Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A Tough Row to Hoe: A difficult situation to face

Lucy walked between Cooper and Dogmeat, trying not to show her agitation as they got closer and closer to New Vegas. Cooper told her this morning that they were only two or so days from their destination. She’d double-checked her PipBoy, heart sinking at the realization that he was correct.

Oh, she was happy their walking would soon be over, but she was also terrified about what awaited them. Lucy still wasn’t sure if she should kill her father or if she should just let Cooper do it. Part of her wanted to be the one to take vengeance for her mother, but when push came to shove, she wasn’t sure if she could actually pull the trigger. No matter what he’d done (and he’d done a whole heck of a lot), he was still her father. She hated him for all the terrible things he’d been a part of, but a small part of her still loved him. She remembered the man he’d been her entire life--the dad who’d read books with her, laughed with her and treated her like his beloved daughter.

Could she look Hank MacLean in the eyes and pull the trigger? 

Lucy didn’t know. Sure, he deserved to die, make no mistake. But what would it do to her if she was the one who ended his life? Would she be able to live with herself?

Also, there was also the whole issue with Cooper’s wife. Even though Lucy knew he loved her, there was still a tiny niggle of doubt she just couldn’t seem to rid herself of. A worry about what Cooper would do when (if) they found his wife.

Ex-wife, she reminded herself. 

Still, he’d spent years with his ex and only a fraction of that time with Lucy. Plus, his ex-wife was the mother of his daughter. There was obviously going to be some residual feelings there. 

Not that Lucy would know seeing as she wasn’t a parent and she had zero interest in having babies anymore. Also, it wasn’t like Cooper could still have kids anyway. His rad count was way too high for that. Not that she thought he wanted other children beside Janey, so that wasn’t really a concern. Not that any of that was important at the moment. Or ever, really.

But still…could he really walk away from his (former) wife without a thought?

Lucy wanted…no, needed to believe he could. But the closer they got to New Vegas, the harder that was for her.

Even if she knew in her heart she was being ridiculous. 

“You alive over there, darlin’?” Cooper interrupted her worrisome thoughts, his brow wrinkled slightly as he watched her.

“Of course. Just thinking,” she replied, trying to interject as much positivity into her voice as humanly possible. “Gosh, it’s getting chilly,” she added in a (poor) attempt to distract him when it looked like he didn’t buy her act.

He continued to eye her suspiciously. “Uh-huh, ‘cause I know how much you love discussing the weather. You going to ask about the local sports team next?”

“I don’t know what that means.” Lucy understood what a sports team was, obviously, but why would she talk about it? Did sports teams even exist anymore?

Cooper rolled his eyes. “It means you’re making pointless small talk. Not really your style. Sure, you like to flap your gums, but it’s rarely as boring as the weather.” Cooper came to a stop and placed his hands on her shoulders while he looked down at her, forcing her to meet his dark eyes. “So, how about you tell me what’s really going on in that pretty head of yours?”

“I’m just thinking about what we’ll find in New Vegas. I don’t know what to expect and it’s making me…anxious, I think.” Lucy wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with the concept of anxiety, but this was a whole new level of stress. She was finding she didn’t like it and would very much like it to stop.

“Makes sense. There’s a lot of unknowns at the end of this trail.” Cooper cupped her face with his gloved hands, staring deeply into her eyes. “But no matter what we find, we’ll deal with it.” He paused to press his lips to her forehead. “Together.”

Her heart swelled in her chest at his reply. She could see the love in his eyes and felt it in the way his hands gently held her face.

And, just like that, her worries about his ex faded for the moment. He loved her, not that other faceless woman. 

She just needed reminding sometimes.

Instead of replying, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly, delighting in his enthusiastic response. His hands moved from her face to her hips, his fingers digging into her skin as he pulled her close.

After a few minutes, he reluctantly pulled away. “How’d you feel about continuing this in a hotel?”

Lucy, who’d been disappointed when he'd stopped kissing her, perked right back up. “Is there one close by?”

He laughed at her excitement before saying, “if I recollect, there’s a town near here. Luck or Prosperity…maybe, Fortune? Fuck if I know.” Cooper shrugged. “Regardless, it’s close. Check that overpowered watch of yours.”

Lucy ignored his opinion of her PipBoy, adjusting the dial until the map appeared on her screen. “It’s called Fortune and it’s an hour or so southeast of here.”

“Alright then, let’s shake a leg so we can get there before it gets dark.”

 Lucy nodded and hitched her bag higher, a renewed sense of purpose moving her forward at a speed that made Cooper laugh and shake his head as he followed behind her. 

Less than an hour later, likely due to Lucy’s power walking, they arrived in Fortune. It wasn’t much to look at, but there was a hotel which was all Lucy cared about at the moment. So, of course, she immediately headed in that direction. Cooper apparently felt differently because he grabbed her arm and stopped her before she even made it three feet.

“Hang on. Let’s get some drinks and mingle with the locals first. I know once we get into a room, you ain’t going to be leaving any time soon.” He clicked his tongue to summon Dogmeat, who’d gotten distracted by sniffing a trash bin and crunching down a radroach with pure doggy delight. “And try not to get into any trouble.”

Lucy ignored his comment and his pointed look as she wrapped her arm through his. He sighed, but didn’t shake her off, so she considered that a win. She was determined to make him comfortable with showing affection, especially in public. It was slow going, but she’d made some headway.

As they walked down the main road, a few people gave them an eyebrow raise, but no one was overtly rude. Several people even waved at the two of them, smiles of welcome on their faces. Lucy waved back, of course, while Cooper mostly ignored everyone.

So, exactly like every other time they’d been in a town. Or a settlement. Or around people in general. 

Would it kill him to say hi to someone once in a while?

When they arrived at the bar, Lucy grinned at the hand-painted sign over the door. “The Drunken Molerat,” she read aloud to Cooper, who frowned at the name. “Cute! I love it already.”

“Of course you do,” he grumbled, opening the pub door and gesturing her inside. 

The bar was well lit, the smell of stew and beer wafting through the air. Candles were placed on top of each table, their soft glow adding to the cozy ambiance of the place. The tables and chairs looked as if they’d be scavenged and didn’t quite match, but there was something about the place that made it feel intentional and welcoming.

Lucy loved every square inch of the place. Heck, it might just be her new favorite spot in all of the Wasteland. 

Not that there was stiff competition for that. Most of the bars they’d been in, Lucy could say with all honesty, made her feel sticky. 

“Grab a table, sweetheart, and I’ll get us some drinks.” Cooper adjusted his duster so everyone could see his guns and strode towards the bar like he was ready to murder anyone that got in his way. 

Lucy laughed, finding him a bit dramatic and more than a little paranoid. Not that she had any intention of telling him that. She understood that being around people made him crabby. So, he coped by being the most dangerous looking person in the place…which wasn’t hard for him. Maybe it was the duster swirling around his ankles like a villain’s cape. Or the way his eyes narrowed from beneath the brim of his hat as he stared at anyone who got close. Or it might’ve been the way he moved across the room like a deathclaw stalking its prey. 

Whatever it was, people moved out of his way and no one even attempted to talk to him. 

He’d relax after he realized there wasn’t anything to fret about.

Well, and once he had a few drinks in him. That usually helped.

“Here.” Cooper returned, setting down a drink in front of her. She smelled the dark liquid, uncertain exactly what he’d given her. Once it passed the sniff test, she took a tentative sip.

“For fuck’s sake…it’s just Nuka Cola and rum. It ain’t poison.”

 Lucy gave him her scariest glare which he ignored. One of these days, she’d manage to put the Fear of Lucy into him. But today was not that day. 

Sadly.

“I didn’t think it was. I just like to taste something before I put the whole thing into my mouth and swallow.”

Cooper choked on his bourbon at her (mostly) unintended innuendo. “Warn a man before you say shit like that.” He glanced around the room as if making sure no one could hear them. “Especially in public.”

Lucy waved off his concern, not terribly worried about people over-hearing her rather tame comment. Sometimes, he was just so uptight. Maybe it was the pre-war manners or some strange facet of Cooper Howard. Either way, it amused her. Especially when he got all sputtery.

“Did you find out anything?” Lucy asked, taking pity on Cooper and changing the subject. 

Before responding, he took a sip of his drink and lit a cigarette. “Well, New Vegas is still standing.” He tapped the ash off in a chipped ceramic dish and took another drag. “And it’s about a day and a half away.”

Lucy frowned in confusion. “Were we worried that it might not be?” 

“Eh, a bit. Last I heard about New Vegas, the NCR and Caesar's Legion were duking it out over the Hoover Dam while House did whatever he does when he’s not plotting the apocalypse.” He took another pull of his cigarette and spread his arm across the back of the booth, his eyes hidden by the brim of his hat. 

“I know what the NCR is, but what the heck is Caesar’s Legion? Like the Roman emperor?”

“In a manner of speaking. They took all the shitty stuff from ancient Rome and LARP’ed their way all over the Mojave.”

“Like what?” Lucy sipped her drink, enjoying the fizz from the cola and the hint of rum on her tongue. She’d never had hard alcohol before, only wine on special occasions. Well, and that one time she’d tried Cooper’s bourbon. She hadn’t liked that at all, but she was enjoying the rum.

He’d get a thank you kiss for the drink later. She had a feeling if she tried it now, he’d have a meltdown.

“Slavery, torture, murder, crucifixion…you know, the usual. If Romans did it, the Legion does it worse.”

“They sound delightful,” Lucy muttered dryly into her drink. She did not want to run across any of those people. Why would anyone want to reenact the Roman empire? Seemed like an odd choice. 

But, considering all the other weird things she’d seen, maybe it wasn’t actually that strange.

“On the bright side, they mostly got wiped out years ago after the whole Hoover Dam shit. The bartender mentioned there’s still a few of the pricks running around, but they ain’t an organized unit anymore. Should be easy enough for us to handle.”

Lucy finished her drink just as Cooper stopped talking. To her, this meant it was time to move on. She had Things to Do. “Can we go find a hotel? One with showers. Or baths. I’m not picky.”

Cooper rolled his eyes like he always did when she mentioned getting clean. “You with the fucking washing…,” he muttered to himself, stretching his legs out until his boot hit her foot. She responded by doing the same thing back to him. “Yes, we can try to find one with baths.”

Lucy brushed off his grumbles, giving him a wide smile as he nudged her foot again. “Can we go now?”

“Let me finish my drink. Then, we’ll go.”

“I can go get a room while you do that,” she suggested, waving her hand at the half full bottle of bourbon in front of him. She didn’t want to be here for another few hours when she could be washing. Or rolling around on some clean sheets. Or both.

He took a swing from the bottle before saying, “hell, no.”

“Why not? I’m not a child. I can handle walking down the street and getting a room.”

Cooper sighed. “Because you look like that,” he waved his hand in her general direction. “And half the town’s been staring at us--at you.”

“Nothing’s going to happen in the thirty or so seconds it takes to walk to the hotel.”

“Darlin’, you’re a magnet for trouble.” He laughed when she frowned at him. “Which I do enjoy. Most of the time. But it’s best for both of us to stay under the radar. Don’t want word getting back to your daddy or anything.”

Okay, she wasn’t that bad. Really. Cooper just had a tendency to exaggerate. Probably all those years as an actor or something.

Lucy crossed her arms, blowing her bangs out of her eyes as she glowered at Cooper, willing him to drink faster. She was very much looking forward to washing all the dirt and dust off herself before falling into a soft bed with clean sheets. And hopefully, fluffy pillows.

“Don’t give me that pouty face,” he warned, pointing one gloved finger in her direction. “I’m almost done.”

“The faster you finish drinking, the sooner we can be having sex.”

“Well, alrighty then.” He gulped the rest of the bourbon down. “I hate to keep a lady waiting.”

Lucy grinned at his sudden eagerness. At least that was one way to get him moving. She’d have to use that one again.

As they left the place, Cooper tipped his hat to the bartender. Lucy wanted to reach for his hand, but she sensed he was a little on edge. She knew he’d get grumpy if she tried since he was always worried about how people would react. Lucy didn’t particularly care, but she didn’t want to upset him either. 

Even if she thought he was being ridiculous.

Thankfully, the hotel was close to the saloon, making Lucy practically vibrate in excitement. It took everything she had not to sprint down the dirt road and fling herself into the building. She didn’t because a) Cooper would not be happy with her antics and b) they arrived.

“How can I help you folks?” the man at the front desk of the hotel asked as soon as they walked through the door, a beaming smile half-hidden by his carefully waxed mustache.

“You got baths?” Cooper asked before Lucy could. 

He knew her so well.

The man nodded, his moustache quivering slightly. “And showers. Did you two need some rooms?”

“And baths. Or showers. I’m not picky.” Lucy paused for a second as she considered her options, ignoring Cooper’s disgruntled muttering about being interrupted. “Can I have both?”

The clerk chuckled, his smile widening at Lucy’s enthusiasm. “Sure thing, miss. Showers are in the rooms, but the water isn’t heated. If you want a bath, we can bring up some warm water when you’re ready. That’ll cost extra though.”

Lucy gave Cooper a pleading look, hoping he was willing to part with enough of their hard-earned caps to get her both showered and bathed.

“We’ll take a room,” Cooper told the clerk before glancing at Lucy. “Bath now or later?”

“I want to shower first. So, bath in an hour or so?” Lucy gave the mustached man a concerned look, worried she was making things difficult for him. “If that’s okay?”

“Of course, miss. Just let me know when you’re ready. Will your dog also be rooming with us?” The clerk glanced in Dogmeat’s direction, who was busy licking her paw and wagging her tail to mind much.

“Where we go, so goes the dog.” Cooper leaned down to scratch her head, giving the other man a cold stare.

“She’s very well-trained. I promise,” Lucy reassured the clerk, not wanting to get kicked out before she even got to shower. “You won’t even know she’s here.” 

He wavered but finally surrendered when Lucy gave him her best doe-eyed look. She didn’t like to bust them out too often, but this was a matter of urgency, so she was willing to use them to her advantage.

“Sure thing, miss. Now, you wanted how many rooms?”

Lucy could tell the man had some hopes regarding her. He hadn’t been disrespectful or obvious towards her, but she sensed his interest. Hopefully, he wouldn’t take it too badly when he realized Lucy wasn’t available. 

“One. We need one room,” Cooper said impatiently, his voice taking on a bit of a growl. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed the clerk’s attraction.

“Right,” the other man bobbed his head. “Will that be a single or a double?”

Lucy glanced at Cooper, unsure what the man meant. Cooper sighed. “He’s asking if we need one bed or two.”

“Oh.” Lucy nodded in understanding. “One bed, please.”

“You sure about that, miss?” The man’s eyebrows rose towards his hairline. When he looked in Cooper’s direction, he paled. Lucy didn’t know exactly what face Cooper was making at the man, but she figured it wasn’t very friendly.

She made a note to herself to leave the man a few extra caps in the morning. He deserved a tip for still letting them stay there even if Cooper was glaring at him like he was contemplating maiming and/or murdering the poor man.

Which he probably was, now that she thought about it.

“We’re sure, thank you.”

“Right. Here you go then. That’ll be thirty caps. And ten more for the bath.”

Cooper paid the increasingly nervous man while Lucy waited, her skin starting to itch at the thought of her upcoming shower. And bath.

“Alright, darlin’, let’s get you cleaned up.” He gave the clerk a deliberate stare as he placed a possessive hand on her waist and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

She knew his sudden willingness to show affection was due to the clerk’s interest in her. He probably wanted to stake a claim on her or some such nonsense, but she still basked in the feeling. When it came to public displays of emotion, Cooper was rarely the one to make the first move. So, no matter what his reasons, she planned to enjoy it while it lasted.

“Yay! And then you can get me all dirty again.”

The clerk pretended not to hear her comment as he stared at a spot just to the left of her ear, but she could see his cheeks flush and his moustache quiver. Wastelanders were just so weird about sex. She’d never get used to that.

But it was very entertaining on occasion. Like now.

While Lucy continued to contemplate the prudish attitudes of Wastelanders, Cooper got the key and steered her in the direction of their room.

“I think you traumatized him,” Cooper said while he opened the door and ushered her inside.

“Really?” Lucy dropped her pack on the floor with a sigh and sprawled across the bed. I live here now, she decided as she burrowed deeper into the soft mattress. “If anyone traumatized him, I would’ve thought it’d be you with all the glaring and growling.”

Cooper set his bag beside hers as his eyes swept the room. It was small, but cozy. Lucy had no complaints. Plus, the pillows were, in fact, fluffy.

“I wasn’t growling.” He took a seat on the overstuffed chair in the corner of the room and swung his boots up onto the table. “I think he had some ideas about you.”

Lucy raised her brow at his gruff tone, a small smile teasing the corners of her mouth as she hugged one of the very fluffy pillows to her chest and tried not to squeal in joy. “Are you jealous?”

He scoffed. “No. I just don’t like the way he was looking at you.” When she continued to stare at him with an arched brow, not buying his weak explanation, he exhaled sharply. “Fine, yes. A little.”

She stood up from the bed to make her way over to him, staring into his eyes when she came to a stop in front of him.

“What?” he demanded impatiently as she continued to watch him.

“Nothing,” she said, placing her hands on his cheeks as she leaned down to kiss him. Lucy liked that he was a bit jealous. It wasn’t something she should enjoy, but she couldn’t seem to help her feelings. Something about him getting all growly over her made her heart skip a beat. 

Not that she’d ever tell him that or anything. Then he might end up acting all possessive and grumbly way more often. They didn’t need him ending up in a gunfight every time someone smiled in her direction. That would not be good.

“Now, how about,” she began as she started to unbutton her shirt. “You get rid of all those clothes and join me in the shower?”

Instead of replying, he claimed her mouth in a searing kiss that she returned with equal fervor as her hands gripped his duster in order to pull him closer. He stopped kissing her long enough to laugh and wrestle himself free of his coat, bandolier and vest. 

Lucy, growing rapidly impatient with all his layers, started to work his shirt buttons free as they walked towards the bathroom. It wasn’t easy since he was trying to unzip her pants while she was shoving his shirt down his arms. But somehow, they managed to make it into the small shower, letting the lukewarm water pelt down on them as she spent the next hour or so showing him exactly why he didn’t need to be jealous.   

Chapter Text

All bally-which way: Twisted in every direction, confused

Cooper eyed the man in front of them and sighed. He’d been hoping to avoid running into anyone from the Legion. So, of course, they’d run across one of the jackasses within hours of leaving Fortune behind. At least it was only one of them and the man seemed to have a screw loose. 

Well, probably more than a few screws loose considering what was happening in front of them at the moment.

“Is he wearing a toga?” Lucy stage-whispered to him from behind her hand, her eyes wary as she regarded the man.

Cooper sucked his teeth. “Looks like.”

“Why?” Lucy asked like that was the oddest thing about the man.

Cooper disagreed. To him, the fact that the man spent the last five minutes performing Shakespeare had to be the strangest part. He wasn’t sure if he was more surprised the man even knew the play or by his overly dramatic hand motions. The toga-wearing nutter had almost smacked Dogmeat right in the face with one particularly enthusiastic arm wave.

“Fuck if I know,” Cooper replied, wondering if he should shoot the idiot or if they should just walk around him. 

Honestly, killing him was probably for the best. Put him out of his misery and all that.

Before he could make a move, however, the man caught sight of Lucy and flung himself at her feet. “My sweet Cleopatra. Where hast thou been?”

Lucy looked at Cooper with wide eyes, either out of fear or confusion. Knowing Lucy, it was likely the second option. She was rarely afraid of anything. 

When she lifted her brow in a silent question, he shrugged. He didn’t have any idea about what the fuck was going on either.

“Uh, what?” she finally asked the man, sounding as confused as Cooper felt.

The man glanced upward at her, a pleading expression on his face. “Doth thee not knoweth mine own visage? Tis I, Antony. I beseech thee with all mine own loveth to remember thy most devoted lover.” The man continued to kneel at her feet, trying (without success) to hold her hand between his.

Cooper was torn between laughter at Lucy’s clear discomfort and annoyance at the man for daring to try and touch her. But he let her deal with it for the time being since he doubted she’d be okay with him shooting the bozo just because he was a few bricks short of a load.

Lucy stuck her hands in her pockets to avoid the grasping fingers of ‘Antony’. “I’m sorry, sir, but you’ve got me confused with someone else.”

“Nay! Wherefore doth thee falsehood to me, mine own queen?” The man glanced at Cooper and sneered. “Hast thou forsaken me for another?”

“Sir, I don’t know what you’re saying.” Lucy backed up a step when the man tried to wrap his arms around her legs. “What do I do?” she mouthed at Cooper, who, despite his best efforts, was seconds away from laughing his ass off. She glared when he just shook his head and grinned. “Er, Mr. Antony, I really need to leave.”

“Thee cannot. We has't to prepare. Octavious arrives anon. We shalt fleeth Rome and escapeth to Alexandria,” the man said in the worst Shakespearian language Cooper had ever heard and he’d been an actor. He’d seen plenty of people butcher the Bard, but this was a whole new level of terrible. The fake British accent was also a bit much. Cooper doubted Antony had ever heard a real one, but his attempt was funny as hell.

The man stayed at Lucy’s feet, spouting off nonsense as he attempted to convince Lucy (aka Cleopatra) to run away with him. Lucy, who might just be the nicest person in the entire fucking Wasteland, looked ready to start stabbing the man. 

Cooper really should help, but damn if this wasn’t the funniest shit he’d seen in a while.

“Stop laughing and help me.” Lucy scowled at Cooper while Antony rubbed his face against her feet like a deranged house cat.

“Hey, fuckface. Let her go, or I’ll shoot you in the head.” Cooper, still amused, pointed his gun at the toga-wearing oddball currently grabbing at Cooper's girl.

“Then let it do at once the thing why thou hast drawn it. I will be a bridegroom in my death,” Antony declared, opening his arms wide as if awaiting death. Cooper was more than happy to oblige him.

“Wait, you can’t shoot him.” Lucy laid a hand on his arm, her big doe-eyes staring up at him.

“Why the fuck not?”

“He’s obviously not well. You can’t just kill someone because they’re…unstable.”

“Yeah, I sure as fuck can. Watch me.” He almost started laughing harder at the look on her face. She was hilarious when she was trying to be intimidating. “Antony dies in the play anyway, so really, I’ll be doing him a favor,” Cooper pointed out, his amusement rapidly fading as the man continued his death speech in the background.

“Technically, Antony kills himself.”

Cooper grit his teeth so hard his jaw ached, reaching for whatever thread of patience he had left. The man was ruining Shakespeare while trying to paw at Lucy. If anyone deserved to die at the moment, it was Antony.

But he was a sucker for those big eyes of hers. “Fine, I’ll give him a knife, and he can have at it.”

“I am dying, Egypt, dying.” The man pretended to stab himself with a sword and fell into the sand, clutching his chest. “I here importune death awhile until of many thousand kisses the poor last I lay upon my lips.”

If Cooper didn’t want to kill the man so much, he’d offer ‘Antony’ some acting tips. Because the man was terrible. It was fucking painful to watch.

“He needs help.”

“You got a psychology degree tucked away somewhere?” Cooper asked. She shook her head. “How about some Thorazine? Nope? Well then, we can’t do shit.” He waved his hand in the direction of Antony, who was still in the process of dying. “Besides killing him. It’ll be a mercy. I promise.”

Lucy glanced at Antony who gasped once more before ‘dying’, his tongue hanging out of his mouth and his eyes closed tight. “I see your point. But we don’t have to kill him. We can just leave him here.”

Cooper still thought murdering the man was the best option, but he surrendered to Lucy’s pleading and holstered his gun. “Fucking fine. Let’s get the fuck out of here before he resurrects and starts all over.”

At that, they both carefully walked around the man, Lucy inching past him like she expected him to wake up and snatch one of her ankles. Even Dogmeat gave Antony a wide berth, once again proving she had better survival instincts than Lucy.

He loved her, he really did, but sometimes, he wished was a bit more suspicious of folks. And more willing to put a bullet in them.

Especially when said ‘folks’ were re-enacting Shakespearian tragedies while wearing togas in the middle of the desert. 

The man, thankfully, remained ‘dead’ as they left the area and before long, they’d managed to put some space between them and Antony. 

Of course, that little play had cost them precious daylight. Far more than he would’ve liked. The sun had already started to sink below the horizon. He’d wanted to put more distance between them and the nutter, but with night rapidly approaching, they needed to find a place to camp.

Cooper, as he frequently told Lucy (and anyone else who would listen), was hard to kill, but even he wasn’t stupid enough to go traipsing through the Mojave once the sun had set.

“Keep an eye out for a place to rest for the night,” he told Lucy, who kept glancing behind her as if she were expecting Antony to come running towards them with arms waving and toga flapping at any moment.          

If the man was following them, Cooper was shooting him. Crazy or not. Lucy might get annoyed, but she’d get over it.

Sometimes, you just had to kill a fellow before he could start performing Shakespeare. It was a kindness, really.

They walked for another half hour or so until he was satisfied, they were far enough away from the toga-wearing weirdo. And their luck must be holding because he found a decent place to camp just as night started to fall.

“This looks good,” he said, dropping his saddlebag to the ground and trying not to groan in relief. 

“Finally,” Lucy sighed, sounding as tired as he felt. Hell, he could practically see her exhaustion in the way she plopped into the dirt without a thought. “My entire body hurts. I want to lay down here and never move again.”

“I think that's just called death,” he teased, chuckling at her pout. “But you’re welcome to do eight hours or so of lazing about. I’d recommend using your bedroll though. Lots of rocks.”

“Gee, thanks,” she muttered dryly, but went about laying out her blankets while he lit a fire. 

“Cram or beans?” he asked as he watched her out of the corners of his eyes, wondering if he’d ever stop questioning why she was still with him. 

Sure, trauma had a way of bonding people (and they both had heaps of that shit), but rarely did it lead to love. 

And he did love her. More than he thought himself capable of after all that had happened to him. He’d been sure that part of himself had been burned away after his wife’s betrayal, the end of the world and the centuries spent trying to survive in the harsh Wasteland. 

Apparently, he’d been wrong about that. All it’d taken was an optimistic, perky Vaultie with a kind heart and a killer instinct. She was a contradiction and no matter how long he spent with her (hopefully forever), he didn’t think he’d ever fully figure her out. And he liked that. Liked that she could kill a person without flinching and then, moments later, be smiling and laughing with him as they looted the corpses. 

Who knew such a bitty, shiny woman could be the perfect match to a bitter, old ghoul? Somehow, it worked. Fuck, did it ever. And for some goddamn reason that he’d never grasp, she loved him back. 

Still, there was a tiny bit of doubt lingering in the back of his mind. A worry that she’d leave him and go back to her vault. Logic (something he wasn’t great at using at the best of times) said that was not going to happen. She’d told him over and over that she never wanted to live in her vault again. He believed her, he really did, but it didn’t help the anxiety gnawing away at his newly awakened heart.

What if Young Henry held out his hand and offered her a way back to her vault? A way she could be safe and sound from all the horrors of the Wasteland…including him.

To Cooper's way of thinking, that seemed likely to happen once they caught up with the man. Young Henry would definitely try to convince Lucy to leave all of this behind and become that naive Vaultie she’d been when Cooper had first stumbled over her. Hell, he’d probably try to marry her off again to some big, dumb oaf who’d never appreciate her or love her for who she was. A man who wouldn’t know what she looked like with blood splattering her face or the way she laughed when they’d narrowly survived some calamity. 

The mere thought of it made him want to find her father and rip his liver out. Maybe make him eat it until he choked. 

The thought cheered him which would worry most people, but for Cooper, it was a positive sign. If he was willing to violently fight to keep something (or someone), then it meant he was doing just fine. The day he didn’t want to murder someone would be the time for concern. 

He could handle the man offering her those things. But the real issue, the thing that made him want to grind his teeth into dust? 

She'd end up taking that offered hand to go back with her daddy and forget all about the bounty-hunting ghoul who loved her. 

What would he do if she accepted that out-stretched hand?

He’d be alone. Again. Heartbroken too. Again.

Well, he’d (sort of) survived it before, so he could do it again.

He just really didn’t want to. Not ever.

Especially not with Lucy.

Losing Barb had been hard, don’t get him wrong. But losing Lucy? That might just be the thing that finally broke him.

Cooper was well-aware he should talk to her about his concerns. That’s what adults did; discussed shit instead of letting it fester. But even as he thought it, he knew he wouldn’t. Not yet anyways.

Maybe not ever.

He wasn’t terribly great at being an adult when it came to relationships considering he hadn’t been in one in about, oh, two hundred and fifty years or so. 

Not that Lucy was much better. As far as he knew, she’d never been in a relationship before. Unless one counted that thing she had with her cousin. Or her (very) short marriage. Or whatever googly-eyed shit she had going with that blundering knight of hers. 

Personally, Cooper didn’t think any of those counted. Her cousin was, according to her, practice. Her marriage ended night one with a whole lot of blood and death. And whatever little flirtation she had with that idiotic Brotherhood prick hadn’t gotten past a kiss or two.    

No, Cooper was the closest thing she’d ever had to an adult relationship, so he doubted she knew what the fuck she was doing either.            

Which, weirdly, made him feel a whole hell of a lot better.            

“Beans,” Lucy answered his question, interrupting his avalanche of thoughts. Thank the Lord. He was starting to spiral, and he didn’t need to be losing his mind right now. They had things to do and people to kill. “Are you okay? You look…pensive.”           

“You don’t need to say it like you’re surprised. Even I occasionally have moments of introspection.”           

The fact that she remained suspicious and skeptical was a bit annoying. He might love the woman, but he sure hated how easily she could read him. No one had accomplished that in centuries, so he was still getting used to the sensation.           

He saw her open her mouth to reply, but then she seemed to think better of it, shook her head and changed the subject. “What will New Vegas be like?”           

“Not sure. Last time I was there, it was before the whole NCR versus Legion shit. If it’s still the same, it’ll have lots of lights, people and sin.”

“Sin? Like what kind?” She accepted the warmed up can of beans from him and shoved a spoonful into her mouth as she waited for his reply.           

He took a puff of his inhaler and said, “gambling, drinking, whoring, dancing, fighting, chems…you know, all the fun shit.”           

She stopped eating for a second, staring at him with wide eyes over the top of her can of beans, her spoon halfway lifted to her mouth. “That can’t be true. In one town?  And you better be avoiding most of those while we’re there, mister.”           

“Sin City. Always has been, probably always will be.” He cracked open his can of Cram and went about eating the salty, for lack of a better word, meat. “And what? You don’t want me drinking or dancing?”         

The look she sent his way made it clear she didn’t find him very amusing at the moment. Those eyes also promised all kinds of retribution if he continued fucking with her. Such as getting a spoon full of beans to the face. Or no sex tonight.            

He’d rather she threw the whole can of beans at his head if it meant she’d still let him crawl into bed with her.           

Not that he was going to inform her of that little fact. Otherwise, she might give it a go.           

“You know what I mean.” She pointed one of her numerous spoons at his face, her eyes narrowed.           

“Do you really think I’m going to do a bunch of chems and run around with a bunch of whores? I mean, we have things to do first. I’ll save all that for night two.”           

“If you even think of doing any of that, I’ll shoot both of your knees, and you’ll have to crawl all the way back to California.”          

“You really would, wouldn’t you?” he asked conversationally, like they were discussing the weather and not her threats to maim him. When she nodded, his grin widened. “I think that might be the sexiest thing you’ve ever said to me.”           

“Something’s wrong with you.”        

“Probably true.” He shrugged, setting aside his empty can and lighting a cigarette as he stretched his legs out long in front of the fire. “But you’re choosing to be with me, so what does that say about you?”           

She laughed, no longer looking like she was thinking about all the ways she could incapacitate him with her spoon. “That there’s also something wrong with me,” she said with a smile, her eyes all warm in the dim light of the campfire.            

He liked these moments the best. Ones where they weren’t chasing after villains or shooting at monsters or running towards danger. Moments where they sat around a fire and teased each other like an ordinary couple.            

Granted, the way they bantered with each other wasn’t exactly normal since it usually involved threats of violence and casual conversations about killing folk.           

But it worked for them and that was all that mattered.          

“Come over here.” He transferred his cigarette to his other hand and opened his free arm open wide.           

She lit up, a smile beaming on her face as she plopped down next to him and tucked herself against his side. It felt right. Like she was always meant to fit perfectly against him.            

Once all this shit was over and done with, he wanted to spend more nights like these. Not the traveling part and the camping and whatever, but nights where they huddled up together under the starry night and watched a fire burn into embers. Preferably in a safe place of their own. A ranch with her innumerable amount of goats, chickens and whatever the hell else she wanted.           

He planned to give her all of it. Anything she wanted or needed or desired.            

Shit, he’d give her the entire fucking world if she asked for it. Anything that meant she’d stay with him and never leave him. Because he might be able to survive losing her, but he sure as hell didn’t want to have to try.

Chapter Text

Lay Low and Sing Small: to hide, to make oneself inconspicuous

Lucy watched as New Vegas grew closer with each passing minute. The uncertainty of what awaited them gnawed at her until she was a giant ball of anxiety. Questions flitted in and out of her thoughts, but she couldn’t think of a single one she wanted to ask at the moment.

What would happen with her father? Was he even in New Vegas? If so, where? Would he be happy to see her or would he know she was there to get answers? Could she kill him? Would Cooper? And after Hank was dead, what would they do next?

Well, after they found his daughter…if they found her.

Lucy hoped, for Cooper’s sake, that they would. She was a little bit afraid of what would happen if they didn’t. Or if they discovered Janey was already dead. Maybe for years or decades or even centuries.

If either of those things happened, Cooper would be a mess. And when he was upset, people tended to get killed. Which, while not the best outcome, was still better than the other scenario playing out in her head.

The one where he walked off into the Wasteland without Lucy. One where he lashed out at her and did his best to push her away so he could go back to the heartless, cruel bounty hunter he’d been when they’d first met.

Because now she knew that wasn’t who he truly was. Not deep down at least. Deep, deep down.

The Ghoul had been a character he’d created when the world had fallen apart, a way to survive in the Wasteland. Maybe (probably) over time, it’d stopped being a part he played and became who he really was. He’d become The Ghoul, letting his own pain and the Wastes burn away the man he used to be.

Lucy liked to think she was bringing out the bits of Cooper Howard that still lurked behind the facade. That she was making him a better man while he made her a stronger woman. He taught her how to survive out here and she showed him that it was okay to care and to love again.         

She knew he loved her. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind about that.

But was it enough? Could their love survive whatever awaited them in New Vegas?

She really, truly hoped so.

“You’re awfully quiet over there, darlin’,” Cooper commented, interrupting her tumultuous thoughts. “You okay?”

Lucy could hear the worry in his voice, so she pasted on her most cheerful smile. “Yep, nothing’s wrong here.”

He lifted his brow and stared at her intensely. “Uh-huh. You want to try that again? Without all the lying and the creepy smile.”

She really needed to learn how to lie.

“I’m okay. I just have a lot on my mind.”

He continued to eye her for another minute before nodding. “Fair enough. But if you need to share some of those thoughts, I’m here.”

Lucy gave him a (hopefully) not creepy grin, thrilled at the offer. And how much he’d changed. “Thank you.” She paused for a second before changing the subject, desperate for something to take her mind off of everything. “So, what’s the plan?”

He frowned in what she assumed was concern, but he dropped the subject much to her relief. “Well, we need to find out if Young Henry is here and where he is. Then, we’ll need to figure out how to get to him.” Cooper glanced in the direction of New Vegas, his eyes hidden in the shadow of his hat. “After that,” he shrugged, “we’ll see.”

“How are we going to find him if we don’t even know if he’s here?”

“We ask,” he stated like it was the most obvious answer in the entire world as he resumed his walking.

Lucy fell into step beside him, her curiosity overriding her nerves. “Who? How? Will anyone even talk to us?”

“Not sure, by asking and as long as we have caps.”

“We’re going to bribe them?” Lucy asked, somewhat surprised. She wasn’t sure why bribing people shocked her, but for whatever reason, it did.

He huffed out a breath that was this close to being a laugh. “Well, it’s that or threaten ‘em. Might even have to shoot a few folks first. Let them know we’re serious and shit. Do you want me to do that instead?” He flashed a grin in her direction. “Because I don’t mind.”

“Your enjoyment of violence is a tad concerning sometimes,” she pointed out helpfully.

“And yet, you love me. So, what does that say about you?”

Lucy knew he was teasing, his voice warm with laughter. It made her feel all soft inside, knowing that she was the one who made him smile. And the one who brought out that side of him.

“That I’m an optimist.”

He chuckled at that. “True. Although I ain’t sure what that has to do with my question.”

“It means that I see potential.”

“Potential for what?”

“That you’ll be less murdery.” She glanced in his direction when he made a noise that was either a laugh or a groan. “Maybe. Someday.”

“Don’t hold your breath. I like being murdery.”

“I know.” Lucy reached for his gloved hand to wrap her fingers around his. “And I love you. Even when you’re all homicidal.”

“Thank you,” he replied dryly.

“You’re welcome. Anything you maybe want to say to me?”

Lucy couldn’t see his face, but she just knew he was rolling his eyes. “I seem to recall telling you that I wasn’t going to say that all the damn time.”

“Yes, but when I say it, you should reciprocate. It’s only fair.” She stared up at him, giving him her best pleading face, all big eyes and jutting lips.

“For fuck’s sake…I love you too,” he huffed, glancing up at the sky like some divine being might be able to explain Lucy to him. When it didn’t, he added, “those giant eyes of yours should be classified as a weapon. You sure use ‘em like one.”

Lucy ignored his muttering, happy to hear the words even if he was being a tad cranky about it. Eventually, she’d get him to say them more often (and unprompted), but for now, she had her big eyes to get what she wanted. And she was more than willing to use them.

An hour or so later, Lucy, Cooper and Dogmeat entered New Vegas just as the sun started to set behind them. The sight made Lucy’s anxiety kick in again, unsure what they were going to do first.

“Are we camping for the night or going in?” she asked, her eyes on the bright lights blinking in the distance. “What’s all that?”

“That, darlin’, is the New Vegas Strip.”

“It’s so shiny,” she breathed, awed by the sight. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen.

“Sure is. Not that it’s near what it used to be.” Cooper placed a gentle hand on her back, nudging her along since she’d stopped in her tracks. “You can gawk later. Let’s go.”

Lucy nodded vaguely, her eyes still locked on the flashing lights as she allowed Cooper to guide her. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“Wait, you didn’t have gambling, neon lights and sin in your vault?”

She pouted at his mocking question. “No need to be snarky.”

Cooper sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said, not sounding sorry in the least. But at least he tried. Kind of. “I’m just impatient. We can ogle all you want after we get some information about your dear, old daddy.”

“Okey dokey. Where should we start?”

Cooper thought for a bit as they walked, quiet beside her as he stared into the middle distance. Lucy, in order to keep herself busy (and not ask questions), focused on petting Dogmeat. The dog appreciated the attention, and Lucy liked the soothing feel of Dogmeat’s fur under her hands.

A thousand questions were on the tip of her tongue, urging her to get answers before it was too late. But even she knew that now was not the best time for all of that.

“Let’s try Freeside first. Should be the best place to start,” he finally said, much to Lucy’s great relief. If he’d stayed mute much longer, she would’ve started talking just to fill the quiet. She really didn’t do well with silence.

Cooper clicked his tongue to summon Dogmeat to his right side and kept Lucy on his left. “Stay close and if I tell you to do something, I’m going to need you to fucking do it.”

“Why?”

“Freeside’s dangerous. Lots of criminals and the like. So, keep your eyes peeled and your gun handy.”

Lucy was mildly concerned about the worry she saw on his face. He so rarely looked concerned, so the furrowed brow and the clenched jaw hinted at exactly how dangerous Freeside was. “If it’s so bad, why are we going there?” Lucy checked the ammo in her 10mm, wanting to be prepared for anything.

Cooper did the same, his face grim and his lips pressed tight as he added a few shells to his shotgun. “If anyone knows anything, they’ll be in Freeside. And criminals are easier to bribe than upstanding citizens,” he said, replacing his guns before adjusting his hat. “And since you don’t want me killing folk, bribery’s our only option.”

Well, when he put it like that…

“Right, lead the way.”

Still looking stern, Cooper pulled her in close as they walked towards Freeside. The hand not resting on her lower back was hovering above the butt of his pistol.

Lucy could feel his tension in the way his hand flexed against her back as they both remained alert. Although she didn’t notice anyone, Lucy could feel the weight of unseen eyes on them as they walked down the remains of a paved road.

She didn’t care much for the feeling, but she did her best to act like it didn’t bother her. If she showed even a second of fear, whoever was watching might see it as an opening to attack. Since she didn’t want a fight (especially one she wasn’t sure they could win), she projected far more confidence than she felt.

“You doing alright there?” Cooper murmured in her ear, so quiet she barely heard him above the pounding of her heart. She nodded, worried to say anything. “We’re almost there. You’re doing great,” he added, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear.

She trembled slightly at the light touch, wishing they were somewhere safe so she could channel all of her fear into something more productive.

Like sex. Sex would be good. And not at all terrifying.

They finally arrived at a gate manned by two men who looked like they could each crush her with one hand. The nasty gleam in their eyes didn’t help.

“If you want in, you gotta pay,” one of them growled, doing his best to intimidate Lucy and Cooper.

It failed.

Lucy might be wary of people she couldn’t see, but the two muscle heads in front of her didn’t faze her in the least.

“And if we don’t feel like paying?” Cooper asked mildly like they were discussing the weather instead of threatening each other.

The other man cracked his knuckles, giving Cooper a once over before dismissing him. Which was very stupid of the man. “We’ll make you.”

Cooper laughed, but not in a nice way. “I’d like to see you try.”

Dogmeat, not wanting to be left out, growled.

The two men looked at each other before grinning at Cooper like they couldn’t wait to beat him to death.

“Maybe we’ll kill you first before taking care of your little ghoul whore.”

Before either of the giant men could say another word, Cooper was shoving a gun into the one who’d called her a whore’s forehead. “Don’t you even think about touching a hair on her head. You try and I’ll cut off your fingers one by one before I make you eat them.”

The man, who’d been smirking seconds ago, gulped, finally realizing exactly how dangerous Cooper really was. “Let ‘em in, Tank.”

The aptly named Tank glared. “You sure? We could take him.”

“He’s The Ghoul,” the still unnamed man explained, his face white with fear.

“Uh, yeah, I can see that he’s a ghoul, Tiny.”

Tank and Tiny? Lucy, if she wasn’t so mad at them, would’ve wanted to make friends with the men just for their names alone.

“Tank, he’s The Ghoul,” Tiny said, his voice trembling slightly. He was clearly afraid of Cooper. And the gun pressing into his head probably didn’t help.

Lucy watched Tank’s eyes go wide as all the color leached out of his face. It always fascinated her when people reacted to Cooper like he was the Boogeyman of the Wasteland. Maybe he was to some people.

But to Lucy? He was her anchor in a world she was still struggling to understand. He was the one who wrapped his arms around her and promised her safety for as long as he lived. And he was the man she loved. Even if, apparently, he was one of the most feared men in the Wasteland.

It was really hard to be scared of a man who cuddled up beside her and whispered words of love into her ears every night.

And also freaked out if he even caught sight of a spider. The last time that had happened, he’d made her deal with it while he ranted about burning all their blankets because an ‘eight-legged monster had defiled them’. Once she’d talked him down, she’d spent the rest of the night teasing him until he kissed her silent.

It was just too dang hard to be scared of a man who hopped around cursing over an arachnid that was a completely normal size…unlike most of the monsters in the Wastes.

Tank moved aside and gestured them through the gate. “Right. Go on in, Mr. and Mrs. The Ghoul.”

“If I was looking for information, what would be the best place to find it?” Cooper, no longer terrorizing Tank and Tiny, asked in a friendly way.

“Annie Oakley. She’s usually at The Forum. Big red-head smoking a pipe. You can’t miss her,” Tiny offered, nodding his giant head as he spoke.

“Appreciate it.” Cooper tipped his hat as he escorted Lucy through the gate. Dogmeat gave the two men one last growl as she trotted past them much to Lucy’s amusement.

She gave her a head pat for being such a good girl.

As they walked through Freeside, Lucy did her best not to gawk. There were more people than she’d expected and most of them looked like criminals. The way they watched the trio with hungry eyes certainly didn’t help.

The building matched their residents, seedy and slowly crumbling away. A few signs flickered with neon light, illuminating sections of the road. The air reeked of rotting food and people who should probably wash more often. It made Filly look like a paradise.

“Let’s find this Annie Oakley woman and get the fuck out of here.”

Lucy inched past a man wearing a collection of human teeth around his neck. She considered asking him about his choice in jewelry, but decided she’d rather not know. “You don’t want to stay here for the night?” she asked, wishing she could sleep on a real mattress while not being murdered in her sleep.

“Fuck no, Calling this place a dump’s an insult to dumps everywhere. We can camp outside for the night. We’ll figure out a plan once we know what we’re dealing with.”

Lucy hummed her agreement, one hand hovering over her gun as they continued towards The Forum.

As soon as they entered the place, all eyes turned towards them. Cooper, used to being stared at, ignored everyone. Lucy, not used to such things, smiled in her friendliest manner.

Cooper sighed at what he termed her ‘deranged grin’ but he didn’t make her stop. He might bluster and boast when he felt threatened. But Lucy? Well, she smiled and smiled until it felt like her face might crack.

“Drink?” a Mr. Handy asked, one robot arm wiping down the counter while the another filled a glass with a clear liquid Lucy could smell from where she was standing. It reminded her of rubbing alcohol. Which didn’t seem like something she’d want to drink. Ever.

“Is that moonshine?” Cooper jerked his head in the direction of the foul-smelling bottle. When the robot answered in the affirmative, he said, “I’ll take one of those. And she’ll have a cola and rum.”

“What if I want moonshine?”

His brow shot up at her question. “Did you?”

“Well, no. But I wanted to be asked.” Lucy pretended not to see his eye roll as she continued, “what is moonshine?”

“Alcohol.” He laughed when she scowled at his obvious answer. “Very strong alcohol.”

The Mr. Handy set down their drinks, stopping her from continuing her line of questioning. “Anything else?”

“Yeah, Annie Oakley around?” Cooper took a sip of his drink and grinned in pleasure at what she assumed tasted like antiseptic.

“Maybe. Depends on who’s asking and why.”

While Cooper negotiated with the robot, Lucy drank and thought about her dad. How had he even known that New Vegas existed? Did he communicate with other vaults? Or other Wastelanders? And how long had he really known about the world outside of their vault?

None of that was important per say, but she was curious about what else Vault-Tec might be hiding. So far, she’d learned about some of the experiments, New Vegas, cryo sleep and the whole breeding aspect of her vault. But she had a feeling that was only the tip of the iceberg.

“Heard you were asking for me,” a red-head (probably Annie Oakley) interrupted Lucy’s thoughts with her husky voice. “Well, well, well…look who it is. I haven’t seen your ass in a while, Ghoul.”

Cooper, who apparently knew the woman, grinned. It was his real one, not the slightly feral sneer most people received. “Nice to see you again, Annie,” he said, placing emphasis on the woman's name.

Annie laughed, slapping Cooper playfully on the arm. “You too, Ghoul. What’re you doing out here? Thought you mostly stuck to the West Coast.”

Lucy decided she didn’t like Annie nor the way she was looking at Cooper. She also didn’t enjoy the way she was smiling at him.

But she really hated the way Annie was touching him. Like they knew each other.

“We’re looking for someone and I was told you were the one to ask.”

“Whose we?” Annie asked, like she hadn’t noticed Lucy sitting right there.

“Lucy, this is Cherry aka Annie. Annie, that’s Lucy.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Lucy held out her hand and pasted the fakest smile she could muster on her face.

Annie shook the offered hand, an amused smirk on her full, red lips. “You too.” She turned her attention back to Cooper, dismissing Lucy as unimportant. Which, rude. “You doing bodyguard work now? Didn’t think that was your thing.”

“Still ain’t.” He took a sip of his moonshine and lit a cigarette with a practiced hand. “We’re trying to find a man. Powersuit, scarred face, maybe with House. You heard anything?”

“Perhaps. If you come back to my room, I’ll tell you all about it,” Annie breathed at Cooper, her stupid eyelashes batting up at him.

Lucy clenched her glass so tightly, her hand started to ache. It was either that or she’d tackle the older woman. The only thing that stopped her was the fact they needed information about her dad and that woman had it.

But if she didn’t take her hands off Cooper in the next few seconds, Lucy wouldn’t be held liable for her actions.

“I appreciate the offer and all, but I’m just here for information this time.”

