Last Stop New Vegas

[Interstellar Bun]

He was giving her an out. Hearing him say those words made guild coil in her stomach. She had just thought that, not for long, but the fact that she had considered it alone was bad.


Maybe she could chalk the idea up to the fact that she was tired. She had walked all day out in the sun with ties on her wrists, surely that was enough to put anyone in a sour mood.


"If I wanted easy, I wouldn't have left home in the first place. I told you, I'm not leaving you, Ben."


Thick or then, she'd see it through by his side. They had a better chance of surviving together anyway, and that meant the girl would be safer with both of them there. Or, that was what Darling told herself anyway.


"The best things in life never come easy anyway."


She shot a tired smile in his direction as Freckles shifted in her arms, trying to get comfortable.


"We'll need to try and find a place to rest, though. Things'll be better in the morning."

 

[CortezHorse]

"Yea...better."


Ezra wasn't going to give up, Ben knew that, he'd taken his daughter after all. They'd be hunted to the ends of the Earth for this little girl but as much as she was a lure for trouble she was also protection. They would have been followed with or without her, now they had leverage if he cornered them. It was awful to think of a young child as something to be used, a shield, but that's what it'd come down too.


Ben constantly shot looks behind them, waiting to hear the tell tale squeak of a wagon wheel or the sudden crack of gunfire. It was quiet though, the only noise was the young girl's sniffling every so often. She'd calmed down immensely since they'd taken her, falling asleep on Ben's shoulder and nuzzling into him for warmth. Every time she woke she'd whine though, asking for her parents until Ben calmed her back down.


It was almost sunrise by the time they found suitable shelter. He was exhausted and knew that Darling must be feeling the exact same. They hunkered down in a grouping of rocks that blocked them from view, the little girl didn't want to be put down though and practically suctioned herself to Ben's side as they all settled down.


"I think..maybe just a day or so more and we'll make it."


He ran a hand over the little girl's thick hair as she settled back down.


"Finally be there. Maybe leave the kid with soldiers or sumthin. Ezra is bound to go to the Strip searching soon."

 

[Interstellar Bun]

The relief that flooded Darling when they found a bit of place to hunker down was enough to make her ignore the true horror of their situation. They were still alive, they still had a chance to make it to the Strip, to live and keep going. It'd be over soon, they'd be lounging around without a care in the world and life would be good. Just a little more, she just had to tell herself that.


The girl settled down as Darling leaned her head back against the rock, her feet and legs aching.


In a way, maybe part of her just wanted to go home.


Her eyes had fluttered shut and she felt the throbbing in the back of her head. When Ben spoke, she turned to glance at him, eyes half-hooded.


"That might be a good idea. I am sure the NCR would keep a good eye on her until Ezra came around and by then we'd be in too populated of an area for him to do anything." That, and next time they'd be ready. Next time, she wouldn't be so willing to trust. There were good people in the world, she knew that, but the longer she was out there the more she was realizing just how awful others could be.


I wanna go home.


The thought hit her again, a pang of loss and longing lingering in her stomach.


She scooted a little closer to Ben, letting her fingers play with Freckles as the dog tried to nip at them from her lap. In a way, that made her feel better, it made her feel a little less homesick. Her head tilted as she looked at him a little closer.


"How's your hand feeling?"

 

[CortezHorse]

"Hm, it's fine, actually need to pop it back in."


He gingerly moved the sleepy little girl around in order to have both of his hands free. As before he pressed on the joint of his thumb, this time in the opposite way, and it loudly snapped back into place. The pain was sharp then throbbed, pushing the uncomfortably feeling up his arm and into his body with every wave. It was swollen and still painful but he'd heal.


"Yer wrists ok?"


