Deuces Are Wild

9

The little pile of cigarette butts grew by one as MacCready stood outside the barricade waiting for news. Not since leaving the Capital Wasteland had he been so nervous around the Brotherhood of Steel. On the other hand maybe these were rational after all. So Zelling wasn't just a bright eyed wastelander dazzled over the prospect of a real bed and a paying job.

Maybe I should just go, he thought. They'll take care of her here or will as soon as they've decided she's served her time. What a waste.

Then he saw her. He'd made a habit of smiling when he saw her for he too was used to disapproving looks. Zelling looked pale, tired. MacCready's smile faded a bit.

"So?" He began hopefully.

She wrung her hands. "I'm still in deep trouble." Zelling tittered nervously. "Haylen gave me an earful. She said we're lucky this didn't go all the way up to the top brass or we'd all have our butts in a sling for the rest of the year."

"You have been bad." He teased, trying to keep his tone light.

She had her hair down and the longer strands got stuck in the short, weaving into them like weeds growing in a crack in the road. "I'm going to stay here until Davenport comes back then they'll decide what to do with him. And me. They'll probably reassign me to the Prydwen. I like it but I don't want to be stuck inside all day. " Zelling clenched her fists at her sides. "Which would suck because we won't get to hang out!"

"You still get leave, kitten." Reaching for her he swept the long portion of her hair to one side which made her smile. "Besides, we're always gonna be buddies, right?" This time he rubbed the fuzzy part of her head, and he was rewarded with her laugh. "Looks like you need a trim."

"Why are you petting me?"

"'Cause you're a kitten."

Zelling deadpanned a 'meow'. "It's probably going to be a long time before I get leave."

Inserting the holotape into her Pip Boy and MacCready indulged at a little air guitar, and as the drums kicked in Zelling swung her hips in a little dance, patting her legs off time. They both sang along, causing a passing knight in power armor to chuckle. She shut off the music.

"Well I better get going."

They both stood there uncertainly. He didn't want to leave. He never wanted to leave. Then she crashed into him and threw her arms around his neck. He could easily see over her head and nobody was watching, surprisingly. Not that he cared. MacCready held her. He remembered his last hug was from Duncan. That had been a long time ago, it seemed. When he departed he'd kissed his son on his forehead, anxiously noting it was hot with fever. That had been enough to make the boy open his eyes and curl his little hands, fretfully saying 'daddy'.

Daddy's going on a trip, Duncan. He's gonna get something to make you all better.

No you can't come too.

Mommy's watching over me, I'll be okay.

Victoria had suggested he speak of Lucy for one day the boy would ask why he didn't have a mother. It was like a knife in the heart and MacCready had argued against it, why should Duncan feel the loss too. 'So you can miss her together'.

The notion of mommy watches over us was invented by Duncan and MacCready had no choice but to indulge him in this, for it was his innocent way of keeping Lucy alive in memory, a reminder of how she was there in some way. MacCready wasn't especially looking forward to telling Duncan how Lucy died, but the boy had a healthy caution for anything that wasn't his father or Victoria.

Well maybe he could find Med Tek himself. The problem was he wasn't any good with computers. He held Zelling at arms length. "I do have to go, Kallie. There's something I have to do."

He definitely had her attention now and with his hands on her shoulders he leaned in and quietly asked "Do you remember when I told you I came up to the Commonwealth from DC?"

Of course she did. Against all his protests to never go near a vault again, they once stopped in Vault 81 to do some trading. The residents let them in with reluctance but a few young people especially children were interested in talking to outsiders. To his surprise, Zelling patiently answered their thousand questions about the wasteland -leaving out the graphic parts- and earned a bit of ire from their parents. Zelling only shook her head and said they'd grow up and have to make decisions on their own someday. MacCready commented briefly he hoped Duncan would never get the urge to wander and would be content on the farm. Perhaps he'd meet a nice girl (or boy) and settle there indefinitely. That was what every parent wanted, wasn't it? For their children to grow up safe and happy.

"You have a child?" Zelling asked.

"Yeah," MacCready said, beaming with fatherly pride. "A little boy, almost five years old."

"Oh," She cooed. "Is he handsome?"

"Too handsome for his own good."

Duncan was a nice looking boy -if MacCready was being unbiased- for he was fortunate to favor his mother. MacCready's only complaint -and it was a small one- was that Duncan's eyes were not green as Lucy's had been, but blue like his own.

"Is he a little rascal like you were?" She smirked. He'd told her too many stories of his days as the stubborn, foul mouthed mayor of Little Lamplight.

"No," MacCready replied softly. "He's...gentle. He cries if he sees an animal get hurt. Always running to Teddy, our neighbor, when he finds a wounded bird or rabbit. We have a critter graveyard at the back of the house." He rubbed his neck looking a bit ashamed. "The graves are usually empty. We have to eat."

"He values life, at any rate." Zelling said thoughtfully. "But one day you'll have to tell him where meat comes from."

The beams of the headlamps from the power armored knights shone brightly in the gathering dusk.
Zelling looked down. "What is it? Does it have to do with those Gunner guys?" She looked sharply at him. "Are they still after you? Because I'll find a sentrybot to go after them if I have to."

Scouting the Gunner base Zelling had decided they weren't worth the ammo, and it was much funnier for them to try and figure out why their assaultrons went berserk and attacked them. It wasn't as satisfying but MacCready took grim pleasure in their confusion and fear.

"No it's nothing like that." MacCready licked his lips. "I don't say this lightly but I trust you, Kal. And since I've helped you I'm hoping this means you'll help me. I told you about Duncan. What I didn't mention was that he's sick. Very sick. Some kind of...boils appeared on his body, these blue boils. He's just a kid, I don't know how long he can fight this. But I have a lead and I need you to help me."

Furrowing her brow she nodded once. Taking her hands in his he squeezed them. "There's this old medical research facility and you're the only one I know that could hack into its security system."

"I think, " she said slowly, "that I can convince Danse to let me scope a place for a sweep and retrieve. I'll do what I can but I have to be back for the hearing."

He sighed relief and squeezed her again. "Thank you. This might be his only chance. But are you really going to get in more trouble?"

" If it's there we'll get it. Besides, thinking about the Gunners gave me an idea."