Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

An incessant buzzing noise hummed in the back of her mind. She could not quiet the noise, forcing the echo to grate against her nerves. A light permeated through the darkness and it made her eyes twitch. It was like it wanted her to follow, to walk towards it. She scowled, but pushed towards the bright formation that interrupted her calm state.

Getting closer seemed impossible. Black goo sucked at her legs, pulling her down as soon as she began. It surrounded everything, threatening to blot out the light altogether. 

I am not going down

She squinted her eyes and pushed even harder, trying to reach the light. It didn’t make sense, but it felt necessary. Like this illumination was going to save her from being sucked under. She flung her arms to the side, determination settling in her bones. The goo was overwhelming as it attached to her limbs, but she would not give up. She wrenched her legs, desperate to be free.

After what felt like forever, one of her legs popped free of the goo, and she grinned in victory. She flung her other leg free with the building momentum. The light was finally getting closer, and she threw her hands out, trying to clench the warmth. Her legs pounded as she rushed towards it, getting ever closer and warmer. 

Finally, she reached the source, but it did not feel anything like she thought it would. It was painful.

She wrapped her arms around her head, crying out from the pain. Even opening her eyes hurt, and her vision was fuzzy. The high pitched whine from before was pulsating in her bones. Faintly, she heard a voice, but nothing made sense. She raised her head achingly slowly, trying to look around. There was an outline of a man standing above her, but everything was too bright.

What is going on? Why can't I see?

She took a deep breath, willing her sight to come back. The whine was slowly fading, ebbing into silence. The bright light from earlier had warped everything into a glow laden haze. Slowly, the cacophony faded, and her vision cleared, the bright light completely dissipating. It left her feeling empty in the now much quieter environment. 

When she opened her eyes, she was faced with a middle aged man with silver hair. He towered over her and turned the large metal screw protruding from his skull. Patchwork scars criss crossed most of his skin, winding up his neck and over his face.

She scrambled backwards, falling off the dirty bed she had been laying on. Her tailbone thumped painfully on the ground, but all she could focus on was the pain in her head. Her fingers delved into her hair and pressed down, like she was trying to keep the skin from detaching. She rolled to her side and wrapped around on herself, the pressure torturous. 

The man stood from his chair and shook his head down at her, “With an injury like that, you shouldn’t be moving around so much.”

His voice was calm, if not a little mocking, thick with a heavy twang. She wanted to retort back with something witty, but she couldn’t do anything but hold her head and groan in agony. She attempted to stand, but her legs were shaky. The older man grabbed her arm and pulled her up, gently leading her towards the other room.

“Since you’re awake, I can finally get some information out of you.” He pushed his glasses further up his nose, giving her a huge and somewhat discerning smile, “As much fun as it’s been having a new specimen, it’s time for you to go home.”

She nodded cautiously, letting him guide her towards a beaten down couch in the sitting room. There was a dingy looking examining table to her right, and an extensive set of test tubes and beakers to her left. This looked more like a scientist setup than a medical doctor’s office.

As she settled on the couch, the man sat across from her on a tattered orange chair. "What.. What happened?" She asked, fingers dancing over the bandages wrapped around her head.

“You were shot in the head.” He sighed, lighting up a cigarette, “Whoever shot you meant to kill you. Patty dug you out of your grave and brought you to me. Somehow, you were still alive. You’ve been out for about two weeks now.” With a long drag of his cigarette, he exhaled in a large puff above her head, “So who are you?”

Who was she?

Her head tilted downwards, and she stared wistfully at her hands. They were rough and worn, and scars lined her palms. Flipping them over, she inspected the veins pushing towards the edge of her skin. “I…” She ran a finger along her eyebrow, raised in confusion, her small nose, curved lips and high cheekbones, “I…” 

The patchwork man sat patiently, watching her with a level gaze and a knowing smile.

“I… Don’t know who I am.” She stuttered. The thought tickled some far away corner of her brain. How could she not know who she is?

The man sighed again, itching at the bulbous metal sticking out of his head, “Post-traumatic amnesia.”

The words tumble through her head, perplexing and intimidating. She also wanted to inspect the metal shoved perfectly through his hair. This was all so strange. “What?” She asked instead, not able to form a coherent thought. 