Annie Oakley stared at him for a minute, a calculating look in her green eyes. “You’ve never said no to that before.” She laid one hand on his chest and peeked up at him through lowered lashes.

Lucy, who’d never been jealous of anything or anyone in her entire life, decided she didn’t like the feeling. Was this how Cooper felt about Max? Because if he did, Lucy had a better understanding of why he’d treated Max with such contempt. Or the way he’d gotten terse and growly every time the other man’s name came up in conversation.

And all they’d done was kiss! Whereas Cooper had obviously had sex with this woman. More than once by the sound of it.

Which was fine. Really. Everyone had a past, so it wasn’t like she thought he’d been celibate or anything. She just never thought she’d have to meet one of his…sexual partners. And she definitely didn’t think said person would try to flirt with him when Lucy was RIGHT THERE.

“Just in a hurry,” Cooper replied, sending Lucy into a seething, silent rage.

What the actual heck was he doing? Why didn’t he just tell that woman about Lucy?

Instead, he was being all cagey about their relationship and acting like she wasn’t important to him…like he didn’t love her.

When they got out of there, Lucy was going to give him a piece of her mind.

Annie continued to stare at him for another moment before nodding. “Fair enough. That man you’re hunting? He’s holed up in The Lucky 38 with House. I’d be careful if I was you. House is not a man you want to cross.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Cooper gave the woman a handful of caps and a smile. “Thanks for the info.”

Lucy didn’t like that smile one bit.

“If you get the time, come back and see me. I promise you a real good time,” Annie said with a wink.

“Thanks again, doll.” Cooper tipped his hat. “See you around.”

Lucy had moved far beyond being mad. She was enraged at this point. Angry at Cooper for pretending they weren’t together and upset at herself for being jealous.

When he reached for her arm to guide her out of The Forum, she shook him off while giving him her darkest scowl.

Cooper, who normally wasn’t fazed by her glares, must’ve sensed something because his eyes widened. “What the fuck is that look for?”

Her jaw clenched so tight, her teeth clicked together. “Are you serious?” she hissed, wanting to storm off, but knowing that’d be stupid of her considering where they were.

“What the hell has your panties in a bunch this time?” He narrowed his eyes at her, his own temper starting to flare up.

Lucy, unable to comprehend his new level of idiocy, stared at him in disbelief. She was pretty sure her mouth was gaping open. How could anyone be that oblivious?

“You! You and your…” she waved her arms at his person. “...you!”

“What the fuck does that even mean?” he asked, gripping her arm tight as he all but dragged her out of Freeside.

She hadn’t thought it was possible to get more upset, but she did. Honestly, she was this close to shooting him in the foot. If he wasn’t holding her dominant arm, she probably would have done it. But, since she couldn’t, she scowled at him.

“You really have no idea why I might be angry?”

“Uh, no?” he said tentatively like he knew that was the wrong answer, but he didn’t know what the right one was.

“You’re an idiot,” she snapped just as they re-entered the desert outside of New Vegas. And since they were relatively safe for the moment, she shook off his hand and stomped off. She needed to get away from the giant asshat she loved but didn’t like very much right now.

Once he figured out why she was so mad (if he ever did), he could come find her. But for now, she needed some space. Otherwise, she might end up murdering him.

Chapter Text

All Horns and Rattles: Showing great anger or having a temper tantrum

Cooper looked across the campfire at Lucy, who was doing her best to pretend like he didn’t exist. Just like she’d been doing since they’d left Freeside hours ago. She hadn’t even spoken a word that entire time which was…not like Lucy. Normally, he couldn’t shut her up when he tried and right now, he wasn’t even trying. At this point, he’d kill someone if it meant she’d talk to him again.

It was a weird sensation to miss Lucy’s chatter and her easy affection. It reminded him of their early times on the road together, back when she thought he was evil and he thought she was a pain in the ass. He was finding out he didn’t care for that feeling very much. 

Who knew he’d hit a point where he was upset she wasn’t talking and that he’d miss all her goddamn yapping?

He wasn’t sure exactly what he’d done to set her off, but he’d obviously done something because when she wasn’t giving him the cold shoulder, she was glaring at him like he was personally responsible for every terrible thing that had ever happened to her. 

Sure, he might be responsible for some of them, but he sure as shit wasn’t the cause of all of them. 

And she told him she forgave him, so there was no reason for her to go around glaring at him like he was still that man from before…the man he was when he first met her. He hated it.

Whenever he tried to ask her exactly what she was so pissed off about, she gave him a look that suggested he should know and he was an idiot for not figuring it out already. Also, that she had no intention of telling him anything.

It’d been centuries since he’d dealt with an angry woman. Well, at least like this. Plenty of women had been mad at him in that time, but it was usually related to his work. People didn’t especially like bounty hunters and they really hated ones that killed someone they cared about. More than one grieving woman had hurled things at his head, shot at him or, in one memorable instance, tried to sic her gang of feral ghouls on him. 

That one hadn’t gone so hot for her. Hell, he still remembered her screaming in terror as she fled from the pack of (justifiably) angry ghouls.

But since, to his recollection, he hadn’t killed anyone Lucy loved (not yet, at least), he was having a hard time understanding why she was all worked up.

Dogmeat, seeming to sense the tension, kept glancing between them as if she was waiting for the fireworks to start. Sometimes, he thought that dog might just be entertained by them. Like they were some sitcom she got to watch every evening before bedtime. 

Of course, Lucy would actually have to talk to him before they could even get around to the arguing portion of their evening.

When he caught her glaring at him again, he finally had enough. “What the fuck is your problem?”

“You really don’t know?” she asked, sounding vaguely homicidal. 

“No, I don’t fucking know. I ain’t a mind reader. Just tell me so we can move on with our night,” he snapped back, his jaw clenched so tight it ached. 

Christ Almighty, why the hell had he thought this thing between them was a good idea? If he’d never touched her, or kissed her or fucked her, he wouldn’t be so goddamn upset that she was mad at him. He would’ve been able to ignore whatever this was and pretend like he didn’t give a shit.

But since he’d done all that, and fallen in love with her on top of it, he did care. He just really fucking hated that he did.

She narrowed her eyes at him like she wished she could shoot lasers out of them. “Seriously? You have no idea why I might be upset? Not one single thought in that overgrown melon you call a head?”

He yanked his hat off, barely refraining from throwing it on the ground and stomping on the thing like a child having a tantrum. But he was an adult goddammit, so he merely set it to the side and rubbed a hand over his scalp. “I seriously don’t have a fucking clue.”

She glanced skyward as if praying for patience before taking a deep breath. “She was pretty,” she finally said like that explained a goddamn thing.

Cooper, having no idea what the hell she was going on about, wrinkled his brow in confusion. “Who?”

“That woman, Annie, she was pretty.”

Although he might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer when it came to emotional intelligence, Cooper had a sneaking suspicion about what had gotten her dander up. “Okay and?”

“You must’ve thought that since you clearly had a…thing with her.”

“Darlin’, that was a long fucking time ago. Probably when you were still in nappies.”

Well, that made him feel old as shit. So, he was just going to shove that thought to the side and never think about it again. Ever.

“If it was so long ago, why did you let her crawl all over you?”

“Are you jealous?” Cooper asked, incredulous. It’d been a long fucking time since a woman had felt like that towards him. Hell, he didn’t think she was even capable of such an emotion. She always seemed so self-assured and confident, so the fact that she was upset over another woman was both shocking and oddly flattering. 

Not that he’d be mentioning that second part. He might not be great at dealing with emotional shit, but even he knew that mentioning how much he liked her getting all possessive over him wouldn’t go well. Given her temper and her propensity for firearms, he might just end up with a few new bullet holes.

“No,” she lied terribly. “It was just rude.”

“Ah, so it wasn’t jealousy, just poor manners?” Cooper knew he was tempting fate with that response, but he couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t get over the thrill of knowing she cared enough to be upset. Lucy MacLean, a woman who could have just about any man in the Wasteland, was upset because some woman he’d known years ago got handsy with him. It was fucking mind-blowing.

It made sense for a man like Cooper (ghoul, cranky, bounty hunter, ect) to get envious over that stupid tin-can knight of hers. And okay, he hadn’t exactly handled his jealousy well in that situation, but Ser Dumbass got to keep his hands, so it wasn’t that bad.

Should he be worrying about Annie’s hands?

Eh, probably not. A) he didn’t care all that much about Annie or her limbs and B) Lucy might be willing to kill someone, but she wasn’t the type to start hacking off body parts for shits and giggles.

“You didn’t even tell her about me. You let her think I was just some job.”

The hurt in her voice almost made him flinch. Like she’d reached inside of his chest and wrapped her pretty little hands around his heart and squeezed. He hadn’t meant to hurt her or make her feel so small. It damn near broke whatever charred remains of his heart he had left.

Since he knew just words wouldn’t fix this, he stood up and walked over to her, sitting down beside her on the blanket she’d spread out. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, a mix of hurt, rage and suspicion on her face.
When he reached for her hand, she tried to jerk it away, but he held fast, his bare thumb stroking across her palm. “I’m sorry for hurting you. It’s been a while since I had to notice shit like this and I wasn’t thinking. I’m a bit out of practice.”

Lucy looked down at the blanket, her hands fidgeting with a loose thread as she avoided his gaze. “Okay, but why didn’t you say anything?” she asked in a small voice.

He placed his hand under her chin and turned her head towards him so he could look her in the eye as he said, with as much sincerity as he was capable of, “Two reasons. One, I knew she wouldn’t tell me shit if she knew I wasn’t interested in…renewing our acquaintance. Two, I thought I was protecting you. I didn’t want her, or anyone else in that hellhole, to know how much you matter to me.”

Her eyes were slightly damp with tears, making him feel even worse. He should’ve explained himself to her earlier instead of letting it fester. Because she’d been mad at first, which hadn’t been fun, but he could deal with her rage. What he couldn’t handle was the knowledge that he’d hurt her. Again.

“How was any of that protecting me?”

Cooper winced at the heat in her voice, briefly wishing he was literally anywhere else right now. “If people knew I cared about you, they might use you to get to me. That’s something I don’t ever want to experience.”

“I can take care of myself.”

He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wishing he could go back and do the whole thing over again. “I know that. I just don’t want you to have to.”

She closed her eyes and nuzzled against his hand even though he had a feeling she was still pissed off. But at least they were making some progress. 

“I’d rather have to defend myself than watch another woman paw at you.”

“Fair enough,” he agreed, nodding his head. “I’ll just beat all other women off with a stick. You know, since there’s just so fucking many of them.”

“Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.”

He huffed out a laugh. “Only people who don’t know how to use it effectively say shit like that.”

“You’re an idiot,” she replied with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

“On occasion.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “This being one of them.”
“I forgive you,” she said sincerely with a warm grin.

“Thank you.”

Apparently she either missed the sarcasm that time or chose to ignore it because her smile widened. “You’re welcome.”

“Can we move on now? Because we have some plans to discuss.”

Instead of replying to his question, she flung her arms around her neck and sealed her lips to his, almost knocking him on his back in the process. He wasn’t going to say no to having his arms full of an enthusiastic Lucy who seemed rather intent on proving she was the only one for him.

Hell, he could’ve told her that.

Annie or Barb or whomever else in his past had nothing on the woman currently kissing him like he was the very air she breathed. He loved every second of it…and her. Sure, she could be a pain in the ass, but so was he. They worked for that reason and a thousand more.

She pulled away, slightly dazed with mussed hair and kiss-swollen lips. “Do we get to have make-up sex now? Because, as I’ve said before, I’ve read that’s an important component in resolving such concerns.”

“You know, I do appreciate how well read you are,” he said with a smirk, his hands already working on the buttons of her shirt.

“Reading is a fundamental skill,” she deadpanned, her own hands tugging at his duster.

He kissed her again, rolling her beneath him so he could nip and lick his way down her neck. “How about you tell me some of the naughty stuff you’ve read and we’ll see how many of them we can do before my old bones get tired.”

“Okey dokey.” She smiled softly and opened her arms to him. And he went gladly.

A bit later, after a rather athletic bout of sex, Cooper held Lucy in his arms, his hands stroking through her hair as she nestled against him. Night had completely fallen, leaving the sky inky black and full of stars. The fire flickered in front of them, crackling every so often while Dogmeat snored a few feet away. It was a peaceful scene and he was loath to disturb it, but there were things they needed to discuss--plans they needed to make.

“Are you ready to go find your daddy?” he asked, his voice quiet in the almost silent desert.
Lucy sighed against his chest, her hair brushing his chin as she adjusted her position. “Yeah. I think so.”

Cooper could sense her worry in the way her voice slightly shook as she spoke. He just wasn’t sure if she was nervous about seeing her father again or scared of what might occur. To her dad. To her. Even to Cooper. But he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her. No matter what they had to face.

“Close enough, I suppose. We should go tomorrow.”

“What’s the plan? Should we try to sneak in or just go for it?”

As much as he’d like to go in there guns blazing, he knew that was a sure fire way to get them both hurt. Or killed. No, they’d have to be smart about this or shit would hit the fan before they even got close to Young Henry.

He rolled them both on to their sides, facing each other as he ran his bare fingers up and down her back, trying not to smirk at the way her breath hitched when his hand skimmed across her hips. As much as he’d like to roll around with her a bit more, they had plans to make. Also, although he’d never admit it to her, he was a little wiped out. What with all the emotions and sex. Especially the emotions. When you went as long as he had without feeling damn near anything, it was hard to get back in the swing of things.

“We’ll sneak in. Pull out that manacle you like to wear and see if you can pull up a map of the area.”

Although she huffed about his word choices, she rolled over and groped around until her hands connected with the device. “Here you go. I don’t know what you’re looking for.” She handed the thing over and he did his best not to wince as he accepted it. She giggled at his reaction. “You’re being ridiculous. It doesn’t bite.”

“You sure about that?”

“If you’re going to be like that, I can just do it.”

Cooper knew he was being weird about the PipBoy, but he really hated the thing. Still, even he couldn’t deny that it was occasionally useful. And he didn’t mind hearing the music sometimes. Reminded him of better days.

“No, I’ve got it.” He batted her hands away, making her laugh harder. 

“Let me know if you need help.”

“I have used one of these before, you know,” he pointed out, turning the dial so he could pull up the correct map and zoom in on the desired area.

From what he could tell, as long as the thing was accurate, one of the walls separating the strip from the rest of New Vegas was shorter than the rest. Sure, it’d require some climbing, but they could both handle that. Then, they could use the back alleys and side roads to make their way to Lucky 38. Getting in might be an issue what with House’s preference for Securitrons, but he wasn’t even sure if they were still in use. Even Annie hadn’t known what exactly the man was up to besides lording over the Strip like some sort of maniacal king.

Then, once they made it into the casino, they’d still have to locate Henry. It wasn’t exactly a small place and they wouldn’t have an endless amount of time. But he couldn’t do much else right now, so they’d just have to wing it and hope for the best.

Lucy was good with hacking, so maybe she could use some of those skills to locate her daddy. Or at least turn off all the fucking robots.

Lucy tried to peek over the screen of her PipBoy to see what he was doing. “So, have you figured out a plan?”

He nodded. “Yep, so listen up,” he said, giving her a stern look when she opened her mouth, probably to ask him something. “And no questions until I’m done. Capiche?”

“Yes, sir.”

Cooper rolled his eyes at her pert reply and her saucy salute. The girl had a lip on her and although he usually enjoyed that, now was not the time for her shenanigans. She could wait until after they got their information and killed her daddy. Then, she could shenanigan all she damn well pleased.

As he explained his plan to her, he watched her as she hummed and nodded in agreement. She even suggested going through the wall instead of over it when she noticed an area that looked like fencing and not brick. If she was right, that’d be a whole hell of a lot easier than climbing and if she was wrong, it’d only take an extra few minutes to check.

That was one of the things he loved about her. She wasn’t the type to just listen and take orders. No, she liked being involved and she caught the angles he sometimes missed or had a better solution to a problem. Between the two of them, they were able to make a solid scheme using a mix of her intelligence and his experience. He’d never had a partner like her, someone he could count on in a pinch and who didn’t fall into hysterics when things didn’t go according to plan. 

Lucy wasn’t just a pretty face. She had brains, courage and an iron will that he admired. Whereas he’d collapsed under the weight of the Wasteland, she’d grown stronger. He’d fallen into bitterness and chems, trying to drown out his pain and feed his hate. And Lucy, well, she’d kept her optimism and belief in humanity even as she maimed and killed her way across the desert with him at her side.

It was no wonder he loved her. How could anyone not?

“We’ll go in at midday,” he said once they’d finished planning. He knew they couldn’t account for everything, but they had a few contingencies in place if things went pear-shaped. Or more accurately, when they did because nothing ever seemed to work out according to plan.

“And what’ll we do until then?” she asked in a suggestive tone, her hand stroking down his chest.

“Oh, I’m sure we can think of something,” he replied with a smirk before kissing that wide smile off of her face before he went back to proving the only woman for him was Ms. Lucy MacLean.

Chapter Text

Aces and Eights: AKA Deadman’s hand, the cards Wild Bill Hitchcock was holding when he was killed

“Hello, dad,” Lucy greeted Hank as soon as he walked through the door, her gun pointed straight at his heart. Finding him had been a lot less difficult than she’d anticipated. The casino was practically empty and there wasn’t a single murderous robot to be found. All she had to do was hack the security feed and they’d found Hank relaxing in a hotel room, seemingly oblivious to the hell she was planning to rain down on his lying head.

“Lucy,” he breathed, looking exactly like the dad she’d known all her life. He was wearing a vault suit with neatly combed hair and a clean shaven face. Even his eyes were the same, all warm and full of love. The only thing different about him was the thin scar right where Cooper had shot him. “I’m so glad to see you. I thought something terrible might have happened. What are you doing here?”

She felt Cooper’s steady presence behind her, offering silent support for the time being. Her father had yet to notice the ghoul, all his attention on her. He looked and sounded so sincere, but she knew he was lying. “I’m here for you.”

“Did you come all this way to rescue me again, Luce?” Hank asked with a smile, his eyes warm. 

“Not exactly. I have a few questions for you.”

The grin on his face faded away, leaving only a frown full of suspicion. Maybe he could see it on her face or maybe he heard it in her voice, but he seemed to understand she wasn’t here as his beloved daughter--that she hadn’t traveled across the Wasteland to rescue him from some nefarious fate. “If this is about Shady Sands or your mother, you can just turn right around and leave. I already answered your questions about that.”

“That may be, Young Henry, but I have a few questions of my own.” Cooper stepped out from behind her, a mean smile spreading across his face when her dad’s eyes widened. 

“Lucy, what are you doing with that man?” Hank asked her but his eyes were locked on Cooper the whole time. Even though she couldn’t see her father’s face, she could hear the fear in his voice. She found herself enjoying that sound. “He’s dangerous.”

“Maybe to you, but Lucy here, she’s in no danger. Not from me, at least.” He gave her father a pointed look making it clear who he thought was the real danger to Lucy.

“I thought you were smarter than this, Lucy. You should’ve gone home. You would’ve been safe there.” 

He still sounded like the dad she’d always known, all cheerful and kind. It was all fake, but as she stared at him, she was still having a hard time wrapping her brain around the idea that he was a mass murderer. A villain. A man who’d bombed an entire city to get revenge on her mother. 

And to stop factions, apparently. 

Lucy had her doubts about that last bit though.

“I’m never going back there,” she said decisively, shaking her head at the mere idea of returning to the place that’d been her home. “The vaults aren’t safe. And you knew that and just let everyone believe the lie. I thought you were a hero. I left the vault and trekked all over the damn place to find you only to learn all the terrible things Vault-Tec did.” She paused to take a deep breath, trying to hold back tears. “That you did.”

“Luce, I did it all for you.”

“No you fucking did not,” Cooper interrupted, sneering at Hank and his miserable attempts to guilt Lucy. 

She appreciated that he was trying to help, but she needed to be the one to do this--to tell her dad everything he’d made her feel before they started asking questions. Then, one of them was going to put a bullet in him. Lucy still wasn’t sure if it’d be her or Cooper, but Hank wasn’t walking away from her again.

“Shut up, Howard. I’m talking to my daughter right now. Not you.” Hank kept his attention on Lucy even as he brushed off Cooper’s reply. “I know you think I’m the bad guy here, but in order for us to thrive on the surface, we have to clear out all the miscreants, mutants and factions. I wanted you, Lucy, to be the first of us to live on the surface. Your kids would be the first generation born out here. With your help, we can still build that world. A better one than this. Just take my hand and we can go back. I’ll find you a new husband and everything will go back to the way it used to be.”

Lucy glared down at her father’s extended hand as if he were offering her a live snake. Which was really unkind to snakes everywhere. They were perfectly delightful. Her father, on the other hand, was a monster. “I don’t want that world. I don’t want a new husband or kids or a life in the vaults. I’m staying out here with all those miscreants and helping them continue to build this world. Because, as I’m sure you’ve seen, there are plenty of people already living out here and I’m not going to help you or your bosses destroy them.”

“I raised you to be the perfect settler, Lucy. You’re supposed to do what I say without question. You were bred for it. So, stop acting like this and we can go home. Just the two of us.” 

How dare he try to order her around like she was still a child? She couldn’t believe that he thought she’d just accept his hand and his orders without a word. Granted, that was the way it’d always been in the past: her dad would tell her to do something and she wouldn’t even hesitate to obey. It was like he wasn’t even listening to a dang word coming out of her mouth. He just heard what he wanted to and didn’t think about anything else.

“I already told you no. And nothing you say or do is going to change my mind. You murdered my mother and lied about it my whole life. You ended the entire fucking world.” Lucy threw her hands up in frustration, forgetting all about the gun until Cooper gently rescued it from her waving hands.

“Not to interrupt your spiel there, darlin’, but maybe don’t flap your hands around like that while holding a loaded gun,” Cooper muttered quietly. Although not too quietly since her father’s eyebrows shot up at the way Cooper spoke to Lucy and the way he gently touched her. 

“Oh, right. Thanks.”

“Anytime.” Cooper tipped his hat in acknowledgement. “Now, you can go ahead and keep berating him. I like it when you get all pissed off and righteous. Especially when it ain’t at me.”

“Oh, Lucy, no,” Hank bemoaned, the color draining out of his face. “Please tell me you didn’t.”

She turned away from her dad’s pale face to glance at Cooper who shrugged in confusion. “Maybe he’s having a stroke or something.”

“Didn’t what?” Lucy’s brow wrinkled in confusion as she stared at her dad who was still going on about something. He wasn’t really making sense, just uttering a lot of words under his breath she couldn't quite make out.

“You wouldn’t, would you? You’ve always been a good girl. There’s no way…” Hank trailed off, his eyes narrowing on Cooper. Then, he glanced at Lucy and cocked his head slightly to the side. “No…” Hank shook his head, looking a bit like he was losing his mind.

“Did you break him?” Cooper stage whispered into her ear while watching Hank as if he were a hungry yao ghui.

“I thought maybe you did,” she murmured back, her brows raised as she observed her father continuing to argue with himself about something. “Should we just shoot him?”

Cooper tilted his hat back slightly and stared at her like she was the one ranting to herself. “Then how will he be answering our questions?” 

“I didn’t say kill him. I said shoot him. Like his knees or something. Nothing vital.”

He chuckled slightly, amused by her bloodthirsty response. “Let’s maybe wait a few before we start pumping lead into your dear old daddy, yeah?”

“Fine.” Lucy considered arguing with him because she was getting antsy and her father’s behavior was getting a bit concerning, but she decided it wasn’t worth the effort. So, she rolled her eyes instead. “Should we at least get his attention or something?”

Cooper grinned before placing two fingers in his mouth to let out a shrill whistle that stopped Hank in his tracks and made Lucy wince.

“A little warning next time.” She rubbed her abused ears and did her best not to smack him on the arm…even though she really wanted to.

“Alright, Young Henry, as amusing as your antics have been up until this point, we have better things to do than watch you lose it. So, how about you answer her questions? And after that, you can tell me where the fuck my daughter is.”

Hank ignored Cooper to glare at Lucy as if he didn’t recognize her anymore and didn’t much care for her either. “I have a few questions of my own, Howard. Like what the hell are you doing with my daughter?”

“Well, when you left her all by her lonesome, she and I teamed up to find your ass. We’ve been traveling the Mojave together for a while now.” Cooper gave Hank a nasty smile as he wrapped an arm around Lucy and pulled her to his side. “We’re real close.”

“Take your filthy hands off my daughter,” he snarled at Cooper, glowering at him like he could kill Cooper with his eyes alone. “Lucy, please tell me you aren’t… involved with that creature?”

Lucy could hear the shock and disgust in her father’s voice. It thrilled her a little because she’d managed to crack his facade. But she was unhappy with the way he was talking about Cooper like he was the monster here when it was clearly one Mr. Hank MacLean. For a man who’d participated in the apocalypse, he was being rather judgy. 

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” she finally said, not interested in explaining herself to her dad. He was treating her like she was some rebellious teenager and not a full grown woman capable of making her own choices. 

And again… he’d ended the fucking world so he didn’t have a leg to stand on when it came to passing any sort of judgement. 

“ Not my business? You’re my daughter, Lucy. Everything you do is my business ,” Hank yelled, his face flushing red with rage. 

She’d never seen her father lose his temper. Not like this. Sure, he’d scolded her and Norm a few times as kids, but he’d never screamed at them. She felt like she was seeing the real Hank MacLean, not the image he’d created of a loving father and benevolent overseer. This was the man who’d dropped a bomb on Shady Sands. This was the man that’d doomed her mother to death. And this was the man who was willing to kill anyone who stood in the way of his plans.

“If you keep talking to her like that, I’m going to shoot you in the fucking face.” Cooper aimed his pistol right at her dad’s head. Although he spoke calmly, she knew he was angry. Really angry. Like about to explode with rage angry. Cooper’s temper usually flared hot and burned itself out quickly. But when he went cold and calm, that was when people needed to run for their lives.

Hank, unwisely, ignored him to focus on Lucy. “If he coerced you, just tell me now. I’ll forgive you. We can go back home together and you’ll never have to see him again. I promise.”

“You’ll forgive me?” Lucy shouted, insulted that he’d even say such a thing to her. “For what exactly? Being with him? Loving him? Fucking him?”

Hank winced at each shouted word. By the time she reached the last part, he’d started to look as if he’d tasted something particularly nasty. If she still cared what the man thought about her, his expression would hurt. Since she didn’t, she managed to be a little amused at his reaction even though she was still angry at him.

“I would’ve expected something like this from your brother. He’s always chafed at the rules. But not you. No, you followed every single one of them with a smile on your face. You never even questioned them. And now, you’ve thrown away everything to run around with a mutant?”

“Cooper has nothing to do with that. I started questioning the so-called rules the moment I learned what you did to Mom.” Lucy clenched her fists in an attempt not to throw herself at her father and smash his head in for causing so much grief. But first, she needed to help Cooper locate his daughter. After that, well, Hank MacLean would get what was coming to him.

“What happened to your mother was unfortunate,” Hank started, ignoring the scoffing laugh from Lucy at his blatant lies. “But what I did was necessary to ensure the survival of our vault. And to protect you and your brother.”

“Necessary?” Lucy shouted, unable to fully comprehend the depths of his evil and the fact he didn’t seem to care that much. “Everything you did was about protecting Vault-Tec. Norm and I had nothing to do with it.”

“Right, as touching as this family reunion is, I’d like to know where the fuck my family is.” Cooper interrupted with an annoyed huff. When she glared at him, he quietly said, “all he’s doing is riling you up. So, best to just ignore him.”

Lucy opened her mouth to argue, but once she considered his words, she snapped her jaw closed and nodded. Her dad was trying to get under her skin and so far, he was succeeding. The way he talked about Cooper and his dismissive attitude towards her mother had sent her over the edge. And screaming at him was getting them nowhere. 

Even if it made her feel somewhat better.

Hank continued to ignore Cooper, still keeping his focus on Lucy. “See, honey, he doesn’t care about you. He’s just using you to get his wife back.”

She knew he was wrong, but she couldn’t stop the sharp pain in her heart at his words. No matter how many times Cooper reassured her, she still couldn’t fully let go of her doubts about Cooper and his wife. She hated that her father had sensed that weakness, had honed in on it and used it to hurt her. 

As if perceiving her doubts, Cooper reached for her hand to give it a light squeeze. “Shut the fuck up, Hank. You don’t know shit. And it ain’t any of your fucking business, but I sure as fuck don’t want Barb back. I just want to put a bullet in her head. After I find my daughter.”

Hank swiveled his head between Lucy and Cooper as if he couldn’t fully grasp that their relationship was real. That Cooper cared just as much about Lucy as she cared about him.

“What? So you two love each other?” Hank asked in a mocking voice, his lip curled up as he stared at them. “Or did you just tell her that so she’d spread her legs for you like a whore?”

Lucy, in all the years she’d known her father, had never heard him be so cruel. Even though she didn’t care much what he thought about her anymore, the words still stung. He was her dad, the man who’d raised her and loved her. The knowledge that he could say such awful things to her made her sick to her stomach. 

“Don’t you fucking talk to her like that or I’ll rip out your liver and stuff it down your throat,” Cooper snapped, his muscles coiled like a snake ready to strike at any second.

“I’ll speak to my daughter any way I like.” Hank paused as he watched Cooper, a nasty smile on his face. “And you can’t kill me. Not if you want to find your daughter.”

“Just tell him. Please. If you ever loved me, you’ll tell him what he wants to know.” Lucy gave Hank a pleading look, willing to do just about anything to help Cooper. Even if it meant begging her monster of a father for help. 

Her dad’s eyes softened slightly. For a brief moment, she thought he’d actually tell them. But instead, his face went cold. “I’ll always love you, Luce, but I’ll never help you.” 

Before either her or Cooper could reply, there was a commotion just outside the door. Lucy wasn’t sure what the sound was, but it didn’t sound pleasant. “What the heck was that?”

“Nothing good.” Cooper ran a hand over his face and sighed. “I think we’re about to have company.”

Lucy glanced at her father, noticing the pleased smile on his face. It widened when he caught her watching. “I may have called in some reinforcements. You really should have been paying better attention.”

Cooper handed Lucy back her gun and reached for his shotgun. “Best prepare ourselves for a whole lot of nasty coming our way.”

Hank laughed. “Good luck. I’m sure I’ll see you two again soon.” Her father pressed a keycard to a panel on the wall, revealing a hidden door. “If you survive that is. I’ll be sure to give Norm your love.”

Before Lucy or Cooper could say a word, the door slid shut behind her father, leaving the two of them to face whatever nightmare was headed their way. At that moment, Lucy hated her father more than she ever had. The fact that he could walk away, leave his daughter to her possible death and head back to the very vault she’d left behind was truly mind-boggling. When-- if --she survived this, she was going to hunt that man to the ends of the Earth if she had to, but he would die. Eventually.

“What should we do?” Lucy tried to sound confident, but even she could hear the slight tremor of fear in her voice. Sure, they’d survived plenty of awful odds, but this time, she didn’t think they had a chance. 

Cooper turned to face her, one hand reaching up to brush her hair out of her face. “We’ve got this, darlin. I ain’t letting either of us die. Not today.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead, a soft smile on his thin lips. “Now, you still got that dynamite?”

She nodded, reaching for her bag to locate the requested item. It took a second, but she was able to find the explosive and handed it over to Cooper. “Do you think that’s enough to stop them?”

“This isn’t for whatever’s coming. We ain’t got a chance in hell of winning that fight.” He moved to the wall with the hidden door, running his hands over the paneling. If he was looking for a way to open the door, he was wasting his time. Even she couldn’t hack one of those. The only way to get it open was to have the key card.

Which, obviously, they didn’t have.

“Can you maybe stop fondling the wall and do something with that?” Lucy gestured towards the dynamite, feeling more than a little impatient.

He rolled his eyes. “I'm working on it.” He continued to move his hands over the wall while she stood there, holding her gun and feeling useless. 

“I don’t want to pressure you or anything, but whatever is out there is getting closer.” Lucy winced when a series of loud noises came from just outside of the door. “And I really don’t think I want to meet them.”

“Yeah, yeah. Take cover, darlin’.” 

Lucy, still not sure what his plan was, followed his instructions without argument. Although it wasn’t much, she turned a table over on its side and crouched behind it. She wasn’t sure if the pounding she heard was from outside of the room or her heart racing in her chest. Probably both, if she thought about it.

Her hands trembled as she held her gun tight, hoping whatever Cooper was planning worked. She really didn’t want to die here. Especially since they hadn’t managed to get answers or kill her father. Plus, her dad was headed back to the vault and that worried her more than she cared to admit. After her so-called betrayal, her dad might be planning something for Norm. And she really didn’t want to think about what that might be.

Cooper joined her behind the table, somehow managing to appear calm. She loved the heck out of him, but sometimes, she hated how unflappable he could be when faced with possible death. “Hold on tight. This is going to be loud,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him.

Mere seconds later, there was a boom and the floor shook with the force of the explosion. Her ears were ringing so loud she couldn’t make sense of what Cooper was trying to say. 

“What?” she managed to yell as she rubbed her ears. She shook her head when he said something else that she couldn’t understand. Impatient, he grabbed her arm and yanked her across the room. 

Where the door in the wall had been, there was now a giant hole. Cooper urged her through it and she raced down the stairs as fast as she could. She knew something was behind them and if she didn’t get out of there as soon as possible, it was going to catch up with her. 

And that wouldn’t end well.

What felt like an eternity later (but was probably less than a minute), she pushed open a door. The light from the sun almost blinded her, causing her to stumble slightly. Cooper managed to grab her right as she was about to hit the ground. Before she could fully recover from the near miss, Cooper was dragging her down the road towards the alley where they’d left Dogmeat. Since she was the bestest girl, she was exactly where they’d left her, looking perfectly calm even as Cooper and Lucy raced towards her, panting (Lucy) and swearing (Cooper).

Once all three of them were together, Cooper picked up the pace until she was practically sprinting out of New Vegas. Even though she was tired and everything ached, she managed to keep up with him. 

Barely. 

But she did it.

“Let’s stop here.” Cooper yanked her into an abandoned building. “You look like you need a minute.” He paused, taking in her red face. “Or ten.”

Lucy, still breathing hard, managed a nod before she sank down to the ground in relief. She felt like she was about to pass out. Although she considered herself fairly fit, she was not great at running long distances at high speeds. 

“Do you think we’re safe here?” Lucy asked between gulps of air. Dogmeat, sensing her distress, laid down beside her. In thanks for the support, Lucy scratched her ears.

“For now. Once it gets dark, we’ll need to get out of this fucking place.” He glanced around the building, taking in the broken desks and the battered file cabinets. “Lots of cover here if shit goes south.”

“Do you think it will?”

“No. I think we lost them for now.” He came to sit down beside her, stretching out his legs and sighing. “We missed your daddy again.”

Lucy pulled her legs into her chest, her chin coming to rest on her knees. “I know. I hate that he got away.”

“Yeah, but at least we know where he’s going.” Cooper wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “And we’ll get him next time. I promise.”

Lucy, exhausted and sad, merely nodded. She didn’t know how long it’d take them to get back to Vault 33, but her dad would beat them by days--if not weeks. He could do so much damage in that time and her heart ached to think about what he might tell Norm. Or what he might do to him.

As the worries threatened to overwhelm her, she burrowed into Cooper’s chest as if she could hide from everything. At least for the moment. 

There was still lots to do and they had plans to make. But for now, she let him hold her close until things didn’t seem quite so bad. Because, no matter what, at least they had each other.

Chapter Text

Come to a Pretty Pass: A Hard or Difficult Situation

Still breathing heavily from his escape, Hank MacLean watched the New Vegas strip shrink as the Vertibird headed west. He’d been worried for a moment his daughter would catch up with him, but he’d made it to the roof and took off before they’d even fled the building. 

He was headed back to his home, the vault he’d protected since he’d first taken the reins as Overseer. He’d do just about anything to make sure nothing happened in his vault that would compromise the Vault-Tec mission. When his wife had tried to ruin all his plans, he’d taken care of her and all those yokels in Shady Sands. Now, twenty or so years later, he was prepared to do it again. Even if the threat came from the person he loved most in the world.

Vault-Tec had and always would come first. Before his wife, before his son and even before his beloved daughter. The very daughter he’d molded to take his place someday, a woman who would lead Vault 33 into the future. The same daughter he’d specifically engineered to be the perfect citizen: intelligent, kind and above all else, loyal. A woman who’d never question the path he (and Vault-Tec) had chosen for her. 

So, what the hell had happened? Why had she rejected him, her own father? And why had she turned away from Vault-Tec, the company she’d supported her entire life?

It had to be that mutant version of Cooper Howard she was running around with. He’d turned Lucy against Hank, twisted her up until she no longer knew what was right and wrong. That monster had ruined Lucy and he’d pay for what he’d done to Hank’s perfect, gentle daughter. 

The mere idea of him laying those scarred hands on Lucy made Hank sick. He wanted to rip that creature apart for daring to defile her. Cooper Howard had corrupted Lucy with his lies and his manipulations.

He must’ve tricked her somehow. Why else would Lucy take up with a ghoul?

Oh, she acted like she loved that man. Hell, she’d even told him such nonsense.

Ridiculous . Hank hadn’t raised her to believe in romantic love--not like that . No, he’d taught her that love was something to be nurtured after the wedding. And to a man of Hank’s choosing--a man who’d breed perfect Vault-Tec approved children.

Not some irradiated monster who’d apparently been roaming the Earth for the last few centuries. A man who used to be Hank’s hero, but was now a psychopathic murderer tainted by radiation. 

What did Lucy even see in that thing?

Because it certainly wasn’t his good looks. Or his winning personality.

Maybe it was revenge against Hank for Shady Sands. Not that he deserved any such thing. He’d done what was right regardless of what Lucy thought. Her bitch of a mother would have ruined everything. Her and that woman she’d left him for.

They’d stolen his children and tried to steal his legacy. His vault was supposed to reclaim the surface, to make it a better place for future generations of Vault-Tec bred citizens. A bunch of surface-dwelling hicks weren’t going to take that away from him. Especially not ones led by his treacherous wife.

His only regret was that he hadn’t managed to kill Moldaver back then. But at least she was dead now. And good riddance. 

Really, she was to blame for everything. If she hadn’t abducted him, Lucy wouldn’t have come after him. She would’ve never learned the truth or taken up with a monster. She wouldn’t have turned against her own father .

Once she arrived at the vault, he’d convince her to stay--to be his favorite girl again. She’d take his hand and return to her home--the place she belonged. And she’d forget all about that ghoul she thought she was in love with.

Heck, he’d even let her pick her next husband. Once Hank had approved of the man, of course. He wanted grandchildren and they needed to have the right genes. Ones that didn’t lead to them running off with trash or disobeying their parents.

At least Lucy couldn’t taint herself by having kids with him . Howard’s rad count would be far too high to manage such a thing.

A blessing, really.

Once Lucy showed up at Vault 33 (he knew she’d survived and would be coming for him), he’d get her back. She might think she was happy with a ghoul, but he’d set her right. Hank knew what was best for his children and running around on the surface with Cooper Howard, a mutant , was certainly not it.

Hank would put an end to this infatuation of hers. Then, he’d take care of that disgusting creature. Originally, Hank had wanted to just kill the man and be done with him. But the more he thought about it, the more Hank wanted to make him suffer for daring to touch Lucy. He’d put his filthy hands on Hank’s perfect, little girl and he needed to pay for that.

No, killing the man would be far too easy.

Instead, Hank would take his daughter back and send the ghoul back into the Wasteland without her. Hank wanted him to know Lucy was just out of reach. And that no matter what he did, he’d never see Lucy again. 

Hank wanted him to know that another woman he loved had chosen Vault-Tec over him.

And if Lucy wouldn’t come by choice, he would just have to make her. Maybe a few years in cryo would teach her a lesson. Or perhaps he’d just lock her up until she forgot that monster. 

Because, regardless of what Lucy and her pet mutant believe, Hank would win this fight. He’d get Lucy to return even if he had to hurt her first. She’d get over it and he’d have his daughter back where she belonged. Plus, Hank would have the satisfaction of making Howard suffer. 

Yes, that’d be perfect. Hank MacLean wouldn’t accept anything less. That was the Vault-Tec way.

Lucy could feel the weight of Cooper’s eyes on her as they set up camp for the night. That wasn’t new. He’d been watching her since they’d fled New Vegas, a hint of concern furrowing his brow the whole way.

They had yet to discuss what had happened and what they planned to do now. Or either of their feelings on the matter.

Lucy wasn’t even sure what she felt. She was definitely angry at her father’s escape and more than a little hurt over the way he talked to her. The things he’d said about Cooper had added to the pain and the rage. Then, under all of that, she was afraid. And not just about Norm, although he was on her mind. She was also scared for Cooper.

Lucy knew her father wouldn’t balk at killing Cooper. She’d seen the look on his face and heard the threat in his voice. He wanted Cooper to die even though Lucy loved him.

Especially because Lucy loved him. Her feelings for him had painted a target on his back. Her father wanted Cooper gone and he’d do everything in his power to make sure he paid for touching her.

She’d seen the revulsion on her father’s face when he’d realized exactly how close Lucy and Cooper were. His nose wrinkled up like he’d smelled something foul while his lip curled in disgust. 

He’d called her a whore, a word she’d never heard him say before in her entire life. And yet, he tossed that word at her with as much venom as he could muster. His own daughter! The one he claimed he loved.

Ha she thought did he ever even love you? Is he even capable of such a thing?

She wasn’t sure why any of that bothered her so much. Who cared if he called her names? And really, she was trying to kill the man, so she could hardly expect him to still care for her. But it still hurt to know exactly what her father really thought of her.

Frustrated and tired, Lucy plopped down on the bedrolls next to Cooper. “I’m sorry we didn’t find your daughter. And that my dad got away. Again .”

Cooper exhaled a plume of smoke to the side before he said, “it ain’t your fault. He had House’s help and a Vertbird to boot. We’ll just keep trying.” He tapped the ash off his cigarette, his eyes hidden by his hat. “How are you feeling after all that?”

She dropped her head against his shoulder sighing like the weight of the world was resting on her shoulders. Because she sure felt like it was. “Not great.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in close. The top of her head knocked his hat and he tossed it aside with an impatient curse. “Anything in particular?”

“I hate what he said about you…to you. And I’m angry we didn’t get any answers.” She reached for his hand and he let her lace her fingers through his without even a groan. Either he was getting used to it or he thought she was looking a little rough. “I’m also worried about Norm.”

He nodded vaguely, his thumb brushing across the top of her hand. “I don’t give a shit about what he said in regards to me. But the way he talked to you pissed me the fuck off. If I wasn’t already planning to shoot him, him calling you a whore would’ve done it.”

“Thank you, that’s very sweet,” she said, meaning every word. Cooper might not bring her flowers or anything, but he’d murder and main for her which, if she thought about it, was much more useful. And kind of sexy--not that she was planning to tell him that part. “I guess we’re going back to California.”

“Looks like. Let’s just hope there’s less side-tracking bullshit this time around.”

Lucy agreed, knowing every little thing they encounter might delay them by days, if not longer. And those delays might end up costing her more than she was prepared to give.

Like her brother.

Although, she’d still lent a hand to those in need. She wouldn’t be able to stop herself. The Golden Rule was so ingrained in her that she didn’t think she’d ever shake it. When Lucy saw someone in trouble, she had to help. Her conscience wouldn’t allow her to do anything else. So, she hoped that they didn’t end up running into anyone who needed a hand.

“Do you think he’ll hurt Norm?”

Even though she wanted to find Cooper’s daughter and kill her father, Norm’s safety was her number one priority. Norm might not be a child anymore but he was still her baby brother and as the older sister, she had to protect him. That was her job. 

If her father laid a single finger on Norm, Lucy wouldn’t just kill Hank. She’d make him suffer first. She wasn’t exactly sure how’d she go about doing that since she wasn’t really experienced with the whole slow torture/death thing. But Cooper, who was clearly far more worldly when it came to such matters, would likely have more than a few ideas to help her out.

Instead of replying right away, Cooper dug out a bottle of alcohol out of his saddlebags and took a long swallow before he handed it to her. The label said it was tequila which Lucy had heard of, but had never tried. Welp, no time like the present she thought as she took a drink.

She immediately regretted it. The liquor burned her throat, making her cough so hard that her eyes watered up. Out of all the things she’d tried out in the Wasteland, she thought tequila might be the worst one. Even more vile than bloatfly. 

“You good?” Cooper asked her, slapping her on the back a few times in what she could only assume was an attempt to help her. It didn’t work. “Don’t die on me now, darlin’,” he joked once she’d stopped hacking up her lungs. 

“That was the worst thing I’ve ever had in my mouth. What is wrong with you?”

Cooper, an amused smirk on his face, shrugged. “A lot,” he replied, accepting the bottle Lucy thrust back in his direction. “And no, I don’t think your daddy will hurt him. Why would he? As far as he, and us, know, your brother is still a loyal Vault-Tec minion.”

Lucy shook her head so hard, her ponytail almost hit her right in the eye. “Not Norm. He’s never been particularly obedient or trusting of others. Not like me,” she said, her voice growing softer with each word. Lucy always considered herself the smart one, the sister who Did the Right Thing every time.

She’d been so wrong. Norm was actually the intelligent sibling because he never followed the rules blindly. He always asked why before doing anything, weighing his options before he agreed to any task. He wasn’t invested in Vault-Tec like Lucy. He didn’t join activities or walk around preaching the gospel of the vaults. No, he did what he had to and not anything more. Norm hadn’t wasted time being the perfect little Vaultie like Lucy.

“Yeah, but I doubt he’s running around plotting his dad’s murder or threatening to bring down Vault-Tec.” Cooper didn’t say ‘like you’, but it was implied. “And he doesn’t know about Shady Sands or the experiments, yeah?

Lucy knew he was right, but it didn’t lessen the worries pressing down on her. Norm was a questioner and without her or their dad, he was more likely to start digging. Of course, even if he did get curious, would there even be anything for him to find? It was highly unlikely Hank kept a log of all his crimes. He might be a vicious, murderous bastard, but he wasn’t stupid.

“No, I don’t think so. If I can’t remember Shady Sands, I doubt Norm would. He’s a few years younger.”

“See? It’ll be fine. Your daddy ain’t going to go after the kid. He don’t know shit and Henry ain’t going to want to kill his last great hope for Vault-Tec bred grandbabies.”

Also true. Now that Lucy was a) running around with a ghoul and b) didn’t want children, Norm was his best chance to continue the MacLean line. 

Unless he started over with some new woman. That seemed unlikely, but who the heck knew? Her father was rather obsessed with the whole breeding the future generations thing, so he might find a new bride to make new children. Which, now that she was thinking about it, was a little creepy. 

Maybe more than a little.

Who would he even choose? Especially considering Vault 32 had likely been wiped out by Moldaver’s raiders. And Vault 31 was likely filled with mid-level Vault-Tec employees currently in cryo sleep who may or may not be ‘biologically compatible’ as her father often said. 

Plus how did that work? If they were all frozen or whatever, how were they waking up? Who was sending them to the vaults? What the heck was actually in that vault?

Lucy made a note to ask her father about that once they found him. Or maybe she’d just bust in and see for herself.

“Can I have another sip?” She gestured at the bottle sitting next to Cooper. Regardless of how awful the fire water tasted, it made her feel all warm inside. Much better than the cold dread accumulating in her gut.

Cooper cocked his head with a look on his face that suggested he thought she’d misplaced one or two of her marbles. “You can. But should you? I don’t need you puking on my boots later.”

Lucy rolled her eyes, opening and closing her hands in a ‘gimme’ gesture. “I won’t vomit. I just wasn’t prepared for the taste last time.”

“I ain’t worried about the taste. I just don’t want you getting half-lit and tossing your cookies.”

“I don’t know what any of that means,” she said, unfamiliar with all his idioms and sayings. People didn’t say things like that in the vault so, sometimes (often), his words confused her. 

“It means,” he started very slowly, annunciating each word like she was a very bewildered child, “if you get drunk and puke, you’re cleaning it up.”

“I can hold my liquor,” she boasted, even though she knew no such thing. She’d never had enough alcohol in her entire life to know what being drunk actually felt like. But she was curious. 

Not that she wanted to throw up or anything. But she wanted to know what it felt like to just let go.

“I sincerely fucking doubt it,” he muttered as he reluctantly passed the bottle of tequila to her. 

This time, Lucy took a much smaller sip of the potent drink. She still didn't care for the taste, but she managed not to cough. Satisfied, she took another slightly longer nip which went down much smoother--probably because the alcohol had seared off all the nerves in her throat. 

