Last Stop New Vegas

[Interstellar Bun]

"I'm surprised she didn't shoot you on accident. She almost took my foot off once."


"I clipped the toe of your boot, there's no need to be so dramatic." Despite the tone of her words, here was no mistaking that darling was amused, something shown in the way Daniel returned her grin. "And I'll have you know that I've never almost shot someone in the foot since then."


No, because she had shot them in the chest instead. She had cut throats.


"Either way, Ben here is a real good shot," she reached over, clasping a hand on his shoulder and letting it linger there for a long moment. "And maybe that's something you two could work on tomorrow."


"Yeah, you know, that sounds nice." Daniel looked to Ben and Darling pulled her hand away. "What do you say?"

 

[CortezHorse]

“Sounds fine.”


Dinner went over well, better than earlier in the day when Ben first met the family. It was getting easier to be around them, be around people in general.


Everyone went to bed and after waiting until everyone was in bed, Ben slipped into Darling’s room. He climbed in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He nuzzled her shoulder and pressed a kiss to the soft skin before quickly drifting off.


Ben had never slept so soundly, usually always jumping at the slightest noise but here he had no reason to worry or be on guard all the time. Here he was safe.


There was movement in the room and Ben tugged Darling closer to him, brushing off the sound as Freckles moving about. It wasn’t until hands were on him that he realized anything was wrong.


Two men were in the room, one had grabbed Darling and the other wrestled with him. He was too slow though, they’d caught him by surprise and the man soon had Ben bound. The ghoul growled, straining against the ropes.


“The fuck do you want?!”

 

[Interstellar Bun]

The bed had shifted when Ben joined her. Half asleep, Darling had snuggled back against him, feeling herself drift off into an easier, deeper sleep with him as close as he was, with the way she could feel him breathing and be lulled in to a sense of security. They had snuggled up before, of course, but it wasn't like this, it was happenstance where this was intentional.


The door creaked open but it wasn't until she felt herself being ripped away from Ben that Darling awoke with a startled gasp. Eyes blurry with sleep, she barely caught sight of the two dark figures before she was turned so she was being pressed face down on her mattress. Rope pressed against her skin and she, in her half-awake panic, turned with all the strength she had and managed to clock the man tying her in the face with her foot. He swore and grabbed her ankle, his other hand still holding her wrists.


"Try that again and I'm gonna break your damn leg off."


Her binds were tied off and she was shoved back onto her bed where she squirmed to sit up, huffing as she stared at the two. In the dim light from her window, she could make out two very different shapes. One man was shorter, his arms heavily built and oddly long for his stocky body, where the other might have been decent looking if he didn't look like he had slept in a ditch for the past three months.


"Now, we're going to make this real simple for you both." It was the stocky man who spoke, picking up the sawed-off shotgun he had propped up against the wall earlier. "You tell us where the money is, we take it, we leave, no one gets hurt, capisce?"


"Wh-?" she looked to Ben, eyes wide and worried. "Money? We don't have any money."


"Now, you see, I think you're lyin' to us." He pointed the shotgun at her as though he were just motioning with it. "We know you got a safe, we know you got money, we just wanna know where it is, Princess."

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben growled when the gun was pointed towards Darling. These two looked like some two bit burglars desperate for money. They didn’t know what they were doing; their actions were driven by greed. Even though they weren’t experienced Ben had no doubts that they’d actually finish them off if emotions ran high enough. Was Darling’s family alright? There hadn’t been any gunshots before hand but that didn’t mean any other, quieter, means had been used to harm.


“They don’t have anything.”


He grumbled the sentence out, eyes narrowed in anger at the men. The stocky man’s face pulled into a sour expression and he turned the gun to point at Ben.


“Was I askin’ you zombie? We know you don’t live here. Been watchin the place, seen you come in just a couple days ago. You don’t know nothin’.”


The man then turned his attention back to Darling and Ben cut his eyes at her, hoping that she caught his look and understood his meaning. He moved his bound hands together, the motion hidden behind his back as he worked. Just as he had when they were with Ezra, Ben pressed down on the thumb of his joint until it popped out of place. Slowly, he began to wriggle his hand until it was free and he waited, muscles tensing in preparation to attack.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"Look, this has gotta be a misunderstanding, we don't have anything." Darling had caught the look in his eye and figured that, the best thing she could do right then was to try and buy him a bit of time. She swallowed, her mouth dry.


"See, that's what we keep hearing and, to be honest, I'm getting tired of that answer. Real tired." There was a quiet anger in his voice, a rage that boiled under his skin and gleamed in his eyes. It was enough to make Darling's blood run cold with the realization that, if they had come this far already, there was nothing stopping them from just putting a bullet in each of their heads.


