned to the small man. “Let McMillan know what our agreement was.” 

“She’s crazy-” She kicked out her leg and made the man fall backwards. “Start again.” The older man looked up at her with shock on his face. Even Dinah herself could not believe she purposely hurt him. She knew why, she didn’t want to admit it right now. 

“I agreed to trade the 2 way radio for D fixing my camera. Before I agreed to give it to you.”

McMillan did not react. He glanced from Dinah to Dex. “Well, it doesn’t matter, we can’t find the bloody things. No that it mattered. We didn’t have much use for only two-

From the back, the third member of McMillan's crew stepped out from the pantry. 

“Boss-” The man was young, scarred, and was a recent addition to the crew. Dinah had few interactions with Boyd, but she was thoroughly unsettled by him. He stopped and looked at the ghoul. “Well I'll be. Hey boss. That zombie is worth some caps.” Dinah worriedly looked at the ghoul, he didn’t seem concerned just yet so she waited. 

“Whatcha mean Boyd?” McMillan inquired. 

“Carved a few pieces from him, sold it to a weird merchant. 300 caps a piece.” 

The leader only stared at the ghoul for a moment. “Hm. He’s a guest of D’s; as long as he’s in town, I’m not touching him.” Both his crew at the table nodded and started to pick up their cards. 

“Fuck that,” His hand was on his holster, “that Zomb-” The man was cut of with a chocked gurgle. Dinah felt the throwing knife leave her hand. The knife hit his throat, and blood had started pouring down his clothes. No one in the bar moved. 

The leader stood and walked over to the man bleeding out. He stooped down and removed the two radios hidden under the corpse's bulky chest piece. 

“Catch D.” He threw both and she caught both before they hit the ground. 

Dinah was confused. “Why-”

McMillan kicked the corpse he was still staring down at. The body slumped and fell over. “Sonabitch was stealing from me. Knew those damn radios didn’t just disappear. Did me a favor. Thanks.”

The young woman stayed for a second, and then tried to confidently exit the bar. She quickly rushed off to throw up. She had forgotten the ghoul was following her. He laughed loudly. “Blood bother you a bit?”

The woman stood back up and wiped her mouth with hand. “No. Killing someone. I'm not used to doing it.”

The ghoul scoffed.  The strange pair walked back to her shop. She sat slumped on the ground, back against the brick. She looked up at the rugged man. “Thank you for your help back there.”

The ghoul went down on a knee to look at her at eye level. “I didn't do it for you.” 

The woman laughed, “Why’d you do it?”

His eyes showed a bit of confusion. “Reckon’ I don’t know myself.” His eyes moved to her hat. “You little no good Thief. That’s my hat! Lost it last time I was here.” 

She removed the hat and gently placed it on the ghoul’s head. “Looks mighty fine on you. Didn't realize it was yours mister.” 

He was still at her level, “You are a strange creature ya know that Di?”

“Oh, you remembered my name.”

“Don’t get used to it little lady.” 

“The part and service for your pistol is on the house today. You saved me.”

The ghoul stood up after nodding.

“Hey, old man.”  She held out one of the radios out to the man.

“What the hell am I supposed to do with that?” 

“If you get lonely out there murdering innocents and killing puppies, you can give me a shout.” She grinned up at him mischievously. 

“Well, at least I can trade it for caps. He put the walkie talkie in his vest pocket and turned. He stopped at the door way. “Why did you want these radios so badly?”

“Lonely. That’s all. Might like someone to be on the other end to listen. Safe travels ghoul.”

Chapter Text

The sun was out in full force this afternoon. But luckily a cool breeze was whipping the desert into a slightly tolerable condition. Dinah’s back was hurting from crouching all morning and afternoon. Her hand were dusty and she had dirt under her fingernails from digging up carrots. 

“D, Found another bush of Tatos.”

Dinah nodded at the cook and saloon owner as she stood up from the mostly empty bush.  The pair had managed to collect carrots and a few ripe mutfruits.  She regarded the blond woman. Cynthia Jones-McMillan was everything she wasn’t. A beauty, assured, confident, steady with a gun. Never was lonely if her husband left for a mission and she stayed, which wasn’t often. Jones was Mcmillian’s right hand man. 

“Thanks Jones.” She wiped her hands on her trousers and glanced around the empty plain. They had been at this since the morning. A small shack in the distance caught her attention. She turned back to Jones who shot her a disagreeing look. “No I’m not exploring with you D. Last time I was almost a radscorpion's lunch.” 

“But-“

“No. James made me promise I’d stop running off on adventures. Said he couldn’t afford to lose such a good business partner. Oh and wife.”

Sounded like something McMillan would say. 

Dinah handed her full basket to the blond older woman. “Fine. I need more junk, so I’m going off on an adventure. See you back at town.”

The other woman simply shrugged and finished picking the Tato bush clean. 

The shack was around 2 miles away, and the path towards it clear minus a few fire ants which she quickly dispatched with a few bullets. 

As she got closer her radio started emitting static and almost vocal noises. 

By the time she sweeped the space for enemies, her radio was becoming more coherent. 

Must mean he’s within a few miles. 

Dinah pulled out her radio, hoping she’d get a response. “You there mister?” 

More noises. She was crestfallen. Probably just a mixed signal. She continued to the kitchen and found a youngish corpse. She checked its pocket, a few caps, cigarettes, and a lighter. These went in her satchel. She glanced at the corpse, his boots looked in good shape. But they were men’s boots much too big for her. 

She sighed and tried the radio again. 

“Hey. Scary bounty hunter.” 

A moment went by, and her radio produced only static. 

Dinah turned to the corpse again, the boots were so tempting. She tried to pry them from the stiff corpse, and managed it. She tied them together and looped them around her makeshift utility belt. 

Her next task was finding appliances to fix or dismantle. She crept through the house, on guard for anything or anyone that was hiding out. 

She managed to find a small hand mixer and an alarm clock. 

These were placed in her backpack. Her radio settled back into static. It’s the first time she had even thought that the ghoul might want to communicate with her. Weeks had blended into hues of dry dirty sand and boredom since the last time she had seen him. Dinah took a moment to lean against the one complete wall of the shack. She started to drift off, as she had been on her feet for 14 hours.

Her radio crackled with a clear voice startling her awake. 

“..there...sugar?” 

“Yes. Yes I am here.” She grabbed the radio. Then suddenly, she realized it was dark. Darn. Blast it. The night was already starting to chill. She hadn’t planned on staying out here all night. She carefully stood and looked out of the broken window to her left. Dinah couldn’t even see the town anymore. But she could see a small flickering light some distance. 

Her attire was unfit for the cold night; She was only wearing short overalls and a tank. Dinah would catch hypothermia if she didn’t find a way to stay warm. Inwardly she chastised herself. Idiot, no wonder they left you. Impulsive. She readjusted her bags, and slowly walked towards the flickering campfire. 

She was walking for damn near 35 minutes when she stepped directly into a fire ant hole. Pain seared through her leg as they bit into her exposed thigh and ankles, currently wedged in their home. She was able to pull her leg out, with great effort and was able to bash several ant’s brains in with her pistol. After scrambling and limping a safe distance away she realized she couldn’t even assess the damage because of the lack of light. She had a lighter sure, but that wouldn’t be enough in the moonless night. And now she was shivering. Her only hope was that fire. It seemed like the only beacon of hope out here. 

The trudge felt like eons, but was more like 45 minutes. Her radio kept pinging, and grabbing stray signals and frequencies. The pain grew greater as the fire glow became clearer. Each step felt molten, the venom coursing under her skin sizzling and burning the flesh. Her eyes and limbs started to grow heavy, she suddenly was very fatigued.

As she stepped around 100 meters from the now visible camp fire, she heard the sound of movement. Something was near here, something alive. Most likely not friendly. 

With a smooth movement she pulled her .44, it was shaking along with her hand. “I’m armed.” Her voice was loud but wavering. Her eyes still struggled to keep open as she scanned the purple and blue hued landscape. 

A laugh familiar and distinct. One that rang out warm and deep from the cold evening. “Sugar, you need to work on steadying your hand.” 

She dropped her weapon and collapsed on the sand. She had made it somewhere warm, with someone she knew. Her eyes closed before his footsteps reached her.

She woke up on her back to a light from a lantern down by her feet. Her blurry eyes focused on the ghoul. “Hey..” She felt feverish and could hardly speak. 

“Well sweetheart, it looks like you got in a fight with a few ants.” He was down on the ground examining her thigh. Dinah tried to sit up and grab her backpack. She pulled it towards her and she started to slowly dig through it. She pulled out her canteen, her fairy tale book and the alarm clock and continued to dig. 

“What in the hell are you looking for?”

“I… stimpack..”

The ghoul chuckled. “Listen sugar. A stimpack will do bull for you. You still have ant poison running through your system.”

It shouldn't be… the venom should be gone  “What- no.”

“Yes. There’s a mandible still embedded in your pretty thigh.”  The man turned to pour something into a tin cup attached to his pack. The ghoul turned back and held the cup in front of her. “Drink this.”

Dinah sniffed the beverage and wrinkled her nose. “The heck is that?”

“Whiskey. It’ll help ease the pain.”

She shook her head. “I don’t drink, plus I am feeling ok-”

“Wel, I feel honored to break your alcohol celibacy.” He grinned. “ But believe me Darlin’, I will be digging around in your leg to get the edges out of the wound. Trust me you want this.”

She took the cup, closed her eyes and drank the liquid. It burned and caused her to cough and sputter. She shivered, warmed by the fire but still cold from the mid 40 temperature. Dinah looked at the man as she handed back the tin cup. “Thanks for not shooting me, mister.” She winced as another jolt of ice hot pain moved through her body. 

The ghoul was in the process of burning the end of a very wicked looking scalpel in the fire. “The evening is still young.” He glanced at her while pulling out some cloth and a tiny bottle rubbing alcohol. “Did you try the radio earlier today?”

It was him! “Yep. Thought I heard you on the other end”

“Hm” The man hovered over her. “Lay down. I don’t need you pulling at me while I work. And here. Open your mouth.”

“Excuse me?”

The ghoul held up a stick. “This is for you to bite down on. We don’t need half of the wasteland knowing we are here. Now open.” His tone was demanding and she complied. He placed the stick and she bit down. As he got his tools ready her heart started racing. She closed her eyes. Dinah felt his hand gently touch her thigh. At least he took off his gloves. His touch was warm, which surprised her. 

“I’m gonna start removing it. Try not to move, doe.” 

It was honestly agony. He was firmly pulling on the barbed ant jaw. He had been correct in his assessment. The mandible was deeply embedded into her skin. He had to use the wicked scalpel to dig up the upward facing burrs and barbs so he could tug it free. Dinah hadn’t even realized she was crying until she felt them roll down her cheek. 

“Got one side out. Halfway.” 

He paused for a moment and Dinah opened her eyes. He turned back to the campfire, and was burning the scalpel again. His head turned and caught her tear filled eyes. The mask didn’t fall, but his eyes displayed… Pity? Perhaps. Dinah shivered violently,  and he saw her. The ghoul left the blade in the coals of the fire, and stood up. Her eyes were blurred from the tears, but as he stepped back towards her she could see he was carrying something. He leaned down and placed his heavy duster over her and grabbed the knife. 

He cleared his throat. “Couldn’t have you shiver, it would mess up my progress.”  He went on his knees again to start the agonizing process. The redhead tried to focus on anything other than the digging and pulling on her thigh. She was luckily getting warmed up thanks to the man’s coat. It had a distinct scent. It smelled of cigar smoke, burned matches, and ozone oddly enough. It smelled like protection or strength. Another dig of the blade made her bite even harder on the stick wedged in her mouth. One more tug released the mandible from her skin. 

“Fuck. There.” He dropped the dripping jaw into the fire and grabbed the bottle of antiseptic. He poured it carefully on the large oozing gash and the few smaller bites. Dinah hissed but kept still as she had before. The Ghoul grabbed a handful of ripped muslin and layered it over the wounds and wrapped them with a roll of tape that fell out of Dinah’s bag. Dinah removed the stick from her mouth and she managed to use a stimpack to aid her healing. Dinah could still taste the bitter whiskey in her mouth. She took a small swallow of water from her canteen after sitting up. The young woman noticed the ghoul regarding her from his place leaned against a burned out oak tree.  

“Thank you sir.”

“Consider it payback for killing that piece of shit at the saloon.” He looked at the fire for a moment. “Why did you do that? You had no idea that I could be trusted.”

“Well.. he threatened to cut you up and sell you. That’s monstrous. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“Darlin’, if you knew half of the things I’v-”

“I don’t care. I was protecting the man that stood in front of me then. Not the man of the past.”

Surprise graced his face. “Huh. You are a rare breed Di.”

The woman shifted on the ground. “Um, so.. Can I stay here the night? I’ll leave at first light.” 

The ghoul shrugged. “I would suggest sleeping against a surface. Just safer.”

“Right. She gingerly stood and pulled the duster with her. She limped over to a post against the tree to the ghoul’s left. She laid on her side and adjusted the coat to cover her curled body. Dinah was able to examine the man's face. He was handsome. The low flickering firelight highlighted good cheekbones, a strong jaw, and a handsome profile overall. Except the missing nose. He was still good looking, she supposed in a rugged weathered way. Must be the whiskey making me think like this. Dinah fell asleep comforted by the notes of tobacco, matches and ozone coming from the coat. 

Chapter Text

Dinah opened her shop at 6:45 like she always did; she turned on the radio and slid the heavy bookshelf away from the door. After limping over to the store front, she flipped the open sign, her customers could now be served. The injury she had acquired 2 weeks ago was still healing. It ached and burned randomly throughout the day, but it hadn't gotten infected and that was the top priority 

Her first customer of the day was Sosa, the one and only guard of the town. 

“Need my cattle prod adjusted.” The 5 foot 110 pound woman threw the weapon on the counter. 

“What’s wrong with it?” Dinah grabbed and flicked the switch. The bolt shot back and hit her hand causing her hand to twitch. “Ah. I see. How long has this been happening Sosa?”

The diminutive gal laughed. “Not fun right? 3 days. Thought I’d just hit it a few times and it’ll be good but... I think I made it happen more often.” 

“Okay. Well, I don’t think that helped.” The redhead turned and moved to her workbench. “Might take a bit.”

 “I’m in no rush. Dex is manning my station right now.” Sosa paused to look through a pan of various sized bullets. “He’s harmless, you know.” 

Dinah didn’t look up from the wiring now exposed from the cattle prod. “Yeah. Except he breaks deals.”

“Whatcha mean D?”

“I fixed his darn camera for a two way radio. He gave them to McMillan instead. And expected to take the camera without payment.”

The security guard only shrugged. “Well. Can’t expect an old frail man to not bow down to McMillan.” 

“Not really a man if he bows down to anyone…” 

“Now D. You know that’s not how you speak about the people who took you in when you had nothing.”

“Yeah yeah. You’re right. I am grateful. I just don’t like having my kindness taken advantage of.”

The small woman laughed. “Then don’t be kind. That simple.”

Easy for you to say . 

Dinah finished the job in an hour. Sosa paid her the agreed upon 100 caps for the upgraded wiring. 

The rest of her day was rather busy. McMillan's boys needed new parts for their patched guns, and that had taken over 4 hours. She was just ushering Walsh and Fitz out of her store when she saw it. Thunder clouds. Huge black billowy pillows that enveloped the hazed blue sky. The sky was angry, and getting ready to rage. 

“You boys needed to head back now. Those clouds look fit to burst.” The two men glanced warily up, and started. Rain was rare, but thunderstorms were nearly unheard of. 

“Let’s go Walsh. The animals need to be locked up. Else Jones will kill us.” 

Fitz nodded. “She’d then probably try to make us lay eggs.  Thanks D.” Both men ran to the livestock pens. 

The woman quickly turned and started locking up her store and placing various pieces of furniture in front of the few intact pieces of window glass. She quickly scrambled up to the roof, and inspected it. She found two small holes she managed to close with a combination of cardboard, rags and duct tape. Dinah managed to finish patching the tin roof right as huge raindrops started tapping a pattern under her feet. The rain felt so cool, so refreshing, she decided to stand in the rain for a little longer. She stayed until her clothing was soaked. Which was right around when a huge thunderclap shook the air. Dinah nearly fell off the roof. She managed to bolt inside before the lightning flashed across the desert. Satisfied she beat being fried alive, Dinah decided to open a saved Nuka cola and turn up her radio. The signal would probably drop soon, but for right now, she was enjoying the cooling rain.

She stripped out of her waterlogged shirt and trousers. Dinah grabbed a men’s black tank and boxers she found in an unopened department store around a half day's walk from the town. It was quite a find not to rob the bodies of chem heads and innocents for clothing. The weather did not slow, and the temperature of the ambient air was dropping. She lit several lanterns, and managed to light the makeshift radiator. The rest of the buildings in use had electricity run to them from generators. Dinah’s store wasn’t so lucky. She kept a small camp stove around in case she needed to cook something, but that was the only source of heat besides the radiator she fixed up herself. She used the expelled heat  from the radiator to start drying her soaked clothes. Her hair had been into braids, as she always kept it out of her face for safety, but now the damp ropes were starting to make her shiver. She pulled a pillow out and laid her unbraided curls out near the radiator.  Dinah grabbed her book from her bag discarded on the floor. She read her fairy tale book, worn and beloved, until she fell asleep.

“You there cupcake?” Dinah thought she was still dreaming. The bounty hunter’s voice sounded so clear. 

“I’m given’ ya tell the count of three, then I’m breaking the door down.”

The red head shot awake and picked up the radio still on her discarded belt.

“I’m here mister.”

“Let me in, it’s raining fucking cats and dog out here.” 

“Rad’s must've gone to your brain hunk. There’s no cats or dogs falling from the sky.” The retort and pet name slipped out of her sleep dazed mouth before she could stop it. 

“Open the door you hellion. Now.” He was here? 

Dinah pulled the shelf from the door and unlocked the chained door. The ghoul barreled in, absolutely dripping wet. The wind was making closing the door quite the feat. She was able to slam it shut and secure it once again. The shelf slid carefully into place, and she turned to regard the ghoul. 

The bounty hunter glared at her. “Just for your information shortcake, Raining cats and dogs is an old expression for fucking pouring rain.” He immediately dropped his hat, gloves, and duster on the dry floor.  He then started unbuttoning his drenched shirt. His nimble fingers paused their task as he glanced at Dinah. The young woman hadn’t realized she was watching him undress. 

“Oh gosh. I..” She was hoping he would save her, and just tell her to turn but no such luck. 

“No no. Do tell me what you were doing, cupcake?” The left side of his mouth turned up in a half smirk. 

“I... I don’t know.” 

“You know if you throw a few caps at me, I might agree to strip more than just my shirt off.”

She turned crimson. The ghoul laughed. Dinah quickly spun away to face the wall. The sound of wet fabric slapping the floor. “Do you have another shirt I can borrow?”

The redhead was still on edge from his crude comment earlier. “It’ll cost ya caps.”

“Oh. Well, I did bring you a present. WIll that suffice little lady?”

She didn't answer;  her bare feet padded over to a bin full of unsorted clothes. She pulled a western looking flannel shirt out, and a towel. Dinah then shyly turned to the man still dripping in the middle of the room. 

“I guess so. Here.” 

The man grinned slyly. “I wouldn’t want to track water all over the store.” 

She stared at the floor as she walked to the ghoul. “Here.” She held out the shirt and towel to the older man. He took both items. Her eyes caught the blue cover of her book on the floor. It was covered by his dripping shirt. 

“No!” She lunged for the book and examined the damage. The book was soggy and wet, and the ancient pages and print were almost melting. She stared daggers at the man currently drying himself off. Dinah was no longer embarrassed. He could be naked for all she cares.

 “Hey! Look what you fucking did.” Her eyes widened as she realized she swore. 

The man grinned.. “Well, that’s more like it. Don’t hold back Di. Glad my extensive vocabulary use has snuck its way into your own.” He had placed the flannel on, but had yet to button it.  The man stepped forward into her space, perhaps trying to intimidate her out of assigning blame. 

He roughly took the book out of her hands. “Why would you even read this nonsense?” He pulled at some of the stuck pages. 

“For escape and because it’s enjoyable.”

“But it’s fairy tales. Meant for children. How old are you?” The man sneered.

“25. How old are you, 55?”

The ghoul barked a loud laugh. “Much older than that sparky.”

“You could be as old as Methuselah for all I care. Thanks to you, my one and only book is ruined.” 

The ghoul caught her eyes. “You don’t have another one?”

“No. I, I don’t.” The fire of anger was gone. Dinah now just felt sad. She adored that book. The woman sighed and threw the book on the counter. She followed suit and sat crossed legged on the same surface.

“Look, it’s fine. I do not think you did it on purpose. If you want to dry your clothes, the radiators hot, you can lay them on the ground near mine.”

The ghoul obeyed her suggestion. He then paused and grabbed his pack. 

“Hey. I got something’ for ya.” He walked over to her perch on the tabletop. The ghoul held a dark cowboy hat, almost identical to his own. He placed it on her head, tilting the brim up a bit. 

Dinah was hugely surprised. “You bought this for me?”

“No I didn't. But I did find it on a corpse during a hunt. Thought it’d look prettier on you then a stiff.”

She regarded him for a second. “Why are you in this part of the desert again?”

The ghoul pretended to act insulted.  “I’m hurt, baby girl. You didn’t miss this old mug?” He paused for a moment. “I have had a lot of jobs in New Vegas. Been going back and forth. This is on my way, and that nasty weather forced me to stop by.” Dinah's eyes escaped his own. She quickly changed subjects. “How are you not shivering right now from the rain?”

“The glorious gift of being a ghoul. Rads keep me warm.”

“Must come in handy.”

“Suppose it does.” The ghoul opened his mouth to speak once again, but was interrupted by a yawn from the woman next to him. 

“I’ll set out a mattress for you if-”

The ghoul shook his head. “I have a roll in my bag.” 

“Then I'll give you a pillow.”

“Won’t say no to that.”

Dinah yawned and pulled on a sweatshirt, the warmest thing she owned, and grabbed a pillow for the man. She then checked the radiator to make sure it was still working. It was temperamental sometimes, and she couldn’t afford to have it give out on her. The redhead extinguished the lanterns and hopped into her own bed, making sure her gun was sitting on her bedside table fully loaded.

2 hours later around the witching hour her body woke her up with shivers racking through her. She managed to roll out of bed, and check the radiator. The heat source had gone out. Dinah pulled a lighter from a drawer nearby. With a shaking hand she tried to reignite the flame. Nothing. She tried again. The woman was still shivering, but managed to pull on the hose supplying the fuel to the radiator. Nothing was coming from it. Her fingers felt stiff from the cold. She could hardly bend them. She checked the tank supplying the fuel. It was empty. Dinah had no fuel. She’d simply have to suffer tonight. A result of her own decision not to double check the fuel supply. She crept back to her bed. The young woman kept trying to calm her shivering body and chattering teeth. It was no use. Her body could not relax while she was shuddering. 

“If you chatter any harder you’re gonna break a tooth.”

“Sssorry. Didn’t.. Didn’t mean to wake you.” She said with concentration. “Thh-the radiator. Www-went out. Fuel empty.” 

“Hm.” The room went silent again, except for the persistent rain. She then could hear the ghoul moving around now, he seemed to be walking over to her. 

“Move over darlin’.” 

Dinah could see nothing. But she knew the ghoul was looking down on her. 

“Ab..absolutely not. I w-”

He reached out, his rough calloused hand touched her cheek. Heat emanated from his hand and made her sigh. Dinah stiffly scooted over in the bed. The mattress sagged a bit as the man sat down. He was taking off his boots. After a moment he swung his legs into the double sized bed, and laid on his side. 

Dinah’s brain wasn’t exactly catching up with her body. 

“If you want to get warm you need to come over here.”

“Oo. Ye-yep.” She moved closer and the ghoul went to grab her to pull her closer, but paused and chuckled.

 “Dinah. This only really works if you are skin to skin.”

She only was able to nod. 

“Can’t really move on account of the cold?”

She nodded again. The man pulled the tank and boxers off of her and pulled her back flush against his chest. She sighed slowly as her almost bare back pushed against the ghoul’s warm chest. The ghoul pulled the blankets over her bare shoulders, and his arms wrapped around her gently. 

“Thank you, cowboy.” Dinah whispered. She could’ve sworn the ghoul’s breath hitched a little, but thought little of it. She fell asleep shortly afterwards.

Chapter Text

“Don’t you want to explore with me? Please? There’s a little tourist shop I saw to the west-“ Dinah was perched on the bar top in the saloon. She just delivered the electric kettle she had fixed up for Jones. 

Jones laughed and finished wiping a glass down. “How’d you know about that? Fitz told you didn’t he..”

“Nope. Not exactly, I did hear him talking to the chickens about it, how it looked almost untouched.” 

“Odd one. But reliable. And works for food so…” she wiped her hands on her apron and looked back up at the ginger. “Hm. Fine. I’ve been bored. Ever since James found out I was pregnant, he hasn’t really let me go with him anywhere. It’s been driving me insane. Let me get my pack.”

The small souvenir shop they found due west was well hidden. It was nestled up against a rock incline, and thick gnarled hedges had kept the place hidden from the trail. An old faded billboard towered over the shop, but the sun had bleached the advertisement centuries before. Dinah went first, while Jones covered her.  Nothing greeted them at the entrance. The door was still intact. 

“Kick it down?” Jones suggested. 

“Be my pleasure.” Dinah planted her foot and kicked the door. It took three hard kicks, but the door finally gave and screamed in agony as it was opened for the first time in decades. Noises greeted them as the light hit the darkened shack. DInah had brought along a lightweight metal bat. Her shaky arm had only gotten worse when she pulled her gun now. So accuracy was a huge disadvantage for her. Bats and throwing knives became her weapons of choice. Her .44 was still on her hip, just in case. 

“Mole rats, I got em.” Dinah called and nailed a few square in their ugly faces. 

Two more started at Jones and she shot both quickly. The largest one was about to snap at the blonde woman still scanning the entrance, and it died mid leap with a knife through it’s back. 

The older woman stared down at the fresh corpse of the rodent. “Shit D. James was telling me you were a quick one, now I know he wasn’t trying to make me jealous. Thanks by the way.”

Dinah lit her emergency lantern attached to her belt, and removed the black cowboy hat from head to wipe the sweat from her brow. The light from the door helped, and the lantern was simply for inspection into the darkened corners of the space.

She didn't answer Jones. She was stunned into silence. The store looked barely touched. Sure, dust covered everything, and a few rad roach bodies lay dried and desiccated, but other than that it looked like it was in the same state it had been when it was last open. 

It was a souvenir store. Old brittle maps were displayed at the checkout counter. Bobble heads and magnets adorned the pushed over display shelves.  On the wall away from the door was a mural of a cowboy and a dog in the old west. Above it, in legible large font: Cooper Howard and his faithful friend Roosevelt saved the day!  In smaller font below: Tours of the shooting locations for “The man and his dog” leave on the hour until sundown. 

“D come here!” Jones was over by a display. The first thing Dinah spotted was a record player. 

“A record player! Golly what a find.” 

“Oh, who cares. I wanted to show you this.” Jones pulled out a record jacket and turned it to face the redhead. 

“Gee whizz.”

“I know right? What a hunk. Loved to ride that cowboy.” Jones said, looking at the man smiling on the front of the record.

Dinah blushed. Jones laughed. “What? Haven't you wanted to do that to Fitz or-” The woman paused. “Hell I don’t blame you. Everyone James hires ain’t much to look at. He’s lucky he's so handsome.”

Dinah took the record case from Jones and gazed at the man charmingly smiling at her. His eyes were hazel green and warm. His face was rugged in a pleasing way. 

“Sure was a handsome fella.” The younger woman said quietly. Sexy. Probably had a low smooth voice. Hope the records work   

They found some good scrap and a few tools like a rusty bottle opener, and a tiny screwdriver. A rare find. Dinah was even able to stuff a small metal lunch box that had the pretty cowboy riding a horse on the front. 

Jones looked at her incredulously while she was attempting to shove it in her pack. 

Dinah looked up at her. “Hey, I can use it for storage. I drop everything so I might as well have something sturdy to put things in.”

“Whatever. I am not helping you if the bag splits.” 

“I know.” Dinah lifted the record player and handed Jones two record cases. 

Laden with their stash, the two women were able to make it back to town safely. Dinah dropped her stuff and went to help Jones with unloading her bags. 

She skidded into the Saloon which was empty. 

“Di. Just the person I was hoping to see.” 

“Fudge! McMillan, you gave me a start.” The woman looked around. “Where’s Jones? I was gonna help-”

“I told Cynthia to lay down for a bit.” He motioned to the empty bar stool next to him. “Sit a while. I have a proposition for you.”

Dinah was a little tense. She hadn’t really had many one-on-one conversations with James McMillan. She obeyed and sat down. 

“Cynthia and I have been talking and she’s getting to the point in her pregnancy where she doesn’t want to be traveling as much. She wants to protect the baby, as do i.” He grabbed a Nuka-Dark from behind the bar and grabbed two glasses. “Care for a drink?”

Dinah shook her head. “No I am ok-”

“Come on Dinah. Live a little, have some with me.” 

Dinah now definitely didn’t want it. “Okay sure.” 

The glass slid to her and she gingerly sipped it. She hated the taste and wished it was just a Nuka Cola instead. 

“ Like I was saying, Cynthia will have to stay in town until the baby is born. Usually she would go with me when we had scouting or more risky jobs. Look, I need someone to take her place. She recommended you, and I couldn't agree more. You’re extremely reactive and your melee and knife skills are unmatched.” He took another long swallow of his drink. 

Dinah’s cheeks warmed at the rare praise. “Oh. Thank you.”

“Not a compliment, the truth.”

The women thought for a moment. “When you say jobs is it for-” 

“Yes, the mercs I work for. Can’t say much else.”

She nodded in understanding.

The man drained his glass and poured himself another. “Whatcha say?”

She bit her lip while she thought. “Who would take care of my shop while I was gone?”

“Dex-”

“Hell No.”

“Oh, you do have some bite to you.” He grinned at her. “Why not?”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Fine. How about  the boys?”

“Okay. Fitz and Walsh couldn’t do much harm.”

“So you agree?” 

She nodded, and shook his extended hand. “To our partnership!” He raised his drink for a toast.

“McMillan, Duck!” Dinah waited for him to respond and her knife flew at the raider currently swinging at her partner with a sledgehammer. Mcmillian shot the two other raiders with his 9 mm pistol killing them with 5 bullets. He turned back to see her incapacitate and bash the last standing enemy. 

“Beautiful stuff Di. You sure that’s the last of em?”

Dinah nodded. “Yes sir. I cleared the last one from the shelter. Also bashed the turret to pieces.” She could see Mcmillian open his mouth to chastise her. 

“I remembered to grab the bullets, don't worry.” 

“You know me well.”

“Well 2 back to back multi day excursions will do that to you. “ She glanced up at the darkening sky. 

“Set up here?”

The dark haired green eyed man nodded. “I’ll go find something to cook for tonight.”

“Please don’t make it rad roach this time.”

“Fine.” He stomped away to a little group of trees to their temporary camp. 

Dinah started the fire. Her radio crackled and she grabbed it from her bag. 

“Hey old man you there?”

The radio responded with static. She stoked the fire and pulled out the sharp stakes they used for cooking. She also unrolled their bed rolls near to the fire but against a solid stone wall. 

She picked up the radio again. It had gone silent, meaning that it probably wasn’t even transmitting at this point. “Hope you’ve been keeping yourself safe, mister.”

She sat and took off her dust covered boots. She stretched her feet on her bed roll and placed her hat next to her. Besides the radio, this hat was probably the dearest thing to her. The radio crackled again.

 “Hell you doing way out here angel?” She laughed, she hadn’t expected to hear from him. 

“Should ask you the same thing.” 

“Question for ya. Do you wait for me to call you?”

“Absolutely. I never leave my shop without the radio.” Dinah never felt shame at telling the truth. 

The ghoul was silent for so long that she thought he turned off the thing. 

“You are so strange, woman.”

“I am aware.” It didn’t feel like an insult coming from the bounty hunter.  “Oh, thank you for the hat. I will never leave my domain without it now.”

“Good. Now answer my question: why are you out here 15 miles away from your sad town?”

“Working. Taking jobs with McMillan.”

“Who’s manning your shop?”

“McMillan's boys.”

“So you and him are all alone.”

“Yes it would seem so.”

“Hm. Well when will ya be back babydoll?”

“Probably by the day after tomorrow. Why?”

“Planning on stopping by.”

“Fitz and Walsh can-”

“I want you to be there.”

Dinah’s heart stopped. He wanted to see me?

“I don’t trust anyone else in your backwoods hick town.”

“I guess I don’t blame you.” She felt sad for some reason. 

“Who you talking to darling Di?” 

“I  Gotta go; I have puppies to kick and all.” He did remember that retort.  “Promise me you’ll try to stay alive till I see ya again angel ok?”

“I’ll try ghoul. Goodnight. She put the radio away and turned to The middle aged man carrying a plump mole rat. “No one.”

“Huh. Your turn to prepare it.” He dropped the corpse by the fire and went to change out of his blood stained clothing. 

Their dinner was bland but filling. They buried the corpse deep in the hardened ground to keep away any predators while they slept. 

Dinah got ready for bed by re-braiding her hair and wiping her face with a small handful of water from her canteen. McMillan was watching her. 

“McMillan I used my canteen. I know yours is-”

“You can call me James, Di. When we are out here I mean.”

“i .. I don’t know if-”

“Please? It would mean a whole lot to me. And,” His voice had a little bit of edge to it. “I do pay you caps, so technically you work for me.”

She did not feel comfortable with using the name his wife called him, but she was in no position to argue. “Okay, James.”

Dinah felt more on edge in this new environment so she decided to fall asleep sitting up against the stone wall. Unfortunately, it was a full moon casting everything in a bright steely light. Luckily, Dinah had remembered that the Ghoul had fallen asleep in her bright home. His hat tilted over his eyes. She decided to try just that, and she fell asleep within 20 minutes. She dreamt of the handsome cowboy. He didn’t speak, which made sense as she hadn’t heard him yet. The records still laid unplayed in her home. She woke up to McMillan brewing coffee at sunrise. 

He turned to her. “Let’s head back early.”

She yawned, “couldn’t agree more.”  They had been on the road for several days during this excursion. But they had been on the road together for 20 days in the last 5 weeks. She was ready to go back home.

Chapter Text

The heavily pregnant Jones meets them in the Saloon. She barreled past Dinah, nearly knocking her over in an attempt to jump into her husband's arms. 

He caught her and swung her around with a kiss. “My perfect wife. Missed ya something awful.”

Jones laughed and pushed away from the man. She smoothed the light blue dress she was wearing. 

Jones took another look at her. The wolf whistled. “Damn where’d ya get that thing?”

“It was a bribe for an overdue tab. Fitz found it. Said I could have it if I split the tab into Payments. You like it?”

Dinah only smiled at the two. It was rare to find intact essential clothes. Unheard of to find attractive ones. Dinah has never seen Jones in anything but men’s Levi’s and cotton or flannel. 

“Looks mighty fine jones.”

She sat on one of the bar stools and continued to watch the couple. 

McMillian kissed his wife.

“Cynthia, you are a truly beautiful woman. This dress is just the most delicious icing on the cake.” McMillian’s hand grabbed his wife’s waist, still visual over her bump. 

Dinah sighed and decided to leave the two lovebirds alone. 

“See ya later Jones.”

She swung open her store’s door and was greeted with Fitz and Walsh napping. Walsh was in the chair behind the counter, and Fitz was asleep leaned against a wall. 

“Hands up!” Dinah yelled with a grin. Both men scrambled awake and rose to their feet, hands in the air. The redhead laughed long and hard at their dazed confused reactions. 

“Not funny D.” Fitz said.

“ we could’ve shot ya.” Exclaimed Walsh. 

“Yeah yeah. Did I get any customers when I was gone?”

Walsh yawned and walked over to the young woman. “A couple.” 

Fitz stood. “Hey D, an ugly lookin ghoul stopped by a couple days ago after you and Mcmillian left. He didn't buy anything, but said he wanted to see you. Oh, and D, me and Walsh managed to convince Jones to let us split some electricity to your shop from the generator.” 

“Golly thank you both so much!!” She pulled out her cap stash and handed them each 250 caps.

The man turned to his friend. “Come on Walsh. Let’s see if Mcmillian wants to get a drink. See ya D.”

She closed the shop early. She removed her old boots and set them up in the workshop to patch and clean. Her eye’s spotted the record player. 

Dinah pulled the pretty record from the shelf. The charming cowboy smiled at her from the cover. She carefully grabbed the black vinyl. She lifted the needle and placed the record on the turntable and started the player. 

She scanned the list of songs on the back of the case. 

• Country roads
• Runaround Sue
• The wanderer
• Some enchanted evening
• Jingle Jangle
• Only the lonely

She dropped the needle and sat down on her bed and started getting ready to sleep. Only the lonely, know the way I fee- The song was different then the rest. It was soft, soulful and aching. The song matched how she felt in the evenings when she was awake thinking. When she watched Sosa and Dex converse over a meal together. When Walsh and Fitz argued about who was the handsomest brother. When Jones and Mcmillian flirted and threw insults and comments like a tennis ball. 

Dinah wanted someone; anyone to want to seek companionship with her. 

She picked up the handheld radio. That’s why she wanted this so badly. Her whole life (what she can remember of it) had just been her. And she was sick to death of it. 

The record finished so she reset it and played it again. She fell asleep to the melodic tones of the cowboy singing her to sleep. 

It was a lazily breezy evening as Dinah wandered down to the Saloon after another trip with Mcmillian. 

“Jones?” She hollered.

“Upstairs D.”

Dinha shrugged, no one else was around to talk to so she went upstairs to the Jones-Mcmillian living quarters. Jones was settled on the ground going through a trunk full of clothing. She looked up as Dinah walked in.

“What size are you?”

Dinah sat on the floor across from the blond woman. “Why?”

The pregnant woman sighed. “I don’t think I will be able to go back to my old clothing after I gave birth to this little troublemaker. James said he’d find me new pieces after the baby is born. I just need to get rid of this stuff.”

“Well I am a 36-28-40.”

“ I have a dress if you want it.”

“Are you su-”

“Take it. I can’t wear it. Might as well go to someone who might.” 

The rest of the evening was spent helping Jones sort through and organize various things to make room for the baby crib Mcmillian had made. She also helped haul a rocking chair up from the front porch to their little living space. 

They were taking a break when Dinah remembered she had found something she cleaned and intended to give Jones. 

“Be right back, I have something for you!” Dinah ran back to her home and picked up the toy dinosaur she had found in an abandoned car when she and Mcmillian were far from the town. He kept telling her to toss it, but she refused attaching it to her pack for 20 miles. 

“Here. This is for the little one. I found it and thought it should have some company.”

Jones took the toy. “I… I am speechless.” She looked up at Dinah. “Thank you. I am sure the baby will love it. Now help me up, I need to lay down.”