But, regardless, she felt rather proud of herself. Look at her, Lucy MacLean, drinking tequila like a badass. 

After a few minutes of drinking, Cooper snatched the bottle right out of her hands. “Alright, that’s enough of that.”

“I was still drinking,” she protested, attempting to swipe the tequila back. When she failed, almost falling on her face, she glared at him. “Rude.”

“You’ll thank me in the morning.” He moved the bottle out of reach when she made another grab at it.

“Why?” she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. If she could just distract him long enough…she could get it back. Probably. 

“Being drunk might be fun at first, but you won’t like the puking or the headache that comes after. And I ain’t wasting a Stimpack on a hangover.”

“How come you drink so much and never get sick?”

Cooper grinned, one of his nice ones. It looked good on him. “Practice.” When she just stared at him, eyebrows arched, he added, “and ghouls have a high metabolism. It takes a lot to get us drunk and it wears off fast.”

“Well, what if I want to practice?”

“Hey, stop climbing all over me,” he grumbled when she attempted to reach across his lap for the tequila. “Ow, elbows.”

“Sorry,” she said, not sorry at all. Plus his lap was very comfortable. Maybe she’d just stay here for a while. And he was so warm. “When did you get all fuzzy?” Lucy placed her hands on either side of his face and leaned in so close her nose touched his forehead.  

He swatted at her hands when she squished his cheeks, giggling at the look on his face. “You’re a fucking light-weight,” he informed her, evading another attempt by Lucy at grabbing his face. “Stop that,” he added with his ‘Lucy is Being a Menace’ sigh. 

“But you’re so cute when you’re grumpy.”

“I ain’t cute.” He scowled at her.

Lucy sighed, dropping her head on his shoulder. He might be a grouchy, gruff ghoul…but he was all hers. And she liked that. “Okey dokey,” she said with a yawn. “I’m sleepy.”

His shoulders shook slightly, as if he were laughing, but trying to be subtle about it. “That’d be the tequila, darlin’.”

“I like it. I feel all floaty and all my worries are just…poof, gone,” she mumbled, mimicking an explosion with one of her hands. “Is this why you drink? To forget?”

Cooper exhaled slowly before he replied, “sometimes, yeah. Doesn’t always work. But I don’t want to do that anymore. I don’t want to be the man who loses himself in alcohol and chems. Not anymore. You know why?”

Lucy shook her head, her hair brushing against his chin. “No, why?”

He reached his hands up to cup her face, gently moving her head so he could look her right in the eyes. “Because now I have something I want to remember.”

“Me?”

Cooper nodded, his eyes still on hers. She almost cried at the love and tenderness she saw on his face. He was so rarely affectionate, but when he was, he made her fall in love with him all over again. She never wanted to lose this…to lose him.

So, she vowed to herself, in that moment, that she’d do everything in her power to keep him alive and with her. Even if she had to kill each and every person who stood in her way. 

“I love you,” she murmured against his lips just before she kissed him. 

Although he didn’t say it out loud, she felt his lips form the words under hers, his arms wrapped tight around her as the stars shined overhead.

It wasn’t a perfect moment, but it was pretty damn close if Lucy didn’t say so herself.

Chapter Text

Pull out a jackpot: To help someone in (deep) trouble

After a week or so of chasing after Hank, Cooper was starting to worry about Lucy. She rarely smiled or laughed which, for her, was rather unsettling. Lines bracketed her mouth while her brow seemed to be permanently furrowed. She was also unnaturally quiet, her eyes staring off into the middle distance whenever they stopped for the night. 

Her behavior reminded him of when they’d first started their journey. Back when she’d trudged along behind him, silent and hurting. 

He hated it--hated how pale she’d become and the new gauntness to her face. He loathed the way she’d turned in on herself, hiding her worries from him. But the worst part was how distant she seemed from him, no longer showering him with attention. And affection. There'd been no hand-holding or hugs just because or even, short kisses when they paused to rest. 

At least she was still sleeping beside him every night. If she hadn’t been, Cooper might have just lost his fucking mind.

Who knew he’d miss her endless chatter or her casual touches?

Cooper sure as fuck hadn’t. But now that she’d stopped all that, he realized how much he’d enjoy them. And how much he missed them.

At night, when he wrapped his arms around her, she felt so brittle. Like if he squeezed her a little too tightly, she might just shatter into a thousand pieces.

She hadn’t cried though. Not once. There’d been no tears or worry or frustration or even hurt at her father’s cruel words. Not even exhausted sobs at the end of a long day--a day where she’d set an almost punishing pace as if the hounds of Hell were at her heels, chasing her all the way back to California.

Fuck, even he was so tired his bones ached. But she just kept going, pushing herself harder and harder each day. And at the end of each one, she’d stare at her PipBoy, tracking their progress with a frown. 

Whenever he tried to talk to her about anything other than their journey, she’d give him monosyllabic replies in a quiet, shaky voice.

All of it made him want to grab and shake her until she was his Lucy again. Or yell and rage at her until she finally broke down and let it all out. He wanted her to scream, to cry, to do something, anything , else.

But he didn’t. Not yet anyway. Cooper didn’t want to hurt her, to be the one who finally broke her. He didn’t want to be the reason she finally let it free. Lord knew he’d made her cry far too many times and he didn’t want to do that. Not again.

Although, if she kept this shit up much longer, he might just have to suck it up and do it. Because he knew better than anyone what bottling up your emotions did. Hiding all that hurt and anger would turn her bitter. She’d lose all that light and laughter and smiles that made her Lucy. She’d end up becoming something else-- someone else. 

Someone like him.

He felt like his Lucy was fading away. All those things he loved about her were turning to sand slipping through his fingers.

Well, he sure as fuck wasn’t going to let that happen. Now that he had her, he wasn’t ever going to let her go. And if he had to drag her kicking and screaming back to life, then he’d fucking do it.

Tonight, when they finally made camp after another brutal sixteen hours of walking, he was putting his foot down. They (she) needed a break. A day or two where they could sleep in a real bed and eat something besides deathclaw jerky and Cram. And he had a pretty good idea where they could do all that. He just had to talk her into it first.

Well, that or lasso her ass and drag her there. But he’d prefer to avoid that option, if possible. 

He’d do it though. If it was the only way to help her, he’d tie her up and haul her across the Mojave, no matter what threats she rained down on his head.

With a plan in mind, he felt lighter than he had in days. Soon, he’d have his girl back--not this Lucy-shaped shell he was currently traveling with.

So, of course, shit took a turn for the worse. And it wasn’t raiders or fiends ro radscorpions. Nope, it was the still smoldering ruins of a settlement. They’d spotted smoke in the distance, but neither of them was prepared for what they found. Even Cooper, who’d seen just about everything, was (mildly) shocked by the devastation.

“What happened?” Lucy asked the first person she found, a middle-aged woman covered in soot, clutching the hand of a teenager.

The woman glanced at Lucy, her eyes weary and red from either crying or all the smoke. “We were attacked.”

“Raiders?” Cooper took in the damage, seeing a town almost completely destroyed. A few people roamed about, trying to clear rubble and grab anything that was salvageable. 

The woman shook her head. “A vertibird carrying a man. Thought it was Brotherhood until I saw the vault suit.”

Lucy inhaled sharply. “What? Why?”

“I don’t know,” the woman said softly. “He stole a bunch of our supplies then hit us with…I don’t even know. Maybe missiles? Said something about factions.”

“When was this?”

The teenager, who’d largely been silent so far, responded to Lucy’s question before the woman could. “Five days. Maybe. The fires finally stopped today.”

“I’m so sorry.” Lucy’s voice cracked a bit, but she still didn't cry or anything. Still, he could hear the regret and shock in her voice. “Can we do anything to help?”

Cooper held back a sigh. He really didn’t want to offer aid, especially to a town that was still smoking. But at least she was acting more like his Lucy, willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it.

He just wished she’d have picked something with a lot less smoke. And fire. And people. 

“C’mon.” Lucy hooked her arm through his. “Juanita’s going to take us to the mayor.”

“Yippee,” Cooper muttered with an eyeroll, but he let her guide him. Hell, he didn’t even try to shake off her grip. Maybe it was because she was acting somewhat like his Lucy again. Or perhaps he just liked the feel of her arm in his.

Christ, she was making him soft.

The mayor, much to Cooper’s surprise, was a ghoul. It wasn’t like that never happened, but it wasn’t exactly a common occurrence. “Howdy, I’m Mayor McCarty. Juanita said you folks are here to help.”

Lucy shook the mayor's hand, her ponytail bobbing with the force of her nod. “Yep. Where do you need us?”

Cooper gave up the reins, letting Lucy figure out what the town needed while he stood silently behind her, one hand on his gun and hat pulled low to block the intense glare of the midday sun. 

“Thanks again for the help. We appreciate it, but I don’t have caps to pay you,” the mayor informed them.

“That’s fine. We’re always willing to help. No caps necessary.” Lucy waved a careless hand, dismissing the mayor’s concern.

Cooper wanted to protest. If word got around he’d work for free, no one would ever want to pay him again. But Lucy was behaving more like herself, so he kept quiet. Worst case scenario, if someone tried to withhold his reward, he’d just shoot ‘em until they paid up.

The mayor grinned at Lucy and gave Cooper a wary look. They didn’t say a word about Lucy man-handling Cooper once the mayor had given them an assignment. He got the impression the mayor wasn’t sure what to make of a woman like Lucy wandering around with a ghoul like Cooper.

“You shouldn’t advertise that we’d work for free. We can’t survive on gratitude and well-wishes.”

Lucy huffed, giving him A Look. “You would’ve charged them?”

“Maybe.” Cooper did his best to ignore her chiding eyes. He caved in mere seconds. “Fine, no. Fuck, you’re turning me into a goddamn do-gooder. Next thing you know, I’ll be smiling at strangers and helping little old ladies across the street.”

She beamed at him, her grin so wide he felt unsettled by the amount of teeth he could see. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

Lucy kissed his cheek, her eyes all soft and warm. “For being you,” she replied, taking his gloved hand in hers. “Now, let’s go help some people!”

“Goody,” he deadpanned, but he squeezed her hand, glad to see a hint of the old Lucy.

Hell, he’d help everyone in the entire fucking Wasteland if it meant she’d be herself again.

Not that she needed to know that. If she figured it out, she’d have him helping every chump from here to the Pacific. But fuck, he do damn near anything to see her smile again--to be his Lucy again.

The sun was starting to set when they finally called it a day. Cooper’s back ached at all the heavy lifting he’d done. He needed a cigarette and a drink. Or ten. He also expected Lucy to show her thanks in an appropriate way--like being naked and ready to go.

He glanced in her direction, taking in her soot-blackened face and slumped shoulders. Well, maybe naked time would have to wait. She looked like she was about ten minutes away from falling over in exhaustion.

Cooper was getting an IOU from her though. He deserved something after breaking his back to help a bunch of strangers all damn day. But tonight, his girl needed sleep. A full eight hours of rest instead of the six fitful hours she’d been getting lately. Every night since they’d left New Vegas, she’d toss and turn in his arms from the moment they laid down until the sun started to rise. 

Cooper could manage on little to no sleep, but Lucy? Not so much.

“Thanks again.” The mayor shook both of their hands with far more enthusiasm than Cooper was comfortable with. “You’re welcome here anytime. I’d offer you a place to stay for the night, but as you can no doubt see, our inn burned down.”

“No worries. We’re fine camping. I hope you can rebuild quickly.” Lucy gave the mayor a smile that was more restrained than usual, her shoulders slumped and her eyelids heavy.

The mayor grinned. “We will. We’ve got plenty of people to help out. Thankfully, no one got killed in the attack. A blessing considering all the damage.”

Cooper heard Lucy sigh in relief. For God only knows what reason, she carried around a whole lot of guilt for the things her father did. Even if none of it was her fault. Of course, whenever he tried to tell her that, she nodded vaguely as if she hadn’t heard a word he said. One of these days, he hoped she’d finally let go of whatever regret she was hanging on to when it came to her prick of a father.

They finished up their good-byes and headed back into the Mojave, finding a decent camping spot about half a mile away from the town. He hadn’t wanted to go far since traveling at night was asking for trouble, but he wanted to be far enough away to get some privacy.

Well that and he didn’t want to get roped into another day of manual labor. One was more than enough for him. 

Cooper lit a fire while Lucy spread out their bedrolls, looking ready to collapse into them at any seconds. Which was good. Maybe she’d fucking sleep tonight. Still, he hoped she could wait a bit longer. They both needed to eat and he had some things to discuss with her first.

“You doing alright?” he asked when she sprawled across both bedrolls with an exhausted groan.

“Not really.” Lucy adjusted her position so she could sit up and look at him. “I just can’t…how could he do that?”

“Do what?” Cooper handed her a skewer of leftover radscorpion and a bowl of beans. 

She dug in with gusto, eating like she’d been days without food instead of hours. “Destroy that town. What reason could he possibly have?” Lucy replied between bites. “Those poor people.”

“It ain’t your fault, you know. Your daddy did that. Not you. I don’t know his reasons nor do I care. But that shit he did…it’s on him, not you.” Cooper pointed his skewered meat in her direction. “You hear me?”

Lucy dropped her spoon in her bowl with a sigh. “But if I’d just done more…or gone with him, he wouldn’t have hurt those people.”

Cooper pinned her with a stern glare. “You don’t know that. And if you even tried that shit, I’d have stopped you.” He paused, his heart aching at even the idea of her leaving him behind. Especially with her mass murdering daddy. “Even if I had to tie you up. Again.”

She wrinkled her nose at the suggestion. “If you try that, I’ll stab you.”

“I could survive it.” Cooper shrugged, unconcerned about any potential knife wounds. “But I couldn’t survive losing you.”

Her eyes softened, a small smile teasing the corners of her lips. It wasn’t her normal grin, but it was something. He could work with that.

“I love you,” she said. “And I guess I wouldn’t stab you. But I’d be very annoyed.”

“Fair enough.”

After that, they both focused on eating and their own thoughts. Cooper figured she was still dwelling on her father’s rampage across the Wasteland and her brother’s fate. Nothing he said seemed to sink in, not about the likelihood her brother was fine or the fact she wasn’t responsible for her daddy’s actions. 

And he wasn’t sure what to do about that.

Cooper hadn’t worried over someone’s physical or emotional well-being in hundreds of years. So, he was completely at sea when it came to helping her or making her feel better. But he wanted…no, needed to do something. She barely slept or ate. Each day she walked until her body gave up. If he hadn’t put his foot down about traveling after sunset, she’d have kept going all damn night as well.

The dark circles under her eyes worried him as much as the new hollows beneath her cheekbones. She was starting to look half-dead. Kind of like him actually (still pretty as a picture though).

He gave Dogmeat the remnants of his meal, mentally preparing himself for the argument they were about to have. A necessary one, but he doubted he’d enjoy it. 

“Alright, darlin’, we need to talk,” he said as he took a seat beside her.

She glanced his way, her ponytail falling over her shoulder as she tilted her head. “About what?”

“This.” He waved his hand at her to indicate her entire person. “You.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What about me?”

Now, Cooper wasn’t a coward. Not one bit (at least, when emotions weren’t involved). Yet, the expression on her face almost made him run for the hills. But, being a strong, brave man, he dug his heels in and refused to let her see his weakness. 

“I’m worried about you…about the way you’ve been acting lately.”

Somehow, against all reason, her glare grew even darker. “How so?”

He hadn’t known she could look that terrifying nor did he care for it, but he soldiered on. “Well, if you ain’t acting all cold, you’re staring into space. You’re also looking a bit…rough around the edges.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Christ, he sucked at this. All he wanted to do was have a normal, adult conversation about how chasing after her psycho daddy wasn’t doing her any favors. And how she needed to sleep and eat. Otherwise, she was going to a) get herself killed or b) get them both killed. Instead, she was scowling at him like she was debating whether she should shoot him in his knees before she slaughtered him or just go in for the kill. 

“You ain’t sleeping or eating right. You walk sixteen hours a day at a pace even I’m finding hard to maintain. You ain’t talking or smiling or laughing. You haven’t even asked for a wash in days. Frankly, it’s starting to freak me out.” He winced as he finished, thinking maybe he should’ve left that last part unsaid. But hell, someone needed to tell her and unless Dogmeat suddenly learned how to speak, he was the only one who could do it.

She stayed silent for a moment, watching him with an expression he couldn’t quite identify as she gnawed away at her lower lip. Finally, after what felt like hours, she said, “I don’t know what else to do. I feel like if I stop for even a moment, it’s just more time my dad has to hurt Wastelanders. Or Norm.”

He nodded, biting the tip of his glove so he could pull the thing off and take her hand. “I get that. But you ain’t going to be helping anyone if you fall over dead in exhaustion. Which, if you keep going on like this, is bound to happen.”

Lucy picked at a stray thread on her jeans, her eyes focused on her task instead of meeting his worried ones. “I know you’re right,” she said in a small voice, so faint he almost didn’t hear her. “But I can’t seem to stop.”

He turned her hand so he could stroke his bare thumb across her palm. “You need a break. Hell, so do I.”

“We can’t. I have to help Norm before it’s too late,” she protested, although even he could tell it was half-hearted at best. 

“I get that. But you can’t help him if you drop dead before we get there.” He released her hand so he could place two fingers under her chin and turn her face towards his. “And, darlin’, if you keep doing this, that’s what’ll happen.”

Lucy closed her eyes on a weary sigh before bobbing her head in agreement. “I know, but if we take a break and something happens to Norm, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Now, I don’t know much about your brother, but considering what you’ve told me, I doubt he’d forgive himself if you kicked the bucket trying to reach him.” He paused, gently brushing a lock of hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. “And I won’t be too thrilled about it either.”

She exhaled slowly, her shoulder slumping before she replied, “Alright. What do you have in mind?”

Cooper dragged her into his lap and wrapped his arms tight around her. “Well, considering the speed at which we’ve been moving, we ain’t too far from the Tanners. I’m sure they’d put us up for a night or two. They seemed to like you.”

She snuggled in close, her head resting on his shoulder. “They like you too.”

“I’d say they tolerate me. I think you’re about the only fucking person who likes me in the whole goddamn world.”

“You’re wrong. Lots of people like you.”

Was she also losing her mind? Stress could do that to a person. Because there was no way anyone did more than tolerate him. Lucy was the one they liked and they dealt with him since they were kind of a package deal at this point. 

“Sure,” he muttered, placing one hand on her forehead.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking to see if you have a fever. They can cause delusions, you know.”

“I’m not sick.” She rolled her eyes as she brushed his hand away. “The Tanners like you. And that sheriff and her friend, Mrs. Myers.”

“Crazy. All of them.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” she huffed, but more exasperated than mad. 

“No, you are,” he replied, wincing at how immature he sounded. “Do you really want to argue about this right now?”

“Maybe.” When he continued to just stare at her, she sighed and added, “I guess not. But we’re talking about this later, mister.”

“If you say so,” he replied wryly, having no intention of ever discussing whether people liked him or not ever again. He was right and she was wrong. The end. But, if it meant she’d take a break, he’d let her think whatever the fuck she wanted. “So, the Tanners?”

“Okey dokey.” As soon as she finished talking, she yawned and nestled against him. “I’m too tired to move. So, I’m just going to stay here for now.”

“Sure thing, darlin’. You just get some rest. I’ve got you.”

Even after she finally fell asleep, he kept his arms tight around her. He had no intention of letting her go. Not now.

Not ever.

Chapter Text

Alight and look at your saddle: to stay and talk a while, relax

As the Tanner’s farm came into sight, Lucy almost collapsed in relief. Although she’d wanted to deny it, Cooper had been right about her needing to rest. She wasn’t even sure she could make it to the house, her steps faltering as they got closer and closer. Her entire body ached. Heck, even her hair seemed hurt. She couldn’t wait to take a scalding hot shower and finally get clean. 

Her hair felt greasy, her skin itched and her boots felt like they were filled with sand. It was an awful feeling. Really, she couldn’t believe she let herself go this long without a bath. No wonder Cooper had been worried about her. If she’d been in his shoes, she’d have done the same thing.

Of course, he didn’t seem bothered by the lack of bathing. So, that wouldn’t be the best way to determine if something was off with him.

Maybe she’d be concerned if he stopped making sarcastic comments and threatening to shoot everything that annoyed him. Which, to be fair, was just about everything. And everyone.

Right, so if he ever stopped doing those things, she’d keep an eye on him. But since he was still doing all that, Lucy was reassured that at least one of them was doing okay. 

Relatively.

“Think you can make it?”

“Yeah.” Lucy nodded, determined to get to the farm without passing out. “But if I do happen to fall over, can you carry me?”

He cocked his head, eyes slightly narrowed as he stared at her, trying to determine if she was serious or joking. Once he realized she wasn’t kidding, he sighed. “Yeah, but maybe try not to do that. As you’re so fond of pointing out, I’m old.”

“You still have some pep in your step. I believe in you,” she said earnestly. When he glared at her, she smiled up at him with the most innocent expression on her face she could muster up. 

He looked up at the sky. “Why me?” he muttered before he turned his head to her. “How about you lean on me? That way, we don’t have to worry about you keeling over or my creaky joints.”

Lucy took his offered arm, thankful for the slight relief it offered. It still hurt for her to walk, but at least she no longer wanted to faceplant into the dirt. 

Together, they managed to limp their way closer to the house. Lucy hoped the Tanners would be okay with two unexpected guests and their dog. She didn’t think they’d mind since they’d been so welcoming the last time Cooper and Lucy were here. They reminded Lucy of the things she’d loved so much about her vault.

Sure, Vault-Tec was evil and her dad was a monster, but there had also been good things about her vault too. Her neighbors had always been kind and helpful, giving smiles freely and offering a hand whenever needed. Lucy missed that sometimes…missed the simple kindness and generosity of her fellow Vaulties.

Out here, kindness was rare and people held on to whatever resources they had, willing to do anything they had to, including murder, to keep them. Lucy didn’t blame them for that by any means, but she wished things were different. 

Not that she would give up what she had now to return to the vaults or anything. But sometimes, when things felt so bleak, she yearned for the safety and warmth of her former home.

“Well now, look at what the cat dragged in,” Dot greeted them as soon as they arrived at the front porch, her shotgun in her hands and a cigarette dangling out of her mouth. “You two look like death warmed over.”

“Nice to see you too, Dot.” Cooper’s tone was dry, but even Lucy could hear the hint of a smile behind the sarcasm. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Dot waved him off with a careless gesture of her shotgun. “Danny! Lucy, Cooper and their dog are here! Put on the kettle!”

Lucy winced at the shouted words. She adored Dot, but the woman could yell. And the fact her cigarette stayed in the corner of her mouth while she did it was truly an amazing feat in Lucy’s eyes.

“What, Ma?” Danny joined Dot on the porch, the screen door slamming behind him. As soon as he saw them and Dogmeat, his face split in a wide grin. “Boy, am I glad to see you two alive. I was worried after that Brotherhood knight showed up.” Danny scanned his eyes across the both of them, his brow lifting in surprise. “You look like shit though. C’mon in. Bethie and Katie will be thrilled.”

“Wait? What knight?” Lucy asked as she followed Danny up the porch and into the warm house. “Max?”

“I don’t know if that was his name, but he was looking for you. Had a friend with him.” 

“Yep, sounds like the same idiots,” Cooper grumbled, taking a seat on the battered sofa with a groan. “Hope they didn’t bother you too much.”

Danny brushed off the concern. “Nah, for Brotherhood, they seemed alright. Annoying, but mostly harmless.”

Lucy was glad to hear that. As soon as Danny had mentioned Max, she’d started wondering how he’d treated the Tanners. Max could be a bit… single-minded when it came to pursuing his goals and didn’t often think about the consequences until much later. 

Or until he got punched in the face.

She still felt bad about that, even if he had kind of deserved it. 

Dot propped Betsy up against the wall and took a seat in the overstuffed recliner next to the sofa. “So, what brings you two back this way, looking like ten miles of bad road?”

“Ma, give ‘em a minute before you start interrogating them.”

Dot made a ‘shoo’ gesture at her son. “I ain’t bothering them. Go get Katie and Bethie. They’ll want to say hi.” Dot reached for the handle at the side of the recliner and sighed as the footrest sprang free from the chair. “Now, that’s more like it.”

Lucy, almost too tired to speak, took a seat beside Cooper and dropped her head against his shoulder.

Cooper adjusted her slightly as he leaned back against the floral sofa, giving them both some much needed back support. “Well, Lucy here’s been pushing herself a bit hard lately. After I finally convinced her to slow her roll, I thought we’d come say howdy and get some rest.” Cooper removed his hat, placing it next to him on the arm of the couch. “If you don’t mind, of course. We wouldn’t want to put you out or anything.”

When Dot took out another cigarette, Cooper handed her his battered lighter before he lit one of his own. Lucy closed her eyes, letting their conversation and smoke flow around her. It wasn’t like she could keep track of what was going on anyway. Her brain was mush, her head hurt and her eyes felt like they were weighed down. It took everything she had not to pass out right then and there.

At some point, she must have fallen asleep because Cooper was shaking her gently. “You awake there, darlin’?”

“No,” Lucy mumbled as she buried her head into the leather of his duster. “Go ‘way.”

Dot laughed, although Lucy barely heard her. “I think you need to get that girl in bed. I’ll let y’all know when chow’s ready.”

Lucy heard Cooper reply, but before the words could connect in her tired mind, the world shifted. “What’s happening?” she muttered, flailing a bit at the movement.

“I’m fucking carrying you. So, stay still or you’re going to end up ass first in the dirt.” 

“Okey dokey.”

“Sometimes, you’re more trouble than you’re worth,” he said, all crabby and gruff. 

“You like it.”

Cooper was silent for a moment and she heard the creak of a door opening. His boots echoed over the wooden floor for a few steps before he dropped her on the bed. She giggled when she bounced a few times. 

“Alright, let’s get you tucked in,” he finally said as he removed her boots and pulled the handmade quilt up to her chin. 

She closed her eyes and sighed in contentment. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Anytime.” He brushed a lock of hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. As she drifted off to sleep, she heard him add, “and you’re right. I like everything about you.”

With his voice in her ears, her body finally gave out and she fell asleep.

Hours later, Lucy was woken up by Cooper gently shaking her and calling her name. She swatted him away, not remotely ready to leave the bed. It seemed so long ago since the last time she’d laid down on a mattress and just let herself sleep. She wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.

“Up and at ‘em. Dot’s hollering about dinner, so if you want to keep all your toes, I suggest you get moving.”

“Shush,” she mumbled, laying one of her hands over Cooper’s mouth. Or at least she hoped so. Hard to tell what with her eyes closed and everything. “It’s sleepy time.”

Cooper grabbed her wrist and removed her hand from his face, letting her hand flop back down to the bed. “Dogmeat, get her.” 

Lucy squealed when Dogmeat leapt onto the bed and proceeded to lick her with enthusiasm. “Yuck.” She wiped slobber off her face and opened her eyes just so she could glare at a smirking Cooper. “That was just mean.”

He shrugged, still looking entirely too pleased with himself. She would be getting revenge for that later. “It worked, didn’t it?”

Lucy pushed Dogmeat away, grumbling under her breath about rude ghouls and their lack of manners. But she did manage to get out of the bed to put her shoes back on. “Alright, let’s go eat.”

As soon as she said the words, her stomach rumbled. She hadn’t noticed how hungry she was until she said the words. Considering that they’d been surviving on whatever food they could scavenge or hunt, Lucy was looking forward to a home-cooked meal. No Cram or baked bloatfly in sight. 

“Bout damn time.” He clicked his tongue, summoning a cheerful Dogmeat to his side. Lucy wished she had even half the energy of the dog. Heck, if she did, they’d probably be back in California by now. 

The moment they exited the bunkhouse, Dot started clanging her bell. She even continued doing so after she spotted them. Considering the wide grin stretched across her face, Dot looked to be having the time of her life.

“Ignore her,” Katie said with a good-natured eye roll as she wrapped her arms around Lucy and squeezed. “Welcome back.”

“Thank you.” Lucy returned the hug, her eyes watering a bit at the sweet gesture.

“Puppy!” Bethie screamed, chasing after Dogmeat, who looked mildly surprised at the enthusiastic greeting before wagging her tail in joy. “Can we go outside?”

“After dinner.” Danny ignored his daughter’s pout, gently guiding Bethie to her seat at Katie’s side. “If that’s alright with you?”

Cooper nodded at the question. “Sure. The dog seems to enjoy the attention. It ain’t like Lucy and I have the energy to chase her all over the damn desert.”

Dot plopped down across from Cooper, stubbing out her cigarette and tossing it into an old can. “So, if you don’t mind me asking…” Dot started before her son interrupted her.

“She’d ask anyway, even if you did mind,” Danny teased.

Dot glared at her son who kept smiling like he didn’t care one bit. “As I was saying…what happened to the pair of you? Did you kill your daddy?”

Lucy almost choked on the green beans she’d just shoved into her mouth. She hadn’t thought Dot knew their true plan, but she obviously did. Lucy really needed to get better at lying. It was just getting embarrassing at this point.

“Uh, no? Why do you think that?” she asked once she’d managed to swallow her food and not die in the process.

“Girl, I knew exactly what you both were fixing to do once you mentioned your daddy. What did he do that’s got you plotting his murder?”

Lucy glanced at Cooper, panicking over what to say. Should she tell Dot the truth? Or should she attempt to lie? He ignored her, keeping his eyes fixed on his plate and his mouth full of food so he could avoid the conversation.

The big jerk.

“He…er, well, he bombed a whole city, killed my mom and lied to me my entire life. Now, I think he’s on his way back to our vault and I’m worried he’ll hurt my brother. Did you know the vaults do experiments? I had no idea. But my dad knew! All along, he knew. And he just smiled and lied to me every damn day,” Lucy rambled, waving her fork about in the air as she talked. Once she started, everything just came pouring out of her. “He told me my mom had died in a famine! Turns out, she took Norm and me, ran off with her girlfriend and lived as a Wastelander for a while. Then, when he hunts her down and tries to make her return, he steals us and drops all kinds of bombs. He killed thousands of people. Thousands! And he’s all like…well, that’s what we have to do. And then, when I find everything out, he runs off and leaves me with the ghoul who’d just shot him.”

“Hey now, that part worked out just fine,” Cooper interrupted her spiel, allowing her a chance to catch her breath.

“Yeah, now …but he didn’t know you weren’t going to murder me. And I found out my mom didn’t die! She ended up a feral ghoul her girlfriend kept chained up until I…shot her.” Lucy frowned at the last part, remembering the way her mom’s head had snapped back when Lucy put that bullet right between her eyes.

Katie patted Lucy’s hand. “I’m sorry. That’s quite…a lot. Especially for one person to handle.” Katie glanced at Cooper and smiled. “Well, two now. So, some good came out of it, yeah?”

“Yeah. I just wish he hadn’t gotten away.” Lucy ripped a piece of her dinner roll off with her teeth, feeling vaguely murderous. “And if he hurts my brother, I’m not just going to kill him. I’ll make him bleed first.”

“Huh, well alright then. If you need help, Betsy and I’ve got you.” Dot paused, her pale eyes full of compassion. A gruff sort, but it was still nice. “Here, have a cookie.” She shoved a plate in Lucy’s direction. “Maybe two. Hell, have the whole fucking plate. You need it."

Lucy mumbled her thanks, taking two of the cookies. When she bit into the treat, she almost moaned at the taste. She’d only had real chocolate a few times in her life, and never baked into a cookie. They were her new favorite thing. She might actually eat the whole freaking plate.

“So, how do you fit into all of this?” Dot turned her attention to Cooper, who was still pretending his food was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. When he ignored her question, Dot repeated her question (much louder this time) and threw a dinner roll at his head.

“Ma, don’t throw food at our guests.” Danny pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Sorry,” he said to Cooper. “She’s on one tonight.”

“Don’t apologize for me. If I want to throw rolls at people, then that’s what I’m going to do. And I won’t feel bad about it either.”

“You dropped this,” Cooper added dryly, placing the roll back on her plate.

Dot narrowed her eyes, looking like she was ready to start throwing everything in front of her. “You still ain’t answered my question.”

Since Cooper didn’t seem in a hurry to answer Dot’s demands, Lucy figured it was up to her. She wasn’t interested in seeing who’d give in first: Dot or Cooper. They were both stubborn and liked to win, so they’d probably spend the whole night staring each other down.

“Cooper was also hunting my dad. We…ran into each other a few times. When my dad managed to get away-- the first time --we decided to team up. Things progressed from there.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ve said all that before.” Dot gestured with her fork, sending a bit of potatoes flying. “But why’s he looking for your daddy?”

“Why do you care?” Cooper sat down his fork and knife, giving Dot an expression he normally reserved for Lucy when she was annoying him.

Danny and Katie watched the exchange, their heads swiveling back and forth between Dot and Cooper. Lucy couldn’t tell if they were worried or entertained. 

“Bethie, why don’t you go play with Dogmeat outside?” Katie suggested.

Bethie, oblivious to the sudden tension, beamed at her mother before running out the door, Dogmeat chasing after her.

The moment the door banged shut behind Bethie, Dot resumed her interrogation. “I’m curious. And the more you try to dodge the question, the more I want to know. So, save yourself the effort and give it up.”

“Ma, let it go. It isn’t your business,” Katie huffed, cutting her chicken with more force than necessary. Lucy, although she adored Dot, could understand the frustration. The older woman was a force of nature and living with that all the time was probably exhausting on occasion…like right now.

Dot and Cooper both ignored her, staring at each other like they were about to battle to the death. Lucy was putting her money on Dot. Sure, Cooper was a murderous bounty hunter, but Dot was…well, Dot. He didn’t stand a chance.

He sighed, finally surrendering. “Her daddy might know where my daughter is. My ex-wife worked for Vault-Tec and Lucy’s daddy worked for her. So, if anyone still alive knows, it’d be him.”

“Fair enough. Still want to know more about how the pair of you teamed up, but I’ll let it go.” Dot stared at Lucy then Cooper. “For now.”

With peace restored (and no more food projectiles), conversation flowed freely as they continued to eat. Lucy, much to her surprise, managed to enjoy herself. Sure, she still worried about her brother and what would happen once they got to Vault 33, but for now? She was just happy to be around such kind people with Cooper at her side.

At the thought, she placed a hand on his knee and smiled up at him. 

“What?” he mouthed, his brow slightly furrowed.

“Thank you,” she mouthed back. If it’d been up to her, they wouldn’t have stopped. Heck, she’d have kept walking until she fell over. But Cooper made sure that didn’t happen while also giving her this moment. “I love you.”

He didn’t say it back and she hadn’t expected him to considering the fact they were surrounded by people. But he placed his hand over hers and squeezed. With that simple gesture, he reminded her he felt the same way. And that was more than enough for her.

Lucy stared at the ceiling, her thoughts in turmoil as Cooper slept soundly beside her. Her body was so tired she ached with exhaustion, but she couldn’t seem to quiet her mind. She couldn’t stop thinking about the settlements her father had destroyed and the devastation he so casually caused as he made his way back to their… his vault. And she also couldn’t stop worrying over her brother, terrified her father would do something to him. That he’d use Norm to hurt her or that he’d turn her brother against her.

What if she got to Vault 33 and her brother looked at her with betrayed eyes? What if he fell for whatever story their father spun about Lucy and her actions? 

She liked to think that wouldn’t happen, that Norm knew her well enough to not believe her father’s lies. But there was a niggling of doubt at the back of her head. Hank was a persuasive man which is why he’d been an overseer for so long. People looked to him for guidance, for support and for leadership never once doubting his warm eyes and sincere smile. 

But it was all bullcrap. Her father was Vault-Tec’s creation and he had no issue lying and manipulating people to get his way. Especially not to his own children. And Norm, even being the suspicious type, would trust their father. Why wouldn’t he? He didn’t know what Hank had done or what he planned to do. So, there was no reason for him not to believe their father.

She just hoped he’d believe her more than he believed their dad. 

Frustrated and anxious, Lucy carefully disentangled herself from Cooper’s arms doing her best not to wake him. Just because she couldn’t sleep didn’t mean she wanted to disturb his much needed rest. But she couldn’t lay there any longer, wide awake and stressed.

Once she made it outside without waking Cooper, she took a deep breath of cool, night air. The moon was full, bathing her in enough light to walk through the yard without falling on her face. She didn’t know where she was going or what she was doing, but she needed to be moving. When she stopped, that’s when the fears rose up in her throat and choked her.

“Can’t sleep?” 

Lucy jerked in surprise, not expecting to hear anyone and almost jumping out of her skin when she did. “Dot?”

“Sure is.” Dot lit a cigarette, the flame from her match briefly illuminating her wizened face. “What’re you doing out here instead of wrapped around your man?”

“I can’t stop thinking,” Lucy explained, wrapping her arms around herself as she carefully made her way up the worn porch steps and took a seat beside Dot. “I’m so tired and yet, no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to fall asleep.”

Dot nodded sagely, the floor beneath her gently creaking as she rocked back and forth in her chair. “I’ve been there plenty in my life. Some days, all you have is worries. Especially out here.”

“Before leaving my vault, I don’t think I ever really worried, not about anything important. Now it feels like that’s all I do.”

“It ain’t fun, that’s true. But being anxious, well, it shows you give a fuck about something enough to fight for it.” Dot exhaled a cloud of smoke into the night. “Now, tell Granny Dot what’s on your mind.”

Lucy smiled, feeling honored by Dot’s easy acceptance. She hadn’t ever known her father’s parents (for very obvious reasons i.e. they’d probably died centuries ago) and her mother’s parents had died in the famine (or did they? Heck if she knew) when Lucy was too young to really remember them. So, Dot offering to stand in as her honorary grandma made her want to cry out of sheer happiness.  

If Lucy got to choose a grandmother, Dot would be exactly the one she would pick.

“I’m terrified my father will hurt more people. Settlers, Vaulties, my own brother…really, anyone who might get in his way.” Lucy hesitated, rubbing her hands over her knees as she gathered her thoughts. She was scared to admit the other thing weighing on her. Something she hadn’t even told Cooper, not yet. But she had to tell someone. “And I’m afraid that I’m like him. That, someday, I’ll end up doing terrible things because I think it’s right…that I’m right.”

Dot was quiet for a moment, taking in Lucy’s admission as she smoked her cigarette, the smoke forming a halo around the pink curlers in her hair. It seemed as if the older woman was weighing Lucy’s words carefully before replying. But, after what felt like hours, she finally said, “Honey, the fact that you’re concerned about that happening shows that you ain’t like him at all. Not one bit. Do you think he’s sitting around, feeling guilty for all the shit he’s rained down on folks?”

Lucy nibbled on her bottom lip as she thought a second before shaking her head. “I doubt it. When I found out what he did to Shady Sands and my mom, all he tried to do was justify it. He didn’t even seem to care about all those poor people.”

“And you cared, didn’t you?” When Lucy nodded, Dot continued, “and you didn’t let it go either. You packed up your shit and took off with a bounty-hunting ghoul to chase your daddy all across the Mojave and back. So, no, you ain’t like him. Not one bit.”

Her eyes filled with tears even as her heart lightened, just a little, at Dot’s kind words. For a normally gruff woman, Dot was being surprisingly sweet. Not that Lucy would ever tell her that. She had a feeling Dot would just laugh herself sick at the thought. 

“Thank you,” Lucy said softly.

Dot waved her off. “What’re you thanking me for, girly?”

“For listening. And for helping.” Lucy paused, watching Dot in the dim light of the moon. Even though her features were hard to make out, Lucy could see a big smile on her face. “But most of all, for being you.”

“Oh, you, you’re gonna make me cry.” Dot sniffed a little before surprising Lucy by leaning over the arm of her chair and squeezing Lucy tight. “And just remember, we all love you. Me, Danny, Bethie and Katie. But especially, that ghoul you got. He might look like a scary son of a bitch, but that man adores you. So, don’t forget that. Not ever. Even when things are fucked up and seem so dark, know that there’s a lot of people out here that care about you--folks that would miss you if you was gone.”

“Thank you for reminding me. I love you, Dot.”

“Well, shit. Now you’ve done made me cry.” Dot wiped away the tears on her face. “Remember that family is the people we choose to love, not just the ones who happen to share our blood. So, no matter what happens with your daddy, you’ve got plenty of folk who’d happily call you kin.”

Lucy buried her head against Dot's shoulders, crying as the older woman stroked her hair while whispering words of encouragement and kindness. She felt as if a dam had burst open, allowing all the emotions, the pain and exhaustion she’d been suppressing to run free. It was cathartic to let it all go, to allow herself to cry in the arms of someone who loved her. Who, of her own free will, offered Lucy a place in the world. A chance to make a new family of people she chose. People who wouldn’t betray her or kill her mother or drop bombs on innocent settlers.

After a few minutes of sobbing, the tears started to slow, leaving Lucy so tired she felt like her limbs were made of lead. Maybe now, she could finally sleep. Sure, those worries hadn’t disappeared or anything, but they’d lessened. She didn’t have to do this alone, not ever again.

She just needed reminding sometimes. 

“You feeling better now?” Dot asked once Lucy fully stopped crying. Lucy nodded and Dot pulled back to give her a soft smile. “Good. Now, go back to your man and get some sleep. Maybe talk to him about what you’re feeling. He ain’t going to be able to help if you don’t tell him what’s wrong. And if you ever need someone to listen, I’ve got you.”

“Thank you. I will.” Lucy hugged Dot close one more time before saying her farewells. Dot was right. She needed to talk to Cooper, to share the things weighing her down. 

But first, she was going to curl up in his arms and get the sleep she so desperately needed. Because, for the first time in a while, she felt like everything was going to be okay.

Chapter Text

Born in a Hurricane: Someone who can handle any situation or do the hardest work

The next morning, Lucy woke up feeling refreshed for the first time in weeks. She hadn’t even had any nightmares. No dad tormenting her or Norm begging for help or her failing to save the people she loved. Nope, just a solid eight hours of nothing. 

It was fantastic. 

But the best part? Cooper was holding her tight, his breath gently rustling her bangs with each exhale.

She felt all warm inside, cozy and safe. Between the kindness of the Tanners and Cooper’s gentle touch, she finally felt her hope returning. She knew the road ahead of them was still long and Vault 33 seemed so far away, but she didn’t feel numb anymore. No, she was ready to fight, to claw her way back to her brother and make her father pay in blood for his crimes. Lucy was going to save Norm, no matter what. And if anyone got in her way? She’d kill them.

“Well, that grin is creepy as shit.” Cooper’s dark eyes were open and watching her with an expression she couldn’t quite read. Worry, maybe? “Does that mean you’re feeling better?”

Lucy stretched out long, sighing in pleasure as each vertebrae of her aching back cracked. “Mostly.”

“Better than nothing.” Cooper brushed her hair out of her face. “Care to explain that?” He gestured in the general direction of her face. 

“I was just contemplating things.”

“Yeah, sure. And I have some oceanfront property in Nevada to sell you,” Cooper said wryly. 

“I don’t know what that means. Nevada doesn’t have an ocean.”

He made a sound that was somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh. “It means you’re full of shit,” Cooper explained, rolling over onto his back and taking her with him. “So, how about you tell me what’s causing you to grin like the world’s scariest clown?”

“I don’t look like a clown. That’s just mean.” Lucy narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, ready to tackle him if he continued to compare her to such monsters. “Take it back.”

“I’ll consider it if you stop giving me the schoolmarm stare.” He gave her a pointed look. “And if you tell me what the fuck is going on in that overactive brain of yours.”

“Fine,” Lucy huffed, wiggling slightly to get more comfortable. She smiled when Cooper made a choked sound at her movements and debated torturing him for a few more minutes. But she didn’t…she’d save that for later. “I was thinking about Norm and what I’d do to get him back.”

“And what’s your plan?”

“Well, I was thinking,” she paused to kiss him quickly before adding, “I’d kill anyone who got in my way.”

“Darlin’, that might be the sexiest thing you’ve ever said to me.” He rolled them over so she was on her back with him looking down at her, all soft and sweet. “I do love hearing you talk about murder and mayhem.”

She giggled when he started kissing his way down her neck. “I feel like I should be worried about that.”

“Are you?” He paused in his path down her skin, a serious expression on his weathered face. She cocked her head in a silent question. “Worried about how turned on I get listening to you talk about killing?”

She shook her head. “Maybe I should be, but I’m not. I kind of like it.”

“That’s why you’re my lil killer.” He licked her collarbone, his lips curving against her skin. “Perfect and deadly.”

There was never a moment in her entire life where she imagined that she’d be in bed with a man who called her deadly and she’d like it. Instead, she’d always envisioned some faceless man who was her husband whispering about how sweet, kind and gentle she was. A man who’d call her pretty and admire her home-making skills. A partner who’d never know how good her aim was or how talented she was at wielding a knife. 

That was what made moments like this so special to her. Cooper liked her because she was good at those things. If she’d stayed a useless Vaultie, he’d have left her by the side of the road and never thought about her again. And she’d have returned to her vault and lived a lie the rest of her life.

“You know,” Cooper interrupted her thoughts, sounding slightly put out. “If you keep frowning like that, I might take offense.”

“Sorry, I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

He stopped his descent down her chest to look at her, his brow wrinkled in concern. “Then I’m not doing a very good job over here.”

“You’re doing fine,” she informed him and his frown deepened. Apparently, that hadn’t been the right thing to say. “I’m sorry. I’ll stop thinking.”

“Are you even capable of that?”

“Sometimes,” she replied with a smile. Now was not the time to dwell on such matters. There were more important things to focus on, like the way he was nibbling his way down her chest. As much as she enjoyed the feeling, she wanted to be in charge, to show him how much she appreciated him with her hands and her lips. So, using her wrestling skills, she deftly hooked her legs around his hips and flipped them. “My turn,” she added with a grin.

“Have at it.”

She lowered her lips to his, wanting to focus on him and not the anxieties swirling around in her head. She wanted to lose herself in the feel of his skin, rough and warm under her hands. He groaned roughly, his fingers tight on her hips as she deepened the kiss. 

Their tongues tangled as they moved against each other in a familiar rhythm. But she didn’t want to rush this moment. They were safe and warm in a soft bed, no monsters or murderers to interrupt them. 

With a gasp, she removed her mouth from his so she could nibble her way down his throat. When she reached the spot where his neck met his shoulder, she bit down a little harder. He made a rough sound in the back of his throat that made her smile in satisfaction. She was usually the one begging for him to go faster, to stop torturing her and let her fall over the edge. Now, she wanted to do the same to him; to make him plead for relief as she set about torturing him in the best way possible.

She lifted her head to watch him, her lips curving upward at the expression on his face. There was something satisfying about bringing a hardened man like Cooper to his metaphorical knees, to know that she was the one responsible for the desperate look in his eyes.

Her eyes stayed locked on his face as she traced her fingers across his uneven skin, mapping each scar with gentle hands. 

He reached for her, a mix of pleasure and torment flickering in his eyes. “Don’t,” he whispered, his voice cracking slightly over the words.

Lucy wasn’t sure what was behind his sudden reluctance. Did he not want her to touch him? “Why?” she asked, hoping he couldn’t hear the worry in her words.

“It’s ugly,” he said, but she knew what he meant. He thought he was ugly, that his body should repulse her. That, maybe, he was a little afraid of how she saw him.

“No, it’s beautiful,” she breathed, resuming her journey across his skin. “They mark each moment that brought you…us…here. Without them, you wouldn’t be you.”

His marks proved he was a survivor. Sure, he might have gotten a little lost along the way, stumbled into a world of violence and pain. But he’d lived. He’d survived the bombs, and raiders and monsters so he could be here, with her, in this moment.

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the tip of each finger before saying, “I still think you’re nuts.” He released her hand and she resumed her exploration of his ravaged skin. “But you’re the fucking prettiest crazy person I’ve ever seen.”

Since she knew he was teasing, she ignored his words and focused on the task at hand. As she moved further down his chest, she felt his muscles tense under her questing fingers, his breath slightly faster than it had been moments before. Feeling powerful, she replaced her hands with her mouth and was rewarded with a harsh sound at the back of his throat.

She reached his cock, moving her hand up and down a few times before she took him in her mouth. He inhaled sharply, his hips jerking while he buried his fingers in her hair. As she worked him with her lips and tongue, she peeked up at him through her lashes. His dark eyes met hers for a moment, his jaw clenched tight as he tried to maintain control. Part of her wanted to push him further, to make him lose himself completely under her. 

But when he roughly pulled her up his body, she let him. His kiss was almost frantic, all tongue and teeth while his hands tightened in her hair. Knowing she was close to letting him take over, she ended the kiss so she could sink down on his cock, taking him inside her. She started slowly, wanting to make the moment last, to drag out their pleasure as long as she could.