Ben nodded toward the raw skin around Darling's slender wrists, it certainly didn't look comfortable.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Darling looked down at her own wrists and rubbed the raw, angry skin there tenderly, as though she were trying to sooth it. It stung, small bits of pain jolting up through her flesh like electricity. It hurt, there was no use even trying to deny it. Darling never had much of a tolerance for pain anyway but she still tried to swallow the look of discomfort, the small wince that came with the action.


After all that had happened to her, this was the smallest of her aches and pains.


"They hurt, but I don't think we'll have to amputate this time around." She smiled at him before leaning her head back against the rock. A heavy breath escaped her and she felt her shoulders relax.


There was a pause.


"I'm sorry."

 

[CortezHorse]

"Sorry fer what?"


He turned his head, crinkling his forehead at in confusion.


The child in his lap whined, squirming about for a moment until he rested a calloused hand on her head, rubbing her scalp gently. The sound of her soft breathing and Darling's close vicinity was making him sleepy, amplifying the exhaustion he already felt. He tipped his head back, resting it on the rock beside Darling.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"For causing this. For saying we should go with them. For-" Darling stopped herself just short of saying everything.


Sure, she hadn't' caused the first raider attack, but maybe if she hadn't told them to hide from the Legion it would have been different, they'd never get a bounty put on them, and they would have never met Ezra in the first place. It seemed that most times when she made a decision and they followed it, it ended poorly.


She sighed softly.


It wouldn't do well to dwell on her mistakes and she knew that, but it was hard not to.


"I'm just sorry all of this happened to you. But, you should get some rest, Ben, I'll keep an eye out for the both of us."

 

[CortezHorse]

He grunted, his typical short response and settled back against the rock. He closed his eyes and wound an arm around the sleeping girl in his lap, his other hand reached out and wrapped around Darling's hand.


"Ain't nothin yer fault. This world is just shit."


His eyes were still closed as he spoke and he gave her hand a squeeze before he drifted off, fingers still clutched around Darling's hand.


Ben didn't blame Darling, he was just as much a part of the decisions as she was. This place, this world was trial by fire and there was not room for many mistakes. They'd been lucky so far and Darling was learning, beginning to realize how awful people could truly be. It wasn't something he was pleased about but if she wanted to travel out into the desert it was essential knowledge.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Ben drifted off to sleep and Darling didn't move her hand from his. Clouds appeared in the sky, providing shade and comfort from the harsh light as they drifted along with a light breeze. Occasionally she'd hear gunfire in the distance and be knocked out of whatever she was musing about, alert eyes scanning the horizon only to calm down once she realized the sounds weren't close to them. There was always some sort of noise in the desert, a reminder that they weren't the only ones struggling. She wasn't sure if that was a comforting idea or not.


What was comforting was Ben and the girl sleeping so easily beside her. What was comforting was using her free hand to rub Freckles's belly until the silly animal fell asleep as well.


Telling exact amounts of time was difficult, but hours ticked by as the sun moved across the sky and Darling gently squeezed Ben's hand. They'd need to get going soon. While the rock was nice she didn't want to spend the night out behind it hoping it would keep them safe. They needed to cover more ground and, more importantly, they needed to get to the Strip.


Once they got there, everything would be fine.


"Ben," she spoke his name softly. "Hey, we should get moving soon."

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben slowly woke up; he stretched and popped his back then gently roused the small girl. She woke up fussing but was quickly quieted by Ben holding her close as got his things together.


They were back to walking soon, the weather was hot as it always was and their trekking was spent in companionable silence.


The one good thing about the desert was how flat and clear the view was. The geography allowed one to see their destination long before they reached it and there, in the distance, was the Strip. The metal sparkled in the sun and Ben couldn’t help but smile. They were so close.


“Darling, look.”


He pointed and turned her, his smile still in place. Everything would be better soon, they’d be safe.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

One hand shoved in her pocket, the other holding on to Freckles so she wouldn't run off. She was past the point in feeling pain in her feet and her knees and she supposed that was a good thing. Ben was quiet and the girl didn't seem to have too many qualms about being forced to travel along with them, at least, not right now. Darling wondered what she was thinking, wondered if she truly understood what was going on. Kids were smart, after all, smarter than most adults gave them credit for.