Dinah helped her stand and led her to the large queen bed that dominated the space.

“Night D. Thanks for the help.”

“Of course. Happy to!” 

Dinah tried on the dress as soon as she got back to her shop. It fit her perfectly. She had never worn anything so… pretty. The skirt was full and swung as she moved. Her radio was playing and she in a moment of joy, did a few twirls in the skirt laughing and smiling with how it moved and the way it felt. She danced a little more and continued to laugh and sing. 

“Pretty voice you got there sweetheart.”

Dinah turned in surprise. The ghoul was in her store leaning against the door frame with a cigarette positioned in his mouth. 

How long had he been standing there?

“Thank you..” She cleared her throat and walked over to him. 

“What do you need today, old man?”

“Need another carton of these things.” He grabbed a box from his vest and threw it at the woman. She caught it just in time.

“Let me see what I have.” She didn’t sell cigarettes very often so she had to pull them from the top shelf. She grabbed her chair and stood on it to check the top of her shelves. During this process of digging through various things the ghoul sauntered over and leaned against the counter facing her. 

She felt a little self conscious in the dress. Dinah turned and caught his eye after he moved. She smiled at him. 

“Sweet of you to move closer in case I fall.”

The ghoul barked a laugh. “I wanted to move so I could get a better view if you fell.”

Dinah was shocked. “You’re a horrible man.”

“You have no idea.” The ghoul said darkly. She could still feel his eyes watching her. 

“Got it.”  She jumped down from the chair and walked over to the counter. “Do you need anything else? Bullets? Cans? G-”

“Hold your horses missy. Only the cigs.” He placed the caps on the counter. Dinah was a little lost in thought. Dinah looked up at the ghoul. Without her boots she forgot how much taller than her 67 inches he was. He was staring at her with that little half smile. He looked a bit devilish. He had pretty teeth. Surprising for anyone, let alone a ghoul. She realized that she was still gazing up at him. 

She cleared her throat. Dinah grabbed the lunchbox, and put it on the store counter. She made to flip open the top to put the caps inside when the ghoul’s hand stopped hers. He picked up the box slowly. 

“Where in the hell did you find this?” The bounty hunter’s voice was quiet and intense. 

“In a little old shop 5 miles west from here. Why?”

The man held the small metal lunchbox in his hand for a few more seconds and threw it back down on the counter. 

“Hey! Careful.”

The ghoul turned back to his discarded pack by the door. “Got somethin for you.”

The woman stashed the caps box and walked over to the ghoul.

He pulled two books from his pack. Both were collections of fairy tales. Dinah gasped. “Golly. Really?”

“I said something for you, didn’t I?.” 

She smiled warmly at him. “Thank you ever so much mister.” She gently flipped them open and laughed. 

The ghoul tipped his hat to her and started for the door. Dinah’s hand went out and gently touched his shoulder. 

“Wait.”

The man turned back to her. 

“You are pretty old right?”

“Suppose so.” 

“Have you ever heard of a fella named Cooper Howard? I found a record with some so-” The ghoul’s face was terrifying. Dinah knew she did something wrong, she wasn’t sure what. “Mister?”

“Cooper Howard was an actor and stupid son-a-bitch. Good thing he died shortly after the bombs dropped. Never fucking mention him again.” He left the shop and slammed the door so hard the door shook and splintered at its frame. 

Dinah was so distraught on losing or upsetting the man, she did something she hadn’t done in years. She cried. 

Chapter Text

The last of the two packs were all ready for the last job she’d have to do with McMillian. 

Baby Jackie was balanced on her hip as she threw the last of the bags outside of her shop. McMillian came wandering over to the pair.

His eyes lit up when he reached them. 

“What a pretty sight. Look like a natural there Ms Di. Jackie looks happy as a clam with you.”

Dinah only laughed. “Well she is a little angel. Hardly cried at all as I packed for tomorrow.” She gave the baby a kiss on the head. 

McMillian took off his hat and wiped his forehead. “Lucky, me and Cynthia can’t get her to calm down like you do. Thanks for taking her for the afternoon.”

She studied the man as he played peek a boo with his little one. His eyes seemed so different. Not as cold, his frown lines where now smile lines. His eyes crossed with wrinkles produced out of joy, not anger. Fatherhood seemed to suit the man. 

Dinah glanced behind the dark haired man. “Where’s Jones?”

“Packing the last of the provisions for our little excursion.” He took a small step towards the woman and a small grin graced his face. James McMillian always smelled of leather and hay. To Dinah, it wasn’t an unpleasant smell. She kissed Jackie one more time and handed the baby back to McMillian. As he held her, she saw the similarities. She glanced at the older mercenary for a beat longer. He laughed.

“Whatcha starin at me for Di?”

“Oh sorry, just looking at how much Jackie takes after you.” She turned back to the bags, placing them against the wall of her shop. “Now scram. You need to spend tonight with your family before we leave. See ya tomorrow.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice. See you at 4 tomorrow Di.”

Dinah went straight back inside and cried. The loneliness was almost too much. It had been 2 months since the Ghoul had come by. She put on the record of Cooper Howard and listened. The redhead decided to try the ghoul another time. Instead of talking though, she sang. It was stupid, it was childish, and foolish. But she sang anyway. Only the lonely was the only one she knew by heart, so that's what she sang to the bounty hunter’s radio. He had told her she had a pretty voice after all. Probably sold the darn thing for parts, or destroyed himself. 

Dinah went to sleep early, exhausted from crying and taking care of Jackie.

They had been walking for 7 hours, and had walked 18 miles. They took their long break in the shade of a metal shipping container. 

They were sharing a paper wrapped piece of salted Brahmin meat and one canteen. McMillian leaned back and fanned himself with his worn hat. 

“Normally I don’t debrief you. But.. we are going into something big.”

Dinah was surprised and happy to have an idea of what they were walking into. She sat up and nodded. 

“Don’t look so eager darling Di,” he laughed. “We are heading to a secured outpost. Hidden in a small cave. There’s not a lot of raiders staffing it, but there are plenty of security measures. Including lots of turrets.” 

“Is that why you wanted me to bring a jammer?”

He nodded. “It will not work for them all, but even if it works for one or two, there’s less for us to manually deal with.”

“Can I inquire why this little cave is so important?”

“You can, I am not sure myself. But I think there might be some vault tech in there. That’s what Fitz and Walsh had heard when they did some “eavesdropping” at a settlement nearby.”

Dinah whistled. “Thank you for the info Mc-”

“James. Dinah.” He leaned back and looked at her as she took another swig from their shared canteen. She licked a sore spot on her lip after a cut ran from her cupid bows down to her chin. 

“How’d you get that?”

She didn’t want to admit that she might’ve not been looking where she was walking and got whipped with a sharp branch. She sighed. “Being stupid and not looking.”

He bent forward. “Let me take a look.”

She shrunk a little back. “It’s nothing-”

McMillian gently placed his thumb at the start of the cut, and slowly traced it down to her lips. His thumb caught on her bottom a tiny bit. His hand gently held her chin as he studied the angry red line. 

“James?” The name fell from her lips, hesitantly. It seemed to have an effect on McMillian. He didn’t pull his hand from her face, but his stormy grey eyes caught hers, as if seeing her for the first time. 

“I do like hearing my name escape that smart little mouth of yours Di.”

Dinah swallowed and stood quickly. “We should get going.” 

The man chuckled and stood as well. “After you, we still have 3 more hours, should be able to reach it before sundown.”

They did indeed get there before sundown. They made camp near the hidden cave entrance. Their usual routine was interrupted today. After dinner, Mcmillian was on his back leaning on his forearms. 

“I have something to show you.”

The woman laughed and finished her soot flower tea. “You sound excited.” 

The man pushed himself up and held out his hand to Dinah. “I am, now come on Ms Di.”

The man grabbed a small bag out of his knapsack before he led her down a small rockface. Hidden behind a few boulders was a stream, the stream fell downwards into a small hollow hole. A small clear, freshwater lagoon was covered by a ceiling of rock behind it. The place was unlike anything Dinah had seen in her life. So much cleanish water in one place.

“Fucking hell James.” She smiled and turned to him, and dropped to the ground to start unlacing her boots. 

“Whatcha doing?”

She gazed up at the man. “Going for a swim of course. You wanna join?”

The man’s smile made him look 15 years younger as he looked at her. “Would be my pleasure.”

Dinah was quick to get dressed down to a tank and her underwear. The young woman didn't notice the way the man was shamelessly staring at her. She dove into the water and gasped at the cold. The woman wasn’t quite sure when she learned to swim, but it was like a second nature to her. She dove under the surface and swam to the bottom, resurfaced, flipped her feet and dove down again. When Dinah broke the surface near the shallow sandy end, McMillian was watching her. 

“You look like a mermaid, a mermaid with hair the color the morning sky.”

Dinah was taken aback. No one had purposely called her pretty, or had directly complemented her appearance. In response she grabbed the man's hand and pulled him into the water. 

“You better be careful sir, as I might be a siren instead. Come swim with me!” She dropped his hand and splashed him before diving under the water. McMillian dove after her, and grabbed her by the waist pulling her to the surface. She was splattering and coughing, trying not to laugh again. 

The man was holding her close, she could feel his heart. “I think you’re right darling. You are a siren.” His eyes drifted to her lips. This made Dinah uncomfortable and she tried to gently push away from him. He hesitated and let her go. 

She sat on the sandy shallow of the cove, and looked over at the man. “Jones is a lucky woman. How’d y'all meet?” She was desperate for a little breathing room from the father and married man. 

The man stayed in the deeper end for a moment. “Cynthia and I grew up next to one another in a small settlement outside of Los Angeles. Knew we’d escape the hellish place and find our own place. We eloped at 16, and got a priest to marry us, and we have been with each other since. She is my right hand man.” The man recited the story without much difference in his face.

She sighed. “Must be nice to have someone as crazy about her as you. Ya’ll seem to be obsessed with each other.” The woman laid back her hands behind her head. “Wish I could find someone to find me pretty enough to care.” 

She heard movement from the water as the man came to sit down looking down at her. 

“You will. Plus plenty of people in town think so. Hell, I can't get Fitz to shut up about you.” The man’s eyes caught her own. “For what it's worth, I think you are mighty fine to look at. Enticing even..” 

The redhead laughed. “Thanks Mc-James.” She shivered, and yawned. “Don't know about you, but I am going to sleep well tonight. I’m gonna head back."

Chapter Text

Clearing the first two turrets was a piece of cake. The jammer worked like a charm and they were able to sneak into the cave without an incident. 

A low hair raising groan Dinah recognized right away. She turned to her partner who was inching along the cave wall ahead of her. 

“Ghouls.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.” Fear graced the man’s face. First time she had seen that. Feral Ghouls were rare but not unheard of in their part of the wasteland. 

Dinah could smell the feral rolling off the ghouls. To her, it was a certain smell of desperation and old dirt covered flesh. She knew these ghouls were indeed fully gone. She readied her bat. Two walking, rotting bodies greeted them with a cry as they turned a blind corner into a larger hallway. 

Two shots rung out with no effect into one from McMillian’s pistol. Dinah was closest to both, and one managed to grab her but she was able to hastily dispatch the creature with a strong smack to the skull. She trusted her traveling companion to watch her back and down the other one. 

“Done. Let’s get going.”

Dinah hesitated to follow with the loudness he was displaying. The man turned back at her.  “Di they already know we are here. Might as well avoid slowing our progress by sneaking. Come on.” 

Dinah finished two ground turrets by force, and McMillian got two more with his gun. 

They found the door they were looking for, as it was protected with a monitor password and 5 feral ghouls. 

“Duck!” A hand with exposed cartilage and ligaments was sliced off as it came towards the middle aged man. Another knife to the forehead made the ghoul drop temporarily. 

“Nice one-” The man shot another that Dinah hadn't noticed stumbling in behind her. 3 to go. 

Dinah managed to smash one more to a pulp, and the last two were shot by McMillian. 

“Whew.” The dark haired man wiped his brow and started towards the keypad and screen. 

Dinah walked over to the still moving ghoul she had managed to down but not kill. She raised her .44, to give it a quick death, her hand was shaking so badly she couldn’t. She turned to McMillian who was trying to brute force his way into the room. 

“James?” The man turned to regard her. 

“Yeah?”

She pointed towards the ghoul. “Can you finish them off for me? I can’t do it..” 

The man snorted and turned back to the monitor. “That thing is an it, not a them. And no, it can suffer for all I care, it attacked us.”

This put a sinking feeling in her stomach. It was a human once, even animals deserve to be put out of their misery. She took a long slow breath, and raised her bat and delivered the final blow. Viscera and rotten fluids shoot from the ghoul’s brain where she had aimed. It stopped moving the minute she made contact with it. The woman hadn’t even noticed a tear had run down her face, until she leaned against the cave wall and gagged. The visceral reaction was not from the mess that the corpse had expelled, it was the fact that she had to deliver a killing blow personally. She still was not used to it. McMillian had tried to force her to get over it by making her kill her own injured victims, and she despised every minute of it. It still didn’t matter, and he gave up trying to make her tougher. 

“Got it! Come on-” The man turned to her taking steadying breaths. “Sometimes you know you weren't worth the caps…” 

“I’m good-let’s go.” It stung but it was true. She followed him. 

The bearded man scanned the room first. Dinah came behind. The space was cozy and set up like a home. Several workshops were nestled in the back against the wall. A sofa with the several long dead occupants sat facing the door.  After a moment of clearing the room, they put away their weapons and started looking for the tech. 

Dinah turned to look at the group of 7 skeletons in various stages of decay. 

“Hey James, do you think the tech was stored here? Or that someone stole it then put it here?”

McMillian laughed. “Definitely the last one. Does this look like a vault to you?”

“Suppose not. Made sense while we are still alive, I guess.”

The man pulled at a skeleton sat by itself on a kitchen chair. “Fuck yes! Found a pip boy.” Dinah looked over as he flipped it on. “Still works too! I’ll be. Boss will be happy.” 

“Couldn’t get much better then a pip boy I suppose.”

She found several rolls of copper wire, and a ballistic weave. High power items she needed. She found a locked panel in the wall, and with brute force and much bashing the panel opened. It exposed an odd square chip, the size of a medium mole rat. It had wiring and electron components. She did not regionze the tech or parts. 

“Hey James, come here. I found something.” 

The man snorted but walked over. He got on his knees to look at the low panel she had exposed. 

“What is it-” The man stopped and pushed the panel completely open and pulled the object gently from the wall. “Water chip.” His voice was reverent and soft. 

“Water chip?” Dinah was confused. 

“Water purifier chip Di…Clean water as much as we want.” 

The gravity of the find hit her, “Oh hell, James.. how -” 

James Mcmillian laughed and grabbed Dinah in a hard embrace. Both were laughing hard. “Smart  little woman, you found it!” 

They hurried out of the cave after with their packs filled, pip boy on Dinah’s wrist,  and the water chip cradled in McMillian’s arms.

Roasted cram and canned corn was for dinner. The cans were pulled from the hideouts kitchen. Dinah was preparing to restart the fire. 

McMillian’s hand rested on her back. “Nope I’m doing dinner tonight. You found the water chip, you are going to be treated like a princess tonight.”

Dinah laughed. “Fine by me.” She unrolled her bed roll, kicked off her boots and laid against a rock. She pulled the Brother’s Grimm fairy tale collection from her bag and settled to read.  She thought about trying the radio again, but decided against it. If the ghoul wanted to contact her he would. 

“Di?” She moved her book and look at the voice. McMillian held out a small flask to her. Dinah eyed it warily. 

“It’s not poison. Come on, you need to get better at drinking little lady.”

Dinah did not want it. She didn’t like the taste but… she felt pressured to have a sip. 

It was moonshine. The type that tinged and kinda made your tongue and lips numb. She took far too big a swallow and coughed. 

“Thanks but I am good.” She handed it back to the man. 

He pulled out a half drank nuka cola they had shared earlier, and dumped a bit of the moonshine into the bottle.

“Try it this way.” He handed the bottle to her. 

Again she didn’t want it but felt obligated to drink it. It did taste better. “Thanks.”

McMillian spiked a piece of the Cram and eyed it. He turned to the young woman. He held out the fork for her to bite the piece from. 

It tasted dang delicious. “Oh my word James.” 

He laughed. “It’s ready.”

As usual they shared the small griddle as a communal plate. Dinner went quickly. After the dishes were cleaned and everything else was secured for the evening Dinah had changed out of her flannel and was currently laying back on her bedroll deeply involved in her story. 

McMillian sighed and sat down on his bed roll next to her. “What are you reading there Di?”

“A book.”

“No shit. Is it good?”

She pulled the book down just a bit from her face to glare at him. “Yes, but I keep getting interrupted by an annoying man.” 

A few beats of silence filled the space, and she returned her book to it's original spot. 

The man just sighed. “You should be looking up at the sky instead darling.”

“Why?” She threw the book in her bag and stared daggers at him. 

“See for yourself. Scoot over you to me, the rock blocks the view.”

Dinah rolled her eyes and moved towards his bed roll. The man did not move as she expected. She grabbed her flannel that was folded to be a cushion for her head and laid back down looking upwards. The sky was clear, and the moon was waning so the stars shined in all their glory. It was nothing she hadn’t seen before. Somehow they called to James so…

“Beautiful.” The man whispered. 

Dinah laughed, “If you say so boss. The sky looks the same to me-”

The man rolled over on his side to face her, his chest touching her arms that lay next to her body. Why was he leaning towards- 

“I wasn’t talking about the stars siren.” He whispered in her ear. 

The married man moved and caught her lips in a kiss, a hard lust filled kiss. 

Dinah hadn’t been kissed before. Ever. She had no idea what was happening at first; as his teeth moved to catch her lip she pushed away from him. 

“McMillian what the fuck-”

“Sh sh.. This can be our secret doll. Just the stars will know-” His hand went to her waist and he started to kiss her neck. Once again she physically pushed away from the man and scooted away from him. 

“No. No! You’re fucking married and-”

McMillian looked nonplussed. “And? Sex is just a physical thing sweetheart. Means nothing.”

Dinah still didn’t want this, but she felt a little relieved at hearing that. “Oh so you’ve done this before? You and Cynthia have an understa-”

James McMillian barked a short laugh. “Hell no. Cynthia would probably murder me if she knew.”

Dinah stood and was moving her bedroll away from the man. “Don’t you love her?”

“Of course I do. She’s my everything.”

“Well then why the heck would you sleep with someone else if you love her?”

“Cause sometimes people get lonely. And when a little nymph throws her body around like you do well…” He chuckled darkly. 

“I didn't try to get your attention…”

“So you won’t have some fun with me?”

“Hell no!” She said as she settled herself into her bedroll. 

Something dark passed over the man’s face. It looked as if he was considering something. He scowled and laid back down his back to her. Their camp was quiet for around a half hour. The last thing Dinah heard before McMillian started snoring was a sentence that caused her a sleepless night. 

“If I was a worse man, I could just take what I want. Just remember that darlin Di.”

Chapter Text

The trek back to the town was tense, hot and slow. Mcmillian did not utter a single thing to her after his chilling statement the night before. Dinah knew she had to tell Jones. She had to. The woman was one of the only people who had given her some sense of companionship. Who had given her things and done her favors without expectation of anything in return. Jones needed to understand that her husband was a piece of garbage who wanted to sleep with a woman half his age right after she had their child. 

They arrived to town without much ado, and Dinah peeled off to unpack and think about how to let Jones know. She probably couldn't mention it today, Jones would be busy with Mcmillian’s return. I’ll just tell her tomorrow morning. Mcmillian would probably be sleeping in anyway. With that thought, her conscience was sated for now. She stripped her dust ladened clothes from her body and replaced them with an oversized t-shirt. She threw herself on her bed and decided to try the radio again. 

“Hey, it’s me. Your annoying neighborhood junk dealer. You copy?” 

Static. Nothing. Dinah sighed and put the radio down on her nightstand. She turned over and tried to sleep.

A loud horrific pounding from outside woke her with a start. She pulled on a pair of jeans and hopped over to the door. Her hand was on her weapons as she unlocked the door. 

“Jones! Good m-”

The blonde woman simply walked past her, a hunting revolver in her hand. 

Dinah was confused but turned to the woman. Jones simply stared at her for a long moment. 

“Tell me what happened between you and James. Now.” 

“Well.. he kissed me-”

Jones kicked out her leg and Dinah’s legs gave out. She landed flat on her back. The air had evacuated her lungs, and her head hit the ground with a dull thump. Jones was standing over her. One of the blond women’s steel toed boots was square on her chest. She leaned down.

“That’s not what he told me. Start again.”

At this point, Dinah was still confused and unable to even react. She had never seen this brutality out of Jones. Mcmillian’s words suddenly echoed in her mind. She’d murder me. 

“I am being truthful. He started making a move on me-” The woman pistol whipped her across the face. Dinah’s nose made a sickening crunch and she started to taste blood. her hands tried to cover her face but Jones was too quick. 

“If you don’t start telling the truth, this place is going to become very messy.” 

Dinah would not lie. “Your husband kissed me. I am not-”

 The woman’s boot made contact with her ribs. Dinah knew what it felt like to have cartilage tear, that was not a foreign sensation. But feeling a bone crack was something new. She moaned in agony as Jones did it once more. The pain was so much she started to see little stars in her vision. The wife and mother pulled Dinah up by her shirt. 

“I let you watch my fucking child you cunt. We provide you with a safe place from those slavers, and this is how you thank us? By trying to sleep with my husband?” The most horrifying part of this encounter was the contained fury in the older woman’s voice. She did not shout or yell. In fact she nearly whispered. She threw the redhead to the floor and turned to leave. 

“If you haven’t left town in a half hour I will kill you on sight.”

The woman left the shop, and Dinah had to force herself to move. She was able to use a stimpack, and quickly wrapped her bruised and most likely broken ribcage. Her nose stopped bleeding, but she couldn’t breath out of it yet. The radio came first, she attached it to her belt. The red head then grabbed her largest pack and started quickly grabbing everything of value and of worth for a new wanderer. Her two books, all her medical supplies. Matches, caps, light food and an entire extra pack with water. Her cooking pot and cigarettes finished half the bag. Her clothing and bobby pins were right on top, and a few small knives rested neatly on the top of the bag. With one more look around, she put on the cowboy hat the ghoul had gifted her, and she left her small store, locking it before she turned and walked west, the direction the ghoul had gone. If she were to go anywhere, it was to find the old man

20 minutes later, she had left the place she had considered her home, and was out onto the wild irritated desert.

 By sundown she had made it roughly 19 miles away from town. She found shelter in an old shipping container, and after making a small fire right outside the container she sat down to redress her wounds and eat. By nightfall she tried the radio again. It kept sounding at irregular intervals during her flight from town. 

“Hey bounty hunter. Currently 19 miles from my shop to the west. Got kicked outta town, so on my own. Hope you’re still alive.”

As always she awaited an answer. One came.

“Well…” static, “out on your own kitten?” Laugh. “What you do ?”

“Nothing. I..” she didn’t really feel comfortable talking about what happened and the why. 

“None of your damn business ghoul.” 

A loud chuckle sounded from the radio. 

How dare he laugh at her. After ignoring her for 2 fucking months. 

“Why haven’t you been answering me?”

“Cause I ain’t your fucking friend. And if you feel that way, well might as well turn this thing off-“ a loud groan or cry and some swearing form the ghoul. 

“Wait. Where are you?”

“In Tahiti. Where the hell do you think I am?”

“Hm. I want to talk to you face to face old man.” 

“Not gonna happen darlin’. Listen I gotta go.. good luck with your short new life out here.”

The woman sat up. What if I lost track of him? What if he did turn off the radio? I would have no one in this wasteland.
She was bone tired and sore, but she eyed the jet she had kept just in case she needed to escape quickly, and idea blooming in her brain. She quickly ate, and dozed in and out of sleep until 3:50, when the first peaks of light started. She took the jet and started meticulously scoping the 4 mile radius the handheld radios had. Because of the radios, she had almost a homing beacon. The signal had a certain tone when it intercepted a stronger wave. 

Dinah found the bounty hunter around 5:50. If she wasn’t so tired she would’ve started crying. It took all her strength not to run and lay next to him. Just to have someone who wasn’t currently ready to assault or kill her. Someone who didn’t seem to fucking hate her.

The jet was already draining from her system and she felt like she was death walking. The ghoul was still asleep and she decided that she could afford to close her eyes just for a moment, and she lay right by the burned out fire, not caring if some beast or raider killed her. 

Chapter Text

Something kicked her foot. It happened again, harder. 

“Dinah.”

It took momentous effort to pry her eyes open. In the bright sunlight a dark shape stood over her. 

The voice spoke again. “Damn it, thought you were gone for good.”

She tried to laugh and winced instead. “Can’t get rid of me that easy old man.”

Dinah sat up and grabbed jerky and a swallow of water from her bag. As her eyes adjusted she saw that it was about mid morning. The ghoul sat back down and stared at her. 

“The hell happened to your nose?”

“Pistol whipped.”

“Shit.”

She didn’t know what she hoped to accomplish out of her next action. 

She stripped her shirt off and pulled up her tank. Doing so revealed the ugly yellow, green, and purple bruises and lacerations from the steel toed boots. 

“Enjoy the view ghoul?”

The ghoul seemed caught off guard.

“How’d that happen honey? Got in a Fight with an iron bar?”

“No. Kicked by steel toed boots.”

The man cleared his throat. It seemed like something had got him to react. “It’ll heal, probably a few scars though..” The man switched his attention to his revolver. He started to take apart and adjust it. 

“What I want to know honey, is how in the hell did ya manage to hunt me down?”

“Desperation and loneliness makes you do astonishing feats.” Dinah was twisting to unwrap what had stayed from her makeshift bandage from last night. She cried out and couldn’t move for a moment. The pain was sharp and cutting. She tried again slower and leaned over in agony. 

”Woman, you need to keep it down. Creatures all over the desert can hear you.”

Dinah looked up at him. “Fuck. You. You rad infested bastard.”

She didn’t shy away and the ghoul didn’t flinch. He merely shrugged and turned his duster flapping in the hot wind.

“I’m leaving shortly. Hope a radscorpion puts you out of your misery before the sun does.” 

Something stirred against a stump behind him “What’s that?”

 “Oh, why haven't you met my guest yet?!” The ghoul  moved, and was crouching over the heap tied to a stump. The heap was hauled up and thrown near Dinah. 

“Meet Peter Twining. Bastard is gonna get me a whole hella caps.”

The woman slowly stood and gazed down at the bruised and bloodied man. “What’d he do?”

“Was messing around with my client’s husband, and cheating at cards.” 

“Seems a little excessive a punishment..”

“I don’t provide punishment, I simply deliver the runaway. Speaking of, I’m burning daylight” He grabbed the heap with the lasso attached to it and made him stand.

Dinah knew it was pointless but tried to keep hope. “Can I-”

“No. I don’t need a little fawn shaking and falling, making me lose time and patience. Come on Twining let you get back to your ex squeeze.”

Dinah reached into her bag. “Hey cowboy!”

This phrase made the bounty hunter stop in his tracks. “Catch.” She threw the cigarette carton and a pack of .308 rounds. They sailed through the air and landed at his feet. The man did not hesitate to grab them, whilst keeping his prisoner within his eyeline. 

“Mighty stupid of you to give some valuable loot away to a stranger little doll.”

“Mighty stupid of you to grab something before checking if it’s actually bait.” 

The man glanced up from under his dark hat. She held her .44 gun with both hands directly at his head. The man slowly stood up, her gun still aimed at his forehead.  Dinah and the ghoul glared into each other's eyes. Dinah’s eyes spelled fury, the man displayed nothing. Her hands started to tremble like they always did when holding a gun. 

The bounty hunter laughed hard, “Told you to never point a gun at me unless you intend to fire it.” He was still chuckling as he leisurely started walking after kicking Twining to get him moving. 

Dinah Inhaled and fired. The shot knocked the man’s hat from his head. Dinah knew if he decided to kill her, she had no chance. In that moment, she decided that if she died, she could die content. Cause she seems to have surprised the gnarled old bastard for once in his extensive lifetime. 

“Missy, warning shots are usually done at the ground.” He said his back was still too her.

“Who said I was giving you a warning shot?”

The man turned part way to study her. “I’ve killed men for looking at me the wrong way. You know I could kill you right where you stand if I so desired.”

“But you haven’t. You have had plenty of opportunities to do so and you have not. Why?” Her gun was racked with shudders from her hand but she refused to let it go. 

“I suppose it’s cause your so fucking persisent. Like a damn gopher in a manicured lawn.”

“A what?”

“Doesn’t matter.” The man started walking, but turned to holler back at her. 

“If you can't keep up I will leave you behind. Now come on.” Dinah grabbed her pack and hat and followed the ghoul West.

The sun was setting by the time they made camp. Dinah’s feet were aching and her sides felt as if they were bruised to the bone. After dumping her pack she pulled out her bedroll and started to gather wood and kindling for a fire. The ghoul was busy tying a complaining Twining to a rock. 

“What the hell do you think  you are doing?”

“Starting a fire.”

“Look a fire is a great way to attract both raiders and ghouls at night.”

“But when-”

“No fires. Got it?”

“Fine.” 

The ghoul sat against a large outcropping of rock and Dinah dug through her pack. 

“Here.” She threw a can at the ghoul. “Have dinner. I’m gonna go feed our prisoner.”

“Our prisoner? I am the only one getting the bounty dollface. “

The woman shrugged and grabbed some dried radroach and a water carton. 

She slowly approached the man. 

“Hi. Um, my name's Dinah.” She chuckled. “Did you want something to eat mister?” She held out the jerky. The man took one look at her and spit on her face. 

“I don’t need food you fucking bitch. I need you to untie me now!” 

Dinah was taken aback, but not deterred from her altruistic nature. “Listen, I know you aren’t exactly in the best spot right now-”

“No kidding you stupid whore.” The man paused to look at the carton of water. Dinah instantly opened it and slowly turned it to the man’s mouth. Hate burned in his eyes, but the need for water was far greater. He drank and eased his struggling. 

“Did you want some-” The man gave a tiny nod, and quickly ate the piece held for him. 

After he was done He looked to Dinah to the ghoul resting. “Whatcha hanging around him for? You a ghoul fucker?” The man giggled. 

Dinah turned red and looked at the ghoul who didn't react. She simply pushed herself off her knees and went to sit on her bedroll and eat. 

“You know one day that soft heart of yours is gonna get you killed honey.” 

The ghoul was staring at the man tied up. 

“Well then that’s how I’ll go i guess.” 

The light was getting too low to see so Dinah lit a small lantern she had brought. She glanced around, the ghoul seemed to be internally occupied and Twining was faced away from the camp. Dinah quickly threw her shirt and tank off only leaving her bra. Her tank had been stuck to the wounds, so when she tore it off, the layer of scab and skin went off with it. 

“Fudge.” She hissed. The lantern was pulled close to her so she could see the cuts. They looked infected and angry. She quickly pulled her bag towards her. And with one horrifying discovery, she realized she didn't pack any antiseptic. 

“Di those look infected.” Dinah turned and saw the ghoul staring at her ribcage. 

“I think the are. Do you have any antiseptic?” Even from far away she could tell the ghoul rolled his eyes. He pulled a small bottle out of his bag and walked over to her. Dinah held out her hand to take  it and he shook his head. 

“No this is precious, I’ll do it. Lay on your side, now.” He commanded in an exasperated tone. 

She huffed but obeyed. The pain was excruciating. She hissed through her teeth as the liquid bacteria killer washed away the pathogens. Dinah started placing the cotton over her wounds hissing the entire time. The ghoul sat back in his original position. 

“Thank you.”

“As payment you can tell me the reason why you had to flee town.”

“Why do you care?”

“Curiosity.”

Dinah sighed and slid under her bedroll. “McMillian attempted to get me to sleep with him. Even kissed me. I declined. Even threatened to take it from me. Then told his wife I tried to seduce him. She beat the stuffing out of me and told me she’d kill me if I didn't leave.”

The ghoul was silent. She looked up at the stars, reminded of that moment her boss mentioned she wasn’t worth the caps he paid for her. 

“Hm.”

The woman didn’t feel like entertaining anymore of the ghoul’s curiosity, so she pulled her lantern close and pulled her book out.

She settled down and let her book carry her away

Chapter Text

The sound of hardened dirt and clay under foot was no longer welcome to Dinah’s ears. The sun beat down mercilessly on her shoulders and back. The ghoul kept going tirelessly. As did their captive too. It was as if hate itself kept the man going. Dinah had been quiet for too long; she needed to talk with someone. The young woman trotted alongside the bound man. 

“So Peter… did ya grow up in New Vegas?”

The man did not answer, kept walking. 

“Fine. So you cheat at cards.. what’s your game of choice?”

The man stayed stoic. 

“Mine is blackjack-“

The ghoul strolling slightly behind them barked a laugh. “Not even a game; just a bunch of dumb luck…”

Dinah turned. “What’s your game of choice then old man?”

“Poker.” The ghoul said. His hand was not straying from his holster, ready at any moment to draw if the prisoner ran. 

Dinah turned her attention away from the convict and skipped over to the ghoul who was finally giving her attention.

“I never played poker. Could you teach me?”

He continued to ignore her. 

Dinah felt emboldened by his silence. 

“Ignoring me won’t do anything. I know you are fond of-“

The bounty hunter moved and clamped a hand over her mouth tightly and held her still. 

All three travelers halted. 

At first Dinah could only hear the sound of the hot desert winds. Then she heard the sound of scaly feet and reptilian clicking and chirps. The ghoul let go of her mouth and body, his eyes scanning and his weapon drawn. The redhead had already grabbed her bat. They were in a canyon with lots of outcrops, and within several tense seconds Dinah saw it. Beady, carnivores' eyes blinked back at her. 

“Geckos.”

The ghoul shot, and a pair of eyes disappeared. Chirping alerted Dinah to the group of three running towards the trio. She was able to pulverize a part of one, and it stumbled. The ghoul managed to get another one that was taking a swipe at her. One managed to bite at the ghoul and got stuck to the back of his vest digging its claws into his shoulders. He was being dragged off balance. 

“Son of a-“

“Cowboy!” 

The ghoul glared over at her. 

“hit the deck.” For one split second she thought he wouldn’t obey her command. He complied and threw himself down and her knife made its mark. The flesh and the brain of the gecko buried the knife all the way to the hilt. The creature relinquished its grip on his back and the bounty hunter jumped up from the ground, already shooting another one.

She got distracted with saving the ghoul; a larger enraged beast grabbed her weapon from her and tore it from her hand. Its jaws snapped her weapon into two pieces. Dinah had no time to grab her too few throwing knife from the other body. Peter was also being attacked by two juveniles. Dinah pulled out her gun and managed to shoot one, but her quivering hand made her grip unsteady. She couldn’t get a clear shot. The beast was chewing on the screaming man and he was starting to lose blood. 

“Help me you fucking-“

A lone shot rang out, and the last Gecko dropped; smoke still rising from the fired bullet in its side.

The woman went down to retrieve her knife from the gecko's skull. Dinah did intend on taking her other weapon, but seeing the pieces, she realized that it was useless. The ghoul was still standing in the same place. His back was to her and she could see the dampness where what was left of his flesh had been torn. 

The bounty hunter turned to face her. He was livid. Dinah was scared of him for the first time. The man walked up to her and pushed her hard. She fell onto the ground and attempted to scramble up. It was futile as he took a knee to her chest and made her already aching chest burn. 

“You could’ve gotten our bounty killed. Do you have any idea what would’ve happened if I brought him back like that?” He spat with venom.

“Our bounty?” She shot at him.

His gloved large hand reached out and enveloped her neck. Not hard enough to harm her, but enough that made it apparent he could. 

“Answer me. Do you know what would happen if we killed him?!”

“You’d lose out a couple caps… you could just flee-”

The man smiled cruelly. “-No. If we fled we would be found. I’d be fine, ghouls can heal, and aren’t exactly.. desirable. You however..darlin’ let’s just say I’ve seen what happens and even I still have nightmares about it.” 

She could feel the color draining from her face. 

Dinah could only nod. The bounty hunter stood and nodded in the direction of the man now lying on the ground whimpering. 

“Your hesitation caused his injuries, you’re getting him to our camp.”

“Where are we making camp?” 

“3 miles up that canyon.” The ghoul started walking. 

The torrential downpour of insults and profanity only subsided when she dumped the man she was fireman carrying onto the ground in front of the ghoul. 

The man was sitting against a burned out truck smoking a cigarette. He grinned up at the woman, who was sweaty, bloodied and dirty. “Well glad to see you two made it.”

The woman pulled the prisoner to a lone palm tree. Dinah glanced around for something to tie up the man with. The ghoul had his lasso in his hand. He was repairing the fraying fibers. 

Dinah stomped over annoyed as hell. She grabbed the lasso and started to walk away. The bounty hunter still had the other end and tugged on it, making her jolt and fall into his lap. She glared up at his delighted expression.

“You should use your words to ask for things, half-pint.”

“Screw you.” Dinah pushed herself out of his lap, the rope in hand. 

With the heap that was Peter Twining secured, she turned to apply a healing slave to his legs and a slightly diluted stimpack. Dinah was starving but she decided to offer food to the prisoner first. 

“Of course you cow.”

Dinah had enough. “Only if you use your manners.”

“Fuck manners.”

“Alright no dinner.”

She simply walked away and sat to eat and take off her boots. Afterwards she grabbed her book and laid back. 

“Hey. Get up. Your punishment will be practicing drawing and holding your gun steady.”

“Or what?”

“I will leave you tied up so you cannot find me again. And you will be alone.” That cut deep, and the ghoul knew this threat was effective.  The woman got up and followed the man. 

He gave her no tips and no explanation . He simply watched her for nearly 25 minutes. Dinah’s arms and shoulders ached with the repeated movement. He made her do it until sundown. There was still no improvement; her arms and hands shook just as much. 

“Where are we heading tomorrow?” she asked as she stumbled back to camp.

“Nowhere. Mister Twining cannot walk and though it was amusing to see you carry him like a ragdoll today, I don’t want to be the one to carry him when you collapse from exhaustion.”

“We staying here tomorrow too?”

The man glanced at her. “Don’t look so eager half-pint. you will be practicing your gun skills tomorrow as well.”

The woman collapsed in her bed roll. The last thought she had before her mind was eclipsed by sleep was revelatory. He cared about me. He worried what would happen to me if we injured Peter

Chapter Text

The woman woke up to the sound of soft humming. A deep raspy voice came from behind her. She moved to turn over and stayed still. The humming paused. Then resumed. It was the ghoul. He was keeping watch over their camp. Did he do this most nights? His eyes moved and rested on her supposedly sleeping form. Dinah clenched her eyes so he would not see her awake. He was humming only the lonely. He did hear me.

Dinah was up with renewed enthusiasm with the first touches of sunlight. The morning was surprisingly chilly, and she decided to make breakfast for all three of them. The ghoul was asleep as was Peter. She dumped her food pack out, and decided to use her canned goods. Her back was starting to complain with the weight so she might as well make room. 