His fingers dug into the sides of her hips in an attempt to make her move faster. She ignored him and continued to keep a sedate pace, gently rocking over him.

“Are you trying to torture me?”

“Maybe a little,” she teased with a smile. Her hands came to rest on his chest as she began to pick up the pace. She felt her insides going liquid as the heat built inside of her. Even though her body was urging her to go faster and faster, to seek the orgasm growing ever closer, she refused to give in. This was a moment to be savored. A way to show him what he meant to her because she couldn’t always find the right words to express the depth of her feelings.

One of his arms wrapped around her waist, while the other used her hair to pull her head back as he latched his mouth onto her neck. She moaned at the feeling, her control slipping as his teeth scraped lightly across her skin. When he sucked her nipple into his mouth, she dug her hands into his head, her hips moving faster and faster. She was so close.

He moved his mouth to her other breast, his teeth biting down slightly on the nipple as his thumb came to her clit, gently circling her until she pushed into his hand, needing more. The movement of her hips was frantic now, all attempts at maintaining any sort of rhythm lost as she sought her pleasure. She dug her nails into his back and moaned as she tumbled over the edge. 

Her body was still shaking when he flipped her over and urged her legs over his shoulders. Rough words and curses tumbled from his lips as he moved hard into her, his hip bones digging into her inner thighs. She cupped his cheeks in hands, wanting to watch his face as he came undone. The moment she met his dark eyes, he surrendered with a curse, pushing into her one last time before he collapsed on her chest.

“I needed that,” Lucy said between pants, her hands stroking down his back. 

“I think you might’ve killed me,” he groaned against her skin, rolling onto his side so he could face her. 

She traced her fingers across the lines of his face, smiling softly as his eyes met hers. Although he didn’t say the words much, she could feel his love for her. It was in the way he touched her skin, the way his eyes softened just a little when he looked in her direction and the way he kissed her like she was his reason for breathing.

“I thought you were hard to kill.”

“Yeah, well, you’re a lot more deadly than bullets.”

Lucy knew she needed to discuss Serious Matters with Cooper, but she was reluctant to ruin the moment. Still, Dot had been right about unburdening herself to Cooper. Keeping everything bottled up was turning her into a barely functioning mess. Which, out here, could be deadly. 

Lucy closed her eyes and took a deep breath in preparation before she whispered, “I’m afraid.”

“Of what?” he asked in a voice suited for calming down small children and wild animals. And apparently, anxious former Vaulties.

“Everything. Of my dad. For Norm. What might happen between here and there.” Lucy chewed at her bottom lip as the panic welled back up inside of her. 

Before coming to the surface, Lucy hadn’t really known fear. Sure, there were moments where her brother startled her or a creature in a movie gave her nightmares. She also vaguely recalled being scared after losing her mother. But she’d been so young, she barely even remembered it. 

As she’d gotten older, she became less and less afraid. In the vault, there was nothing to fear. Her home had been tucked away, safe and hidden from the people and monsters roaming the earth above. They didn’t have murder or theft or assaults. Everyone worked together and took care of each other. The biggest worries in her life were getting good grades, being a good teacher and finding a good husband.

Out here, there was so much to fear. The creatures alone gave her nightmares and people tried to kill her on a fairly regular basis. And yet, none of that was what kept her up at night. Sure, she didn’t particularly like having to fight for her life every dang day, but she was confident in her survival skills. Also, she had Cooper. He was a lot of things, but most of all, he was a survivor. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with.

But she was still so afraid.

“I know you’re scared and I can’t say everything is going to work out. I ain’t one for optimism. That’s your thing.” He wrapped a finger around a lock of her hair, twirling it as he watched her through half lidded eyes. “But I’m here and I’ll do everything in my fucking power to keep you safe.”

“I know,” she said, her voice cracking. “But I don’t think this is something you can protect me from.”

“How so?”

“I’m terrified to go back to the vault,” she confessed, snuggling closer to his warmth. She hadn’t even known how much until she said the words. Out of everything she might face… they might face…the thing that scared her the most was walking back into her former home.

Cooper nodded as if he understood her worries. Heck, maybe he even shared them. “I get it. They give me the creeps too. All those steel walls, eerie smiles and unsettling Vaulties,” he shuddered dramatically, “would scare anyone with a lick of sense.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “It’s not that bad.”

“If it ain’t that, what is it?”

“I’m scared that somehow my dad will win and I’ll end up trapped inside.” She dropped her gaze, unable to look into his fathomless eyes while she whispered her worst fears against his skin. “That I’ll be in there and you’ll be out here. That he’ll somehow manage to turn me back into the Vaultie I was before, that woman he created.” She choked on a sob, her chest tight as if someone was reaching inside and squeezing her heart between their hands. “I don’t want to be her again.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, gently rubbing his rough hands up and down her spine while she wept into his chest. “That ain’t going to happen. Your daddy ain’t going to win and you’re sure as hell not getting stuck in there. I’ll rip the whole place down by hand if I have to.” He adjusted slightly, gently forcing her to look up at him. “And darlin’, you were yourself before you even left that place. Being out here just gave you the chance to let it all out.”

Lucy felt her tears slow as she considered his words. Was he right? Had she always been the Lucy she was now but just hidden away? By coming to the surface, had she really changed all that much or was she just finding out who she really was?

Maybe the vaults really had been a prison, but not a physical one. Instead, they forced people to lock away their true selves, to hide away their flaws and their hopes and their dreams beneath wide smiles and happy chatter. Because people were messy and terrible and beautiful but the vaults didn’t want that. They didn’t want people who thought for themselves, who were sometimes cruel or selfish or sad. 

No, they wanted mindless followers, people who smiled cheerfully as they did what they were told. People who never questioned orders or asked why. Vault-Tec had tried to breed that out of them, generation after generation. And for the most part, they’d succeeded. Almost everyone in her vault was exactly what Vault-Tec had created them to be: selfless, orderly and complacent.

But her and Norm were proof that they hadn’t completely achieved their goal. No matter how much they’d tried, Norm still asked why, still disobeyed orders and still reached for more. As for Lucy, she had to leave to find her own strength, to finally start questioning who she really was and what she wanted out of her life.  Now that she’d escaped the invisible bars holding her inside, she could become the woman she was always meant to be.

“Just promise you won’t leave me there, no matter what.” She stared him right in the eyes, wanting him to understand how important that was to her. “I’d rather be dead than live that lie again.”

“Huh, usually I’m the one being that dramatic.” When she scowled at him, he laughed and added, “I pinky promise.” He held out his little finger and she wrapped hers around it. 

She dropped his finger, a half smile on her face. “Thank you.”

“You know I love you, yeah?”

She nodded as she tilted her head up. “I know,” she said before she pressed her lips against his.

Sure, things were tough out here. Sometimes, she almost died. But on the surface, she had a man who loved her for who she was…who allowed her to be who she was. And she wouldn’t trade that for something as fleeting as safety. 

Heck, she wouldn’t trade that for anything.

The next morning, Lucy and Cooper stood on the porch and said their goodbyes. She hated leaving. The Tanners had allowed her a place where she could rest and heal up a bit before hitting the road again. Lucy loved each and everyone of them for allowing her and Cooper into their lives. 

Even if Cooper liked to pretend otherwise. 

“Once you take care of your daddy, y’all better come back,” Dot said, sniffling a bit as she enfolded Lucy into a hug that almost crushed her ribcage. For such a small woman, her hugs packed some serious wallop. “Maybe bring that brother of yours.”

“If he leaves.” Lucy squeezed the older woman one more time. “Thank you again. For everything.”

“Ain’t no problem. You’re family now, so don’t go thanking me for treating you as such.” Dot patted her gently on the cheek as she turned her eyes on Cooper. “And you better take care of her. If you don’t, Betsy will be the least of your problems.” 

He grinned at Dot’s threat like he expected nothing less from the gruff, old woman. “If I fuck up, I won’t even try to stop you.”

Bethie threw her arms around Lucy’s legs, distracting her from the conversation between Dot and Cooper. “Bye, Miss Lucy.”

Lucy crouched down so she could give the little girl a hug. “Bye, Miss Bethie.”

Bethie giggled, burying her head in Katie’s legs. “Good luck. I hope we get to see you again soon. Our door is always open,” Katie said, giving Lucy a quick squeeze before releasing her.

“Thank you. I hope so too.” Lucy smiled, trying not to cry all over the woman’s shoulder. She hated goodbyes. Especially when she didn’t know when, or if, she’d ever see them again.

“You better come say hi again soon. Otherwise, Ma’s going to hunt you down.” Danny pulled her into a short, but tight hug.

Lucy laughed, imagining Dot in her pink curlers and bunny slippers walking all the way to California. The woman might be old, but she’d probably leave a trail of bodies that would rival anything Cooper could manage. 

“Will do,” she said, hitching her bag up higher on her shoulders and walking towards Cooper, who was still talking with Dot. Just as she was about to reach them, Dot surprised the heck out of her by throwing her arms around Cooper. 

The look of disbelief and discomfort on his face almost made her giggle, but she held it in, not wanting to embarrass him. He didn’t even take out his gun or threaten to shoot the older woman. Instead, he just stood there awkwardly while she squeezed him. When he caught Lucy’s eye, he mouthed ‘help’, his arms stiff at his sides.

“If you keep touching him like that, I might start getting jealous.”

Dot grinned widely before taking pity on Cooper and releasing him. The look of relief on his face was truly something to behold. One would think he was being mauled by mole rats instead of getting embraced by an old woman. 

“If I was a couple of years younger, I’d give you a run for your money.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Lucy gave Dot one last hug. “See you soon.”

“I better.” Dot released Lucy and gave Cooper one last look. “You too even if you’re shit at goodbyes. I’ve hugged corpses with more life in them.”

Lucy frowned, deeply concerned about that statement. Was the woman teasing or did she really hug dead bodies on occasion?

It was hard to tell with Dot.

“You scare me sometimes,” Cooper told Dot as he reached his hand out to Lucy. She wrapped her fingers around his gloved ones, thrilled he made the first move this time. “Alright, darlin’, let’s go kill some people.”

Lucy used her free hand to wave goodbye to the Tanners as they walked back into the Mojave. “And save my brother.”

“Of course. After we kill some folks.”

“Okey dokey.”

Chapter Text

Shoot or Give Up the Gun: To either take action or decide not to take action

“Fuck.” Cooper removed his hat, slapping it on his leg a few times as he contemplated what the hell they were going to do now. “Shit.”

“What’s wrong?” Lucy came to stand at his side, nose all scrunched up with curiosity and Dogmeat at her heels.

“Fuck,” he repeated with a growl, jamming his hat back on his head and pulling out his gun to check his ammo. 

“Other words would be good. Maybe some that explained why you’re cursing at nothing.” 

“It ain’t nothing.” He replaced his gun, deciding now would be a good time for a cigarette. Since he’d finished off his last pack this morning, he settled for rolling his own. 

Lucy, meanwhile, kept staring at him like she could see into his soul. Since he didn’t have one, he mostly found it annoying. And maybe a little unsettling. ‘Course, most folks wouldn’t know that by looking at her, but Cooper knew her better. When she gave him that stare, it meant she was either going to threaten to shoot him (usually his knees) or hound him with questions.

He’d prefer the bullets to the questions, to be honest.

“Can you use your big boy words and explain what the heck is going on?” 

He licked the rolling paper and gave her his most terrifying scowl, not liking the condescending tone. She, as per usual, ignored him. Sort of made him miss those days when she was actually scared of him. “Don’t talk to me like I’m your dumbest student.”

“Then don’t act like it.”

He muttered some of his favorite curses under his breath as he lit his cigarette. “Don’t sass me right now. The shit’s about to hit the fan and I don’t need to deal with all that.” He waved his hand in her direction to indicate her current demeanor.

Her frown deepened and her foot started tapping, a sign she was about to start threatening his person. “I’ll stop if you just tell me what’s going on.”

Cooper exhaled a cloud of smoke before leaning down so he could look her dead in the eyes. “Super mutants.”

“What? Where?”

He pointed a finger just to the south of where they currently were. “Right there. And we can’t avoid them unless we go a day or so out of our way.”

“Fudge,” she sighed, her shoulders dropping in acceptance. “Guess I’ll get to see my first super mutant today.”

“You know, as an adult, you can say fuck.” Cooper flicked the remains of his cigarette into the sand. “In fact, I’ve even heard you say it once or twice.”

She glanced up at him, her doe-eyes wide with innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never say such things.”

“Better, but I can still tell you’re full of shit.”

Lucy pouted in his direction. “I’m never going to get the hang of lying, am I?”

“Probably not.”

“Phooey.” She kicked the dirt with her boot. “I thought I had it that time.”

Cooper rolled his eyes at her ridiculous word choice. He’d never understand her, no matter how long he spent at her side. He’d heard her curse a blue streak more than once, but most of the time, she said words his grandmother had used when she stubbed a toe or the cat got into her knitting.

“How about instead of practicing your attempts at lying, you check your guns. We’re about to use a whole lotta ammo.”

“What do I need to know about them?” she asked as she checked her rifle and the 10mm attached to her hip. 

“They’re big, green, dumb as shit, hard to kill and tend to enjoy ripping people to pieces. Won’t do you much good to aim since it’ll take more than one shot to take them down. Just point your gun in their general direction and keep firing until they stop moving.”

“Sounds simple enough.”

Cooper adjusted his hat and filled his pockets with extra ammo before he gestured to her to get moving. “Here’s hoping. But don’t hold your breath.” He stopped walking for a second to sweep her into his arms and give her a quick kiss. “Try not to get killed.”

She met his eyes, grinning like they weren’t about to fight for their lives. “You too.”

“I’ll do my best. Now, shut up so they don’t hear us coming from a mile away.”

Lucy mockingly saluted him, but at least she wasn’t yapping or asking stupid questions. For now. He gave her ten minutes, at most, before she started back up again. 

They walked silently towards the abandoned warehouse, Dogmeat keeping pace with them. There were a few super mutants patrolling outside the doors, but Cooper knew there’d be more inside.

There were always more inside. 

Super mutants might not be the brightest monsters in the Wasteland, but they were some of the most dangerous. And they were never alone. If there was one super mutant running around, he probably had ten or more buddies behind him. 

As they got closer, Cooper crouched behind a crate and indicated for Lucy to do the same. Once she had, he looked at her and prayed he wasn’t about to get the both of them killed. “Let’s sneak around back. Might be easier than running at them from the front. I’ll get in close and you cover me.” When she nodded, he added, “and for the love of all that’s holy, don’t let ‘em get ahold of you. They do that, and you won’t be walking out of here.”

“Yes, sir,” she whispered back. He rolled his eyes at her snarky tone, but refrained from commenting. Now was not the time.

Once Lucy was in position and ready to go, Cooper strolled up to the warehouse like he didn’t have a care in the world while Lucy hid behind some crates with Dogmeat, her rifle resting on top. 

At least, he really fucking hoped that was what she was doing. Otherwise, shit was about to get very unpleasant for him.

“Howdy there, fellows.” Cooper grinned at the two super mutants, tipping his hat while they stared at him blankly. “Care to help a man out?”

The two green giants looked at each other before turning back to Cooper. “You look funny.”

“True.” Cooper bobbed his head in agreement. “But, and I hate to tell you both this, so do you.”

“Rude non-human.”

“Kill rude non-human.”

Cooper dodged out of the way when the slightly larger one grabbed at him and signaled for Lucy to fire. When she didn’t, he was forced to roll out of the way, almost losing his hat in the process. “Now would be good!” he shouted in Lucy’s general direction.

“In a minute,” she yelled back.

Why the fuck wasn’t she shooting the fuckers?

He barely missed having his head detached from his body, so he did the smart thing and started to run back towards Lucy, Dogmeat barking at the super mutants giving chase. “Fire your fucking gun!”

“I said in a minute!”

“In a minute, I’ll be missing all my limbs,” he snarled as he got closer to her.

“Super mutant smash!” one of them grunted from behind Cooper as a wooden crate was hurled in his direction. Thankfully, it missed, but it was close enough to make him very unhappy.

“For fuck’s sake…shoot the bastards!” he huffed as he reached her side, dropping to the dirt and panting as he tried not to think about murdering her. He loved her…murder would be bad. Hell, he’d probably even regret it.

But if she didn’t fucking fire her gun, he might end up doing it anyways.

“Don’t glare at me like that. It’s not my fault. This stupid gun is jammed.”

He took a puff off his inhaler because a) he had to and b) to keep his hands busy so he didn’t do anything like pick her up and throw her at the super mutants. “I told you to clean it.”

“I did.” She whacked the barrel with her hand. “I said, multiple times , I needed a better one. But no, someone decided he needed three bottles of bourbon instead,” she continued, glaring at him like he was the one to blame for this mess. 

“Hey, those were a necessity.”

“Ah, yes, medicinal bourbon. Heals all wounds.”

He ignored Lucy’s snide comment, deciding now was not the time to argue about the importance of alcohol. He didn’t need a lecture about the evils of booze while playing hide and seek with a gang of super mutants. 

“Where’d you go, stupid man?” one of the mutants called out.

“I’m hungry.” the other one growled. “Non-human tasty snack.”

Thankfully, the two giant morons hadn’t spotted their hiding spot yet, but it was only a matter of time. Cooper very much didn’t want to end up on a super mutant’s dinner plate.

“How about we kill the fuckers and you can berate me later. I might even enjoy it.” He winked at her. “If you’re naked.”

“I’ll get naked if you get me a better rifle.”

“Darlin’, for that, I’ll find you the best damn gun in the entire Wasteland.”

Lucy grinned at him, all wide and cheerful like they weren’t about to be torn apart by two very large monsters. “Aw, thank you,” she cooed just before her gun finally fired, hitting one of the super mutants right in the neck. 

The super mutant clutched his neck. “Owie.”

“You die now,” the other one grunted as he charged at Lucy. Instead of being smart and moving the fuck out of the way, she kept calmly firing her weapon at the monster even as he got closer and closer. 

Cooper very much wanted to yell at her to move her ass, but he was currently being pursued by the other mutant who was using one hand to clutch his neck where Lucy had shot him while his other meaty fist kept trying to catch Cooper by his coat.

Dogmeat barked, but seemed torn if she should go help Lucy who was still firing away or Cooper, who was weaving around in an attempt to avoid getting smashed to death.

“Stay still, non-human. Must crush you.”

“I’m going to have to pass on that, thanks.” Cooper managed to get far enough ahead of the mutant to pull his shotgun and fire at the super mutant's knees, bringing him crashing to the ground. Before the super mutant could recover, he shot it again.

One down, one to go he thought as he reloaded his gun. 

“I don’t like this anymore,” Lucy calmly informed him as she fired off a few more rounds from her 10mm. She might as well be throwing pebbles for all the damage it was doing to her target.

“The rifle might be a tad more effective,” he pointed out.

She paused shooting to give him a very annoyed glare. “It jammed.” Her eyes narrowed even more. “Again.”

“Right.” Cooper turned around and aimed his shotgun. Two rounds later, the mutant joined his friend, bleeding all over the ground. 

Since Cooper wasn’t an idiot, he shot both of them again. In the head. Twice. 

Satisfied they were dead, he made his way back over to Lucy. “Ready to go inside?”

Lucy sighed, her shoulders slumping. “Do we have to? I mean the rest are in there. They won’t even see us.”

“Considering we killed two of their friends, I’m thinking they aren’t just going to let us mosey on out of here. Last thing we need is a gang of super mutants chasing us all over the desert. Best we take care of them now.” He patted her on the shoulder in consolation. “And who knows? Maybe we can find you a new rifle in there.”

“Okay,” she cheerfully agreed, picking up her old rifle and heaving it over the fence. “Farewell, old friend.” 

“Quite the send off.”

“Rusty deserved better. He was a good gun, but alas, his time has come.”

Cooper raised his brow, torn between laughing and rolling his eyes. “You named it?”

“Of course I named him. We spent a lot of time together,” she said as if christening her gun was a completely normal and sane thing to do.

“Right. Do you need a moment of silence for Rusty?”

She either didn’t notice or ignored his sarcasm. “I wouldn’t say no.”

“I was joking.”

“Oh.” Lucy shrugged and gave Rusty one final, forlorn look. “I’ll miss him.”

“I worry about you,” he informed her, shaking his head as if he were deeply ashamed. She was an odd duck, but he kind of liked that about her. “And don’t even think about naming anything of mine.”

“Too late.” She grinned, all teeth and bouncing ponytail, as they walked towards the entrance to the warehouse. 

“Do I want to know?”

She cocked her head, lips pursed as she considered whether she should tell him or not. “This seems like a discussion best saved for later.”

“Great,” he muttered, stopping right in front of the door. “I look forward to it.”

Before she could reply, probably something about how sarcasm wasn’t nice or some shit, he opened the door and they stepped inside. And immediately walked right into something wet and sticky. 

Lucy made a noise somewhere between a whine and shriek before hissing, “what the heck?” in his direction.

“Meat sack.” Cooper nudged it out of the way with his shotgun, inching his way forward.

“Excuse me?” Lucy stared at him, all forlorn and lost. Like a child who was just told Santa wasn’t real. 

Well, if said child had blood smeared across their entire body. And face. 

“Super mutants make ‘em for some reason.”

“Okay, great. But what exactly makes up a meat sack?” Lucy followed behind him, giving the dripping meat sack a wide berth. 

“Blood. Meat. Random shit.” Cooper glanced around and didn’t see any super mutants in their immediate vicinity. But he could hear some grumbling coming from further inside. “It’s like a super mutant lunch box.”

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Unless you want to end up as one of those, I suggest waiting.”

Although she still looked a bit green around the gills, she managed not to throw up as she fell into step beside him. They skirted around several more meat sacks as they snuck across the warehouse, following the sound of voices. Dogmeat trotted ahead of them, her nose to the ground as she sniffed her way across the room. He let her have at it, figuring the dog knew what she was doing.

By his estimation, there were maybe five more super mutants inside the warehouse. That was less than he figured, but more super mutants than he’d like.  Still, they’d faced worse odds before and come out on top, so it should all work out. Although it’d be better if Lucy had a more powerful gun.

He held up one hand to stop her and said, “before we go charging in there, check to see if there’s any guns lying around. Anything will be better than that peashooter you’ve got.”

She jerked her head to the right to indicate which area she would search. He nodded, sending Dogmeat with Lucy as he checked the left side. Hopefully, the dog would keep her out of trouble. He wouldn’t hold his breath though.

There wasn’t much on his side, minus a stimpack and a few rounds of ammo. Better than nothing, but he’d have preferred something that packed a wallop for Lucy. Maybe she had better luck.

When he met back up with her, he was happy to see she’d found a shotgun. Sure, it was worse for wear and probably wouldn’t last, but as long as it kept her alive through this little quest, he didn’t give a fuck.

After all the super mutants were dead, he’d go through this entire fucking warehouse from top to bottom to find her a decent rifle. Maybe a sniper since she was damn good at aiming although her patience was shit. 

“Ready, darlin’?” he whispered and she nodded, shotgun in her arms and a determined gleam in her big eyes. “Alright, stay close and do what I tell you.”

She pressed her lips together, ready to argue about his orders. He knew, as soon as he said it, he was dreaming. Sure, she’d listen if she thought it was for the best, but getting her to do what he wanted without argument was probably not going to happen. Ever.

But he remained optimistic.

When she didn’t say anything, he shrugged before kicking the door open. The super mutant on the other side stopped dead in its tracks, eyes all wide with shock. Before the mutant could utter a word, Lucy fired her shotgun, wincing slightly at the kickback. But it got the sucker in one hit, splattering them both with super mutant brains.

“Gross.” She wiped a hand across her face, frowning when her hand came back red. “Fudge. How bad is it?”

Cooper wasn’t sure if he should lie or tell her the truth. He settled for the middle ground since they couldn’t do anything about cleaning her up now and he didn’t want her having a meltdown until all the mutants were dead. “Eh, could be worse.”

Her frown deepened like she knew he was lying, but she let it go with a simple nod. He had a feeling that once they got out of here and she saw her face, she was going to spend the rest of the night scrubbing herself raw. Probably after she freaked out for a few minutes. Since he loved her, he tried not to smirk at the thought.

They made their way further into the warehouse, killing super mutants as they ran across them. Luckily, the mutants didn’t put up much of a fight, allowing them to quickly make their way through the warehouse. 

When the last body hit the floor, Lucy looked at him. “Is that all?”

Cooper cocked his head, listening for signs of more of the fuckers. “Sounds like there’s two on the roof. But that should be the last of them.”

“I freaking hope so. I feel sticky.” 

“Probably all the blood,” Cooper pointed out helpfully.

Lucy glared at him as if she didn’t find him the least bit helpful. “You said it wasn’t bad!”

“No, I said it could be worse.”

“They’re the same thing!”

“How about we kill some super mutants and then you can debate semantics, yeah?”

She nodded begrudgingly. “Fine. But I reserve the right to shout at you later for lying to me.”

“I’ll put it on the schedule,” he told her wryly. “And I didn’t lie.”

Before she could argue with him, he shoved open the door to the roof. Two super mutants immediately came running their way, murder in their eyes. 

Lucy went left and one of the mutants followed. “Stupid lady,” it grunted as it chased after her while she jogged backward, firing her gun the entire time. 

Cooper went right, distracting the other mutant. He fired his gun, but the bullet pinged off the railing just above the giant green menace. “Not nice, ghoul.”

Great, now he was being lectured by a barely literate monster. 

“Well, buddy, I ain’t nice,” he said as he fired another round, hitting the creature in the shoulder. It didn’t even slow the mutant down. Cooper backed away as the growling mutant charged at him. Unfortunately, Cooper stumbled over a poorly placed chest and fell right towards his attacker. 

“Fuck,” he said just before a giant fist wrapped around his neck and lifted him right off the ground. He gasped for air, digging his fingers into the giant’s hands as his feet flailed. He really didn’t want to be choked out by a super mutant. 

Granted, it probably wouldn’t kill him. But the whole being-made-into-a-mutant-meat-sack part sure would.

“Hey, asshole,” Lucy shouted from behind the mutant, swinging a metal pipe right at the thing’s head. Once it made contact, the mutant dropped Cooper to the ground and turned its attention on Lucy.

Before Cooper could regain his bearings, Lucy took off with the mutant chasing behind her. He watched, completely helpless as she ran towards the ledge. “Be careful,” he managed to yell, even though his voice was raspier than usual.

She spun around to smile at him just as the mutant reached her. Before he could do more than blink, the both of them disappeared over the edge of the roof. 

“Lucy!”

Dogmeat was barking her head off while Cooper raced to the spot where Lucy had disappeared. He was terrified to look, not wanting to see her broken and bleeding on the ground three stories below him. 

He couldn’t lose her now. Not when he’d just found her. She gave him hope again, a reason to be more than a bounty-hunting ghoul with no conscience. If she was dead, he didn’t know if he’d ever recover. Hell, he might just join her. Because what would his life be without her?

Empty. Lonely. Bleak.

Just like before. 

He didn’t want that. Not again.

Cooper took a deep breath in preparation, ready to face his worst nightmare. Just as he was about to peak over the edge of the roof, a hand wrapped around the ledge. “What the fuck?”

He looked down to find Lucy hanging off the building, her legs trying to find purchase on the brick wall. “When you’re done gaping at me, do you think maybe you could give me a hand?”

He crouched down and wrapped his gloved hands around her wrists to pull her up, grunting at the effort. The moment her feet touched the ground, he swept her into his arms and kissed her. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pulled him closer, matching his movements enthusiastically. 

“What the fuck were you thinking?” he shouted as he pulled away. “You could’ve been killed.”

She frowned at his tone. “Don’t talk to me like that. I’m fine.”

“I’ll talk to you anyway I damn well please,” he snarled back, torn between choking her or kissing her again. “You fucking lept off a building. So forgive me if I’m a little fucking pissed.”

“I didn’t leap. I made a strategic decision.”

“Strategic, my ass. That was the stupidest fucking thing you’ve ever done. And you’ve done a lot of stupid shit.”

Her hands curled into fists as she scowled back at him. “Why are you yelling at me? It all worked out. You do stuff like that all the time.”

“No I fucking do not.” He pinched the space just above the hole in his face as he questioned what the hell he was thinking getting involved with a suicidal Vaultie. “And I ain’t nearly as breakable as you.”

“Oh, really?” Her arms crossed over her chest as she tapped her foot. “Remember the death claw?”

Internally, he cursed. He’d forgotten about that incident. Not that it was anything like this one. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Both eyebrows shot up. “Liar.”

Instead of replying to that particular insult he huffed, “if you ever do anything like that again, you won’t have to worry about any super mutants. I’ll throw you off the roof myself.” 

Her eyes went all wide and soft, her hand resting on his chest as she looked up at him. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

Cooper, still tempted to toss her right over the edge, fumbled through his pockets until he found his rolling papers and tobacco. He busied himself with that while he attempted to reign in his temper. 

It wasn’t going well.

“You didn’t.” He lit his cigarette, inhaling deeply before speaking again. “You pissed me the fuck off.”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, still peeking up at him through her lashes. Her lips curved up in a faint smile, like she was pleased he was upset. “I didn’t think it’d bother you this much. Is it bad I kind of like it?”

“Fuck yes.”

“It’s not that I want you to be upset, I just like knowing how much I matter.” She laid a hand against his cheek. “But I promise, I won’t throw myself off any other roofs without telling you first.”

“Of course you fucking matter.” Cooper rolled his eyes, still more than a little tempted to push her right off the roof. But, as an adult man who was fully in control of his emotions, he didn’t.

Lucy stood up on her tiptoes to press her lips against his, her hands cupping his face. As mad as she made him, he still fucking loved her. So much. 

Even if she was going to send him to an early grave.

She stopped kissing him to whisper, “I know,” against his lips. “Sometimes, I just need a reminder.”

“How about next time you just ask instead of leaping off the building?” He finished his cigarette, flicking the butt off to the side. Lucy, as per usual, gave him the How Dare You Litter look which, like always, he ignored. 

“Okey dokey.”

“Don’t okey dokey me. I hate that.”

Her lower lip jutted out, reminding him of a child about to have a tantrum. “Do you really?”

Since he was a giant sucker when it came to her, he caved. “No. But don’t do that shit again.”

Her pout turned into a sassy grin. “Yes, sir,” she said with a cheeky little salute.

“Don’t be cute.” He held out his hand so she could wrap her blood-stained fingers around his. 

“I am sorry, you know.”

“I know.” When she stared at him expectantly, he reluctantly added, “I’m sorry I yelled.”

“Hey, look at us. We’re great at all this relationship stuff.”

Cooper had his doubts about that. She was inexperienced with anything beyond fucking her cousin (for the most part) and his last relationship had been several hundred years ago. The fact that neither of them had completely blown it was shocking.

But they were both getting better at it, so that was something.

“How about we finish looting this place so we can get the fuck out of here?”

“Okay! Maybe we can find me a new gun. I already miss Rusty.”

“Are you going to name this one too?”

“Obviously,” she replied, as if he should’ve known. 

“Fair enough.”

And that was how, over an hour later, Lucy had a shiny new sniper rifle named Sweetie in her hands and a giant smile on her face.

“I love her,” she cooed, stroking the barrel in a way that made him slightly concerned and very excited.

“I can tell,” he said dryly. “Do you two need a moment alone?”

“Don’t be jealous.” She set the rifle to the side, grabbed his lapels and kissed him. “I love you more.”

“Prove it.”

So, she did.

Although she did keep the gun in sight the entire time as she laid him flat and rode him hard. He hadn’t known guns got her that hot, but now that he did, he was going to be throwing weapons at her left and right.

Who knew his perfect woman would be a Vaultie? One who loved weapons, killed if necessary and didn’t mind rolling around in the dirt, covered in blood and gore.

And he loved every murderous, crazy, sweet inch of her.

Chapter Text

Quit the flats: To leave some place

Lucy tried not to squeal in excitement as they walked towards the town. She was looking forward to seeing the sheriff and Mrs. Myers again. Cooper needed his medicine and the settlement was close, so he’d agreed to stop. As much as he tried to pretend otherwise, she knew he liked the sheriff and her friend. But Cooper was still working on the whole emotions-aren’t-evil thing, so he wouldn’t admit it on pain of death.

“Hey, I know you,” the guard greeted, his face red and his grin wide. “Going in?”

Cooper glared at the man for reasons that escaped her. Maybe he was just extra crabby today. So, she let him be all grumpy while she talked to the guard. “Yep!” Lucy beamed at the man who smiled back at her. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Did that knight ever find you?” the guard asked as he moved to the side and waved them through. “He seemed like the determined sort.”

“That’s one way to describe him,” Cooper muttered, his scowl deepening at the mention of Max. 

“He did.” Lucy walked past the guard while Cooper followed behind, one hand on his gun as he eyed the guard. “Thanks for the help.”

The guard gave her a kind smile and a nod. “Anytime. Let me know if you need anything, miss.”

Cooper placed a hand on her waist, giving the guard a smug sneer. “I got her covered.”

Lucy, unsure why Cooper was being so weird, gave the guard another big smile. “You can call me Lucy.”

“He better fucking not.”

The guard looked at Cooper first, swallowing hard. Then he turned his attention to Lucy. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll stick with Miss. Your partner seems…upset.”

“Oh, he’s always like that.” Lucy grabbed Cooper’s hand and dragged him away from the guard before he started threatening to shoot the poor man. “Thanks again!”

“Don’t wave at him like that. He’ll think you’re friends.”

Lucy rolled her eyes, but did as requested. “I don’t know why you’re all growly about it. He seems nice.”

“You think everyone is nice,” Cooper grunted, guiding her towards the marketplace. Much to Lucy’s surprise, he even continued to hold her hand. Maybe she was finally getting through to him. Soon, he might even kiss her in public.

Well, eventually. She’d settle for a hug in front of other people at this point. 

“You’re exaggerating. I didn’t find the super mutants nice,” Lucy pointed out, her eyes roving across the different merchant’s booths and their goods. There was a very nice knife she wouldn’t mind having. She could also use a new shirt since her current one was covered in super mutant goo. 

“I bet if you’d talked to them, you would’ve made some new pals.”

Lucy pulled Cooper towards the same clothing merchant she’d bought stuff from the last time as she asked, “Do you really think so?”

“No.” He leaned against the booth, his hand on his gun and his hat lowered. Dogmeat sat at his side, alert but calm. “But it’d be funny to see you try.”

She dug through the shirts, setting aside a pale blue button up and a grey t-shirt. “That’s not very nice of you. Shouldn’t you support my decisions? I feel like that’s something couples do. I mean, I don’t mock you when you threaten to shoot people all the time.”

He made a sound that was either a laugh or a groan. Maybe both. “Fine, next time you want to chit chat with a mutant, feel free.”

“Isn’t that what I’m doing right now?” she teased, handing over a handful of caps to the vendor who was pretending not to listen to their conversation. They didn’t appear to be doing a very good job of it considering the smirk on their face.

Cooper narrowed his eyes at her from under his hat, not looking terribly amused with her. “Very funny.”

“I thought so.”

“Well, at least someone did.” He steered her to another merchant who was selling a variety of chems, Stimpacks and RadAway. “I need as many of these as you’ve got,” he told the vendor, an old woman who looked like she’d rather be napping, as he pointed at the vials of his medicine. 

The woman quoted him a ridiculous sum of caps that made him snarl out a curse. So, before he threatened to murder the poor vendor, Lucy stepped in and haggled her down to a somewhat reasonable price. And she threw in some of the loot they’d snagged at the super mutant warehouse to sweeten the deal.

“Are we going to stay the night?” Lucy asked as they left the marketplace, mentally crossing her fingers he would agree. As much as she wanted to run towards Vault 33, she needed a bath. Maybe two. She was pretty certain she still had super mutant guts in her hair.

“Don’t see why not.”

Lucy barely refrained from squealing as she clapped her hands in joy. “At Mrs. Myers’s?”

“Only if you stop looking like you’re about to start skipping down the street. I’ve got a reputation to protect and being seen with someone grinning like a loon might ruin it.” 

She ignored his tone, refusing to allow him to ruin her moment of joy. He was just such a Grumpy Gus sometimes. It wouldn’t kill him to smile a bit more. “Fine. But once we’re in the room, I get to giggle as much as I want.”

“Have at it. Ain’t like I could stop you anyhow.”

As they walked down the street to the hotel, Lucy waved at a few of the people she recognized from last time. Everyone was friendly, offering kind greetings and smiles in return. Cooper ignored it all, keeping his stone cold killer look on his face the entire time. It made her want to poke a finger in his side just to see what would happen.

She didn’t though. Last thing she wanted was an argument in the middle of the street.

“Well, howdy there, friends. Sure is good to see y’all again.” Mrs. Myers greeted them when they walked in the door. “Did that little knight friend of yours find you?”

Cooper mumbled about dumbass child knights and their clueless sidekicks while Lucy nodded. “He did, thanks.”

“You looking for a room for a night or two?”

Lucy’s ponytail bounced with the force of her nod. “One night and I’d love a bath, please.” 

“Right now?” Mrs. Myers asked, her mouth quirked in amusement. After Lucy nodded again, the older woman added, “I’m making some stew if you want that as well. It should be ready in an hour or so.”

“Thank you kindly, ma’am. We’d appreciate that,” Cooper said in his smooth drawl, tipping his hat at a grinning Mrs. Myers.

After they paid for the room and the bath, Lucy all but ran to the room, eager to sleep on a soft bed and soak in a hot tub. Cooper and Dogmeat followed behind her at a much more sedate pace. 

As soon as she was through the door, she giggled and pounced on the mattress. The sheets smelled faintly of lavender and felt soft against her skin. So much better than a bedroll she thought as she wrapped her arms around a pillow and squeezed it tight to her chest.

“Do you two need a minute alone?” Cooper asked wryly, dropping his pack on the floor. 

“Shush, don’t ruin this moment. I’m in love with this bed.” She rolled onto her stomach, pillow still clasped against her, so she could look at Cooper. “You could always join me.”

“I’d hate to get in the way of your romance. Don’t want the pillows to get jealous.”

“I think it’ll be okay. It’s more of a platonic relationship.”

He stared at her for a second, an uneven smile on his face as if he wasn’t sure if he should be amused or worried about her sanity. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, shaking his head. 

Before Lucy could reply, a knock sounded on the door. “Yay! Bath time.”

Cooper opened the door since he was closer and let the man inside. Lucy didn’t know his name, but he looked like he might be related to Mrs. Myers, having the same dark, curly hair. She would’ve asked, but the man didn’t seem like the chatty type. He filled the tub with the hot water without a word and when Lucy thanked him, he just grunted and walked out the door.

Which was fine. A little rude, but fine. Lucy wasn’t going to force people to be chatty especially when there was a nice, hot bath waiting for her. While she stripped down and climbed into the tub, Cooper made himself comfy on the bed, stretching his legs out long.

“You really shouldn’t put your boots on the bed. You’re going to get it dirty,” she pointed out before sinking into the tub with a moan. The water was so hot it almost burned and she loved every dang moment. She was staying in here until she wrinkled up like a prune.

“So demanding,” he huffed, kicking off his boots and tilting his hat forward until it covered his face. Even though he sounded annoyed, Lucy could tell he was kidding. She was getting much better at reading him, able to realize when he was actually upset or just messing around. Lately, he’d been teasing her more and getting angry less. Maybe she was a positive influence on him. One day, he might even smile at a stranger and say hello without prompting.

Yeah right she thought as she glanced at him, a little, half-smile teasing her lips. Sure, he was a grouch most of the time, but he was her grouch. 

Lucy hummed as she soaped up, enjoying the light scent of lemons left behind on her skin. There really was nothing like getting clean, especially out here. Although she’d always enjoyed showers and baths, she didn’t take them for granted anymore and savored every time she was able to get clean.

“Are you incapable of doing anything quietly?” 

“I’m happy. Happy people make happy noises.”

He plucked his hat off his head and set it to the side so he could give her a look she would describe as incredulous. “You’re a bit simple, ain’t you?”

“Just because I’m peppy doesn’t mean I’m stupid,” she remarked before leaning back and dunking her whole head under the water. There’d be no more super mutant guts in her hair anymore. No siree. When she came back up for air, she added, “So don’t be mean.”

“I didn’t say you were an idiot. I just asked,” he commented, his eyes following her movements as she lifted her leg out of the water and soaped the limb before repeating the process with the other leg. “Do you need help washing your back?”

Lucy grinned at the subtle innuendo in his voice. Too bad the tub wasn’t big enough for the both of them. When they finally found a place to settle down, she planned to make sure their tub was huge . “I wouldn’t say no.”

He smirked, throwing his hat to the side before coming to his feet. Lucy watched him walk towards her, her heart beating a little faster in excitement. Would he always make her breath catch in her throat? Would she always bring out that heat in his eyes? 

She really, really hoped so. Heck, she couldn’t imagine anything else, not with him. Sure, Chet had managed to hold her interest for a long while, but that was more due to lack of options than any deep attraction or affection on her part. And although she’d been attracted to Max, even imagined a future with him, those feelings had quickly faded. With Cooper though, months later even, she still wanted to wrap herself around him and never let go.

Through half-lidded eyes, she watched him slowly remove his gloves, her skin tingling in anticipation. Of course, as the world was wont to do, just as he was about to drag that soap across her back, someone knocked on the door.

“For fuck’s sake…” he muttered, glaring at the door as if he could murder the person behind it with just his eyes.

“Who is it?” Lucy called out before Cooper could stop her. She ignored the series of anatomically impossible and worrisome curses he said under his breath. She didn’t want to be rude .

“Mrs. Myers. I just wanted to see if you both would like to join me and the sheriff for some drinks once you’re all cleaned up.”

Lucy lifted her eyebrows at Cooper who looked disinclined to accept the invitation. When she gave him the biggest, widest doe-eyes she could manage, he sighed in defeat. “You’re going to owe me so many favors at the end of this.”

“We’d love to,” Lucy replied, happy to socialize with two women she liked. Cooper was great and all, but sometimes, she wanted someone else to talk to. Especially with someone who wasn’t all murdery. 

Through the door, Mrs. Myers (just call me Jesse) gave them directions to the local saloon while Lucy did her best not to moan when Cooper dragged the bar of soap across her chest. Although Lucy was fairly open about sex, engaging in the act while trying to have a conversation wasn’t her idea of a good time.

“See you soon,” Lucy called out once Jesse finished up. Before Cooper could add anything, Lucy grabbed his head in both hands and planted her lips on his. He met her passion with his own, yanking her out of the bath and dropping her on the bed, still soaking wet. “You’re getting everything wet,” she scolded even as her hands pulled his shirt free from his pants.

“It’ll dry,” he murmured as he nibbled his way down her neck. “Now, hush, so I can focus.”

Instead of replying (mostly due to all her moaning and gasping), she dug her fingers into his back and lost herself to the feel of his skin against hers.

An hour later, a satisfied Lucy was happily sipping her rum and coke while chatting with Sheriff Lovelace and Mrs. Myers. The two older women were snuggled up close on their side of the booth while Coper and Lucy sat across from them. Although not nearly as openly affectionate as the other couple, Cooper kept Lucy close against his side, one hand occasionally running up and down her thigh. 

“So, what brings you two back this way?” Sheriff Lovelace (or Nik, as she told them to call her) asked.

“Well,” Lucy started, wondering how much she should tell a person who enforced the law. Was murder still a crime in the Wasteland? After everything she’d seen, she had her doubts. But maybe the law was tougher in settlements, especially ones with sheriffs. She didn’t plan on finding out. “We didn’t find what we were looking for in New Vegas.”

“What or who?” Nik lifted one perfectly arched brow, suggesting she had an inkling about what Cooper and Lucy might have been doing in New Vegas.

Lucy, not wanting to lie to her new friends (and being rather bad at it) said, “my dad.”

“Is he a vault-dweller like you?” Mrs. Myers-- Jesse --inquired, taking a sip from her glass of wine. Lucy must have looked confused because Jesse laughed and added, “you were wearing a vault suit the last time you passed through.”

Huh, Lucy had almost forgotten about that. Her days in a vault suit were long gone. “Right. And yeah, he’s the overseer of my old vault.”

In response, Nik lifted her brow again while Jesse’s one visible eye widened. Clearly, they had some questions. Which, fair, but Lucy was uncertain how much she should or wanted to share.

She peeked at Cooper to get his opinion, but he was busy doing his best to ignore the conversation. Instead, he was sipping his drink and staring off into the middle distance. Annoyed, she elbowed him subtly in the side to get his attention. He glared at her so she scowled back until he surrendered with a sigh. Lucy grinned, satisfied she’d won that round.

Jesse laughed, interrupting their wordless spat. “You two are adorable.”

Cooper turned his frown on Jesse, likely upset that someone had dared to call him such a thing. Before he could say something mean, she squeezed his knee a bit harder than necessary and smiled sugar-sweet at him.

He rolled his eyes, but didn’t insult their new friends, so that was a win in her book.

“Thanks,” Lucy began, deciding to give the two women a brief (albeit heavily edited) version of her and Cooper’s recent history. “And yeah, my dad is the overseer, so he runs the entire vault. He’s been doing that as long as I can remember. A few months back, he got abducted and I left my vault to rescue him.”

“That was mighty brave of you,” Nik said with a smile that made Lucy glow with pride. If a woman as capable as Sheriff Nik Lovelace thought Lucy was brave, it must be true. “I am curious how the two of you teamed up. You don’t see Vaulties running around with gunslinging ghouls very often.” She paused, eyeing them both over the rim of her glass. “Or ever.” When Cooper snorted at her comment, she added, “no offense.”

“None taken.” Cooper lifted one shoulder, seemingly unbothered. Not like they hadn’t heard that (or worse) before.

Nik nodded. “Do you mind telling us about what happened?”

“And how you two ended up together?” Jesse added with a wink, grinning like she couldn’t wait to hear their love story.

So, over another round of drinks, Lucy told the story with occasional additions from Cooper. Of course, as per usual, they glossed over the whole gulper-finger-selling her thing. Lucy wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to share that part of their tale with anyone.

Which, granted, should be concerning. What did it say about her that it wasn’t an issue? Not to her, at least. She’d forgiven him a while ago and he’d done his best to make up for his past actions since they’d killed those slavers.

Was he perfect now? No, absolutely not. Neither was she. Yet he loved her as much as she loved him. That was all that mattered to her at the end of the day. That he was here, by her side, no matter what.

Cooper half-listened to Lucy’s discussion with the two other women while working his way through a bottle of his favorite Kentucky bourbon. Of course, he did interject whenever she got something wrong. Or to add context when necessary. Lucy had a tendency to view her, and by extension his, experiences through rose-colored glasses.

“And that’s how we got here,” Lucy finished up with a flourish of her hands and a wide grin--her actual one, not that creepy, fake one he hated.

“Fascinating,” Jesse commented, her one eye almost sparkling with excitement. “It’s almost like one of those old, holotape romances.”

Cooper wasn’t sure what types of romance movies the woman was watching because the ones he remembered did not include murder, abduction and general mayhem. But hey, to each their own. Just because their tale didn’t reflect the love stories of the past didn’t make it any less romantic. 

In a violent, fucked up kind of way.

“Well that sure is something.” Nik sat down her drink, head cocked slightly to the right as she eyed him and Lucy. “And you both are planning to stay out here after all that’s done?”

Lucy’s ever-present ponytail almost hit him right in the eye with the force of her nod. “Yep. We want to find somewhere to settle. We just have to deal with my dad and rescue some people first.”

Nik looked at Jesse, the two of them having a conversation with just their eyes like any long term lovers so often did. Once whatever they were ‘discussing’ was settled the sheriff turned her attention back to them.

“Well now, in that case, I’ve got a proposition for you both.” Nik leaned back in the booth, both hands wrapped around her glass of beer. “How’d you feel about staying here?”

Cooper glanced at Lucy, her brow raised as if to ask him what he thought. He had no idea. Not yet, anyway. “That sure is nice of you, but we were planning to ranch. Not sure we’d feel too comfortable in a town.”

And by ‘we’ he meant him. Lucy would likely do fine surrounded by so many folks, but the mere thought made his skin itch.

“The place I was thinking of ain’t in town. Close, but still a mile or so from here.”

Cooper perked up at the sheriff’s words. He liked the idea of being outside of a settlement, but still close enough that Lucy could socialize since she liked doing that for reasons that continued to baffle him. Plus, supplies would be much easier to get if they were near a town.

“We’re listening.” Cooper gestured for the sheriff to continue.

“The place used to be a farm, but you could easily set it up as a ranch. Still in pretty good shape too, considering that it’s been empty for ‘bout a year now.”