He took a drag from his cigarette and looked towards her, “Post-traumatic amnesia. You were shot in the head. I’m surprised I could keep you alive as it was. I must not have been able to fix everything.” 

He snickered to himself, like he knew the punchline to a secret joke, “Isn’t that a kick in the head?”

With a huff, she ignored his stupid joke and fingered the hair spilling over her shoulders and brought it to her face. It was ashy blond, thin and soft. She hoped it would click something inside her, but the information left her feeling empty.

“Who are you?” She asked carefully. Despite his odd appearance and mannerisms, he saved her life. She would thank him, at the very least.

He flicked some ash into a skull on the ground beside his chair, “My name is Dr. Stein. I’m the only doctor anywhere in the area, so you’re lucky your would-be killers dropped you off so close by.”

It made her wonder if fate was something she believed in, when she knew herself, “Well… Thank you for saving me. You don’t even know me and you still treated me with care.”

The lines on Stein’s face seemed to smooth, and his smile looked genuine, “We have to take care of each other out here. When you were dragged inside, you looked so small. I couldn’t just let you die.” His smile took on an edge, but there was humor in his eyes, “And I haven’t had a new body to perform experiments on in too long.”

She rolled her eyes, ignoring the pain it caused her brain. He would not intimidate her with spooky remarks. “What do I even look like?” The curiosity was intense, like she needed to figure out who she was.

Stein looked up, glancing at her like he hadn’t even thought of it. He stood from the couch, rummaging through a desk in the corner, “Well, you’re tiny, for starters.” When he found what he was looking for, he walked back towards her, handing her the item, “I actually thought you were a redhead at first, all that blood in your hair. Looks aren’t exactly important in Goodsprings. Much less the rest of the Mojave Wasteland.”

Curiosity grew in her stomach, and she wondered what that meant, “Goodsprings? Is that where I live?” She took the item, a mirror, and inspected her face in the dirty glass. Her hope of recognizing something, anything, was dashed. The face looking back at her was a fine looking face, but it didn’t feel like hers. Bright green eyes filled with tears, and she moved the mirror away before she could see herself cry. 

Stein flicked a hand up and twisted the gear in his hair, making her cringe at the grinding sound it made. “Goodsprings is the town we’re in now. This could be interesting.”

Her eyebrows rose to her hairline, and her lips twisted into a grimace. Anxiety swam through her veins, hot and cold at the same time. “What does that mean?”

Without an answer, Stein stood again and headed to the next room. He called for her to stay put over his shoulder. She twitched nervously before taking a deep breath and calming herself. She took in her surroundings, looking around for the first time. This place was dusty, a thick coating on every surface and floating through the air. The wallpaper was yellow and peeling back, and the only thing that seemed well taken care of were the books. 

The skull that Stein was flicking ash into looked like it came from an animal, not a human, to her great relief. Science equipment was all over the house; beakers, bottles, and tubes littered across every flat surface. 

She shifted on the couch, feeling more and more claustrophobic in the small house, “Stein? What are you doing?”

He returned a moment later, a small charred book in his hands as he sat next to her, “That’s Doc Stein to you. This is a book on amnesia. I figured it would help you understand things better. Can you read?”

Scoffing at the remark, she gently opened the book, pawing at the fragile pages, “Of course I can read. Why is this book so torn apart?”

When he doesn’t reply and only cranks the knob in his head, she flashed him a scowl. She scanned the words, feeling a familiar pang of joy as she soaked up the information.

“I should probably explain some things to you.” He drawled, “With your amnesia, I’m not sure how you’ll react to the situation of our… Environment, if you will.”

That was distressing. She looked up, closing the cover and giving the doctor her full attention. He lit another cigarette, “This is the year 2281. Two hundred years ago, the Great War of 2077 took place. The world was mostly demolished by nuclear bombs. Radiation has destroyed much of how life ‘used’ to be. I don’t know what normalcy is to you, but waking up in an irradiated wasteland has got to be jarring for anyone.” 

Throughout the entire speech, she sat perfectly still, taking everything in. Her hands clenched at her sides, and she could feel her heartbeat racing. She swiveled her eyes towards the dingy window, peering through the dirt streaked glass.