She started with a pot of coffee. The ghoul had a light kettle she poured the boiling water into and stirred in the instant coffee grounds. She let it sit next to her and steep. Next was a precious tiny sliver of Brahmin lard to oil the flat rock she had placed as a makeshift griddle. 

Dinah let the tinned tatos and beans simmer on the cooktop as she checked on the coffee. She pulled the Ghouls tin cup from his pack and started pouring some of the black coffee into it. Dinah glanced over at the man and moved to leave the coffee next to him.

“… Smells awful good Barb..” 

Dinah stepped away quickly from the reclined man. The voice was not the bounty hunters. It was but.. it wasn’t. The man lifted his hat from his eyes and he sat up. He looked just the tiniest bit confused but spotted the cup of coffee. 

“You make this?”

“No, I saw a death claw deliver it while you were sleeping.” She chuckled as she sat back down to attend to breakfast. “Course I made it.”

“For?”

“For all of us, and yes that includes you.”

“Why?” The ghoul had stood and was towering over her. 

“Because I wanted to. Now, here. Give this to Mr. Twining.”

“No.”

“Okay so you will be the one who drags him across the mojave?”

““Princess-” The ghoul eyed the plate of steaming food. 

“If you don’t, you won’t eat.” Her voice wavered a little. The man stood and stomped over to the man. The ghoul allowed the rope to be slightly slack so the prisoner could feed himself. 

Dinah figured there would not be enough left, so she decided to scoop the rest of the food onto the last plate for the ghoul. The man started walking back over for his own plate. He sat and grabbed the coffee and plate. Dinah sat next to him, the last of her dried Brahmin in hand. 

“Miss Ma'am, this here is best thing I’ve tasted for years. But then again that’s not saying much as I eat everything and-“ the ghoul cut off his own thought a fork halfway to his mouth.

He stopped eating for a moment and glanced at her, eating only the jerky. Then, the ghoul did something odd. He grabbed the jerky out of her hand and placed the plate in her lap. 

Dinah opened her mouth to protest. 

“Not one word. You need the fuel. I’m not the one who will be practicing their aim and drawing all day today.”

Dinah nodded, her cheeks slightly warming on the selfless action the man did for her. 

After breakfast the bounty hunter made her practice again. For an entire hour.

“Again.”

Dinah turned towards the ghoul, who sat on a rock. He was repairing a broken bag while he watched. 

“Look I’m not gonna get any better if I don’t know how to do it right.” 

“Well what do you-“

“Teach me. What the heck am I doing wrong?”

The man stared at her for a few seconds. Then stood. 

“You sure you want my advice?”

“Yes!” Dinah said, exasperated with the maddening bounty hunter. 

The man threw down the bag he was repairing. “Fine. But we do this my way. No complaining. Put your gun away.” 

Dinah was confused but obeyed. 

The ghoul walked over and bent down at Dinah’s legs. 

“Princess, your stance is all wrong.”

The man grabbed her calf and moved her leg. 

“Hey!” Dinah almost fell. 

“Hay is for horses, now hush. Plant your feet.” 

Dinah did as he asked. The ghoul pulled on her legs and they swayed. 

“Wrong. Again.”  

She replanted them and he pulled again. She moved, but less than before. 

The ghoul then moved to her knees. 

“Don’t lock them.” She readjusted and softened them. 

The man pushed her again, and she had given more resistance. 

His hands moved to her thigh and grabbed. 

“What-“

“This is where your core stability is. Engage your thighs.”

Dinah was flustered but again he knew best. 

She made sure the rest of her leg was engaged and he pushed. She didn’t sway. He stood. “Try again.”

15 more minutes of practicing showed improvement but not much. 

The bounty hunter seemed satisfied with her stance, but he was studying her arm and torso.

“Lock your- yes.” He Was pulling her forearm. “When you draw there should be a long smooth connection from here,” his hand was on her shoulder blade. He trailed down to her fingers slowly. “To here. Otherwise you won’t be steady.”

His movement of his hands made her shiver. She wasn’t sure why.  

2 and half hours of this and she still was shaking. 

She collapsed on the ground. Tears of frustration welling in her eyes.

“Get up princess.”

“No, clearly it’s not helping.” 

The ghoul opened his mouth and hesitated. “It is. You are better and smoother at drawing. But your hand.. lets try this.” He sounded frustrated but not at her. 

The ghoul pulled Dinah roughly to her feet, and stood behind her. Close behind her. Dinah felt his staggered breathing from his chest pressed against her back. 

“Draw.” 

The woman was flustered by his close proximity but followed his order. 

“Aim for the car's headlight.” His breath whispered past her ear onto her face. It smelled oddly pleasant. Tobacco and whiskey. She aimed and missed. But not by much. 

“Again.” This time he wrapped his hand over hers. Dinah’s hand steadied. She fired and it hit perfectly shattering what was left of the glass. 

The rest of the afternoon was spent like this against the ghoul’s chest. Readjusting, reloading and drawing. She only shot a few rounds as bullets were precious. 

3 pm, the ghoul finally stepped back from her. She was sweating and exhausted. 

“Are we done..?”

The ghoul grabbed the discarded bag. 

“Suppose so. Your stance is better but your damn hand..”

Dinah waved him off and dragged herself to camp. 

As she settled down in a shady spot flat on her back she took a look at the man walking calmly back to camp. His duster flapping in the wind, his boots sturdy and old breaking small pieces of rock and clumped dirt. The woman’s sides were aching again, and she wondered if she had opened the scabs up again. Not wanting to let her wounds heal against her shirt again, she threw her shirt off and tank, not caring about who saw her. The ghoul glanced at her. She could tell even without looking. She didn’t care let him stare. Probably hadn’t seen a woman’s body for decades. After this, Dinah wanted to rest before making herself dinner so she took her hat off and laid it over her eyes. The breeze cools the burning sensation coming from her ribcage and she falls into a dreamless doze. 

Chapter Text

 It was their last night sleeping outside until they got to New Vegas. Dinah was happily settled by her warm lantern, and was reading. She turned onto her almost healed side and spotted the ghoul. He was standing looking outward towards the horizon. He had a pipe to his lips. Except the pipe didn’t expel any smoke. Nor did the ghoul. Dinah had seen him do this more frequently as they had gotten further into their travels. It was no ordinary pipe. She had to know what it was. Curiosity might’ve killed the cat, but currently curiosity was killing her anyway. She propped herself up and hesitated as she was only wearing her low tank Screw it. If he sees my scars.. Book still in hand, she approached the man. She should've been somewhat hesitant.  The man had been on edge and far more prone to short tempered and rash decisions. Dinah wasn’t quite sure why, maybe it was because they were so close to turning the bounty he was getting anxious or… something else entirely.  

“Pretty night isn’t it?”

“Nah. Still as ugly as sin. Like it always is.”

“Well not to me. It’s beautiful”

The man scornfully glanced at her. “Where?”

“Hm?”

“Where’s the “beauty” sunshine?”

“Well…The moon is out. It is casting a cooling light on everything. Seems pretty to me…Also the clouds are glowing, hiding the stars on occasion like a  game of-”

“Didn’t ask for a damn poem girl.”

“Oh. Sorry. Whatcha smoking?”

 “It’s called none of your fuckin’ business. Besides; doesn’t fucking work anymore.”

“Huh. You’re hilarious.” The woman paused and glanced in the direction where lights glowed faintly from New Vegas.

“So.. once we deliver Twining.. what do you think will happen to him?”

“Dont know and don’t care.”

Dinah stepped closer into his space. “Are you never curious? Or does that simply happen when you become a ghoul?”

The man did not answer. 

“Cowboy-“

“Don’t call me that.”

“Why not? You look like one.”

“Just don’t.”

“cowboy.” She enjoyed getting a rise, any attention from him. It was better than being ignored. 

The man slowly put away his odd pipe and glared at her. “Say that one more time, sunshine. I fucking dare you.” His voice was dangerous and low. 

 A shiver ran through Dinah, but she was too focused on flustering him to notice the edge to his voice. 

“Giddyup cowboy.” She whispered.

The man didn’t react. A surprise. Instead he slowly sauntered over to her. She backed up as he did. Dinah’s back hit the one remaining wall of the building they had camped near. The ghoul continued his pace and finally reached the redhead. He grinned devilishly and leaned his forearm above Dinah on the wall.

“What were you saying Sunshine?”

“Nothing.” His chest was pressed right against her own. Unfortunately he noticed. 

“Cold darling’?”

“No. I feel just fine.” she said her voice felt thick and soft.

“Huh. Well your body tells me different.” 

She could feel her face and body flush. 

He removed himself from her space. 

“I would recommend not running around the camp without proper layers. Mr. Twining was making quite the crude comments when I brought him his dinner the last few nights.”

Dinah was still embarrassed, but was annoyed as well. “Well he’s tied up. It won’t kill him to see some-“

“Well he wasn’t the only one affected by it.” With that, the ghoul stomped off to the darkness around the camp.

Did he just say… Could he even feel.. no. She must be mistaken

Civilization was ahead. Dinah had never seen such large buildings. 

“Wow.” She stopped her trek and stared at the city in front of them. 

The ghoul caught up to her, “you seem eager.”

The redhead was still staring. “I just have never seen such big buildings. It’s impressive”

The ghoul laughed, it was a warm welcome sound. Not cruel and cold like usual. “Wait till you see it at night sweetheart. It’s a fine sight.” 

“Come on then!” Dinah exclaimed and hurried her pace, nearly dragging their prisoner by his leash.

A half a mile later, the man started struggling and pulling with desperation. “You can’t make me go back. They’ll kill me..”

Dinah Couldn’t pull him any longer and she and the ghoul decided to tie him up before continuing. She currently was straddled on top of him to keep him in place. The ghoul  nimbly tied his feet together, then turned to his arms. 

Dinah leaned over the man snarling and swearing. “Maybe you shouldn’t cheat on cards, little man.” 

The ghoul paused his work and chuckled at her retort. 

A fist shot up and knocked her square in the jaw, causing her to lose her grip on his torso. The man rolled her and they flipped positions, his hand going to her throat starting to choke her. 

The ghoul already had his gun out but the prisoner laughed. “You can’t kill me. You need me alive. Drop that weapon zombie.” 

Dinah was trying to keep herself from blacking out. 

“Alright easy-“ the bounty hunter put down his revolver slowly. 

“Thank you. Now about your pretty companion..” the man leaned down. Dinah felt the smell of rotten teeth and grime emitting from his mouth. He leered at her, his face so close to her own. She took her chance. So did the ghoul. The woman headbutted the man. While he was reeling in pain his grip loosened. She was able to pull his hand from her throat and threw him off of her. The ghoul simultaneously pulled out a small gun and shot him in the arm. 

The ghoul violently tied the man until he was completely immobile. Dinah took a few kicks to the man before hauling the man on her shoulders and walking into New Vegas, the ghoul trailing just the smallest bit behind her. Laughing the entire way. 

They passed a huge casino. 

“Finer things casino?” Dinah read out loud.

The ghoul snorted. “Bunch of rich sons of bitches like that place. Never catch me in their with ‘em. Unless I’m thrown a few caps. Then I’d go.”

“Wow you are such a man of character! Good for you! Sticking to your morals.”

The ghoul glanced at her sideways as she readjusted the now hoarse gentleman tied on her back. 

“Bold of you to assume I even have morals doll.”

“Whatever. How much longer?” 

“Actually we are here.” Dinah threw the man down and studied the ugly rundown strip. 

“What the heck is here?”

“Our contact.” He nodded behind her. She swiveled and spotted a man and a woman walking towards them. 

“Howdy folks. Reckon you got the caps? Cause we certainly got the-“

The ghoul squinted at the pair, and his hand went to rest on his gun. The woman spoke first. 

“Ghoul, Peter.” The man on the ground wiggled against his binds. “I would shake your hand, but it seems you are all tied up.” The woman and man both laughed. It was not a very pleasant sound. 

The woman turned back to the bounty hunter. “Cordelia requested you come back to the casino with us-“

“Hell no. Give me the damn caps and we can all go our own ways-“

“It has something to do with that.. serum you all need.”

“Sure it does.” The ghoul was getting ready to draw, Dinah could recognize his body language. “Perhaps I should just take the caps off of y’alls corpses instead.” The man pulled his trusted old gun, and Dinah grabbed the fire axe she had procured a few days ago. The bounty hunter’s firearm was shot from his hand by an energy beam. The goons across from them laughed, their own plasma rifles aimed at Dinah and the ghoul.

“Think we would be foolish enough not to have backup?” The man made the pair drop their arsenal of weapons. 

The other woman gathered their weapons and nodded to the other man. “Let’s head out. Ghoul you drag Twining.  let’s go.”

The odd posse made their way towards a large red building. A faded neon sigh read: The drunken lunar bar and casino. A tipsy looking cartoon moon adorned the sign. The group of 5 finally made it into the casino. 

They were led to the back of the building and to a large office on the second floor. 

“Delia, they got Twining.”

“Thank you Rus and Mal. Please bring him in here. Then You both can leave. Oh and they may have their weapons.”

Mal laughed. “Sure that’s the smartest idea?”

The quiet girlish voice spoke again from the turned office chair. “Did I stutter?”

“Fine.” 

The weapons were set on the ground and the men left the office after dumping Peter Twining on the ground. The chair turned. 

The woman was petite. Small. 

“Please sit.” The woman said. Dinah sat and the ghoul followed suit. 

“Where in the blazes is my caps Cordelia?” The bounty hunter asked leaning back in the chair. 

“I have them. But I also have information. Information I won’t give up unless you do another job for me.” The woman glanced at Dinah. 

“Who’s your fresh faced friend?”

“Not my friend.”

“Why are you traveling with her then? Thought you worked alone.”

“I do. She’s simply a hanger on.”

“Hm. Well, she might be helpful to you. I have one more job for you.”

“Funny you think I would take the job.”

“You will.”

“And why is that Ms. Cordelia?”

“ I know you need that serum to keep sane ghoul. I have information on who can provide you with more. A regular supply in fact.”

Dinah turned and regarded the ghoul. She wanted to ask a million questions but decided now was not the time. 

“I don’t care.” 

“Yes you do. You need that serum. One more job, I’ll give you the information. On top of the caps for Twining.”

“Fine. I’ll take the blasted job. What is it?”

“Find my husband. Kill him and bring me back his tongue and eyes as proof. Then the information is yours.”

“That’s revolting.” Dinah said wrinkling her nose. 

The brunette laughed. “No, it's poetic. His eyes strayed, and his tongue lied.”

“Why do you want your husband dead, but asked us to bring Peter alive?”

The ghoul glared at her streak of curiosity. 

“I like her. She might get you killed, but you gotta admit she has spunk.” She turned from the ghoul to Dinah. “‘Because my husband not only cheated, but he also stole from me. I can deal with infidelity, but I cannot take sticky fingers. Now, do we have a deal ghoul and… hanger on?”

The ghoul shook the woman's hand. “Now where do you reckon’ we get started?”

Chapter Text

Dinah was sat cross legged on an overturned oil barrel as the ghoul kept trying to fire his old trusty firearm.The firearm that had been shot with an energy beam. This had been going on for nearly an hour and Dinah was getting antsy. “Look, it's not working. Trying to fire it only make the barrel stick more.” The ghoul glared at her. She hopped off her makeshift bench and walked towards him. “Why don’t you let me take a look..”

“Oh no. You’d probably break it completely. We just need to find a gunsmith or someone who can fix it.” The ghoul started walking back to the crumbling Vegas strip. 

Dinah quickly grabbed her discarded pack and ran after him. “You know that before I left, I was the one who fixed weapons right?”

“Don’t care. Some junk trader from a backwater town.. or  an actual gunsmith. Not exactly a difficult choice, pixie. I’ll take the dent in my pocket if it works.”

The young woman felt a bit hurt. She shrugged in response. 

The ghoul noticed. “Don’t pout sweetheart. Nothing personal.” He coughed and took a hit of the inhaler. “We are heading to a market down a few miles from the strip.”

“Oh. We?”

The rugged cowboy glanced at her sideways. “Suppose so. For now only.”

Dinah trotted up quickly to follow right alongside the man, smiling. “Good. I like your company.”

“You shouldn’t. That’s like a kitten liking the company of a rattler.”

“Hm. Well remember that cats have claws and teeth. You should do well to remember that too.” Dinah was pleased to see the ghost of that damned half grin on the ghoul’s face.

The  building where the market was held was huge. Dinah had never seen such an expansive building. As the odd pair started walking down a long corridor the woman turned to the ghoul. 

“Do you think I could buy soap here?”

“Probably. But a bath or shower is an expensive rarity.”

“Well there has to be some place with water. And when we find it I will dish out as many caps as it takes.”

They exited the corridor and the space opened to an overgrown atrium. Dinah had never seen so many shops and merchants in one space. Good thing she brought some loot to trade. Their search started at an weapons and armor merchant. 

“Nope. Can’t help ya mister. This thing is too old. Try Mike’s stand. He’s an old timer.”

The ghoul scowled at the woman. “Thanks for nothing.” He started walking away and turned back to Dinah. 

“I’m capable of trading without you, old man. Go, I’ll find you after I’m through.” The ghoul shrugged and stamped off. 

“What will you give me for some copper wire…?”

Dinah visited more stalls. The first one was a junk and scrap trader. The second was a clothing merchant. What had driven her to visit was a dark green and white striped dress that hung on the rack in front. 

“Pretty color, would be amazing with that blazing head of yours’.” 

Dinah turned to the merchant, a woman in her mid 70s with a kind smile. 

“Why thank you. Clearly I don’t wear things like this.”

“Understandable. Buying pretty things are a luxury.”

“So is feeling pretty I suppose..” The woman spotted the ghoul across from her arguing with an older gentleman. From the back he looked like a rugged character, perhaps an outlaw who was serving out true justice to a lawless land.

“If I wanted it, how many caps?”

The clothing merchant let her change into the dress in the back. The ghoul stamped over to her soon after.  He was clearly frustrated, but his eyes scanned her new outfit. 

“Impractical, but fits your body  well…” He stared for a beat longer then turned sharply. “Come on, I’m leavin’.”

Dinah wisely stayed silent as they left the building. She waited to speak until the ghoul stopped clutching his hands in fists. 

“So… where we headin?”

The man jumped a little, as if he had forgotten she was with him. “Oh. To the Finer Things casino. Cordelia said that was where Roland liked to hang about.”

They arrived before noon, the sun making Dinah squint at the large building in front of them. 

One man in a dark button down and slacks nodded at them as they approached. 

“Hello there. Welcome to the Finer Things Casino, the most luxurious casino and bar this side of the Mojave.”

The ghoul only nodded and started for the door. 

“Excuse me, we are a non-ghoul establishment.”

The ghoul’s eyes narrowed. 

“Oh, he belongs to me,” Dinah trotted quickly up to the man, making sure the bouncer watched her breast displayed in the dress. He did. 

She tucked her arm into the ghouls, luckily he seemed to understand. 

“If I keep him on a short leash can he come in with me please?” Dinah bit her lip and glanced at the man. The bouncer seemed to be wavering between telling them to leave and allowing them to stay. She reached into her bag slowly. “Would this help make our stay smooth, mister?” 

The man eyed the caps and took them quickly. “Just make sure you tell them he’s with you.”  He said as he opened the door for them.

The ghoul squeezed her arm and slightly nodded to the door. He had silently agreed to play along. For now. The lobby was beautiful. Old but luxurious. The floors were cracked marble, and a staircase led to a red carpeted casino floor. Several women and men in simple uniforms walked around with trays. Patrons in dresses, slacks and suits loitered around the first floor.

“Where do you suggest we start?” Dinah whispered to the ghoul, her arm still within his own. 

“Bar. Probably upstairs.” The pair ascended the grand stairway, several sideways glances were given but no one stopped or bothered the pair. Dinah managed to push her way to a ful bar. 

The bartender was busy, but a few caps made him turn to them “What can I get you two..” He spotted the ghoul glaring behind her. “Fine people?”

“We are looking for some information.”

The man smiled tightly. “I am not a freely given informant, I can assure you.”

“We are looking for a man named Roland Gage. Heard he liked to frequent this establishment.”

“Says who?”

“His wife. Cordelia Gage.” The barkeep paused his actions for a second. The rag he was wiping down the counter continued it’s movement once again. 

“Clearly she was not too familiar with her husband, as I only saw him once.”

“Sure, how about a few caps to jog your memory-”

“No amount of those damn caps will jog my memory woman. Now Either order or scram.”

“Well that’s no way to speak to a lady.”

“Wasn’t talking to you zombie-”

“Takes one to know one,” The ghoul lowered his voice and leaned close to the bartender. “Ashy skin, a few nasty blisters… already having the hair full out….When’d ya get exposed?”

“None of your fucking business.”

“Sure it is. Perhaps the little lady and I should let your boss know that he hired a early stage ghoul. You think you'd be let go easily? Or perhaps just put you out of your misery for hiding it?”

“Hush. Fine, if I give you the information will you leave me alone?” The man’s eyes displayed fear and desperation. 

The ghoul grinned widely. “Course we will, won’t we Di?”

Dinah nodded. 

“Roland was awful fond of this girl. Edith. Straight bob, black hair tall. She’ll be able to tell you where he is.”

“That’s all?” She asked.

“Look, if I had more I’d tell you, don’t care what happens to that guy. Edith's at a low table near the dance floor. You can’t miss her.”

The man quickly turned and took the order of another patron.

Dinah turned to the bounty hunter. He had a grin on his face. 

“After you miss ma’am.”

Dinah rolled her eyes and started walking down towards the sound of music.The dance floor was packed with couples dancing in pairs to a live band on a small stage. Tucked in the corners of the space were small cozy booths with low lighting. Dinah had to push past bodies as she weaved her way through the room. She didn’t look back for the bounty hunter, he could handle himself. 

As she evaded being smacked by an overzealous turn she spotted Edith. The barkeep was right, she could not miss the women. She was tall, wearing bright red. A rarity to find a bold color, and to keep it that color. 

The redhead sped up to the booth tucked in the back corner where the woman sat. 

“You Edith?”

The women puffed on a long cigarette. “Suppose I must be.”

The ghoul stepped behind Dinah, and two men casually lingering around the booth made to step forward. 

“Stand back boys, these two don’t look like trouble, yet.,” The ebony haired lady said with a chuckle.

“The barkeep sent us over here, we need info-”

“200 caps.”

“Pardon?”

The woman leaned forward, appraising both the woman and the bounty hunter. “I like redheads and the ghoul is mighty fine.. 150.”

“Deal.” 

The women stood. “Come. Let's go somewhere more private.” 

Dinah started to follow but the ghoul leaned to whisper in her ear. “Smalls, you realized that she wasn-’”

“You hush. I know what I am doing. I said to follow my lead ok?” 

The ghoul laughed with amusement. “Alright. But the caps are coming from you.”

The pair quickly caught up to the woman in red. 

She brought them to a richly decorated room. Red must be Edith’s favorite color because the curtains, carpet and bed were all scarlet hues. 

After they entered Edith sat herself on the bed. 

“Caps first.”

Dinah pulled the roll of pre counted caps from her pack, and placed them on the coffee table.

Edith glanced at them and looked back at the pair.

“You have me for 40 minutes. How do we want to do this?”

Dinah furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

Behind her it sounded like the ghoul was holding back a chuckle. 

“I hope you provided your own radway. Unless you only want him to watch, or only enter-”

Realization hit Dinah like a grenade. “No! no! Stop please stop that’s not what.. Gosh.”

“What did you think this was, girl?” Edith said her voice dripping with amusement.

“I am a woman-”

“Sure dear, sure you are. So what did you actually want?” The lady of the night asked, her hands crossed over her chest. 

The ghoul finally broke and laughed quietly behind Dinah, who was fuming and red in the face. 

“I need information. Heard a fella named Roland Gage liked to pay for your services often. Have any idea where he might’ve gone?”

“Depends on who’s asking.” The woman’s face remained neutral and cool, and she stamped her cigarette out on the ground. 

“Roland’s wife. She wants to find him.”

“Why?”

“Revenge I suppose. He stole from her.”

“Bastard. Stole from me too. Never paid for the last appointment with me.”

“Add 50 more caps. I’ll give you the info you need.”

Dinah grabbed a half roll, it joined the other roll on the table. 

“He left here about 5 weeks ago. He hid out in town for a while, then started going on about a place his wife and ex over wouldn’t find him. Roughly 20 miles north. Little boarding house name of Blue Lagoon suites.” The woman laughed. “If you would be so kind, kick him in the groin and tell him I send my regards.”

Dinah glanced at the ghoul, who nodded. Both stood. “We will. Thank you for your time.”

“Anytime if you have the caps. Oh and doll?”

Dinah turned from the door.

 “Once you get with a ghoul you never go back. Buy Radaway. No dick is worth radiation sickness.” 

"No that's not.. goodbye." Dinah could feel the heat once again rushing to her face. She couldn’t bear to look at the ghoul until they had set up their camp, and the sun had fully gone down.

Chapter Text

A shot rang out jolting Dinah wide awake. She rolled onto her feet, the fire ax already in her hands. She scanned the empty desert, and only spotted the flapping duster of the ghoul off to her right. The man turned and stared at her. 

“Glad to see you finally awakened, pixie.Ya wouldn’t happen to know what happened to my pistol?”

The woman placed her weapon back on her belt and sat crossed legged on her bedroll. 

“Perhaps a little junk urchin fixed it up for you while you snored like a Yao guai all night.” 

“You fixed it? How?”

The woman took a moment to answer. She noticed the ghoul’s bedroll was gone, as was all his supplies. The man had repacked everything. He was going to leave while I was sleeping. Son of fucking bitch. 

“Traded some goods for parts. Managed to adjust the entire frame to let the barrel actually turn. Took until sunrise,” Her irritation and anger was bubbling to the surface.

The ghoul continued to stare at her. “Why’d you do it?”

“Because I didn’t want you to be without a weapon.” She inhaled and stood. She walked slowly to the man. And Dinah was mad. No, she was furious. “Why were you gonna leave without me?”

“Look pixie, I work and travel alone. You are cute and all but you slow me down-”

She was a few feet from him now. “-Shut the fuck up you son of a bitch. I am talking.”

His eyes went wide, then his lips turned into that half grin. 

“I made sure your jerky like hide wasn’t killed on several fucking occasions, I fixed your goshdamned gun, fed you with my own supplies and cared for you when you were injured asking nothing in return. I am tired of giving to you, you fucking thankless bastard.” She hated that he looked amused. 

“Well, sorry about that darling. Not my fault you gave those things without hope of a return. But I am glad ya learned a valuable lesson not to give things for free. Now, I wish you the best-.”

“Who’s Barb?”

The ghoul’s face went stormy, his smug grin disappearing. “No idea what you are yammerin’ about woman.”

Dina was emboldened by his response. She stepped until he was a foot from her. “Yes you do cowboy. I brought you coffee, and you said “Smells good Barb. Who was she?” He wasn’t giving anything. She spoke again. “Another woman you abandoned to die a-”

The ghoul was on her before she could react. He tackled her to the warm dried clay ground. Dinah kicked and struggled but he was much stronger than her. The bounty hunter managed to maneuver her on her stomach. His knee was placed firmly on her back as he started to tie up her ankles. As he did this Dinah was still seething with anger. 

“You good for nothing piece of filth. Least you could is shoot me and have it over with,” Dinah spat at him.

“Who says I-” He pulled her arms behind her back and attempted to lash her resisting arms together. “-wanna kill ya?” his hand went to her shoulder to get a better grip, and his hands grazed her raised ugly scars  that cascaded far beyond her upper back. The man stopped and pulled away his hand as if he had been burned. 

“Hey don’t-” 

The man pulled the back of her shirt down a bit and stared down at the crisscrossing pattern of cigarette burns, poker marks, brandings and crude words displayed and healed across her back. His gloved fingers barely touched the illegible writing that ran across from one shoulder blade to the other. 

Dinah flipped her head to try to glance at the ghoul still kneeling on her back.”Earth to bounty hunter-“

“The hell happened to you dollface?”

The woman squirmed; she didn’t like anyone to see her gruesome mutilated back. Let alone someone touch it.

“You don’t care. So why the hell would I tell you? Just finish tying me up and let me die to the heat.”

The ghoul seemed to be waging a silent internal war. His weight on her back seemed to waver and redouble its efforts for a long heavy moment. He finally spoke, leaning down close to her ear. 

Is he considering letting me come with him for good? Or debating whether to kill me now.

“You promise to run when I tell you to?”

The breath on her face smelled of gunpowder and cigarette smoke. “Yes sir.”

“You promise to do as I say no matter how dangerous or foolish it might sound?”

“I promise.”

“Without question?”

“I do sir.”

“Will you promise tell me how you got those nasty scars?”

“Only if you untie me first.”

The ghoul removed his knee and untied her legs and arms. As soon as she was free she grabbed and flipped him, his back now against the sand and she was happily sitting on top of the man, her thighs firmly pinning his arms against his sides. A knife was flush against his throat. Dinah felt powerful at this moment, something she hadn’t felt before. She grinned down in a flirtatious manner and lowered her lips close to his own. 

“If you ever threaten to leave me again, or tie me up without my fucking consent, I will cut off whatever is left of your shriveled manhood, and make you choke to death on it.. Do you understand cowboy?” she whispered tracing her knife near his carotid artery.  

The man laughed. “Are you flirtin with me?”

“I am not. Take me seriously! I have a knife to your throat!” She blushed and the ghoul laughed harder. 

“Alright darling Di. I understand. Now get the fuck off of me.”

“Only if you say please.”

“I will not.” He said with a grumble.

“Fine. I can sit here all day ghoul.” She started whistling which seemed to annoy the ghoul enough to comply.

The man rolled his eyes. “Please will you get your body off of me?”

“That’s more like it.” Dinah stood and the ghoul got up from the ground. He dusted himself off and nodded to her pack. 

“Gather you stuff, I am leaving in 5 minutes.”

Dinah gathered her things, put on her cowboy hat and stood. “Let’s go carve that cheating son of a gun like a turkey.”

Chapter Text

They had been walking for 3 hours straight. The sun was at its hottest and Dinah started to slow her pace. The bounty hunter never stopped and kept walking. It wasn’t until Dinah nearly collapsed in the shade of a small outcrop of desert rocks that he spoke again. 

“tired already, sugar bomb?” 

Dinah dragged herself up to sit leaned against the cooler rock. She only nodded, and padded the ground next to her. 

The ghoul sighed annoyingly but sat next to her. 

Dinah handed her canteen to the ghoul first, he took it and a small swallow. He glanced at her with curiosity.

“Again, why do you always give me the first sip?” The woman took the bottle from his hand and took a large swig. 

“Cause I wanna make sure you can protect us.”

“No, that's not the reason.” The man glanced away from her to the empty desert. “It’s cause you’re a good person. Kind hearted.”

“You gonna mock me about it, cowpoke?”

“Nah, just pointing it out.”

Dinah laid back, her pack placed under her head. She glanced up at the mostly clear blue sky. 

“So.. you promised you’d tell me-“

“Sure is a pretty day.” Dinah said, trying to ignore his prodding. 

“We made a promise. I’m curious.”

“It’s not a happy story.”

“With scars like that, I figured.”

The young woman inhaled slowly. “I was rescued from some strange bunker in the middle of nowhere. Suppose rescue is too neutral a word. Slavers found me, and a few others. Killed the ones who were too young, old or sick to sell.” She slowly sat up and pulled her shirt off. “Go on. Take a long look. The redhead could feel the ghoul’s eye scan her back. 

“Are there fucking words…” He sounded moved.

“Oh yeah. My rescuers branded me with their seal. Make sure if I escaped I would be returned. My price is also on my left shoulder. I was originally 400 caps, you can see the burned out reduced prices. McMillian bought me for 150.”

The ghouls bare finger slid gently across the burned and scarred price. He whistled. “Looks like the sweat and friction from that shirt caused them to rub raw.. Must hurt like hell.” He quickly removed his hand and continued. “What's the rest of these from?”

The women suddenly felt very naked in front of the slightly better behaved bounty hunter. She threw her tank back on quickly. “Punishments for escape attempts mainly. I never stopped trying to run, or attempting to help others run. I’d seen the brothels and mob bosses they would sell to…” Her voice trailed off as the memory of children no older than 12 were ripped away from crying peers and fellow slaves came to mind.

Dinah turned and stared at the ghoul. “I once saw a pair of twins, a girl and boy,  around 13 sold to an entire group of raiders…”

The ghoul looked away from her. “People are horrific; aren’t they darling.”

The only sound that surrounded them was tumbleweeds chasing each other through the Mojave and the sound of the dry hot wind.

“Why were you in that bunker sugarbomb?”

“No idea.” She glanced down and started playing with the head of her fire axe. 

“What do you mean no idea?”

“I have no memory of the place or what happened to me there. Don’t even know where I was. First thing I remember is being found by the slavers.”

“Hm. Strange.”

Dinah pulled her hat off and wiped her brow. “Can you tell me who Barb is?”

The man didn’t tackle her this time. “Ex wife.”

“ Hm. Is she a ghoul?”

“Don’t know, haven't seen her for nearly 100 years.. Probably more.”

Dinah flipped onto her side and faced the man fanning himself with his hat. “How old are you?”

“I reckon’ 240? Give or take.”

“So you were alive before the Great War-” 

“I will not answer any questions concerning the bomb doll. That’s final.”

Dinah opened her mouth to protest, but decided against it. “Alrighty.. Can I nap real quick? I am exhausted.”

“Fine. Too hot to keep going anyhow. I’ll keep watch.”

Before Dinah drifted off into slumber, she cracked open her eyes. “Promise you won’t leave without me cowboy?” She practically whimpered. She did not want to wake up alone 

It seemed the bounty hunter clocked that, and he nodded. “I promise. Go to sleep.”

“That’s the freaking ugliest sign I have ever seen.” 

The ghoul and the woman were standing under a large sign, glancing up at it. The sign must have originally been dark blue, but the centuries of sunbleach made it odd corpse-like hazy blue. On the sign two wave people stared, holding their hand up in a greeting. Their eyes and smiles had been used as target practice over the years. 

The ghoul barked a laugh. “Same here. Even uglier than when I was here last.”

Delph was puzzled. “You’ve been here before?”

“Yep. Now come on, we have some cheating bastards to butcher, remember?” He turned and started walking.The woman hurried after the long strided man. As the sign indicated, the Blue Lagoon suites were 2 miles due west. They made it there in around a half hour. 

A bell rung as they stepped in the little building marked as office by a sign that hung above the door. A woman around 40 with thick brown hair and a classically beautiful face set down an old tattered magazine and glanced at the pair.

“Well I’ll be damned. If it isn’t the handsomest ghoul in the Mojave.”

The man tipped his hat at the woman. “Wonderful to see ya May.”

The woman grinned. “What brings you all the way out here?”

Dinah was starting to feel threatened and ignored. She stepped close to the ghoul and forward so the woman could see her. 

The woman behind the desk shot her a glance. It was obvious she was analyzing her. 

“Who’s the redhead?”

“Hey. I am-“ Dinah was ready to defend herself against this woman.

“She’s with me.”

The brunette lady raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Oh, thought you worked alone?”

“I do. She’s just traveling with me.”

“Sure. Now what can I do for you?”

“Looking for a fella by the name of Roland Gage. Average height, blond, brown eyes.”

“I mean I suppose I could’ve seen him..”

The ghoul fished into his pocket and set a roll of 80 caps onto the desk.

“Yes I did see him. Went to the lagoon around 2 days ago. Told him it wasn’t safe but.. haven’t seen him since.”

“Thanks May.”

“You planning on staying here the night? Cause I know one room that is definitely open..” the woman flirted.

The ghoul laughed. “Tempting, but we have a good reason to hurry back to New Vegas.”

Dinah felt a pang of jealousy in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t sure why. 

The ghoul leaned forward onto the desk. “Which way to the famous blue lagoon?”

It turns out it was only a mile from the boarding house. The area Was fenced, various signs warned of the danger of the hot springs. 

“Dang it.” Dinah said as a sulfuric puddle swallowed her leg up to her calf. 

The ghoul laughed at her unfortute situation. 

She ignored him and managed to pull her leg out. “Where is this entrance anyway?”

“Underground doe eyes.”

Their pace didn’t stop but she threw him a surprised glance. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a cave that leads to the blue lagoon.” He stopped. 

Dinah heard it. The annoying whine of blood bugs. She pulled her axe and the bounty hunter pulled his gun.

Movement and a flurry of wings came buzzing behind them. 

Dinah was able to get one with her ax cleaving a split down its thorax. The ghoul was able to fire a few shots into one crippling it, and nabbed another kill on one being Dinah. 

She knocked a leg and a wing off of the biggest one, and it fell to the ground buzzing furiously.

The ghoul grabbed one with his hands and snapped its head from its body. Dinah stamped the crippled and dewinged beast to death, and the ghoul finished the rest. 

“Juniper Cowboy… you’re strong.” Dinah said in awe.

He was crouched over one of the bodies. “Catch Doe eyes.” He threw a carving knife at her feet, she managed to catch it on the handle. 

“What’s this-“

“Dinner. Now get to carving.”

She didn’t know how but she was determined not to let him know. 

They left around 20 minutes later, bloodbug steak wrapped in discarded papers in their pack.

Chapter Text

Dinah didn’t register the overhang of rock jutting down from the cave entrance until she was flat out on her ass seeing stars. The fall made her smarting wounds that had reopened on her back burn. Tears sprang to her eyes. The ghoul was laughing. He dropped on a knee to hover over her with an amused expression on his face. 

“Oops, Should’ve told you to duck.” 

“You’re a real piece of work you know that?”

The man stood. “Yeah I am. Keeps me alive and sane though.”

“No that damn inhaler keeps you sane. Unless Cordelia was lying bout that too…”

She sat up slowly blinking away the fuzziness from her vision. The ghoul didn’t look worried. “Let’s go.”
Dinah quickly stood and ran quickly in the direction he had disappeared. The cave was surprisingly cool despite the early evening being near 98 outside. The cave was wide enough for two people to stand side by side at the narrowest part, and triple that size at the largest. Lights were attached to the cave walls, but clearly misuse and no electricity allowed them to now look like dirt covered ghosts. Dinah had her own lantern, and the ghoul had one, but neither were bright. The small glow from her own lantern provided little comfort as the stony cavern was pitch black otherwise. Little bugs and lizards scurring away from her lantern caught her attention and she ran right into a solid mass. The ghoul turned and scowled at her. He raised a finger to his lips. The man's hand was holding his gun and he stepped forward about a foot and nodded for her to follow. She saw why as he glanced around a rock wall bend. 

The cave opened up to a massive lagoon. She saw what made him pause. At least 7 unmoving bodies were strewn about the ground. In the middle of the lagoon just as blue as promised was a corpse flouting wih the help of a tattered faded orange lifejacket. Another opening in the cave was blocked by dirt and rubble, but it looked wide enough to have an entire car pulled sideways though it at one point. The area was illuminated by various mounted emergency lamps, glow flares and several working electrical floodlights. 

“Good golly.” The woman whispered softly. No movement greeted them as they cleared the large space. They put away their guns and instantly Dinah was on the ground checking the bodies for any good items. 