Lucy practically bounced in her seat. She might be excited, but he was reserving judgement. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he couldn’t help being suspicious. People didn’t offer up homesteads without strings, not out in the Wastes.

“What’s the catch?” Cooper knocked back his shot of bourbon while ignoring Lucy’s finger jabbing into his ribs. Probably thought he was being rude or some shit. But he hadn’t stayed alive this long by acting fucking nice.

Jesse watched the show, sipping her wine as her one eye moved between Lucy, Cooper and the sheriff. Although she hid her amusement well, he could see the tiniest smile teasing the corners of her mouth. He couldn’t help but like that woman even if she was entertained at his expense.

The sheriff kept her expression bland and tapped her chin a few times while she weighed her words. “No catch, but we’d sure appreciate help with any threats to our town. Also, it’d be awfully kind of you to offer book-learning to the kids.” Nik directed the last part to Lucy who nodded.

Her offer wasn’t terrible, but he still had a few concerns. “Say we help with those threats…we still going to get paid?”

“Depends. If the town is being attacked, no. But bounties and the like? Yeah, we’ll pay. There’s a few other settlements nearby that’ll have paying work as well.”

Jesse looked at Lucy and added, “and we’ll pay for any teaching.”

Overall, the proposition was fair. Sure, he’d prefer to be paid for any help he gave, but what they were asking for wasn’t unreasonable. “We appreciate it, but I think we’ll need to mull it over some.” Cooper glanced at Lucy who bobbed her head in agreement.

“If my brother and maybe some other vault-dwellers wanted to join us, would the offer still stand?” Lucy asked before taking a delicate sip off her rum and Nuka. 

Cooper winced at the idea of living with a bunch of Vaulties. Her brother and hopefully, Janey? That was fine. Some random strangers? No, thank you. She was dreaming if she thought otherwise.

“You can bring whoever.” Nik replied. “It’ll be your land.”

Jesse, as if sensing Cooper’s annoyance at that idea, spoke up. “Or we can find them a place here. We’re looking to expand. Maybe get some more townspeople, add a few businesses and increase trade. We want to be more than a tiny blip on the map.”

“If you’d be interested, I might be able to set up some running water.” Lucy clapped her hands, almost knocking her drink over with her enthusiasm. In all his (very long) life, he’d never seen anyone get that excited over plumbing. “And my brother’s good with all kinds of tech. I’m sure he could help as well.”

“What about the others? They have any useful skills?” The sheriff sounded skeptical. Cooper couldn’t blame her. Vaulties were generally useless (excluding Lucy, obviously) and easily startled (except Lucy, most of the time). She still had her moments.

Lucy scrunched up her face as she considered the question. After a couple of minutes and a few sips of her drink, she said, “honestly, it depends on who wants to leave, if anyone. But most of the people in the vault have some useful skills and they love to help. So, I’m sure we could figure something out.”

Cooper had his doubts about that one. Sure, he hadn’t met anyone else from her vault (minus her dad which didn’t count), but considering all Lucy’s cheery smiles, blind optimism and shitty conflict resolution skills, his hopes weren’t high. They’d probably all be like her minus a competence with firearms and nerves of steel.

Fuck, that sounded awful. He’d just cross his fingers and hope none of her little Vaultie pals wanted to leave their hidey-hole.

“Sure, yeah, we’ll take anyone you want. There’s always easy work for folks here.” Jesse smiled at Lucy like there was nothing she wanted more in the world than to help a bunch of Vault-bred morons.

“So, you interested?” Nik inquired, doing her best to act like she didn’t care either way. But, and he’d never say this to the sheriff’s face, he could feel her nervously jiggling her leg under the table.

“What do you think, darlin’?”

“All of it sounds good to me,” Lucy answered before draining the rest of her drink. “I think, yes, tentatively.”

“Why tentatively?” Jesse frowned, either hurt or saddened by the vague answer.

“We might die,” Cooper replied bluntly, not wanting to get anyone’s hopes up (including his). 

“But probably not!” Lucy added brightly, picking up the new drink the bartender had placed in front of her.

Concerned, Cooper vowed to cut her off after that drink. Drunk Lucy, while hilarious, wasn’t what he felt like dealing with tonight. Sure, he’d told the bartender to go easy on the booze in her drinks, but she was at least three in and given her tolerance level was about zero, she might already be half-lit.

“I sure hope not.” Jesse shook her head at Lucy’s excitement at not dying.

“Here, here.” Nik lifted her glass. “May you both make it back here safely.”

Cooper tipped his almost empty bourbon bottle at the sheriff. “Cheers.”

With that, they all clinked glasses, toasting to the hope Lucy and him would make it back alive and relatively unharmed.

He wouldn’t admit it, not even on the pain of death, but it felt real nice to have two more people, besides Lucy and the Tanners, who cared if he lived or died. Maybe he wasn’t such a hopeless case. Yeah, he still really fucking hated most people, but he could make a few exceptions for people who weren’t assholes and/or idiots.

Now, all he had to do was keep Lucy and himself alive, save her brother and find Janey. Easy as pie. Then, after all that was said and done, he could finally hang his hat up somewhere for good with Lucy at his side.

Christ, he fucking hoped they made it through this shit alive because damned if he didn’t want that life something fierce. 

Chapter Text

Bad Place in the Road: A small town or settlement

As they entered the ramshackle town of Filly, Lucy tried to ignore her growing sense of unease. The last time they’d been here things hadn’t exactly gone well. Cooper shot quite a few people and the pair of them had made a scene. Plus, there’d been the whole Cooper-Max battle which, from what she remembered, had caused plenty of damage.

Maybe the townspeople had forgotten? Or wouldn’t recognize them?

I wish, Lucy thought when she glanced at Cooper. Sure, she might be able to stay unnoticed given her somewhat changed appearance, but everyone in Filly would have to be stupid and blind not to remember Cooper. He wasn’t exactly the type to blend in what with all the murder and mayhem. Not to mention the fact he was the only man she’d seen (so far) running around the Wastelands dressed like a cowboy.

Lucy tugged his duster sleeve, concerned with the possibility of Very Bad Things happening. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Nope.”

In response, Lucy stopped walking and frowned. “Do you think people will remember us?”

He made a noise that could either be amusement or annoyance. It was so hard to tell with him. “Yep.”

“Oh. Will they shoot at us?”

“Maybe,” he said succinctly before resuming his walk towards Filly.

Her frown deepened as she contemplated the stupidity of the plan. She really didn’t want to get shot at today. Nor did she have any particular desire to murder anyone. 

While Lucy had been contemplating the likelihood of a fight, Cooper managed to get ahead of her. With a sigh, she hurried to catch up with him. 

“Then why would we stop here?” she asked once she fell into step beside him.

“No choice,” he said. When she blinked up at him, he exhaled slowly like he always did when he was trying not to get irritated. “We’re low on ammo and Stimpacks. And I ain’t barging into your vault without ‘em.”

Although his answer made sense, she still didn’t think going into Filly was a great idea. But they didn’t really have a choice. So, she’d just have to cross her fingers and hope for the best.

“Will they even sell to us? Filly didn’t seem to be very ghoul-friendly even before you started killing all those people.”

“Maybe. My caps spend the same as anyone else’s. I’ve found that most folks will pick money over morals.” He paused just in front of the unguarded entrance. “But, just in case, we’re going to split up.”

“But--” she started, really not liking that plan one bit. What if someone tried to hurt him? Or her?

He held up a hand before she could continue, a mulish set to his chin. “I ain’t asking. We need those supplies. This way, at least one of us will be able to get them.”

Lucy really wanted to continue arguing with him. He wasn’t invincible, so there was a chance someone might manage to hurt or even kill him. Plus, given her last visit to the town, she didn’t particularly look forward to being alone. Filly, unlike Copper Flats, was ramshackle, sketchy and full of rude, cranky people. Nor did they seem to be fans of strangers.

Still, he was right. They needed those supplies.

“Okay,” she reluctantly agreed. “But you better be careful, mister. Don’t get maimed or killed, please.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’ll do my best.” Before she could remind him about sarcasm not being helpful or nice, he turned her around to face the entrance and gently pushed her forward. “Ladies first. And don’t do anything stupid. Or reckless. Or crazy.” He clicked his tongue at Dogmeat. “Go with her.”

“I won’t,” she said cheerfully, ignoring the way his hairless brow rose in obvious disbelief. It wasn’t like she went out of her way to find trouble, but somehow, it still seemed to find her everywhere they went. Maybe that would change once their quest was done. “C’mon, girl.”

The dog, tail wagging in excitement, walked next to Lucy. Even though she’d never admit it to Cooper, she was glad Dogmeat was with her. People hadn’t exactly been friendly the last time she was there and from what she could already tell, that hadn’t changed. The weight of what felt like a thousand eyes followed her progress through the small settlement. No one smiled at her or offered a friendly greeting.

She did her best to ignore the sensation, keeping her eyes forward and her walk brisk, but confident. She didn’t want to show even a hint of worry or fear, knowing any weakness might lead to a battle she very much didn’t want to fight. She passed Ma June’s store and considered stopping before deciding to press forward. Even though the place was familiar to her, the woman who ran it hadn’t exactly been welcoming during her last visit and she doubted that had changed at all.

As she continued walking, she got the feeling that something about Filly was different. Almost as if the town was…afraid. She glanced around and noticed the remnants of a flag hanging from a pole, tattered and limp.

“Brotherhood,” a familiar voice said, making Lucy almost jump right out of her skin.

Lucy turned around to find Ma June’s cranky face staring at her. The older woman’s eyes narrowed as if she recognized Lucy, but couldn’t quite put a finger on how.

“Excuse me?”

“That flag?” Ma June gestured at the worn fabric hanging above them. “It’s Brotherhood of Steel. Those fuckers rolled up into town, killed anyone who resisted and claimed Filly for themselves.”

Lucy glanced around and didn’t see a single knight. “Are they still here?”

“The Brotherhood of Asshats,” Ma June paused to spit on the ground, “cleaned out our supplies and skedaddled like the cockroaches they are.”

Well, clearly someone was not a fan of The Brotherhood. Not that Lucy blamed the woman. “That’s terrible.” Lucy bit down on her lip as she thought about Max. Had he been a part of this? “I’m sorry.”

“You Brotherhood?” Ma June asked. Lucy shook her head. “Then ain’t no reason for you to be sorry.”

Lucy nodded although she wasn’t entirely sure she agreed with the statement. She might not be Brotherhood, but she was part of the reason they’d taken over Filly. She’d been the one taking the head to Moldaver, even knowing the Brotherhood was right at her heels. They’d attacked Moldaver, and by extension Filly, to get the head for themselves.

If she hadn’t handed over that stupid head to Moldaver, would any of that have happened?

Still, there wasn’t much she could do to change it, so she might as well do what she came here to do.

“If the Brotherhood took all your supplies, does that mean no one has anything to sell?” Lucy asked once she had considered the implications of Ma June’s information.

“Nah, that was months ago. We got supplies now.”

“Great! Where would I find ammo and Stimpacks?”

“Wait a second…ain’t you that soft-in-the-head Vaultie?” Ma June’s hair flopped to the side when she cocked her head at Lucy. 

She did her best to not act offended…which she kind of was. Really, did everyone in the Wasteland think she was an idiot?

“Uh, yes?” Lucy replied hesitantly, hoping the woman wouldn’t shoot her or anything. 

“Huh, surprised you’re still kicking. Follow me.” Ma June gestured at Lucy to come with her. “I’ve got something for you.”

Well, that didn’t sound ominous at all. 

Lucy looked around for Cooper, but didn’t see him anywhere. Someone should know where she was going in case Ma June chopped her up into little pieces or something. Not that she thought that was likely, but you never knew. She traded a glance with Dogmeat. The two of them could take Ma June down if necessary. So, she shrugged at the dog who seemed to be in agreement and the two of them caught up with the grouchy woman.

Once they reached Ma June’s shop, she opened the door and indicated for Lucy to enter first. After a sneaky look behind her (maybe she was worried about spies), Ma June closed the door with a click. Not being an idiot (no matter what anyone else said about her), Lucy stayed alert. One hand hovered over her gun as she watched the shopkeeper rustle through a box of weathered papers.

“Here.” Ma June thrust an envelope at Lucy.

“Thanks?” Lucy wasn’t sure what the heck was going on, but so far no one was shooting. So, she could handle a little weirdness. “What is it?”

“Fuck if I know,” Ma June said with a snort. “Some dumbass knight left it for you. Now, get out.”

Lucy frowned down at her name, hastily scrawled across the front of the envelope. “Maximus?”

“Don’t know. Don’t care.” Ma June roughly pushed Lucy towards the door. “Now, git.”

Dogmeat, possibly annoyed at the shopkeeper’s treatment of Lucy, growled. Ma June being…well, Ma June, growled back. The two stared at each other while Lucy ignored them, turning the envelope over in her hands. What could Max possibly have to say to her? Was it more scolding words about Cooper? Or maybe an apology?

Well, the only way she was going to find out was to open the dang thing. 

Lucy took a deep breath, gathering all her courage before carefully tearing the envelope open. Of course, before she could do more than begin to unfold the pages inside, Ma June resumed her prodding. Lucy, more focused on the letter, allowed herself to be herded out the door.

“What the fuck are you doing back here?” Ma June hissed from behind Lucy. “You ain’t welcome.”

“And here I was thinking we were friends.”

Without looking up from the papers, Lucy headed towards the sound of Cooper’s sarcastic voice. He needed to see what Max left behind for them. Granted, the contents were more for her since Max had very obviously avoided even writing Cooper’s name.

Had she even told Max his name?

“What’s that?” Cooper asked her softly, making sure no one else heard him.

She glanced up and handed over the two wanted posters Max had included with his letter. Cooper kept his eyes on Ma June and one hand over his gun as he accepted the pages with his free hand.

“What the hell are you doing, Vaultie?” Ma June had somehow produced a battered rifle which was currently trained on Cooper. “Git the hell away from that ghoul.”

“It’s fine.” Lucy brushed off the other woman, more concerned with the bounty on her and Cooper than Ma June’s ranting.

“No, it ain’t. Don’t you remember that he tried to kill you?”

Both Lucy and Cooper ignored the woman. “Huh, good to know,” Cooper said, handing the two flyers back to Lucy.

Her jaw dropped at his blase attitude. “Shouldn’t we be a bit more concerned about this?”

“You get gone, ghoul, before I pump you full of lead.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Cooper told a very upset Ma June. “Now, shut the fuck up. Can’t you see we’re having a conversation?” While Ma June sputtered, he turned his attention back to Lucy. “Not really. It ain’t the first bounty on my head and I doubt it’ll be the last.”

“Well, it’s my first one and I don’t like it.”

“Eh, you get used to it.” He lifted one shoulder in a dismissive shrug. 

“But I don’t want to get used to it,” Lucy grumbled, glaring down at the posters. 

Cooper grinned, the left corner of his mouth slightly higher than the right. “If it makes you feel better, it don’t look anything like you.”

Lucy stared down at the picture of her and had to agree with his statement. Sure, it had a passing resemblance to her, but her face wasn’t that round and her hair wasn’t that curly. But it was close enough to worry her. 

“Vaultie, if you don’t get your ass outta the way, I’m going to have to shoot you.”

“Try it and I’ll kill you where you stand,” Cooper snarled at the shopkeeper, ignoring both the older woman’s gun and the mean look on her face.

With a sigh, Lucy folded up the wanted posters and shoved them into her bag. She could dwell on that later. Right now, she had to keep two cranky idiots from killing each other and ruining the rest of Lucy’s day. So, she started with Cooper, figuring he’d be easier to talk down since he liked her and all whereas Ma June appeared to have a particular distaste for Lucy and her (former) Vault-living ways. 

“It’s not worth it,” she said quietly as she placed one hand on his arm and shook her head slightly.

Before he could do much more than scowl at her, Ma June interrupted them. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Vaultie. Really?”

Lucy eyed the woman, not entirely sure what Ma June was talking about. Between calming Cooper down and learning she was now a wanted woman, she hadn’t exactly been paying much attention to Ma June’s ranting and raving. She debated ignoring the cranky lady, but her curiosity got the best of her like it always did. “Really what?”

“You’re really running around with that ghoul?”

“Running around?” Lucy repeated, her brain still focused on more important concerns. Like how to cancel a bounty or avoid a gun fight in the middle of Filly.

Ma June rolled her eyes so hard Lucy was surprised they didn’t roll right out of the sockets. “Are you traveling with that ghoul?” she asked slowly, enunciating each word as if Lucy was a halfwit.

“Ignore her,” Cooper murmured in her ear. “Let’s just get the fuck out of here.”

“Did you get the supplies?” she whispered back. He nodded, his eyes still on the gun-wielding shop owner. “Okey dokey.”

He placed one hand on her lower back and sent Ma June into a spiraling rage.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Vaultie. You got soup for brains?”

“I don’t know what that means,” Lucy replied even though she had a pretty good idea what the woman was implying. So, she planted her feet and stared at Ma June who was still swearing rather creatively. Lucy, although not much for cursing, filed a few away for future reference.

“It means,” the older woman snapped, glaring at Lucy with her nose all wrinkled up. “Are you fucking stupid?”

“Ignore her,” Cooper repeated, louder this time, as he tried to nudge Lucy towards the exit.

It didn’t work. Lucy was far too mad to leave now. She was getting very tired of people treating her like she didn’t have a brain in her head. “No,” she started, her fists clenched tight. She had a good idea what the woman was really asking, and Lucy didn’t like it one bit. “Are you?”

“Maybe, but I ain’t the one fucking a ghoul.” Ma June sneered at the both of them. “Especially one like him.”

“That seems like more of a personal problem.” Lucy sent the other woman a smile that Cooper would later tell her was more terrifying than usual.

At her comment, Cooper sighed. How mad would he be if she kissed him? Probably really mad. But it might be worth it just to see the look on Ma June’s face.

“What’s going on out here? You’re yelling loud enough to wake the dead.” Barv (at least that was what Lucy thought her name was) walked outside and glared at all of them.

“Go back inside.” Ma June made a ‘shoo’ gesture with her hand. “I got this.”

Barv ignored the other woman and squinted at Lucy. “Hey, ain’t you that Vaultie? The one who took off with that doctor fella?” 

Before Lucy could confirm her identity, Ma June cut in. “Yeah, it’s her. And she got even dumber somehow.”

“I’m not stupid,” Lucy felt the need to add, trying to resist the urge to stomp her foot. Or pull out her gun and shut the old woman up

Was this how Cooper felt all of the time? If so, it explained so much about his general temperament and his tendency towards murder.

“Vaultie, you’re fucking a ghoul. If that ain’t stupid, I don’t know what is.” Ma June ignored Lucy’s glare, staring down at her like she was the dumbest woman to ever walk through the Wastelands.

“She’s what?” Barv yelled, drawing the attention of several passersby. 

“Fucking a ghoul!” Ma June repeated at roughly the same volume as a grenade going off. 

“For fuck’s sake…” Cooper said under his breath, clearly not enjoying himself. To be fair, they were attracting a lot of attention and Ma June screaming about their relationship didn’t help matters.

“Why?” Barv asked, giving Lucy a once over as if trying to decide if she was crazy or an idiot.

“Good question.” Ma June pinned Lucy with a look somewhere between annoyed and disgusted. “Why are you fucking a ghoul?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Lucy, feeling her own temper flaring hot, glared back. “But I want to.”

For fuck’s sake…” Cooper grumbled again as he grabbed her arm. That was followed by a stream of curses and a few concerns about her overall sanity.

The three women ignored him as Barv, at what felt like the top of her lungs, shouted, “What?”

Lucy, who was torn between anger and amusement, debated just walking away. The crowd gathering around them was starting to get larger (even though it was still smallish) and, as a new fugitive from the law, that seemed like it might be a problem. What if someone recognized her and Cooper?

Not that she was worried about anyone actually being able to catch them, but if someone tried, they’d have to shoot people which would be all messy and people would probably die. That just sounded like more work than Lucy was prepared to deal with at this time.

Ma June, nose scrunched up, repeated Lucy’s answer to Barv who blinked at Lucy and shook her head in shame. “You ain’t right in the head, girl.”

As Lucy gave them her death stare, she considered just taking out her gun and shooting the pair of them. In the pro column: They deserved it for being mean-spirited bigots and it'd be very cathartic for Lucy. Enjoyable even. As to the cons: gunfights attracted attention which they didn’t need. Plus, Lucy was tired and killing a bunch of people really took it out of a woman.

So, with a heavy heart, she decided to leave them alive. But she wasn’t going to accept their censure laying down either. “At least I’m not a narrow-minded, bitter crone,” Lucy yelled back. “Or a bigoted, rude--” Lucy’s rant was cut off when Cooper picked her up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of outraged potatoes.

“You folks have a nice day,” Cooper said dryly and tipped his hat before walking away. Dogmeat trotted behind them looking rather pleased with herself. 

A fuming Lucy contemplated the various ways she’d make Cooper pay for his man-handling of her person. Threatening his knees (like she so often did) wasn’t enough. No, he deserved to suffer for carrying her off like a child having a tantrum.

“Put me down,” she demanded, wishing she could kick him. But since that’d likely end up with her dropped in the dirt, she refrained. For now.

“No.”

“No?” she shrieked, all her anger now focused on him. “Are you serious?”

“Yep.”

“I can walk.”

“I'm sure you can.” He chuckled a little when she squirmed. “But I don’t trust you not to go back there and make things worse.”

Lucy pouted. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“Darlin’, if I hadn’t hauled your ass out of there, we’d be in a gunfight. And as much as I enjoy some good, old-fashioned murdering, we ain’t got the time.”

“I wasn’t going to shoot them,” she grumbled just before he sat her down. Lucy spun around so she could glare at the town. Filly was the worst. “Much,” she added after a moment of consideration.

“We can come back another time and you can shoot anyone you damn well please.”

As they began walking away from the town, Lucy adjusted the straps of her back as she thought about his offer. “No,” she sighed. “The moment’s passed. It wouldn’t be the same.”

He laughed and lit a cigarette. “Sometimes, I think you might be the blood-thirsty one in this relationship.”

Lucy, deciding to be the bigger person and forgive him for his (unnecessary) manhandling, patted him on the arm. “Don’t worry, you’re still the most murdery one.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” she said sincerely even though she knew he was being sarcastic. “And if you ever carry me like that again, I’ll make you regret it.”

Okay, so she wasn’t actually capable of being the bigger person. This time, at least. Really, he should apologize.

“You going to shoot my knees?” he asked, smoking his cigarette like he didn’t have a worry in the world. Heck, he sounded amused.

Rude.

“Nope.” She grinned, all teeth. “You’ll just be sleeping alone for the foreseeable future.”

He choked on the smoke from his cigarette and stopped dead in his tracks. Lucy waited for him to finish coughing, one eyebrow arched and arms crossed over her chest.

Once he’d recovered (and took a puff from his inhaler), he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. He was clearly trying to figure out if she was messing around or she meant what she’d said. 

“Fuck, you’re serious.” He sighed, the exasperated one he seemed to save just for her. “Fine. I’m sorry.”

“And?” she prompted when he didn’t say anything else.

“I won’t do it again unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Lucy’s bangs fell into her eyes as she tilted her head at him. It wasn’t the best apology ever nor was she entirely how he defined ‘necessary’. But at least he’d tried and that’s what mattered to her. “Okay. I forgive you.” She smiled and patted his cheek. “Thank you.”

Cooper batted her hand away and rolled his eyes. “Great. Now, can we fucking go?”

Undeterred by his grouchiness, she reached for his hand. He fought her for a second, but she was determined. So, he finally surrendered with a curse and let her lace her fingers through his. 

“Vault 33, here we come,” Lucy declared as the two of them headed towards her former home while she tried very hard not to think about what they’d find there.

Chapter Text

Easy on the Trigger: Quick-tempered, ready to blow

Cooper glanced back at Lucy, worried about how she was feeling as they got closer to her former vault. Ever since they’d left Filly, she’d been quiet, lost in her own thoughts. At first, he hadn’t minded much. He had his own concerns to mull over. Would he find Janey’s location after all this time? Was his daughter even alive? And how would Lucy react when they came face to face with Young Henry?

But after a few hours of silence from her, he’d started to worry. Granted, she wasn’t as bad as she’d been before they’d stopped at the Tanners. Still, the quiet was disconcerting. He’d figured she’d be talking his ear off like she always did when she was nervous. Instead, all he got was the sound of her softly breathing behind him.

Unable to take it anymore, Cooper stopped and spun around to face her. He opened his mouth, ready to ask her what the fuck was going on in her head. He snapped his mouth shut with a click of his teeth when he was her face. Her mouth was pressed into a tight line while her eyelids drooped over her big eyes. Her face was wan and her shoulders slumped as she trudged towards him.

“We should camp here,” he said, deciding she needed to rest. They also needed to make a plan before they stormed into her vault. If she went in there looking like she did now, they’d both end up dead.

Lucy came to a stop in front of him, Dogmeat at her side. The dog, also seeming to sense Lucy’s mood, nudged her head against Lucy’s hands. “But we’re so close. Don’t you want to get this over with?”

Cooper watched her idly pet the dog’s head, trying to figure out the nicest way to say she looked like shit. “It’s getting late. We should get some shut eye before we invade your vault.”

“I’d rather get this over with.”

He stared at her, brow raised. “You go in there looking like that, you’re going to get yourself killed in seconds.”

“Looking like what?” she demanded, hands coming to rest on her hips as her eyes narrowed.

“Like you’ve been ridden hard and put away wet,” he explained, waving his arm impatiently in her direction.

She blinked at him a few times before saying, “I don’t know what that means.”

Cooper ran a gloved hand over his face, debating between being blunt or being nice. Since he sucked at kindness, he told her, “it means you look like crap.” When she opened her mouth to disagree, he held up a finger to stop whatever argument she was gearing up to make. “You’re tired, stressed and need to eat. We can go early tomorrow. A few hours ain’t going to make a difference.”

“But Norm--”

“Will be fucking fine,” he cut her off, his temper flaring a bit at her stubbornness. Why couldn’t she just fucking listen for once? 

Her arms crossed over her chest and her scowl deepend like she was trying to intimidate him. Needless to say, that look didn’t do shit. Far scarier folks had tried and failed. Lucy didn’t stand a fucking chance. “You don’t know that.”

Cooper stared down at her and debated breaking out the lasso. Her chin tilted up slightly as if she knew what he was thinking and she was daring him to try. Since he didn’t want to argue anymore, especially right before they walked into danger, he placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “Let’s camp for the night,” he said. She continued to stare up at him, lips still pursed tight. “Please,” he added.

Apparently that really was the magic word because she relented with a nod and dropped her pack to the ground. “We’ll go in the morning, right?”

He rolled his eyes at her suspicious question. “Pinky promise.”

She ignored his sarcasm as per usual, giving him a quick smile before she started setting up camp. While she rolled out the sleeping bags, he lit a fire and got to cooking dinner. 

As he heated up some molerat and beans, he watched Lucy out of the corners of his eyes. Although she still appeared exhausted, she was giggling at Dogmeat, who kept trying to lick her hands. Hell, even the dog knew she needed some cheering up. And thank God, since he knew he couldn’t manage that at the moment, his own worries occupying his mind. The cold pit of dread in his gut sure didn’t help.

“I’m sorry.” Lucy plopped down beside him, her lower lip caught between her teeth. “For arguing,” she explained when he blinked at her in confusion. “You were right.”

“Say that again.”

“What? I’m sorry?” Lucy scrunched up her face even as she accepted the plate of food he shoved in her hands.

“Nope. The ‘I was right’ part.” He grinned at her, ignoring the downturn of her lips. “Ow, no hitting! I’m trying to eat here,” he added when she punched his arm.

“Stop being ridiculous. I didn’t even hit you that hard.”

He glowered at her. She might not think so, but for such a bitty thing, she packed a wallop. “Almost makes me miss those conflict resolution days. Less punching.”

She shrugged, shoveling food into her mouth so fast, he thought she might choke. But hey, at least she was eating.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, both of them lost in thought. He couldn’t seem to quell the fear of losing her tomorrow, be it from death or to Vault-Tec. Every time he glanced at her face, painted in the golden glow of the fire, his heart clenched.

She was so beautiful and so damn good that sometimes his eyes hurt when he looked at her. She was the sun, drawing out the darkness in his soul. He still couldn’t believe she’d picked him over that bumbling boy knight. Any moment, he half expected to wake up and realize it was all a dream, that he’d open his eyes and she'd slowly fade away until he forgot she ever existed.

Perhaps he was being a bit dramatic. Hell, he definitely was. But he just couldn’t quite wrap his head around the fact she’d chosen him--loved him--every day. That somehow, against all odds, she was his and he was hers.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when Lucy gently tugged on his sleeve. “What?”

“I asked,” she started with an eyeroll. “If you were done. When you just kept staring at nothing, I asked if you were okay.”

Well, at least he hadn’t been caught gawking at her like a love-sick idiot.

“I’m right as rain, darlin’.”

“Then why do you look all frowny?” She mimicked his facial expression in an exaggerated way, her lips pulled down as far as she could get them.

“I don’t ever look like that.” He pointed his fork in her direction which made her giggle uncontrollably. “Stop that.”

“But it’s funny,” she replied between laughs.

“What? My face?” he asked, pretending to be offended. He wasn’t. For some unfathomable reason, she liked his face. 

She playfully slapped his arm, a wide grin stretching across her face. “No, silly, just the grumpy frown.”

“Please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t ever call me silly again. I’m scary.”

“Okey dokey,” she agreed cheerfully.

Somehow, he knew she was going to keep calling him that. He should put his foot down, let her know he was dead serious. Bounty hunters weren’t silly. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He didn’t want to wipe that smile off her face. Not yet, at least. 

They did have some things to discuss, serious topics that had to be addressed before they entered Vault 33 in the morning. But, for the moment, he let her laugh and pulled her close. “You’re a menace,” he said, his lips brushing against her dark hair.

“Thank you.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

“From you it is,” she pointed out.

She wasn’t wrong. Hell, if she wasn’t a menace, he never would’ve looked twice at her. She would have been just another smoothskin Vaultie--boring and irritating.

“Fair enough.”

The two of them stayed like that for a while -- him holding her close as the fire flickered in front of them. Dogmeat snored from her spot on the other side of Lucy, clearly satisfied with her lot in life. He wished that moment could last forever. A quiet night with his two favorite girls, no monsters lurking at their heels.

But, as the night darkened and the moon rose higher in the sky, he knew it was time. “Are you going to be ready tomorrow?” Cooper asked.

“Of course,” Lucy replied with a decisive nod.

He wasn’t entirely sure he believed her. “And you’re fine with the fact your dear, old daddy is going to die?”

“Of course,” she repeated with a shrug.

He definitely didn’t believe her about that. Especially because she was giving him that fake, vacant smile she put on when she didn’t want to deal with something.

“Uh-huh. Want to try that again without the fake enthusiasm?”

“Fine.” Lucy inhaled slowly beside him and he could feel a tremor in her hands. “I know he deserves it and I want him gone. I’m just struggling with the fact he’s my dad. It feels like he’s two people: Henry MacLean, Vault-Tec sycophant and Hank, my dad. The first one deserves whatever he gets, but it’s harder for me to want the dad I remember dead.”

Cooper understood to some extent what she was trying to say. She had good memories with her dad. She loved that version of Henry MacLean, the man who’d raised her and cared for her all of her life. “Well, unfortunately, they ain’t two people. So, if Henry deserves to die, so does Hank.”

Lucy nibbled on her thumb nail, eyes focused on the fire. “I know. He’s a monster. I just wish it hadn’t come to this. I don’t think I can do it.”

“Kill him?” Cooper asked, keeping his voice as even as possible in the hopes of not upsetting her. She nodded and dropped her hands into her lap. “You don’t have to. I’ll be the one to pull the trigger. But you’ve gotta promise me you won’t interfere. He needs to die and I ain’t leaving that vault until he’s no longer breathing.”

“I won’t. He’s all yours.”

“And you won’t hate me for killing your daddy?” Cooper lit a cigarette, needing something to do with his hands. As much as he wanted to deny it, he was worried about how she’d react once Young Henry was dead. What if, God forbid, she left because she couldn’t look at Cooper without seeing her daddy’s murderer?

And if she decided she didn’t want him dead, would she stop Cooper? And how exactly would he handle that?

“Of course not. Just because I don’t want to kill him doesn’t mean I don’t want him dead.” Lucy smiled softly, eyes warm in reassurance. “I love you and that isn’t going to change.”

He really fucking hoped that was the case. It was easy for her to say the words when she wasn’t facing down her father. The question was: would those words still hold true once Young Henry’s corpse was laying at her feet?

“Guess we’ll see tomorrow.”

Lucy jabbed a finger right between his ribs, her eyebrows knitted in the middle of her forehead. “Don’t get all gloomy and skeptical. I know my own mind.”

“Fine,” he muttered, not enjoying her pointy, little fingers digging into his ribs. “And don’t poke me. What are you? Five?”

“It was either that or slap you. And you keep telling me ‘no more hitting’.”

“Pouting at me ain’t going to work,” he lied. When she gave him those big eyes and jutting lips, he wanted to let her do anything she pleased. But he had a reputation to protect, so he wouldn’t be letting her know that little fact. The last thing he needed was the entire fucking Wasteland knowing that the baddest bounty hunter had let a slip of a woman wrap him around her little finger. No one would take him seriously ever again.

Lucy opened her mouth to retort, but stopped herself before continuing to tease him. She must have sensed something was off with him because she started gnawing away at her lower lip. “Are you scared?”

Cooper tore his eyes away from her probing ones, not wanting her to know how terrified he was that she’d leave him. “No, I’m not fucking scared. I don’t get scared. Not ever. So, stop thinking that right now.”

“Sure,” she said, drawing at the word to make it clear she knew he was full of shit. “Are you more worried I’ll get hurt or that I’ll leave you?” She placed her hands on either side of his face and turned his head towards hers.

“I just said I wasn’t afraid. Stop fucking hounding me about it.” He abruptly stood up, agitated and annoyed at her persistence. “I’m checking the perimeter,” he snarled at her before stomping off.

He knew it was a mistake the moment he’d walked away. But why couldn’t she just fucking leave well enough alone? He had no interest in spending half the night talking about his feelings. Nope, they should be making a plan of attack or preparing their supplies for tomorrow. 

Or getting in one last enthusiastic fuck before they went spelunking.

He stopped to have another smoke, the fire from their camp a soft glow in the distance. Once he finished his cigarette, he’d go back and face whatever hell she’d rain down on him for taking off. He just didn’t want her to see how terrified he really felt. Shit, he was supposed to be the tough one, the one who never showed a lick of fear. Yet, there he was, running away like a damn coward.

Because that was the real issue: deep down, he knew he was and had always been, a coward. He’d spent over two hundred years running away from something. Everything, really. Oh, he could face down damn near anyone with a gun or a grudge. Yet, when it came to the big stuff--love, morals, happiness, etc--he bolted.

He’d run from his past with Barb, his transformation into a ghoul, the awful things he’d done since said transformation and now, he was fleeing from Lucy. From her questions, from her concerns and from his own worries regarding their future.

So, instead of having a rational conversation like a sane person, he’d walked off like an idiot. If she hadn’t been pissed before, she would be now. Christ, he always made shit worse. Luckily, she was the forgiving sort. Sure, she’d probably blister his ears, threaten his knees and maybe, throw something at him. But he could handle that. Fuck, he deserved it.

With a renewed sense of courage, he flicked his cigarette butt into the darkness and made his way back to their camp. 

The moment he saw the look on Lucy’s face, he debated making a run for it. Of course, if he did that, she’d just chase him down. Then, she’d probably spend a few days torturing him (with words, most likely. Or no sex.) and he’d have to get down on his knees and beg her to forgive his sorry ass. Still, he considered it. But they had murder and mayhem to do, so he stayed put and tried very hard not to show her any fear -- like one did when faced with a dangerous predator.

“What the heck is wrong with you?” she shouted, frightening a flock of sleeping birds that immediately fled the area. Smart birds.

He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to look contrite. Given the scowl she was sending his way, he failed. “I needed a minute,” he explained, trying not to wince at the fury on her pretty face. 

“Oh, is that why you ran out of her like you were being chased by a pack of rabid molerats?”

“I thought sarcasm was mean.”

Her eyes narrowed further while her foot tapped away like a hummingbird hopped up on Psycho. “That was a valid question. Not sarcasm.”

They stared at each other while Dogmeat, woken up by all the yelling, swiveled her head between them. The tension was making Cooper antsy and the way Lucy was scowling at him didn’t help. But he was in the wrong and now was not the time to have an argument.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, staring down at the toes of his boots and feeling like he was a kid getting scolded by his teacher.

“Can you repeat that?”

“I said I’m sorry.” He gathered up the shredded remains of his courage and pulled her into his arms. He met her eyes and said, “I’m just not used to this whole relationship thing…and having emotions again.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Yep.” He nodded in agreement. “I’m working on that.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, her annoyance gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. “I forgive you.”

“Thanks,” he said dryly, even though he meant it.

“Just don’t do it again.”

“I’ll do my best.” He kissed her nose when she scrunched it up in annoyance. “I’m still relearning all of this shit.”

“Okey dokey.”

He rolled his eyes like he always did when she said that stupid phrase. “Is that your slogan now?” Cooper asked and when she just blinked at him, he changed the subject. “C’mon, we’ve got an invasion to plan.”

Lucy sighed, her shoulders slumping. “Do we have to?”

“Well, yeah, if we don’t want to end up dead tomorrow. And haven’t you been whining about rescuing your brother for weeks now?”

“Yeah.” Lucy sighed again, allowing him to lead her back to their bedrolls so they could sit. She shivered a bit, so he pulled her close, her back against his chest and her hips nestled between his thighs. “I just wish all of this was over. I’m so tired.”

“We’re almost there, darlin’. So, let’s do our best not to get killed right before we get our happy ending.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“What?”

She turned her head to look at him, her eyes all soft and sweet. “That we’ll be happy?”

Cooper, who hadn’t believed in that shit for several hundred years, nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

And for once in his misbegotten, post-apocolyptic life, he believed it.

Chapter Text

Bring the saddle home: To do to someone what’s been done to you

Lucy stood beside Cooper in front of the door to Vault 33 and tried not to panic. This was the moment she’d been waiting for, the one that sent her on this journey in the first place. It was also what had brought her Cooper and a life she now wanted more than anything. 

But before she could have that life, she had to lay the old one to rest.

“You alright there, darlin’?”

Lucy wasn’t even sure how to answer his question since she wasn’t certain how she felt. But she just had to roll up her sleeves and move forward. “I think so.”

He lifted his brow in her direction, his eyes warm with concern. “You don’t look like it. You sure you want to do this?”

“I’m sure.” Lucy nodded with a certainty she didn’t feel.

“Well, alright then,” he said, still looking skeptical, but he let her have the lie she so desperately needed. “But before we do all that…” he added as he pulled her close, planting his mouth on hers and giving her a quick, but very thorough kiss.

“I love you,” she told him the moment he released her, terrified that they might not make it out alive. She had to say the words now because she wanted them to be the last words she said to him. Just in case she didn’t survive.

Cooper titled his hat back so he could touch his forehead to hers, his eyes intense with emotion as he stared down at her. “And I love you. But you don’t need to be acting like we’re going to the gallows. We’ll both get through this.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” He kissed her forehead before stepping back. “Now, put your game face on and let’s fucking do this.”

Lucy took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Okey dokey.”

After a few moments of fiddling with the door locks and cursing her way through several missed password attempts, Lucy was finally able to hack her way past the locks. Cooper gave her a proud grin before his stoic mask slid back on his face. 

She tried to affect the same calm, but her heart was beating so fast she thought it might explode right out of her chest. Her PipBoy even beeped at her, a warning about her heart rate flashing across the screen. She ignored it.

The three of them, Lucy, Cooper and Dogmeat, stood in front of the door as it slowly opened. She didn’t know what she was walking into, but she had a niggling worry that it wasn’t going to be good.

Would her father be waiting for her? 

Probably. The moment the locks had disengaged, he would’ve gotten a message. And, given the way the system worked, once she’d hacked her way through, he would know exactly who’s PipBoy had been used to breach the doors. 

Well, there wasn’t much she could do about that, so she reached for Cooper’s hand and approached the entrance. She wondered if he could feel the way her hands trembled as they walked through the doors or if he noticed the way her breath came faster with each step towards her former home. 

When she’d first set out on this journey, she’d been so certain she’d fetch her father and return home within days, reuniting with Norm and continuing to be a perfect, little family. Eventually, she would have found someone new to marry, had kids and settled down into the life she’d been told to want. She would’ve been happy because she wouldn’t have known anything different. Hank, Norm and Lucy MacLean against the world. Like it’d always been. Like how it was always supposed to be.

Instead, she was returning to her former home to confront her father as well as her past. There would be no hug-filled, weepy family reunion at the end of this journey. The woman who’d believed in that happily-ever-after was gone, burned away by the desert sun and her father’s betrayal. All that blind hope to have her old life back was also lost. The Lucy entering Vault 33 knew that she could never really go home again. Her new life was out here with Cooper and Dogmeat. Hopefully, Norm and Janey as well.

But none of that calmed her racing heart or the knots forming in the pit of her stomach.

“You still good?” Cooper asked, his eyes hidden in the shadow of his hat. She wished she could look into them and see the reassurance she so desperately needed.

“I’m good,” she lied, smiling like everything was going to work out just fine. And maybe it would. So, until she was certain which way the cookie was going to crumble, she’d keep that smile on her face and that hope in her heart. “Move, please.”

Cooper grunted as he stepped out of the way of the controls for the elevator. Luckily, it didn’t take her long to override the system and before she knew it, they’d reached the bottom. 

Here goes nothing she told herself, taking a deep breath as she pushed open the elevator’s gate.

“Hello, Lucy.” Her father stepped out of the shadows as soon as her feet hit the floor of the vault, Cooper right behind her. “I’ve been expecting you.”

“For fuck’s sake…could you be anymore of a stereotypical villain?” Cooper muttered, clearly unimpressed with her father’s attempts at drama. “All you’re missing is a mustache to twirl.”

“Ah, I see you’re still allowing that miscreant to follow you about.” Hank sneered at her, although his eyes were locked on Cooper. “You haven’t gotten tired of living in the gutter yet?”

Lucy refused to rise to the bait even though she really wanted to punch him right in the nose. Or maybe, shoot out his knees and watch him crawl around for a while. But, alas, he was just trying to rile her and Cooper up so they’d make a mistake. She’d just have to satiate her violent urges later.

“I’m doing well, thanks for asking.” She gave him a syrupy sweet smile, full of teeth and fake as hell. “Is Norm around here anywhere? I’d like to say hello.”

“Your brother is no longer your concern.” He moved closer to Lucy, the cold mask on his face sending chills down her spine. His eyes, the ones always filled with warmth and love for her, were full of disgust. Hate, even. His smile, usually so full of pride, was twisted into a cruel sneer. 

“I think I’ll be the judge of that.” Lucy drew her gun and pointed it right at her father’s poor excuse for a heart. “So, get my brother or so help me, I’ll kill you.”

Cooper laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder, offering her silent support as they faced down her father. She promised herself, as soon as they made it out of here, she was going to spend at least three days in bed with that man. A real bed. With sheets and pillows and a soft mattress. And, fingers crossed, there’d be no blood, murder or death. 

“You won’t kill me, Lucy. I’m your father. You don’t have it in you to kill someone.” Hank walked towards her, his eyes locked on her face. He looked at her like he used to, like the dad who’d been by her side as she’d grown up. Like the dad who’d loved her…who she’d loved, more than anything. “Especially not someone you care about.”

Cooper choked on a laugh. “Oh, you’d be wrong there, Young Henry.” His spurs jangled as he walked to Lucy’s side, one hand on his gun. “My girl here is quite good at killing folk…when they need killing.”

Her father’s eyebrows rose as he watched the pair of them. Lucy could see the disbelief on his face as if the mere idea of her taking a life was beyond his comprehension. “The Lucy I know wouldn’t murder anyone. And she isn’t yours.”

How dare her father act like he knew her still? Like he knew her better than the man beside her? “You don’t know anything about me.” She reached for Cooper’s hand, wrapping her fingers through his. “I’m his and he’s mine.”

Heat flared in Hank’s eyes, a promise of pain for the both of them for daring to defy him. He snuffed it out, leaving only a warm smile and soft eyes. Just like the father she remembered. He reached his hand out towards Lucy. “You belong here, Lucy. By my side. It can be just like it used to…you, me and Norm. Don’t you remember?”

Lucy watched the man reaching out to her and felt nothing beyond sadness and rage. She didn’t want his love or his platitudes. She didn’t need a father who lied and manipulated her for her entire life. A father who cared more about Vault-Tec than his wife or his kids. Her whole life, she’d admired the man in front of her. He’d been her hero, the dad who could do no wrong and who showered her in the affection she’d so desperately needed after her mother’s death. 

Had it all been a lie? Had he really loved Norm and Lucy? Or were they merely pawns in his attempt to create perfect little Vaulties who never questioned the status quo? Who bred with the right people and never wanted anything more?

Lucy kept her gun pointed at him, refusing to falter. She didn’t need this man’s approval, not anymore. “I will never belong here again. Every fucking thing about this place is lies.” She glared at her father with all the hate and pain he deserved. “Including you. And where the fuck is my brother?”

“Young lady, that is no way to speak to your father. I taught you better than that,” he scolded as if she were still a child. “Is this his influence?”

Cooper gave Hank his nastiest smirk. “Better mine than yours.”

“Lucy?” A familiar voice called out. Lucy turned at the sound, surprised to see Betty coming to stand at her father’s side. “Hank, what’s going on?”

At her side, Cooper made a choked noise at the back of his throat at the appearance of the older woman. She briefly wondered if he knew her from before, but figured now was probably not the best time to ask. How many Vault 31’ers did Cooper know? All of them? Even Steph?

“Lucy’s come back and brought her pet mutant with her.” Hank gestured at Lucy and Cooper, his tone somewhere between fond amusement and angry disappointment. 

At Hank’s comment, Betty finally looked in their direction. Her eyes widened at the sight of Cooper, her mouth forming a perfect ‘O’ of surprise. Lucy was offended for him, but he didn’t seem to care much. Mostly, he just laughed a bit and rolled his eyes. 

“Technically, he’s a ghoul not a mutant. That is something else entirely,” Lucy explained, not that anyone actually cared. She just felt it was important to clarify such things. If they were going to insult Cooper, she at least expected them to do so correctly.

“Semantics.” Hank waved a hand dismissively. “If it looks like a mutant, talks like a mutant and walks like a mutant, then it’s a mutant.”

Lucy opened her mouth to argue, but Cooper stopped her with a gentle grip on her arm. “Darlin’, it’s really not important. I’ve been called far worse by far better folks. Just let it go so we can focus on the important shit.”

She nodded. He was right. She was allowing her dad to draw her into a pointless argument because he wanted to be a dick. Or distract them. She wasn’t sure. But no matter what his reasons might be, she had to stay strong and ignore Hank’s attempts to upset her.

“Hank, what’s going on?” Reg, leading a group of baffled looking Vaulties, asked as he entered the room. His familiar face was wide-eyed and pale as his eyes took in the scene. When those same eyes landed on Cooper, they widened even further. 

“Nothing to worry about. Just go back to your apartments and let me handle this. Lucy’s just feeling a bit out of sorts.” Hank chuckled awkwardly like they were having a minor disagreement and not threatening to murder each other. “I’ll get her set right.”

“Who's that with her?” One of the other Vaulties, Lucy couldn’t see who, attempted to whisper the question, but every single person heard them given the acoustics of the room.

“Not important. He won’t be here long.” Her dad kept smiling like everything was a-okay, but even the naive Vault-dwellers could sense something was off. A few shifted on their feet while others hissed questions to each other beneath their breath. 

While Hank attempted to placate everyone, Betty kept a gun trained on Lucy and Cooper. Lucy wasn’t terribly concerned Betty could do much to either of them. Lucy could take her if it came down to it. And if Lucy could kick her ass, Cooper could easily murder her with his bare hands. Of course, there was the chance Betty might get lucky and manage to injure one of them. She was willing to take her chances since she’d seen the older woman shoot and Betty was terrible at it. The real concern was Betty failing to hit what she was aiming at (Lucy and/or Cooper) and hurting one of the Vaulties instead.

“Lucy, are you okay?” Reg asked, startling Lucy right out of her thoughts. 

“I’m great, Reg. Thanks for asking,” she said, giving the man a smile meant to reassure him. Given the fact he continued to frown, she didn’t think it worked. “How are you?”

