Cass' head felt heavy when she woke up, and for a minute she was sure she was dead. Beeping noises echoed faintly in her ears, and Cass let her mind drift toward them. Slowly, she regained consciousness, the sounds growing louder and clearer until Cass finally had the strength to open her eyes.

Her throat felt gravelly and too-dry. Cass nearly choked when she tried to open her mouth, and heard someone jolt beside her.

"Cass!" Veronica's voice was scratchy, though if it was from sleep or crying, the redhead couldn't tell. She tried to speak, but the redhead silenced her with a shake of her head.

Cass didn't trust her voice and mimed drinking something. Veronica shot up and found a cup, filling it at the doctor's sink and returning to Cass. The brunette helped her sit up, guiding the cup to Cass' lips. The cowgirl drank greedily, the water soothing her raw throat. When Cass had swallowed a few mouthfuls, she waved the scribe away and sank back against the pillows with a relieved sigh.

Veronica sat back down and set the cup aside, grabbing Cass' hand.

The redhead grinned and looked over at Veronica. "Hey."

"Hi," the scribe murmured. "How do you feel?"

"Alive." Cass' grin grew and she let out a raspy chuckle. "Goddamn, the doc did it, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she did," Veronica said, smiling. She gave Cass' hand a squeeze and wiped away tears as inconspicuously as she could.

Cass was still exhausted, but she reached up and pressed her fingers to her neck to feel the pulse thudding under her fingertips. She was alive.

A door whisked open and Schuler strode in, pausing at the foot of the cowgirl's bed. After a disdainful glance at Veronica that made the scribe shrink into her seat, Schuler turned her attention to Cass. "Good, you're awake." She checked a few of the computers that were monitoring Cass and nodded to herself. "The surgery was a success. You may have a few more attacks over the next few days, but they will be minor, and should cease to be a problem for you afterward."

A success. Cass blinked away the burn of tears in her eyes, managing a smile up at the doctor. "Thanks," she rasped.

The doctor nodded again. "I would like to monitor you for the next few days, and you should avoid strenuous activity. Bed rest for you, Miss Cassidy."

"I think I can manage that," the cowgirl joked. "Thank you, doc."

Schuler gave Cass a polite smile and excused herself with a promise that she'd check in later. She disappeared to another part of the clinic, leaving Cass and Veronica alone.

"You can go back to sleep if you're still groggy," Veronica offered after a minute. "I slept for like three days when I had my appendix out."

The thought of more sleep did sound enticing, but Cass wanted to enjoy the time with Veronica, especially now that she wasn't living on borrowed time. She shook her head and propped herself up against the pillows a little more securely. The redhead shot Veronica a smile and rubbed at an itch on her chest. She paused when she felt the lump of gauze under her gown and pulled the collar up to look.

"The hell?" Cass muttered, running her fingers over the bandages on her chest. "Thought they weren't gonna cut in."

"They didn't," Veronica admitted, swallowing hard. "You were right about the anesthesia. They had to… I don't know, shock you, I guess, to get your heart started again." She dropped her head into her hands and exhaled shakily. "God, Cass. I was so scared."

Cass peeled away the corner of one of the bandages, studying the burn marks on her chest. She made a face and returned her attention to Veronica, surprised at how close the scribe was to falling apart. "Hey now, Ronnie," she soothed, awkwardly patting the scribe's knee. "It's all fine, honest."

Veronica nodded slowly, taking a few deep breaths to compose herself. Finally, she looked up at the redhead and managed a wobbly smile, though she appeared to be completely wrung out. There were dark circles under her eyes, and the whites of her eyes were bloodshot from crying and exhaustion.

Cass frowned at the sight. "You haven't been sleepin', have you?" The words were meant as a question, but they came out as a gentle accusation.

"No," Veronica admitted guiltily, rubbing at her eyes.

The word was loaded with worry, and Cass felt like she'd had the wind knocked out of her. Veronica hadn't slept because of her, and the redhead swallowed guilt and turned a fond look on the scribe. "You shoulda. Can't imagine it was much fun just sittin' here waiting."

The scribe snorted and shook her head. "Not really."

"Get some sleep, Ronnie. I'm the only one taking up a bed, there's plenty." Cass gestured to the empty infirmary to prove her point, smiling when Veronica followed her gaze and nodded.

Veronica bit her lip and looked to Cass, uncertainty plain on her face.

"I'm not goin' anywhere," the redhead promised. "Quit worryin' and rest."