She had no idea what she was expecting. He was right, to an extent. What was normal to her? She didn't even know what her name was. But a nuclear war? She had a faint image of what that was. A far off memory torn apart and shredded by her own subconscious, and she was only left with bits and pieces. 

“Radiation?” She questioned, fighting with her own mind, trying to force the knowledge from within herself. 

“I only know about the world before through books and stories.” Stein nodded and took a drag of his cigarette, “But it seems things like giant rad scorpions were not always normal and accepted. Not that they’re accepted now; disgusting creatures.”

Her brain was going haywire, words flickering around and bouncing off the walls, fighting to be let out. Something was keeping them locked away, and it made her furious. Irradiated Wasteland? She didn’t even know what that meant. All she knew was that she was alone. With no idea of who she was or how she got here. She fisted a hand in her hair, growling under her breath. Her frustrations were difficult to tame.

Without thinking, she stood, ignoring Stein’s flat accusations that she would hurt herself more.

“I… I just need to get some fresh air.” She blurted out and flung herself towards the door. She threw it open and ran. Her legs felt more jelly-like than she wanted, and she cursed her weakness. Before slightly congratulating herself for remembering what jelly was.

Throwing herself outside was not the best idea she’d ever had, although to be fair, she couldn’t remember any other ideas. So this wasn’t necessarily the worst. That didn’t make her feel much better.

Her head ached as she ran, but she had to get away from that cramped house. She forced her legs to go faster, slamming past the gate outside Doc Stein’s house and almost tripping down the hill.

She passed dilapidated looking houses and a few confused faces. There was a man with a burly beard sitting outside a saloon, raising an eyebrow as she barreled past. She could see mountains in the distance, and it made her feel much calmer. 

Somehow, she knew the open air would help her racing thoughts. She ran faster, her breath sharp and loud as her heart pulsed in time with her feet. When she was out of what she could call a ‘town’, her running slowed. She let herself smile, another small victory at the thought of remembering a lost word. 

She was surrounded by dirt, and it seemed to stretch for miles. Only interrupted by a stray boulder, or patch of half dead plant. The ground was littered with rocks, the entire environment looked as if it had been slammed to the side. All of its inhabitants thrown haphazardly around.

There was a giant statue of a cross in the distance, among the mountains. It looked menacing, sitting atop a small hill to the south. They must not have meant for it to look so terrifying, but it did none the less.

She placed her hand on her knees, leaning down to catch her breath. Closing her eyes, her brain finally ceased its spinning. Everything slowed, and she could breathe again. She sighed and rubbed a hand through her hair, sliding down to sit on a rock. Despite not knowing who she was, she knew she was strong. Whoever she used to be didn’t matter, as long as she remembered that.

Flinching as she stood, she looked down at her feet. It was the first time she noticed she wasn’t wearing shoes. She pulled her foot up and inspected the bottom of the abused skin. Her poor feet took the brunt of her brash decision. She gingerly set the foot down, wincing as it hit the ground.

"I guess I should head back.." She murmured to herself, walking back towards the town. She was careful of her injured feet, stepping as gently as she could.

Before she could take three steps, she stopped dead in her tracks. A creature stood a few feet away, baring its huge teeth at her. It stood as tall as her hip, and its bulbous body was a naked, dirty pink color. It took a step forward, pincer like front teeth gnashing in anger.

She took a step back, trying to turn and run as the creature barreled towards her. She tripped over a rock and tumbled to the ground, her entire body screaming in pain. It wuffed angrily behind her, making her let out a terrified whimper. The panic froze her limbs, and she heard its claws scuttle closer. 

With an agonizing scream, she flipped around and threw her hands up over her face. Trying to shield herself from the worst of the damage. The creature snapped its jaws down on her arm. It clawed down her other arm, trying to rip the skin from her bones. She cried out helplessly, tears flowing freely down her face. Shoving as hard as she could, she screamed and scrambled to get away. 

There is no way I am going to die again!

It reacted quickly, scraping at her calf as she tried to stand. She fell again, arms tearing at the dirt in hopes of getting some leverage. The creature was busying itself with gnawing on her leg, sharp teeth easily puncturing the skin. 