She didn’t realize the ghoul was behind her as she was on her knees patting down a rigid body. 

“You’re a little pack rat at heart, aren’t ya?”

The woman started and glanced up at the man. He looked rather… amused oddly enough. 

“Least I have a heart old man..”

The man moved quickly down to her level. He tipped her hat up and looked at her with that damn smug half smile. It sent butterflies down to her stomach. 

“Oh really?” He said his voice low and steady. More drawl. Cowboyish somehow. 

“Yeah. You have no heart.” Her own voice was not convincing in the slightest, as it was soft and quiet.

The ghoul chuckled softly. The sound that was almost normal. His hand grasped her own, the 4 heavy rolls of caps falling to the ground she had gathered. Her hand was pressed over his chest right over his heart. It beat strongly, Dinah could feel each one clearly. Dinah’s green eyes moved up from her hand sitting on his muscled chest and wandered up to his dark eyes. He was close enough to her that his gunsmoke and leather smell started to be imprinted on her memory for good. 

“I’ll be darn-”

“Damn. Say the real dirty word, Darlin’.” The ghoul’s voice was a soft rasp as he interrupted her. 

“I’ll be damn. You.. you do have a heart.” 

He moved closer and Dinah didn’t know whether to be scared or ecstatic. The man laughed and grabbed the discarded rolls of caps. He stood quickly still laughing. 

“Nice eye Di, nearly 200 caps.” 

“Hey, I found those!”

“Yes, but  let you let me steal them.”

“Darn you, you no good scoundrel.” The ghoul laughed harder and walked to look through an ammunition box. The redhead continued to dig through 4 out of the five corpses. She was leaned over a crate when something occurred to her. 

“Hey ghoul!”

The man glanced up from where he was examining some clothing off of far older, dried corpse. 

“How the heck is Cordelia gonna know if we brought her her husband's tongue and eyes?”

“Well, the man was rather eccentric. His tongue was split down the middle like a damn rattlesnake. His eyes, well she said he had brown eyes. If we find the tongue, we find the eyes.”

She nodded then a horrifying thought struck her. “Wait, does that mean I need to be prying open all the corpse’s mouths?”

“Yeah. How else would we find it?”

She continued onto the last corpse propped against the cave wall. The body’s face was covered with a hat. Just as she fished into the corpse’s vest pocket, its scarred and hot hand reached out and grasped her wrist. She yelped and managed to wrench her hand out of its grip and stepped away, her fire axe firmly in her hands. The ghoul was rushing towards her gun ready to fire. 

“Stop! They are not a threat!” She knelt down and waved. “Hey ma’am, sorry to give you a fright-”

The woman slowly pulled the hat off of her face and her dry jaundiced eyes slowly regarded them. Dinah gasped, she was a ghoul. Her skin was peeling perhaps from the moisture, perhaps from more radiation exposure. 

The woman opened her dry lips to speak. “Damn, thought-” Her voice dropped to a growl for a moment. “Thought’ I’d never see another face again.”

Dinah stepped forward but the ghoul pulled her away. She angrily glanced at him. “She needs our help-”

The woman sounded like her lungs were crumbling, and she kept growling a little. “Smooth skin is right, I need help-”

“You are beyond saving and you know that.”

Dinah was pulling out a small carton of water. “Do you want some?”

The woman nodded as fast as she could. The water slid over, and she painstakingly pulled the already opened container to her lips. Most of the water didn’t stay in her mouth, dripping down her tattered shirt. 

The ghoul pushed Dinah behind him with a stern look. He turned back to the woman. “You seen a man by the name of Roland Gage?”

“That son of a bitch is why I was her in the first place. He and I-shit doesn’t matter anymore-” She started making animalistic noises that made Dinah’s hair stand on end. “We and a small crew plan to bust an operation down here. Steal their equipment, resell it. Most stuff down here was untouched since the war on account of its reputation. Unfortunately, a trap set by Mr. Gage over there” She nodded towards the corpse floating in the clear blue water. “Went off, killing everyone except me. Gas trap I think. He didn’t count on me being able to breathe-” Something shifted in the woman's eyes. The ghoul clicked the bullet into place and called out to the woman. 

“What’s your name miss?”

The almost convulsing woman paused and with immense effort spat out, “Jenny Winston.”

The ghoul nodded and raised his weapon. “See you on the other side, Jenny Winston.” He shot her twice, then as she rose he shot her once more and she dropped. 

Dinah gagged and dry heaved leaned against the cave wall. She was expecting the ghoul to laugh at her weakness, mock her for being soft. He didn’t.

He was still staring at the still oozing woman motionless on the ground. “Let’s get something to drag Roland’s body from the water.” He turned sharply and started looking around. 

Dinah had managed to pull herself together. She pushed away from the wall and looked at the ghoul. “I’m confused, can’t we just wade in there and grab him?”

“Go ahead and do that darling. But first,” He threw a plastic fork at her feet, “Stick this in the water before jumping in.”

Dinah looked at him puzzled, but picked up the fork and walked over to the pretty blue edge of the lagoon. She bent down and stuck half of the fork into the water. At first, nothing seemed to be happening. Then bubbles started fizzing around the fork, and suddenly, the utensil seemed much lighter. Dinah frowned and pulled the object out. The half of the fork was no longer attached to the handle. It had melted the object. 

“Oh. Let me help you find something.” The redhead said and started searching for a long enough item. 

They managed to find a couple brooms and rakes. Dinah took them apart quickly and lashed them together with twine and lots of duct tape. They both had to carefully handle the pole and the body of the cheating thief was pulled towards them. 

“How’d he get out there?”

“Don’t know, don’t wanna know. Now pull harder sugar.” The ghoul said between clenched teeth.

The man looked completely normal from the top. Dinah had wrongly assumed that he was on top of a raft. The ghoul pulled the body by the belt to shore, and the body flipped. Dinah didn’t get to scream, she was simply too shocked. A direct line from where the water had sat for the last two days had stripped the man of everything except his shiny white bones. It was morbid to see a normally looking body on top, and nothing but the foundation underneath. 

“Pack rat!” The ghoul said again. 

“Oh, yeah.”

She glanced up, and the wicked scalpel was being held out to her. 

“No. I am not-”

“Yes. You will. Toughen up buttercup.”

She frowned and crossed her arms in determination. “No, I am not carving eyeballs or a tongue from a cheating bastard. You do it.”

“That’s your final answer?”

“No… Look I want to, I just… it scares me..” 

“Too damn bad. Do it. Now.” The surgical knife was still held aloft for her to take. “That’s an order. You promised you would follow my orders.”

The woman bit her tongue and grabbed the knife. She didn't expect the instrument to be so sharp. It sliced deep past the eye socket and into the soft mushy brain matter below. Dinah managed to get one eye out completely, and managed to get most of the other one as well. She bundled them in a piece of newsprint, and shoved them aside. The ghoul was now sitting on a boulder 4 yards away watching her progress. He was able to reach the paper packed eyes, and carefully placed them in his sack. The tongue came next. Dinah decided that piercing though the bottom up would be easier than trying to pry the corpse’s stiff mouth open. She did, and by the time she was done, she was absolutely covered in blood. It looked like she walked into a stream of gore. Walking over, blood dripping from her scalpel, the tongue carefully cradled in her palm. She was mad at the man for pushing her. She was furious that he hadn’t even offered to help. She crouched, handed the tongue to the ghoul, and did something very stupid. Dinah reached up, cupped the ghouls face in mock of a lover's touch, and slid her thumb across his bottom lip. This left a crimson strip along his face, and she grinned wickedly, contempt brimming on the surface. She made to stand and the ghoul grabbed her. His grip on her wrist was so strong it started to throb like a bruise. Fright did grace her face, an unreadable expression was on his. 

“Do you have any idea what the smell of warm, sticky blood does to a feral, vixen?”

“No. Never had the pleasure of being in a situation where blood and a feral came into contact.” Her voice shook. 

“Watch your smart little mouth. Or I'll find a better use for it.”

“What a degrading thing to say-” This was true, but the phrase made her feel very hot and bothered suddenly. 

“I told you I am not a good or nice man. Your stubborn brain just won’t comprehend it.That was a fucking braindead thing to do. Blood makes feral go into a bloodlust. They need to hunt down and find whatever bled. Then darlin’, once they tire you out from running and chasing, they eat you alive. Gnawing on you while you are screaming out in pain.” He pulled her closer so that his hot tobacco and whiskey flavored breath breezed on her face. “You will slowly be consumed by a thing that was once a friend, a husband, mother, child. I might not be feral just yet, but I have only 1 vial of my sanity left. Do not tempt me with the siren song of your tasty flesh or blood again.” 

He let go of her, threw the tongue in the pack and stamped out of the cave. Dinah followed, crying silently behind him.

Chapter Text

The Ghoul spoke not a word to her on their trip back to New Vegas. It was maddening. Dinah tried her best to get him to acknowledge her presence. She carved up animals without him asking for meat, she made sure his guns were in working order, and she even made him coffee again, a rare treat.

They approached The drunken lunar bar and went inside. The ghoul was expecting her to follow him like a lovesick puppy, and she was acting like one for the most part. As they walked by some shops, a red and white striped moving sign caught her attention. A paper sign plastered on the glass informed her that her haircuts were 5 caps. The ghoul noticed her stopping and grumpily looked at her. 

“I don’t have to follow you everywhere. Go flirt with Cordelia and get the caps and info.” 

The man continued to stare at her. 

“You know, if you used your words, you could tell me to come with you.” She waited. “Fine. See you after you're done.” They both still had the radios that worked, so if he lost her, he could simply call her.

She turned on her heel and walked into the barber shop. Her hair hadn’t been cut for a year, and it was getting to be a hazard even while up. The longer the braid, the easier to grab and pull. 

A middle-aged man was busy shaving another gentleman as she stepped in. 

“Looking for a cut?”

“Yep.”

“Give me a couple of minutes.”

She nodded and sat on the ancient, cracked vinyl chair. Dinah flipped through a Few reference magazines while she waited.

“Alright, doll. Whatcha want?”

“A bob.”

“Got it.”

Dinah found herself wandering into a bar. She sat at the bar top on an old stool. “What’ll you have?” The bartender bent down to smile at her. 

“Nuka cola.”

“This ain’t a soda shop.”

“My caps are the same. A Nuka Cola.”

The woman behind the counter stared at her, then knelt. She picked up and opened the Nuka-Cola, sliding it to Dinah. Dinah placed the caps on the counter and sipped the cooled beverage. 

She stayed there a while. Just enjoying being safe and cool. Her radio crackled, and by instinct, she picked it up. “Are you there, old man?” She listened. 

Static. 

She turned to the bartender again. “Whiskey over the rocks. Your most expensive.” She decided to have it ready just in case. A sorta apology. Half apology, as she technically didn't mean any harm.

15 minutes later, he found her. The sound of his heavy boots let her know he was walking over. She turned and smiled at him. He paused before he sat on the barstool next to her.

Dinah slid the whiskey to the man.  “From me. Don’t mention it.”

The bounty hunter looked puzzled but started sipping the drink anyway. 

A man sat next to Dinah. She could feel him staring at her. “Excuse me.”

Dinah turned and glanced at the blonde-haired man. “Yes?”

“Did it hurt?”

“Pardon?”

“When you fell from heaven?” The man smiled with far too perfect teeth. The more she looked at him, the more he seemed pieced together. 

She didn’t laugh. “No, but it did when I crawled up from hell.”

The ghoul choked on his drink with a laugh. 

The man frowned and leaned forward. He smelled like rotten flesh covered with rubbing alcohol. “You are far too pretty to be here all alone by yourself. You got a boyfriend? Girlfriend?”

Fudge. “I do.” She nervously glanced at the ghoul, who was currently preoccupied with a tense game of pool behind them. 

“Oh. Well, if-” The man managed to bump her bottle of Cola. He caught it right as it was about to spill. He politely wiped the lid that had touched his hand with a handkerchief. “Pardon my clumsiness! Well, I’ll toast you to happiness, and me to finding my lover!” The man raised his nearly empty glass, and Dinah grabbed her glass to cheer the man, hoping he would leave her alone afterwards. She raised the bottle to her lips, but the ghoul grabbed it out of her hand. 

“Hey!” The look on the ghoul’s face made her silent. He ran a gloved finger on the rim of the bottle and dashed a bit on his tongue. 

“Well. I’ll be. You wouldn’t happen to be giving this little lady a bit of purified Day Tripper, would you?”

“I.. I have no idea what-”

“Cause i don’t remember her asking for it. Seems to me, you wanted to get her in a more agreeable state.”

The man attempted to play off the Ghoul’s accusation. He noticed that the bartender and several of the patrons had started to look just a little bit suspicious. “I would never. I don’t even use chems-”

The ghoul stood and towered over the man. He tilted his cowboy hat up and grinned at the tiny man. “Well, mister, I am sure you won’t mind if I search your person.” The ghoul grabbed the man and nodded at Dinah. She glanced around, the bartender shrugged and went back to serving patrons, and the barflies only watched with mild interest. Dinah hopped down and searched the man’s pockets. She found a bag full of teeth, with the roots still attached by their bloody strings, a surgical scalpel, and the small bottle of powdered, purified Day Tripper. The ghoul grinned down at the patchwork man.

“Damn, what a surprise. We will just have to take that bottle off of you, since you don’t do chems.” The ghoul threw the man out of the bar and turned back to sit with Dinah again, as if nothing unusual had occurred. 

He continued to sip on his whiskey. “Thank you, old man.” It was a simple phrase, but she meant it. He had saved her from a situation she did not want to dwell on. He glanced at her. 

“You’re welcome.” 

Finally, he was talking to me again. “Also, I am sorry for.. What happened at the Blue Lagoon. I didn’t under-”

“I know Di.” They sat in silence for a moment longer. 

Then the young woman turned to the ghoul. “I’ve never played pool before.”

A small glint was in the ghouls' eyes as he leaned towards her. “Oh really? Would you like to learn how?”

Dinah nodded. The ghoul reached forward and gently held her chin. The breath caught in her lungs for a second as he gently moved her head from the left to the right. He seemed to be admiring the shorter hair on her.

“I like that haircut on ya. Makes you look like a doll, or a fairy maybe.” He moved his hand from her chin and softly tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “Alright, let's play a game.”

“Sorry, darlin’. That’s a game.” The ghoul grinned at her pouty expression. 

“I bet I could do better. One more game. But let’s make it interesting.”

“I’d be down to beat your losing self. What stakes are we betting?

“If I win, we stay the night here. We split the cost. And, we get a room with running water.”

“Hm. If I win, we sleep outside, and you shine my boots and hat for 2 weeks.”

“One week.”

“Deal. I’ll let you break this time.” 

Dinah pretended to be intimidated, but she broke perfectly. She managed to sink two balls and looked up at the ghoul with a facade of innocent surprise. 

“I’ve been fooled, it would seem.” He said as he leaned against the wall, his pool cue resting in his right hand. 

“Too bad. Should’ve questioned my honesty.” She leaned way over subconsciously, hoping the ghoul was watching her. Dinah looked up to catch his eye, and he was observing her. 

“You’re leaning way too far forward, Di. You’re gonna fall.” She rolled her eyes and made her shot.

Dinah called the pocket and sank the 8 ball, winning the game. The ghoul didn’t look too pleased. Dinah laughed as she pulled the pool cue from the bounty hunter’s hand. She reracked the cues and skipped happily over to the bar. “Barkeep. Any rooms to rent for tonight?” She could feel the ghoul slowly walking over. 

The woman behind the counter glanced at Dinah, then at the ghoul. “We do. 150 caps for running water. 100 without. They’re down the hall behind the bar. You wanna rent for a night?”

“Yes.” Dinah was instantly counting out 1.5 rolls of caps, but the ghoul set 3 rolls of 50 caps onto the bar. 

The ghoul chuckled behind her. “Wouldn’t mind one night indoors, I suppose.”

The barkeep weighed the rolls of caps with a scale, then once she was satisfied, brought a key from the wall behind her. “All yours for the night. Just keep it down, the walls are not as thick as most customers think.”

Dinah didn’t even register the implication, she was too excited to have access to running water and a bed.

Chapter Text

The room was old but clean. There was only one bed, but Dinah didn’t even notice. The ghoul seemed amused as he threw his pack down and instantly started removing his clothes. 

Dinah was very tempted to watch, but she pulled her eyes away and started removing her own pack, and busied herself with unpacking. 

“You sure you don’t wanna watch little lady?” The cowboy like drawl was back. 

“No. I don’t.”

He laughed. “Fine.” He stamped off to shower. Dinah explored the room. A radio was settled on a table against the wall. Delighted, she turned it on and lollipop started playing.

Dinah moved from the radio to the rest of the room. She pulled open all the drawers, seeing if there was anything she could pocket. She found a couple Bobbie pins, a couple caps, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, which she all pocketed. The drawer of the bedside table stuck and she moved to her pack as the sounds of Tequila played from the radio. The woman pulled a knife out of the side of the backpack and walked back to the drawer. She swayed a little to the beat as she pried the drawer open. Inside was a folded paper. It was an old Vegas blank wedding license. The witness section was full but the names of the two people getting married were blank. Impulsively she pulled a pencil from her bag and wrote her name on one line, and signed the bottom. 

“Whatcha reading there darling?” Dinah jumped. The ghoul was looming over her, still damp from showering. 

“N-nothing.” She quickly folded up the paper.

“Nah you’re blushing. Now I need to see.” He reached for the paper and managed to take it from her.

He read it over, and started chuckling. “Well I’ll be. You want to get hitched, sugar bomb?” 

“No-“

“Why, that’s your name right there. Who’s the groom?” he said grinning at her.

“Suppose it’d be you, bounty hunter.” Dinah said, embarrassed.
She snatched the paper back from him and ran to the bathroom. The redhead shut the door and waited, he didn’t seem interested in following. She stripped down to her underwear and started to slowly unhook her bra from her back. Her scar tissue had reopened and she could feel the tight scabs still oozing. Fudge. Didn’t bring the antiseptic.. I’ll get it after I shower. It took her a moment to understand the controls, but the water started to get more than lukewarm. She hopped into the water and sighed. Dinah slid the frosted glass door shut and shivered. Weeks of grime started to swirl down the drain. A knock at the door made her jump. 

“Sugar bomb, I got something for ya.”

“Can it wait?”

“No.”

Let’s play with him. “Fine come on in.” 

The ghoul waited for second then slid the door open. Like the true gentleman she knew he was, his eyes were focused on the ground. Dinah, however wasn’t feeling very ladylike. 

“What did ya need?”

“Soap. I.. I bought some at the market the other day.” 

He remembered. “Are you serious?! You bought me soap?” She grinned and slid the shower door open to stick her head out. “I’m decently covered by the glass, you can look.”

“Don’t want to make ya uncomfortable. But fine.” He slowly looked up at her. That maddening half smirk was on his face. 

He was handsome. So fucking ruggedly handsome. The bounty hunter had a small wrapped piece of soap in his hand. He held it out and she took it. He quickly glanced back down and hurried back out the door. He returned quickly, and threw a towel on the counter. 

“Thanks old man!” Dinah yelled as the door quickly shut. She gazed at the new piece of bar soap. The redhead carefully unwrapped it. It was pale pink. The young woman brought it up to her nose. It was scented with rose. This Must've cost a fortune. All for a little price of fancy soap. For me.

She managed to find some rubbing alcohol in her own bag near the bottom. Her back stung and burned, but at least it wouldn’t get infected. When she left the bathroom, the ghoul was gone, but she was too tired to care. She put on nothing but underwear and a tank and fell into the old but clean bed. She fell asleep almost instantly, smelling of roses.

The sound of the ghoul humming to himself assured her he was back. And he must be drunk. Dinah cracked open her eyelids. He was stripping most of his layers off. His boots, duster, hat, vest and gloves came off. The ghoul turned and she shut her eyes again. He slowly crept over and she could feel him surveying her. Most likely trying to determine whether she was asleep. She did her best to try to look asleep. It seemed to work as he shuffled to the table, where he had sat a bottle down earlier. He took a large swig, and walked quietly over to her pack. The man dropped down onto his knees and dug through her bag. She was going to call out to him and ask what he as doing when he pulled the folded wedding certificate out. He studied it, for a long moment. The older man stood, and pulled a stub pencil from his pocket. The man hesitated and wrote something on it. He then folded it up once again, and shoved it into his breast pocket. He headed right towards her and she shut her eyes tightly. The mattress creaked with his weight. The ghoul laid back and blew out the solitary candle she had left burning for him. Within 10 minutes he was snoring quietly next to her. His cigarette, leather, and ozone smell made her feel homesick. Homesick… for something. Something she had never experienced before.

Dinah woke, her back was spooned and flush against the ghouls chest. His arms gently wrapped around her waist, and his face was nestled in her hair. It felt safe. He was warm and strong; she slowly nestled herself into his scarred body. It felt like heaven to be held. The early morning light was slowly glowing into the window of the room, and Dinah felt true serenity. Something she had only ever felt when alone in her shop. It seemed her home was now this 200 year old cowboy. No longer any physical location. She could not sleep anymore, but simply listened to the music of the bounty hunter breathing behind her. He inhaled and stirred. He mumbled something, evidence that he was still asleep. 

“You smell.. ..so good earth angel.”

Dinah shivered from his breath drifting over her ear and neck. 

“Thanks cowboy.” She whispered. He pulled her until she could feel his slow heartbeat against her back. 

“… ya… hate when you.. use that… name….Barbie doll..” 

Dinah froze. The ghoul thought she was his ex wife. Maybe if I play a long a bit longer he can hold- she felt sick for even thinking that. Taking advantage of a still heartbroken grieving man for her own comfort. She sighed, and carefully extracted herself from the ghouls resisting arms. 

“.. don’t… don’t leave..” he whispered and fell silent again.

She couldn’t sleep now. Dinah’s green eyes scanned the room, the man’s duster was still grimy as was his vest and outer shirt he had shed after she fell asleep. 

She took his clothes and went to hand wash them. 

After she cleaned both their articles, she laid them out in the already hot sun peeking into the small balcony. 

She then decided to polish his hat with some leather conditioner she had brought with her, and she did the same to his boots. Dinah feel asleep slumped over his vest, inhaling his leather and ozone scent

Chapter Text

“Look, doll.. I don’t know how you haven’t had rad poisoning yet.”

 “Maybe I’m immune.” 

 The ghoul picked up a bottle and inspected it. “No, you aren't. Where we are going, you will need rad away and rad x. Trust me.” 

The doctor/pharmacist looked warily from Dinah to the ghoul. She turned and brought out both chems. Dinah handed over the caps and stuffed them into her bag.  “Where the heck are we going, old man?” Dinah asked as they turned to another table full of food. The man didn’t answer her. They replenished their food and ammunition and left the market.  As they left New Vegas, Dinah turned slowly to stare at the first city she had ever seen.

 The ghoul turned back to her.  “Don’t pout, pumpkin. Now, come on.” 

 The ghoul and Dinah had been walking for 3 hours when Dinah finally broke.  “If you don’t start talking to me, I am going to start singing.”

  The ghoul checked his compass, then glanced at her. “I don’t owe you a conversation.”
“No, you don’t, but it’s rude to leave me to my thoughts. I’ll just talk to myself then.”

 “Fine by me. Just don’t expect my participation.”

  Dinah had fallen a bit back and was watching the ghoul as he walked steadily in front. “Where are we heading?” She waited for an answer. As expected, none came. Several moments of silence passed, and she tried again. “What was the info that Cordelia gave to you?” He ignored her again.

Dinah stayed quiet for an entire hour this time. By that time, they had sat in the shade of a large stone, as it was 3 pm and warm despite the sun setting in the next 3 hours. Dinah took her boots off, as she needed to rebandage a sore that had started to develop on her ankle. She turned and gazed at the ghoul leaning against the stone, his hat, as always, covering his face from the hot desert sun. During the day, when he rested, he slept deeply. His body allowed him to relax as she never napped. But she had noticed that during the evening, he was a very light sleeper. Unless he was drunk, of course. Which had only happened one time.  A thought crossed her mind as her eyes drifted along his prone form. Wonder if ghouls can make babies. Or have sex. The ghoul’s hand slowly grabbed the hat from his face, and caught her eyes. There was a glimmer of amusement within them. “What did you just ask, kitten?”

 Juniper, did I just say that out loud? She swallowed and attempted to look confused. “I didn’t say anything. Your hearing must be going, old man.” 

The bounty hunter sat up and placed his hand behind his head. “No, no. You asked me two questions.” 

“I didn’t!” Her cheek flushed, and she knew the ghoul could see it as he chuckled.

  “Do you want me to answer the questions?”

Gosh yes. “Maybe.. I suppose I wouldn’t ask them if I didn’t desire the answer.” 

“Well.. All ghouls are sterile.”

 “I suppose that makes sense. With the rads and all.”
“As for the other question…Well, it depends on the condition of the ghoul.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, the parts and accessories have to still be attached and functional.”

 “Are your parts functi-” Dinah impulsively started to ask. She cut herself off and turned even brighter red.  The ghoul stared at her, a smile fully gracing his face. His devilish pretty teeth on full display. 

“Now, why would a little naive thing like you ask such a filthy question?” 

 “Mere curiosity, I assure you.” Her voice wavered as she answered.

 The ghoul scooted over until she could feel his holster pressed against her hip. He leaned his face close to her. “I can assure you my parts are in perfect working order, little lady. Were you looking to take a ride?”

  “Heck no!” Dinah pulled herself up from the ground and grabbed her hat and pack. “We are burning daylight, let's go.” She started walking in a random direction quickly. 
“You’re headin’ the wrong  way!”  The man called from behind her. Dinah stopped and waited until she could hear the ghoul getting up, still chuckling.

They stopped once they couldn’t see their own feet in the darkness. After a dinner of dried Brahmin meat was finished, Dinah picked up a spare screw lying on the ground near the small glowing lantern. The ghoul glanced up from the hole he was patching in his boots.  “Why do you grab every shiny thing that catches your eye?”
Dinah was carefully placing the screw into a little glass jar with half a dozen other nails and screws. “Because you never know what you might need.”

 “Like a damn magpie..”

 “Magpie?” 

“Type of bird, related to crows or ravens.” The man paused his repair and gazed out into the dark, swallowing the landscape around them. “Probably doesn’t exist anymore..” His voice trailed with a wistful tone. One Dinah had never heard from him. It wasn’t her place to pry. The young woman was reminded of her scars as they burned as her shirt was pulled from the wounds weak attempt to heal. She hissed, and the ghoul looked at her. 
“Nothing. Just my scars, I’m fine.” 

“Don’t seem fine..” 

“Aww, you’re worried about me.”

 The ghoul scowled and looked away from her again. “I worry about the person who can fix my weapons like no one I've met. You just happen to be that person.” 

“And you complimented me. I think you’re getting soft.” She said with a laugh. “Look, can you please tell me what info Cordelia gave you?” Dinah asked with a yawn. As she waited for an answer, she turned down the lamp before slipping into her bedroll.  

“Cordelia told me we need to head to Boulder City. A crime boss has a steady supply of the serum I need. I reckon’ if I do some jobs and pull some favors I’ll be able to get some more.”
“How far is it from here?”

 “18 miles. Not exactly far, should be there before the end of the day tomorrow. But here’s the thing, pumpkin.” The man locked eyes with her. “This place is a ghoul-safe city.”

 Dinah smiled. “Why, that’s wonderful!” She noticed his stoic expression. “Isn’t it?”

“No. Smooth skins aren’t allowed at all. Unless they are brought in by a ghoul.” 

“Well, that is kinda a bummer.. But that’s okay. You just-”

 “Darling. You don’t understand. You’ll have to act like my escort. My property. Like I own you.” 

Dinah’s mouth went dry. She never wanted to feel like someone else’s property ever again. “Is that why you didn’t want to tell me?”

 “I didn’t know how. Not all ghoul settlements are like this… just this one. If you’re serious about following me… you’ll need to follow whatever I say. I have a reputation to uphold if I want to get those serums.”

 She knew he was giving her a large enough heads up if she didn't want to continue following him. Little did he know the only reason she wanted to live was to be with him, as her only source of joy, her town and junk shop, was gone.   “What… what type of reputation?”    

The man fixed her with a glare. “...that I am not someone to mess with.”

“Oh, so scary..” She said mockingly with a yawn. 

He moved quickly and leaned over her. The man studied her for a long moment. “Di, you have no idea the things I have done. Things I have done without a second thought. If you come with me, you will hear and see a side of me that will make you wish you ran. I am giving you a chance. To leave, find a caravan or traveling merchant to follow. Anything but follow a 200-year-old, gnarled ghoul into a den of iniquity as a glorified call girl.”

Dinah sat up and held his eyes. Something else was in the ghoul’s eyes. Self pity.. No. It was grief for whoever he was. She thought, realization hitting her. It was revulsion for what he became whenever he changed into The Ghoul. She reached out her hand, hesitating. Then gently she placed her hand on his face, cupping the side of his cheek and temple. She waited for the man to pull away or push her off, but he didn’t. His skin was rough, warm, and weathered, she liked it. The redhead slowly stroked his cheekbone with her thumb. 

“But, you’re not a ghoul. You are not some terrible creature. You are a man. A person who matters, not because of what you have done, but because you are human.” Dinah moved herself closer until her knees touched his thighs, her hand still holding his face. “And I trust you. I trust you to take me out of the frying pan, and into the fire-”

“What if it means taking you out of the fire and to the heat of hell?” His voice dropped low and soft. Dinah wanted to lean forward and… do something. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his own. 

“I trust you to take me through hell and back, cowboy. As long as I get to stay with you.” The ghoul exhaled slowly. She could feel his breath whisper across her face. The young woman slowly opened her eyes, and she swore she could feel his body ready to move toward her. Instead, the man stiffly stood and turned away from her sharply. 

“I need a smoke. Don’t wait up for me.”

She watched as the man disappeared from the warm haze of the lantern and walked quickly behind a shipping container lit only by the cool full moon. Dinah was confused by this action, as he had never left to smoke before.  It didn't matter, she was tired and confused and more than a little nervous to see the den of iniquity they would be walking into tomorrow. She fell asleep once she heard the ghoul's heavy footsteps making their way back towards her. 

Chapter Text

The ghoul took one more hit of the inhaler about 45 minutes before they reached the historic part of Boulder City. After putting the inhaler away, he called after Dinah. 

“Baby doll, we gotta talk about something before we have ears everywhere.”

Dinah turned and stopped walking. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”

“Look, when we get to Boulder City, you’re not gonna be able to say your mind like you do normally.”

“I hadn’t thought about that.” She furrowed her brow. “Wait, does that mean I can only be seen and not heard?”

The ghoul did not hold back his laugh. “That would be a nightmare for you, wouldn’t it? You could talk the head off of a Brahmin, beautiful.”

Dinah didn’t hear the compliment. She was lost in thought. “But I can’t not speak my mind. Is there a word or phrase you can say when it’s safe for me to be more frank?”

The ghoul looked surprised. “Hate to admit it, that’s not a half bad idea. I am not so cruel as to let ya’ be mute the whole time. Although” the ghoul wiped his brow before continuing with a grin. “I can’t say that wouldn’t be tempting. How about.. Juniper?’

Dinah thought for a second. “Yeah. That sounds great to me.” She waited for the ghoul to start walking so she could follow. Instead, he was staring at her. 

“What?”

“Strip.”

“I beg your fucking pardon old man?” Dinah was astonished at his request. 

His eyes narrowed.  “Woah there, doll. Watch your language. Now, I've given you an order. Strip.”

He turned away, leaving Dinah fuming, but mostly confused. She dutifully stripped down to her bra and underwear. She inhaled shakily before asking, “Do you want everything off?”

“No. Put this on.” The man blindly tossed her a rolled-up black tank top that scooped low on the chest. A pair of small, black shorts came flying after. Both fit her fine, the shorts were a little loose around her waist, but not enough that it caused any issue. The attire was certainly skimpier then she was wearing before. 

“You decent?”

“Suppose so,” Dinah answered after buttoning up the shorts. The ghoul turned. He studied her clothing for a moment. 

“Here.” The man stripped his duster off and pulled off his heavy leather vest. He approached Dinah and roughly placed it on her body. The woman was still quite mad, but she liked the weight of the vest, and she secretly liked the fact that she had his whiskey and ozone smell with her at all times. 

“So why in the heck am I being forced to strip by a 200-year-old bounty hunter?” Dinah said with more venom than she had intended. He had been decent and never made her feel spied on, and she did not doubt that he was doing this for a good reason.

The ghoul stepped back from her as if he had been hit. He opened his mouth, then shut it again. He stepped very close to her, invading her personal space. She gasped as he roughly jerked her chin up to look at him. His eyes showed frustration but no anger. Intensity is what spilled out from his expression. 

“Listen very carefully, little lady.” He said, his voice no louder than a whisper, but deeper than an upright bass. “If you went into Boulder City looking like you did, exuding naivety and covering up your young body, one of two things would occur.” His gloved hand grabbed her waist and pulled her until they were chest to chest. Dinah was starting to get very scared as he pulled his face close to her. 

“Either you would be suspected of being my hunting partner, here to poach some godforsaken zombies,” Dinah flinched as the slur came hurtling out of his mouth with venom. “And sell them off to be studied, tortured, or carved up for medicine by some smoothskin quack. Or, you would be a target. The perveted men and woman can smell your inexperienced darlin’... You would be passed around until you would beg them for a quick bullet in the brain. The worst part is that’s what most of these predators get off on, that, promising you freedom for one more time on your knees, one more painful go on your back-” 

Dinah was struggling in his grip, which felt like it was going to bruise. 

“So yes. For your own damn protection, I needed you to strip. I need you to blend in as much as possible. Do you understand me, woman?”

Dinah was attempted to pull away from the intensity in the ghoul’s face. “Yeah yeah sure.” The redhead didnt want to think about what could be waiting for her in Boulder City. She attempted to brush off the ugly picture he painted her. 

“You need to look like you belong to me, like you have belonged to me for a while.. If people know that, you will be shielded and protected, baby. No one would dare touch you. I will not repeat myself again: Do you understand?”

Dinah’s blurry, tear-filled eyes drifted slowly up to his own, and she nodded. “Understood, sir,” she said softly with a sniff.

“Why are you crying?”

“You’re hurting me. My waist-” The ghoul looked horrified for the first time, as he let go of her and pulled up her shirt gently. His grip was imprinted on her waist. 

“Fuck. Didn’t realize I was gripping you that hard.” 

Dinah swallowed. Despite the throbbing pain, she desired to leverage the rare event in front of her. He was feeling bad for accidentally hurting me. How delicious. 

“You can make it up to me.”

The ghoul stared at her, and apprehension and a sliver of guilt seemed to be on display for her. It felt powerful to have him so at her mercy. I could get used to this. 

“Depends on what, but… I suppose I owe you something. Name your demands, little lady.”

“First, get on your knees and beg my forgiveness.”

The ghoul barked a laugh. “No.”

“Ah come on. Look-” She pulled up her shirt past the bruise purposely. “You did this to me. It’s already starting to bruise.”

The man rolled his eyes and slowly got down on his knees. “I’m sorry your skin is just too soft and smooth.” 

Hell, was that a compliment? “No, it’s not my fault, apologize better.”

“Fine. Sorry, I held you too strongly. I didn't mean to. There, happy?”

She offered her hand and helped him stand. She leaned close on her tip toes so that they were eye to eye. “With you, cowboy, I always am.”

“Any other demands?”

“Hm. Yes, tell me I am pretty. I mean, complement me.”

The ghoul whistled a smile on his face. “I would be happy to oblige. You are pretty.”

“Go on,” Dinah said boldly. 

“Hm, well, you have a mean right hook. And you can gut a man like no one else I’ve seen.”

“One more, then you’re forgiven.”

“Sounds fair. I think you might be the cutest thing this side of the Mojave.” The western twang had slipped back into his voice. Then he caught her eye and winked. Dinah gasped quietly to herself. The ghoul chuckled and picked up the pack he discarded during their heated conversation. 

Dinah trotted up to him. “ Now, come on. We have some ghouls to bamboozle.” She fondly tilted his hat and pulled him towards the city, opening up towards them.

Chapter Text

The fire ax was regretfully left on the desert floor by Dinah right before they arrived. Her holster and gun were taken by the ghoul after she grazed him during a run-in with some roaming raiders earlier in the morning. Dinah's arm was now far shakier, and her aim was worse than before. The semi-forced removal of her firearm by the ghoul caused her not to speak with him for 7 hours. Unfortunately, this silent spell caused no ill effects on the man.

It was sundown by the time they arrived. They were greeted at a makeshift guard station on the edge of the city. 

“Hold there.” A ghoul woman with eyes like the ocean halted them. “State your business, stranger.”

The ghouls' demeanor was cold and calculated. “Call Mr. Bob Wallace. Tell him the ghoul is taking jobs. He’ll be glad to dispense with any other questions.”

The woman stared at the man and pulled out a handheld radio set.

“Mr. Wallace, got a man here. Goes by the Ghoul.” 

“Send him to me. No need to check him.” A warm, confident voice said back.

The woman hung up the radio and started to let the ghoul through. Dinah attempted to follow but was harshly pushed back. The woman started to pat her down, and Dinah pulled away, scared and startled. She looked at the ghoul in fear. He stepped between them. 

“The hell do you think you are doing to my property?”

“Your pet needs to be patted down for weapons. Only you are exempt.”

“She doesn’t like to be touched. She bites if she doesn’t get her way. Let me do it.”

The woman hesitated for a moment, but the steely look in the man’s eyes made her falter. “Fine.”

The ghoul caught her eyes and slowly bent down and convincingly patted her legs down, slowly moving up towards the top of her thighs. The only weapons were throwing knives stowed right against her body, flush against her hip, and tucked into her bra. Lastly, a small sheathed scalpel was tucked into her boot. The ghoul continued to pat her arms and side. The guard seemed satisfied with the job. The gate opened, and they walked through. 

The place was impeccable. Fully lit, bright flashing signs adorned the historical buildings. It filled the cracked but intact streets with the glow of warm, gaudy haze. People of varying stages of ghoulification wandered around, coming and going from the various shops, casinos, and clubs. People now gave her second glances, or even paused for a mere second to look her up and down, but never in the eye. They wound their way until they got to a large building. No sign adorned the facade, but people were walking out of it laughing, tripping, or humming. 

They stopped inside. The landing led into a large bar. The bartop was made of white marble, and the walls were pristine dark walnut siding that stopped halfway up the wall. The rest was a dusty dark blue that looked freshly painted. The place was packed full. Men in dark suits were carefully wandering around, watching and taking care of rowdy customers. The bounty hunter led her up a set of stairs to the third level. Two suited men were guarding a door down a large hallway. 

The two men only stepped aside and let them through. How infamous was he? Dinah thought. People did not bother them at all here. 

The first thing Dinah noticed was the smell. Rubbing alcohol seemed to permeate the large office. The second thing she noticed was the two smooth-skinned women. One was sitting on the man’s lap, the other was sitting at his feet like a dog. Both look miserable. 