Those thoughts were cut off, however, when Ben pointed and Darling looked up.


There it was.


She had seen the city before, a small glimmering light on the distance in the dark, but now it was so close, so close she could make out the structures, so close she couldn't stop from giving a bubbly giggle in excitement. She picked up her pace, new energy flooding through her.


"Ben, Ben we're so close." She sounded happy again, her words light and warm, as though nothing bad had happened during their trip. "Think about it, nice hot baths, air conditioning, good food." A hum followed her wistful tone. "It's going to be great."

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben laughed alongside her, picking up his speed to fall in step with Darling. At the sight of the faraway structures, the little girl squirmed and pointed.


“Daddy.”


She seemed excited, almost vibrating in anticipation as she pointed. Ben grunted, adjusting the child in his arms.


“Yea? That where he’s at?”


The girl nodded enthusiastically and Ben was feeling better about their choice to bring her to the Strip and leave her with the guards. Ezra obviously frequented the area so she’d be reunited in no time.


“Well, we’ll get ya to yer dad soon.”


She clapped her hands and settled back against Ben, wrapping her small arms around his neck in thanks. It was odd, to be thanked by your kidnap victim.


“I never had air conditioner since before the world went to shit.”


He was old, very old, and remembered times when things were comfortable. Air conditioner, clean water for all, electricity but the older he got the more those memories faded.


“What should we do first when we get there?”

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Ezra would be heading to the Strip. In a way, this almost worried her, but even the chance of seeing him again wasn't enough to ruin her mood. Instead, it was a promise that the girl would be safe, that she'd be able to go back to her family and she and Ben would be free to do whatever they pleased without worry. She heard things about the Strip, about how the Legion didn't have a foothold there, how the only thing to really worry about was the inner workings of the Strip instead of the groups of people who hunted the Wastes.


"I don't know about you but the first time I'm going to do is get cleaned up. Being covered in dirt doesn't suit me too well." She grinned at that, shifting Freckles from one hand to another.


"After that," she continued, "I don't know, maybe we could drink the night away like idiots again."


Her smile turned into a grin. No, Darling didn't much like alcohol after that, but it had been fun to see Ben loosen up, to have him laugh as much as he had. Yeah, she thought she could stomach a bit of alcohol to celebrate them finally making it to the Strip.


"What were you thinking?"

 

[CortezHorse]

He hummed in thought, biting his bottom lip as all the choices ran through his mind. For once he’d actually have the opportunity to do more besides eat, sleep and survive.


“I dunno, your ideas sound good. Maybe see that pool of theirs I heard so much ‘bout. We could pick up on them swimmin’ lessons.”


He smirked at her, enjoying the thought of getting back in the water with Darling.


Their musings were interrupted by a loud crack and Ben yelled in pain as a bullet tore through his jacket and grazed his shoulder. He whipped around and in the distance was Ezra’s wagon, the man himself standing up on the driver’s bench and aiming with his rifle.


“Fuck.”


Ben hissed the curse out and clutched the little girl to him as she wailed in fear.


“You moron! I got yer daughter! Yer gonna shoot her!”


He called back to the man even as he was quickly back peddling, preparing to make a dash towards the strip. The gun fired again and dirt flew up beside Darling’s feet. That idiot was insane.


“Let’s go Darling!”


They couldn’t outrun them but if they got close enough then Ezra would have to stop. Gunfire near the strip wouldn’t be tolerated. The man was solid but they still had to make it close enough to their goal which looked to be miles away. Flat out running was risky but they could do nothing else.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

There was a crack and Darling could smell the sulfur lingering in her nose as she turned along side Ben to stare at Ezra. Her heart skipped a beat, mind blinking as the weight of the situation started to press down on her. Ezra was there. Ben had been shot.