Just as she managed to throw herself forward, the creature slammed its front legs down on her back. Her head cracked against a rock as she was thrown, and she yowled in pain. Already her brain was rattling in her skull and things were becoming fuzzy. Over the ringing in her ears, she heard a gunshot and an angry mutter of, “Stupid mole rats.”

She groaned, trying to get away even as her vision went dark. Her head was ringing so hard no other sound made it through. The last thing she saw before it all went black was her shredded flesh, and blood drenching the ground below her.

Chapter Text

If waking up was always going to be this painful, she wanted no part in it. She let out an angry groan as she attempted to sit up. Her head was once again thrumming in pain and making everything fuzzy. When the light finally subsided, she looked around, trying to figure out where she was. She raised an eyebrow at the chemistry set on a desk in front of her. That looked all too familiar. 

The eyebrow raise rekindled a pounding behind her forehead, but she sat up, placing her feet on the ground. The pivot was apparently too quick for her brain, and the ringing pain joined the pounding. She cursed loudly, bringing a hand to her face. A chuckle rang out from the other room, sweet and melodic and assuredly not from Dr. Stein. 

She stood shakily, holding tight to the door frame as she peered into the other room. A woman in her mid twenties sat upon Dr. Stein’s couch, hair and eyes both a deep brown. The belted leather armor she wore over a white tank top and light jean shorts was scuffed, obviously well used. There was a long barreled rifle at her hip, and a pistol in the waistband of her shorts. A chocolate colored dog with bright amber eyes panted on the floor next to her, tail wagging furiously.

The young woman met her gaze as she peeked past the doorway and smiled softly in her direction. She stood, walking forward as the energetic dog followed on her heels, “You’re finally awake. Doc Stein wasn’t very happy when we had to drag you in here for a second time. 

Her voice had the same twang as Stein, but it was much more comforting, warm like molasses, “The name is Jacqueline, but you can call me Jackie. This is my girl, Lantern.” Jackie patted the dog’s head affectionately, grinning as Lantern wagged her tail into overdrive. 

“I wish I could introduce myself, but I don’t exactly know my name.” She shuffled her feet awkwardly, fighting the urge to impress this woman. Jackie was welcoming, pretty, and so otherworldly warm. There was a fluttering desire to become friends, despite her initial trepidation.

“Doc Stein told me you’re still out of it from the bullet. You’ll get your memories back, you just need to get moving. Only… not by yourself this time.” Jackie winked, making her blush lightly and push away the faint aching in the front of her head. She scratched her head in thought, tilting her neck and letting her long dark hair tickle the side of her bare torso, “You can’t be too careful with all the critters roaming around here. That mole rat nearly ended you.”

She winced at the memory, “Mole rat? Is that what that ugly thing was?”

Swinging a leg over the chair by Stein’s desk, Jackie sat down gracefully, the backrest pressing against her chest. The dingy chair squeaked as she draped her arms over the back, regarding her not unkindly. “Yeah, that was a mole rate. They’re not the toughest things around, but they can be dangerous. I shot the bastard just in time. It was making a snack out of you.”

A tender feeling bloomed in her chest, filling every limb with warmth. She knew this woman was a good one. It was not her responsibility to protect an empty headed green girl who didn’t know which way was north. But she did it anyway, and that gave her hope,  “You were the one that saved me?”

Jackie pushed a lock of dark hair out of her face and behind her ear, a light dusting of pink spreading across her cheeks. Almost absentmindedly, she began to pet her dog, looking embarrassed, “Yes ma’am, I did..” Lantern nudged her nose against Jackie’s side, begging for scratches behind her ear. 

How humble, she seemed almost sheepish about it. It was quite cute, “Well… Thank you, Jackie. I would have died again if not for you.”

Waving a hand dismissively, Jackie stood from the couch, brushing off her shorts, “It’s no problem. We have to take care of each other out here.”

It seemed wise to drop the point, so she did, not wanting to make Jackie more uncomfortable, “Where is Dr. Stein, by the way?”

With a nod of her head towards the shut bedroom door, Jackie turned towards the desk, grabbing a few needle-tipped devices from the lab, “He’s researching. He’s been searching through all his medical books to find something to help your amnesia.”