Veronica started to protest, but had to stifle a yawn instead. She grinned sheepishly and gave Cass' hand a squeeze, then got to her feet. "Wake me up if you need anything, Cass. I mean it."

The cowgirl scoffed and waved Veronica away, watching as the scribe stepped over to the nearest cot and fell onto it. Cass grinned when Veronica burrowed into the pillow; the brunette was adorable without even trying.

"G'night, Rosie," Veronica murmured, peering at the redhead through one eye. She smiled when Cass echoed the words, then closed her eyes and fell asleep.

The cowgirl sank into her own pillow and stared up at the ceiling. She ran her fingers over the bandages on her chest absently, trying to believe it was all real. Her heart was cured and she was going to live.

She drifted in and out of sleep, the unfamiliar room making her uneasy until she glanced over and saw Veronica nearby. Watching the gentle rise and fall of the brunette's chest was enough to soothe Cass and she allowed herself to doze off again.

Schuler stepped in to monitor Cass some time later, the sound rousing the cowgirl from her sleep. She blinked in the doctor's direction blearily, offering Schuler a grin.

The doctor didn't return it, her eyes going to the empty chair at Cass' bedside. She nodded to herself, then spotted Veronica sleeping in the next bed. Schuler made a noise of displeasure, striding over to the cot.

"Let her sleep," the cowgirl protested, pushing herself up on her elbow.

The doctor paused and looked over at Cass. There was a protest obvious in her eyes, but Cass ignored that and cut her off before she could speak.

"No one else is in here," Cass said, trying to appeal to Schuler's common sense. "Ain't like she's takin' a bed from anyone."

"It's against regulations." Even in the dim light, the doctor's eyes were cold.

"Fuck your regulations!" the cowgirl snapped, keeping her voice low. "She's wore out, 'n I want her here. Let her sleep."

Schuler's eyes flashed and she set her jaw, obviously angry at being ordered around by an outsider. After a long moment, she relaxed and Cass was almost sure she imagined the flicker of admiration in the doctor's eyes. Schuler stepped away from Veronica's bed and moved back toward Cass. She did a quick examination, then disappeared into her office once again.

The cowgirl stayed awake for a while after that, keeping an eye on Veronica. When she finally sank back into her pillow, a smile grew on her face. Even as a bedridden patient, she could still defend the woman she loved.

=====:=====

Schuler's voice brought Cass out of sleep, and the redhead shook her off and tried to ignore the doctor. Schuler wasn't having any of it and began the check up anyway. Cass finally relented and sat up, allowing herself to be prodded and examined.

A glance around the empty infirmary sent a cool rush of fear through Cass. "Where's Veronica?" She looked at the doctor sharply. "I toldja to let her stay!"

Schuler gave Cass a level stare and shook her head. "I didn't disturb her, Miss Cassidy. Veronica woke of her own accord and left to refresh herself. She told me she would return shortly."

Cass ignored the prickle of shame that danced across the back of her neck and ducked her head. "Oh."

Schuler didn't say anything as she finished the rest of the exam. She sat back in her chair and studied the redhead for a few moments, then nodded to herself. "You mentioned that chemical stimulants had an adverse affect on you."

The cowgirl nodded hesitantly, giving the doctor a critical look. "Yeah. Hear tell they nearly killed my dad once. He never tried 'em again."

Schuler didn't have much of a reaction, only to bow her head in sympathy for a second. "The procedure should have destroyed the tissue that caused that reaction, along with what was causing the attacks." She reached for a tray of medical equipment, locating a syringe and holding it up for Cass to see. "If you would like, while you're still under medical supervision, we can administer some Med-X. While there is little doubt in my mind that you're completely cured…"

Cass eyed the Med-X uncertainly. "Why? What makes you wanna risk it?"

Schuler shook her head. "You misunderstand. I don't believe there's any risk involved. It would merely be beneficial to know whether or not your heart can tolerate chems. In the middle of a fight, a shot of Med-X could save your life, Miss Cassidy."

Cass' mind flashed back to the relief that had flooded Veronica's face when her arm had been broken, and she bit her lip. She thought about the way her father had always stressed that she avoid chems at all costs, or she would die. But that was due to their mutual heart condition, she knew it was. The doctor had a point; this was a safe environment to test whether or not her heart was fully cured.

Schuler was patient, her face calm and impassive.

"What the hell," Cass muttered after a moment. "So long as it ain't gonna kill me, may as well try it."