The taller man's gaze had moved over to Ben, watching the way he shifted. He knew. He knew and his hand had gone to the combat knife that was strapped to his thigh.


"If I were you, I might want to start tellin' me something else or my finger might just-." He had stepped towards her, the barrel of his gun tapping her forehead.


"Wait. Wait, please." The attention was back on Darling and she could heat her heart pounding in her ears. She hoped the panic in her voice hid the fact that she was lying through her teeth."Okay, alright we do have something. Downstairs, behind the bookshelf, the combination is zero-five-zero-seven. It's all in NCR bills."


There was a beat of silence before his expression turned into a wicked grin, his smile too wide. "See? Was that so hard?" He looked to his partner in crime. "You stay up here to keep an eye on things, I'll head down stairs 'n get the cash."

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben waited until he heard the heavy boots stomp down the staircase, the man that was left to watch them still had his head turned away and Ben took the moment. He launched himself forward with a growl, throwing his shoulder and all of his heft into the tackle. They both went to the floor and began grappling, the man managed to pull his knife from its holster and barely nicked Ben’s throat with the blade. Ben held the man’s wrist and twisted, trying to release the dangerously sharp knife from his grip so he could completely subdue him.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

They hit the ground with a dull thud and Darling twisted immediately, fingers trying to grasp at the ropes that kept her bound in an attempt to loosen her binds enough so she could slip a wrist out. After a moment of struggle she gave up and shifted, instead. Back against the bed, she threw her weight back and, in a feat of flexibility allowed by just how scrawny she was, slipped her arms around to the front. The action left her shoulders aching and, while she wasn't free of her binds, she was free enough to help.


All the while man let out a growl, his freehand pushing against Ben's face to try and get him off, to try and make him release his wrist. He brought his knee up to hit Ben's stomach sharply, attempting to twist and throw Ben onto his back instead.

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben growled as the man scratched and shoved at his face, he was able to stay on top until the burglar’s bony knee came up and landed in the middle of his gut. The air was forced out of him and he found himself face down on the ground, the man straddling him, his gleaming knife pressed against the side of Ben’s face.


“We don’t need you no more ya ugly fucker.”


He raised his knife, ready to thrust down but had no idea that Darling was now free as well.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Darling gave little thought to her actions as her feet touched the ground, as she lunged forward, a story of wild hair and fury. From behind, she threw her arms over his head and pulled back with enough force to yank him backwards, the rope on her wrists pressing against his throat to choke him.


He swore loudly as he was pulled back away from Ben, managing to struggle up to his feet. He grabbed her hand and pulled forward enough so he could take in a big gulp of air. He rammed her backwards, slamming her against the door. The action knocked the air right out of her lungs and Darling felt her head spin as she pulled back once more, her feet dangling uselessly even as she tried to fight back against him, his height making her unable to touch the ground.


It was then she realized now that she had her arms around his neck, there wasn't exactly a way she could remove herself from the situation. She was just as stuck as he was.

 

[CortezHorse]

The knife skittered past Ben’s face and he quickly scrambled after the blade. He snatched it up as the man continuously slammed Darling back against the door, attempting to free himself in vain. Ben rushed over, pushing the knife underneath the rope around the man’s neck. The burglar froze, eyes wide as the blade brushed against his skin when Ben sliced the rope holding Darling to him. After Darling fell to the floor, now free, Ben tossed the blade aside, grabbed the man by the collar and shoved him against the door. The old wood gave way and both Ben and the burglar crashed into the hallway, tripping over Darling as they tumbled.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Everything moved so quickly. Her hands were free, her feet were on the ground, and her door had broken when Ben tackled the criminal into the hallway. The man was fighting, trying to throw Ben off once more. Darling followed them out and she heard the door at the far end of the hall twist before it opened. Her own father had managed to free himself and he stumbled out, swearing so creatively it would have made the worst raiders blush. There was a gun in his hand, but that wasn't the one she heard being cocked.


"You lied to me you little fuck!"


It took her a moment to realize that the stubby man had come back up stairs and, once more, the gun was pointed at her.


In a split second, she had made the decision not to duck.


She stepped forward and to the side, her world went silent and her vision splintered white as the gun burst next to her ear. Rendered deaf, she grabbed the gun with one hand and jabbed the palm of her other into his nose with enough force to break it. She was dazed, her vision tunneling so she could see only the blood that spilled from his nose as he yanked back from her. His grip had loosened on the gun and she pulled it fully from his grip, finally disarming him.