But they were close, dammit. They were so close.


The bullet dug into the earth next to her foot and a shriek tore out of Darling as she flinched backwards, trying not to get a hole drilled through her boot.


Pivoting on the ball of her foot, she took off in a dead sprint towards the Strip. Freckles was letting out a high pitched whine, her breaths heavy and anxious as she squirmed to get up closer to Darling's. The blonde shifted her grip to hold the dog against her chest, trying to protect her as she used that raw fear and adrenaline to propel her forward.


Her other hand went to her gun, whipping it out as her thumb flicked the safety off. It didn't feel as familiar as the gun she had lost, but this pistol would do. They were miles away and she didn't know if Ben could keep up, didn't know if either one of them would be able to make it. But even if they didn't, she was determined. If she couldn't run, if Ezra closed the distance between them, she wouldn't get caught, not again.


She wouldn't let Ben get caught.


Hands shaking, she tightened her grip on the gun and the dog and glanced to Ben to make sure he was still with her.

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben’s boots pounded the hard ground as he ran behind Darling, slowed down by not only his bad lungs and advanced age but also the added weight of carrying the child. She screamed in terror as gun shots continuously rang out, burying her face against Ben’s chest as he cradled her to him, using his body as a blockade to keep her safe.


They were so close but no matter how hard they ran it seemed the Strip still lingered in the distance. Ezra’s wagon was fast approaching and he’d only keep firing warning shots for so long. This wasn’t going to work. It was never going to work. His steps slowed as he came to the realization, an understanding of what he had to do. Soon he stopped, panting for breath as he looked back at Ezra, then to Darling who was still fleeing.


“Darling!”


He called to get her to pause, just for a moment.


“Here.”


He maneuvered the girl in his arms while he slipped off his large pack, it thudded to the ground heavily and he stepped away from it.


“Useful stuff in there. Take it. Caps are in the front pocket. Keep goin’. Maybe we’ll run into each other again some day.”


The gunfire had stopped momentarily as Ezra watched, waiting for Ben to return his daughter to him.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

He called her name and Darling stopped, dirt kicking up under her boots as she stared at him, eyes wide and darting about in fear.


"Ben? What are you-?"


She stopped when she saw him drop his pack and step away.


"Wh-? Keep going?" Without him? No. No she couldn't do that. A new form of panic was starting to build in her lungs and she stepped closer to him. "Ben no. If you think I'm letting you do this then you're an idiot. I promised, promised, I'd stay with you an-and I'm not going to break that now." She could feel her throat tightening as she spoke, emotion bleeding through without a filter.


"If you go to him you know what would happen." And she knew too. She knew what awaited him if he turned himself over to Ezra, knew what would happen once the Legion got their hands on him.


Grey eyes flickered over to the bounty hunter who waited for his daughter before she stepped closer to Ben. It was then she realized how fuzzy her vision had become. They were too close to give up and she was too tired to let this all be for nothing. Her hands were shaking and she knew she must have looked like an absolute fool standing there with tears in her eyes but she had never apologized for being emotional before, and she wasn't about to start then.


"I fought the Legion for you...and I'll fight him too."

 

[CortezHorse]

“I know you would.”


And he did, he knew she’d fight a hopeless battle by his side and for that he was more than grateful.


“You don’t got to fight this time though.”


She was emotional, crying, for him. He swallowed his own emotion down, forcing back the stinging behind his eyes. He couldn’t be emotional right now, he had to be strong.


“Can’t fight out in the open, useless. I’ll take his kid back, you can go on ahead.”


It was the only way she could make it. He’d never see her again and the thought alone was enough to let the tears behind his eyes fall no matter how hard he tried to keep them back.


“Thanks fer…everything.”


He reached up and wiped away her tears with a swipe of his rough thumb; he then pet Freckle’s soft head while the pup tried to lap at Ben’s fingers. It pulled a smirk from him and he looked back up, expression sobering as he looked into Darling’s tearful grey eyes.