The doctor smirked and shook her head. "You're in capable hands, Cassidy." She swabbed Cass' arm and readied the Med-X, then injected half of the chem dose into the redhead's arm.

Even with Schuler's light touch, Cass cringed when the needle pierced her skin. She stayed tense for a few seconds, waiting for her heart to explode. A warm, drowsy feeling settled over her, calming her nerves. She smiled slightly and opened one eye to peer at Schuler. "Not dead yet," she joked.

Schuler smiled, the first genuine smile Cass had seen on her face. "Wonderful. I believe you're fully cured." She set the syringe aside and entered some notes into the computer, then returned her attention to Cass. "While I'm sure you're aware of this, you should keep in mind that you're predisposed to addiction, as was evidenced by the mention of detoxing on your intake form."

The cowgirl nodded, still monitoring her pulse idly. "So no binging on chems. Got it. After all those years of avoiding 'em, I think I can manage that. Feels nice, but…" She shrugged. No matter how relaxing the medicine was, she couldn't shake the subconscious fear that it would kill her when she least expected it.

The doctor gave Cass a pleased smile and typed a few more things into the computer. "Good. Call me if you experience any discomfort." She got to her feet and headed for the door.

Veronica opened the door just as Schuler approached, nearly running into the doctor. She flushed and stepped aside, apologizing, but Schuler brushed past her without a word. Veronica frowned, then turned her attention to Cass and walked into the infirmary.

"Hi," she murmured, settling in the chair Schuler had just vacated. Her smile was warm and she reached for Cass' hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

The cowgirl tangled her fingers with Veronica's, preventing the brunette from pulling away. "Y'look like you feel better."

Veronica nodded. "I took a shower and got something to eat. Sorry I wasn't here." She glanced down at their hands and the tips of her ears went faintly pink. The scribe looked back up and studied Cass, her eyes warm and deep.

Cass felt a silly smile stretch across her face, then wished the lighting was better so she could lose herself in Veronica's gaze.

The scribe hesitated and lifted her free hand, tilting Cass' chin into the light. "Are you feeling okay? Your eyes look… different."

"Doc thought we oughta see if chems'd kill me," the redhead answered, waving away Veronica's concern. "I'm fine. Just half a dose of Med-X."

The uncertainty didn't fade from Veronica's face, and she glanced at Schuler's office, glaring slightly. "If you're sure."

"Hasn't killed me yet." Cass offered Veronica a placating grin. "Relax."

"Excuse me for being scared of something that would have killed you a week ago," the scribe retorted, cringing as soon as the words left her mouth. "Sorry. I just…" She sighed and rubbed at her forehead. "I don't wanna lose you, Cass."

The words were quiet and loaded with feeling, and the redhead swallowed. "You ain't going to. Doc just fixed my heart, so I think I'll stick around for a while."

Veronica gazed at Cass, blinking away the tears that formed in her eyes. "You better." She smiled and gave the cowgirl's hand a squeeze.

They fell silent, both enjoying the gentle weight of their hands together. Cass settled back into her pillow and waited for the Med-X to wear off. She kept waiting for her heart to start pounding in her chest, but it never did. Veronica's fingertips pressed against her wrist every few minutes, but the steady pulse didn't waver.

When the chem finally wore off, a headache formed behind Cass' eyes, but she chose not to mention it. The cowgirl opened her eyes and offered Veronica a smile. "Y'know, seein' you all clean is making me feel awful grungy."

The scribe went and asked Schuler if Cass was okay to get up and move around, then managed to convince the doctor to let her take Cass to the showers. Veronica grabbed a change of clothes from the redhead's bag, then helped Cass out of her bed.

As they wandered through the bunker, Cass was acutely aware of being stared at. At first she thought it was because of the itchy robe she'd been given to cover up with or the state of her hair, but then she realized that the haughty looks were directed at Veronica.

The brunette didn't say much, avoiding making eye contact and offering weak smiles when she met someone's gaze. She ushered Cass into the showers and forced a bright smile onto her face. "Here we go. Looks like you've got it all to yourself! No bathtubs, sorry, but you can sit down if you need to. Or call me. I can help, if you're, uh, okay with that."

The rambling was a lame distraction from the derision Cass had just witnessed, but she let it slide and smirked. "If I drown, I'll call you."

Veronica rolled her eyes and pointed out the towels, then slipped out to give Cass some privacy.

Cass avoided getting the bandages on her chest and leg wet as best she could, though the shower stream was finicky and hard to keep steady. She had to constantly wrestle the pressure knob, and Cass managed to get soap in her eyes while rinsing her hair.