“Reg, Lucy’s not feeling well, so maybe don’t talk to her until we get her all straightened out.” Hank interrupted, making sure to glare at Lucy as if her mere presence would corrupt the other vault dwellers. Maybe he thought she was trying to incite them to riot. She wasn’t…yet.

Although if she thought a riot would work, she might give it a whirl. She’d keep the option in mind for later. 

“Oh, she seems fine to me.” Reg scratched his head as he glanced between Lucy and Hank. He obviously sensed something was wrong, but he’d been trained not to question things, so he merely blinked twice and nodded.

“Luce, don’t you think it’s time you sent that man on his way? I’ve got your room all set up for you. We can even get you a new vault suit. It will be like you never left.” Hank smiled widely, appearing every inch like a dad welcoming his daughter home. A daughter he loved instead of the child he wanted dead. Because Lucy knew, without a doubt, her father would kill her the moment he got the chance. He couldn’t risk her revealing all she knew to her former neighbors. Plus, given the rather nasty gleam in his eyes, he considered her somehow tainted. She just wasn’t sure if it was due to her relationship with Cooper or her extended time on the surface.

No, it’s definitely Cooper she thought after a moment of consideration. Hank might not like the fact she’d been surrounded by rads in the Wasteland, but that wasn’t enough for him to have spent the last few minutes sneering at her in disgust. 

“Are you deranged?” Lucy asked, torn between amusement and annoyance at the sheer audacity of the man.

Cooper chuckled while Hank tried to murder her with his eyes. The Vaulties, all at the same time, gasped. Betty made a choking sound, probably out of rage given her weird love-hate frenemies thing she had with Hank. Dogmeat just panted, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as she gazed at Lucy with adoring eyes.

“The surface,” Hank explained to the other Vaulties with a shrug. Like that made any sense, but they seemed to buy it. Probably was a rational answer to them given what they believed about the outside world. They thought everyone was cannibalistic mutants who ran around murdering people.

She glanced at Cooper again. Well, they weren’t entirely wrong.

But there had been no cannibalism lately and he’d really reduced the amount of murder…

“Do they know?” Lucy cut in, not wanting to hear anymore half-hearted explanations for her so-called ‘bad behavior’. 

“Know what, pumpkin?” Hank gave her the fakest expression of confusion she’d ever seen. Really, how had he managed to hide this from her for so long? Because, to be quite frank, he was a terrible liar.

Maybe even worse than her.

“That you’re a murderer. That you killed thousands of people because mom left you?”

“You’re confused. Your mother died during the famine. Everyone here knows that.”

“Darlin’, I think your daddy might be going senile,” Cooper whispered in her ear, his voice warm with amusement. 

Her lips curved slightly. This really wasn’t the time for laughter given all the accusations and lies flying around, but she couldn’t stop herself. Maybe that made her slightly nuts, but considering everyone currently present, she was probably in the lead for the most sane person. Hank was clearly insane, Betty wasn’t much better, the Vaulties were all gaping at her and Cooper was…well, himself. She might love him, but she was also very aware of the fact he wasn’t quite all there.

Heck, that was part of the reason she did love him. Normal, rational and sane men apparently didn’t do it for her. Nope, she liked them weird, irrational and borderline crazy. What did that say about her?

That she had good albeit questionable taste, obviously.

Maybe focus on the current situation and worry about your mental health later she scolded herself, jarring her back into the conversation she should be paying attention to even if it was boring.

“What is she talking about, Hank?” Reg, apparently the spokesperson for the assembled vault-dwellers, glanced at her father with a furrowed brow. 

Hank gave her the nastiest glare he could manage before pasting on a fake smile to address his subordinates. “No idea. She just needs some rest. Once we get rid of that man and get her to bed, she’ll be back to normal.”

Lucy had to give some credit to Reg and the other Vaulties because they didn’t immediately believe him. The doubt still lingered on their familiar faces as they looked between Lucy and Hank, uncertain who was telling them the truth. 

Before her father could continue lying his villainous behind off, Lucy continued to explain. “My mom didn’t die in the famine. She fled the vault with Norm and me to live on the surface with her partner. When Dad failed to convince her to come back, he dropped bombs onto Shady Sands, a town filled with thousands of people.”

“Hank would never do that,” Betty gasped in fake outrage, her hand flying to her chest. 

Lucy rolled her eyes. “You and dad, along with Vault-Tec, destroyed the entire fucking country, so stop acting like you’re shocked.”

Reg’s eyes flew to hers, trying to read the truth painted across her face. “What’s going on, Lucy?”

“It’s all lies.” Lucy turned her attention on the Vaulties, doing her best to sound as sincere and honest as she possibly could. She might have the truth on her side, but her dad and Betty were masters of manipulation. Plus, her former vault-dwelling neighbors weren’t exactly the type to question authority. “Vault-Tec, the bombs, my dad…all of it.”

“Hank?” Marianne twisted her hands like she often did when uncertain. “Is she telling the truth?”

“Of course not,” Hank answered, smiling softly as he reassured the Vaulties. “Lucy’s just been listening to the wrong people. They got her all turned around.”

Cooper ignored the very pointed glare Hank sent his way, implying exactly who Hank considered responsible for Lucy’s apparent confusion. “As fun as this is, can we maybe move it along? I’m bored of all this chit-chat.”

So was she, to be honest. None of the Vaulties would listen to her without proof and she didn’t exactly have any handy at the moment. Plus, she really had bigger concerns. Namely, finding her brother and Janey. Then, after all that was settled, they had to kill Hank. Well, Cooper did. Lucy would just supervise or whatever.

How did one supervise the murdering of one’s father? Offer pointers? Hold the extra bullets? Provide entertaining banter and light refreshments?

Again, not important, Luce.

“Right.” She nodded a bit, her finger just itching to pull that trigger. She might have mixed feelings when it came to murdering her dad, but the longer they argued, the more she was willing to overlook said feelings and just end the man’s life. Mostly, to shut him up.

“Stop fighting me on this, Lucy. You get back here right now or so help me…I will make you.” Her dad, Hank…whatever, grabbed her upper arm and attempted to drag her back to his side.

“Don’t touch me.” Lucy, tired of being lied to and fed up with being yanked around by her father, lifted her free arm and pulled the trigger of her 10mm. When the bullet entered his arm, her father jerked back, his eyes wide with shock.

Her dad glanced down at his arm, his blood seeping through the fingers he wrapped around his bicep. “You shot me.”

“You okay, darlin’?” Cooper asked, a slight smile on his face when he glanced at Hank. 

“Is she okay?” Hank shouted, his voice shaking a bit with either rage or fear. She hoped it was both. “I’m the one bleeding over here.”

Cooper ignored Hank, his hands smoothing her hair back from her face so he could meet her eyes. Lucy, still reeling from the knowledge she’d shot her dad, didn’t respond at first. When he repeated the question, she managed a nod. “Yeah, I’m good.”

“I can’t believe you shot me.” Her dad continued to stare at her, his face pale. “You tried to kill me. My own daughter.”

Lucy rolled her eyes at her father’s over-dramatic antics. He was laying it on extra thick for the vault dwellers, making sure to keep his eyes wide and his voice shaking with emotion. “It’s just a flesh wound. If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead.”

Hank gaped at her, his jaw opening and closing several times. When words failed him, he settled for glaring at her, his hand pressed against his bullet wound as he sat down on the metal floor with a groan. Lucy tried very hard not to enjoy his suffering. 

But she really, really did. Enjoy it, that was. Honestly, she probably should be a little concerned about how much she liked watching her father wince in pain. She wanted to walk across the room and dig her fingers into his wound until he screamed for mercy. She wanted to hurt him as much as he’d hurt her.

She refrained, focusing her attention on Cooper and ignoring the threats spewing out of her father’s mouth. “Are you okay?” she asked him, even though she kind of knew the answer considering the look on his face.

“You shot your daddy, so I’m having a real good day. I do love watching Vault-Tec assholes bleed.”

Lucy peeked up at him through her lashes. The grin on his face was wide and there was even a little twinkle in his eyes. For a moment, she considered telling him to tone it down, worried they might be frightening the Vaulties. But she decided she didn’t care. He was happy, she was happy and Hank was miserable. So far, so good. All they had left to do was get the information they needed and then, kill Hank. Lucy was worried she’d regret murdering her father, but at this point, she was starting to look forward to it.

Chapter Text

All Gurgle and No Guts: Threatening talk, but not taking action; all talk 

Hank cradled his wounded arm against his chest, still unable to believe she’d really shot him. His own daughter, the child he loved with all of his heart, had put a bullet into his arm without a thought. She didn’t even seem that upset about the whole thing, her focus on that creature she was still running around with. 

It made him sick, seeing the two of them acting all cozy together. He’d been hoping she would’ve given up the mutant by now, but that didn’t seem to be the case. If anything, they looked closer than ever. The man was whispering in his daughter’s ear, one hand on her waist while the other one kept his gun pointed in Hank and Betty’s general direction.

His daughter was nodding at whatever the monster was saying, her familiar eyes filled with love for that horror show. She didn’t look at him, her father, with love. Not anymore. Nope, she saved all those soft emotions for the new man (creature) in her life. Instead, she stared at Hank like he was the one who was a monster.

Things hadn’t been going so well for Hank lately. First, he’d arrived back in his vault to find out Betty had fucked everything up by sending Steph and half of his citizens off to Vault 32. Then, he’d discovered his son had gotten curious and went to Vault 31. According to Askins, Norm was currently occupying Hank’s former cryo pod. He’d briefly considered fetching his errant son, but decided it was best to let Norm stay where he was for now. Hank had to deal with Lucy first then he could figure out what to do about his son.

How had he ended up with two such ungrateful children? Had his wife’s blood been so corrupted that she’d infected their children with curiosity and defiance? 

He shouldn’t be surprised considering she’d run off with that woman and taken his children with her. Thank God he’d rescued them and made sure their mother would never bother Vault-Tec again. Of course, that hadn’t exactly worked out in the long run. His daughter was running around with some foul creature and plotting Hank’s murder while his son’s curiosity had landed him in a cryo pod. 

He didn’t deserve any of this, especially two children who should’ve been perfect, well-behaved vault dwellers, but were ungrateful brats instead.

“Dad, are you okay?” Lucy asked him like she cared, like she actually felt bad for putting a bullet in him. 

He didn’t buy it. 

“You shot me, so no, I’m not okay.”

“You’ll live,” the ghoul sneered at him. “Unfortunately.”

“What do you want, Luce?” Hank ignored the creature and his running commentary. The man didn’t deserve to be acknowledged. Nor did he deserve Hank’s daughter.

At least, the daughter Hank remembered. This Lucy? Well, Howard could have her. She was ruined, no longer a viable option for breeding the next generation of Vault-Tec overseers. Even if she hadn’t been bedding down with a ghoul, she was still tainted. All that time running around on the surface had turned her into this woman he didn’t recognize. One who questioned his orders and thought she knew better than her own father. Who thought he was the bad guy.

Didn’t she understand? He did it all for her.

“I want you to tell me the truth. To tell all of them,” Lucy waved her hand at the wide-eyed vault dwellers behind Hank, “the truth. And to tell Cooper where his daughter is.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Clearly, you’ve let that man manipulate you. I can help, Luce. If you just come back to me, I’ll keep you safe.”

Lucy laughed, a cold sound that he’d never heard come out of his daughter’s mouth before. It sent chills down his spine. “I know all about the vaults and what they did. So, forgive me if I don’t believe you.”

“What happened to you? Remember how happy we were? It was just you, me and Norm against the world. You loved it here. You had a job, friends, family…a purpose. And what do you have now? A mutant boyfriend and a thirst for revenge? What will you do after this, Luce?”

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that. You don’t know anything. Maybe I felt that way before, but now I know you’re a liar and what Vault-Tec has done. This isn’t the life I want. Not ever again. My purpose is out there.”

“With him?” Hank glared at the half-dead cowboy who merely smiled at Hank like he’d won. First, the man had tried to ruin Vault-Tec’s plans, then he’d abandoned his wife. Now, he was stealing Hank’s daughter. Was there no ridding himself and Vault-Tec of Cooper fucking Howard?

“Yes, with him. I love him and we’re going to live out there. Together.” Lucy moved close to Hank, crouching down so she could look him in the eye. “I’m going to be happy. Why can’t you accept that?”

“Because you’re doing it wrong. You’re supposed to do what I tell you and never question anything. Why can’t you just do what you’re told?”

The cretin laughed as if Hank had said the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “Have you ever talked to your daughter? Because she ain’t done a damn thing she’s supposed to since the day we met.”

How dare that man act like he knew Lucy better than Hank did. He’d raised his daughter, taught her right from wrong and made sure she’d live the life he’d chosen for her. All these problems hadn’t started until she met Cooper Howard, the Zombie Cowboy.

If anyone was to blame for this Lucy in front of him, it was that man. He’d taken Hank’s Lucy and made her a cold-blooded killer. A woman who could shoot her father without flinching and threaten the very people she’d spent her whole life with.

“Stay away from my daughter.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” The man lit a cigarette, the flame from his lighter briefly illuminating his ravaged face. 

How could his daughter touch that thing? And let him lay those scarred hands on her? Disgusting. The mere thought of Lucy willingly taking that man into her bed made his skin crawl. Did she actually enjoying bedding down with that monster?

“Dad, just tell us what we want to know and we’ll leave. You can stay here and we’ll never bother you again.” She smiled, but it was sad. “All we want is Norm and Cooper’s daughter.”

“If you stay here, just you, I’ll do it.” Hank met her eyes even though he was lying through his teeth. He had no intention of telling either of them anything. But he’d say whatever he had to if it meant keeping Lucy with him. And getting rid of that man.

Maybe, just maybe, if Hank could get Lucy away from Howard, she’d go back to normal. She could be a true vault dweller again. She would marry again and give him the grandchildren he so desperately wanted. The next generation of MacLeans, eager and willing to serve Vault-Tec. 

Just like Hank. 

Sadly, the light in her eyes when she looked at the ghoul suggested nothing Hank could do would make her leave that man willingly. But Hank was inclined to consider more forceful options if necessary.

Howard shook his head, staring at Hank like he was dirt beneath his boots. Like he was better than Hank. “Bullshit.”

“I swear. You walk away from Lucy and leave her here, I’ll tell you where your daughter is.” Hank turned his most sincere smile on his daughter as he said, “And you’ll get to see Norm.”

Lucy looked back at her mutated lover as if to get his opinion. Maybe she was even thinking about staying. Lucy was a sucker for the people she loved, so if she thought she could get Howard’s daughter and Norm back, she might just do what Hank asked.

“Fuck you,” Howard said calmly, exhaling a cloud of smoke in Hank’s direction. “You know he’s lying, yeah?”

Lucy’s eyes stayed locked on Hank’s as she nodded. “I know.”

“And even if he ain’t, there’s no way in hell I’d leave you here.”

“Don’t act like you know what’s best for my daughter, Howard. She belongs here. She was born and raised to be a vault dweller -- to become an overseer. She isn’t safe out there. If you really loved her, you’d leave her with me.”

“She’s safer with me than she is with you. I love her for who she is, not who I want her to be.”

“You turned her into a killer,” Hank hissed through clenched teeth. “Does that make you proud?”

Howard just rolled his eyes, not even attempting to defend himself.

Lucy ignored the conversation to stand up and return to Howard’s side, nibbling at her lip as they talked quietly. Hank couldn’t hear what they were saying, but instead of fighting like Hank had hoped, they looked lost in each other. She had her hand on his arm, staring up at him with adoring eyes while Howard brushed her hair out of her face so he could whisper in her ear. 

Hank wanted to rip that man’s hands off for daring to touch his daughter. Just thinking about the monster laying down with his sweet little girl made him want to scream, to curl his hands into fists and beat the man into the ground. 

He wanted to scoop Lucy up and scrub her clean, to make her his pure, perfect girl again. And to lock her away until she forgot all about Cooper Howard.

“Let’s just kill him and call it a day. We can find Janey and your brother another way.” Howard narrowed his eyes at Hank like he was picking the best way to make him suffer before he murdered Hank. “Someone in this vault will talk once we start shooting folks.”

“Let’s maybe wait a bit before we start massacring people. Most of them don’t have a clue what’s going on.”

“Fine, we’ll only kill the people who do.”

“And how do you plan to figure that out?”

Howard shrugged, seemingly unconcerned about the logistics. “Ask ‘em.”

Lucy shook her head like she didn’t know quite what to do with the man, but she liked it that way. “And how will you know if they’re lying?”

“I’m rather good at it. Two hundred and fifty or so years of practice.” Howard glanced at the handful of vault dwellers still huddled behind Hank, a good chunk of them trembling in fear. “Ain’t going to be hard. You can’t lie for shit, so anyone born here probably can’t either. Anyone who doesn’t shake in their boots when I look at them is probably Vault-Tec.”

“Just give me a few more minutes before you start hurting people.” 

“Fine.” the ghoul threw his cigarette to the ground and stomped on it. “And don’t look at me like that. It’s one cigarette butt,” he added, when Lucy pursed her lips at him.

“I expect you to pick that up, mister.” 

Howard rolled his eyes at Lucy, but much to Hank’s surprise he did what she asked, picking up the discarded butt and shoving it into his duster. “You’re lucky you’re pretty.”

Lucy, his precious daughter, beamed at the monstrosity like he’d hung the fucking moon for her. His stomach heaved, a combination of disgust and pain making him want to throw up on the vault floor.

He didn’t though. He was an overseer, goddammit, and overseers didn’t vomit in front of their subordinates.

Lucy made her way back to Hank, sitting down on the floor in front of him and turning those big eyes on him. Part of him wanted to give into her, to tell his daughter whatever she wanted if she’d just love him again. But the logical side of him knew, no matter what he did, Lucy was lost to him. She wouldn’t be his little girl ever again. She’d made her choice and it wasn’t Hank. Nope, it was that freak.

“Dad, please, for me. I know the man I looked up to as a child is still in there. Remember how we used to read together? And how you, me and Norm would stay up late watching holotapes? I still remember the way you held me while I cried for the stars. You were the best dad a young girl could ask for and I loved you so much. I still do, even if I don’t like who you really are or what you’ve done. But you’re still my dad. So, if you ever loved me, just tell me where Norm is. And where Janey is.”

Hank’s heart clenched at his daughter’s earnest words. He did still love her, he would never stop loving her, but she wasn’t the daughter he wanted her to be. In the end, she was more her mother’s child than she was his. And she didn’t deserve his answers. Or his love.

“No matter what you do or say, I won’t tell you anything. You and your brother have caused me nothing but grief. He’s running around, digging into things…investigating me, his own father. And you! Spending all your time looking for revenge and fucking a monster. How much blood do you have on your hands now, Lucy? And still, you think you’re better than me.” He chuckled, but it was cruel and harsh because nothing about this was funny. “So, as much as it pains me to say this, I don’t have children anymore. You’re both dead to me.”

Lucy blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears Hank saw in her wide eyes. But behind the hurt, he saw rage and a driving need for revenge. He would’ve almost been impressed if it wasn’t directed at him. 

“Very well,” Lucy replied stiffly, standing up to loom over Hank, still bleeding from his arm and glaring at his daughter.

Her mutant partner walked up behind Lucy and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Fuck off, you prick,” the other man told Hank, a feral smile on his face. “I’m going to enjoy killing you.”

“Will you let him do that, Lucy? Your own father?” 

“Maybe.” Lucy smiled, vicious and all teeth. “Or maybe I’ll do it myself.”

A chorus of gasps came from the vault dwellers behind him, making him smile despite himself. Sure, he might get killed, maybe even by his own daughter, but at least she’d be seen for what she really was: a murderer. They’d never look at her the same.

“All those years wasted. How did things go so wrong?”

Lucy raised her brow at Hank’s comment, her hand clenched tight around a 10mm. “What the fudge are you talking about?”

“You. And your brother. All of that work that went into creating you both, making sure you were the perfect vault dwellers and what did I get? Two ungrateful little brats who would destroy their father’s legacy…and for what? The truth?” Hank laughed, a nasty chuckle that showed her what he really thought about her choices. “Please. In the end, Luce, you’re just like me.”

“I am nothing like you,” Lucy spat, thrusting her gun into Hank’s face, her finger on the trigger as she stared him in the eyes. 

“Lucy, my child, I made you to be exactly like me. So, can the moral high ground shit and admit it. You like killing. Just like your dad,” he said, the last part so quiet only she could hear him. 

Well, her and her pet monster.

“I don’t like it.” Lucy paused, reaching out her hand to tangle her fingers with Howard. “But I’ll pull that trigger to save someone I love.” She glanced up at Howard, her eyes briefly soft and wide with affection. “And to save myself.”

“Don’t forget revenge, darlin’.”

“Good point.” She turned her gaze back to Hank. “That one’s my favorite.”

Hank still didn’t understand why his daughter insisted on blaming him for her mother’s death. Rose had made her own choices and if they’d led to her death, then so be it. Hank was merely the instrument of her demise, not the cause of it. Hank was the weapon, not the one who wielded it. 

“I am not responsible for what happened. I did what was necessary. If anyone is to blame, it’s your mother.” Hank kept his voice quiet, not wanting anyone to overhear. All the vault dwellers didn’t need to know any of…this.

Lucy, for some reason he didn’t understand, but was incredibly thankful for, also kept her voice at a whisper. “Do you know what actually happened to Mom?”

“She died at Shady Sands.”

Lucy smiled sadly and shook her head. “She didn’t. Not really.” Lucy paused, her eyes cold. “The bombs didn’t kill her. They just turned her into a ghoul. A feral one.”

“Darlin’, you know that wasn’t your mom.”

She glanced at the other man and said, “I know,” before turning back to Hank. “After you escaped, I realized mom was that ghoul, the one chained to the table. So, you know what I had to do?”

Hank shook his head, not liking the dark look in Lucy’s eyes. “No.”

“I put a bullet right here.” She pressed the barrel of her gun to his forehead, the metal cool against his skin. Several of the Vaulties behind Hank muttered in shock at seeing Lucy holding a weapon to her dad’s head, but they didn’t do anything to stop her. Idiots. “I killed Mom to save her. But you were the one who put me in that position. So forgive me if I don’t give a fuck what you think.”

Hank was shocked to hear such vehemence from his daughter. Lucy rarely raised her voice and she never cursed. He couldn't even recall a time where she’d truly been angry at someone. She’d always been the one who wanted to resolve things by talking it out.

Hank felt for her, he did. He never wanted his daughter to know the truth about her mother. And he certainly never wanted her to have to kill Rose. Or the ghoul that had been Rose. But no matter what, he wasn’t telling her and that monster anything. He stood by his choices even if it meant a few people got hurt along the way. Even his own daughter.

Really, it was all for the greater good, for the world Vault-Tec would build once the surface had been cleansed. 

Hank couldn’t wait to see it. He’d wanted his children by his side, but sacrifices must be made. If they couldn’t fall in line, they’d get killed. And if Hank had to do it himself, he would.

“Last chance. Where the fuck is my brother?”

Chapter Text

Ride to the Last Roundup: to head towards death

Cooper knew he shouldn’t be amused by the scenario playing out in front of him, but he couldn’t help it. Maybe it was a leftover appreciation for drama from his days gracing the silver screen. Or maybe he was just bored. Either way, he sure was enjoying himself. Lucy, standing over her bleeding father like an avenging angel was making him feel all sorts of things. He loved when she got all scary and murderous. For a former Vaultie, she could be surprisingly unhinged. Who would’ve thought such a big-eyed, sweet woman could be so damn violent?

Hell, the fact that she was a walking contradiction was only one of the many reasons he loved her so fucking much. She could be sweet as pie one minute and the next, she’d be firing her gun with a nasty, little gleam in her doe-eyes. A sparkle that promised murder and mayhem to anyone who got in her way. 

Which Hank was learning all about at the moment…what with him bleeding and shaking on the floor. From a fucking flesh wound. Coward.

When they’d first entered the vault, Cooper had some concerns regarding the way she would handle her father’s upcoming murder. He’d been worried she’d catch sight of Young Henry and all her feelings for her daddy would come rushing back. And then she wouldn’t want Cooper to kill the man which would really ruin his day.

Well, it turned out he’d had nothing to worry about. She might have mixed feelings about Hank, but that wasn’t going to stop her from letting Cooper kill the prick. Fuck, considering the fact she’d already shot him in the arm, he wouldn’t be suprised if she was the one that ended up putting a bullet right between her daddy’s eyes. As much as Cooper wanted to be the one to end Henry MacLean’s worthless life, he was willing to let Lucy take the shot if she was so inclined. 

“Your brother is safe. That’s all you need to know.” Hank smiled with too many teeth and cold, dead eyes even as blood seeped between his fingers. “Now, how about you hand me that gun and we’ll get you all settled in?”

Cooper would give the man one thing, he sure was persistent. No matter how many times Lucy said no, he kept acting like she would change her mind if he asked enough times--even after she’d shot the man. Cooper wasn’t sure if Hank was delusional or he assumed Lucy would obey him no matter what. It made him wonder how much Hank really knew about his daughter. She wasn’t exactly one for following orders at the best of times. 

Although, she might’ve been different when she lived behind the steel walls of the vault. Lucy could’ve been the type to do whatever her daddy asked without question before she’d made her trip to the surface. He doubted it though. Sure, she was a rule follower, or had been, but he couldn’t imagine her taking orders well. At least, not ones she didn’t feel like obeying. He should know considering all the time she spent ignoring his suggestions and just doing whatever the fuck she wanted.

“Are you deaf?” Lucy’s cheeks flushed red as she spat the question between clenched teeth. Cooper had seen her mad (obviously) before, but he’d never seen her quite like that. “I’m not coming back. Not ever.”

Hank kept on smiling like he had rocks for brains. Cooper often thought Lucy’s smile bordered on creepy, but she had nothing on Young Henry. Not that Cooper was particularly scared of the man, but his grin was fucking unsettling.

“I’m not asking,” Hank said, his voice cold even as the smile remained on his face. “So, young lady, you put down that gun and you get over here right now. Otherwise, you and your pet mutant are going to regret it.”

A few of the assembled Vaulties gasped, reminding Cooper they still had an audience. They all managed to appear shocked by Hank’s behavior. From what he’d gathered from Lucy, her daddy never revealed that side of himself. Everyone thought the sun rose and set on Hank MacLean’s ass, their benevolent overseer. Cooper, on the other hand, wasn’t surprised in the least. He’d always known exactly who and what Hank MacLean really was. So far, nothing that had happened changed his mind.

Lucy laughed, a harsh angry sound. “I’d like to see you try. You might be willing to kill people, but you aren’t going to get your hands dirty doing it. Nope, your style is more taking out people from a distance.”

“Hank, what does she mean?” one of the Vaulties, some guy who appeared to be a tad older (and far more naive) than Lucy, asked. His voice shook a bit as if he couldn’t quite believe what Lucy was implying about her daddy.

“Shut up, Reg,” Hank snarled, his voice heated as he glared at the other man. 

The Vaultie, a man who clearly wasn’t known for his bravery, snapped his jaw closed and did his best to become invisible. The other Vaulties followed suit, all staying quiet and not doing anything that would draw attention to themselves. Not that it was hard. Cooper didn’t give a shit about them at the moment and from what he could see, neither did Lucy or Hank. Betty, who was still holding a gun on Cooper, glanced in the direction of the crowd, but kept her trap shut. Cooper figured the older woman was plotting her eventual takeover of the vault once Hank was out of the way. 

Why anyone would want to be in charge of a bunch of scared, little Vaulties was baffling to Cooper. But some people liked the power of being a petty tyrant. From what he’d seen of Betty, she was exactly the type to enjoy lording over a bunch of mindless peons. 

Bored, Cooper glanced at Betty and gave her his nastiest smile. A smile that promised her a whole world of hurt once Hank was dealt with. She gulped, casting her eyes downward as she attempted to pretend Cooper didn’t scare the shit out of her. He briefly wondered if she recognized him, but decided he didn’t care enough to ask. Freaking her out was enough to perk his mood right up. 

“Darlin’, as fun as this is, can we move it along?” 

“As soon as he tells us about Norm and Janey,” Lucy answered, her eyes and gun still focused on Hank. 

“I don’t foresee that happening any time soon. So, how about we just get to the torturing and murdering part of the day?”

“Do you want to do the honors?” Lucy asked, making Hank’s eyes go wide. He probably hadn’t thought Lucy capable of such thoughts, but now, he was realizing she was more than willing to follow through. Or at least, let Cooper have at it.

“I’d love to. Should we start with his fingers or his toes? I’m sure once we remove a few of his digits, he’ll start talking.”

Hank glanced between Lucy and Cooper as if trying to decide if they were fucking with him. After a moment, he appeared to realize they were dead serious. Sure, as Cooper had told Lucy more than once, torture didn’t do shit. Most folks said whatever their torturers wanted to hear and didn’t much care if it was true or not. But, in this case, Cooper wasn’t looking for the truth. Mostly, he just wanted to carve up a Vault-Tec minion for funsies. Plus, he enjoyed seeing that look of fear in Young Henry’s eyes.

“If you hurt me, they won’t let you leave.” Hank gestured at the Vaulties, all huddled up together in the corner. Cooper was fairly certain they wouldn’t do shit. Even if they did, he could take them. Hell, he could probably send them running with one glare.

“I doubt it,” Cooper said to Hank, watching with amusement as a few of the Vaulties started shaking in their boots. “And if they try to stop us, I’ll kill every last one of them,” he added with a smirk that terrified a few of the Vaulties even further.

“No killing,” Lucy hissed so quietly only he could hear her. 

He rolled his eyes. The fact that she could be bothered about threatening some Vaulties while holding a gun on her daddy was truly baffling. But, in the interest of not starting an argument in front of everyone, he let her have that one. For now.

Cooper didn’t have any intention of killing any Vaulties (beside Hank and maybe Betty), but he wanted to leave the option open. As long as they didn’t get in his way, he wasn’t going to waste any bullets on some scared rabbits. But the moment they interfered, he’d gun every single one of them down without a thought. Lucy would get over it…eventually.

“Lucy, you don’t want to do this,” Hank said in a voice that one would use when trying to talk down a rabid beast. “I’m still your father. Don’t you remember how good things used to be? We were so happy. If you put down that gun, we can be a family again. You, me and Norm, safe and content. You can pick a new husband, settle down and have some kids. Don’t you want that life again?”

Cooper clenched his fists at the thought of Lucy with anyone other than him. Not that he was terribly concerned about that happening, but the mere idea of it made him want to plow his fist right into Hank’s nose. Fuck, nothing at the moment would give him more satisfaction than hearing the crunch of Hank’s bones breaking under his hands.

There was a small part of him, a part he didn’t even want to acknowledge that briefly thought leaving Lucy in the vault might be the right thing to do. If she stayed here, she would be safe. He’d never have to worry about her getting hurt or killed. She could also have all the kids she wanted. 

Fuck, did she even want kids? He’d never even asked. Not that it mattered really. She knew if she stayed with him, that wouldn’t be an option. Still, if she had her heart set on some little rug rats, he didn’t want to deny her the chance to do so. Even if it meant she had to stay in the fucking vault.

Of course, if he left her here, she’d end up married to some dickhead in a vault suit and he didn’t like that idea much. In fact, it made him want to start shooting people. More so than usual.

“I don’t want that.” Lucy shook her head emphatically. “I don’t want a new husband, I don’t want kids and I sure as hell don’t want to live here. Especially with you.”

Cooper let loose a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding. Yeah, he wasn’t leaving her here. Not in a million years. She was stuck with him until one or both of them kicked the bucket.

“Fine, have it your way. But don’t come crawling back to me once that creature leaves you in the dust.” Hank gave Cooper a look of disgust that would have offended just about anyone on the receiving end of it. But since Cooper wasn’t exactly anyone, he merely smirked at Hank and made a show of stroking his hand down Lucy’s back.

“Yeah, that’s not going to ever happen.” Cooper slowly took out his blade, making sure the light hit the steel just right. “And even if it did, you ain’t going to be alive to see it.”

Betty immediately burst into the fakest tears Cooper had ever seen. If he didn't hate the woman so much, he might’ve offered her some pointers. Instead, he rolled his eyes and let her wail her little, black heart out. 

How had these idiots managed to fool the whole fucking world about their intentions? If anyone spent more than a second with them, they’d know exactly what Vault-Tec had been up to back in the day. Hell, for all he knew, they were still doing some shady shit. He’d heard rumors about state of the art labs hidden away from the Wastelanders. Not that anyone knew where those scientists were located or exactly what they were doing, but Cooper knew it wasn’t anything good.

Still, that was neither here nor there. Cooper might want some revenge on Vault-Tec, but his rage was more focused on the folks he’d known personally like Barb and Hank. He didn’t give a rat’s ass what the other Vault-Tec fuckers were doing. Of course, if he did happen to run across one of those secret labs, he would be more than willing to kill everyone there and laugh while doing it. But he wasn’t going to go out of his way to hunt them down.

“You can torture me all damn day, but I won’t tell you anything. I’d rather die than let you win, Howard,” Hank spat, a muscle in his jaw twitching away. 

Cooper smiled, slow and full of menace. “Well, I guess we’ll see about that.”

Lucy sighed beside him, exhaustion stamped all over her pretty face. He could tell she was just about done with her dad and all his lies. Honestly, so was Cooper. Nothing they did would make the man give up the information and arguing with Hank was just wearing them both down. Maybe it was just time to kill the bastard. They could probably find Janey and Norm some other way.

“Don’t hurt him,” Betty begged as she wrapped a hand around Cooper’s ankle to stop him from moving towards Hank. “He’s a good man.”

Cooper sighed. He really didn’t have time for her delusional nonsense. “If you don’t let go, I’m going to cut that hand right off.”

Betty removed her fingers like they were on fire and turned her attention to Lucy. “He’s your dad. You don’t want to do this. Think of all the wonderful things he’s done for you…and the vault. This isn’t the Lucy I know.”

Cooper once again wondered exactly who this Lucy was they kept talking about. He’d known, of course, that she’d been a bit naive and sweet when she’d left her home. Hell, he had seen it up close and personal. But he also remembered the blood-splattered warrior who’d walked out of that Super Duper Mart. Sure, that Lucy had still given him the drugs, but she hadn’t exactly been nice about it. 

Not that he blamed her for that. If the situation had been reversed, he’d have just let her die. Which made her a far better person than Cooper…but she also wasn’t the type to just let things go either.

“Then I guess you don’t know me at all.” Lucy shrugged, apparently uninterested in whatever shit Betty was spewing at the moment. Good for her.

Cooper was distracted when Betty started sobbing again, even louder this time. He had no clue what the fuck she was hoping to accomplish with her big, fake tears, but it was annoying. “Would you kindly shut the fuck up?” he snapped, more than willing to shoot her in the head if she didn’t.

Of course, she didn’t listen to a word he said. Granted, it was possible she hadn’t heard him over all the wailing she was doing, but he didn’t care. Her carrying on was making his head hurt and if he was miserable, he could only imagine how Dogmeat was feeling at the moment.

Before he could say another word (like threatening to turn his knife on her and cut out her tongue), Lucy snapped first. She swung her gun away from her father and pointed it right at Betty’s forehead. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to shoot you.” She paused to meet Betty’s eyes. “And I won’t even feel bad about it. You’re giving me a headache.”

Betty choked on a fake sob, her eyes all big like she didn’t understand why Lucy was being so mean to her. Cooper wasn’t sure if she was actually that stupid or if she was putting on a big show. But in either case, Lucy’s threat finally seemed to shut her up much to his relief and Lucy returned her attention to her wounded father. 

Still, when all their shit with Hank was done, he really hoped Lucy would let him kill the older woman. She deserved it for being both annoying as fuck and evil as all get out. 

Cooper was so focused on sneering down at Betty, he about jumped out of his skin when a gunshot sounded. He looked down at the gun in his hand, briefly wondering if he’d been so intent on mentally killing Betty that he’d done it for real. But nope, it wasn’t his gun that had fired.

A few of the Vaulties started screeching like they were the ones who’d gotten shot. When he looked in their direction, they all seemed unharmed. Of course, if they kept screaming like that, they wouldn’t remain that way. 

Finally, he noticed Lucy. Her gun was outstretched, pointed down at her father’s prone body. Although it took a second, his brain finally realized what exactly he was seeing. Apparently, Lucy had gone ahead and killed her daddy without a word to Cooper about her intentions.

“I killed him,” she whispered, her gun hand trembling as she looked at Cooper with wide eyes. “I killed my dad.”

“That you did, sweetheart.” Cooper holstered his pistol and walked towards Lucy, his hands held out in front of him. He didn’t think she’d shoot him, but given the way her hands were shaking, he wasn't 100% certain of that fact. “What happened?”

“I shot him.”

“I can see that.” Cooper paused when he reached her side, gently pushing down the arm that was still outstretched. “Any particular reason?”

Her skin was pale as she gnawed away at her lower lip, carefully avoiding looking at the body of her dad, rapidly cooling on the floor. “He was going to kill you.”

“With that pea shooter?” Cooper gestured towards the 10mm Hank MacLean had lost earlier when Lucy shot him the first time. “I would’ve survived.”

She shook her head. “Not that one.” Lucy gestured at the plasma pistol still in Hank’s hand. “That one.”

Cooper wasn’t really sure where the man had gotten the gun, but that wasn’t really important at the moment. He was more concerned about the fact that the other man had even thought about using a plasma gun. He’d never been shot with one of them, so he might’ve been okay if Hank had pulled the trigger. Still, the last time he’d seen someone get hit with a plasma pistol, they’d ended up a tiny pile of ashes. And as far as he was aware, even he couldn’t survive that.  “Yeah, that might’ve done it.”

“So I did the right thing?”

Cooper wasn’t sure if she was asking about the morality of killing her dad or the fact they hadn’t gotten the information they needed from him first. If it was the first, he was the worst person to ask about rights and wrongs.

“Yeah, darlin’, you did. Otherwise, I might be a big pile of dust right now.”

She nodded vaguely, her eyes a bit glazed over. “Okey dokey.”

Given that she was obviously distressed, he didn’t comment on her little slogan. Hell, he didn’t even roll his eyes. Instead, he pulled her into his arms and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Thanks for saving my life.”

“You’re welcome,” she whispered, letting him hold her for a second before she stepped back. She squared her shoulders and faced the stunned Vaulties. A few of them were weeping softly while the rest cowered against the wall as if worried Lucy would turn her gun on them. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“What did you do?” Betty asked Lucy, her voice thin with fear and anger. “Your own dad.”

Lucy, being made of sterner stuff, ignored the other woman. “But I do need you to help me out and answer some questions,” she said to her former neighbors.

The Vaulties all blinked at her, almost in unison. It was very fucking creepy if Cooper thought so himself. But they could be as unsettling as they wanted as long as they answered Lucy’s questions. Otherwise, he’d start shooting the lot of them and let God sort them out.

For now, he’d let Lucy take the lead and keep his fingers crossed. Maybe, after all this time, he’d finally learn what had happened to his Janey.

Chapter Text

Play a Low Hand: to act alone

Lucy ignored the fearful mutterings of her former neighbors as well as the body of her father (she’d killed him!) on the floor. There were plenty of things to take care of at the moment and her dad’s corpse wasn’t one of them. She would have to deal with it (him) eventually. As well as the knowledge that she was the one who’d killed him.

But that was a later Lucy problem.

“Where is Norm?” she asked the assembled Vaulties, doing her best to sound calm even though she wanted to grab everyone and shake them. She must have failed since some of them still watched her with fearful eyes while the rest stared at her like they didn’t know who she was anymore.

Which was fine. It didn’t hurt one bit to have her friends gape at her like that. Really.

Lucy just wanted her brother.

“You killed him.” Betty’s voice shook slightly, although Lucy couldn’t tell if it was fear or shock.

“Sure did,” Lucy said flatly. “And unless you want to be next, tell me where Norm is.”

Betty pressed her lips into a tight line and shook her head.

So, Lucy, being of sound mind, pointed her gun at the older woman. About half of Vault 33 gasped in shock while several of the braver souls begged her to stop. She ignored them, her eyes locked on Betty’s defiant ones. Only one of them was going to win this battle and Lucy intended for it to be her. 

Cooper placed a hand on her gun, gently urging her to lower it. “She ain’t going to tell you shit. All you’re doing is scaring folks.”

“Really?” Lucy raised her brow, unable to believe what she was hearing. “You’re telling me to stop? You? The man who has said, more than once, that he enjoys frightening people.”

He sucked his teeth as he glanced at the Vaulties before returning his attention to Lucy. “True, but you don’t. And I know you’ll regret it later.”

She knew, in some distant part of her mind, he was right. She’d already killed her dad…in front of the entire vault. But she wanted…no, needed to talk to Norm. She had to see him so she could reassure herself that he was okay. That he hadn’t been hurt in her absence. And she was willing to do whatever it took, including scaring her (former?) friends and neighbors, to make that happen.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. After a second, she exhaled slowly before saying, “You’re right.”

“Can I get that in writing?”

“Why?”

He grinned, a brief flash of teeth. “Because that rarely happens. And I want proof.”

“Don’t let it go to your head.” Lucy rolled her eyes at him as she holstered her gun.

“Too late.” Cooper put away his pistol, but continued to hold his shotgun loosely in his arms as he swept his eyes over the Vaulties who were doing their best to become one with the wall behind them. They might’ve been a little scared of Lucy, but they were absolutely petrified of Cooper. Every time his eyes landed on one of them, they visibly twitched.

It’d be kind of funny if it wasn’t so dang sad.

Had she been like that? So frightened of anything outside the walls of her vault that she trembled? And when confronted, had she dropped her eyes to her feet and let herself be intimidated?

She didn’t think so. Oh, she’d definitely been naive. And so, so sheltered. Even now, after everything she’d seen and done, she still believed in the inherent goodness of people. She still held onto her optimism, truly believing almost everything would work out okay in the end.

But she also knew that sometimes people could be awful and things could go pear-shaped at any moment. She’d developed a more realistic view of the world, one she’d never have learned if she’d stayed inside her former home.

“Can any of you tell me where Norm is?” Lucy paused, her most sincere smile on her face as she added, “please?”

“Don’t you dare,” Betty hissed at the Vault Dwellers. “She broke in, showed up with a mutant and killed Hank, her own father! Don’t tell her a damn thing.”

“Shut up, Betty.” Lucy made sure to keep her voice pleasant even though she wanted to rip out Betty’s lying tongue.

“I won’t be silenced by a murderous little brat.” Betty scowled at Lucy before narrowing her eyes further at Cooper. “Or the hideous monster she fucks.”

Lucy felt her temper flare hotter (if that was even possible). “Don’t talk to him like that. He’s worth ten of you.”

Cooper laughed. “More like five. If that.” He stared at the other woman as he placed a hand on Lucy’s waist and pulled her close. “But you like it.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek, much to the discomfort of the Vaulties including Betty. “Now, tell me where the fuck Norm is before one of us shoots you.”

“Well, I guess you’ll just have to kill me then.”

“Sounds good to me.” Cooper pointed his shotgun at Betty’s face. “At this distance, it’ll turn your face into hamburger meat.”

“Wait.” Reg stepped forward, his chin lifted high even as his voice quivered. “Norm isn’t here.”

“Don’t you dare,” Betty spat in his direction, making him wince.

“Do you want to be gagged?” Lucy asked Betty even though she kept her eyes on Reg. She knew he was scared: of Cooper, of Betty and even, of her. But with a little encouragement and kindness, he’d hopefully relax enough to tell her about Norm.

“Fuck that. I say we just kill her.”

Lucy glanced at Cooper who had his nastiest, scariest grin directed at a hostile Betty. Part of her agreed with him. Betty was a part of Vault-Tec and one of the architects of the apocalypse. The woman deserved to die for that alone. Plus, she’d known about Shady Sands, Lucy’s mom and Hank’s true nature.

But Lucy was so tired. Tired of vengeance, of blood…of death. She didn’t regret what she’d done to survive. Still, she didn’t want to add any more bodies to her toll if she could avoid it. Lucy subtly shook her head at Cooper, not wanting the other woman to notice her reluctance. It was better to let Betty think they’d kill her at the drop of a hat.

“Reg, explain.” Lucy turned her attention to the wide-eyed Vaultie. “Please.”

He gulped, but managed a brief nod. “He’s in 32.”

“What? How? Why?”

“Breathe, darlin’,” Cooper murmured in her ear while his hand rested gently against her lower back, offering the silent support she so desperately needed.

“Sorry,” she said to Reg, her voice mild in order not to scare the man anymore than he already was. “I’d really appreciate it if you could help me.”

“Well, you know how the raiders got in through 32?” Reg started. Lucy nodded and he continued, “they killed everyone. So, Betty split us up. Half stayed here and the rest went to 32 with Steph as their temporary Overseer.”

“And Norm’s in 32?”

Reg and a few others nodded, still looking a little afraid. Although they had stopped eyeing her and Cooper like they were grim reapers, so that was nice.

“Why him?” Lucy questioned, chewing on her lip while she stared at her (former) fellow Vaulties. “Dad wouldn’t have wanted Norm to be separated from us.”

“No one thought you or Hank would make it back,” Marianne said, a sympathetic half-smile on her face.

“But still…why Norm?”

“I thought he’d want a fresh start. A place that didn’t constantly remind him of you and Hank,” Betty answered, her voice sticky sweet with insincerity.

“Bullshit.” Cooper rolled his eyes at the other woman, not buying her act. Neither was Lucy. “Dogmeat, get her.”

The dog, happy to be of use, growled in Betty’s face, teeth bared. Betty, who probably hadn’t seen a dog in decades (or longer), did her best to scoot as far away as possible from the animal.

“Fine, your brother was making trouble.”

“How?” Lucy had an inkling, but she needed to hear it from Betty.

“He was getting suspicious. Asking all kinds of questions and dragging poor Chet along with him,” Betty snapped, trying to sound tough. The effect was ruined when Dogmeat grabbed her pant leg and yanked while Betty shrieked. “I answered your questions, so get this mangy mutt off of me.”

Lucy ignored the plea as she looked at Cooper, lips quirked in a mix of amusement and curiosity. “What do you think?”

“Seems like she’s telling the truth.”

“Yeah.” Lucy wrapped the end of her ponytail around her finger as she considered Betty’s explanation. “Dogmeat, let her go.”

Dogmeat managed to convey a sense of resigned disappointment as she ceased gnawing on Betty’s vault suit and trotted back to Lucy’s side. Lucy, proud of their dog, scratched her behind the ears.

“See, Norm’s fine. You can leave now,” Betty suggested, hope etched into every line of her face. 

“Not until I see him.”

“You can’t, Lucy. He’s in 32. You won’t be able to get in. Not until an exchange.” Reg shook his head so hard, Lucy was surprised it didn’t fly right off his neck.

“I’m not waiting. So, find me Chet and get him to open the dang doors.”

“Darlin’, maybe you should rest first. We’re both running on adrenaline and rage at this point.”

Lucy scowled at him for even suggesting such a thing. She wasn’t sleeping a wink until she had her arms around her brother. “Not yet.”

Reg raised an arm like a student waiting to be called on. When she gestured at him to go ahead, he said, “Chet’s also in 32 now. And he isn’t the Gatekeeper anymore either.”

Lucy frowned, irritated at the inconvenience. She knew she could have made Chet open the doors without issue. But a new gatekeeper might be harder to convince. “Okay, who is it now?”

The Vaulties all glanced at each other as if they were silently debating if they should help. When no one spoke up, Lucy took out her 10mm and pointed it at the vault dwellers.

Cooper moved behind her, reaching around her waist to gently push down the gun. “How about we get some shut eye and you can go back to threatening folks in the morning?”

“I want to see him now.”

“I know you do, sweetheart. But a stiff breeze could knock you over at this point. You ain’t no good to him if you’re dead on your feet.”

Lucy shoved him away. How dare he treat her like a child?

“I’m fine,” she snapped, spinning around to give him her darkest scowl. “So, either help me or get out of my way.”

Cooper took in the stubborn tilt of her chin and debated knocking her unconscious. Sure, she’d be pissed, but at least she’d get some damn sleep. Of course, she’d likely wake up and put a few bullets in him before he could blink.

But she wouldn’t kill him. Probably.

“I ain’t doing either until you get some fucking rest.”

“I’m not a child,” she pouted, exactly like a child would. 

“Then stop acting like one,” he hissed back, doing his best not to make an even bigger scene in front of a bunch of lily-livered Vaulties.

She stomped her foot, arms crossed over her heaving chest as she practically shook in rage. “You can bluster at me all you want.” She stabbed a finger into his chest with more force than necessary. “But I’m not budging.”