“Good luck.”

 

[Interstellar Bun]

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Ben wasn't supposed to leave her, and Darling was supposed to be stronger than this. She was supposed to be able to help him, to keep him safe like he had done for her. Ben had done so much for her and in an odd way, she felt like she had known him for years rather than such a short amount of time. They were friends.


Darling didn't know what to do with herself, didn't know how to thank him for everything, how to tell him that she was so profoundly sorry she could feel it in her bones. Instead, she moved forward impulsively and wrapped an arm around him in a close hug, being mindful of the girl. She hiccuped on an awkward breath as she tried to keep her tears from becoming too much. They couldn't linger, couldn't take too long. Ezra wasn't a patient man and she doubted he'd let their goodbyes linger anymore than they already had.


With a heavy heart, she pulled back from him, a breath making her shoulders shake.


"Thank you."


That was it. That was all she could say. I'll miss you would have been too much and I'm sorry would have been too little.


Glancing back to Ezra, Darling used her palm to wipe her eyes clear of her tears before scooping up Ben's backpack. She'd go. She'd go and she'd do her best to get things together. Her little pistol couldn't stop Ezra, but maybe she could get the NCR on her side, maybe they could save Ben because, if she were being honest with herself, she was too weak. Too weak to save him and too weak to tell him goodbye.

 

[CortezHorse]

Three years later, it was three years and now here he was, standing in front of her house. It was an accident really, he hadn’t planned to come find her, he’d let her live her life but he got drunk one night, ending up talking about her and someone in the bar knew who she was; the stranger even knew where her house was. According to the stranger she and Darling’s parents were good friends, she’d visit them as often as she could and was able to point him in the right direction.


Would she even want to see him? She probably had a life now, married, kids, everything she could hope for and he’d just drop in and ruin it all. What use did someone like her have with an old ghoul anyway? In the desert he protected her but here she was already safe, here he had no purpose.


His fists clenched as he backed away, re-thinking his choice to come until a loud bark pulled him out of his doubts.


“Freckles?”


The now full grown dog wagged its hind end, tongue lolling happily out of her mouth as she bounced around Ben’s feet.


“You’re so big!”


He smiled, kneeling down to pet the mutt and received a face full of slobbery tongue.


“You happy here? Hm?”


Freckles whined trying her best to climb into Ben’s lap, wanting to be picked up and the ghoul smiled.


“You’re too big to get in my pocket now. Go on, get off.”


Gently he nudged the hyper dog away and stood up, glancing back to the quiet home. It was the middle of the night, they were probably asleep, even more reason for him to go.


“Bye, pooch.”


He turned to walk off but was stopped by Freckles blockading him; she looked up and whined, seeming to beg him to stay.


“What? You want me here?”


He hummed thoughtfully, looking back to the home. Maybe just a quick visit; taking a deep breath he walked forward and up the steps of the rickety porch then knocked on the door.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Three years.


It had been hard at first. She had blamed herself too much, all while she was in the Strip, had been worried out of her wits the long journey back home. But the saying was right, time healed all wounds. She didn't forget, how could she? But she learned to move on, to accept that sometimes life was hard, that she couldn't fix everything. Bad things happened, and in a way, that made her enjoy the good even more. Good times were precious, and she couldn't live her life focusing on the fear of what might happen.


She had memories, stories to tell about the ghoul who had saved her life, and that was what mattered.


It was late and the home was quiet. Her oldest brother, the only other one who would have been awake at that hour, had married and moved out by then leaving her sitting alone in the living-room. She lounged on the floral printed couch, her hair up in rollers as she flipped through a book in the dim light of a single lamp.


Freckles barked and Darling sat up a little, turning her head to peer around the couch and look to the front door.


"Dumb dog." The words were muttered with a soft fondness before she settled back down. Freckles must have spotted some kind of rodent. Truth be told, she didn't think much of it. If something was really wrong, Freckles would have done much more than give just a single bark.