It was her turn to be embarrassed now. Everyone here had helped her so much already, and they didn’t even know her. She struggled to find a way to change the subject, eventually pointing towards the needles Jackie was stuffing into her pack, “What are those?”

When the pack was full, Jackie swung the bag over her shoulder and motioned for her to follow as she walked towards the door, “These are Stimpacks. I want to teach you how to shoot, and Stein wants us to be prepared for anything.”

“What’s a Stimpack?” She questioned, following close behind and narrowly avoiding stepping on Lantern's foot. 

Jackie looked shocked for a few stiff moments before devolving into laughter, “I forgot about the amnesia. I don’t know the specifics, you’ll have to ask Doc Stein. But from what I’ve been told, they’re a mix of steroids, antibiotics, and pain killers. They’re the lifeblood of people out here.”

The light was temporarily blinding as Jackie opened the front door. She put a hand up to shield her eyes, tripping over a rock in the pathway that she somehow knew was the same rock she tripped on the first time. Jackie put a hand on her shoulder, stabilizing her. “Whoah there, girl.”

She smiled up at Jackie, laughing at her own clumsiness, “I’ll get used to my legs, eventually.”

As they started waking through the town, they passed the same buildings she ran by during her last anxious escapade. She inspected everything much closer this time around, keeping her eyes on the scenery while following Jackie. Lantern trailed behind, sniffing at every dead plant they passed. 

Looking down, she noticed her calf and arm wrapped tightly in gauze and plaster. Her torso was similarly covered in wrappings. She clenched her fingers into a fist, testing for any lingering pain. Lifting her legs higher as they walked, she didn’t feel any pain there, either. How long was she out for this time? If she kept fainting, her entire life would pass her by.

Jackie stopped in front of a building labeled, ‘Prospectors Saloon’, and turned to face her, “I’m going inside for a bit. I’ve got to pick up some ammunition for training. Stay out here and have a look around, I’ll be right back.” Before she let the door shut behind her, she turned around and grinned, “Don’t wander too far, though!” 

She dipped her head sheepishly, agreeing to stay close. The saloon was as dingy as all the other buildings in town. It had a mismatched neon sign, patchworked together as if it was taken from multiple different signs. She turned around, trying to avoid the curious stare of the bearded man on the patio of the saloon. 

Sticking her hands in her pockets, she startled a bit when she realized she had pockets to stuff hands into. Someone must have exchanged her black under shorts for these dusty jean ones. They were a little big for her, but she was in no position to complain. 

The man on the patio, swaying in his rocking chair, tilted his chin towards her sharply, motioning for her to come closer. She pointed a finger towards herself, mouthing, “Me?”

He nodded, rubbing his scraggly grey beard lightly between his fingers. She walked cautiously towards him, gingerly taking the stairs up. 

“Yew. Yer that girl the pile o’ metal found, ain’t cha? And Doc fixed up?” His words were garbled by a heavy accent, and his gnarled old fingers pointed at her conspiratorially. 

She stood before him, itching at the bandages on her arm, “Dr. Stein fixed my head. What do you mean, pile of metal?”

The old man jerked his head towards a shack to the south, “That pile o’ junk gal, Patty. She were the one that dug ya outta that hole and brought ya to the Doc.”

The shack was wilting in the sun, but well taken care of. Two well manicured cacti were in the front, shaded by a metal awning. Who could the old man be talking about? Did he really say robot gal? She shrugged as Jackie and Lantern walked back out with a few new boxes of ammo. 

"Easy Pete, are you harassing the new girl?" Jackie asked accusingly.

'Easy Pete', as Jackie called him, stuck his nose in the air, guffawing at Jackie, "Nah, jus' try'na make small talk."

Jackie had a scowl on her face, but it seemed good natured, "Yeah, yeah, I bet. Let's go, girl. I’m going to teach you how to defend yourself."

She nodded, waving awkwardly to Easy Pete as she trotted after Jackie. They walked around the saloon and trudged up a hill behind the building. Jackie pulled a rifle off of her shoulder and handed it to her. She eyed it suspiciously, and Jackie chuckled, "It's not going to bite you, girl."