He knocked her hand aside, his own temper flaring hot. Sure, he understood where she was coming from and why she was acting like a spoiled brat, but no one said he had to like it. Or let her talk to him in that nasty little tone of hers.

“You’ll do what I tell you or I’ll make you,” he snarled right in her face, no longer concerned about making a scene. Who the fuck cared about a bunch of scared rabbits thought about him? He had bigger issues.

Namely, Lucy and her goddamn stubbornness.

“I’d like to see you try,” she snapped back, standing on her tiptoes so she could look him dead in the eyes.

His hands started to ache as he clenched them tighter. “Don’t fucking tempt me. I’ll carry you out of here kicking and screaming if I have to. So, stop being bitchy and get some fucking sleep.”

One of the Vaulties stepped forward, his face pale. “Maybe you two should just calm down and talk it out.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Reg!” Lucy shouted at the man who looked about ready to bolt.

Reg, proving to be braver than Cooper expected, stayed put and lifted his hands as if to stop her tirade. “Just take a deep breath and remember how we resolve our conflicts in Vault 33.”

“Now it not the fucking time, kid,” Cooper told the younger man. He widened his eyes at Cooper and gulped in fear before managing a nod.

“Don’t talk to him like that.”

“You were the one yelling at him ten seconds ago!”

“I wasn’t yelling.” Lucy glanced at the trembling Vaultie. “Was I?”

Reg looked at Cooper for guidance. Uncertain what to tell the man, Cooper shrugged. Lucy wasn’t acting like herself at the moment, so he had no clue how to handle her. Unless tying her up and gagging her was an option. Which, much to his annoyance, probably wasn’t a good idea.

“Er, a little,” Reg admitted as he slowly stepped back, one foot at a time.

“Oh,” she mumbled, her face falling. “I’m sorry.”

The Vaultie, now safely back with the rest of them nodded, but otherwise remained silent. Smart man.

“Do I get an apology?” Cooper asked.

“No.”

“You yelled at me too, you know,” he pointed out, annoyed that she was nicer to the idiot Vaultie than him.

“You started it.”

He pointed a finger at her chest. “No I fucking did not.”

“Did too.”

Great, now they were fighting like two kids in the schoolyard. He’d be embarrassed if he wasn’t so pissed.

“Fine, have it your way,” he muttered, throwing up his hands. If she wanted to act like a crazy person, he wasn’t going to stop her. Hell, she’d eventually lose steam and hit the ground. He could wait.

“Thank you,” she said caustically, a rare sneer on her normally cheerful face. It was downright unsettling. “Now, who’s going to get me into Vault 32?”

“We’d love to help you, but we can’t. It’s just not done, Lucy. You know that,” the same Vaultie from earlier replied, his voice gentle like he was trying to calm a rapid dog. 

“I don’t care. I’ve walked all over the Wasteland, been stabbed, killed people, almost died multiple times and learned my dad was a mass murdering liar. I just want to see Norm. Please.” Lucy choked on the last word, her eyes tearing up as she stared at the 50 or so Vaulties. “I need my brother.”

They stayed silent, unwilling to bend. Cooper knew they’d cave eventually, but that didn’t help Lucy right now.

Before he could do anything (i.e. start shooting), Lucy swayed on her feet, doing her best to be intimidating but failing. Between her obvious exhaustion and her unwillingness to follow through on any of her threats, none of the Vaulties looked particularly afraid.

Oh sure, some of them were still wary of her, but no one was exactly shaking in their boots. Not anymore, at least.

Well, unless they glanced in his direction. Then they got scared again.

“Why won’t someone just fucking help me?” Lucy asked, all but begging her fellow Vaulties. 

Cooper could hear the desperation in her voice and he could see the tears filling her eyes. It made him want to hurt people, to tear them apart until one of those cowards coughed up the information. He’d do it too, if he thought it’d help.

“If we could, we would Lucy. But we have to consider the safety of everyone. You know the rules,” one of the Vaulties, an older woman with a stern expression, said. 

“Fuck you, fuck your rules and fuck Vault-Tec.”

Cooper, as annoyed and worried as he was with her, couldn’t help smirking at the wide-eyed Vaulties. Every time Lucy said ‘fuck’, they visibly recoiled.

“Lucy!” the same woman gasped as if Lucy had stripped herself naked and started rolling around on the floor. “Language.”

Lucy, the adult woman who said things like ‘fudge’ and ‘dang’ most of the time, rolled her eyes. “Oh, fuck off. You’re all a bunch of sheltered, scared sheep. You do what Vault-Tec tells you and never think for yourselves. There are people out there, living their lives while you bury your heads in the sand. You’re all mindless minions and I’m glad I left! I hate it here and I hate all of you for being exactly what they want you to be. So, get me my fucking brother so I can get the fuck out--” Lucy paused mid-rant, her face blanched of color as she looked at him. “I don’t feel--”

Cooper managed to catch her before she hit the ground, but it was close. He’d known she’d pass out at any second, so he’d kept close even though she’d pissed him off. But he decided to forgive her considering the circumstances.

He was nice like that.

“Is she okay?” a chorus of Vaulties asked at the same time. A few even managed to appear concerned even though most of them just looked relieved. Probably all that cursing and yelling she’d been doing. Vaulties were sensitive about that kind of stuff. Such delicate creatures.

“She’s fine.” Cooper threw her over his shoulders, his arm wrapped tight around her legs. “Where can I put her?”

“Why?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Is she sick?”

“Is that why she’s acting funny?”

“Who are you exactly?”

Cooper took a long breath, counting to ten so he didn’t murder the crowd of Vaulties bombarding him with fucking questions all at once. It sure didn’t help that they were staring at him like he had all the answers and that terrified them.

“I’m going to need all of you to shut the fuck up.” Cooper adjusted Lucy slightly, not wanting to drop her on her pretty, little head. But if the Vaulties didn’t show him to a bed soon, she’d be hitting the ground. Hard. “And show me to a goddamn bed. She just needs to sleep.”

The one she’d called Reg stepped forward. “I’ll show you.”

“Reg, don’t let them stay here. They’ll taint our vault if they don’t kill us all in our beds,” Betty protested, doing her best to look commanding.  Kind of hard for a woman shaking in fear on the floor, but she somewhat managed.

Reg, much to Cooper’s surprise, ignored her. “Follow me, please.”

“I’m the overseer here. You’ll do what I say!”

“I’ll be back to deal with you.” Cooper grinned evilly as he walked past the woman.

She dropped her eyes, all her courage suddenly gone. Just like all the Vault-Tec fuckers. Oh, they talked a good game and acted all tough, but when they came face to face with real danger, they ran. Or hid. And in some cases (Young Henry), they killed a whole lot of folk -- from afar. No one at Vault-Tec ever wanted to get their hands dirty.

Cooper walked behind the Vaultie, hoping it wasn’t much further. Lucy, although slender, was starting to get heavy. Dead weight and all. But hey, at least she was fucking sleeping.

Reg stopped to open a door and gestured Cooper inside. “Her room’s in there.”

With a sigh of relief, Cooper dropped her on the bed. “Thanks,” he said insincerely as he started taking Lucy’s boots off. “You can go now,” he added when the Vaultie continued to stare at Cooper as he started to unbutton Lucy’s blouse.

“Er, right,” the idiot stammered, looking carefully at the wall. “I’ll do that. But what should I do about Betty?”

“Shoot her,” Cooper answered. When the Vaultie gasped and gaped at him, Cooper rolled his eyes. “Fine, tie her up and shove her in a closet or some shit for now.”

Reg managed a nod, still seeming a bit dazed and vaguely confused as he left. Cooper figured he’d get Lucy comfortable then go check on what the Vaulties had done with Betty. He didn’t trust them not to untie her and let her go right back to being an overseer.

And the last thing he needed at the moment was another gunfight with a Vault-Tec sycophant.

“Alright, darlin’, let’s make this quick,” he told a still unconscious Lucy. She didn’t even stir when he yanked off her jeans. “You alive?”

When she didn’t reply, he quickly reassured himself she was still breathing. Once he was satisfied she hadn’t kicked the bucket, he tucked the blankets tight around her.

“I’ll be right back,” he whispered, brushing her hair off her face and kissing her forehead. “Dogmeat, watch her.”

The dog jumped onto the bed and curled up next to Lucy, who didn’t seem to notice Dogmeat licking her face. 

Satisfied his two girls were safe for the moment, he quietly left the room to deal with Betty. And he hoped it was quick because Cooper had plans. Ones that involved Lucy and that bed. After they’d both gotten the rest they so desperately needed.

Chapter Text

Biggest Duck in the Puddle: The most important person in a small group

Reg was not enjoying his day. Sure, it’d started off okay even if he did miss all the friends who’d been sent to Vault 32. But these things happened, and he understood that for the good of the vaults, sacrifices had to be made. Of course, his day had taken a nosedive when Lucy had shown up with a dog and what he assumed was a person (a strange one, but he wasn’t one to judge someone based on their appearance). Then, before he could even figure out what was going, things had descended into chaos. Now, Hank was dead and Lucy, his own daughter, had done it. 

Since Reg wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about all of that at the moment, he shoved it aside and stared through the tiny window at Betty. After that friend of Lucy’s had dismissed him, Reg had convinced a few of his neighbors to help deal with Betty. They weren’t quite sure what to do with her, so they’d settled on locking her in one of the smaller storage rooms. She didn’t seem particularly thrilled with her new arrangements considering she’d spent the last few minutes pounding on the door and shouting threats. 

A few of the others had wanted to let her out. Maybe it was all the screaming or maybe they just didn’t know what else to do. Reg didn’t blame them, but he figured it was probably for the best to keep Betty where she was for the time being. He wasn’t sure exactly what Betty and Hank had done, but he heard enough to suspect it was very bad. Plus, as much as he hated to admit it, Lucy’s new friend scared the heck out of him.

Reg had known Lucy her whole life and he would never have suspected she’d be the type to commit murder…let alone kill her own father. She was always smiling and offering kind words to everyone she passed. There wasn’t a day that went by when she didn’t lend a hand to someone in need. Really, Lucy had been a model citizen of Vault 33. Even though he was older, Reg had looked up to Lucy and did his best to live by her example.

So, what the fudge had happened to that young woman? Had the surface somehow made her lose her mind? Maybe the radiation had baked her brain and turned her into a killer. Or maybe that man with her had brainwashed her or something. Because there had to be some explanation for all of…this.

Ever since Hank had gotten taken by those raiders, things hadn’t been going so well. Reg no longer felt safe in the vaults now that the outside world had managed to creep its way inside. Then, once he started being able to sleep again, Betty took over and separated them into different vaults. He missed his friends and he wished he’d been sent to 32. Instead, he felt more alone than ever.

When Hank had made his way back (sans Lucy, which he’d refused to explain to anyone where she was), Reg had started to feel like maybe everything would be okay. Hank knew what he was doing and he’d been the best overseer 33 had ever had (at least, to the best of Reg’s knowledge). Reg had been certain that Hank would get back everyone from 32 and everything could go back to normal.

Clearly, normal had taken a flying leap right out of the window leaving Hank dead, Lucy unrecognizable and Betty ranting inside a closet. Who would be their overseer now? 

Reg may have wanted the position in the past, but he would happily hand the reins over to someone else and never think about being in charge again. How did anyone handle all this pressure? He wasn’t even the overseer, but everyone was still looking at him like he knew what the heck he was doing. He really should've kept quiet with Lucy and her friend earlier. He got the impression that his willingness to speak up had landed him in the position of de facto leader. 

He really, really didn’t want it.

“Let me out of here right now or you will fucking regret it!” Betty shouted, interrupting Reg’s thoughts. He tried not to wince at her curses, but he’d heard the f-word way too many times today and it was upsetting him. There really was no need for such foul language. 

“Maybe we should do what she says,” George said, wringing his hands as he stared at Betty through the small window.

“No.” Marianne shook her head. “We should leave her. We don’t know what’s going on yet, but something is off and I want to know what it is before we let her go.”

“I mean, it’s Betty though. What could she have possibly done to deserve this?” Carl chipped in, smiling at Betty even as she snarled threats at him. Unbothered, he lifted his hand and waved at her. “It’ll be okay,” he said to Betty, even though she probably didn’t hear him over all her screaming.

 “Well, I’m not sure exactly.” Reg grabbed Carl’s arm and shoved it down to his side. “Stop waving at her. You’re making it weird.”

Carl dropped his hand, but continued to smile at Betty in a way that was starting to border on creepy. “Okay, so if we aren’t sure, we should just let her go. I don’t want her to be mad at me later.” 

“You’re an idiot.” Marianne elbowed Carl away from the door. “Look, something is going on and I want to know what it is before we do anything.”

“If we’re going to lock up Betty, maybe we should lock Lucy up too.” Carl paused, his head tilting slightly to the side as he mulled over his words. “And her friend.” He looked around as if making sure no one was around. “He scares me,” he said, trying to be quiet, but the emptiness of the hallway caused the words to echo. 

In response, all the vault dwellers glanced around to make sure the man and Lucy hadn’t popped up out of nowhere. When the coast was clear, George added, “me too. Why does he look so weird?”

Marianne dragged her hands through her hair. “That really isn’t important right now. I think we should all go to bed and figure things out in the morning.”

The five other vault dwellers turned to look at Reg, waiting to see what he thought they should do.

Reg sighed. He really didn’t want to make any decisions at the moment. All he wanted was to go into his room, lay down on his bed and pretend this day had never happened. But everyone was looking at him like he had all the answers (which he did not). Still, someone had to say something. “We should wait until we talk to Lucy. She’ll know what to do.”

“She just killed her dad, Reg. I don’t exactly trust her judgement right now,” Wendell added, his brow knitted.

“It’s Lucy though.” Vera pushed Wendell out of the way so she could peek in at Betty. “She wouldn’t just kill someone for no reason. I think Reg is right. Let’s leave Betty there until Lucy tells us what’s going on.”

Wendell glared at her, his arms crossed over his chest as he did his best to intimidate his cousin. She ignored him, so he turned his attention to George and Reg. “Look, we have to let her out. Who else is going to be our overseer? We have to have an overseer.”

“If you let her out, I’ll make sure you regret it,” a raspy voice said from behind Reg, making him jump several feet in the air.

Reg really wasn’t ready to face the scary man again. Still, he took a deep breath and turned around, trying not to notice as everyone else scattered, leaving him alone.  Maybe the strange man would take over so Reg didn’t have to make any more decisions for the day. 

Or ever again.

“Listen, kid, I’m going in there to talk to her. You’re going to stay there and let me out when I’m done. Yeah?”

“Yes, sir,” Reg managed to say even though his throat felt tight with fear. 

The man rolled his eyes. “For the love of…don’t call me sir.”

“Er, yes, s--,” he started, catching himself before he finished the word. He did not want the scary man mad at him. “Okay.”

“Good.” The man straightened his hat, looking ready to do battle. Better someone (anyone) else than Reg. “Stay there and don’t let anyone in. And if Lucy wakes up, you tell me right away.”

“Okay,” Reg repeated, wanting this day to be over more than any other day ever. The other man just gave him a nod before entering the room. Reg let the door shut, but couldn’t resist peeking in. A part of Reg, one he didn’t like to admit to, rather enjoyed the look of sheer terror on Betty’s face. She deserved it for taking away his friends. 

And maybe, now that Betty was no longer in charge, he’d get to see them again. Soon, if he were lucky. Because Reg was just so dang tired of feeling so dang alone.

Betty was tired, a bone-deep weariness born of fear and rage. Since Hank’s return, she hadn’t been certain of her place in Vault-Tec anymore. For a glorious moment, she’d returned to her rightful place as the overseer of Vault 33. Sure, she might not have been as popular as Hank, but she was the one in charge. People had to listen to her and she’d relished every moment. 

So, of course, it all had to go to shit. Hank should’ve been dead. Instead, he’d returned like some sort of hero and wrestled the overseer's reins from her with ease. The whole thing had pissed her off, but there had been little she could do about it. Hank was a favorite of Askins and he’d made it clear to Betty that Hank would be returned to his former position.

Not that he’d held on to the title for long. Lucy had ended Hank McLean’s reign with a bullet to the head. If Betty wasn’t so terrified of the girl and her monstrous companion, she’d have rejoiced. Hell, she would’ve gotten down on her knees and thanked Lucy if it meant she’d be the overseer again. Alas, Betty didn’t see that happening. Lucy and her…friend had made it clear that they knew what Vault-Tec had done (and was still doing, to some extent). Which, well bad, wasn’t Betty’s main concern. No, she was far more worried about what they planned to do with her. She doubted it’d be anything good. 

She just hoped they weren’t planning to kill her. Betty might be (somewhat) old, but she wasn’t ready to die yet. Maybe, if she played it right, Lucy would forgive her. The girl had a soft heart (even if she had killed her dad) and Betty could use that to her advantage. A few tears, maybe a sob story about how she hadn’t known what Vault-Tec had planned (she had, of course) or a sad tale about how they forced her to go along with their schemes (she’d been a willing participant) and threatened her if she wouldn’t obey their commands (they hadn’t).

Betty was so lost in her plans, she didn’t hear the door open. She did, however, hear the soft jangle of spurs in the empty room. She didn’t want to look up, but she did it anyway. When she met the eyes of the inhuman man in front of her, she tried to control the shudder of fear that traveled down her spine. She must have failed because the monster smirked at her. 

“What do you want?” Betty demanded, trying to sound courageous even though she was scared as shit.

“Answers,” the man drawled as he leaned against the wall like he didn’t have a care in the world. Still, he kept one hand hovering over his gun as if expecting her to attack him at any moment. He didn’t need to worry about that. Betty had no intention of fighting a battle she knew she’d lose. Manipulation and evasion were her weapons of choice, not fists and guns.

“I don’t know anything.”

He laughed, a cold, harsh sound that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “Oh, I think you know plenty. You might not have been top brass, but you were right in the thick of it.”

Betty squinted at the cowboy, trying to place him. He was acting like he knew her, but she didn’t recognize him. “Do I know you?”

He shrugged. “Another version of me,” he said as he took out a cigarette and lit it with a click of his old lighter. 

Betty coughed and waved the smoke out of her face as she considered the possibilities. Had he also worked for Vault-Tec before the bombs? She didn’t think so, but there was a sense she’d met him before. But where?

“I’ll give you a hint.” He blew another cloud of smoke in her face, much to Betty’s annoyance. “You worked for my wife.” He paused, head cocked slightly to the side. “Ex-wife.”

There was no way…

“Cooper Howard?” She asked, her voice faint with shock. When he nodded, she added, “how?”

“Does it matter?”

No, she supposed it didn’t. She’d barely known the man. Sure, she’d met him a few times, but most of what she’d heard had been shared by his unhappy (and very angry) wife. Betty hadn’t cared enough to ask questions. Mostly, she’d offered sympathetic noises whenever her boss had gone off on a rant about her suspicious, useless husband.

And now, against all reason, she was locked in a small room with the man. A man who was still suspicious (maybe even more so), but hardly useless.

The silence stretched out between them. He calmly smoked while Betty stared into the middle distance, not wanting to show any signs of weakness or impatience. Although she wanted to demand an explanation for how the fuck he was still alive, she stayed quiet. The last thing she wanted was to let him know she was curious…and very, very afraid.

“Alright,” he said finally, stubbing out his cigarette on the steel wall behind him. “Time to talk.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“Well, you can start by telling me where the fuck my daughter is.”

Betty flinched at the venom in his voice. Her hands groped behind her, hoping to find the door unlocked. It remained sealed, so she turned around and pummeled her fists against the metal. When she looked out the window, Reg’s startled face filled the glass.

“Let me the fuck out of here, Reg, or so help me…you’ll regret it.”

Reg paled, but didn’t give into her demands. Nope, the big idiot had apparently grown a spine because he shook his head and turned around. She growled, promising herself she’d make him pay for his disobedience.

“Don’t make me ask again,” the mutant snarled from behind her, so close she could feel the heat of his breath on her neck.

Betty spun back around, her anger drowning out her fear. “I don’t know! I was just her fucking assistant. They didn’t tell me shit.”

For once, she wasn’t lying. She’d been an assistant to Barb Howard, not one of the executives who made the decisions. Sure, she’d been just high (and liked) enough to land herself in Vault 33 instead of one of the other, more dangerous ones. But she wasn’t privy to where the top tier of Vault-Tec had ended up once the bombs fell.

Howard pushed himself closer, trying to intimidate her into spilling everything she knew. “Aren’t you in fucking charge now?”

Betty sighed, wishing she was anywhere else. She’d always thought Cooper Howard was kind (if a bit spineless), but clearly, that had changed. The man in front of her was as mean as a snake…a snake who looked ready to strike at the slightest provocation. And, unfortunately for Betty, she was the one in his way. 

“No. Hank was, but he’s dead. And I wasn’t officially put in charge, so I don’t know what you want from me.”

He sneered, clearly thinking she was lying. “And you can’t find the information?”

Betty managed to put some space between herself and the enraged man. “I don’t have access. Only Hank did.”

Howard pinched the space between his eyes. Betty wasn’t sure if he was frustrated because he believed her or because he didn’t. “And no one in this entire fucking vault knows how to break into them?”

Betty shook her head. There was only one person who could probably do it and he wasn’t currently located in Vault 33. In fact, he was on ice in Vault 31 if Hank was to be believed. Sure, some of the other vault-dwellers knew the basics, but Hank had been paranoid and made it extremely difficult for anyone to gain access to the information on his terminal. Even when she’d been the overseer, she hadn't been able to see anything in those files (and lord knows, she’d tried). 

“Then I guess I don’t have any more use for you.” He unholstered his gun and shoved the barrel in her face, so close that the metal kissed her forehead. “Any last words?”

Betty, not ready to die, felt her eyes fill with real tears. “Please, don’t hurt me.”

“Give me one good fucking reason not to kill you where you stand,” he snarled, his face twisted in rage. Part of her had briefly hoped he was just trying to scare her, but as she met his dark eyes, she knew he’d murder her without flinching.

“I was just doing my job,” she sobbed, her voice trembling with fear as she begged for her life. “Please, don’t…I didn’t know…” When she noticed her pleas were falling on deaf ears, she changed tactics. “Lucy wouldn’t want this.”

For a moment, he watched her through narrowed eyes, the gun still pressed against her forehead. “You don’t know shit about what Lucy wants,” he hissed at her. But, much to her relief, he holstered his gun with a muttered curse. “But she ain’t here right now. So, I’m going to give you a choice. One, I can kill you right now or two, you can leave this fucking vault. Go survive out there on the surface.” He smirked, all cold and cruel. “If you can…”

Betty did not like those options. She did want to live, but the idea of leaving the vault and living amongst the mutants and freaks didn’t sound very appealing either. Plus, she wasn’t a spring chicken by any means. How long would a person of her age survive in such a hostile environment?

“Either way, I’m dead.”

He shrugged, that awful grin still on his lips. She’d always wondered, if Death were real, what he would look like…and now she knew. He’d look like the version of Cooper Howard standing in front of her. “You might have a chance,” he told her even though the expression on his face said he didn’t believe that for a moment. 

Still…any chance was better than no chance. “Fine, I’ll leave,” she snapped, finding comfort in her anger. She was more terrified than she’d ever been in her life. She just refused to let him see that. A Vault-Tec employee always knew that rage was better than fear…and to never, ever let anyone see you afraid because fear was a weakness. And goddammit, Betty wasn’t weak.

“Good choice.” He leaned in close to her, his forehead almost touching hers. “And if you try and weasel your way out of it…I will fucking kill you. Understand?”

Betty’s legs went to jelly at the softly spoken threat, but she managed a nod.

He knocked on the door and gestured at Reg to let him out. As the door opened, Betty briefly considered making a run for it, but really, where would she go? At least this way, she had a chance. Maybe, if she were lucky, she’d find a new place to call home on the surface. Surely, there was some void she could fill…maybe as a leader. Betty sure would love being in charge again.

“Enjoy your remaining time here because you ain’t ever seeing this vault again.” He tipped his hat at her as he strolled out of the room. Reg glanced at her like he was surprised she was still alive. “And kid,” Howard started, turning his attention to the other man. “If you or anyone helps her, I’ll fucking skin you alive.”

The last thing Betty heard before the door closed behind Cooper Howard was Reg’s stuttered agreement. And, with that, she kissed her chance of escape good-bye. Reg might be a little afraid of Betty, but he was far more scared of the mutant cowboy. So, Betty sank to the floor and cried for the life she was losing…and her uncertain future.

Chapter Text

Tell it to a Sailor on Horseback: Not believing what someone is telling you

Lucy woke up with a start, baffled by where she was and how she got there. Her now open eyes took in the familiar, yet strange, surroundings. It was her home, the room she’d grown up in complete with the same art on the walls, the same subtle smell of vanilla and the same blanket she’d had since she was a child, pulled up to her chin. The only thing different about the room was the fact Cooper was sleeping beside her with Dogmeat on the floor at their feet. 

It felt surreal, as if she’d been dreaming and woke up to an alternative world. One where she’d stayed in her vault, safe and sound. Although with Cooper here, she knew that wasn’t the case. If she’d never left home, she’d never have met him and he wouldn’t be breathing softly against her neck.

She was a bit surprised to find him beside her given his vocal dislike for the vaults. If anything, she would’ve thought he’d refuse to stay a single night behind the steel walls and camp outside until they were done. And yet, here he was. With her.

Although, how had she gotten here? The last thing she remembered was demanding to be let into Vault 32 while Cooper tried to convince her to rest. She hadn’t wanted to, needing to find Norm as soon as possible. But somehow, she was in her former bed in her former room in her former home.

Cooper stirred beside her, rolling over on his side so he was looking at her. “Ah, she wakes.”

“How the heck did I get here?”

“I carried you. Had to browbeat a few Vaulties to give me directions, but after several death threats, they brought me here.” He smiled, likely amused by the idea of scaring some of her neighbors. 

Her brow wrinkled as she tried to recall anything after her rant about Norm. “Why don’t I remember any of that?”

“Well, considering you were unconscious at the time, I ain’t surprised.” When she just stared at him and blinked, he laughed, a little huff of breath. “Darlin’, you hit the ground mid-rant. Scared the shit out of me. One minute you’re going on and on about Vault 32 and the next, wham,” he clapped his hands together, “you’re on the floor.”

“Oh,” she said with a sigh.

“Yeah, I thought your daddy might’ve shot you or something. But nope, you were just tuckered out.” He rolled over on his back, bringing her with him so she was sprawled across his chest. “You feeling better?”

Lucy propped her chin on her hands and watched him through half-lidded eyes. “Yeah, I think so. I mean, I’m still worried about Norm, but I don’t feel so tired anymore.”

“That’s good. How you coping with the whole shooting your daddy thing?”

She considered his question for a moment. How did she feel about that? He deserved it, that was for dang sure. And he’d been attempting to kill Cooper, so she’d acted in defense of the man she loved. Cooper might be mostly unkillable, but the plasma gun her father had in his hands would’ve likely ended his life. So, she knew she’d done the right thing. But it hurt more than she’d expected. He was her dad, the father she’d loved for all of her life. And she’d killed him.

But, at the end of the day, even though she was hurt, it had to be done. In a weird way, she was glad she was the one who’d done it. By putting a bullet in her dad, she’d closed that chapter in her life. He was gone now, punished for all his misdeeds. 

Yeah, he’d deserved to die and she had few regrets about being the one to do it.

“I’m okay.” She snuggled into his chest, burrowing her head below his chin and breathing in the scent of smoke and leather that always clung to him. “Sad, but not because I killed him. More like upset that it had to come to that.”

He nodded, his chin brushing her hair. “Make sense. But if you ever start feeling guilty, I’ll listen. It’s alright to miss him…to mourn him. No matter what he did, he was still your daddy. A shitty one, but the only one you knew.”

“Thank you.” She dropped a kiss on his chest, reluctant to move, but knowing it was time to find Norm. But first, she had one last thing she needed to say. “I’m sorry he died before he could tell you where your daughter is.”

“Eh, if you hadn't killed him, I’d be dead. And then I definitely wouldn’t be able to find her. We’ll find another way.”

She smiled, glad that he wasn’t blaming her. Not that she really thought he would, but he was a bit moody, so one never knew. “Actually, Norm might be able to help with that.”

“How’s that?”

“He’s amazing with tech. If anyone can hack into the systems and find the information, it’ll be him. We just have to find him first.” 

When she started to move off him, he rolled her underneath him and met her eyes, a slightly wicked grin on his face. “And we’ll do that right quick. But first, how do you feel about defiling your childhood bed?”

Lucy cocked her head, intrigued. Granted, she’d had sex with Chet in the bed before, but that hardly qualified as ‘defiling’ given how sweet and gentle it’d been. Not that she would be mentioning that to Cooper anytime soon. Or ever, really. 

“What counts as defiling exactly?”

Cooper’s smirk widened. “Well now, darlin’, how about I just show you?”

Lucy nodded enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around his neck. “This is a good plan,” she said against his lips. “I like this plan.”

Instead of replying, he claimed her mouth with a passionate kiss, all teeth and tongue. She met his movements with her own, desperate to lose herself in his touch. She wriggled against him, pushing her hips into his and gasping at the feel of him beneath her.

“Whoa there, darlin’,” he muttered when she tried to undo his pants in an attempt to hurry him along. She already felt like she was about to combust. “Defiling takes time.”

“Then sex now and defiling later. I need you.”

He rolled her on her back, laying out long on top of her and nibbling his way down her neck. “And we’ll get there. But first, I want to make you beg.”

Lucy, impatient, dug her hands into his hips and arched upwards. “Please.”

He chuckled, grabbing her wrists in one hand and pinning them above her head. As he met her eyes with his heated ones, he grinned. “I think we can do better than that.” 

Well, this was how she died. Sexually teased to death. She already felt like she was about to explode and she wanted…no, needed, to feel all of him. But it looked like she was at his mercy. And she found that she didn’t mind one dang bit.

An hour or so later, Lucy stood in front of the door to Vault 32, 10mm held tightly in her hands. Cooper was beside her, shotgun pointed forward. A few of her former neighbors eyed them with curiosity and concern. The poor resident who’d taken up Chet’s post was shaking as he prepared to open the vault doors.

“Are you sure about this, Lucy?” he asked, his voice quivering when she turned to stare at him with cold eyes.

“Yeah, George, I’m sure. Open it,” she answered, wincing when she realized how rude she sounded. “Please.”

Cooper huffed out a breath like he was amused at her manners, but otherwise kept his attention focused on the door. 

Lucy, on the other hand, was trying not to freak the heck out. She didn’t know what awaited her once that door opened. Would Norm be there, waiting for whomever was on the other side? Or would he be elsewhere, hiding away until he knew it was her? 

She hoped he’d be there, ready and eager to leave. Of course, she’d have Steph to contend with which worried her more than she’d like to admit. Steph had been her best friend, the woman she’d shared all her thoughts, hopes and dreams with. The moment the other woman came to their vault for her marriage, Lucy knew they’d be friends. Best friends, even.

And they had been. Lucy made friends easily so it wasn’t like she hadn’t ever had one before. But not one like Steph. They’d just clicked, finding a person who seemed to understand them in an instant. It hadn’t been like anything she’d felt before or since. The fact that it was all built on lies made Lucy want to cry. She’d loved Steph with all her heart and knowing that the other woman was part of Vault-Tec hurt. That woman, who she’d told secrets to late at night, had helped end the world.

Just like Betty. Just like her father. And just like Cooper’s ex-wife. Steph was one of them. 

Had she known everything? Had she sat at a table with the others and plotted the best way to wipe out the entire world? When the bombs finally fell, had she watched them with satisfaction knowing she’d done her job well?

Cooper, sensing her tension, laid a gentle hand on her back as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “You good?”

Lucy took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m good.”

“Well, alright then.” Cooper turned his head on the man at the door panel, who had clearly been doing his best to sneak off. “Georgie Boy, if you don’t open this fucking door, I’ll shoot you and then someone else will have to do it.”

Lucy practically heard the man gulp, but he finally did what was asked. Even though she felt anxious and uncertain, she managed to keep her hands (and gun) steady, taking slow breaths as the door began to open.

Dogmeat, as if sensing her worry, remained alert at Lucy’s side. As much as she wanted to reach down and pet the dog, she knew that was not a good idea. Not now. She couldn’t have any distractions. But she promised herself that she’d give Dogmeat treats and smother her in affection once this was over.

“Lucy?” a voice exclaimed, sounding more than a little shocked to see her. 

Lucy snapped open her eyes, unaware she’d even closed them until she took in the sight of Steph, syringer held in her hands. A baby, Steph’s baby, was sleeping in the sling wrapped around her. The eyepatch still covered one eye while the other watched Lucy with a mix of surprise and worry. 

“Steph,” Lucy greeted without inflection, meeting her (former?) friend’s wary expression with a blank face. “Congrats,” she added, nodding her head in the direction of the sleeping child. 

“Thank you.” Steph smiled, as if they were having a talk over tea instead of pointing weapons at each other. “It’s nice to see you. I’m glad you made it home safely.”

Cooper huffed beside her, either amused or annoyed. Lucy was surprised he hadn’t said anything yet, but she was grateful he was letting her do all the talking. This was something she needed to do and he understood that without her having to tell him. If they weren’t busy at the moment, she might’ve shown her appreciation with an enthusiastic kiss. But since they were, she added it to her To Do list. 

“Relatively. You look happy.”

Steph cocked her head, considering Lucy as if she didn’t know quite what to think of her. Understandable. Lucy was sure she looked so different from the cheerful, determined Vaultie who’d left here months ago, certain she’d find her father and return to the fold. 

“You seem different.” Steph glanced in Cooper’s direction, her good eye widening slightly. “And you made some new friends.” 

Lucy almost laughed at the comment, so innocuous sounding, but she could hear the tinge of judgement and wariness in the other woman’s voice. Was Steph familiar with ghouls? Considering she hadn’t run away screaming, Lucy had a feeling Steph was aware of exactly what Cooper was and how he’d gotten that way. She also wondered if Steph had met Cooper all those years ago, back when he was a movie star and married to one of her bosses. Did she recognize him?

She didn’t think so. There was no flicker of recognition in Steph’s visible eye. Although Cooper's appearance had changed drastically since then, so who knew? Lucy sure as heck wasn’t going to ask. It wasn’t Steph’s business. 

Plus, Cooper would freak out if she started sharing his identity with a bunch of Vaulties who might actually know who Cooper Howard was. Everyone in the vault had seen at least one of his movies.

“What are you doing here, Lucy? You know we aren’t supposed to open these doors unless a marriage has been arranged or crops are being exchanged.” Steph paused, trying to peek behind Lucy like she was looking for someone. “Where’s your dad?”

“Dead,” Lucy replied with a shrug. 

Steph’s eyes widened further. Apparently, Hank’s death was more shocking than Cooper’s appearance. Odd, that. It made it seem like Steph was far more aware of what was on the surface than she’d ever let one.

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

Lucy flashed a vicious smile. “I’m not.” She paused for a moment, observing Steph quietly. The other woman appeared shocked by the news, rocking back on her heels with a gasp. Before she had a chance to say anything, Lucy added, “Where’s Norm?”

Steph’s brow furrowed. “He’s not with you?”

Cooper, probably getting impatient with not being the center of attention, sneered. “Does it fucking look like he’s with us?”

Steph ignored Cooper’s question, her eyes still on Lucy. “Who’s your friend?”

“Cooper, Steph,” Lucy waved her hand, gun and all, at Cooper before doing the same to Steph. “Steph, Cooper.” 

“Pleasure,” Cooper said dryly, tipping his hat at Steph who lifted one brow at his sarcastic greeting. “Now, how about you tell Lucy here where the fuck her brother is, so we can get the fuck out of here? This place is making my skin crawl.”

Lucy nudged him with her elbow. “Not helpful,” she muttered under her breath.

“No one said I had to be obliging,” he hissed back. “I didn’t even threaten to shoot her yet. But if she keeps playing around, I’m going to have to.”

“Look, Steph, I just want to find my brother. So, if you could get him for me, that’d be great.”

“Lucy, I swear. He isn’t here. As far as I know, he’s supposed to be in there.”

“He’s not.”

“Well, he’s not here either.”

“Then where is he?” Lucy clenched her jaw tight. If she didn’t get a straight answer in the next few minutes, she was going to have to start threatening Steph. Lucy really didn’t want to do that since a) Steph had been her friend and b) she had a baby attached to her front which might make shooting her complicated.

Not impossible, but difficult.

Not that she was planning to kill Steph. A shot to the foot or something would probably suffice while also keeping the child unharmed.

“I don’t know.” Steph shifted on her feet, one hand rubbing across her child’s head as she watched Lucy with narrowed eyes. 

“Tell me where the fuck my brother is, or so help me, I will shoot you right now.” Lucy cocked her pistol.

“Fucking finally,” Cooper murmurred at her, a slight smile in his voice at the possibility of violence. 

He really was so impatient.

“I don’t know,” Steph snapped, her own patience worn thin. “You can point that gun at me all damn day and my answer won’t change.”

“If you don’t want to shoot her, I can. I do love putting holes in Vault-Tec pricks.”

Before Lucy could reply, another voice called out her name. “Lucy?”

“Chet?”

“You’re alive,” Chet exclaimed, looking ready to run to Lucy and enfold her in his arms. Before he could reach her, he noticed Cooper and stopped dead in his tracks.

“That’s Chet?” Cooper asked her quietly. When she nodded, he sighed. “You really do like ‘em big and dumb.”

“Be nice,” she hissed back. “He’s not dumb.”

“Darlin’, the gate’s half open and all the cows are gone.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

Although she had a pretty good idea. And Chet wasn’t stupid. He was just a bit…innocent. And sweet. 

Cooper gave her a pointed look. “The lights are on, but nobody’s home.” He gave Chet a once over before rolling his eyes. “Like a big, stupid puppy. If he starts drooling on you, I’m kicking him.”

“Hi, Chet. And yeah, I’m alive. Have you seen Norm lately?”

Chet shook his head. “Nope, not since we moved over here. It’s been a while, I think. He isn’t with you?”

“For the love of Christ…no, he’s not fucking here. So, can one of you Vault-Tec assholes just fucking tell us where her brother is? I’m getting bored of this shit. And when I get bored, I shoot things.”

“Lucy, who the heck is that?” Chet’s eyes were so wide, you could serve dinner on them. If she wasn’t so frustrated, she might have laughed.

Lucy ignored him, her attention on Steph. “If he isn’t there or here, where the fuck is he? And don’t say I don’t know. Or I’ll let him start shooting.”

“Lucy!” Chet gasped, shocked at her language. “What’s gotten in to you?”

Cooper, the big idiot, started laughing like that was the funniest thing he’d heard in his entire life. She knew, without a doubt, he was thinking something completely inappropriate.

This theory was confirmed when he said, “that’d be me.”

Chet’s eyebrows raised as high as they could as he tried to figure out what Cooper was implying. After a second, it seemed to click in his head, his eyes somehow managing to grow even larger. “What? Are you…with him?”

Cooper, being the unhelpful sort, just wiggled his non-existent eyebrows and placed his hand on Lucy’s back possessively. Lucy, deciding he was acting ridiculous, rolled her eyes.

“Not important right now, Chet. I just want to find Norm. So, if he isn’t in there and he isn’t in here, where would he be?”

Chet opened his mouth as if to argue before snapping it shut to consider her question. Steph continued to keep her syringer pointed at Lucy and Cooper. The other woman also stood rather close to Chet, giving Lucy the impression they had a thing. Odd, but good for them, she supposed. Too bad Steph was a lying, manipulative monster. Otherwise, they’d be perfect for each other. Chet liked being told what to do and Steph was more than willing to boss people around. 

“He might be in 31,” Chet offered moments later. 

“What?” Steph snapped, sounding both angry and worried. “Why would he be in there? No one should be in there.”

Chet shrugged awkwardly, looking confused and hurt at Steph’s tone. “Norm thought there was something weird going on. So, he wanted to look into it. I went with him to Vault 32 before we all moved in here. Everyone was dead.”

“Yeah, raiders got them,” Lucy commented, her own brow now furrowed. Something weird was going on and she wasn’t sure what it was. But she didn’t like it.

Chet shook his head. “No, it was worse. It looked like…they’d kill each other. And themselves. There was graffiti all over…stuff like ‘death to management’.”

Lucy figured she had the expression of a person who’d just been whacked in the face with a meatsack. “What?” 

Cooper, far less prone to surprise, sucked his teeth. “Eh, looks like someone figured out the truth.”

Chet ignored all of them, even Steph who discreetly tried to jab him in the side. Lucy, who’d known him her entire life, could have told her that subtly was wasted on him. “Yeah, so Norm started getting curious about Vault 31. He said he found something when he was looking through your dad’s files.” Chet paused as if something just occurred to him. “Hey, where is your dad?”

Lucy waved him off. “I’ll tell you later. Let’s focus on Norm right now.”

“You really do have a type, don’t you, darlin’?” Cooper whispered in her ear, sounding more amused than anything. “Large, dim and easy to control.”

“Well, you got one out of three, so don’t go selling yourself short,” she replied, sickly sweet. 

“Are you implying I’m dumb?”

“If the boot fits…” She gave him her widest smile and her most innocent eyes.

He didn’t buy it for a second. “You’re going to pay for that.” He pointed one leather-covered finger at her. “Later.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Lucy retorted, so focused on her banter with Cooper that she forgot anyone else was there until Chet cleared his throat. Loudly. Several times.

“You got a frog in your throat?” Cooper asked Chet mildly, staring at the other man until Chet started to squirm.

“Er, no?” Chet shrugged, glancing at Lucy with a befuddled expression on his face. “Lucy, who is this man?” He turned his attention back to Cooper. “Who are you?”

“Chet, I promise I’ll explain everything later. But right now, I just want to find my brother.”

Chet nodded, but kept staring at Cooper out of the corner of his eyes like the older man might attack him at any minute. “Norm isn’t here and if he isn’t in 33, then he has to be in 31. If he’d gone to the surface, we’d know.”

Lucy considered Chet’s explanation. It made sense. Norm could be rather suspicious at times, so if he’d found something odd, he would’ve wanted to figure it out. And if that search led him to 31, Norm would’ve found a way inside. He was the best hacker in the vault, so a door wouldn’t have stopped him. No matter how secure it might be. 

“Okay, looks like we’re going into 31,” Lucy said, nodding in certainty. This was the right path, she knew it. She just hoped whatever was waiting for them in Vault 31 wasn’t any worse than anything else they’d seen so far. She wanted to believe things couldn’t get worse, but considering everything she’d experienced in the last few months, it was safe to say it could always get worse. 

Steph shook her head. “Luce, you can’t. Even if you could get in, it’s off-limits.”

“I don’t care. We’re going in whether you like it or not.” Lucy lifted her gun to point it right at Steph. “And you’re going to help.”

“You wouldn’t shoot me. We’re friends.” 

“She might not, but I sure as hell will.” Cooper bared his teeth at her in a cruel grin. “And I’ll like it.”

Steph, who so far had remained mostly calm, blanched. Something about the menace in Cooper’s voice had done something nothing else had: scared the heck out of her. “Fine. I’ll help.”

“We’d appreciate it.” Cooper inclined his head as he put away his shotgun.

“Chet, take the baby. I’ll go with them. If anything happens to me, you’re in charge.”

Chet, not used to running the show, paled. “I don’t want to be an overseer. Please, pick someone else. Anyone else.” He turned his big, puppy dog eyes on Lucy. “Don’t hurt her. Please.”

Lucy nodded, although she didn’t promise Chet anything. She couldn’t because she didn’t want to lie to him. She didn’t plan on hurting Steph, but if she had to do it to find her brother, Lucy wouldn’t hesitate. 

Norm came first and she’d do anything to find her brother. Even if it meant putting a bullet in her friend. She might even feel bad about it later, but she’d still do it without a thought.

Chapter Text

Katy-bar-the-door: Look out, trouble’s coming

Cooper could feel the nerves radiating off Lucy as she stood beside him. She was hiding it well, but he could feel her tremble slightly whenever her arm brushed against him. That and she kept rocking back and forth on her heels while they waited for her old friend to open the door to Vault 31. 

The blonde woman had been dithering about for the last twenty or so minutes as she tried to convince them to leave it alone. Even if Lucy’s little brother wasn’t in that vault, there was no way Lucy or him wouldn’t push their way in anyway. The secrecy around that particular vault piqued his interest, making him wonder exactly what Vault-Tec was hiding behind those steel doors.

Although, he had a pretty good idea. From what he’d gathered, this was where all the Vault-Tec middle managers were kept on ice until it was their turn to wake up, marry and eventually, become an overseer to one of the other two vaults. 

Fucking creepy if you asked him. A whole vault filled with some of Vault-Tec's little minions, all eager and willing to continue breeding their way to a new world. Had they known what they were signing up for? 

Probably. At least, they knew something, so he couldn’t exactly work up any level of sympathy for the idiots who willingly subjected themselves to Vault-Tec's human experiments. Of course, considering all the other horrors taking place in some of the other vaults, these assholes practically had it made. 

“Do you think he’s in there?” Lucy asked, rocking back on her heels again as she gnawed at her bottom lip. 

“Yeah. Ain’t like he’s got anywhere else to be.”

Lucy nodded, her teeth releasing her lips so she could give him a sweet smile. “You’re right. He has to be in there. Things will work out. I know it.”

As much as he wanted to scoff at her blind optimism, he decided to let her have it this once. Lord knows the girl had been through the wringer over the last few months. She could use a win. Hell, they both could. 

Now, with her daddy dead and Betty clamming up, her little brother was their best bet at locating Janey. So even he was crossing his fingers that the boy was safe behind those doors. If not, he wasn’t sure what they’d do next. He’d keep looking, for damn sure, but he wouldn’t even know where to start. At least Lucy would be there by his side. Together, they’d find Janey.

Eventually.

“Are you sure about this?” Lucy’s blonde friend asked for what might be the thousandth time. Cooper was getting mighty tempted to shoot the woman just to shut her the fuck up. 

“Yeah, we’re fucking sure. Open the damn doors so we can get this shit over with.” Cooper glared at the woman, debating if he’d rather choke her to death or cut out her tongue. Whatever option shut her up the fastest. “And if you try anything funny, I’ll kill you right where you stand. Yeah?”

The blonde gulped and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Alright then. C’mon darlin’, let’s get your kid brother.”

Lucy reached for his hand and he let her, stroking his thumb across her palm while the door slowly opened. He heard Lucy’s breath catch as the inner room of the vault appeared, row after row crammed with cryo chambers. 

Cooper whistled as he took it all in. “That’s a lot of fucking Vault-Tec bastards.”

Lucy, eyes wide, nodded slowly. “Holy moley,” she breathed, her hand gripping his fingers so tight, he felt his knuckles crack. 

“You aren’t supposed to be in here. No one’s supposed to be in here. Who are you?”

Cooper, a man who was certain he’d seen just about everything at this point, looked down and found himself more than a little shocked. 

“What the fudge is that?” Lucy’s free hand slid to her gun, hovering over the butt of her pistol as they both observed the monstrosity in front of them.

“I think it’s a brain in a jar. On a robot.” 

“But why?”

“How the fuck should I know?”

“You’re old. You’re supposed to know things.”

Cooper narrowed his eyes at her. “It don’t matter how old someone is. No one could explain that,” he said, waving his free hand in the direction of the brain jar. 

“State your names and business. I will sedate you if necessary,” the brain-jar thing stated, the voice sounding eerily familiar to Cooper. 

But there was no way…right?

“Where’s my brother?” Lucy demanded, scowling at the rolling brain like she was ready to crush the thing if it didn’t give her the answers she wanted. 

The robot brain lifted one of its limbs fitted with a syringe and slowly rolled its way towards Lucy. “You are not authorized to be here, Ms. MacLean. Vacate or face sedation.”

Cooper, torn between disgust and amusement, stopped the bot’s slow progression by placing one boot right on top of the glass jar containing the brain. He could feel the thing trying to push back, but it wasn’t managing to do more than whir at him.

“I don’t appreciate your attempts to thwart me. Release me at once or be sedated.”

“That won’t do shit to me, but you’re welcome to try,” Cooper informed the creature under his boot, not wanting it anywhere near Lucy.

“Why does it know my name?” she stage-whispered to him from behind her hand. 

“Fuck if I know. Just ask it. As unsettling as it is, it can talk.”

“Obviously.” Lucy rolled her eyes at him like he was being the biggest idiot in this farce when it was clearly a man who put his brain in a jar and rolled around on a vacuum. “Sir, how do you know my name?”

The jar briefly stopped pushing back against Cooper’s boot. “I scanned you. I can see you share roughly 50% of your DNA with Henry MacLean. Regardless, you aren’t supposed to be here.”