In spite of her troubles, the redhead felt refreshed and much more human when she emerged from the shower. Veronica hopped up from her spot on the floor, eyeing the jeans and loose shirt appreciatively.

"I like not seeing you in a hospital gown," the scribe decided, smiling.

Cass was tempted to make some flirtatious comment, but a Brotherhood guard strolled by and she decided to keep it to herself. "Feel like showin' me around? I don't wanna go back to that fuckin' clinic right away."

Veronica grinned at the comment and nodded, offering Cass her arm. The redhead took it without so much as an eyeroll, and Veronica began taking her on a tour of the bunker. The scribe pointed out reactor rooms and places where she'd had schooling.

Cass enjoyed the tour much more than she had expected; seeing where Veronica had grown up and hearing the scribe tell stories about her childhood warmed Cass in ways she hadn't felt for years. She smiled when Veronica pointed out a closet she'd been caught making out with her first girlfriend, ignoring the jealousy that tugged at her chest. She was tempted to pull Veronica into that same closet, but the scribe just led her on and continued the tour.

They walked into the archives, where a balding man was bustling around nervously. He spotted Veronica and threw his hands up in consternation. "Veronica, you can't bring outsiders in here! You know the rules!"

"I'm just showing her around, Ibsen," the brunette protested, though she looked sufficiently chastised.

"We're very busy in here," Ibsen replied shortly, turning around to type into a computer.

Veronica bit her lip and offered to help, but the man waved her away like she was a pesky fly. Cass bristled at the dismissal, but the scribe just took her hand and led her away.

"That's where I worked," Veronica explained after a moment, leading Cass back through the hallways of the bunker. "Before they decided I'd be better off scavving outside."

Cass frowned, picking up on the note of bitterness in the scribe's voice. "By yourself," she guessed.

Veronica nodded and looked away. "They didn't want to spare a Knight that could be doing something important, like guarding the bunker." She shrugged like it didn't matter and turned back down the hallway toward the clinic.

Cass didn't want to believe that the place Veronica considered home was full of people that didn't even care about the brunette. She hated the way everyone was ignoring Veronica, and desperately wished she could steal the scribe away and make her forget the way the Brotherhood treated her.

Veronica opened the clinic door and let Cass enter first, following her back to the redhead's bed. She dropped into the chair at Cass' bedside, rubbing at her face wearily.

Cass sat on the bed gingerly, then glanced over at the scribe. "Ronnie…"

"I'm fine," Veronica mumbled, sitting up straight and smiling weakly. "I just… I'm fine."

The cowgirl opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of footsteps distracted her.

A Brotherhood initiate with a nasty looking gash in his arm came walking in, flanked by his unimpressed superior officer. Schuler followed after them, tending to the wound as soon as the initiate was sitting down.

Cass and Veronica both tried to ignore the initiate, but neither woman felt like talking, and the man moaning in pain was distracting.

The officer spotted Veronica and frowned, muttering to Schuler in low tones. The doctor answered dismissively, stitching up the laceration.

The officer stayed put for a few minutes, then couldn't stand it any longer and marched over. "Scribe Santangelo!" His voice cracked like a whip.

Veronica flinched, but turned to offer the man a polite smile. "Hey, Knight Burns. How're the kids?"

Knight Burns ignored the small talk. "This goes against regulations!" he seethed, jabbing a finger toward Cass. "Only full Brotherhood members are allowed treatment in our clinic!"

Veronica shrunk into her seat. "I know. But this is different—"

"It is no different! I should submit a report to Elder McNamara," the officer continued. "We'll see how he likes having his precious resources used on filthy outsiders." He spat the word out, making it sound like a terrible insult.

Cass didn't feel insulted in the slightest; she knew she didn't belong. She had no idea how Veronica had managed to bend the rules and get her in for treatment, but the truth was that she was an outsider. There was no shame in it.

Veronica scowled at the words, obviously offended on the cowgirl's behalf. "Hey!"

"Time and time again, you have rejected the Codex, Scribe Santangelo. You refuse to bring your behavior up to standards, and you are constantly disgracing our chapter." Burns glared at the brunette, silently daring her to protest. "Not only have you gone carousing with unsuspecting young women and forced them to stray from the Codex, you knowingly took part in the experiments of a madman! Is it any wonder your assignments are of so little importance? You are a danger to this chapter!"

Veronica cringed and dropped her gaze to the floor. Her shoulders slumped and she was obviously trying not to crumble in on herself.