Turning it over, she inspected it thoroughly, still wary. Jackie patted her on the back gently, “Here, I’ll show you.”

Jackie took the gun from her, pressing it up against her shoulder, “This is the bolt handle,” She began, cocking the handle on the side of the gun and looking down the barrel, “Look through the sight and breathe out when you’re ready.”

The trigger was squeezed, and one of the bottles lining the fence before them popped and shattered. Jackie grinned and pressed the gun back into her hands, “You try it.”

Pursing her lips, she made an attempt to hold the gun just as Jackie had. To both of their surprise, the gun felt comfortable in her hands, light and practiced. She looked down the sight and pulled the trigger, hitting right below one of the bottles.

Jackie put a supportive hand on her shoulder, “You’ll get it! Try again.”

She sighed and steadied herself, holding the gun tight. She glared down the sight, determined to get it this time. Inhaling slowly, she pushed an exhale through her lips and pressed the trigger. One of the bottles shattered, quickly followed by another. She turned to the side, pulling the bolt handle and hitting a third, fourth, and fifth bottle. 

With a grin plastered to her face, she turned to Jackie. The young woman had her jaw dropped, eyes wide in surprise. They locked eyes before Jackie burst out into laughter, “Holy Brahmin! Maybe I should be taking lessons from you!”

Her face began to heat, and she leaned down to pet Lantern to hide her blush, “I just got lucky…” She stood and handed the gun back to Jackie, but she only shook her head. “That’s yours now, girl. You must have had some kind of gun training before you got shot. You’re going to be needing that.”

“No way, this is your gun!”

Jackie took the gun from her hands only to slide the strap over her shoulder, locking it into place, “I have plenty. This one is yours.”

“Alright, alright. Thank you, again.”

The dark haired woman nodded, turning back around to head towards the saloon, “Come on, girl. I’ll introduce you to Kim, the owner of the Prospector Saloon.” A silly grin slid onto her face, making her eyes light up, “She’s kind of my partner.”

Walking into the saloon was a little jarring. Compared to the blinding brightness of the desert outside, the saloon was dimly lit and somber. There were a few people seated at the bar, but no one looked up when the door slamed behind them. The tables had a faded green hue, dusty and covered in a film of dirt. 

Jackie sat down on a rickety barstool, Lantern lying silently beside her. She followed suit, careful not to let her leg catch on the splinter infested bar. 

A woman appeared before them, pale pink hair chopped short around her ears. She leaned against the wooden bar top, setting down the rag she was using to wipe the glasses. “Ay, Jackie. Is this the girl Doc Stein patched up?”

Jackie nodded eagerly as the woman handed her a beer, “Mhm. She doesn’t know her name, some sort of amnesia.” At the sly glint in the woman’s eyes, Jackie shook her finger in her face, “Don’t even think about it, Kim. She doesn’t have a cap to her name, so don’t think about trying to con her out of her money.”

Kim put a hand to her heart, feigning horror, “Little old me? I would never!”

Ignoring Kim’s attempt at humor, Jackie snorted and took a sip of her beer, “You can’t fool me, caps are all that matter to you.”

She watched the interaction with amusement, both women trading good natured barbs and flirting comments. They turned back to her, and Kim stuck her hand over the bar to shake, “Sorry about your head. My name is Kim.”

“Nice to meet you, Kim.” She answered nervously and shook her soft hand. 

Kim grinned and pressed a beer into her hand, “Nice to meet you, too. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Taking a sip of the fizzy liquid was a shock to her system, and she sputtered. The other woman laughed at her as she snorted fizz from her nose. That was one of the most foul substances she’d had the misfortune of ingesting. She was apparently not and had never been a drinker. 

Kim took back the beer, handing her another glass bottle with an amber liquid inside, “Have a Sunset Sarsaparilla. I’m sure you’ll like this more.”

She took an experimental sip and smiled, nodding her head thankfully, “This is much better:”

There were other patrons to serve, and Kim left them to their conversation. Jackie chugged down her third beer, sighing happily as she slammed it down on the bar top. “Stein wants you back at his place for some testing tonight, but I don’t think you want to be living with him. You can stay with me, if you want.”