The name of the voice finally clicked in Cooper’s head. “Bud Askins?”

“How do you know my name, mutant?”

“You know that thing?” Lucy gasped, her eyebrows almost lost in her hairline. 

“I think so. Sounds like some Vault-Tec asshole who was always trying to buddy up to me. Didn’t work. I hated the guy. He had some program: Bud’s Buds or some shit for middle managers. Dumb as fuck.” Cooper shrugged. “Didn’t think he was stupid enough to do this to himself though.”

“I demand you tell me your name, cowboy,” the robot said, doing its best to sound tough. But, considering it was a) a brain in a jar and b) Bud Askins, Cooper wasn’t intimidated in the least. 

“Where is my brother?” Lucy demanded again, ignoring the brain’s (Bud?) question. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll let him stomp you to death.” She turned to face Cooper, her nose all scrunched up. “You wouldn’t mind, right?”

Cooper smirked, practically giddy at the thought. He’d always hated the man and the idea of finally getting to do something about it made his damn day. “Darlin’, it’d be a pleasure to crush this prick.”

“How dare you interfere with my duties.” The Bud Bot, as Cooper was now calling the thing (man?), tried to push back against Cooper’s boot again, but failed to even budge him. “I demand that you vacate at once.”

“How about you tell us where her brother is before I pick you up and throw you into a wall?”

The Bud Bot paused as if pondering his options. The fact that the man had been willing to remove his brain and spend eternity wheeling around a vault full of cryo pods baffled the fuck out of Cooper. Who the hell thought that was a good idea?

Bud Askins, apparently.

“Very well. If I tell you where Norman MacLean is, will you leave without causing me any bodily harm?”

“Sir, you don’t have a body to harm, but sure.” Lucy frowned at the Bud Bot. “Why the fudge did you do that to yourself?”

“I had to continue my mission. In time, my human body would’ve decayed. By placing my brain in this jar, I’ve avoided such a fate. This way, I can make sure everything goes according to plan. For thousands of years, if necessary.”

“Okay, but you willingly let your brain be removed from your head and placed in a jar so you could spend your life riding around on a vacuum all by yourself?”

“It was the only way to make sure my experiment worked.”

“But why?” 

Lucy apparently couldn’t wrap her head around the idea of Bud Bot. Which, fair, but they weren’t getting anywhere and honestly, there was no explanation on Earth that could make Bud Bot make sense. Mostly, she was just wasting time talking in circles with a man who’d been so dedicated to his work, he wanted to do it forever.

Fucking nuts. That was the only explanation. Bud Askins was a crazy person.

“Darlin’, maybe focus on your brother. There ain’t any answer he can give that’s going to make a lick of sense to you.”

“Right.” Lucy nodded, apparently ready to drop the matter for now. “Where’s Norm?”

“I will let him go once you depart the vault.,” Bud Bot said, apparently trying to reason with them. Since Cooper didn’t trust the man (brain?), he didn’t believe him for a second.

“Yeah, not going to happen. So, either tell us or get smashed.”

“I will not let you interfere with my life's purpose. I gave up everything to make this work and some mutant cowboy isn’t going to ruin it for me.” 

“Is there another way to locate the kid?” Cooper asked Lucy who was looking more than ready to throw Bud Bot at the wall. And as much as he’d enjoy watching that, it wouldn’t help them find her brother.

Lucy fiddled with her ponytail as she considered his question while Bud Bot did its (his? How did one refer to the monstrosity?) best to flee. It didn’t go well for the thing since Cooper wasn’t letting it go anywhere until they had their answers. He also didn’t trust the man not to do something that’d end up with them trapped in this tomb. The mere thought of it made his skin crawl.

“Maybe,” Lucy finally said, her eyes focused on a terminal. “If I can hack that.”

“Don’t you dare, Ms. MacLean. That’s Vault-Tec property.”

“Shut the fuck up, Bud.”

“Can you keep that,” she waved her hand at the brain, “busy? I need to focus.”

“I’m sure we can find a way to pass the time. Right, Bud?” Cooper gave the Bud Bot his coldest grin as he nudged the jar with his foot.

If the Bud Bot had a throat, it would’ve gulped in fear. Instead, it just started frantically trying to escape from under Cooper’s boot. “Release me, mutant.”

“Nope.”

While Lucy got down to business, Cooper occupied himself by fucking with the Bud Bot. He found particular enjoyment in removing his boot so the thing could try to escape before Cooper stopped it again. He could sense Bud Bot growing more and more frustrated with each attempt, making Cooper grin wider. He’d always hated Bud Askins. The man had been a scumbag, one who’d gotten rich off the war. Askins hadn’t cared about all the lives lost or the damage done to untold families. All he wanted was money.

It pissed Cooper off now just as much as it had back in the day. He’d loathed the way Askins had sucked up to him, thinking they were friends. The other man had been blinded by Cooper’s fame, not noticing how much Cooper had hated him. Even thinking about it now made him grit his teeth so hard his jaw ached.

After a while though, Cooper grew bored with the game. “Find anything yet?” he asked Lucy, hoping she was about done.

“Just about. I’m in the system, but I still need to find the files.”

“What are you doing?” Bud Bot demanded when Cooper started moving around boxes to create a pen. He was tired of watching over the moron and wanted to see if there was maybe information in there about Janey.  “Put me down!” Bud Bot demanded when Cooper picked it up.

“Here you go,” Cooper said, sitting the Bud Bot down in the cage he’d created. “Have fun.”

As he walked towards Lucy, Cooper ignored the demands and threats being hurled his way by Bud Bot. Not like the man (brain?) could do anything to him, so he wasn’t exactly shaking in his boots.

“While you’re in there, do you think you can look for Janey?”

Lucy jumped slightly when he placed his hand on her shoulder, but nodded. “She might not be here.”

“I doubt she is. This is more a place for middle managers, but doesn’t hurt to check.”

She hummed in agreement as she worked, doing things with the terminal that baffled him. Back in the day, he’d been fairly comfortable with technology, but never like her. Sure, he could use a computer and shit, but hacking into a terminal? Not in his skill set. 

So, he watched her do her thing as he did his best to be patient. That didn’t last long since he sucked at waiting. Unable to stand still, he shifted on his feet and peeked over Lucy’s shoulder. It all looked like gibberish to him.

Lucy turned her head to glare at him. “Do you mind?”

“What? I’m just watching.”

“No, you’re being a pain in the butt. I can’t focus with you breathing down my neck,” she huffed, waving her hands in a ‘shoo’ gesture. “Go away.”

He debated arguing, but mostly because he was antsy and not because he was upset with her. Since he was the benevolent type, he did as she asked and stepped away to smoke a cigarette from a pack he’d nicked from one of the vault storage rooms. Not that he was going to mention that part to Lucy. She’d probably get all worked up about stealing from the poor, sad Vaulties.

He also didn’t plan on telling her he’d also taken several bottles of alcohol, some Stimpacks and a whole shit ton of ammo. It wasn’t like the Vaulties were using any of it, so really, he was saving it from going to waste. Plus, he got the impression alcohol and cigarettes were frowned on in that vault, so they probably wouldn’t even notice.

Just as he was finishing up his smoke, Lucy giddy clapped her hands. “I did it!”

“You’re in?”

“Yep. Now, I just have to find the information. It looks like each of these files is linked to one of those chambers.” She made a couple of taps on the keyboard. “Hmm…I don’t see any Howards.”

Cooper threw the cigarette on the floor and crushed it with his boot. For once, he didn’t even get a lecture about it from Lucy. Maybe she hadn’t seen him. She was pretty focused on the terminal.

“Not surprised. Find your brother?”

“I think so. It says my dad’s cryo pod is occupied. And since he’s in 33 and kind of dead, I’m guessing that’d be Norm.”

“Seems like a reasonable assumption.”

“Alright, so according to the terminal it should be right about there.” She pointed at one of the pods before making a few more clicks. “I’ll have to do the rest right on the pod.”

“Lead the way, sweetheart.” Cooper waved her past him. “This is your show.”

Lucy frowned as she glanced at the pen Cooper had built for Bud Bot. “What should we do about the brain-jar-thingy?”

“Kill it. Hell, it’ll even be fun.”

“I mean, we could, but should we?”

Cooper rolled his eyes. He’d never understand her. She shot her daddy dead without blinking, but she hesitated at murdering Bud Bot. Really, they’d be doing the man (thing?) a favor. Sure, Bud seemed pretty content with his lot in life, but who would actually enjoy doing this for all eternity? 

“Yeah, we really should.”

“What if we just disconnected the terminals and let him stay in here? He couldn’t wake any more Vault-Tec people up and we wouldn’t have to kill him.”

“I sure like the way you think,” Cooper told her, deciding she had a far more devious mind than he did. If it were up to him, they’d smash the idiot to death and call it a day. But if they did what Lucy wanted, Bud would be left to suffer all alone for decades, if not longer. It felt like a fitting punishment.

“Thank you,” she beamed at him. It was moments like this that he was reminded why he’d called her a lil killer. There was a darkness in that smile and the way her eyes lit up. 

He fucking loved that about her. 

“You can show me how much you appreciate it after we get your brother and get the fuck out of here.”

“Okey dokey.”

He rolled his eyes again. If there was one thing he wouldn’t mind changing about her, it’d be all her okey dokeys. But he refrained from comment. She’d have ignored him anyway since she was preoccupied with making the terminal useless for Bud. After she finished with that, she wrapped her arm around his and walked to the pod housing her brother. 

They both peered down. Cooper was surprised. He’d expected someone who looked more like Lucy than the kid in the pod. Granted, the kid was behind glass and in cryo sleep, so it was hard to tell. But, given what Cooper could see, the kid and Lucy didn’t even appear related. She was all squeaky clean good looks and cheerful smiles whereas the sleeping kid somehow managed to appear more cynical and more awkward than Lucy, even asleep.

“Okay, here we go.” She hit a button before stepping back and taking Cooper with her. “He’s going to be pretty disoriented and confused, so if he freaks out, don’t shoot him or anything.”

“I’ll do my best,” he said dryly. Did she really think he was so easily startled that he’d accidentally kill her brother? It wasn’t like he’d never held a gun before. He let it go though, deciding now was not the time to pick a fight. She was having a day, so she got a pass. But as soon as the boy was awake and functional, he wasn’t taking anymore of her sass.

Cooper glanced over at her, seeing a hint of nervousness behind the timid smile. Fuck, who was he kidding? He’d let her sass him every day for the rest of their lives if it made her happy. Christ, he was a sucker for her. Not that he was going to be mentioning that to her. Didn’t want her getting ideas or anything.

The panel hissed as it opened, releasing a bit of cold air, but nothing else happened immediately. Lucy looked at him and he shrugged. Like he knew how the fuck cryo worked?

They both inched closer. “Is he awake?” Cooper whispered to Lucy.

“He should be.”

Just as Cooper was about to peek into the cryo pod, the kid shot up at a speed that scared the shit out of him. 

“What the fuck?” the boy, his voice shaking with shock and cold, asked before his eyes landed on his sister. “Lucy?”

She waved slightly at her brother, that toothy (creepy) grin of hers on her face. “Hi.”

The kid stared at Lucy as if he couldn’t quite believe she was real before his eyes landed on Cooper. “What the fuck?” he repeated, louder this time.

And before either Lucy or Cooper could reply, the kid scrambled out of the cryo pod and collapsed on the floor. 

“He alive?” 

Lucy nodded. “Can you help me carry him?”

So, Cooper lifted the kid off the floor while Lucy yelled at Bud Bot to let them out. After a moment of shouting, the Bud Bot caved and opened the doors. Just as they were about to leave Vault 31 forever, Cooper turned to Bud Bot and grinned. “Enjoy being alone forever.”

“What? Explain yourself, mutant.”

Cooper felt his grin deepen at the dismay in Bud Bot’s voice. Yeah, Lucy had been right about what to do with the man. Killing Bud Bot wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying.

“Toodles,” Cooper wiggled his free hand at the robot before stepping through the open doors. And immediately wished he’d let Lucy go first since there were about a hundred Vaulties all staring at him with wide eyes.

“Hey, we found Norm,” Lucy declared as the Vault door sealed shut behind her. “But we’re going to need a whole lot of blankets.”

When all the Vaulties continued to stare at them, Cooper snapped, “now,” and watched them scurry like mice to do his bidding. Their behavior probably shouldn’t satisfy him so much, but damn if it didn’t feel good. Sometimes, it sure was nice to be the scariest motherfucker in the room.

Chapter Text

Keep Your Word Good: to always be honest

Norm was having a weird day. Which, considering all the crazy shit that’d been happening to him lately, was quite the feat. One minute, he’d been crawling into a pod so he didn’t starve to death and the next, he was being defrosted by his older sister. 

An older sister he barely recognized anymore. Sure, she had the same features and the same dark hair, but it felt like everything else about her had changed. Hell, even her clothes were different. Her vault suit had been replaced by what Norm assumed people wore on the surface. She even had jeans, something he’d only seen in the movies his father loved. Plus, she was wearing a gun like it was a part of her. 

That was the part that upset him the most: the way his sister carried the weapon like she knew how to use it. Like she had used it.

Well, that and her new…companion, for lack of a better word. How had she met that…person? Why was he missing his nose? And why was he dressed like some sort of cowboy?

But mostly he was wondering exactly who this man was to Lucy. There was a familiarity between them that suggested they were something besides traveling companions or friends. Which Norm really didn’t want to contemplate, but it seemed to be the only thing on his mind at the moment. His sister had somehow gone out into the world to rescue their father and ended up bringing back some sort of mutant cowboy. A person who watched his sister in a way that made Norm deeply uncomfortable. 

“Stop fussing over me,” Norm told Lucy, who’d been plying him with a variety of hot beverages as she layered him in blankets. “I’m fine.”

Lucy paused her attempts at adjusting his blankets. “You’re not fine. You’re still shaking.” She placed her hands on her hips, foot tapping and lower lip caught between her teeth. “How long were you in there?”

“I don’t know. What day is it?” Norm reached for his PipBoy to check, but Lucy swatted his hand away with a warning to be careful before giving him the date. He was shocked out how much time he’d lost, but he didn’t feel like dwelling on that at the moment, so he shoved it aside.

“Why were you even in there? What were you thinking?” Lucy flung her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. “I was so worried about you.”

“Darlin’, you’re choking the boy,” the cowboy said, a smirk on his ruined face.

Norm was thankful for the intervention but he didn’t like the way the man talked to his sister. Or the way he called her darling. Or that fond look in his eyes. 

Who was this person?

“Sorry,” Lucy muttered, not sounding remotely apologetic about almost suffocating him to death. But she released him, so at least there was that.

“What happened? Did you find dad? Where is he?” Norm shifted, pulling one of the blankets tighter around him as he tried to control his shivering. 

He never wanted to be in a cryo pod again. It was very cold and very disorienting. It didn’t help when he woke up to a sister he barely recognized and her brand new mutant boyfriend. And their dog.

Where the fuck had she gotten a dog?

“We can talk about that later. Once you’re all warm and toasty.” Lucy waved off his questions with one hand, looking just to the left of his ear instead of meeting his eyes.

Her behavior caused Norm to have a sneaking suspicion things hadn’t gone well with their dad. Normally, Lucy raved about him, claiming he was the best father ever. Norm usually agreed with the sentiment even if he was less enthusiastic about it than Lucy. The fact that she was brushing aside Norm’s concerns meant something was up.

Had she learned what he had? Did she know what Vault 31 was really for?

“I’m fine, Luce. I just want to know what’s going on.” Norm glanced at Lucy’s…friend who was casually leaning against the wall, his hat pulled low over his eyes. “And who is he?”

Even though Norm had been trying to whisper the question, the older man must have heard because he gave Norm a grin that was somewhere between highly amused and vaguely psychopathic. 

It was fucking unsettling.

“We can talk later. I promise. But you should get some rest.” Lucy adjusted his blankets again, tucking them tight under his chin. Although he appreciated that she cared for him, Norm really wanted to know what the fuck was going on. 

“I don’t want to rest or be smothered right now. I want to know what happened. With dad, with you…with everything.” Norm narrowed his eyes at the cowboy who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “And I want to do it alone.”

Lucy sighed, her eyes darting towards the man before she looked back at Norm. “Okay. But give me a minute.”

Norm nodded as he untangled his arms from the blankets and wrapped his hands around the hot mug of tea Lucy had shoved at him moments ago. Although the warmth made his hands feel like they were on fire, it was better than the numbness. Once he was more comfortable, he turned his attention to Lucy and the cowboy. She had one hand on his arm as she looked up at him.

“He wants to talk to me alone. And I think that might be for the best right now.”

“Abso-fucking-lutely not. I ain’t wandering around this vault all by my lonesome while you have a heart to heart with the kid.”

“He needs this right now. And honestly, I do too.”

The older man (Norm still didn’t know his name) pinched the space just above the hole where his nose should’ve been. “Darlin’, I get that. I do. But I don’t want to be stared at by a bunch of Vaulties. This place is making me itchy.”

“It won’t take that long. You can take Dogmeat to the cornfield. She can run around and you can smoke.”

“It ain’t happening. Those folks out there are terrified of me. And you. Me strolling around ain’t going to help matters.”

Lucy’s foot tapped as she crossed her arms over her chest, giving the strange man her sternest glare. “It’ll be fine. And you like it when people are afraid of you.”

Norm did not like the sound of that. In fact, it made him worry about his sister and exactly who she’d taken up with. The man looked dangerous with his scarred skin, tattered clothes and a shotgun on his back. 

Hell, he was dangerous. Norm could see it in the way the man moved like a predator, watching everything through narrowed eyes with one hand on his pistol. He was so different from anyone Norm had ever met in his life. And it worried him. Especially because his sweet, kind sister had taken up with such a person. 

“Maybe. Most of the time. But in here?” The cowboy shook his head. “I don’t. Too little space and too many weapons. I don’t need one of your little vault buddies taking shots at me when they get nervous.”

Lucy glanced back at Norm before she returned her gaze to her…friend. “You can wait in my apartment. I’ll stay here with Norm and come get you when we’re done.”

“The one you shared with your husband?” the man asked in a voice that made Norm wince. If that man hurt his sister, Norm would kill him slowly. 

Well, he’d try, at least.

“It was one night,” she huffed, rolling her eyes in a way that was so familiar to Norm it made his heart ache. “And he’s dead. They cleaned up all the blood and stuff.”

“Ah yes, because that was what I was upset about…the blood,” the man muttered, glaring at Lucy through narrowed eyes.

“Are you jealous?”

“No.”

“You are.” Lucy reached a hand up to the man’s face and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Norm, feeling very uncomfortable, found his tea extremely interesting. “How adorable.”

“I ain’t adorable.” The man hissed through clenched teeth. “And fine, I’ll fucking wait in there. Jesus fucking Christ, you’d drive a man to drink.”

“I’ll be right back,” Lucy told Norm as she wrapped her arm around her mutant boyfriend. “Then we can talk.”

Before Norm could reply, she was out the door with the strange man while the strange dog followed behind. Norm was thankful for a moment to gather his thoughts. So many things were racing through his mind. Where was their dad? What the fuck was that man Lucy was all googly-eyed over? Why did she look like that? And most of all, what the fuck had happened to her out there on the surface?

Fuck, he really should’ve made her stay here instead of chasing after their father. Not that he thought he could’ve stopped her, but he should’ve tried harder.

At least he wasn’t shivering anymore. That was a plus. And he had his sister back, even if she was being a bit weird. Norm wasn’t sure about that man though. Something about him made Norm want to run away screaming. Maybe it was the cold eyes. Or the scars. Or the lack of a nose. 

Really, it was all of that combined.

Of course Lucy would go out into the world and pick up two strays: a weirdly intelligent dog and a man who looked like a monster from one of Norm’s nightmares. He wasn’t even sure why he was surprised. But he was.

His tumultuous thoughts were interrupted by the return of his sister. “Alright Norm, what do you want to know?”

“Who’s that man?” 

Lucy lifted her brow, probably surprised that he hadn’t asked about their dad first. Hell, he was surprised as well, but that was the first thing that occurred to him.

“That’s Cooper.” Lucy sat down on the sofa beside him, tucking her legs underneath her as she turned to face him.

Norm sighed at her complete lack of explanation. “Gee, thanks. That cleared it right up.”

Lucy grinned, apparently amused by his sarcasm. “He’s my partner. We met on the surface. He was looking for Dad as well, so we kind of…ran into each other. And eventually, we started traveling together.”

“Okay, great. But why does he look like that? And are you involved with him?”

“Oh, he’s a ghoul,” she said, like that made complete sense. 

It did not.

“Right, what’s a ghoul?”

Lucy gave him a brief rundown of what ghouls were which didn’t reassure him in the slightest. The idea of his sister being attracted to a man who was that mutated-looking was deeply concerning to Norm. He didn’t even have a nose! Plus, being around all that radiation had to be bad for her. Maybe that’s why she was acting so weird. Could radiation make you lose your mind?

“And you’re…with him?” Norm asked once she finished.

“Yep,” she replied with a soft smile. “I love him.”

“But he’s all…mutated. And scary.”

Instead of being offended like Norm expected, she laughed. “Yeah, but I like him anyway. Plus, he loves me too. Once we’re finished here, we have plans.”

Norm frowned at her, unsure how he felt about what she’d said. Did she intend to stay in the vault with her ghoul boyfriend or was she going to leave Norm again? He knew he was being selfish, that Lucy was entitled to live her life as she pleased, but he didn’t want to lose her. Not again.

“What kind of plans?” he finally asked, doing his best to keep a bland look on his face. 

Lucy fiddled with her ponytail like she always did when she was thinking. “We’re going to have a ranch on the surface. One of our friends offered us some land near her town, so we figured we’d settle there.”

“You want to live out there?” Norm realized he was almost shouting, but he was so shocked at her answer, he didn’t know what else to do. “On the surface? With that man?”

The space between her brows furrowed as she glared at him. “There’s no need to get all testy about it. I like it on the surface. And I love Cooper, so don’t start getting all judgey about him. I hit the last person who tried.”

Norm gaped at her for a minute, struggling to reconcile the idea of this new Lucy. One who apparently resorted to physical violence. It was so unlike her. She was always rambling on about conflict resolution and how violence never solved any problems. And now she was running around smacking people?

What the fuck had happened to her out there?

“You hit someone?”

Lucy nodded, somehow still smiling like she wasn’t destroying Norm’s entire world view. “Yeah, my friend, Max. He was upset that I picked Cooper over him. But after I hit him, we had a nice chat and decided to be friends. I don’t think he likes Cooper very much, but he didn’t kill him or anything, so that was nice.”

Was he dreaming? Had Lucy actually rescued him from a cryo pod or was he still there? Because none of this felt real.

“Er, okay. You can explain all that later, but first, tell me about dad.”

Over the next hour or so, Lucy shared everything she knew with Norm, who was still having a hard time wrapping his brain around all of it. Sure, he’d learned some of the terrible things about Vault-Tec, but Lucy had uncovered far more. The idea that this massive company they’d been a part of their whole life had destroyed the world was throwing him for a loop.

He believed her, of course. But it was so fucking nuts. He’d thought the whole breeding experiment was bad enough, but to hear about some of the other ones she’d learned about made him want to run around screaming. 

Like puppets? Why would anyone do that to a person?

When they started discussing their dad, Lucy began to cry. She told him about their mom, what their father had done to Shady Sands and who exactly Hank MacLean really was. How could his dad, the man he’d loved all his life, kill his mother? And all those other people? 

Had either Lucy or Norm ever really known the man? Or had he just been a creation of the real Hank MacLean? 

When Lucy told him how she’d killed their dad, he sat there in shock. Norm would’ve never guessed Lucy was capable of murdering anyone, let alone their own father. Even if Hank MacLean hadn’t been the man either of them thought he was.

“Are you okay?” she asked him when he didn’t reply. 

No, he was not okay. Nothing about this was okay. But he couldn’t say that to her, not when she was staring at him with her big eyes, slightly damp with unshed tears. 

Norm wasn’t even sure how he should feel about what she’d done. He understood why she’d killed their father, but he didn’t understand how she could do it. How had she been able to point a gun at the man who’d raised them and pull the trigger?

His throat felt tight with all the words that wanted to spill out of his mouth. He wanted to demand answers, to yell at her for killing their dad and for taking away Norm’s chance to confront him. He hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye. 

“No,” he said, shaking his head, “I’m not okay. Not at all.” He reached up to his face, noticing it was wet with tears. His dad was dead and his sister had done it. The same sister who was looking at him with concern and just a hint of fear. Like she thought he might lash out or tear her down or reject her. 

Part of him wanted to. He wanted to scream, to rage and to throw things against the wall. He wanted to lay down on the floor and cry his heart out. He wanted to reach out and shake her until she explained why she’d taken away the only parent he’d ever known.

Norm barely remembered their mother. To him, she was this abstract person who’d given birth to him, but one he’d never really known. Sure, he heard stories about her from his father and Lucy. Still, that wasn’t the same though. So, yeah, he was angry that his dad had killed her and all those other people, but he was still their dad. He was the man who’d read stories to Norm as a child, who’d laughed with him over dinner and encouraged him to do better. 

And he was gone. 

“Do you hate me?” Her voice was so small and her eyes so wide that it made his heart ache. As angry and as hurt as he was, he didn’t hate her. He could never hate her. But right now, he wasn’t very happy with her.

“No, but it hurts. You killed him. Our dad. How? Why?”

Lucy flinched slightly at his words. “He was going to kill Cooper. I had to shoot him.”

“Maybe, but you also said you were planning on doing it anyway. So, if he hadn’t tried to kill your friend, would you still have pulled the trigger?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. Or Cooper might have done it instead. But I don’t regret it. Dad deserved to die. He killed thousands of people! He would’ve killed me and Cooper as well. Sure, he loved us.” Lucy looked down at her hands, folded carefully in her lap. “But he loved Vault-Tec more,” she added softly, her voice cracking over the words.

Norm knew she was right. Their father had committed murder. More than once. He’d left their mother to die and lied to them about it. He’d even helped destroy the entire world. But he was still their dad.

“I understand all that. And I don’t hate you.” Norm placed his hand over hers, trying to show that he still loved her even if she was a murderer now. “But I need some space right now. So, can you please leave?”

Lucy stifled a sob, but nodded. “Okay. I can do that.” She rose to her feet and started heading to the door. “Cooper and I will stay another day or two, but then we need to go. And I’d like you to come with us.”

“Let me think about it.” Norm choked out, the tears threatening to spill down his cheeks as he watched his sister walk out the door. “We can talk tomorrow.”

She turned back, giving him a soft smile. “Okay. I’ll see you then.”

The moment the door closed behind her, Norm lost what little control he had left. He wrapped his arms around himself and cried for the father he thought he knew. For the mom he barely remembered. And the sister who’d left him and come back as someone new.

But mostly, he cried because he didn’t know what else to do.

Chapter Text

Pull Leather: Hold on tight, feel insecure

Cooper jolted awake, his heart pounding in his chest. The nightmare was familiar to him, even though it’d been a while. Something about this place was making him remember things he’d rather never think of again. Memories of when he helped advertise the vaults, happily doing whatever Barb asked. He’d have done anything for her including selling his soul to Vault-Tec just so he could see her smile; to look at him with love in her dark eyes as she gazed up at him, her hands smoothing down the front of his vault suit.

He took a deep breath, hoping to calm the shaking in his hands. As he opened and closed his fists, he tried to forget the dream. The one where he watched the bombs fall from the sky as he ran, Janey clutched tight against him. But instead of saving her, she died in his arms, burned alive by the radiation while he turned into a monster. Even worse, Janey had morphed into Lucy, smiling up at him as she bled out from a gunshot wound, her father standing over her with a satisfied smirk on his face while Barb laughed behind him. 

It was an awful dream. One that made him want to run screaming out of the vault. He felt like the walls were slowly pushing in on him, moving closer and closer until they crushed him. He wiped a hand over his face and rose from the bed as carefully as possible, not wanting to disturb Lucy sleeping beside him.

She’d been through the wringer yesterday, so she needed to sleep. But he couldn’t stay in that bed a moment longer. He needed a cigarette and a drink, something to calm his nerves. The last thing he wanted was to be a complete wreck once Lucy did wake up. They didn’t need both of them having breakdowns right now. And Lucy, after the way her brother had reacted to their father’s death, got to be the mess at the moment. Once her shit was figured out, he could take his turn at having his own meltdown. 

Speaking of, her brother better fucking get over his anger at Lucy soon or Cooper was going to make the kid very sorry he ever woke up out of cryo. Cooper understood why the boy was upset. He didn’t even blame him for his reaction. But he’d made Lucy cry. Once, Cooper could deal with. If he did it again though, Cooper was going to shoot him. He didn’t want to spend another night holding a sobbing Lucy in his arms as her heart broke over her brother’s behavior.

Dogmeat trotted out of the bedroom behind him, apparently also done sleeping. Fine by him, he could use the company. At least Dogmeat didn’t have any expectations of conversation because Cooper sure as hell didn’t feel like talking.

Once he’d dug out his cigarettes and a bottle of bourbon from his saddlebags, he took a seat on the sofa. Lucy probably wouldn’t like him smoking in here, but that was just too damn bad. He needed the nicotine and he wasn’t going to wander around the vault hallways. Knowing his luck, he’d startle some Vaultie who’d end up taking off his head with a shotgun. Then, if he did survive, Lucy would be all angry at him for ripping the idiot apart with his bare hands. 

Since he didn’t need that drama in his life at the moment, he stayed put, smoke drifting around his head as he drank away the last remnants of his nightmares. 

The room reminded him of something straight out of his past, a bit of nostalgia that he neither wanted nor asked for. He hated it and he hated imagining Lucy here with her new husband, prancing around in her wedding dress while the assface plotted her death.

Had she smiled at him, her eyes all wide and adoring as he kissed her? Had he grinned back as he slid that knife into her side? Even though he knew she survived (obviously), it still made his hands clench in rage. If the man wasn’t already dead, Cooper would’ve happily killed him. 

After he removed the man’s extremities one by one while he begged for mercy, of course. 

Well, at least the anger was easier to handle than the fear. He’d take being pissed over being scared any day of the goddamn week.

“You shouldn’t smoke in here,” Lucy said, almost making him jump right out of his skin. He’d been too lost in his thoughts to hear her approach.

Cooper scooted over so she could take a seat beside him. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“Nightmares,” he replied, surprising himself at being so damn honest. But, hell, if there was anyone he could be vulnerable around, it was Lucy. “And I didn’t want some frightened Vaultie killing me while I was walking around.”

“I suppose I’ll allow it this once.”

“How kind of you.” 

She grinned at his dry response. “I’m generous like that.”

“Like it matters. We ain’t staying, so might as well do whatever the fuck we want in here.” He took a drag off his cigarette, slowly exhaling while Lucy frowned at him. “Hell, you should just start breaking shit. It’d be an improvement.”

“I think it’s nice in here,” she said, her eyes sweeping across the room. 

“You would.” He stubbed out his cigarette on a decorative plate he’d liberated from the kitchen cabinet. He took immense satisfaction in marring the ceramic. Really, it was the little things.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He grinned, enjoying her starchy tone and the pout on her pretty face. He sure did enjoy riling her up. “Just that you have a soft spot for ugly things.”

“Not true. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean it’s ugly.”

“Eh, you like me, so clearly your taste is questionable.”

She rolled her eyes as she kissed his cheek. “Nope. I have fantastic taste.”

That little tidbit was debatable. But, even if her preferences were shit, they worked out great for him. Because if she was actually attracted to pretty things, she wouldn’t have ever gone anywhere near him. 

“You keep telling yourself that.” He slung his arm across the back of the sofa, his hand gently playing with her hair as she nuzzled into his side. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

“I’m hoping to talk things out with Norm and see if he wants to leave with us. Once that’s settled, I’ll ask him to look for Janey.”

“And how long do you think all that will take? I’d like to get the fuck out of here sooner rather than later. This place is making my skin crawl.”

“We’ll probably need to stay another night. Or two.”

Cooper frowned. The last thing he wanted was to spend another day in this godforsaken place. “Do we have to?”

“It’s not that bad. I think you can make it for just a bit longer.”

“I suppose, but if one of your little Vaultie buddies ends up shooting me, I’m going to say I told you so.” He paused, giving her a grin. “After I kill them, of course.”

He got her schoolmarm glare for that remark. “No killing,” she scolded, pointing her finger at him. “They’re just scared.”

“I don’t give a shit. If they shoot me first, I’m shooting ‘em right back.”

“You’ll survive a gunshot. They won’t. So maybe you could just punch them instead?” 

Cooper laughed, amused at her suggestion. “Fine. But if they get lucky and kill me, it’ll be on you.”

Lucy looked unconcerned about his possible murder. He’d be offended if he was actually worried one of her idiot neighbors could kill him. Besides Lucy, it didn’t seem like any of them had a lick of courage in their vault-suited bodies. Most of the scared little rabbits just stared at him like he was about to eat them. And the looks they gave Lucy weren’t much better.

Between showing up with a man like Cooper then putting a bullet in her daddy, she’d scared the shit out of the morons. Most people weren’t fans of watching someone they knew commit murder. 

Cooper thought it was sexy as hell, but he was weird like that.

“Don’t worry,” she said, her eyes all wide as she patted him on the head. “I’ll protect you from the big, scary Vaulties.”

He glared at her. “You’re a menace.”

She giggled, unaffected by his scowling face. That look used to send men screaming for the hills. Either he was losing his touch or she was just plain crazy. 

“You love it.”

“No, I fucking do not.”

Lucy smiled in a way that suggested she knew he was full of shit and opened her mouth to tell him exactly that. Instead, before she could say a word, he wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her close and kissed her. It was one way to get the knowing little smirk off her face.

His favorite way, really.

Their playful argument was quickly forgotten as he deepened the kiss, dragging her into his lap and wrapping all that lovely dark hair around his fingers. Not to be out done, she tossed his hat aside and dug her hands into his head to yank him closer. 

He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of her. Or the way she threw herself into each kiss like it might be their last. Like she couldn’t get enough of him.

She gasped when he nipped at her lips, wriggling against him like she wanted to crawl inside of him. He slipped one hand underneath her shirt, moving it up and down her spine while the other tightened in her hair to angle her head so he could deepen the kiss.

They were so lost in each other he didn’t hear the door open or anyone enter. Not until someone coughed loudly, making both of them jump.

“Oh, hi, Norm.” Lucy smoothed down her hair as she crawled out of his lap, giving her brother a welcoming smile. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

Norm lifted his brow. “Yeah, I figured that out pretty fast. What with all of that.” He waved his hand vaguely in their direction. “I can come back later if you’re busy.”

Cooper, trying to act like he wasn’t embarrassed to be caught necking by his girl’s brother, picked up his hat and returned it to his head. Once that was done and he didn’t want to blush, he leaned back on the sofa and stretched his legs out long in front of him.

Lucy shook her head, brushing off his offer. “No, we can have sex later.”

He winced, wondering if there was ever a time where her frankness about intimate matters wouldn’t make him sputter. “For fuck’s sake…”

“It’s fine. Norm knows I have sex. Right?” She looked at her brother who nodded, even though he was staring at his feet. “See, he’s good. No need to get all old-fashioned about it.”

“Well, what do you expect? According to you, I’m old as dirt.”

“How old is he?” Norm stage-whispered to Lucy as he glanced at Cooper.

She looked at him as if to ask his permission to answer. He waved her ahead. He didn’t care if the boy knew he was practically ancient at this point. Might freak the kid out a bit, but Cooper assumed he’d recover.

“He’s from before the bombs. So like 250 or so?”

“Close enough, darlin’.”

The boy’s eyes somehow bugged out even more from his head than they already are. “How?”

Lucy explained as best as she could while Cooper lit another cigarette, ignoring her narrowed eyes. If he had to do this right now, he wanted a fucking smoke. Otherwise, he might start contemplating shooting some Vaulties just to keep his hands busy.

“Right. And he knows…knew dad?” the kid stumbled over the words, his face briefly falling as he remembered the man was dead.

“Yeah, your daddy used to work for my ex-wife. I met him a few times back then.” 

Norm eyed him like he recognized him, but couldn’t quite place him. Probably saw his movies growing up, just like his sister. But Cooper really didn’t want to share that with the kid. Lucy knowing was fine. Anyone else? No thank you.

Lucy must have sensed what he was thinking because she distracted her brother. “Did you sleep okay? Are you feeling better today? Any questions?”

The kid sighed, taking a seat on one of the dining table chairs. “A little. I’m not freezing anymore, so that’s a plus.”

Lucy reached for his hand, lacing her fingers through his. Normally, he’d shake her off since holding hands in front of her brother wasn’t something he enjoyed, but he sensed she needed a bit of courage at the moment, so he let her have at it. “That’s good. Um, are you still mad at me? About dad?”

Her brother didn’t answer right away, his face scrunched up a bit as he contemplated her question. After a moment, he said, “no, I’m not mad. I’m just having a hard time wrapping my brain around everything. Dad’s dead, you killed him and I don’t really know how to handle that.”

Lucy nibbled on her bottom lip, her hand squeezing his tighter. “Oh. Is there anything I can do?”

“I need to hear it all again. Slowly and without my teeth chattering the whole time.”

So, Lucy and Cooper gave Norm the whole story (minus a few details like him selling her or the finger incident or all the killing they’d done) while the boy remained quiet. He nodded here and there, but he didn’t ask anything. Not yet, at least. Cooper could see the questions on the tip of the kid’s tongue. But he was saving them for later unlike his sister, who had yet to meet a question she didn’t want to ask as soon as it occurred to her. 

Cooper let Lucy do most of the talking (with the occasional side comment) while he watched her brother. The two didn’t look much alike, but he could see a hint of resemblance in their eyes and the way they talked. Of course, Lucy went a mile a minute and the kid was quieter, taking it all in and waiting until he was ready to speak. Lucy was never comfortable with silence, always needing to chatter about something whereas her brother seemed more content with the quiet, as if he didn’t need to fill every second with noise.

He kind of liked that about the boy. If he yammered on as much as Lucy, Cooper would end up losing his shit eventually. A man could only handle so much yapping before he threatened violence. Sure, he’d gotten used to Lucy’s jabbering (mostly because he loved her), but if there were two of her? Well, he might have to gag one of them just to get some goddamn quiet.

“Right, so you get the head, gross by the way, and make it to dad. What did he say? Who exactly was this Moldaver? And how did you two end up travelling together? I got the impression you kind of hated each other.”

“Dad finally admitted he bombed Shady Sands. He just stood there, looking at me like he loved me and confessed to murdering thousands of people like they meant nothing. Like Mom met nothing.”

Cooper jumped in, sensing Lucy needed a minute or she might start crying. “Right, I show up and see your sister pointing a gun at your daddy while she tries to wake up her tin can knight. Shocked the hell out of me, but I was more focused on Young Henry. Once he escaped, I invited her along with me. She had questions and I had some of the answers. Figured we could go find the rest.”

“And you just went with him?” Norm gazed at his sister with wide eyes. 

Lucy lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug. “I mean, yeah. What else was I going to do? The Brotherhood would’ve killed me for being there and I wanted to know what else dad was hiding.”

“So, instead of coming back here, you decided to hunt him down with a man you said killed people. For money.” Norm glared at Cooper like he’d somehow corrupted Lucy’s nonexistent virtue. 

If anyone here had been corrupted, it was Cooper. She infected him with her cheerful smiles, sweet touches and big eyes. Not to mention her complete lack of guile when it came to sex. In all his years on the Earth, he’d never met anyone as blunt as Lucy. And he’d acted…in Hollywood. A place that hadn’t exactly been known for its Puritan values. 

“Caps,” Lucy corrected, ignoring the whole Cooper-is-a-murderer part. “They use bottle caps instead of money on the surface.”

“Why the hell…nevermind, not important. So, what happened next?”

“We headed to New Vegas. It didn’t start off great. Mostly because he’s all crabby and stoic.” She beamed at Cooper like she enjoyed his crabbiness. “When he’s not killing people.”

“Yeah, and she talks too much. And throws rocks at unsuspecting folks. Not to mention, all the smiling. Unsettling.” Cooper pretended to shudder as he smirked at her.

“You deserved it.”

“Did not. You act all innocent, but you ain’t fooling no one. I’ve seen what you can do with a gun.” Cooper paused for a moment before adding, “and a knife.”

“You killed people? Besides Dad?”

The look on Lucy’s face said ‘now look at what you’ve done’ but she refrained from throwing any projectiles in his direction this time. “Not important.”

“How is that not important?” the kid all but shouted. Apparently, he didn’t have Lucy’s propensity for violence. “It seems important.”

“Would you feel better if I said they deserved it?” Lucy asked, a slight frown on her face.

“No.” Norm shook his head and Cooper debated threatening him. Lucy didn’t need her brother’s judgement right now and if the boy made her cry, Cooper was hurting him. Even if it pissed Lucy off. “Yes. I don’t know. Maybe?”

“Look, kid, I know you Vaulties have some morals about violence or some shit, but out there, things are different. And your sister being willing and able to kill is what kept her alive. So, take your head out of your ass and get over it.”

Norm paled at the tone in Cooper’s voice. He realized he’d probably been a bit more forceful than necessary, but the boy was starting to piss him off. 

“Be nice,” Lucy hissed in his ear.

“That was me being nice. If I wasn’t, I’d have threatened to beat him to death with his own arms.”

“You’re scaring him.”

Cooper rolled his eyes. “And?”

“And I want him to come with us. You threatening him might make that difficult.”

“Fine.” Cooper crossed his arms over his chest, not pouting one bit. “I’ll just sit here silently and not say anything ever again.”

“You’re being dramatic. And ridiculous.”

He was not. In fact, Cooper felt like he was being under dramatic. And not at all ridiculous. How dare she.

“Are you two done? Or should I come back later?”

Cooper looked at the kid, who raised his brow at the two of them. Shit, Lucy was right. He was being a bit over the top. It was this place. He hated it there and he wanted to leave. The fact they were getting closer and closer to locating Janey didn’t help his nerves either. 

“No, we’re good.” Cooper placed his hand on Lucy’s knee to give it a quick squeeze in apology. It wasn’t much, but he’d save the real one until they were alone. Knowing her, she’d demand something that required getting naked. Which was fine by him as long as they were alone.

Lucy returned to her explanation, giving her brother a brief summary of their New Vegas shenanigans and their return trip. She left plenty unsaid which was probably for the best. If she told her baby brother all the shit they’d seen and done, he’d never leave the vault. 

Not that Cooper cared one way or another if the boy wanted to stay or go with them. Sure, it’d make Lucy happy if the kid decided to join them, but he’d probably make their lives slightly more difficult. Norm wasn’t a killer like Lucy which meant he’d be a liability more than an asset. Of course, Cooper would deal with it as long as it made her happy.

“Okay, I understand why you killed dad. I don’t know if I agree with it, but I accept it. But one last question, how did you two get…involved?”

Lucy tapped a finger to her chin as she considered what she wanted to share with the boy. Cooper kept quiet on the matter since he a) didn’t really care and b) had no idea what she wanted to tell the kid. Their little love story wasn’t for the faint of heart.

Finally, Lucy shrugged. “It just happened over time. At first, we kind of hated each other but we eventually started to like each other. Then, we started having sex which was nice. But I wanted more and so did he. And here we are.”

“Thanks, that was very vague.”

“You’re welcome,” Lucy said cheerfully, completely missing or ignoring her brother’s dry tone.

“I was being sarcastic.”

“Okey dokey.” Lucy smiled brightly at her brother who just pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

Cooper could sympathize. Lucy made him do the same. Often.

“Whatever. You’ll tell me eventually.”

Cooper sincerely fucking hoped not. Her brother was already wary of him and his relationship with her sister. If she told him about all the arguing, finger stealing, shouting and nasty comments, her brother might start plotting his murder.

The kid wouldn’t succeed, but it’d be very annoying to fend off his attempts while not pissing Lucy off in the process.

“Does that mean you’ll come with us?” Lucy asked, her voice full of hope while her hands shook slightly with worry.

Norm was silent, his eyes closed and his lips pressed tight as he thought about his answer. “Yeah, I’ll come. I can’t promise I’ll stay, but I’ll give the surface a whirl.”

Lucy frowned, her doe eyes a bit wet with unshed tears. But she didn’t argue with the kid. “That’s fair. It’s hard out there, but at least it isn’t all lies. I hope you decide to stay though. Cooper and I have plans to settle down at a ranch. You’ll always be welcome there. Even if you come back here.”

“Thanks.” Norm cleared his throat and stood up. “I guess I should go pack.”

“Wait, before you go, can I ask a favor?”

“Okay. But I can’t promise I’ll do it.” Norm nodded in agreement, sitting back down in his seat.

“So, Cooper’s looking for his daughter. We think she might be in a vault, but we aren’t sure which one. Would you be able to find out?”

“I think so. Dad’s terminal might have the information. I’ve already hacked it, so it should be easy. What’s her name?”

Cooper didn’t want to get his hopes up, but he couldn’t help the slight catch of his heart in his chest. Was he finally going to find her? Was she even alive?

Christ, he fucking hoped so. But he couldn’t shake the fear he was going to be disappointed. Again.

“Janey Howard. She might be with her mom, Barbara Howard, if that helps,” Cooper answered, trying not to choke on his worry. 

“Wait, and your name is Cooper?” Norm’s eyebrows rose up towards his hairline as he stared at Cooper who nodded. Seemed like the cat was about to be out of the bag. “Cooper Howard?”

Fuck, he really didn’t need this right now. But the kid wasn’t stupid, so he might as well fess up. “Yeah, that’d be me.”

“Like the actor?”

“Just like.”

The kid’s eyes grew as round as saucers as he realized exactly who he was talking to. Cooper, meanwhile, wished he wasn’t having this conversation. But if it meant finding Janey, he’d put up with Lucy’s brother. Maybe he wasn’t as big of a fan as Lucy.

“Like you have the same name or you’re actually him?”

Cooper sent Lucy a look that begged her to save him from his current nightmare. She, being a cruel woman, just smiled. If he didn’t love her so fucking much, he might be tempted to kill her. “Later,” he mouthed at her, his eyes promising retribution.

“You promise?” she mouthed back, her lips curving into a more suggestive grin.

Realizing the boy was still staring at them, Cooper sighed and surrendered. “Yeah, I’m him. Or was, I suppose.”

“Wow, didn’t expect that. Although, it explains the outfit.” Norm smiled, reminding Cooper of Lucy. They had the same grin, the one that meant Cooper was in for a whole bunch of questions. Which was confirmed when Norm added, “What was acting like? Did you like it? Was the past really like that?”

“Fucking hell, of course he’s like you.” Cooper glared at Lucy as if she were at fault for the entire situation. Which, to be fair, she kind of was. They didn’t have to wake the kid up. He would’ve been fine for a few centuries in cryo.

“What do you mean?” Lucy cocked her head at him, her loose hair falling over her shoulder. 

“All inquisitive and shit.”

“Wait, what was your favorite movie? How did you get into acting?” the kid continued to ask questions, completely unaware that neither Cooper or Lucy was paying him any attention.

“There’s nothing wrong with asking questions.”

“There sure as fuck is.” He waved his hand at her brother, indicating exactly what was wrong with asking shit. “He won’t shut up.”

“Norm?” Lucy interrupted her brother’s relentless stream of words. When the boy stopped and looked up, she said, “you can ask him later. Right now, we need to find his daughter, okay?”

“Fine, I’ll stop for now.” Norm stood up and made his way to the door.

Lucy followed her brother to the door, leaving Cooper alone on the couch with Dogmeat curled up at his feet. “Thank you.” She threw her arms around her brother to hug him tight. “I’m so glad to see you.”

“Me too.” Norm returned the hug, his eyes still a little sad. He nodded once in Cooper’s direction. “I’ll let you know what I find.”

Cooper tipped his hat at the kid. “Appreciate it.”

Once the boy had left the room, Lucy sat back down, curling up against him with her head on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“For now. Can’t make any promises about later though.”

“No matter what happens, I’m here for you.” She snuggled in close, one arm slung across his waist. “But I think it will work out.”

“Thanks, darlin’.” He buried his face in her hair, trying to lose himself in the feel of her. “I sure as hell hope so.”

“I love you,” she whispered, so softly he barely heard her.

He said the words back, glad that one of them had some optimism left. His was long gone, burned away over two hundred years ago. But maybe, this time, things might work out. Maybe he’d get to hold his daughter again.

Cooper wasn’t a lucky man, never had been, but if he got to see his daughter one more time, he might end up being the luckiest son of a bitch in the whole damn world.