The man himself looked surprisingly normal. He still had hair, and his nose was mostly intact. 

A clear, unghoul-like voice greeted them. “The famed Ghoul has come back home.”

The ghoul didn’t smile. “Never was my home. Don’t have one.”

“Nonsense. You know I always take care of my people. Take a seat.”

There was only one chair, so the ghoul sat, and Dinah, who had been drawing back, stepped up next to him. The mobster and leader of the settlement leaned forward, the woman pushed off his lap with the motion. 

“She yours?”

The ghoul hesitated, then grabbed her hand. “Yeah.” He then pulled her down onto his lap sideways. Dinah was ready to push off, but remembered his warnings. 

“Thought you didn’t take bitches from the market.” Dinah bristled and tensed. She could feel the ghoul squeeze her thigh in a warning not to be rash.

“Never said that. Just never did before.”

“She must be one delicious creature then. Little thing looks very different from Barb.”

The hand holding Dinah’s hand clenched. She glanced up and saw his jaw tighten. Then forcefully relaxed.

“Suppose she must, considering she cost me 500 caps.”

That was a compliment. A strange one, but still a compliment. 

The man across from them whistled. “Shit that’s a lot. Better use her services a lot to get your money's worth.”

“Look, Wallace, I am not here to discuss my property. I am here for the serum.”

Bob Wallace sat back in his chair and laughed. “So you didn’t come to visit for old times' sake?”

“No.” The ghouls' composure was fading. “What do I have to do to get a vial?”

“Well, I do have a job that is absolutely perfect for you.”

“I’m listening and losing patience.”

The ghoul continued to lean back in a relaxed manner, but Dinah could feel his muscles tightening under her. 

The man pulled out of a stack of drawings. The ghoul merely glanced at them.

“That what I think it is?”

“Yessiree. This right there is going to be Nevada’s first active jockey track since the big one dropped.”

The bounty hunter barked a laugh. “Sure it is. Who am I to question? Now what role do I have to play in this?”

“There’s a ranch about 30 miles west. Word on the road says the ranch was used as an animal laboratory before the war. A scouting group reported that they saw at least four horses intact and beautiful. No rad mutations to be seen.”

“I ain’t no animal wrangler Bob.”

“Are you sure about that, cowboy?” A tense stare went from Bob Wallace to the Ghoul. 

“Cause seeing that cool demeanor of yours shift so easily has me wonderin’ something. How much of that sane juice you got left?”

“Enough of it.” The ghoul answered, growling. 

“Well then, you can be just as picky with your bounties, I suppose.” Bob chuckled and held out his hand. “Come now, I’ve known ya for damn near 200 years. I know when you are Desperate.” 

The ghoul did not shake the hand. “How many vials do I get in return?”

“2-4 depending on the state of the horses.”

“You greasy son of a- “

“You are in no position to negotiate, son. Are you taking the job or not?”

The ghoul sharply turned down a hallway. He was pulling her by the hand, and she was half a step behind, as the man was walking fast. He stopped at a door at the very end of the hall. The bounty hunter produced a small key chain and pulled out a worn key. The door unlocked, and the ghoul kicked the door open and pushed Dinah through.

The ghoul shut and relocked the door. 

“Juniper, it’s hot.”

Dinah sighed with relief. The ghoul did not. He was rummaging through the cabinets in the modest room. Dinah took a look around the space. There were 3 rooms, a small living space, a room with two twin beds, and a bathroom with a tub. 

Dinah discarded her pack and threw herself on one of the beds. “Nice place. How many caps did it cost, old man?” 

The ghoul threw a brief glance in her direction. He stood back up from checking something in the bottom drawer of a cabinet. “Didn’t cost me anything today, Lady Luck. It’s taken out of my stash in the old bank down the street. Payments are withdrawn monthly. Used to be my favorite room to stay in when I worked in Wallace’s crew.” 

Dinah kicked off her shoes and flipped over onto her stomach. “Used to? When was the last time you were a part of his crew?”

“Last time I was fucking desperate for a steady supply of caps. Near.. 8 years ago.”

“Why’d you leave?” 

The ghoul opened the closet and pulled a thin flannel button down. Dinah waited for an answer. “Why do you do this to me? It’s torture. You always answer half my questions.”
The ghoul went to retie his boots still silent. Dinah huffed and flipped over and faced the wall, pouting. 

“Fine, I get it. I can take a hint.” The sound of rustling fabric made her take a quick glance back at him. He was methodically undressing, his torso now bare. She followed his adept hands as he discarded the old flannel. Dinah stretched out on the bed slowly, and he caught her staring again. His gaze was wild. It was a strange thing to see. His pupils were wide, and his face looked… hungry. It made her feel on edge. Finishing with buttoning his shirt, he determinedly hurried to the door and stopped.

“Listen, Lady Luck. I’m locking ya in here for the night.”

“Like heck you are, old man!” 

The stare he gave her assured that no more resistance was necessary. 

“Fine. Where are you going then?”

“Seeing a dame. Don’t wait up.”

Dinah couldn’t sleep after that. Her stomach burned with frustration and jealousy. It was both too hot and stuffy. Around 11, Dinah had unsuccessfully attempted to sleep. She rolled out of bed and decided to snoop around. Nothing of much value was found until she opened a dresser. The first drawer consisted of men’s ribbed tanks and boxers. The articles of clothing seemed untouched for years. The cool loose shirts looked so tempting. Dinah quickly discarded her gross tank and slipped on a black one from the drawer. It fell right at her thighs, and it felt amazing. Nothing much of note was found in the chest of drawers. The last place she checked was the bedside table next to her bed. It was filled with a couple of magazines and junk. Dinah nearly screamed when she found a pack of bubble gum. She didn’t care if it was stealing; she quickly pocketed the pack. She was going to close the drawer when something reflective caught her eye. Shiny images. Pictures. Images were rare in Dinah’s world. The pictures were old. The first one was a picture of a little girl and a woman. Both were beautiful and happy. A cake with candles and odd triangle hats adorned the two. Another picture showed the little girl standing on a chair, pointing at a sign behind her. A banner with the message “Happy 3rd birthday, Janey” was displayed. Dinah slowly sat down on the bed, the photos in her hand. Another one of the women with dark hair and a smart look. Her hand was outstretched to cover the camera, a smile stretching across her face. Why would he have these? Dinah Mused. She flipped through a few more, mostly pictures of pre-war America. The sound of the ghoul’s recognizable footsteps made her jump, throwing the pictures into the drawer, slamming it closed, putting herself in bed, and switching off the rudimentary lamp. 

Hushed laughter came from the hallway as the old key scraped the lock. The door swung open, and the ghoul and a rather striking ghoul woman stumbled into the room. 

“Fuck, you didn’t tell me you had someone here with you.” The lady said in a hushed tone. The ghoul pulled her close and kissed her neck. 

“That girl is a deep sleeper, she won’t mind. Plus, she ain’t of consequence to me. Means nothin.”

The woman chuckled and pushed away from the bounty hunter. She hovered over Dinah’s prone form. 

“Sure she hasn’t tempted ya hunk?” the woman whispered

“Nope. Too young, and too inexperienced for my taste.” Dinah subconsciously clenched her fists in anger. 

“That’s a very dangerous thing to admit around here. You must trust me.”

The ghoul discarded his duster; Dinah could hear the fabric as if hit the floor. “I don’t. You know I am a man not to mess with so you’ll be discreet.”

The woman didn’t answer. “You sure she doesn’t turn you on? She’s awfully cute. Redheads are a rarity nowadays. Could you wake her and have her join us?”

Dinah’s heart started racing in fear. 

“No. Not an option. I only want my attention to be on one partner.” The ghoul said, his voice firm. She heard the sound of lips on flesh and labored breathing. Her body was burning with green envy. The door to the living room opened and shut, and the sound of the two people muffled but didn’t silence. Dinah cried until the room quieted down, so full of anger and frustration. Frustrated that the ghouls' compliments and interest were all self-serving or ego-boosting, and had nothing to do with her. Dinah, the foolish, plain little junk trader who followed him around like a love-sick puppy. 

Chapter Text

Dinah woke early. The light glowed from the sliding glass door that led to a small balcony. Her hunger was what woke her up. The woman rolled out of bed and grabbed her bag. She walked to the sliding door and stepped outside. It felt wrong to cook inside after only making food under the open sky. The old concrete was cold as she sat cross-legged on the ground with her small stove. After boiling water, she made coffee and let it steep in the pot. She hydrated some dried beans, and she cooked them with dried tatos and lard. The dried meat strips were set on the cooking surface at the end. Dinah plated up breakfast and poured two cups of hot coffee. She stood and stretched on her tip toes, her arms long. She yawned and sighed at the city view down below her. 

“If heaven is real, I reckon’ this is what it looks like.”

Dinah turned, startled. The ghoul was half-dressed, his shirt was loose and unbuttoned. A cigarette was in his lips, and he lazily exhaled smoke at her expertly. He was leaned on the doorframe leading out to the porch. 

How long had he been just standing there? Dinah attempted to look unaffected. She shrugged and turned back to the plates. “What makes you say that?” 

“A nice view, coffee, breakfast,” He took the plate handed to him before continuing. “An enticing piece of ass right in front of me.”
Dinah blushed crimson, eyes wide. In her haste to make breakfast, she had forgotten she was only wearing a long tank and her underwear. She momentarily forgot the way he had talked about her last night when he said that in a low voice. She swallowed and picked up her plate, and sat back down on the ground. The ghoul surprisingly followed and sat next to her.  They ate in silence for a while. Dinah kept throwing what she thought were subtle glances at the door of the living room. She couldn’t tell if the women had left yet. 

“She left already.”

“Oh. I just wanted to know, I would make her a plate if she stayed.”

The ghoul chuckled and took a long sip of his coffee. “No, you wouldn’t.” 

“I would’ve. I’m too nice for my damn good, remember?” 

The ghoul fixed her with a stare and shrugged. “Suppose I did say something of the sort. Maybe you would’ve.” He stood taking both their plates to wash them off in the sink. “You planning on wearing my shirt?”

Dinah pretended to start pulling the shirt off. “Oh, did you want it back right now?” The ghoul turned and stared as if he could see right through her clothes. “Yes, very much. Go ahead and take it off for me, minx.”

For a split second, she thought he was serious. She turned in a huff and got ready to leave.

Dinah didn’t know that talking about the dangers ahead of them would be so boring. She had been sitting on the ghouls' knee for nearly an hour. She glanced around the room for the umpteenth time since the meeting with the scouting party started. Around the large table in a private lounge was a group of 5 ghouls. 3 women, 2 men.  A few slaves, both men and woman were allowed to sit on a couple of chairs at the other end of the room. Low, hushed conversation could be heard from the separate group. 

“It was an old enclave research facility after the war broke out. From what we could gather, “ Martha, the leader of the scouting group, paused to glance at the ghoul before continuing. “It had researchers there up until a year ago. We aren’t sure why they disappeared, but the horses appeared around 2 months ago.” 

Dinah’s legs were sore from her position so she shifted her weight and glanced at the ghoul. This was the third time she had tried to get his attention without words. 

“Ghoul, your pet has been trying to get your attention. Is she a needy little thing?” Dinah swallowed and stared at the floor. Trying to calm her racing heart. She could feel the woman’s eyes on her. 

“If she was, that is no fault of mine. Keep your eyes on your own man, Martha.” The ghoul answered. He grabbed Dinah’s waist and scooted her until she was comfortably positioned sideways on his lap. Dinah gently placed her arm around his shoulder.

“Fine. As I was saying, there are roughly 7 cameras outside. 3 protectrons patrol the perimeter. Not to mention the 8 or so turrets. From what we have seen, the horses are kept in the main building. The horses are let out for a short window once a day, and the area is a heavily fenced and guarded pasture.”

The bounty hunter attempted to reach in his pocket for his cigarettes, but he couldn’t. Dinah was sitting against it. She reached into his duster’s pocket and opened the carton. She pulled the long thin smoke out and handed it to him. His eyes drew away from Martha and pulled his attention back to her. “Thanks Minx. Now, can you get my lighter for me?” 

“Where, where is it?” Her voice sounded thick as she hadn’t spoken for nearly 2 hours.  The ghoul hadn’t broken eye contact. He chuckled before answering. “Why, I can’t remember. I know it’s in one of my jean pockets.” Dinah paused, the ghoul grinned wickedly and nodded. The redhead perched in his lap shook her head. He nodded again and turned back to Martha.

“How long is that window?”

Dinah steeled herself and started with the closest back pocket. Nothing, she carefully reached over the ghouls torso and patted the other pocket. 

Tim Ryder, the guard assigned as backup to the group spoke. “I was on duty for the duration. The horses were let out for approximately 25 minutes. They were herded back in by 2 protectrons.”

Dinah leaned and slipped her hand into his front left pocket; she could feel the stupid grin on the smug cowboys face. Again, the pocket was empty save a few loose Bobby pins. She dug her hand into the last front pocket and found nothing again. Well, she had to get her revenge. She placed her hand against his thigh. The fabric wasn’t thick enough to conceal the heat coming from his skin. Juniper. He feels like he has nice strong thighs. She idly circled his thigh with her finger tips. The ghouls breath hitched she could hear and feel it. She grinned and continued. Finally I get a rise out of him. His hand harshly grabbed her hand and jerked it out of his pocket. 

“I found my lighter. It was in my shirt pocket.” He leaned closer to her. “Greedy little thing. Don’t do that again. You hear me?”

Dinah was fed up with his teasing. “What if I do? Hm?” Maybe he’d threaten to kiss me. 

“I would find much better uses for that hand of yours.”

“Yeah like what? You’re all empty threats.” She turned and whispered into his ear hidden by his hat. Dinah hoped he would say something filthy.

“Like darning the holes in my socks and shirts.” 

“Hey earth to Ghoul. Either take her to the corner and fuck her or get her off of you to sit with the other pets. We haven’t got all day.” Martha interjected. Dinah was beet red with embarrassment and anger. She pulled back from the ghoul and started to leave his lap. The bounty hunters grip tightened and he glared at the others. 

“She doesn’t leave my lap or side. We are done here anyway.” He helped Dinah off his lap, and grabbed their packs. 

“So long. We will see yall in a few days.” The pair started to exit the room. 

“Hey ghoul? How much to have her for an hour?” Martha called out. 

“A .44 bullet in the head if you or anyone else asks that again.”

Chapter Text

As soon as Boulder City disappeared behind them, Dinah sighed with relief.

“Shoot. That was…” She didn’t have the words. 

“Nothin’ like anything you’ve encountered?”

“Yeah. I guess so.” She kicked an empty can discarded on the desert ground. “When Mr. Wallace said you never took.. people off the market.. is that true?”

To her surprise, the ghoul stopped walking. “The hell do you think I am?!" His voice rose in volume and deepened in tone. “I am nothing like those monsters." He stared at her anger in his eyes.  "Do you understand?!” He stepped forward to grab Dinah, who cowered in fear at the sudden turn in his mood. Seeing her fearful eyes stare up at him did something to the ghoul. He stepped back and dumped his bag out, grabbing the inhaler and shakily loading it with his last vial. He wrapped it up after inhaling and returned it to his pack. 

“Look. I’m sorry for losing my composure, baby.” His eyes shone with sincerity. 

Dinah stepped forward and searched his face. “It’s okay, old man. I’ll forgive you.”

“For a price, right?” The ghoul said as they started walking again.

“Oh, well, now that you mention it, yes. Hm…”

“Should’ve kept my ugly mouth shut…” the ghoul muttered. 

“I think you have a pretty mouth.” Dinah quickly gasped and tried to walk faster than the bounty hunter’s pace.

“Wait, what did ya say, Di?” The ghoul grabbed her hand and pulled her to his side.

“Oh. Nothing.” Dinah squeaked. 

“I’ll let you ask me anything you want if you repeat that.” 

Did he… miss being complimented? 

“Three questions.” 

“Two, final offer.”

“Fine. I said.. I think you have a pretty mouth.” 

“Is that so? What’s pretty about it, Missy?”

His lips were parted in that smile that drove her crazy. His pretty teeth, sharp and dangerous, peeked out from his mouth. 

“You've got nice teeth.”

“Oh yeah? What makes them so nice?”

“How white, straight, and sharp they are. Like a damn vampire.”

“Huh.” 

“You don’t believe me, do ya?”

“Frankly, I don’t. A young thing like you thinking a rotted ghoul was anything but disgusting. Impossible.”

It wasn’t her job to convince him. Dinah cleared her throat before speaking again. “Can I ask my questions now?”

“By all means.”

“Why did Mr. Wallace say this job was perfect for you?”

The ghoul was silent for a moment. “I used to work with animals before the war.”

“Like a zoo keeper?”

The man chuckled. “No. Nothing like that.”

“What type of animals?” Dinah asked. 

“Is that your second question? Just teasin’. Horses mostly, and dogs. I miss dogs.” The man who was the ghoul slipped forward for a split second as he was lost in recollection. He shook his head and continued. “You were a good girl back at Boulder. I am sorry,” he paused to adjust their heading with his compass. “That you had to keep quiet. Must’ve felt-”

“Demeaning? Like I was an object?” Her tone was harsh. Dinah meant it. She was still hurt from the conversation held over her prone form last night. 

“Yeah.”  

“I’m used to it. I guess I forgot how bad it was to be owned, because of how sweet freedom is.” 

The pair walked in silence. Dinah didn’t want to talk anymore and didn’t even want to ask her other question. If she thought too hard, she would start crying. And she refused to show another weakness the ghoul could belittle.

Due to their late start, they were still walking at dusk. Dinah pulled out her lantern and continued walking. Her feet were aching, past aching, then numb—like the rest of her. She could feel the liquid oozing from her reopened sores and a new one on her arch. Her scars had already ripped open and dripped slowly down her back around 7 p.m.

After dark, the ghoul stopped. “Doll face. We’ve been walking for 10 hours. We need to make camp.”

It was the first time he had suggested making camp. Dinah was always the one ready to take a break. She glanced around the dusky purple desert.

“Fine. Where?” 

A rockface was enough cover for camp. As the ghoul repaired his equipment, Dinah could hardly pry her swollen, bloodied feet from her shoes. She started dumping out her pack to find antiseptic. It wouldn’t do her much good without gauze or bandages, but she didn’t have any at hand. As she dug deeper, the radio dropped out of the bag. Dinah smiled at the radio like an old friend and picked it up. 

The ghoul discarded his pack and shuffled over to her.  She glanced up at the ghoul now standing over her. The bounty hunter took the radio from her hand and sat beside her. “This thing was a lifeline for me, Dinah.” He was studying the radio as he answered. Dina was taken aback; he never used her name. “ I didn’t realize it at the time. But I had talked to almost no one in a year before I stumbled into your junk shop.” He handed her the radio back and pulled out a pipe and a wad of tobacco. “There were nights I waited for your voice to come through it. It meant someone in this goddamn wasteland was thinking of me. It was annoying, sure. But…” he sighed and looked down at her. “I heard every time you tried it.” Dinah was wide-eyed. He admitted to hearing her with the radio, and he liked it. 

The evening covered her face as she blushed. “Well… uh, good. That’s why I gave it to you. I was just as lonely. Wish you had called back.”

 The bounty hunter started to pull the tobacco into the pipe. 

She glanced curiously at the pipe. “Can you teach me?”

“You don’t smoke.”

“Doesn't mean I don’t wanna learn how to pack a pipe pretty boy.”

“Excuse me?”

“What? You call me equally ridiculous things.”

He laughed and pulled the lantern from her hand. His laughter dropped immediately upon seeing her blood-covered socks. 

“Fucking hell. What-“ 

Dinah attempted to turn her back away from the ghoul's gaze, but it didn’t work. He noticed and pulled her shoulder to see the extent of the damage. He was silent as he gazed at the wounds. 

”My pipe can wait. Why the hell didn’t you tell me about this?” His voice was deep and dark. 

Dinah attempted to shrug his concern off. She tried to wrench herself from his firm grip. 

“You wouldn’t care. You’d throw antiseptic at me and laugh as I hiss in pain.”

What she said was harsh, perhaps too much so. He had never really mocked her pain.  He only laughed at her misfortune. 

The ghoul uncrossed his legs and pushed Dinah to the ground. He swung her legs to lie across his thighs. 

“Hey!”

“Hush. Hand me my bag, would ya’?”

Dinah was stunned, but complied. The man stripped off her bloodied socks and pulled a bottle of rubbing alcohol from his bag. His stash. Using it for me. Dinah closed her eyes in preparation for the anticipated pain. 

“Why didn’t-” The ghoul poured the burning liquid onto her sores and cuts on each foot. “You tell me you needed a break?”

Dinah was clenching her jaw. “Maybe because I was tired of being ridiculed for needing a break.” She hissed. “Tired of feeling like I am weak because I am not a gosh damned-”

The ghoul paused and hovered over her. Catching her half-lidded eyes. 

“Say the real dirty word. Goddman.” Dinah opened her mouth to repeat it. She hesitated. “No. Because I am not a goshdamned ghoul.” She denied repeating it. She was not him and never desired to be as cruel or uncaring. 

The man slowly returned to bandaging her feet. “Look, baby doll..” His voice trailed off, and he didn’t finish his thought verbally. Dinah stared up at the clear sky above her. 

“Sit up.” The ghoul commanded. 

“Why?”

“Will you stop questioning me and obey for once?”

Dinah rolled her eyes but sat up. The ghoul put her between his knees. 

“Shirt off, if you please, darlin’”

“Beg, pretty boy.” 

The word affected the ghoul. He seemed to stiffen behind her. 

Dinah swallowed and quickly peeled the shirt to her waist as requested. 

The ghoul whistled as he surveyed the destruction to her skin. He gently washed the grime from her back with small handfuls of water and a cloth. He cleaned them with alcohol and wrapped gauze all around her torso. He tightened the gauze to keep it secure and away from anything that might brush against it. 

“You’ll be cold, but I want you to keep any clothing off it. Give it a chance to heal.”

He pulled out a diluted stimpack, but Dinah pushed it away. “Save it for when you’re dying.”

The ghoul laughed bitterly and placed it away. “If I am that close to death, just finish me off with a bullet, babe—no use prolonging the life of a half-dead anyway. I ain’t got anything waiting for me anyway. I won’t be missed.” He shook his head as he walked his pack near his bedroll. 

“That’s not true! I’d miss you!” Dinah shuddered as a breeze pushed past her.

The ghoul turned from his pack to glance at her. “You would? Why?”

Dinah fidgeted with her hat in her hands and shivered before answering. “I’d miss your heat. You feel like a portable furnace lying next to me.”

“Well, now. If that ain’t a good reason for me to keep living.” He slowly sauntered over, discarding his duster boots and gloves. “Sure you ain’t saying that because you're cold, Lady Luck?”

“No.. no.” 

His bare fingers moved to her lips and squeezed her bottom one, eliciting a squeak from Dinah. “But your lips, they are purple. Are you sure you aren’t cold?”

Dinah pulled her face away from the ghoul and sighed. “F…Fine. I am freezing. Can you keep me warm?”

The ghoul chuckled and moved to unroll her bedroll. “Only if you beg Dinah.”

Dinah might’ve been cold, but she had dignity. “What, you want me on my knees, tears in my eyes, begging f..f…for your body heat?”

“Why, that’s a wonderful idea. Go on.” He crossed his arms and grinned at her

Dinah’s mouth fell open—the gall of this freaking man. 

“Look, I’ll sleep without you, and you’ll freeze. Or, you can beg me. Your choice.” 

Dinah sighed and walked over to the ghoul. She dropped to her knees, her face on level with his belt. The proximity threw him off. She gazed up through her lashes at him, her mouth opening softly. “Please let me use you as a furnace, pretty boy? I’ll do anything to get warm.”  She grinned; her performance seemed to affect the ghoul drastically. Dinah swore she could feel his breath hitch, like it had when she touched his thighs during the meeting. 

“Don’t.. You little tease.” He quickly turned to his pack, urgently grabbed his inhaler, and took another slow inhale. “Get in your bedroll, I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?” Dinah said, still situated on her knees. 

“Going for a smoke.”

“But-” Dinah didn't finish her answer as he practically disappeared behind a pile of discarded tires in the distance.

Chapter Text

Dinah counted again and nodded. She snuck around the bushes surrounding the large ranch and looked out. She saw the camera and hesitated. The ghoul said he’d take care of them. She inhaled and threw an empty can far off into the distance. The Protecron stopped and whirled around, dumbly walking towards it. She bowed out and smashed the thing in the back with her fire ax. Sparks and electronic wailing emitted from the smoldering pile as she hit it repeatedly. It finally went down, and the noise had attracted another one, as they had predicted. She ducked and covered as bullets were emitted from the robot’s weapon. Dinah sprinted for cover behind some overturned oil drums and waited. She recognized the sound of her companion's gun being fired. Once, twice, then silence. She peeked through the barrels and saw that the ghouls' bullets pierced the second one. One more to go. Then the turrets. The ghoul landed next to her, as they had planned. Except he was nearly on top of her. He turned, “turrets, then cameras. I’ll fire, you sneak and smash 'em.”

Dinah nodded and waited. The ghoul turned, and she heard the turret activate. She crawled on her stomach right up to the exposed side of the guns. Dinah Pryed opened the control box and found the power connector. She grabbed a knife and cleanly sliced. The power went off instantly, and the thing went dead. 

“I said to smash 'em.”

Dinah glanced up at the ghoul standing over her body on the ground. 

“Can’t  collect their bullets and parts with ‘em smashed, fly boy.”

The ghoul looked off towards the facility and shot the last patrolling protectron straight in the face, causing the thing to power down instantly.

“Wow,” Dinah whispered. The ghoul chuckled as he reloaded his revolver, scanning the area for any more robots.

“Come on, I’ll let you finish the turrets your way.” He turned, his duster flapping in front of her. “Goodness knows you’d pick up anything shiny. Might as well be bullets.”

The rest of the turrets were easy to dispatch. The cameras had to be destroyed by the ghoul, as Dinah couldn’t reach high enough to use her fire ax on them. 

As the dust settled, Dinah had a moment to look around the ranch. The barn itself was red, large, and had doors that slid open. It took both of them to push the resisting track doors, but they managed. Light poured into the barn. The ghoul stepped forward into a patch of light from a large skylight in the ceiling. The ghoul cleared the room, finding nothing waiting for them.

“Smell that, sweetheart?” He asked, holstering his pistol.

Dinah took a long sniff. “Whatever it is smells good.”

He turned and grinned. “That’s the smell of hay. Smells like a memory to me. I grew up practically living in a Barn like this as a kid.” 

He moved to the opposite end of the barn and climbed up a ladder. “Even has a hay loft.” He sat, his legs hanging over the ledge of the small space above her. 

“How’s the view?” Dinah asked, enjoying the first look of joy she had seen grace the ghouls' face. 

“Well, if the pretty little lady wants to join me up here, she can see for herself.” 

Dinah quickly scaled the ladder and set herself behind the ghoul. 

“The view is something else.” She wiped the sweat dripping from her forehead and pushed her hat back on. “What time did they say the horses were let out?”

“We have another 45 minutes, give or take. Martha said you’ll hear the ramp opening, so we should not be unaware.” 

Dinah chuckled to herself. She could easily push him off the ledge. It was amusing to think of him flat on his ass covered in hay.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing.” 

“Nah, what’s so funny?”

Dinah settled herself slightly behind the ghoul, ghosting her hands over his back. “Suppose it would be amusing to push you off the ledge.” 

“Oh, you think that would be funny?”

“I sure do.”

“Huh.” The ghoul turned to regard her, and suddenly he pushed her down onto her back onto the hay piled behind them.

“What did you do that for?” Dinah asked, spitting out some straw. 

It was the ghouls' turn to chuckle now. “Now that’s funny.”

“Alright. Fine.” Dinah attempted to pull the ghoul into the hay. He relented, and they both fell back in a tangle of limbs. Dinah decided to declare victory early and straddled the ghoul. 

She laughed long and hard before leaning her face close to his own. 

“Ready to admit your defeat, sir?” 

Something deep within the scared man’s eyes made her heart flutter. 

“Darlin, we haven’t even started fighting yet.” He pushed her off easily, and she fell onto her side. The ghoul was slowly standing, laughing. “You sure you want to play this game, kitten?”

Dinah huffed and smiled. “I sure do fly boy.”

It felt strange to wrestle with the ghoul. There were no stakes, and they weren’t trying to hurt one another. It felt like flirting if Dinah didn’t know better. 

She wrapped her arms around his torso, trying to knock him off balance, but he knelt to the ground. His weight took both of them downwards. She tried to tear away and he grabbed her hips tightly pulling her ass flush against his belt. She struggled against his strong arms. 

“Let me go!” 

“Suit yourself,” the ghoul dropped his arms and stood. Dinah sat up and looked up at him. A glint of mischief and that half smile let her know he had an idea. He stepped over slowly. “Little miss ma’am,” he dropped his hand to his knees and stared at her. “I haven’t shown you the best thing about a hayloft.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, a little nervous to find out. 

Dinah found herself picked up and thrown over his shoulder. He didn’t seem to notice, but Dinah was very aware as his strong hand gripped her ass firmly. “Jumping down from the hayloft.” 

“Unhand me!”

The ghoul chuckled and turned, causing her face to stare down at the pile of hay below them. 

“Are you sure?”

 Her hat fell off her head and dropped down onto the ground below. Dinah's hands shook, and she started to hyperventilate. “Please, please don’t drop me. I’ll be good, I promise. Please don’t drop me down there.” She got very cold and started to shudder. The ghoul quickly pulled her down from his shoulder and set her feet carefully back on the worn wood floor. One of his hands rested on her waist, the other hesitated, then gently wiped a tear that had fallen from her eye. 

“Sorry, Di. I didn’t mean to scare you.” His hand rested under her chin, his eyes still searching her face. He tilted her chin up to meet his face. “I wouldn’t drop you. You can trust me to keep you safe, okay, doll?”

Dinah took a long breath and slowly removed her face from his soft grip and his touch on her waist. She stepped away and slowly went down the ladder. “You told me not to trust you or anyone else, remember?” Staring up at him in that barn loft made her feel like she was talking to the man who changed before the war. 

Emboldened, she asked, “What’s your first name?” 

The man’s open expression didn’t change. “Cooper, my name's Cooper."

Chapter Text

Martha was right; the sound of the ramp opening was loud. But the moment the two horses and small foal came dutifully walking up into the barn, everything went still. From their view out in the pasture, Dinah watched as the creatures got bigger and bigger, emerging from the barn. It shocked her how large and muscled the horses were. 

“Juniper,” Dinah whispered, watching in reverence as the creature's very fur shone in the afternoon sun. 

The ghoul placed his hand on her shoulder. “Beautiful, aren’t they, darlin?” 

“Sure are, cowboy.” She handed him the first bridle out of three they had found in an old dusty crate in the barn loft.

The ghoul strode over to the male Appaloosa horse. He slowly held out his bare hand and let the stallion smell him. This allowed him to stroke his shiny coat and put on the bridle gently. He repeated the same process for the mare. 

“Sweetheart, wanna learn how to put a bridle on?” The ghoul asked, pausing near the small foal. Dinah nodded and quickly walked over. He called the little thing names and softly stroked its small face. Dinah knelt with him and let the baby smell her. It let out a little bray and let her pet it. The ghoul was patient as he told her how to put the small bridle on the foal. It took longer, which he did complain about, but once she was done and back to playing with the little thing, he stood, smiling. 

“It likes you. I’m surprised these things didn’t scare you.”

Dinah shrugged, and they picked up their packs. 

“Most things don’t anymore,” she answered as the ghoul turned to tie the foal to the mare. He would lead the female and foal first, and Dinah would lead the male. 

He looked at her oddly as they left the paddock and headed back towards Boulder City. Silence lay heavy between them for nearly three miles of walking. 

“I do.”

Dinah had been lost in thought, watching the foal sniff around their rapidly moving environment. “You do what, cowboy?”

“Scare you.”

“Isn’t that what you want?” She asked in a light voice. 

The ghoul continued to walk, but he gazed over at her. “I do want others to be terrified of me. But not you.”

Dinah laughed airily. ” But why, old man?”

“I see you as my partner. My equal. It’s dangerous to have my accomplice be afraid of me.”

They took an alternative route back. The ghoul had said the path would be easier and level, but it would take longer. They were looking for a place to make camp when a perfect place appeared right before them. A small creek, a rare sight, was running right in front of the squat little building. Dinah was finishing boiling enough water for the horses when she turned to read the store sign behind her.

“Beer and-“ Dinah turned her head to read the part of the sign now sideways. “More. Fresh bait 0.99 cents per cup.” Behind her, the ghoul had pulled over an empty wheelbarrow and had almost finished filling it up for their bounty. The horses drank and grazed on the plant matter near the stream. They tied them up so they couldn’t drink the contaminated running water. The redhead dumped the last water into the wheelbarrow and looked at the ghoul. 

“Let’s see what we can find in here,” he said, and they both walked to the sealed door. 

“Go on, Sparky. Kick the door down.”

Dinah rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She tried several times and then started ramming it with her shoulder. 

“You try.” She said in defeat. 

It took the ghoul one kick, and the door swung open. He grinned smugly and quickly checked for any enemies. They cleared a disturbed mole rat nest, but nothing else greeted them. 

The shelves were not intact, but the bottles were still intact everywhere. 

Dinah picked a bottle with a tattered label. The front of the label showed a pretty wooden ship, and a man with a peg leg waving at her. 

“First mate Pete’s rum?” She read out loud and turned the bottle over. It looked unopened. “Hey, what’s rum?”

The bounty hunter pulled a square bottle of brown liquid from a hidden glass cabinet. He looked up at her. “Made from sugarcane or molasses.”

“What’s molasses?” 

“Never mind. It’s a sweet liquor, good with a lot of stuff.”

“Would it taste good with Nuka Cola? I already put one in my bag.”

“It might. You don’t need to drink, darling,” he carefully picked his way from the various glass shards of long broken bottles. 

Dinah scoffed. “I’d like to try it. What else do you think I’d like?”

A slow, warm grin split the ghouls' face. “Hm. Well, I would order you a lemon drop.”

Dinah stepped closer to him, the bottle of rum still clutched in her hands. “Why that drink?”

“It’s very sweet. It has sugar crystallized along the edge of the glass. It seems deceptive, like the drink itself is gonna be bitter or acidic, so you brace yourself for what’s to come.” He paused to take the rum from her grasp. His voice dropped lower. “Then after you taste it and understand the drink, you realize that the sweetness and unique flavor are all authentic. It’s through the entire drink.” Dinah was slightly suspicious that he wasn’t talking about the drink anymore. 

The ghoul tucked a stray hair behind her ear before speaking again. “What drink do you think I’d order?”

“I would need to give you two: one you would order for yourself and one I would order for you.”

His eyes caught her own and studied her. The ghoul only nodded slowly. 

“Go on. What would I order for myself?”

“Straight whiskey if you wanted to sip it.  Tastes bitter, aged, tart, and hard to approach.”

“Sounds like you got that one right. What would you order me?”

“Dirty Roy Rogers. The sweet, refreshing nuka mixed with the old-fashioned sweetness from the grenadine. Then the rich, aged complexity of the bourbon makes such a distinctive, lasting taste.  A Memory that would last long after I finished drinking it.”   

“Thought you didn’t drink,” he started to say, his voice trailing off.

“I don’t. But Roy Rogers is my favorite drink. I can imagine bourbon would taste good with it.”

The ghoul stared at her for another beat, then quickly turned. “Come on, let's set up camp, then we'll drink.”

The ghoul drank whiskey straight from the bottle, but he found a mostly clean glass cup from the store for Dinah to drink from. She watched in rapt attention as he opened and poured a little rum into the glass, followed by the nuka cola. He laughed as he spied her looking at him while he made it. 

“Here. Tell me what you think.” He handed her the concoction. She sniffed it and took a small sip. It burned, but it was the tastiest alcoholic drink she had ever had. 

“I love it.” 

The ghoul sat down with his glass bottle of Tennessee Whiskey and pulled out his lasso to repair the fraying fibers. After about 25 minutes, Dinah repaired and adjusted the ghoul’s revolver and finished her drink. She poured herself another and pulled out a small hand-sized whetstone. She started sharpening her fire ax, followed by her throwing knives, and even pulled the carving knife from deep within the ghoul’s backpack. After finishing that task, she polished off the last of her drink. She started getting very warm, and without thinking, stripped down to her bra and placed the ghoul’s leather vest back on. It felt good to wear, just like always. The ghoul glanced, then stared in her direction as she stood and stretched,  the vest opening slightly with the movement. The ghoul’s hands stopped; his eyes darted to her chest and down at her feet. His hands then continued their work on the rope. Dinah was feeling very bold right now. She wasn’t entirely sure why. She strode over the ghoul and glanced down at the man. He turned to stare at her, his eyes catching her own. “Whatcha looking at, princess?” His voice was a velvet purr, low and soft. 

“Watching you work. Like to see it up close though.” She knelt and pushed herself onto the ghoul’s lap. Dinah’s head and her shoulders awkwardly rested on his legs. 

The ghoul shook his head and set down the rope, laughing at her awkward position. “You comfortable?”

“No.” Dinah quickly pushed herself and settled right in between his legs, her legs outstretched, her head and back resting against his chest, her head under his chin. The ghoul froze. One hand was still on the discarded rope, the other rested on his thigh. 

“Show me how to repair your lasso. I like watching you work,” Dinah said again. 

The ghoul coughed and quickly grabbed the inhaler he now kept in his pocket. He took a slow inhale before speaking. “Why?”

“You’re very skilled with your hands. It’s mesmerizing to watch someone do something so mundane and well.” 

“Well, that’s very kind of you, miss, but I think I’m done with the task for now.” His hand moved from the rope and set itself on the ground. Dinah, impulsively picked it up and placed it on her knee. 

“What made you marry Barb?” The questions flowed easily from her loosened lips. Surprisingly, the ghoul didn’t stiffen or push her off him. 

“Remember, doll face, she’s my ex-wife.”

“Well, how about what drew you to her then?”

The ghoul paused for a moment before answering. “Her strong convictions in doing what she thought was right. She fiercely cared for and protected those she loved. Her sensible, smart mind, her clever brain.” He went silent.

“Sounds like a pretty great woman.”

“She was.” They both went silent for several more moments. 

Dinah sighed, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. “Hope I can find someone to want me as much as you seemed to want Barb.”

“Like I said, darling, wanting didn't save my marriage-”

“Cooper, what do you see when you look at me?” Dinah asked, cutting him off.

He didn’t answer her.  The bounty hunter didn’t move, flinch, or anything. 

“That’s what I suspected.” Dinah attempted to push herself out of his space, but his arms grabbed her waist. “Let me go.” She struggled again against the iron grip wrapped around her waist. Dinah tried another tactic to get a reaction out of him. “Another thing. Next time you bring someone back to fuck until next tuesday, make sure I am dead asleep, or do it soemwhere else. I know my feelings might not matter, because of how little of a consequence I am to you. But this young, virginal girl heard every single grunt and moan from you and your lady friend. Next time, just shoot me or warn me before you bring someone back.” She said this loudly with venom, her back to him as if she was shouting to a formless void in front of her. Maybe I am. He still hasn’t reacted. 