 

[CortezHorse]

The gun cracked and both Ben and the man flinched at the sound but it did nothing to stop their struggle. They both growled and huffed until finally Ben was able to get a good chunk of the man’s hair in his grasp. He used this leverage to slam the burglar’s head onto the hard wood, once, twice, three, four times until he was unconscious and bleeding. Honestly he would have just kept going until the bastard’s brains spilled out but that would be a terrible clean-up for the family.


Ben stood and turned his attention to Darling and the last, remaining thief. She had him cornered with his own gun and Ben couldn’t help the pride that swelled in his chest. She remembered the things he’d taught her. He clunked up beside her and growled at the pinned down man.


“Best give up now for we get creative with how to get rid of ya.”

 

[Interstellar Bun]

The man tried to choke something back at him, an insult of some sort, but the words were lost as he coughed, spitting out blood that had dripped into his mouth. Breathing hard through his teeth, he stared at Ben, deep hatred in his eyes. And yet, he didn't move, didn't struggle.


Darling felt a hand on her shoulder and she flinched back, her heart vibrating in her chest as she stared at her father. One hand held her arm as the other went to her gun to steady it and he was saying something she couldn't hear right away, not with how loudly her ears were ringing, with the pain that made her vision waver. After a moment, the world seemed to come into focus once more.


"Darlene, are you hurt?"


"No. No I-I'm fine."


He let out a quiet breath of relief, gently taking the gun from her hands as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "Go get everyone else out, I'll keep an eye on them."


She swallowed hard before nodding, unsteady feet carrying her not too far off to the other rooms.


Lawrence turned his attention to Ben. "You alright?"

 

[CortezHorse]

“M’fine.”


He grumbled out, eyes moving from the burglar at gunpoint to the one on the floor.


“Can help you get em’ tied up if ya need.”


Ben wasn’t sure exactly what Darling’s father was planning on with these two; he couldn’t see the man just wanting to finish them off. If that was indeed the case then Ben could easily do that as well. He’d just have to make sure the family was out of eyesight. They were nice people, he liked them, he didn’t want to give them a reason to be afraid of him.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

His shoulders seemed to relax a little when Ben said he was fine as well.


At the offer, Lawrence nodded. "Yeah, keep 'em here, I'll be right back up."


His ling legs carried him down the stairs two at a time and, after a few moments, he returned with two long things of thick, heavy rope. He tossed one to Ben, going to tie the man up on the floor without hesitation, his fingers working together a complex knot that would keep almost anything from getting out.


Right at that time, Darling stepped out of the last room, quietly shutting it behind her as she advised her sister to stay inside, that, though it was safe, she shouldn't have to see it.


The sallow tone to her skin was starting to fade, her ears no longer ringing from the gunshot.


"Do you want me to go run to the nearest NCR outpost, pap?"


"Won't matter anyway." It was the conscious robber who grumbled the words. "You think there's just the two of us then you're as stupid as you look?"

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben growled, the insult toward Darling as well as the obviously threatening comment flared his temper. He tossed the rope aside, stomped forward, grabbed a handful of the man’s hair, pulled back and slammed the man’s head against the wall.


“You tell us what you mean or I’ll beat yer head till brains leak outta yer ears.”


He growled the threat out, face only inches from the burglar’s. His fist remained tightly balled in the man’s sweaty hair while Ben pinned him to the wall with his free arm.


The action was instinctive, beat and torture until you got an answer.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"Like I got much left to lose anyway, I ain't telling you shit." He grinned up at Ben, showing his half rotten teeth.


Lawrence moved to step forward and Darling reached out, touching her father's arm. He stopped, brows furrowing as he looked down at her.


"Go get the NCR."


"I don't want to leave you with this scum, what if they-."


"Dad. I can handle this, it won't do well to have both you and Ben beating him black and blue anyway."


He huffed. "Fine but if anything happens-."


"I know."


He put an arm around his daughter, squeezing her close to him before hurrying down stairs and out of the house, making a dead sprint for the nearest outpost. Her father gone, Darling moved to stand beside Ben. Staring down at the burglar made her feel sick inside. She resisted the urge to slap him and, instead, smiled.


"You'll have to excuse my friend here." Her hand lifted, resting on Ben's arm. "I know this isn't a good situation for anyone, is it? You and your friend, you didn't come in here lookin' to hurt anyone or get hurt, did you?"


The man's glare deepened but there was a subtle shift in his expression. "Don't you give me that bullshit, there's no way out of this and I know it. I'm fucked with the NCR and you're gonna get fucked over by the read 'a the group I'm with."

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben’s grip slackened on the man’s hair when Darling touched his arm. He looked down at her, realizing what she was trying to do and released his grip. He took a step back, letting the burglar free but hovering close in case he tried to lash out at Darling.


“You can either talk to her, or to me, your choice.”