Of course, it was that thought that made it all the more startling when she heard something knock on the door. She turned once more and stared, wondering who in the Sam Hill would be knocking on their door at this hour. Surely anyone raised right would know better than to do that unless it was an emergency. But the knock wasn't frantic enough to be an emergency, rather, it sounded almost tentative.


Curious, Darling sat her book aside and got up. Tugging her old night shirt down to seem at least a little more presentable, she padded quietly over to the door. She flicked the switch to turn on the porch light and there were a few clicking noises as she undid the locks before she pulled it open.


"What are you do-." The question caught in her throat as she found herself staring at a face that looked all too familiar. Her hand on the doorknob tightened as she blinked, just staring at him. Grey eyes flickered over his face, as it trying to piece together what she was seeing. Then, quietly, tentatively, she spoke once more.


"Ben?"

 

[CortezHorse]

The door opened and the sight of the familiar face, the sound of her voice struck him in a way he wasn’t expecting. He swallowed thickly, throat bobbing with the action as he stared at her.


“Yea.”


Was the only word he managed out past the constriction. Memories flooded him, a long journey; she’d saved him in more ways than one.


“Sorry..I..didn’t mean to wake ya..”


His eyes went to the splintering wood below his feet, unable to continue looking at her. This was a bad idea, he shouldn’t have come, their partnership ended when they split their paths.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Ben was there. He was on her doorstep. It felt like an odd dream. It was something she had thought about too many times to ever be tangible. He avoided her gaze and she found that she didn't really care. She didn't care because no matter how many times she blinked, he was still there.


An airy, warm laugh escaped her and she shoot her head. "I was already up. I just...can't believe you're here."


Realizing she was blocking the doorway, she quickly stepped aside, still smiling like an absolute idiot. "Come on in, I'm sure you're tired." She gave an open, sweeping motion with her hand towards the living room, a comfortable den like area with a couch and various recliners that seemed to fit together despite their different patterns.


Behind him, Freckles let out a quiet whine.


"You can come in too."


Seeming to understand, Freckles slipped past Ben and loped into the den. Hopping up on the couch, she settled down and looked far too pleased with herself.

 

[CortezHorse]

She invited him in, obviously she would have, it was Darling after all but still he was surprised but managed a small grin as he slipped in past her. The room was quaint and cleaner than any place he’d ever been in; it almost felt wrong for him to be here, so dirty and out of place. He looked down at his dust covered body and hovered by the doorway, only moving forward when Darling walked towards the furniture obviously keen on him sitting down as well.


He sat by Freckles looking completely uncomfortable with his straight back position, hands folded in his lap as his eyes darted around the room.


“S’nice.”


He grumbled the compliment out then looked to Darling again. She did seem happy that he was here and until said otherwise he was going to believe it.


“So..how are ya?”


It was such a mundane, casual question that didn’t seem to fit this particular meeting. They’d survived together and hadn’t seen one another for three years, as far as he knew Darling thought him dead this entire time and now here they were, sitting in a house like it was a normal drop by.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

There was just enough room for her to join them after locking the front door once more. Angled so she was facing Ben, one leg tucked up under the other, she continued to watch him, marveling at the fact that he was there. Sure he looked uncomfortable, she she figured he'd relax soon. Three years was a long time, after all.


"Me? I'm...I'm good." It was her turn to look down now as she tucked a stray bit of hair back behind her ear. "I've just really missed you, Ben. I was so worried I never thought...you know, I'd get to see you again."


It was the truth. She thought about him more than she probably should have if she was being honest with herself.


After a moment she looked back to him, hands resting limply in her lap.


"What happened?" She knew the story with Ezra wouldn't be a good one, knew that he probably wouldn't appreciate her making him talk about it, but Darling had to know. She had to know what she made him suffer through, had to know how he ended up in Oak Creek of all places.