Dinah turned to face him, barely able to pivot because of his arms. He was staring at her like she was an alien, angel, or demon. His hand moved and rested on her face. The bounty hunter’s thumb slowly traced her bottom lip. Dinah tried to push out of the arm fully wrapped around her, but it kept her in place. She boldly pulled his thumb into her mouth. His look of surprise almost made her smile. Almost. She then bit down, causing him to inhale sharply and loosen his grip on her waist. She rolled and stood, escaping his arms. 

“Goodnight, old man. Sleep well. Bandages are in my bag near the top.” 

Dinah fell asleep almost as soon as she lay on her bedroll. If she had been less tired, she would have felt the gentle hand tracing her profile and pressing one chaste kiss on her forehead, ensuring she didn’t wake in the process.

Chapter Text

Dinah and the ghoul stood waiting in front of Bob Wallace’s office. The ghoul scowled and turned to one of the henchmen. “When will our boss be back?”

The blue-eyed, scaly woman shrugged and readjusted her revolver. “Didn’t say.” 

The ghoul held a quarter roll of caps, 25 in total. 

“He’s downstairs in the casino. Look at the blackjack table.” Before she finished, the ghoul had already started walking back down the hall, Dinah running to catch up. 

She was breathing heavily by the time he slowed down. The casino was beautiful. Dinah gawked at the perfectly sparkling chandelier, the black and white pristine tiles, the glossy dark walnut bar that sat against the wall with rows of leathered cushioned bar stools. The ghoul didn’t notice her awe, he was heading straight to a card table in the middle of the large casino floor. Bob Wallace sat alone; Dinah couldn't spot the two women with him last time. Oddly enough, she noticed several smooth-skinned males and females walking and mingling as if they were allowed to. Of course, furtive glances back at their respective handlers indicated they were still being monitored, but it allowed Dinah to feel a bit better. 

Bob Wallace was sitting at the table, a cigar in his mouth and a copper tumbler in his hand. He glanced up as the ghoul approached the table. 

“Well, if it isn’t the sheriff returning from a bounty. Glad to see you in one piece.”

“I’m here for the payment, Bob. I am running out of patiences for your damn theaterics”

Bob laughed and nodded at the dealer, who started reshuffling the cards. “Did you get all three horses?”

“Yes. They are in perfect condition.”

“Well, it seems you earned your two vials.” Dinah stepped forward and glanced from the ghoul to the man seated at the card table. The bounty hunter was silent, but she saw his body language shift. He was expecting all three vials. He needed those. 

“You promised him, three, Mr. Wallace. And caps.” The ghoul stepped back to stare at her, his eyes issuing a stern warning. Bob’s eyes regarded her, looking at her curiously. His hand went into his pocket. He pulled out the vials and handed the ghoul 3. His hand disappeared into his pocket, pulling out three rolls of caps.  Bob glanced up at the ghoul. “Your little partner here gets two of these cause she was brave and asked for you.”

The ghoul took the remaining roll of caps and shrugged. “I couldn't care less what you give her. I need a drink.” He glanced at Dinah and nodded. She made to stand when Bob’s hand reached out and grasped her arm. 

“This old man ever teach you how to play blackjack, ginger?”

Dinah shook her head. The ghoul seemed not to care that she had been pulled away from him. Screw him. Dinah thought. She looked carefully down at Bob Wallace. He was smiling at her. Like she mattered, Dinah knew she didn’t to this monster. He only saw her as a pretty ego boost, perhaps some way to get his best bounty hunter to work more jobs for him. But she didn’t fucking care. 

“Would you like to learn how?”

She nodded. He pulled out the chair next to him. 

“You are free to speak here, you’re with me.”

Dinah sat, but hesitated. “Thank you, Mr. Wallace,” she said quietly. 

Two hours later, Dinah had won 100 caps from Bob. He now sat back, amusement on his face, his hands behind his head. “Well, ginger snap, it looks like you are a master of 21.”

Dinah smiled and slid the caps she had won back to Bob. “Take them, Mr. Wallace. I am sure you made sure I won.”

Bob’s expression showed surprise and confusion. “Don’t you want them?”

Dinah opened her mouth to answer, but realized it was a test. Bob was trying to catch me; he didn’t think the Cooper bought me. 

Dinah shrugged and cast her eyes at the ground. “He takes care of my needs. I can’t buy anything that he doesn’t fund or approve of. Please, keep the caps, mister.” 

Bob smirked and took the caps. He sipped his nearly finished Moscow mule and leaned forward to Dinah. He grasped her chin firmly. “Where the hell did he find you? You’re cuter and-” Bob leaned forward and pressed his face to her curls. He inhaled slowly and deeply. “-Fresher, then most around here.” He pulled back and stared at her, his hand still holding her face. “Answer me. Where did he find you? I’ve known Coop for a long time, and he always thought he was above purchasing meat from slavers.”

Dinah’s mind was racing, she knew it was unsafe to give the mobster any information. He knows Cooper’s name. How? “He found me. I was on route to be sold. I managed to get away. He found me nearly dead in the desert. He patched me up, and-”

“-What did he get in return?” The man’s face turned ugly and leering. 

Dinah didn’t know what answer he wanted or expected. So she merely stared at the man. An ugly barking laugh broke the tense moment. Bob’s hand released her, and after he was finished, he grinned at her. “Always knew that old bastard had an ugly side. Just like the rest of us. It took a pretty, helpless little red head to make that righteous cowboy drop the act.” 

Dinah placed her hands in her lap, unsure of what to do. A waiter walked by and stopped at their table. 

“Hey, Scarlet, you ever had a Moscow Mule?”

Dinah gazed up and shook her head. “Use your words. Yes or no?”

“No,” Dinah said quietly. 

“Two,” Bob told the waiter, who nodded, left the table, and walked to the bar.

Another hour passed, they played several more rounds, and he taught her how to play Texas Hold 'em. Dinah was worse at playing that game. Her copper mug was nearly untouched. Currently, Bob was sitting with a woman on his lap. A woman who had a deadened, disconnected look in her eyes. One that made Dinah avoid her eyes. “Blondie, kick rocks. You’re boring me. Go get yourself a drink, sweetheart.” Bob pushed the woman off his lap and handed her a couple of caps. The woman simply turned and walked robotically towards the bar. A new cigar was cut and lit. He puffed smoke in Dinah’s direction. He leaned in towards her, his voice soft. “Can I tell you a bit of a secret, copper top?”

“Sure thing, Mr. Wallace.”

He grinned before continuing. “That serum your owner uses, you know what it’s for, right?”

Dinah again decided not to let on how much she knew. She only shook her head. 

“Figures. They keep us from going insane. Otherwise, the radiation would make us feral, just like those poor sonofabitches you can find all over the Mojave. Those pretty green vials are expensive to procure, though. Cooper will be running out soon. You should encourage him to stay. The vials are currently cut with other things. Make sure you tell him all this, okay carrots?” 

She nodded. But Dinah couldn’t help herself. She was worried about the ghoul now. Who knew how long those three vials would last him? 

“I can see it on your face, you’re worried about that old cowboy. You shouldn’t, he’s not the self-righteous vigilante he thinks he is. Now, darling, come sit on a real man's lap.”

“Excuse me, Mr.  Wallace?” Dinah asked. 

“You heard me, come here.” 

Dinah froze. She most certainly didn't want to sit on his lap. She looked around the crowded casino and finally spotted Cooper. He was talking with a tall, toned woman at the bar. Dinah wanted to yell, wave her arms, anything to get his attention. She didn’t want to risk upsetting Bob, but she was not okay with being that close to him either. 

“Come on, Coop needs to learn to share. He won’t mind.”

Dinah was panicking, wondering what to do.

“I won’t mind what Bob?” The ghoul had arrived at the casino table, and his cocky voice had an edge to it. 

“Nothing, right, orphan Annie?” Bob answered, leaning forward and patting her knee harshly. 

“Nothing, sir,” Dinah answered. 

“Come on, I feel like taking a siesta after our job.” The ghoul held out his arm and waited for her to take it—a far cry from Bob Wallace's forceful actions. Dinah stood and let the ghoul lead her back to his suite on the other side of the casino. The door clicked shut and locked, and Cooper turned to her. 

“Juniper, baby girl.”

“Finally.” Dinah relaxed, and her shoulders slumped. 

“What did Bob say to you? I saw him looking like a cat that ate a canary.”

Dinah was already on the ground, her shoes halfway off. “He told me he’s known you a long time. Knew your first name. Told to tell you that the vial won’t last as long anymore. They are cutting it with something.”

“I’ll be damned. He’s just as cheap as when I worked for his fucking agency..”

“Also,” Dinah stood and pulled off her shirt, walking to the bathroom to start the shower. Cooper followed her. She turned from the shower to face him. “Your reputation is intact.”

“What are you yappin’ about?”

“Bob asked what you got in return for finding me. He said he knew you and you wouldn’t buy meat from the market.” She pulled off the jean shorts and her socks. 

“What did you answer?”

Dinah gave him a steely look before backing him out of the door. “I didn’t. He assumed the worst. Found it amusing that all it took was a cute little redhead to make the cowboy facade break.” She then frowned and slammed the bathroom door.

Dinah emerged from the bathroom, clothes in one hand and the other hand holding up her towel loosely. The ghoul glanced up from her mini stove. He was making something that smelled amazing. 

"There are clothes I set out for you on the bed.”

“Thanks, cowboy.” She turned her back on the ghoul and dropped her towel. Dinah felt so comfortable around him now that she didn’t even think twice about it. After putting on her underwear and bra, she threw on the black boxer shorts and the low black tank. Both were too big, but felt so soft. 

“What in the world are you making? It smells delicious.”

The ghoul laughed warmly. “Famous divorced and bachelor's special. Chili and dried brahim sausage.”

He served her bowl first. They ate in relative silence. 

“Did Bob teach you 21?”

Dinah finished her second bowl. The ghoul had filled her second without question, emptying the rest of his bowl into hers. Saying he wasn’t hungry. 

“Yeah. I knew how to play before, but I played dumb. You still haven’t taught me how to play poker.”

She grabbed their bowls and put them in the bathroom sink. 

“I can teach you tonight, darling doll.”

Dinah stuck her head out of the bathroom and grinned. “Really?”

“On one condition. We play strip poker.”

Dinah didn’t know what that meant, but she was down for anything after that filling meal. She nodded enthusiastically. The ghoul had a glint in his eye. She wasn’t sure why.

He taught her the basics and how to play, and now they sat on the floor with the cards in front of them. 

“Three of a kind, handsome.” Dinah played her hand, beaming. 

“Flush.Beats your hand.”

“You cheated!” 

“Nope. Hm.. winner chooses what you take off, darling, house rules.”

“Wait, just a moment. Strip poker, that’s not what it means!”

“Who’s older?”

“You, I guess…”

“So who would know? That’s right, me, babe. And you agreed before you knew what it was, so it is not my problem.” 

Dinah was surprised, she thought it meant play until there were no more caps. 

She sighed in mock defeat. “Fine. But you have to take it off.” Dinah grinned at him, daring him to do it. 

“Whatever you want, cupcake.” The ghoul reached for her and held onto one of the straps of the tank. The grin that was on his face showed a boyish expression. It made her heart race just seeing it. He trailed his fingers down the slope of the neckline and her side to the bottom of the shirt. It was torn off of her in one slow movement. Dinah’s skin prickled with the cold exposure. Looking utterly pleased with himself, the man took her cards and reshuffled. 

Dinah won two more rounds and took off his shirt and vest. 

She laid down her hand, a flush. 

The ghoul lays down his full house. He shrugged and gave her that half grin. “We can just call it, doll face.”

Dinah would not be moved. “No. Go on, take what you want off of me.” She leaned closer to the bounty hunter and flashed him a wicked smile. “Unless you’re not interested in what’s underneath.” 

He held her eyes and leaned closer. He pushed her harshly to the ground on her back. 

“Cooper!” She squeaked. 

He pulled her shorts down, grazing her waist and hips with his fingers.

“I like it when you call my name like that.” He threw the shorts aside and slowly crawled up towards her face. The ghoul's rough hand held onto her waist, and the other brushed her hair from her face. 

The breath was pushed out of her lungs as he lay himself on her, his strong legs separating hers, and his knee under her thigh pressing her legs apart just a bit. 

It felt good. It felt safe to be trapped under the man reeking of ozone cigarettes and whiskey.

“Tell me, doe eyes: have you ever been with a ghoul?” He purred dangerously.

Dinah was forced by proximity to keep eye contact with him. 

“N..no.”

“Would you like to?”

Dinah’s mouth went dry, she licked her lips before speaking.“Depends on who it is.”

“Hm. How far have you gone?”

Dinah wrinkled her forehead, confused. “From where?”

The ghoul shook his head. “Sex. Have you had it?”

Dinah blushed scarlet. “Yes. I have lots of it.” She evaded his eyes as she answered. 

“Don’t lie to me. Look me in the eyes and say that again.”

“I.. I h-“ Dinah couldn’t lie while he was staring at her like that. “Fine, I haven't had sex. Are you happy?”

The ghoul hastily picked himself off of her, as if she had burned him. “Shit.” He stared down at her prone form, as if evaluating. Have you even had someone touch you under your shirt?!” He asked, a look of surprise and odd terror.

“No. Haven’t had anyone in my mouth or their mouth on me either. Does that finish your interrogation, sheriff?” Dinah answered hotly, still splayed out on the floor. Cooper was watching her with intense interest. 

“Have you even been kissed?!” He said incredulously. 

“Once. It was against my will. Want to remedy that?” Damn me if I wasn’t going to get a kiss from this embarrassing charade at least. She stretched and sighed dreamily to tempt him a little further as she looked at him up and down. ”Please, Cooper? I promise I’ll be good. I won’t tempt you to do anything more with me, the angelic virgin.” The ghoul crumbled like dust.

He knelt and pulled her up from the ground onto his lap. He made her straddle him and held onto her by her hips. “I won’t do this again. I have done so much evil shit in this world. But ruining a young lady’s body and soul with my own, I will not do. Especially one as naive and sweet as you.” 

Dinah only heard half of this, she was far too excited to be kissed finally. Hell he smells so good. Looks so dangerous. I want him so much. Her hands settled on his bare shoulder. Her fingers softly pressed against his warm skin. 

His hand softly moved to her neck, and he tilted her chin.  

“Hey, Bounty hunter.” A sing-song voice came from the door, and a knock suddenly sounded. 

The ghouls' infuriating smug smile as he pulled away from the almost kiss made Dinah want to murder him. 

“My dates here. Sorry, doll,” he pushed her off of him and threw his shirt back on. “Rain check on that kiss, alright?” 

“Fuck. You. You piece of vile scum,” was all Dinah managed to get out. 

The ghoul placed his hat on, tilted it at her, and opened the door. “I promise we will be quieter tonight. Night, sweet thing.” The door swung shut, and Dinah ran to the bed and screamed her frustrations into a pillow.

Chapter Text

5 days went by. Dinah was mainly left by herself. The ghoul went out, brought back the same two women, drank, and looked for jobs. Nothing appeared for him. Nothing alarming happened until one morning. Dinah opened the door in a groggy state. Two guards hastily grabbed her and pulled her from the room. 

“Get your ha-“ a hand clamped over her mouth before she could speak. Dinah thrashed and kicked over a planter sitting in the hallway, and it crashed. She heard the sound of the ghoul waking up. Dinah bit one of the attackers who let her mouth go.

“Cooper help-”

She was punched across the face, dropped, and a kick to her head made the lights go out. 

Dinah woke up upside down, facing the desert floor. Her head and face ached, and as she tried to wiggle and kick her legs, she realized they were tied together, like her wrists. Looking down at her shirt, she saw that the throwing knives she had stowed were gone. She tried to crane her neck to see what they were passing, but her head throbbed so much she couldn't. Dinah lost track of their direction and fell into a state of withdrawal. As the sun crept towards the middle of the sky, the man holding Dinah suddenly threw her into a shaded dog kennel. After the sound of a rusty resistance gate grated in her ears, the two paid-off guards spoke. 

“She can wiggle to the water if she needs to. Let's go and get the other half of the payment,” a scratchy voice rang out. 

“The fucks wrong with your head?” a younger voice, female. “Ivan said to untie her. Wants her to be as unblemished as possible. Since you caused her to have a smashed nose, you have to untie her.”

“Fine.”

The gate cried out again, and Dinah felt the binds on her ankles and wrists slide off. She tried to lunge for the captor, but her joints screamed in agony as the blood started circulating again in her limbs. 

“Waters in the bowl, I'll bring you dinner shortly, and we'll have a blanket set out for you so you won't freeze to death before Ivan gets to play with you,” the woman answered as the man exited the kennel.

Dinah stood slowly, holding onto the chain link fence to steady herself. She glared at the two guards. She spat on the ground by their feet; blood glistened in the bright noon sun. “My owner is gonna be real mad at you. Probably will smear the desert with y'alls entrails.”

The woman glanced at the man, and they both laughed. “Scarlet, fresh meat and company are always coming into Boulder City. He’ll find someone prettier and more compliant than you have been,” the man answered with a dark chuckle.

Terror dawned on Dinah. “How long have you been following us?”

Dinah squinted at the woman. She stepped towards the pair. She was in our room last night, and the evening before too.

“You slept with the ghoul. Didn't you? That's how you knew we slept in two different rooms. He was extra drunk last night.”

“Congratulations! You figured it out. Such clever deduction for such a dumb bitch.” The woman stepped up to the chain link fence that Dinah was holding onto. “Its so pathetic the way you think that he sees you as anything more then a fuck toy he bought to use. You're nothing more than something to be used and discarded. He won't come for you.”

The ghoul woman stepped away, and the other guard laughed as they turned to walk to a building to their right. 

“Even if he does, I highly doubt the ghoul would want anything to do with you after our boss is done messing you up.”

Dinah felt like a rabid dog; she paced the length of the dog run, and her eyes darted back and forth from the empty desert to the shack next to the kennels. Why are they kidnapping me? Would Cooper come for me?

Screams were emitted from the shack to her right. Tortured pleas of mercy and begging made her bolt into action. The roof had a small space where the heavy sheet metal and the chain mail fencing met. She threw herself against the fence and started to scale it. She reached the top, glanced on me more to make sure she was alone, and started to punch the wire holding the two pieces together. Her hand was aching and bloody, but she was able to bend the pieces away and make a hole big enough for her to shove herself through. She dropped to the ground and bolted in the direction they had come from. Screams still emitted from the building behind her, but she didn’t stop. Dinah ran until her lungs burned and she couldn’t anymore. She turned, and no one appeared to be following her. Dinah walked for another couple of miles when she heard the sound of boots stepping on a glass bottle. Her hands instinctively reached for a fire ax that was no longer attached to the belt. She looked down momentarily, confused when a voice rang out.

“I’m armed. I’m looking for a-“ The ghouls stepped out of the cover of a burned-out car. His eyes lit up, and he smiled as he gazed at her. “Di.”

“Cooper. Good to see you finally rescued me.” She sauntered over to him, smiling with relief. The ghoul holsters his revolver, then pulled her tightly against his chest in a bear hug. 

“I woke up to you yelling, and you were gone.”

Dinah held onto the ghoul like he was the only thing keeping her from drowning. He held her just as firmly, his hands nearly digging into her ribcage and waist. “You need to pick better bedmates, cowboy. The one you picked up last night helped kidnap me.” 

The ghoul was quiet for a long moment. “I think I’m done with other dames for now.” 

The redhead pulled away from him and laughed. “Good. Cause it’s your fault I’m in this mess.” 

“Oh really? If we slept in the same bed, this whole thing wouldn’t happen,” he said fondly, tucking a piece of curl back behind her ear. 

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you, dreamboat?” Dinah said softly. The ghoul quickly turned and started walking back to Boulder City. 

“Come on, let’s get outta here-“ 

Dinah was ambushed. Something invisible to her eye tripped her, and she landed on her stomach. A syringe whizzed past her head and landed into her shoulder with a sharp jab. The world started to spin, and blackness began to creep into her vision. The sound of the ghouls' gun was the last thing she heard before everything went black for the second time today.

Something brushed her face, causing Dinah to wake up finally. Her eyes were still blurry from the effects of whatever the hell she was drugged with. The first thing she saw was all the ghouls' weapons. They were thrown into a pile off to the side. All taken apart,  clips torn open and emptied. The next thing she noticed was that her hands were zip-tied together behind her, and she was tied to a metal chair in the middle of an empty warehouse. It was dark outside, and the source of illumination was two single light bulbs dangling over her. Movement caught her eye outside the edges of the light. 

“Hey, who’s there?”

“The ginger snap is finally awake.” 

The voice was vaguely familiar to Dinah. She couldn’t quite place it yet. The pungent smell of rubbing alcohol assaulted her nose as a gangly figure stepped into the light. 

“You. Finer Things Casino. How, how’d you-” she cut herself off as he smiled. The blond man’s face looked oddly lumpy, but she remembered him from the bar weeks ago.

“The name is Ivan. And how I traced you was easy.”  He took a long inhale before stepping a bit closer to her. “Your smell, baby cakes.” He stepped and pressed his face against her hair. “You don’t smell like the wasteland. You smell rad-free. It was easy to track you and the zombie-”

Dinah thrashed against her binds, trying to reach her captor. “Don’t fucking call him that, you creepy little leech!”

The sound of something being knocked over made Ivan whirl around, grinning. “Come out, come out wherever you are.” The blonde man waited, and no answer came. He shrugged and sniffed the air like a dog. “I might be mistaken.” 

Ivan turned back towards Dinah, and pulled a tray of surprisingly clean tools into the light. A bowl was also placed on the tray. Dinah attempted to press herself away from the man now leaning into her neck. 

“You smell so tasty. “ He licked her neck and grabbed a slim scalpel from the tray. He palpated her shoulder and sliced a shallow but long piece from her skin and first layer of muscle. Dinah screamed in blinding pain. Her eyes were wet with tears, and she almost threw up when Ivan dropped the slice of shoulder into the bowl. He started whistling as he reached for her exposed, stretched bicep in the other arm. Dinah thrashed and fought, but it was no use. She yelped as the blade slid through the tightened, tense muscle. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for her only friend in the world. She couldn't see him—another sickening slosh as the bowl received another piece of flesh. The jolting sound of gunshots made Ivan hesitate over the next tool he would use. The blond, tall man listened; the barrage of gunshots continued, then suddenly stopped. Dinah’s heart dropped. She was done for. The ghoul was dead, or had left her. Either way, she might as well die. 

“Oh well, no dashing undead to come save the fair princess.” The giggle sounded horribly childlike coming from the cannibal’s putrid maw. 

The torture continued. A slice of her ear was removed, licked, and placed into the now half-filled container. She was dying. Dinah hoped death would greet her like an old friend, but instead it seemed destined to meet her in a violent, disgusting way. Her head slumped in defeat as her captor pulled the borrowed boxer shorts up to assess the cut he wanted from her thigh. The sound of someone casually walking into the large warehouse startled Ivan, and he lost his balance, pushing Dinah forward. She landed on her face on the cold, solid concrete. She achingly turned her head to see who was approaching the light. “Ah ha, the famous bounty hunter has come to collect his little whore.” The figure didn’t answer him. Ivan pulled the cart of tools and grabbed the bowl of flesh. “Hey, leather skin. You hungry?” He launched a piece, and it fell in front of the stranger.

The figure continued to amble forward. An ax was held in its hand, dragging near the ground. The only other detail Dinah could see from her place on the concrete was the blood dripping from the ax. Covered, smothered in bright red crimson and gore. 

Dinah couldn’t see where Ivan was anymore. But she heard that giggle again. “Listen, I can sew her back together. Or better yet, I can buy you another one. I can even customize her to-” A crunch and a scream cut Ivan off. Another crunch, and the sound of one final scream before a solid thunk. Another. Another. The ax made contact with something 5 more times. The resulting sound was a wet, muffled noise. The ax was dropped near her, and the stranger’s boots came into view. The chair was tilted back up. Her head felt too heavy, and she couldn’t lift her head as she was righted. A stimpack was injected into her thigh, and a bloodied glove softly lifted her chin. 

“Cowboy. You-you came to save me.” Dinah took in the ghoul's startling appearance. “What happened to you. You’re covered in blood-” The older man sliced the zip ties holding her wrists together, and the rope tying her to the chair. He tore open his bag and pulled gauze strips and tape out. Cooper tightly applied layers of gauze and tied them off on both her major wounds The stimpack must have started working, because Dinah was able to hold up her head, and the pain from her wounds, nose, and aching wrists lessened significantly. He carefully gathered and reloaded his weapons, then turned to her, scooping her up in his arms gently.
“Junk trader, I need you to close your eyes and keep them closed until I say so. Please?” Dinah studied his blood-splattered face and nodded. Closing her eyes and settling her face against his chest, she sighed, feeling safe finally. As he slowly walked through the devastation he had brought, the smell of ozone and leather filled her nose, which was better than the alternative smell of ruptured bowels, pulverized flesh, and the iron tang of blood. 

Chapter Text

Dinah’s consciousness started to fade, in and out, lulled to sleepiness or perhaps death by the crunch of her cowboy’s boots in the desert ground. She decided that if death took her now, she would be content. Held by the man she knew she loved, in no pain, on an adventure together. Something, someone called her back from the brink. 

“Dollface, you dead?”

It took a monumental effort to pry her eyelids open. She could hardly see the ghoul above her, still carrying her. 

“I-“ her throat felt like sandpaper. “You told me to close my eyes-“

Cooper glanced down at her, assessing her eyes and face. “I told you to keep them open an hour ago. I need you to keep them open. ” He opened his mouth to speak again, but hesitated.

Dinah attempted to shrug, and her eyes slowly shut again. 

Cooper gently jostled her in his arms, causing her to startle. “Hey!”

“Remember how you said you’d obey me? Well, this is one of those times. Stay. awake.” It was a command, Dinah could hear it in his voice.

She kept her eyes busy by glancing around the surroundings only illuminated by the cloud chasing moon. 

The pair continued walking in silence for several more moments.  “Since you’re so damned nosy, ask me anything you want. I’ll answer anything honestly.”

“R-really?” She squeaked out. 

“Only if you keep your eyes open. But yes.”

Dinah was silent as she thought through what she wanted to know. 

“I found pictures in your nightstand. A woman and a little girl. Who are they?”

The ghoul winced and slowly whistled. “Keep your damn paws off of my thing babe. Hell..” 

“You said I could ask anything. Didn’t take you for a liar.” 

“Foolish of you to take me for anything.” 

Dinah watched as he readjusted their heading. As they started moving again, he spoke. Softer this time. “Was it the ones taken at a party?”

“Yeah. It was.”

“The woman is Barb.”

“I-“ she hissed as the bounty hunter readjusted his grip on her back, bumping her hardly bandaged shoulder. “I figured.”

“Janey,  the little girl in the picture is named Janey. She is my daughter.”

His eyes studied the horizon. The desert wind sang around them, picking up in intensity, kicking up small pieces of debris and a few tumbleweeds. Dinah removed her eyes from the suddenly changing surroundings and up at the man. Cooper paused their walk as he spotted something off in the distance. He suddenly turned around, studying the sky. “Rad storm,” he whispered.  “Fucking shit. “

Dinah shook her head to keep the blackness at bay.  “Hold on, darling. We have to beat that storm.” Dinah grabbed onto him like a monkey,  and he bolted. They ran as if something was chasing them. 

“What the“ a bump. “Heck is a rad storm, Sheriff?” She asked quietly. 

He didn’t answer. The ghoul slowed about a mile from where they started and kicked something. It was a metal door, evident by the resistant metal hinges swinging open. They stepped inside, the ghoul pulled his gun with one hand, and checked for enemies. Satisfied, he gently set Dinah down on an old red velvet chaise. The place smelled of butter, dust, old furniture, and vinyl. Dinah’s eyes watched the ghoul as he shut the door and started dragging a heavy desk sideways against the door. A cabinet was bent and placed in front of a window to the left of the door. A creepy, eerie sound moaned from outside. The air felt charged, tense, and heavy. The ghoul wiped his face and sat on the ground, leaning against the barricade in front of the door. “Barely made it.”

Dinah carefully sat up and winced. “Got another stimpack, cowboy?” 

The bounty hunter on the floor grabbed his pack, still situated on his back. He stood with the requested stimpack and disinfectant. Dinah held out her hand to take the stimpack. The ghoul shook his head. 

“No. I’ll check and clean your wounds first, then the stimpack.” He knelt, hesitated, then removed his gloves. Dinah’s eyes studied his rugged, rough, strong hands as he started unwrapping her now dust-laden bandages. 

The stimpack initiated the healing process, causing the bandages to adhere to the flesh, which was already beginning to regenerate. Cooper quickly pulled the mesh apart, causing Dinah to hiss with pain. He continued his work on her shoulder and turned to her bicep. Dinah was watching intently as he moved to remove the bandage, and he glanced at her. 

“Turn your head.”

“I can take it.”

“No, dollface, you don’t want to see what that psycho did to your arm. Turn, now.” 

Dinah swallowed and obeyed. As he slowly unwrapped the bandage, stiff with ichor and dried blood, Dinah spoke again. “Why were you covered in blood?”

The ghoul didn’t stop pulling detritus from her wound as he answered. “I slaughtered that creep's crew. Every single one of them.”

Dinah swallowed, simultaneously impressed and horrified by his ability to do something so violent. “Didn’t they shoot at you?”

Something hit the floor; the young woman glanced at the object. It was a human molar. She grimaced, attempting to stifle the urge to look at the damage Ivan had done.

“Yes,” he said simply. 

“Did you get hit?”

“Yep.”

“How come you’re still, ya know-” He poured the antiseptic over her bicep, and she yelped. “Sorry,” she answered. 

“It’s fine. How come I’m still alive? Dug the bullets out before I made that bastard pay. Threw the bullet casings on the ground before I walked in.” He tied the new bandage over her arm and tilted her head to the side. “One more shortcake, then you’re done.”

“How’d they get your guns, Coop?” She turned to look up at him, hovering close to her face. His intense eyes stared down at her for a second. 

“As much as I like you staring up at me like that, Doe eyes,” his hand pulled her chin to the side. “ Stay there. They took them off of me after they drugged you. His boys said that because I work for Wallace, they agreed to leave me alone. They took my guns to make sure I wouldn't come for you. I found the fire ax embedded into a wall right outside their camp.” 

Dinah stayed silent as he cleaned her last wound. The ghoul injected her with a stimpack, then stood to leave. “Stay. Stay here, rest with me. You don’t have to nap on the floor.”

The ghoul chuckled and squeezed her hand. “Now, who says I am gonna nap?”

Dinah smiled and sat up. “Usually, you rest on the floor against a hard surface.” She pulled him slightly, and his bag dropped to the ground. Cooper let himself be pulled just a bit closer to her. 

“Is that so?”

Dinah nodded. “Oh yes. You also always pull your hat down over your eyes, even if it’s the middle of the night.” She flashed a pretty expression at the ghoul, her teeth purposefully grazing her bottom lip. “Come on. Please, Cooper?“ She tugged his arm once more. 

“Fine.” He slipped off his boots, and his blood-stained duster fell to the floor next to them. The entire time, her hand was still in his. “You know how to pout and get your way.” 

Dinah laughed and tugged his hand hard, pulling him down on top of her. “That’s kinda of a you problem.” She wrapped her arms around him tightly, wincing slightly, and he laughed.  

“What’s my problem? Not my fault you’re a little brat,” he looked down at her and placed his hat on her head. 

Dinah shifted her legs under the weight of the ghoul, and he scooted down a bit. He hesitated, then softly placed his head on her chest. Dinah’s arms wrapped around him. 

“Your heart’s racing Di,” Cooper whispered. 

“Must be from the stimpack,” She answered, her voice trailing off. A comfortable, quiet settled around the pair, closely curled up as the raging storm raged outside.

“Did you remember what you said?” 

The ghoul roused from a doze with a small snort. “What?”

“That you’re done with other dames?”

His hand moved, and he gently ran a bare finger along her jaw before answering. “I don’t want anyone else to hurt ya again, babe. If taking home a dime piece will endanger you, I won’t be taking them home. “

Dinah started running her hand up and down his strong, muscled back. 

“What was Janey like?” 

The ghoul didn’t answer for so long that Dinah suspected he had fallen asleep. “Smart, like her momma. Funny, like her daddy used to be. Piece of damn sunshine in a grey formless world.” 

“I think her daddy can still be funny sometimes.”

A low rumble assured her that he had laughed. “Thanks Dinah.”

“I think I like ya Cooper.”

No movement came from the bounty hunter, settled onto her chest.

Then, “You’re not so bad yourself. Now, will you hush so I can sleep?”

Chapter Text

Dinah woke before the ghoul did. Well, her stomach woke up. She managed to push the ghouls' sleeping form from her body and left the loveseat. From the sounds of it, the storm was still raging. Dinah ignored the creepy noises and found something edible in Cooper's bag. Glancing around the space, a can of open beans in one hand, Dinah was confused about where they had camped. A desk was placed off to the right of another doorway. An old monitor and a dial phone were on the desk. On the walls were posters encased in glass. One was of a strange green creature and a heroic man pointing a gun at it. In bold letters above the pair: It's green and its name is death!

Another poster featured a woman and a man on either side of a wall. The man looked frightened, and the woman had sharp teeth and red eyes—the title was The Dangerous Dame.  

Dinah discarded the empty can of beans near the ghoul's boots and stood. She searched the room for a weapon. She found a hammer left in a locker, and an open briefcase was kept in the same place. Oddly enough, several simple tools were neatly collected, such as a small screwdriver, a wrench, pliers, and several small screws. Dinah was delighted and snapped it shut, happy she had found tools and a place to put everything she would scavenge from the building.  Dinah also scavenged a pack of matches and a lamp in the next locker. She also swapped some of the ghoul’s supplies from his backpack.  She placed some dried jerky and several bobby pins into her pocket.  With one more look at the ghoul sleeping, she pushed through the small opening in the door. The door led to a large, dimly lit hallway. It appeared the electricity was still running to two sconces, which provided a slight glow to the hall.

Dinah was on guard; she didn’t expect much life in the old building. She scoped the first room to her left; nothing but a caved-in upper floor, and the room was packed with dirt and rubble. The next room was a bathroom, as indicated by the still-viable sign above the door frame—her steps were loud on the cold tile floors. In the room's far wall, she spotted what appeared to be an untouched medical kit. Dinah’s grip on her weapon tightened as she slowly stalked past the half-open stall doors. Scanning side to side, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A soft, low growl made her hair stand on end. She turned and stared into the darkened cubby. The first thing she spotted was a pair of eyes. Animal eyes looking back at her. She spotted an old sun bleach collar around its neck. The creature didn’t have its fur raised or bear any teeth. The dog seemed in a posture of protection over something. Dinah knelt slowly to her knees. She removed the ghoul’s borrowed hat and placed it on the floor. It was stupid to be in this position, but Dinah hadn’t seen a dog in so long.

“Hey, whatcha guarding there, hm?” She said this softly in a lilt. A tone that seemed to perk the dog’s ears up.

The dog suddenly sniffed the air. My breath, he might want food. Dinah carefully reached into her pocket and pulled out the sealed jerky. The dog’s ears and head perked up. Its large tail moved slightly. She pulled out a piece and threw it near the dog. Its gaze went from her to the jerky. Before she could blink, the creature grabbed the meat and sat back to its original position, chewing hungrily. After finishing the piece quickly, the dog looked at her again, its tail hitting the tile wall. She held out her hand with another piece of jerky. The dog slowly crouched and stepped slowly over to her. It sniffed her hand and gently took the piece of food lying on the ground at her feet. The redhead couldn’t see what the dog looked like, but it seemed dark, with floppy ears. Dinah glanced at what the dog had been guarding. It was a skeleton, a small stuffed bunny near its hand—a child. A child had been left, escaped, or something. And this dog protected it. Dinah wiped the tear sliding down her cheek and looked at the dog. Its loyalty had been unwavering, evident in how thin and bony the dog appeared. She stood and moved to open the med pack on the wall. Inside was med-X and a pack of blood; these were placed into the briefcase. Dinah turned back to the exit and began strolling back to the hall. The sound of long canine nails made her pause and turn. The dog was halfway out of the stall, where she had found it. It looked at her with sunken but soft eyes. Dinah smiled and whistled. Its ears twitched up. 

“Come on, let’s go.” The dog took one more glance back at its former owner and slowly started following her. She walked carefully down to the last door in the hall. Employees only marked the door.

Dinah turned to the dog several paces down the hall, “Guess we are employees today, boy.” Dinah then attempted to open the door, but it was sealed shut. She kicked the door several times, and the door finally gave way. Dust erupted from the doorway. The air that wafted from the now-open space smelled old, musty, and had a faint hint of coffee. Dinah stepped in and glanced around. A strange machine pointed at a square window in the middle of the grimy room. Two wheels sat at the top and bottom of the odd device. Dinah dropped her hammer and set down her makeshift toolbox. Whatever it was, it fascinated her. She had to find out what it was. She pulled her lantern closer to the wheel on top. A roll of something was attached. Dinah pulled at a strip attached to the machine. It looks like a camera roll. She pulled the cell to the light. It was a series of pictures, just in a roll. Something clicked. 

“Movies,” Dinah whispered. Moving pictures. The sound of clicking dog paws moved behind her. The black dog walked into the room and sat staring at the door, most likely in a guarding stance. Dinah placed the tape back where it had been before. She followed the patchy cord until it plugged into the wall.

A lamp was plugged into the same outlet, she switched it on, and it flickered but lit up. So the outlet itself had power supplied. Unplugging the projector, she studied the cord. It appeared the wiring was starting to peek through and fray in the gaps in the coating. Dinah moved to the briefcase and dumped everything out. No electrical tape. Which would be better: duct tape or medical tape? She decided duct tape was the better option. After patching it up, she plugged it in and switched the machine on. It took a few seconds, but the ample projector light flickered then held. It whirred to life, and a picture began to display on the screen in the room next door. Dinah pushed through the reluctant door. Nothing greeted her in the next room as she shone her light and held her hammer firmly. After deciding it was safe, she sat in one of the large, red, cushioned seats lining the floor in rows.

The movie was a western: romantic heroic Cowboys, sassy beautiful widows, crooked bar owners, and kind stable hands. The film follows Lenora, a young widow with a large ranch, and a suave reformed robber-turned-cowboy named Ash. Dinah’s mind was utterly enthralled with the picture. The way Ash strolled around the widow's ranch watching out for the gang of horse thieves received Dinah’s rapt attention. It wasn't until the dog slowly set its body down at her feet that she remembered she wasn’t in the film. She glanced down and gently touched the dog's head before returning to the screen. The redhead had hoped that Lenora and Ash would get together. 

Lenora handed Ash his hat and pulled out a bag of coins. The cowboy shook his head and stepped back from her.

“I couldn’t take that miss.”

“Why wouldn’t ya, Ash? I owe you for saving my ranch and my hide from those damn criminals.”