His brow furrowed in anger making his usually frightening appearance look even more intimidating.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Ben was frightening.


The realization struck her as an odd one as she watched his brows furrow, making him look too angry. She had never really seen him as intimidating before, not until right then. Watching him for a moment, she turned her gaze back to the captured man.


"I'm not talking to no one." He spat the words. "The NCR? They're gonna kill me anyway, at least with my group they won't hurt me if I don't rat them out. Figure I got a better chance with them than with anyone else. And you folk? You won't last long at all."


The threat made her skin prickle, her hand sliding to drop away from Ben. Doing her best to keep her expression kind, she thoughtfully pursed her lips before speaking.


"Or you can tell us what you know, the NCR will go after this mysterious group of people and you'll be considered a hero rather than a villain. The NCR are reasonable people, I'm sure they'd take such a kindness into consideration. You'd leave with a medal around your neck rather than a rope and, well, your group can't hurt you if they're all locked up, can they?"


He squinted at her, intentionally trying to not look at Ben.


"Guess not."

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben did his best to hold back and let Darling handle the situation. He was only used to violence and intimidation as a manner of getting what he needed but he’d learned from Darling that sometimes a softer hand was needed. He growled irritably and took a step away, crossing his arms over his broad chest.


“Sooner you tell her what she wants, the sooner this group can get wrangled up and put away. Just wasting time now.”


His jaw muscles flexed as he grit his teeth, finding it difficult to let this man continue mouthing off without repercussions .

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"Oh fuck off zombie." The man snarled the words before looking to Darling. "Alright, fine, I'll rat those assholes out. They're stationed a few miles away from here in a gas station, you know the one? With the blue rocket out front?"


"I know it." Darling nodded, her shoulders relaxing. In the distance, she could hear the front door slam shut, the sound of heavy footsteps thunking through the house.


"Alright, shit, we told 'em where we were going and they were supposed to come and handle things themselves if we didn't come back. There are five of them, decently armed."


He finished just as the first of the NCR soldiers appeared in the stairwell. His hand moved quickly and the man's rifle clicked as he held if even and aimed at Ben. Knees half bent, he slowed his pace, making the other two behind him slow down as well and effectively trapping Darling's father down on the first floor. The man was unshaven and, despite the hour, looked wide awake and ready for trouble, of which he assumed Ben to be part of.


"Step away from the girl." He ordered.

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben wanted to say he was surprised that an NCR rifle was aimed right at his head but he could honestly say he didn’t bat an eye.


“Got the wrong person ya prick. I’m with the girl and her family. Fuckin’ racist asshole”


He grumbled the words out, voice tinged with a growl. He was still burning hot from the tussle with the two robbers and being called a zombie and having a gun wrongfully aimed at him all in the course of a few minutes wasn’t doing wonders to help him calm down. Normally he was obey the order with an ugly sneer but right now he defiantly looked the man in the eye and kept his post beside Darling.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"The hell did you all me?"


Darling let out a slow breath and held up her hand passively.


"Lets all take a moment to relax here, alright? He's my guy. You're here for the two tied up gentlemen over there. They're cooperative, so don't be too hard on them, alright? Said there was more out by the gas station."


It was then the ranger turned his head, seeing the two. The one conscious men gave a sardonic grin, his mangled teeth showing. The ranger watched Ben for a moment before fully stepping into the hall, letting his other two companions grab the men and hoist them up.


"We'll decide what happens from here, ma'am." He lowered his rifle, watching as the criminals were removed. "Don't you worry your pretty little head what happens to them or their supposed buddies."

 

[CortezHorse]

Ben growled, the sound low and intimidating. The man was being absolutely condescending to Darling, completely ignoring the fact that she and he were the only ones up here with the bound men so obviously she was capable of much more than fretting like some house wife.


“So does that mean you’ll take care of it or you’ll pretend to do something but then a week later the men come back here and kill everyone in this house?”


The ghoul had no tolerance for those who threw their power and position around which is exactly what this dick head was doing.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"Talk to me like that again and I'll take you in with them." The ranger's voice lowered slightly, something dangerous catching in his words. "This is in our hands now and we'll take care of it."


Lawrence had finally made his way up the stairs once the other men had been removed.


"Everythin' alright here?"


"Yeah, just keep your-." He stopped as he turned his gaze from the ghoul to the tall, older man. It was then he noticeably hesitated, quickly changing the direction of his sentence. "Family safe, Mr. Harlow, you won't be getting any more trouble out of these two. Have a good night." He gave a nod of his head before heading back down stairs, disappearing into the darkness.


Lawrence looked Ben and Darling over, stepping closer to gently rub his daughter's arm. "You two hanging in there okay?"