"On top of it all, you bring outsiders into our sanctuary! You have no respect for the chapter, the Codex, or the entire Brotherhood!" The knight's eyes were flashing. "The Brotherhood may be your family, Scribe, but you have never brought us any honor. McNamara has been far too easy on you, considering your constant insubordination and disrespect of the Brotherhood. You are a disgrace, and—"

"Burns," Schuler called from across the room, her voice firm. "Would you go to my office and beginning filling out an incident report? I don't believe Initiate O'Reilly is quite up to the task."

Knight Burns bristled, but glanced at the doctor and nodded curtly. "Yes, ma'am." He shot one more glare at Cass and Veronica, then turned on his heel and stalked out into the office.

Cass' ears were ringing from the verbal lashing Veronica had received, and she looked at the brunette. Veronica's eyes were watering and she was biting her lip as she stared at the floor. Her hands were curled into fists, but Cass saw the tremble in them.

Anger exploded in Cass' chest and she was tempted to storm out into the office and beat the living daylights out of the knight. She wasn't going to let anyone talk to Veronica that way and get away with it.

She nearly got up to give Burns a piece of her mind, but was struck with a sobering realization. Everyone in the Brotherhood had treated Veronica the same way, to some degree. Standing up to one person wouldn't do anything to solve the problem; Veronica would only get belittled by someone else. Nothing Cass did would make things easier on the brunette. In fact, she could end up making the Brotherhood resent Veronica even more than they obviously already did.

"That's it," Cass snapped, fury blazing through her veins. "We're gettin' the hell outta here."

Veronica looked up, her brow furrowing uncertainly. "Cass, it's okay—"

"No! Fuck no, that's bullshit. It's not okay!" The redhead swung her legs off the bed and stood, swaying slightly at the sudden movement.

Veronica stood up to steady her, but her eyes were still reluctant.

"I'm not stayin' here while you get treated like shit," the redhead said simply. She grabbed her jacket and yanked it on, then picked up her bag off the table and headed for the clinic door. "Thanks, doc," she snapped at Schuler, regretting the sharpness of her voice but not stopping to apologize.

Veronica trailed along after her, obviously uneasy. "Are you sure?"

Cass nodded. "Abso-fuckin-lutely." She stepped into the office and shot Knight Burns the deadliest glare she could manage. Every part of her wanted to cross the room and shove the officer into the wall, but Cass resisted the urge for Veronica's sake.

A victorious sneer began to grow on the knight's face, and he crossed his arms over his chest. Burns glanced at Veronica, who refused to make eye contact, and he had the gall to smile.

"Fuck you," Cass snapped, putting as much venom in the words as she could. She stormed out of the office and into the hallway, livid.

Veronica followed her and fell into step beside the redhead. If she was put off by what Cass was doing, she didn't say anything. Instead, she guided Cass to the bunker exit, correcting the cowgirl's wrong turns quietly.

Patrolling Brotherhood guards all made it a point to ignore Veronica, only to murmur as soon as the pair had passed. The snickering that followed in their wake sent a rush of irritation down Cass' spine, but she bit her lip and continued toward the exit.

"Good riddance," a patrolling guard muttered as the pair walked past.

Cass wheeled around and glared at him, the anger in her system igniting into full-blown rage. "'Scuse me?"

The guard looked surprised to have been called out, but he turned to Cass and stared her down. "Good day," he said evenly.

"That ain't what you said," the redhead growled.

"Cass, c'mon," Veronica pleaded, catching the redhead's arm. "It's not worth it."

The guard toyed with the safety on his laser rifle, making a show of it to deter the cowgirl from responding. "I think you'd better leave."

Cass scowled, but let Veronica pull her away to the stairs.

"You didn't need to do that," Veronica murmured as they started up the long flight of stairs.

"Didn't you hear him?" Cass shot back. "Don't tell me that's normal!"

Veronica was quiet, and the cowgirl looked over her shoulder to see the scribe looking down in shame. The sight nearly sucked the wind out of Cass' sails, but the realization that Veronica considered the treatment was normal gave way to a fresh rush of defensive anger.

"Fuck all'a them!" the redhead snarled, climbing the stairs in a rage. "That ain't family, Veronica! That's a bunker full'a self-righteous dicks too scared of the world to realize what they got in front of 'em!" She paused to catch her breath, vaguely glad that she'd reached the top of the metal stairs.

Veronica didn't say anything, waiting with Cass while the cowgirl fumed.