Ash again shook his head and stepped backward reluctantly to the door. “No thanks is necessary.”

Come on, Dinah thought tensely. 

“How about this?” The brown haired beauty stepped forward and quickly kissed him on the lips, just a brush. 

Ash stepped forward and kissed her back. Dinah was satisfied with it ending this way. It didn’t. 

The pair kissed longer, but suddenly the cowboy pulled away. 

“I can’t do this.“

The sound of a door being pushed open caused Dinah to grab her hammer and turn to the back of the theater. She sighed in relief as the ghoul's shape and signature duster assured her she wasn’t in danger. The look on his face, illuminated enough by the screen, puzzled her. His eyes were glued to hers.  Behind her, the scene kept playing.   

“Why not?” 

“Darlin’,” the way Ash said this term of endearment was achingly familiar. Her eyes locked with Cooper as Ash said the last lines of the movie.

”I have done so much evil in this world. But ruining a young lady’s body and soul with my own, I will not do. Especially one as naive and sweet as you.” Dinah’s memory had heard those lines before coming from the Ghouls’ mouth.

The orchestra swelled, and the credits rolled. Dinah and Cooper stared at one another until the sound of the projector running out of film broke the trance. 

“You’re Cooper Howard, aren’t you?”

Chapter Text

A long exhale came from the 200-year-old man. “Used to be. Cooper Howard has been dead since the bomb dropped.”

Dinah stood and strolled over to the man standing in the doorway. She stared at him, studying his face. 

“I found your record. I even showed it to you.” Dinah laughed softly. One foot stepped closer to the man, tensed up before her—another step. The dog's paws made the ghoul reach for his holster. 

“No! He's friendly.”

The ghoul relinquished his grip on the firearm, but he squinted into the darkness, trying to look at the dog. 

“Sure about that?”

“Yep. Come on, I want to get him some food and water.” Dinah quickly pushed past Cooper so she couldn't hear his protests. The dog walked warily past the bounty hunter and followed her down the hall to the better-lit break room they had slept in. 

Dinah opened a can of cat food she had grabbed just in case they had run out of everything else, and dumped it into an old plastic plate. The dog slowly ate the opened food and sipped long laps out of the water bowl next to it. Dinah removed her shoes and socks and slowly hugged her knees beside the animal. 

She watched intently as the thing kept glancing warily back over at her.

“We ain't keeping it.”

Dinah jumped and craned her neck to look at the doorway behind her. The bounty hunter leaned against the doorway, assessing the scene before him. 

“Yes, we are. The dog can be a great help-”

The ghoul interrupted her with a barking laugh. “That ain't a dog. Its a fucking horse.” Cooper strolled in slowly and sat next to Dinah on the ground. 

Dinah tilted her head in confusion. “It's not an overly large dog.”

“Doll face, it looks like it's a great Dane. Probably near 3 feet at the shoulder.”

“Isn't that normal for dogs?”

“Hell no. What dogs have you seen that are his size?”

“I don't remember. But he could carry things. He's so big, he can keep watch at night.” 

The ghoul opened his mouth to protest when she hurried to speak again. 

“He can keep me safe if you ever need to leave me anywhere. He won't leave my side when we are in Boulder City.”

Cooper paused his objections. “Hm. You are getting better at pleading your cases, dearest. More trouble for me.” The ghoul leaned forward to let the dog smell his hand. “It's not a yes. But we will keep him for now. “

Dinah grinned and wrapped her arms around the ghoul. “Thank you, Coop.”

The rad storm finally died down and they left the movie theater before noon. The dog continued to follow them. 

They stopped to let the giant dog drink water and reapply the makeshift foot wraps. 

“What should we name it?” Dinah asked as she poured some water into the dog's bowl. 

The ghoul was rewrapping the animal's paws to protect it from the burning sand. He glanced up at her. “If we name it, it means we are keeping it. No names.”

“Aw, come on. We can keep calling it a dog or it. How about.. Behemoth?” 

“Godzilla. It's so damn big.” 

“What's Godzilla?” Dinah asked, lying in the shade of the outcropping of stones. She hesitated, then laid her head down on the ghouls lap. He didn't object. 

“Building tall lizard monsters from outer space or somethin’. Popular movie monster pre-war.”

“Oh.“ A pause in their conversation.

Dinah's hand absentmindedly traced the now familiar cheekbones she had seen on that record cover, in that movie. 

“How about Ash?”

The former movie star stared at her for a long moment. 

“Ash, I don't hate it. Whatcha think, boy?” the man turned down to the dog. “Ash sounds good?” 

Dinah laughed, her hand now resting on the ghouls jaw. Her finger subconsciously moved and slowly brushed his dry, rough bottom lip. The ghoul's gaze switched from the dog down to her prone form beside him. 

“A damn Hollywood star. A real cowboy, I've been traveling with Movie star Cooper Howard.” 

“Not my name, sugar,” his voice a growl. That distinctive twang still settled in his raw throat. 

“No. It is. You are Cooper Howard.”

“I'm not. If you're hoping to get Cooper Howard the movie star instead of me.. That ain't happening.”

Dinah rolled and sat up quickly, studying his face. 

“I like the man in front of me right now. That includes the past movie star, father, and ex-husband. Also includes the man who's been hardened by the wasteland and years of solitude.”

“Stop lying to an old man, Di. I am not a good man anymore. I am as wicked as they come.”

Dinah opened her mouth to protest, but acted instead. With one movement, she placed herself on his lap, facing him. His startled expression encouraged her further. 

“Maybe I am just as wicked as you are.” With that, she pushed Cooper down on his back and leaned her face near his own. The ghouls’ breathing shifted. His body started to tense. 

“Kitten, you have no idea what you’re doing.”

“Then show me, cowboy,” Dinah whispered, her lips brushing his own as she spoke. 

His eyes traveled from her own to her lips. In a blur, he crashed his lips against her own. Dinah was overwhelmed by his fierce whispers against her lips. He bit her lips softly at first. A soft sigh escaped her mouth, and he took that as an invitation to explore the inside of her lips with his tongue. Her hands found their way to the lapels of his duster, trying to pull him somehow closer. 

Cooper suddenly removed his lips from hers and rolled them. They switched positions, and Dinah was firmly placed underneath him. He leaned close, and Dinah eagerly attempted to catch his mouth again but pulled back. Dinah pouted as Cooper chuckled. 

“Eager little thing aren't you?” his hand lazily traced circles on her thigh, the other firmly gripping the bare skin that peeked over her waistband. 

“Yes. I am. Now come here.” 

“How about you beg for it?”

Dinah stared up at him, “I am not a dog. I will not.”

“Fine.” The ghoul said, quickly standing and releasing her from underneath him. Dinah was tired of playing nice. She kicked his feet from under him, and he fell. Something snapped in Cooper. Some resistance and restraint broke. He scrambled up and grabbed his lasso attached to his belt. Cooper's pupils were blown, and his breathing seemed ragged. Dinah stood and warily backed away from him. 

I messed up… I shouldn’t have tripped him. 

“You made a foolish mistake there, little missy.” The lasso was being shaped as he stepped closer to her. “Didn’t your backwater townies ever teach you good manners?”

Dinah felt like a prey animal being stalked from the underbrush. “Uh. They did, I say please and thank you-“

“Not what I meant. Using your words instead of pushing people or tripping them.” 

He stepped closer, and she stepped backwards. “L-look, Cooper, we can forget-“

The ghoul grinned as he backed her into the rock face, trapping Dinah.

“That’s not my name.” Cooper closed the gap, and their bodies pressed against one another. He bent his head down, that damned half smirk playing on his face. “I am a bounty hunter, known as The Ghoul. And I’ve finally caught my ultimate bounty. I highly suggest you start running. Now.” 

Dinah’s heart dropped, and she bolted.

He caught her about a mile from Boulder, Ash following him instead of Dinah. It was nearly dark, and after being tied up, thrown over his shoulder, she was dropped onto the bedroll placed in an abandoned house. The rope fell away easily with Cooper’s experienced hands. His rough, sturdy hands ghosted the curves of her body, and Dinah ached for his contact. His eyes caught hers. The hunger contained in them made her feel so admired and adored. But he still didn’t touch her. It clicked. Permission. 

“Go on. Please daddy-o. Touch me,” she asked breathily. 

The ghoul’s response was an urgent kiss. His mouth greedily took in her lips, tongue, and teeth. His physical adoration continued as he trailed kisses and hard, bruising bites into her neck, ears, and collarbones. Dinah felt like she was on fire, and her head was spinning. Dinah's eager hands had already tugged off his duster and shirt, and she was enjoying the feeling of his tough skin stretched taut over large muscles. He felt so powerful, so strong under her hands. Dinah could feel his hands almost shaking as he gently lifted her shirt. A warm hand grasped her bare ribcage, but stayed there. 

He pulled back, and both of them were gasping and breathing heavily. His hands gripped her shirt's collar, ready to pull it off, but he hesitated. His forehead softly pressed against her own.

“Beg me to stop. Please tell me to stop. I can’t do it myself. " His voice was softer than she had ever heard.

Dinah’s hands moved to cup his face. “Why would I tell you to stop?”

“If you lived in a normal settlement or city, you’d have your pick of men and women lining up to have you. And here I am, the good-for-nothing rad-infested bastard who’s been running around the wasteland murdering, torturing-“

“I don’t want other people. I want you,” she said softly, smiling.

“No. That’s-“

“Cooper Howard. I want you.”

His eyes moved to hers the instant she said his name. “But what if I make you as dirty and wicked as me?”

“What if I made you as kind and caring as me?” she answered honestly.

The pair stared at each other for several more seconds. 

Dinah’s hands reached slowly down to the ghouls’ belt buckle and achingly unfastened it. “I might like the idea of you making me a bit wicked. I think I already had it in me.”

The ghoul tore her shirt open in response and they said nothing more that evening but loaded expletives and loudly proclaiming the others name.

Chapter Text

Dinah woke up to the smell of coffee. Sore and bruised, she suppressed a hiss as she shifted onto her side. She opened her eyes and was greeted by a fully dressed Cooper sitting against a crumbling wall, gazing at her. Her stove and his coffee pot were being used to cook breakfast. Dinah slowly sat up, grabbed a set of stimpacks and rad away, administering both. The thin blanket covering her slipped down to her waist. The cool morning air hit her. She had forgotten she was naked. The ghoul grinned as his eyes drifted down to her bare chest. 

“Your skin makes such a pretty canvas.” It wasn’t poetry, but as close as Dinah had ever heard. “You’ll have to wear a higher shirt back at Boulder to hide them.”

“Why would I want to hide them? Doesn't it mean I’m yours? No one would dare touch me. Plus, I want to show how much you crave me, cowboy.”

The ghoul only shrugged. If she didn’t know better, Dinah would’ve suspected he blushed. Cooper stood and brought her a plate of food and a mug of coffee. 

“Juniper Coop, it smells so freaking good. I’m starving.” 

The ghoul sipped his mug as he watched her wolf down the food he had brought her. His hand disappeared into his pocket, and he fished out the serum. He shook the bottle and held it to the light streaming from a broken window. 

“Damn baby girl.” He boyishly grinned at her before speaking again. “You got me sucking back a quarter of this shit last night.”

Dinah laughed and could feel the blush spreading across her face. “You asked me if I wanted to go a second time. It’s not my fault your old man's heart had a hard time with all the excitement.” She set down her plate, and her tone became serious. “In all honesty, I think it’s the quality of the serum. I told you Bob was cutting it with other garbage.”

The ghoul used the inhaler and stared out at the empty desert. 

Dinah stood and picked up the ghoul's duster, slipping it on before sitting beside him. “So what’s next, hunk?” 

“More jobs.”

“But you spent nearly a week waiting for a job.”

The ghoul sighed. “I looked for jobs everywhere but with Bob. He seems to be the only one offering vials for pay.”

“That means you will have to continue working for him… for the foreseeable future.”

“Yeah..”

Dinah’s eyes moved to the large dog. Ash was asleep, curled up against a wall.

“He was awake, guarding us all last night. When I woke up, he sat right by our feet. He didn’t fall fully asleep until I was up around 3 a.m. I fed him already, don't worry,” Cooper assured her. 

“Are you okay with working for Bob consistently?”

“Fuck no. I hate that sonofbitch. I hate all of Boulder City.”

“You ripped my only shirt, you know,” Dinah said, glancing sideways at the bounty hunter. He moved and threw her bra, shorts, and his black leather vest onto her lap. 

“Wear mine. You can pick a new one out in Boulder.”

“Will you buy it?”

“Maybe.”

Silence settled over the pair as Dinah stood and started to dress. 

“Why?”

“Why, what darlin?”

 Dinah buttoned up her shorts and walked over to him.  “Why do you hate Boulder City  so much?”

The ghoul retied his boots and stood, grabbing his pack. “Why do you think I hate it? They own fucking slaves. I’ve seen some as young as... Look, it doesn’t matter. That place is built on tears and ensnared misery. If I didn’t have Bob supplying me with vials, I’d kill him and as many of his crew as I could.”

“Well… we could arrange that.”

The rugged man stopped adjusting his pistol and stared at her. “Now, how the hell would we do that, little Missy?” 

Dinah’s mind was elsewhere. She was brainstorming. “I think Bob... likes me. He’s fond of me, like a pet. Maybe I can get close enough to him to find some information out. Maybe figure out where he gets his serum, or steal whatever he has stocked up.”

The hunter turned and regarded her. “Whatcha mean Wallace is fond of you?” 

“Well,” she fastened the vest. “He taught me how to play 21. He let me win, too, and insisted I keep my winnings. Plus, he gave me the bonus for bringing in the horses.”

The ghoul sat rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Hm. We could use that, but I don’t want you in danger, doll.”

Dinah finished dressing and was putting her boots back on. “Do you think he would be stupid enough to lay a finger on your 'property'?”

“No. He knows better than to force you to do anything you wouldn’t want to do. I’d murder him otherwise.”

“So why not? I can convince him that you’ve reconsidered your stance on sharing me. Or, I want someone “gentler”?  Just spitballing here…” 

“Are you sure you’re down to use your wicked charms for me?” The ghoul seemed sincere as he asked this. “One more job, and you and I ride on an adventure.” 

Dinah gasped softly and walked over to Cooper. She traced his jaw and gave him a peck on the cheek. He dropped his pack and pulled her flush against him, grabbing tightly to her ass. 

“You mean that?”

His eyes gazed down at her with a grin. “Course I do.”

“So you’ll take me with you, and never leave me?” She asked softly. 

One of his hands moved, and he brushed a gloved thumb across her cheek. “I promise, beautiful. You and me, against the wasteland.” This promise was sealed with a long kiss so sweet and gentle that it almost made Dinah weak in the knees. His lips brushed unhurriedly against her own, and his hand grabbed the curves of her body. After they broke apart, Dinah’s hands grabbed the ghouls' lapels. She eyed him hungrily.

“I have half the mind to try to ride atop you bareback, cowboy…” she said boldly. 

The ghoul swallowed and regretfully pried her grip from his duster. 

He chuckled and picked up his pack. “That’s a tempting image, but my old back would hate to have such.. Vigorous, acts on the hard ground. Come on, let’s head back.”

Dinah sighed and slowly followed alongside him. They traveled for about half an hour when the ghoul spoke again. 

“Don’t worry, doll, we can break in every surface in my room when we get back, ok?”

Chapter Text

 The next part of the plan was to stage a falling out in Bob’s favourite lounge/casino hall. 

“You sure that they will let you and me argue out loud? I don’t want to get us in trouble.” Dinah said, adjusting the red lipstick on her cupid's bow in the bathroom mirror. The ghoul walked in and gazed down at her. 

He wolf-whistled and started to reach for her red and white striped low shirt. Dinah laughed and pushed his hands away. “No, I need to look sexy, not like I went through a tornado.” 

Cooper instead ran his hands up her mid-calf skirt and rested them on her bare hips. 

“I am sure. Di, many people are scared of me. No one will care.”

 Dinah caught his eye in the mirror. “Did you get the capsule day tripper?”

Cooper pulled the two small capsules out of his pocket and held them up to her. “Yes, ma’am.” He handed her the downers, and she placed them into a hidden flap in her shoe. Dinah stood slowly and was greeted by Coop, kissing her neck softly. He tipped his hat to her and left as they had discussed. Dinah readjusted her lipstick, took a slow, deep breath, and left the apartment.

Dinah knew that Cooper would be heavily flirting with several “shareable” smoothies and their female owners. Despite knowing this, seeing him grab the waist and hips of a partially ghoulfied redhead that looked a lot like her made her stomach turn. She ordered a beer and fixed her face into a glare. Stomping up, she pulled the woman out of Cooper's grip, who luckily didn't decide to fight back. 

“What the hell do you think you are doing?!” she yelled, her voice lowered in tone. The attention of the closest patrons was drawn to them.

Cooper infuriatingly grinned and leaned back onto the bartop. “What the hell does it look like I'm doing? Enjoying the local cuisine.”

“No, you're cheating on me. Not tasting some wine or nuka!” Dinah exclaimed, stepping closer to the ghoul.

“Dollface, you're cute and all,” Cooper leaned forward towards her, yet his voice carried to the rapidly quieting casino. “But you're nothing but an empty-headed warm body to fuck. We will never be on equal ground. Besides,” he finished his shot and stood looming over her. He was so convincing, Dinah almost stepped backwards. “To care for someone, you don't pay the discounted 50 caps for them. You pay at least 100.”

Dinah's anger rushed forward for real, and she threw the beer she was holding all over the bounty hunter. The bar, casino and even the drunk barflies suddenly fell deathly silent. Dinah gasped and started to cower in feigned fear. Everyone knew who Cooper was, and they had realised they might be seeing a murder unfold in front of their eyes. 

Coop wiped the beer from his face and violently grabbed the empty beer mug from her hand. The same mug was smashed into small glittery pieces as he threw it against the wall behind Dinah. Luckily, this didn't scare her. They had talked about this part. In fact, it almost made her smile knowing their plan was in motion. What frightened her was the unreadable expression on his face. It looked like the expression he had when he was low on the serum. He grabbed her by the waist and threw her onto her back on the rapidly clearing bartop. He had accidentally dropped her too far away from the surface, as the air was forced out of her lungs with the drop. He pulled her so close his breath was hot and venomous on her face and neck. This… this felt real.

“Listen, you little ghoul fucker. When I found you in the desert, it was not to be a fucking charity case. I wish I had left you in the desert all pretty and spread-eagled for the buzzards, or better yet, slavers to”

That was her snapping point. Dinah saw red and wrenched her arm from his grasp. She slapped him so hard across the face that her hand stung and burned with the force.

Cooper’s facade dropped, and a hurt look appeared on his face. They hadn't resorted to any physical escalation during arguments. Well, except for when he tried to leave her in the desert. She had to regain control of her emotions and focus back on the task they had set out to do. Dinah ventured a quick glance over at the blackjack table two away from the bar. Bob Wallace was sitting there watching them like his favorite TV serial was on. They couldn't afford to break the facade they were creating. She swallowed and acted. “Go on. Show them how much you love to hurt me. How you like to bend me over anything and hit me until I sob.” She said, lying through her teeth. It wasn't convincing enough. Dinah had to do something rash. She dropped her voice to a harsh whisper. “Tell them how your favorite thing to play is the hurry up and fuck me because Jainey is going to wake up any moment-” 

Dinah was cut off by a gloved hand wrapping over her neck, starting to slow the oxygen traveling to her brain.  She was scared of him for the first time. He could actually kill her easily. And all it had taken was one slap and his daughter's name to provoke him. 

Out of the side of her blurring vision, the shapes of Bob and his posse moved. 

“Cooper, get off of her.” Dinah glanced at Bob, tears filling her vision. She was actually starting to have the edge of her vision close in. “Cooper, I will ask you one more time. Get off of her.”

The ghoul didn't visually let go, but Dinah felt the pressure lift off her neck. He was in control again. 

“Take him back to his quarters.” 4 bodyguards pulled Cooper off of her. She coughed and wheezed, still lying over the bar. Bob picked her up like she was a limp doll and started walking to a hallway off the casino floor. 

“Get Doc Harley to meet me in my suite,” he called out to the last lingering bodyguard.

“Well, she’s definitely been abused. Burn marks, chemical burns, lacerations, sores. Whoever owned her before was certainly a masochist.” Doc Harley finished checking her pupils with a bright, concentrated light and moved to flip her lip up. He looked at her teeth as if she were a horse. “Looks healthy enough. I don’t  know if she has any visible radiation damage, but it can be hard to tell from smooth skin.”   

Dinah glanced at Bob, who was leaning against the wall, watching the doctor palpate and examine her prone form.

“Thanks, doc. Your owed caps are on the table.”

“Much obliged. Have a good evening, Bob.”

The door to the well-furnished apartment shut, and Dinah waited. Bob finished his drink, placing it in the bathroom sink and slowly walked over to Dinah. She pushed away from him, trying to get as far away as she could. 

“Easy, doll. You’re safe. I have that bastard locked up in his cage for now.” 

Dinah carefully sat up and cast her eyes down at the ground.

“Ya know, I’ve known Cooper a long time. Knew he was a violent man… but…” his voice trailed off. “Did he do that to you? All the scars and tears?”

Dinah’s glance moved up to Bob’s. She nodded. 

“Listen, you are free to talk here. I won’t hurt you because you speak.”

“Yes. He... he hurt me, Mr Wallace.”

Wallace reached out and softly stroked her cheek. “You’re too pretty and young to be with that old bastard.”

“He owns me. Don’t have a choice.”

“You do. Work for me.”

Dinah bit her lip and glanced at the ground. “He won’t let me.”

“Does he need caps?”

“I dunno.”

Wallace settled beside her, gently tilting her chin upward to meet his gaze. “Would you consider staying with me? I promise to treat you well.” His hand found its way to her knee, a gesture that felt invasive. 

“He’s in need of serum, but I can’t seem to locate any…” Dinah hesitated, swallowing the rest of her thought as his hand slid further up her thigh. 

“Can’t find any what, little minx?” he teased, his voice low and playful. 

“The stuff you guys smoke. He can’t find any jobs that pay in that. Just caps or bodies,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. The mobster let out a hearty laugh, clearly amused. 

“So, the righteous cowboy is desperate for his fix, huh? I should make him beg for it.” Dinah felt a pang of sympathy for the man she had been with. 

“He’s so desperate… he even offered to share me as payment or a bribe.” 

This revelation piqued Bob's interest. “Did he, now? How intriguing. What if we set up a meeting with that cowboy? We could negotiate a deal, perhaps even offer him a little bonus if he shares you during the job.” Bob leaned in closer, the scent of rubbing alcohol and meat overwhelming her senses as he awkwardly pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. “What do you say, babe?” Dinah stared at him for several long seconds. He wasn’t as ugly as she remembered. He was certainly the most handsome and assembled ghoul she had ever seen. Minus Cooper, naturally.  The absurdity of his proposition almost made her laugh, yet it was precisely the opportunity she had been hoping for. “You promise you’ll protect me? Fix me up if he gets angry? I’ve only been with him, but I can make up for my inexperience.” The word left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she knew it was necessary to seal the deal. Cooper had filled her in on all the kinks and preferences Bob had for his property. 

“Of course, little vixen. Just trust old talent agent Bob Wallace to make this work,” he assured her, leaning in as if to kiss her lips, a thought that sent shivers down her spine. Bob only pressed his surprisingly intact nose against her face, inhaling deeply. “You smell incredible. Damn near the tastiest thing we’ve had around here in ages.” He lingered for a moment, and Dinah fought the urge to recoil or show her disgust. Suddenly, Bob stood up, roughly pulling her to her feet. “Come on. I feel like today’s my lucky day. Let’s go gamble, dime piece.”

They were at the baccarat table for nearly 4 hours. Luckily, Mr.  Wallace hadn’t been quite as handsy as she had expected, but she knew this would change soon. 

“Hey, hot tottie, get me another drink if you please.” Dinah nodded and stood from the small stool set behind Bob. 

“Yes, Mr Wallace.”  This would be his fourth drink, and the first time he had trusted Dinah enough to let her out of his sightline. Well, his guards could still see her, but they were far more focused on the dancers around the club. She ordered the drink, then pretended to fix her heel. She popped the capsule into her mouth, careful to keep it nestled into her cheek. The drink was slid down to her, and she grabbed it, throwing a couple of caps on the bar top. The casing on the Day Tripper was slowly melting, so Dinah knew she only had 2 minutes to go before it started leaking into her system. She paused, the drink still in hand, right next to Bob. After throwing a couple more chips on the table, he glanced up at her. Dinah slowly exhaled and slid herself onto his lap. Bob didn’t touch her for a few seconds, then laughed. 

“I guess I should’ve expected my little pet wanted to sit with me. What’d you order me, baby?”

Dinah handed him the whiskey sour, pretending to be greatly interested in it as he took a long, slow sip. “I got a whiskey sour for you.” 

The Day Tripper was on the verge of melting. “Let me try some.” Bob smiled down at her and offered her the glass, his hand sliding to hold her waist. 

“From your mouth. Please?”

Bob hesitated, and Dinah leaned forward towards his slightly grey ear. “It’s been a while since I kissed someone with intact lips.”

“I’d gladly oblige you.”

He took a slow sip, and as he leaned forward, Dinah crushed the tablet and kissed him, managing to get most of the tripper dissolved as he kissed her. It was gross, but she only felt a small effect from the drug. They pulled apart, and Dinah pasted a smile on her face. 

“Ya, like that doll?”

“Yep. Sure did, sir.” She picked up his already half-empty drink and took a slow sip, understanding that Bob had about 40 minutes before he was out cold. All she had to do was get him upstairs, make the security guards leave and lock the door behind her.

Chapter Text

Dinah did not remember much of the next 2 weeks. It was as if the dosage of drugs she was administering to Bob Wallace was accumulating in her system, causing memory lapses. She’d be down in the casino, then suddenly she'd have a drink, and then, bam, Bob would be out cold from her actions. She never saw Cooper. She wasn’t sure if he had simply left for another job for Bob or if he was gathering intel himself. Perhaps both. Either way, Bob never forced himself on her. She only pretended to wake up, nearly undressed, next to his barely held together patchwork skinsuit. Finally, she had managed to catch a break from partially drugging herself when Bob allowed her to bring him his drink unattended and unwatched as they sat in his private office above Boulder City. Dinah emptied the capsule left for her by Cooper in the corner of the casino yesterday, and after it dissolved, she brought it over and watched Bob become slower and tired the more time went on.  He was out like a light, snoring before an hour was gone. Finally, being alone and able to search with no guards in the same space, Dinah continued her search.  The safe was easy to find. The code was not. After managing to drag him upstairs, half asleep, she threw him on the bed and tied him up. There was no resistance.  After another hour of snooping around, she was able to find the password to his terminal. Another hour after that, she was able to bypass the various data locks. Clicking into each file required a separate password, but these were far simpler and themed to several old-world commercial products. NUKA was the first file she clicked on. Dinah was brilliant, but she had no idea what she was reading. She knew several symbols of Oxygen and Nitrogen, but the rest of the data was unreadable to her. She printed the sheet out to give to Coop. 

Dinah attempted to click into the following folder, but it was corrupted, and she was unable even to access it, as the terminal told her it had been recently deleted. 

The following openable file was unlocked with BLAMCO. Inside was a document concerning he food being served all along the Casino and bars in Boulder City. The first few lines were about the varying animals and food. DVBL was an acronym that kept popping up in the verbiage of the file. The term was finally explained at the very top of the document; the following explanation made her gag. It stood for: Depreciating Value Bipedal Livestock. Despite bile burning the back of her throat, Dinah clicked through to find out more. Pens, the too young, old, sick and especially difficult smooth skins were kept in cages and killed for food.

Dinah could feel the blood pumping in her temples, anxiety gnawing at her stomach. She wanted to flee, turn off the computer, but no. She needed to find the source of the serum. Otherwise, well, Dinah didn't want to think about what would happen. It was horrifying, how one week of being treated like a favoured pet positioned made her forget how awful and disgusting Boulder City and its occupants were. That scared her. It also appeared to change Cooper. Even though she had not spoken a word to him for over 15 days, every time they interacted by fleeting glances across the crowded casino, he didn’t look like Cooper. He looked more and more like the bounty hunter she had rescued nearly 18 months ago and closed off, brusque, flirting, and most likely taking women home with him like before. It created a knot in her stomach with jealousy and silent rage, but she could do nothing about it until they found more information. Dinah tried every single file, but nothing. 

It was 2:30 in the morning when Bob stirred for the first time in around 4 hours. Dinah quickly shut off the terminal and went to address his lack of unconsciousness. 

Bob opened his bleary eyes and managed to croak out, “Fuck.. I feel terrible. Z.. Zelda…Zelda babe… Give me a glass of water, will ya?”

Dinah was confused but nodded, grabbing another tranquilliser, dissolving it into the water placed next to the couch, where Bob lay.  “Here, drink.”

“Thanks-” He was out again before finishing his short sentence.  

 The safe code was simple. Dinah had found a note taped under the desk, with the rather fortuitous hint: safe passcode. The letter z was the entire hint. 

The redhead carefully input the code 26 5 12 4 1 into the safe, and it clicked open. 

Dinah was met with a manila folder, which she almost didn’t grab, as several shiny, large canisters of the serum were flirting with her deeper in the safe. The sound of the door unlocking made her jump, horrified that she was going to be discovered. She scrambled to hide under the desk. 

The sound of heavy boots. That was not much of a clue to who was coming into Bob’s office. Dinah held her breath and waited. 

“Bob? I’m here for my share-” It was Cooper. Dinah slowly crept out from the desk and shushed him. Hell, his eyes. The moment the Ghoul spotted her, he smiled fondly at her. Then, as if remembering the last time they had met was not exactly on the best of terms, his grumpy mask slipped back on. 

“He’s out cold. Come here.” Dinah whispered. The ghoul glanced towards the bedroom portion of Bob’s office, then followed, albeit reluctantly. Dinah wanted nothing more than to pull his rough body against her and kiss him while he scowled adorably. Then she remembered how he had probably done more than embrace a lot of dames in the last two weeks, and her desire was dampened. 

Dinah threw herself into one of the armchairs and looked up at Cooper. “Did you bring them?” She asked softly. 

The bounty hunter across from her nodded. “Yeah, that note was not hidden well. Next time, why don’t you just-” His voice was a hoarse whisper as he slowly placed several counterfeit vials of serum on the glass coffee table in front of Dinah before continuing. “Just yell to the room you have a secret message to give me.”

Dinah pretended his harsh tone didn’t hurt, but she had been faking far too much these last two weeks to make the effort believable. “I guess I am just too stupid or drugged up to make good decisions.” Dinah quickly left the room and returned to Coop, thrusting four real serum vials at him, along with the piece of paper with the chemistry information she had printed out. “Here. That’s why you came right? Now get out of here.”

Cooper surprisingly gave no resistance as he started to walk back to the door to leave. 

Dinah turned and watched him. He stopped at the threshold and turned back to look at her. “You still.. Doing okay here? With this?”

“What do you think, cowboy?” Dinah was trying so very hard not to get angry at him. She stepped up until they were so close that his pipe smoke and leather smell made her so homesick. The redhead closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. “I haven’t fucked him, if that’s what you're asking.”

“Why the hell would you assume that’s why I was asking, darlin’? I wanted to make sure you were.. Physically okay. Fuck, Di.” His gloved hands gently held her forearms. 

“Yeah. I’m fine,” was the answer given.

Cooper let go of her. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I was going to ask Bob if I could borrow you earlier.”

Dinah could hardly believe it. “How long will I get to be with you?” She asked with a grin, threatening to break free of her control. 

“Eager little thing.” 

Dinah wished he would touch her again, kiss her, anything. But he stepped back against the door. “A whole day.”

Bob stirred again, and Cooper got startled, quickly leaving Dinah all alone. She hurriedly undid all evidence of her successful snooping efforts, including replacing the counterfeit vials in the safe, then stripped down to a tank and hopped into bed next to Bob Wallace.

Dinah could hardly wait to get out of the gross, flimsy, cold outfits Bob had made her wear. She shivered again as they waited for the ghoul to come pick her up. Dinah managed to take the contents of the manila folder with her, though she hadn't read them yet. She had unceremoniously folded it and placed it in her bra last night.  Bob had insisted she sit in his lap about an hour ago when they arrived. His hand was also situated on her waist, tightly grasping, all bony and cold. His nails pierced her skin; she was sure of it. Bob made a show of looking at his watch located on his wrist before chuckling coldly. “What’d I tell you, dime piece? He’d forgotten. Too bad for him. I get you to myself. And I have lots of plans for you.” His hand played with the band of her shirt, and then slid down to trace the line of her tight shorts, daring to slip his hand down more, which Dinah managed to resist further exploration by turning around to face him. It was disgusting that he had even gotten his hands further than she had ever desired. 

Dinah swallowed, anxiety settling in the pit of her stomach, making her almost dizzy. 

She licked her lips, pulling her eyes from her hands to scan the room. 

The sound of Bob finishing his drink pulled her back. He dumped her off his lap and nodded at the empty glass. “Get me another baby.” Dinah reached over him, feeling his eyes staring down her blouse. She pulled up and turned the glass in her hand. Bob’s hand smacked her on the backside, causing her to bite her tongue so she wouldn’t curse him out. The restraint was evident as Bob Wallace laughed at her standing still in front of him. “Was there something wrong?”

“No, sir,” Dinah answered, so tense that her jaw was aching. She quickly walked to the bar. As the bartender started making the espresso martini, Dinah smelt the ghoul before she saw him. He slid behind her. “I want to break every godsdamn bone in his fucking hand for doing that.” 

Dinah exhaled softly and grinned down at the gloved hand curled next to hers on the bar. “I’d like to watch. Go back; he’ll think it’s not fair that you got me before shaking his hand. Or some other bull.” 

That damned low half laugh escaped his lips, and Cooper left to go back to Bob. By the time Dinah had returned, she had arranged her body language to look timid and dramatically afraid of Cooper. She even managed to get herself to shiver, which was made easier by the conditions she was already in. As she slid the drink to Bob, Cooper immediately stood, holding his hand out to Bob.

Mr. Wallace grasped the bounty hunter's hand, unsure. 

“Pleasure doing business with you. Promise I’ll bring her back tomorrow at 11 sharp.” With this, Cooper picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Dinah squeaked and started to struggle in his grip, as she was massively surprised and dizzy.

The bar erupted in a burst of laughter at the spectacle. Dinah was once again slapped with the reality of this horrific place. She was struggling and resisting, and the barflies thought this was amusing. Most situations involved unwilling participants, unlike herself. Dinah caught the eyes of one of the smooth-skinned pets in the lounge area of the bar. It was a young man who looked no old

er than 18, with a fresh, boyish face. His eyes already held that deadened look, as a man and woman were using his body without his participation. He continued to stare in a dazed way, following Dinah as she was carried out of the bar. 

As soon as the door was locked, Cooper set her down on the bed, and he was throwing off his duster, hat, and boots.  Dinah looked at the large shape of muscle and a pink lolling tongue as Ash came happily strolling over to Dinah. She laughed softly as the great dane licked her face. She threw her arms around Ash’s strong neck and exhaled slowly. 

“Ash, boy, come on. Dinner.” Cooper called from the corner of the room, dumping a mixture of canned dog food and leftover food scraps into a bowl. Ash happily left Dinah for the promise of sustenance. 

Cooper continued to undress as he walked back to Dinah. His hand stopped unbuttoning his shirt when he glanced down at her. He removed his gloves and knelt so they were at eye level.

Dinah watched Cooper’s hand as it hesitated, then gently held her face. His bare thumb carefully wiped away the tears from her face. 

“What is this?”

Dinah laughed softly despite her state. “They are tears. You know, a normal human reaction to distressing or joyous events.”

“I forgot. Haven’t been a normal human for several centuries.”

Dinah expected him to try kissing her or something, but instead, he stood, giving her space, leaning on the doorframe across from her. “What do you need, Di?”

Dinah wasn’t sure. Until her eyes drifted to the bathtub peaking out from inside the bathroom behind him. But suddenly, moving at all seemed like a daunting task. She hadn’t had anything to eat besides two half-melted martinis and a pack of crackers about an hour ago. She couldn’t make herself eat anything offered to her by Bob after reading what most of the local food was made up of.  Dinah realised with a jolt that Cooper was still waiting for her answer. 

“I want a bath. But… I’m also dang hungry. But then.. I feel so tired, it feels like a lot to even move.” Her voice trailed off. Dinah looked back up at him. “Sorry. I am yammering.”

The ghoul moved to the closet and rummaged through something. Dinah tried to summon the strength to stand, but only found herself reflecting on the grimace-worthy parts of her interactions with Mr. Wallace today. As she sat there longer near 15 minutes, the smell of canned, good, non-human flesh food drifted to her nose.

Outside, under the dim stars and neon lights, Cooper was cooking over her stove, making food. “I like that, ya know.” The movie star called out from the balcony. 

“You like what?”

“That you yammer. Better to fill my brain with your voice than any of the dark musings I can come up with.” Dinah watched as he poured one single bowl of soup from the pot before standing and walking towards her. “I’ve been going damn near crazy without you talking my ear off. Wanting to barge up to that bastard’s suite and take you away. Took all my self-control.” 

Dinah took the bowl. “Where’s yours?”

“Don’t worry about it. Eat.”

After staring at the soup for a few more seconds, Dinah accepted and ate quickly. As soon as she was full, she lay back on the bed and closed her eyes. 

“Baths full.”

Dinah opened her eyes again and stared at Coop, who leaned again on the bathroom door. He cocked his head back to the bathroom, and Dinah slowly stood and walked over, pushing past Coop and sitting herself on the closed toilet, just staring at the inviting bath. Turning to leave, the ghoul started to close the door.

“Please don’t leave. I want to have you near me.”

He turned back and stared at her. “Alright.” Cooper turned and leaned against the sink, watching her. Silence consumed the tiny,  steamy room for another few moments. “You know you have to undress to take a bath properly, right, sugar?”

“Oh. Right.” Dinah slowly and methodically undressed, Cooper not staring at her, which she appreciated. She stood as she slipped the shorts she had been forced to wear off her body.  

“Did Wallace do that to you?”

Dinah wrinkled her brow and stared up at Cooper. 

“Did what to me?”

Cooper stood and approached her. He gently traced the angry handprints and piercing marks on her skin. Dinah glanced down. “Oh. Yeah. They don’t hurt. But he keeps his nails long, I guess.” She pulled the rest of her clothing off, enjoying the hitch of breath from Cooper as she did so. As she tested the water with her foot, she glanced over her shoulder at the old bounty hunter. Dinah was satisfied with the water temperature, so she slowly slid into the bath. She patted the hard linoleum floor next to her. “Come sit with me.”

Cooper rolled his eyes. “I’m too old to sit on the floor.”

Dinah managed a laugh. “You sit on the hard dirt and ground outside.”

“Listen, Halfpint, my body knows the difference.” He turned and left, but promptly returned with a small, low step stool and sat beside her. 