Her fingers tightened around the bottle, throat squeezing with emotion, “That’d be great. Thanks, Jackie.”

Jackie dug around in her pockets before pulling out some bottle caps and setting them on the counter, “Come on, let’s go back to the Docs.” She waved over to Kim as she poured a tall man a drink, “See you tomorrow, Kim!”

They headed out of the saloon, making their way up the road to Dr. Stein’s house. As they walked, she noticed a large, metal-like figure rolling along the dirt track at the edge of town. 

Stopping in her tracks, she flung her gaze to Jackie, “What is that?” She yelped.

Jackie patted her shoulder, “That? That’s just Patty. She’s the one who saved you.”

The figure rolled into a shack to the south, and she nodded, promising to find the robot and thank her soon. Jackie pulled her back on track, “You can meet her soon. She’s always out and about.”

Jackie knocked before entering his home, calling out as they crossed the threshold, “Hey Doc, I brought the girl back.”

A disheveled looking Dr. Stein sat in a rolling chair in the front room, cranking the screw in his head, "Howdy, girls. I've been researching amnesia all day. I think I have a few things that will help.”

He pushed off the floor with his feet, moving the chair along before it bumped on a crack in the floor, flinging the doctor onto the ground. He adjusted his glasses and sat back up on the chair like nothing happened, ignoring her bewildered stare. Jackie didn't seem to be confused by the doctor's odd behavior, so it must be normal for him.

"Yes, yes. I found a few books to help me." He cackled and pointed to the couch, “You and Lantern can wait in here. I’ll be done soon and you can take the girl home.”

Jackie nodded, busying herself with cleaning her gun as she sat, Lantern laying at her feet. They walked into Stein’s office, and he encouraged her to sit.

"I found this book all about amnesia and ways to determine how you're healing. It’s called the GOAT, The Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test. I'm going to ask you a few questions. I know you don't remember much, so just bear with me, okay?"

She settled herself comfortably on the exam bed, “Shoot.”

"Alright. What's your name?"

She bit the inside of her cheek, feeling ashamed already. Such a simple question and she didn’t know. “I don’t know.” She muttered. 

"Where were you born?"

She furrowed her eyebrows, twisting her hands around in her lap. She dug through her brain, trying to find some piece of information. Where was she born? She clenched her hands together, and she had a faint image of mountains. Mountains? Her eyes shot open, and she was surprised her mind allowed her some sort of memory.

"Somewhere by the mountains."

Stein looked up, shocked, "Do you know that for sure?"

She shrugged, "I think so. I can remember something about growing up around mountains."

Stein hummed quietly, staring at the book, "That's something at least. Next question. Where do you live?"

Glancing towards the living room, she smiled. "In Goodsprings, with Jackie."

Stein nodded, "Alright. Where are you right now?"

"Goodsprings. Mojave Wasteland I think you call it? Dr. Steins house."

"When did you get here?"

Her facial features began to skew with concentration. "I'm guessing.. Three weeks ago?"

"What's the first thing you remember after the shooting?

"Uhm.." She tilted her head as she contemplated, remembering something about a light and tar sucking at her legs. "I remember it being extremely fuzzy when I woke up, and sitting on this bed in your house."

"Alright, what's the last thing you remember before the shooting?"

She sighed, putting her face in her hands, "Nothing solid. I remember.." She grasped her hair, almost at the point of physically attempting to rip the memories from her brain. A dim light flashed through her mind, an image of getting a face full of dirt. She growled, knowing full well what it probably was, "Getting buried. Sort of. I remember dirt."

Stein chuckled and immediately tried to cover it with a cough at her scowl, "We're almost done, girl. Last question, what year is this?"

"2281. You told me that yesterday."

Stein adjusted his glasses, "You're right. So according to this, you're doing okay. Not perfect, but could be worse. At least you're able to make new memories."

He took off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "You can go with Jackie now." He nearly pushed her out of his office, and she hurried into the living room, grabbing Jackie and pulling her towards the door. "Thanks, Doc!" They called over their shoulders as they walked towards the door.

"Come on, girl. Let's get home before the sun sets."

She smiled softly, her heart warming. That word feels nice. Home.