Dinah was busy scrubbing the overwhelming smell of rubbing alcohol from her skin when he spoke again. 

“It wasn’t right what I said during the fight. I wanted to sell it to Bob, but I should have said something else to get you riled up. I shouldn't have said that. It was far too close to what could have happened. I...I’m sorry Dinah.”

Dinah stopped her vigorous scrubbing to glance back up at Cooper in surprise. She put the small piece of rose soap down to lean over the rim of the tub. “I forgive you. If you forgive me using.. Well, your daughter's name. I shouldn't have said that either.”

“I’ll grant ya forgiveness if you let me kiss you.”

“Quite a hard bargain you drive, Mr. Howard. But I suppose I could do that.” 

Coop leaned over towards her, and as soon as his lips touched hers, she pulled him into the tub. 

She laughed, hard as the bounty hunter spluttered in surprise.  “The fuck you do that for?!”

“Juniper Cooper, it looks like you’ll need to get out of those wet clothes. Let me help with that.”

By the time Dinah finished her bath, it was only 6 pm. Despite this, they both fell asleep before 8. Explained why she had woken up around 3 am, but it appeared Cooper was not intent on waking soon. Dinah woke up to Cooper holding her hand even in his sleep. It greatly provided her peace as she watched the slow rise and fall of his chest. From her perspective, he took far fewer breaths than she did. Deciding to make use of her early wakefulness, Dinah decided to finally go through the papers she had hidden in her bra from the safe. As she walked to grab the papers, she remembered Cooper’s clear warning last night after discussing how Bob was getting more impatient with her resisting his advances. He told her she had three more days to gather information on the serum. Then they were leaving. Dinah had tried to convince him to stay longer. Seh didn't want to have to shoot him if he became a feral. Or watch him wither away until he finally killed himself. She knew without the serum, he would die. Either violently, or by his body shutting down. And Dinah can’t do anything about it. Her concerns were firmly dismissed as she expressed them. Her dark thoughts stopped in their path across her mind as she opened the first paper. Dinah was greeted with small Polaroid snapshots of herself. Except for a healthier-looking, softer face and freckles from natural, unaltered sunlight. The first one, she held up to the bathroom light to study it better. The date was June 22nd, 2075. The title written on the back of the photograph was:  Zelda at my surprise party.  

Surely.. These cannot be me. She thought to herself. Another picture of the woman named Zelda. She was holding an award in her hand, but sticking her tongue out at the camera. The date on the photo was May 12th, 1976. In scrawled handwriting the note on the back of the stated: Award for scientific excellence and advancement winner right here! Dinah threw the rest of the pictures down and pulled the other papers apart to read. The first page was all about something called large organism building cells, invented by Zelda Wallace, alongside a newspaper article with the discovery information. Dinah was still in shock from the picture she had seen, so she simply couldn't deal with the scientific report. The second page was a report from a lab. That’s when she found her name under the report. Specimen DI9Ah: “Dinah”. A correspondence from the lab was below her profile: 

Mr. Wallace, we have had success with this particular subject. She is evolving into the personality mould you requested from your wife’s previous data profile. Unlike the last instance, we have taken steps to condition her into a fear/freeze response when handling any type of firearm. We apologise for the damage she caused before. 

The redhead dropped the file and photos on the ground in shock. She felt sick again. How was it even possible? She wasn't even her own person. She was made in a lab. Never had a father or mother. A lab rat. 

Dinah quickly grabbed a lighter off the nightstand and ran to the balcony, where she proceeded to burn the files and tear apart the polaroids. After that, she started pacing. 

A clone. I am a f ing clone… of a ghoulfied mobster's dead wife. I was made for him. Gross. Good thing those slavers came by.. A horrifying revelation crossed Dinah’s mind. Stuck. I’ll be stuck here forever. There is no way he will let me leave. A second awful understanding came to mind. Cooper will want to come with me. Help me flee. Once he left Boulder City with her, he would never, ever be able to come back. Never able to do business.. Get the serum he needed. Dinah didn't want him to die. If he did, she’d die too. Every day after his death, little by little, she would die. And going feral would be worse… he’d lose himself. Dinah paced for another 45 minutes before she decided what she had to do to keep the man she regarded above anyone else, safe and alive.

Dinah slid into the warm bed and gave Cooper a long kiss. 

He pulled her to settle against his chest, his chin resting on her head. Dinah let the silence take over for another moment. 

“You awake?”

“Nope.”

“Do you believe in fate?” 

Cooper was so silent, she had thought he had fallen back asleep.“No. We decide our destinations through life.”

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

“I don’t hate the idea of it. Don’t know if it’s true.”

“ I hope it is. I’d want to be reincarnated as Magpie.”

Cooper let out a small rumble of laughter, then a yawn. “Why?”

Dinah pulled herself up to stare and study Cooper Howard one more time. “Because then I could fly to you wherever you are, and perch on your shoulder, so we would never be parted again.”

“You’re a strange one, Dinah. Now, please, can I sleep now?”

“Yeah. Goodnight.” 

“Night.”

“Wait, Cooper?”

“Yeah?”

Dinah embraced him tightly. “I love you.”

“Good. I figured. Night.”

Dinah slipped out of the balcony, managing to avoid any cameras, through a small hole in the barbed wire fence, and sprinted west as fast as she could.

Chapter Text

Dinah forced herself not to cry as she needed every drop of hydration inside her body, not wastefully trailing down her face. Numb was the default she had managed to maintain after the second day of her flight. And yet, as she sat there, nearly every time she rested, she tried to remember the way Cooper smelled, the way his hands felt clasped on her own. His voice: rough, ancient, and authentically charming at most times. She hated the feeling of her heart ripped from her chest, still dripping blood all the way back to Boulder City. She never had dreams on account of getting nearly no sleep, but Dinah was convinced she would be dreaming of Cooper Howard if she did.  She longed to turn right back around and run back to him. To turn a blind eye to every horrible thing Boulder City had to offer,  so she could stay with him. But no. He wouldn't let her become Bob's pet, and if she left, he would, too.  

She figured that if she went to the emptier part, towards what used to be California, she had a better chance of survival, losing both Cooper if he was following her and Bob’s goons. Her trip had many side quests, as she had to prepare and fix equipment, clothing and items many times. Dinah had seen hills before, but nothing like the mountains she was slowly starting to climb. Around 2 weeks into her journey, she started to see squirrels, pine and aspen trees. Perhaps the greenery was simply a visual change from the dirt, rocks and emptiness of the Nevada desert, but for the first time in 2 months, Dinah let herself smile. The weather was also a wonderful change, as the late September days were cool, sometimes even cold. Not cold like the empty dry desert nights, no. It was wet and cold. Dinah was not completely prepared for that, but she was always able to build a warm, serviceable lean-to.

The small red rocket stood out like a beautiful mirage in the varying tones of green, tan, brown and blinding blue from the sky. Dinah had been running for nearly a month and a half.  All she wanted was a safe place to stay or someone nice to talk to. This didn’t happen. Most evenings, she spent walking from sundown to sunup, and slept for no more than 2 hours in the same spot. She had people tracking her, as every so often, when she stopped into small settlements and towns, one or two of the same faces would make one too many reappearances to be a coincidence. These were dispatched or incapacitated where she deemed appropriate. She had been nearly sure that she had lost Bob’s men, as she hadn't been seeing any familiar faces for the last 6 days. It probably helped that she had left a pile of gore, some of her own hair and a few still bloody limbs in a pile where she had her last encounter with the tracking crew. Still, she couldn't be too careful. Dinah pulled up the hood over her freshly dyed jet black hair and pulled the dusty scarf to cover her mouth and nose, ready to trade for more supplies. A bell over the door let out a clear ping, and Dinah was greeted by the sound of a double-barreled shotgun being racked. Her hands went up, but she mentally ran through her course of action if violence was needed. 

“That’s right, you wasteland scum, put ‘em up!” 

Dinah squinted at the checkout counter, which was cast in a darkened glow from one metal wall sconce. It appeared that no one was standing behind the cashier's desk. She could make out the gun, but not the person. Then she spotted it. A pair of red braids, freckles all over a tan face, and a determined smile with a missing front tooth. 

“Oh. Well, miss. I seem to have wrongly assumed that this place takes caps. I’ll be going then.”

“Go along now, stranger-"

“Persephone!” A stern, yet soft, warm voice came from the door leading into the old garage portion of the red rocket. 

The girl with the shotgun quickly tilted the gun to the ceiling and mainly disappeared behind the counter. A long, lanky man with broad shoulders and sandy, curled hair marched into the room and jerked the shotgun from the girl. His gaze then travelled to Dinah. 

“Dinner is ready. Thank you for protecting the shop. Go eat.” 

“Yes, Finnegan. Just don’t shoot her without me.” The girl then happily skipped out of the room. 

Dinah slowly lowered her hands. “Raising quite a bloodthirsty little daughter there, sir.”

Strikingly dark green eyes stared back at her. “Pardon?” He said softly. “Oh! Uh, no. She’s not my.. She’s my sister. And.. I didn’t raise her that way, I assure you.” 

He spoke eloquently. It was as if the wasteland had dropped a bookish gentleman into a red rocket merchant stall.

Underneath her wrap, Dinah grinned. “Still. She’ll make a fine bounty hunter, I’m sure. You are lucky she was out here; I could’ve stolen it if I wanted. What do you have to trade?”

The man opened the barrel and propped the unloaded gun on the ground. “Everything you could want. Food, water, medical supplies.”

“Do you have books?” Dinah asked, doubting he did. 

The man looked at her oddly. “You are the first person to ask for that. But no. I own several, but they aren’t for sale.”

She nodded and went to the first display case, bending down to start looking through the foodstuffs. “Doesn’t seem to be a brilliant idea to have her guarding herself. She could have shot herself.”

The man walked over and leaned on a wall to Dinah’s left. She could tell he was watching her. “Certainly not. Pippa’s got too much spunk.”

Dinah rolled her eyes and stood with several dried packs of jerky before looking back at the green-eyed man” Spunk doesn’t protect against the psycho bastards-”

The man’s face turned stern. “Look at the sign.” He pointed to his left. 

Dinah glanced at where he was pointing. “No swearing, please,” she read out loud. “Alright. But my point still stands, that’s not safe.”

A chuckle left the young merchant’s mouth. “She is, I assure you. I have cameras and several hidden turrets.”

Suddenly, Dinah’s interest was piqued. She glanced around the room, suddenly noticing the surreptitiously hidden pieces of security he had described. “Well, consider me impressed. You mount the frame to the walls and do the wiring yourself? Or were they already installed? Cause if you did it yourself, I wish I had been there to see that.” She was smiling again; she could feel it. 

The young man appeared to blush at the honest praise she bestowed. “Ah. Well, installing was the hardest part. Designing was easy. That's all you're gonna get?” He asked, walking to be safely placed behind the desk, as if trying to escape Dinah.  

“Yeah, I guess.” She brought her purchases to the front, setting them down. 

“70 caps, Miss.”

Dinah went to her cap bag attached to her belt, when she caught the man staring at her again. 

“Do you have a tarp?”

Dinah’s brow wrinkled with confusion. “No.”

“Do you have a tent? Sleeping bag?”

“I have a coat and a slicker. A bed roll, but that’s it.”

“Do you have any more layers?”

“Considering I came from Nevada, no.”

 The man stopped suddenly, the caps still in his hand. “You will freeze.”

“I have been sleeping fine in the elements so far. But thank you kindly for your concern,” Dinah said, shifting her scarf back to its original place. 

“No. Ma’am. You will die out there. I know it’s only October, but if I’m right in my prediction, we will be getting some early snowfall.”

“Snow?! Don’t be silly.”

“Miss, where do you think you are?”

Dinah swallowed and took the packets of food from the counter, stuffing them into her pack. “Not entirely sure. Been running for too long without direction.”

“You’re by Baldwin’s lake, Big Bear. We get snow every winter without fail. Deep snow too.”

Dinah swallowed and turned, placing her pack back. “Well, I suppose that’s my fate to freeze.”

“Wait. How about.. You stay for a meal. It will be dark soon anyway. One night in the warmth won’t kill you.”

“It can if you want to do me harm, sir.” Dinah shot back softly, her back to the man, facing the door. 

“True, but I have no intent on harming you. I’ll even let you read some of my books if you desire. I just hate the idea of letting you freeze to death outside.”

Dinha turned quickly, her gaze back on the floor. “You know I could have bad intentions in mind.”

“I gather you don’t.”

“‘That could be a foolish conclusion to draw, mister.”

“I trust you.”

“Where have you been the last 200 years? You can’t trust anyone.”

“Well, I have been alive for 35 years, and I have always trusted my instincts. They have never proved me wrong. Besides, I think you need a safe place to stay. You won’t find any civilisation for the next 20 miles, and those you do are not friendly or safe.”

Dinah ran through the possibilities and risks and then made her decision. If he wanted what she thought he did, she supposed it would be preferable to freezing to death outside. She pulled off her pack and stepped towards the counter. “Alright. I’ll stay the night.”

“What’s Nevada like?!” Pippa asked as Dinah was helping clean the plates with Finnigean.  

Dinah opened her mouth, then swallowed her thought. 

“Let’s not bother our guest, Pippa,”  softly, taking the wet plate from Dinah to dry it. 

“No, it’s.. It’s fine. It’s empty, mostly. Full of beasts, human and animal alike. Lots of bad people, a couple good.”

“Did you ever shoot anyone?” The pigtailed girl asked, putting the chairs back to rest against the wall along with the fold-up table. 

“Persephone Conner, I think it is time you get ready for bed.”

“Aw, come on, Fin-” The girl pleaded. 

“No. Bed, now. I’ll be there to tuck you in shortly. Go.” Finnegan said sternly. 

The girl rolled her eyes, but obeyed, stamping off to the small room off to the right, closing the door behind her. 

“My apologies Miss-”

“You can just call me Dottie or Dot.”

“Alright miss Dot.” The gentleman said kindly. 

“Just Dot. I don’t deserve the title of miss.”

“I think you do.” Finngean paused for a moment, then placed the dishes from dinner in a low cabinet. “I do need to apologize for Pippa’s brusque line of questioning.”

“She’s morbidly curious, nothing wrong with that.” 

“It is when it causes discomfort to those she asks that I try to check her curiosity..”

“Well, I can tell she didn’t get that morbid streak from her brother.” Dinah said, shrugging and walking to sit on the ground, pouring the contents of her bag out to start repairing.

“Well, I suppose she got it from somewhere. I’ll be right-”

The lights above them flickered for several seconds, then dimmed. “I just patched those darn things yesterday.”

“Where’s the fuse box?” Dinah asked.

“Across from the sink. I’ll be back shortly to fix it.” Finnegan answered before leaving the room.

The lights were restored and glowing when he returned. Dinah was taking apart an old radio she found sitting in the closet by the fuse box. She was sitting by an empty, cold fireplace, softly shivering. She had decided she was safe enough to take off her face scarf. 

“Did you fix the fuse box?” Finn said, walking into the room again 30 minutes later. He glanced down at her and started. 

Dinah looked up from the wiring she was twisting together and gave him a small smile. “Yeah. You did a good temporary job, but I fixed it.” He was still staring at her. 

“Something the matter?”

“Gods you’re so prett- I mean, I see you took off your face mask. I am glad you feel safe, I mean…”He blushed. The 35-year-old merchant blushed at her.

 Dinah held back a chuckle, her gaze moving back to the radio she was fiddling with. “Yes.” She suppressed a shiver poorly, and the man suddenly jolted back to life. 

“Oh, let me start a fire. Hold on.” 

Dinah remained silent as he pulled some wood, kindling and several crumpled-up pieces of newsprint into the fireplace, then set it ablaze. It felt wonderful to sit by. 

“I hope you didn’t mind me taking the liberty of fixing this,” Dinah said, not looking up from the radio.

A blanket was suddenly dropped gently onto her shoulders. She glanced up. Finn had respectfully moved to sit across the room in an armchair. “I don't mind at all. I miss having music, but my fine motor skills are not exactly the best.”

Dinah only nodded and continued to tinker with it. She was warm for the first time in nearly a week. She was full, safe, and so relaxed. 

She awoke with a start, panicked for half a moment, then looked around her surroundings. Dinah was in a cosy home, a warm fire still crackling next to her. Finn was dead asleep, softly snorting in the armchair across from her, a pair of round silver rimmed glasses perched on his forehead, and a book opened on his lap. Dianh let her heart rate turn back to normal and lay back down. Only realising she was now resting on a pillow, with a second blanket pulled around her.

Chapter Text

She rose before either Pippa or Finn, getting up early to make breakfast and prepare to leave. Finn was up first, surprised to find her up. 

“Smells amazing.”

Dinah looked up from the skillet she was resting over the fireplace. “Good. It’s my thank you gift, and goodbye present.” She flipped over the canned tomatoes she found and stared back into the fire. 

“You don’t have to leave. I saw how easily you fixed and took apart the radio and the fuse box. I could use you.” 

Dinah raised an eyebrow and stared at him. He blushed as he had last night. 

“That’s not what I meant. Excuse me, I-”

“I know you didn’t mean anything by it. But, I can’t.”

Finn pulled out a blue metal coffee pot and started pouring some grounds into it. “Why not?”

Dinah swallowed and plated the tomatoes before adding more lard to the skillet and placing some chilled bloodbug meat onto the hot surface. “I.. I don’t really know. I just feel like I should keep running. Plus, I’ll be a drain on your limited resources. Yeah, I can fix things, but I can’t replenish dwindling food supplies.”

“I don’t know what wildlife was available in Sin City, but here, even during the winter, we have plenty of animals to hunt for fresh food. Also, I have stored plenty from this summer’s crops. You wouldn’t be a drain of resources.” She turned, the wooden spoon still in her hand, and studied him. On the surface, it didn't appear he had any sinister reason to keep her here. Dinah wasn’t entirely sure how to test him, though, until she had an idea. One that would tell her if he was hoping to use her. She pulled off the meat and smiled at him.

“I saw you have a canister of flour on a shelf in the pantry. Can you help me grab it?”

Finn stood up right away and nodded. “Of course, come on.” As soon as they both were in the walk-in pantry, Dinah closed the door softly.  Finn was still occupied moving several boxes out of the way to find the flour that was not actually in there. 

“If I stay, how would I ever repay you?“ Dinah said in a bad impression of a silver screen vixen. 

“You don’t need to-” He turned to look back at her. She dropped to her knees and scooted closer to him. She was eye level with his belt, and she stared up at him. Already, the look on his face told her he had not expected nor even thought of having her repay him in such a way. Dinah suddenly grinned, enjoying the new blush spreading on his features, his eyes looking anywhere but her lips and mouth. “No. Thank you, I… I have been doing fine on my own- I mean. No repayment needed.” He swallowed thickly, fully avoiding looking at her. 

Dinah laughed and stood. “Good. I just wanted to make sure that wasn't what you were expecting. Now, come on. Let’s eat.” She turned, still softly giggling, the man hesitantly following behind her.

Despite her major hesitations, Dinah was forced to stay longer due to the early frost. Two days needed to blend into a week. A week blended into 2.5. Suddenly, that became 3. By the time she had blinked, she had been living and working at the Red Rocket with Finegan and Pippa for almost 8 weeks. Yet, Cooper hadn’t come for her. But that’s what you wanted, right? This thought rolled in and out of her mind nearly everyday. 

Days blended together easily and peacefully, as only the most determined came to visit their little haven from the wasteland. 

It became a strange routine, waking up, doing chores, opening the shop, gathering scarce supplies, making dinner and then reading, writing or drawing by the fire. Despite enjoying her work, which kept her mind busy and distracted from thoughts she preferred to keep locked away, the last quarter of the day was what she unexpectedly started looking forward to. She could leave. Yes, indeed. But suddenly, death appeared far less appealing somehow. It was like she had forgotten what it was like to live. Cooper wasn’t death incarnate, but death and destruction followed his path closely. And Dinah was simply pulled along with it for the ride. -

“It doesn’t seem fair to me that you can order me around.”

Dinah glanced over at Finnegan, who wearily shook his head. It was apparent that this had been an ongoing conversation. 

“Pip, I do not order you around.”

“Yes, you do. You sound just like a Paladin. You weren’t even a ranked knight!” 

Dinah let the sound of surprise leave her mouth. Both of the other table occupants stared at her. 

“Are you alright?” Finn asked. 

Dinah nodded, coughing slightly, and drinking slowly from her glass of boiled water. “Yes. But pardon my ignorance, but.. were you, how’d you escape the… I mean-“

“Yes. I was a part of the Brotherhood of Steel. Was.”

“But, how’d you leave?!” Dinah said with immense curiosity. 

Finn smiled coyly, and his gaze went down to his plate. “Well, I am dead. According to them. And I want to assure you, I hardly saw combat. I was a researcher.”

Dinah stared at this man. It made sense he was an academic, but still…

“I was in it too! An initiate.” Pippa said confidently and with pride. 

“That would explain why you are so bloodthirsty.” She looked up, surprised that she had said that out loud. “I am sorry, that was supposed to be a passing thought.”

“No harm,” Finn assured her, cutting into the baked potato. 

“How did you escape, then, Pippa?” Dinah asked cautiously, watching the little girl stab the brahim meat with her fork. 

“Finn rescued me. I’m dead too.”

“Well, I for one am glad that I have two friendly ghosts at this table,” Dinah said with a laugh.

After dinner, the dishes were done, and Dinah was sweeping the shop, humming to herself. The radio was on, having been fixed after 3 days. 

“You have a pretty voice.”

Dinah glanced at the doorway to the living quarters. Finnegan was resting against the door frame, the light from the kitchen causing shadows to cross his face. 

“Why, thank you. I didn’t take you for a liar, though.” She said with a laugh, pausing her sweeping for the moment. 

“What do you mean by a liar? You should take what I say at face value. I say what I mean.”

“Well, you haven't actually heard me sing. Only hum, and maybe whistle I suppose.”

“Alright, true. Let me try this again; you have a pretty hum.” Dinah laughed, watching the man turn something around in his hands as he gazed at her. 

“Have you ever seen the Milky Way in Nevada?” He asked.

Dinah placed the broom back on the hook and turned back to him, brushing her hands on her new, slightly oversized jeans. “No, can’t say that I have.”

“Would.. Would you like to? I mean, see it here, not in…” His voice trailed off. 

Dinah nodded. Finn turned and had her follow him outside. He ascended a ladder resting against the building. Dinah followed, blindly following him up to the roof. Two plastic lawn chairs and a small table were set upon the flat roof. Finn sat himself in one and glanced at Dinah.“Do you mind if I smoke?” 

She frowned at him as she took the other seat. “Why do you need to ask?”

A chuckle and a small grin. “Well, it’s polite to ask before one does something that could affect others.”

Dinah nodded and watched him intently as he stuffed dried tobacco expertly into an old, dark brown pipe. 

“You’re not really from here, are you?” She said,

Finn looked up, confused at her after lighting his pipe. “I mean, I wasn’t born here specifically-“

“No. I mean, on earth. Specifically after the bombs.” She leaned forward and stared at him. 

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“Were you abducted by martians before 2070?”

A louder laugh left with a plume of smoke. “Whatever makes you say that?”

“Just.. everything. You’re considerate, kind. Trusting.”

“I am no enigma, Dottie. There are people out there like me. Perhaps you just haven’t been able to meet them.”

“Perhaps.” Dinah sighed and leaned back, her eyes moving to the heavens. Blue, orange peaches, purples and spots of white tendrils coated the sky above. A small gasp escaped her mouth. She had never seen something so beautiful in her entire existence. And the countless stars made her feel lost, aware of how truly small she was in a universe and galaxy that spanned further than she could count. 

After a long moment, Finn spoke again. “You deserve to be treated with kindness. With.. softness. Gently,” he said quietly. He rushed to speak again. “As everyone does, of course.”

“I had someone who treated me that way. It was a cruel irony to burn as I had to flee from them,” Dinah said, surprised with her unguarded answer.

“Hm.” Then, “Who were you running from?”

Dinah chuckled and slumped further back onto the chair. “More like what. And well, it’s complicated.”

“I like complicated things.”

Dinah ventured a glance at him; his gaze was still focused out on the still, pine-scented landscape. An exhale of smoke, then he turned to hold her eyes. “You don’t have to share whatever befell you. I am sorry I didn’t mean to pry.”

“  No. I don’t mind, really. I was escaping a situation. Someone I care for couldn't come with me if they wanted to survive. I left without a goodbye and.. Well, here I am.”

“I see. You tried to protect them from something by leaving?” Genuine curiosity was on his face and in his tone. 

“Yeah, I mean no. Well, I fled so he would make the right choice.”

“What if that’s not the choice he wanted to make? It’s no choice if you made it for them.”

“You sound like a philosopher.”

“A useless profession since the bombs fell.” Finn shifted, turning his body to face Dinah. 

“No, even in times of chaos, we crave or hide from introspection. I think it is only human nature.” 

“I suppose you are right.” The pipe was repacked, and Finn lit it again before speaking. “That scoundrel couldn’t have been worth your care if he hadn’t been tracking you down until he found you.” The intensity pouring from the normally placid green eyes made Dinah search his expression. 

After a beat, she dared to speak again. “I didn’t want him to die. I left him so he could live.” Her heart felt like it was crushed, and she took a slow, steadying breath. 

“I can’t imagine such an existence without the person you love would be worth living.”’

“From such pretty lips fall such Pretty lies,” Dinah said softly, her gaze moving just a hint to where she had spoken of. 

“You think my lips are pretty?” He said with a laugh.

“Why did you escape the Brotherhood?” Dinah said quickly, pivoting from the dangerous subject. 

“It’s not a nice story.”

“I escaped from a city where I was unknowingly consuming human flesh and being kept like a pet. My story is most likely sadder.”

“Perhaps so. Then again, suffering and pain are mostly subjective,” He said, moving from the chair and sliding to lie on his back, his hand behind his head, staring at the sky. “I left because of Persephone. We aren’t genetically related, you probably could tell.”

Dinah chuckled, then pulled a serious face. “I couldn't tell at all.” She hesitated, then decided to copy his own posture on the cool roof of the red rocket. She turned her head to look at him and found Finn already doing the same. He gave a small grin before speaking again. She enjoyed this. Dinah dearly hoped that this, too, would become a part of the happy, serene part of the day's routines.

“I know, we could be twins. But anyhow.. She was so bright, clever, and fearless. The Brotherhood Knights and Paladins hated any sort of strong sense of purpose and will, which Pippa definitely had.”

“Why? Don’t they want independent soldiers in their metal mobile tanks?”

No chuckle was rewarded for her feeble efforts at humour. 

“You’d think so, but not for our chapter. The head Paladin, Paladin Everdeen, was in charge of the initiates' training and.. Well. Their mental conditioning.”

Dinah sat up quickly in surprise and stared down at Finn's long, subtly bulky form. “What do you mean? I thought the BOS was just obsessed with tech and fighting..”

“To do that, Dot, they need willing, compliant soldiers who obey every command. That starts when they are children and teens. Beatings, social ostracism and severing ties with anything outside our little platoon were effective to a point.” He swallowed before speaking again, his voice low. “I’ve done shocking things.”

“Everyone has; it doesn't make you a monster.”

“Have you personally made a drug that was fed to children to make them lose the will to live? So broken, they can be arranged and put back together as their superiors wish?”

“No. I haven’t.” That clear display of guilt, that pain that flashed across his face, it was reminiscent of Coopers when he talked about his regrettable past. She swallowed and let the pictorial comparison melt away before she started to cry. 

“I didn’t know that’s what it was for. I thought I was brewing it for use on prisoners or those in shell shock. Pippa was somehow resistant to it. After much back and forth, and whispers of her escaping several times, she was brought to me.”

A shiver ran down Dot’s spine. “Why?”

“I was asked to.. Muddle things a bit in her brain, with little hooks. I didn’t, by the way. I was asked to perform such acts of barbaric cruelty at least 4 times. By the fifth visit, I knew they were getting suspicious.”

“What did you do for the time you were supposed to be performing surgery on her?”

Finn shook his head, a grin on his face, as he appeared to reminisce about those memories. “I read to her, played games. Oh, and feed her my rations. She was so small and bird-like. Withholding food was not effective on her, but her trainers still did it.”

“How’d you convince them you and Pip were dead?”

“I exploded the medical/science building. I don’t know if I killed anyone in the process but.. we escaped. And here we are.”

“Here you are,” she echoed after Finn finished his story. 

They didn’t talk anymore that evening.

For the first time in weeks, Dinah dreamt. 

Before her stood Cooper. Dinah wanted desperately to embrace him tightly and melt into his warm radiated skin, his tattered duster clutched in her hand. His breath on her neck. She wanted to be one person with him; that little magpie that would be free to follow him wherever he went, perched on his shoulder, picking up any shiny interesting thing that caught her eye and flying back to give it to him at his feet. But in her dream, she couldn’t. It was as if her body and restraint was waiting for Cooper Howard to reach out for her. Follow her, adjust himself and face whatever may come for the chance to be with her. And that included facing death. Yet, she knew deep down Cooper never feared death. She think she would greet it with open arms like a friend.  Before she woke, she knew she was dreaming as wet tears, real ones could be felt falling onto her warm face and pillow. With shocking clarity, she realised she made the choice for Cooper so that she wouldn’t have to deal with him dying; him turning fully feral. 

….”your mine…. Walk the line..” Between waking and sleeping, Dinah shot awake. She knew that voice. 

She didn’t understand how, when another crackling came from her bag. “...weather.. snow. . “

Dinah pulled her pack open and dumped everything out. The static was still coming from her bag. She peered inside, and spotted that the two way radio was stuck; no, wedged into the bottom of her bag. Dinah smiled at the familiar friend, waiting for more of that familiar rough voice.

“...Miss ya something fucking awful. Hurts like…godsdamn .44 to the head…” the sound faded out into dull static. She waited with the radio like a gun ready to be drawn under her pillow for the rest of the evening.

Chapter Text

Dinah had expected Cooper to arrive that evening. Or the next day. Or perhaps the day after. Another flurry of days went by, and she neither heard anything on the radio nor saw Cooper. Autumn gave way to winter weather, with the end of October bringing rain and cold nights. And still, she waited. Her eyes were always trained on the horizon, watching for that familiar twang, that ozone and cigarette smell; the sound of heavy steps and even heavier boots. He didn’t come. It didn’t matter how much she held that radio at night, how much Dinah wished Cooper would come stomping into her life again; it didn’t happen. But rumours… rumours were different. Those came in, and they were definitely about Cooper.

“You managed to jam the barrel again, Rocky?!” Dinah said in exasperation.

The 19-year-old boy frowned. “No.”

Dinah sighed and took the sad pistol from his hand and double checked the bullet chamber.  This time, he had remembered to empty it of bullets before he handed it to her. She pulled the small lamp over and carefully looked down the worn barrel. The problem was spotted easily. “I told you once, Rocky, to stop putting your handmade bullets in this. It will keep getting stuck.”

“They ain’t mine, Dot! I didn’t make them.”

Behind her, Finn walked by with a knowing grin as Dinah started to pull apart the gun. 

“Those bullets wouldn’t happen to be made by Roger Fullerton… now would they?”

Rocky’s dark brown eyes went wide, and he actually colored. 

Dinah peeked up and laughed. “I know you fancied him. Just so you know, you could just not buy his bullets. Maybe consider hanging out with him.”

Rocky visibly swallowed, flustered. “I.. I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

Finn laughed and walked forward toward him, and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “He’s not too bad on the eyes… but Dottie’s right, a way to a man’s heart is not through buying things but-“

“Through his dic-Pipp! Watch it!” Rocky narrowly avoided being smacked by a large plank of wood being hoisted and dragged by the pigtailed girl outside. 

“Watch yourself, you big oaf.” The redheaded girl spat and continued to pull her load outside. 

Dinah laughed and finally succeeded in removing the bullet from the gun. 

“Alright. You owe me and Finn a day of backbreaking labour.”

Rocky was appalled. “Watcha mean?”

Dinah hoisted herself up and sat on the countertop cross-legged, giving him a hard stare. “You have 40 caps?”

Rocky’s mouth dropped, and Finn just grinned; Dinah glanced up and caught his emerald eyes staring and abruptly moving from her. 

“Well… I have 25-“

“I thought your dad paid you on Friday,” Finn said. 

“He did… and he’s my boss, I’ll have you know. And.. well, I spent most of it..”

“On the bullets?”

“Yeah.”

“Sure. Oh, also..” Rocky glanced around to make sure Pip was out of earshot. “Dad said he saw a ghoul. Came by asking for directions to Bakersfield. The old cowboy said he had a ranch and business to attend to there. Had a gal with him.”

Dinah suddenly felt elated at any news that could pertain to her cowboy. But she also felt sickened with the idea that she might have been replaced already. 

“What.. What'd he look like?” She whispered, turning to face the window, looking out into the forest. 

“I didn’t see him, but pa said he didn’t have a nose… spoke with a twang. He looked like a regular old west cowboy.”

“Where was he heading?”

“I dunno. Why? Lover of yours?” Rocky said, grinning and leaning on the counter. 

A pencil was thrown right at Rocky, who managed to duck. “Hey! What was that for?” He asked, glancing up from his gun. 

Finn shot Dinah a glance. “Nothing. Just… hush. I can use your help getting the roof reinforced for winter before the snow.”

“Fine. As long as Dot doesn’t throw anything at me!” Rocky said, pushing himself up and taking the fixed gun. Finn and Rocky left the store to inspect the roof. Dinah didn’t move, didn’t even blink. Replaced already. Should’ve known. Bakersfield? Far…real far…Dinah wasted no tears until she was safely in bed, turned to face the wall, and was completely convinced she was alone.

Dinah was on the ground of the store, pieces of pistols she had salvaged strewn around her. She was fixing and polishing firearms for Finn to sell when the front doorbell rang, and Pippa ran into an area breathless. 

“It’s snowing! I’m going outside.” 

Finegan promptly caught his sister and turned her around towards the bedrooms. “No. First, you’re getting your layers on. Now.”

“Fine, you tyrant,” Pippa exclaimed before stamping off to change. Dinah threw on her boots and a pair of thin gloves, and she spotted the bright white flakes falling to the ground from the sky. She stormed out the door and ran until there was a clear view of the white sky. Large soft flakes of snow fell onto the brown dirt and green evergreens around her. And the strangest thing, it was neatly silent. Rain and hail made noise, but this mysterious cloudburst didn’t. As she stared up at the clouds overhead, she felt wonder for the first time in years. She felt happiness again. The sound of the door slamming made Dinah turn. Out ran Pippa, with Finn running behind her. Snow had already coated the ground last night, but not enough to cause Pippa to step deeply into it. She was gathering the white fluff into a ball shape and hurled it at Finn, who was studying the shape of the roof; probably worried about it caving from the weight of the snow, Dinah thought. The missile hit its target, and Finn's warm, dark green wool cowboy hat fell from his head. A wicked laugh from Pip made him turn. “Is this a declaration of war, dear sister?” He called in a mock commanding voice. 

“For victory!” She called and threw another before running, as Finn had already thrown one at her, hitting her feet. Dinah watched as Pippa made several throws, making contact with most. Finn answered with several more hits himself, and Dinah carefully stooped down and gathered a handful of snow. It was cold, shockingly so, even against her gloves. It melted slightly against her covered palms, but she managed to shape it into a round ball and throw it at Finn. It hit him squarely in the back and he turned, grinning at her. 

“I am surrounded it would seem. Join me, dear Dot? We can make fantastic allies against-” he was cut off by another snowball hitting his face. 

“Oops. I suppose I declare war on you, too, Finn.” Dinah said with a wicked laugh. Her hands were starting to get cold, something she hadn’t expected. This continued, and within 15 minutes, all three were red-faced with the cold, and Pippa held her hands in surrender and yelled at them. 

“I surrender! Let me retreat in peace inside. Ceasefire?” She asked. 

Finn laughed and dropped his snowball. “Ceasefire. Go on inside, I want you to take a bath, ok? I lit the water heater this morning, so just make sure you don’t use all of it.”

“Fine.” Pippa was already halfway inside. Dinah laughed softly, gathering one last snowball behind Finn. Luckily, he hadn’t noticed, as he had stripped his soaked gloves off and was still visually assessing the condition of the roof and solar panels. “I’ll probably need to dust those off. Dot, can you-”

With swiftness, Dinah dropped a small bit of snow down his neck. He shuddered and turned, mischievous intent in his eyes. 

“Now why,” he reached down his neck, trying to remove the snow. “Did you do that?”

Dinah grinned and stepped backwards; Finn followed. 

“Well… cause I wanted to,” she answered with a grin. 

“Oh, come now, surely you are better than that. How would you like it if I put snow down your back?”

Dinah grinned, “Well, you’d have to catch me to do that.” 

She turned and heard him start to run at her, and she shrieked and laughed, running towards the small clearing opposite the red rocket, with Finn close behind. 

She screamed in laughter as he tackled her onto a soft snowdrift and rolled her to face him. 

“That was uncivil. I must take similar actions.” 

Finn grinned down at her, and Dinah yelped as he moved his cold hand under her coat against her neck. Impulsively, she grabbed his other bare hand where it was resting near her hip and pulled it under her layers to rest on her abdomen. A shiver and a slight gasp of air left her body and mouth. Finn became deathly still, and only their clouded, heavy breathing seemed to be the only noise in all of Big Bear. Slowly, hesitantly, he slid his thumb in a slow circle on the bare skin. She then pulled him down to present a short kiss on his cheek. The look in his eyes was not burning hot like Cooper's when they had first kissed, but they were smouldering, igniting. Finn moved and brushed his thumb slowly over her bottom lip. Then he kissed her. Slowly, savouring. Exploring. Dinah knew briefly what it felt like to burn, but she had never felt what it was to be… cherished. Softly adored. Dinah pressed back, not rushing or moving. She broke contact first and laughed and rolled Finn over, straddling him. His green eyes glowed with admiration as he reached out to stroke the side of their face. 

“You’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen, darling Dot.”

“Dinah,” she breathed out before she could stop herself. 

His thumb stopped stroking her temple. Finn looked confused. 

Dinah swallowed. “My real name is Dinah, not Dot. I.. I just don’t want my name…” her voice trailed off, as she noticed the freckles trailing down not only his face but neck, collarbones… she dared to imagine how far down they went. Juniper I wanna find out. Finn followed her gaze down his covered but evidently strong chest and blushed. “Well… Dinah… “he cleared his throat and grinned. “You cold?” 

Dinah leans down as close as she dared. “I am. Can I have a bath? I can’t imagine what I’d do to the man who decided to make me a hot bath with bubbles..” Dinah says with a grin, brushing her hand down his side. 

“Done. Make dinner, make sure Pippa eats, and you've got a deal.” Finn pulled her to him and kissed her fiercely, then pushed her off and nearly ran into the house. The air settled, and the quiet once again surrounded her. Then, for one moment, she swore she could hear whistling and the smell of the ghoul’s distinctive pipe. Dinah glanced around and spotted a dark cowboy hat in the newly snow-covered trees. The back door to the house shut; her attention was turned there. When she turned back, the shadowy figure was gone, and Dinah was alone again.