Cass took a few deep breaths, then headed for the door. She and Veronica stepped into the wasteland, and the door shut behind them with an obnoxious screech. They both flinched at the noise, and then silence settled over the valley.

"They're my family," Veronica began, but Cass cut her off before she could say more.

"Don't fuckin' defend them, Veronica!" the redhead growled, rounding on the scribe. "They treat you like shit, I saw 'em!" She was furious that Veronica could even begin to consider the Brotherhood family, and Cass had half a mind to storm back down into the bunker and yell at whoever was in charge. "You're fuckin' amazing, and they can't even pull their heads outta their asses to see it!"

Tears welled up in Veronica's eyes, but there was no anger on her face. It took Cass a minute to realize that she'd backed the scribe up against the bunker door, and she paused, bemused by how close they were.

"Don't go back in there," Cass said after a few moments, gazing at Veronica. The urge to kiss her swelled up in Cass' chest, but she hesitated, strangely nervous. "You deserve a hell of a lot better'n them. There's people up here that love you, Ronnie." Her mouth went dry and she swallowed. "I do. I… look, I know I can be a shitty friend, but… Veronica, I lo—"

A smile flashed across Veronica's face, and she grabbed Cass' jacket and surged forward, kissing the redhead soundly. It was overwhelming and eager and perfect, and Cass' knees nearly gave out.

The fans dotting the valley started up with a groan, one after the other, and the sand began swirling around their feet. The women broke apart and stared at each other for a second. Cass wasn't sure who moved first, but then their lips met again and her mind went fuzzy. She could have stayed there and kissed Veronica forever, but breathing became more important and Cass pulled away reluctantly.

Veronica beamed, then plucked Cass' bandana from the redhead's back pocket. "C'mon." She pulled her hood on and offered Cass the bandana, still smiling.

Cass spread the bandana over her mouth and nose, then took the scribe's hand in her own. Veronica took off through the sandstorm, guiding Cass through the swirling grains. It didn't take long for the brunette to escape the valley, and as soon as they were free of the sandstorm, Veronica pushed her hood back and turned to grin at Cass.

"How's your balance?" the scribe asked, her eyes bright. "There's a path we can use to get past Black Mountain but it's a little tricky."

Cass snorted. "Well, I'm not drunk, so I reckon my balance is the best it's ever been, Ronnie. Sure, what the hell, let's do it. Gotta be better'n centaurs or muties."

The brunette laughed and led Cass to the path. She stayed close beside the redhead, pointing out safe places to step and helping Cass maintain her footing. Even though they moved slowly and carefully, it wasn't long before Veronica helped Cass slide down onto the flat desert ground and grinned at her proudly. "Not too shabby, Rosie," she teased. "You even made it in one piece."

Cass rolled her eyes and tugged at the brim of her hat. "Doubt you woulda let me fall even if I wanted to."

Veronica regarded her fondly. "Not a chance," she agreed, smiling.

The pair started back toward New Vegas, walking slowly to go easy on the cowgirl's recovering heart. Veronica lingered at Cass' side, keeping their fingers gently wound together. She only darted away to strip some fruit off a rare banana yucca plant, and the scribe returned to Cass with her prize moments later. They shared the sweet fruit as they walked, and Veronica told stories of eating unripe yucca and being afraid of her mouth sticking in a permanent pucker. The redhead laughed, gazing over at Veronica fondly. An impulse struck her, and Cass caught the scribe's arm and kissed the sweetness off the brunette's lips.

A dazed grin was on Veronica's face when the redhead pulled away. She gazed at the cowgirl for a moment, then started laughing and looped her arms around Cass' neck. She dropped a few more quick kisses on Cass' mouth, hugging the redhead close. "I love you," she admitted, sounding giddy. "You're gonna live and I love you!"

The laughter was infectious and Cass found herself laughing along with the brunette. She wrapped her arms around Veronica's middle and hugged her tightly, then blinked away the tears that stung in her eyes. She wasn't living on borrowed time anymore, and she was free to try and treat the brunette the way that Veronica deserved.

It was too hot to stay wrapped up in each other's arms for long, but when they broke away, Cass kept their hands tangled together.

They walked for a while without speaking, letting the crumbling Pre-war roads pass under their feet. New Vegas grew closer, the casinos growing larger as they approached the city.

"Did you quit drinking because of me?" Veronica asked, breaking the silence. Her voice was gentle and curious, with no hint of accusation.

"Yeah." The word fell out of her mouth without Cass even thinking about it. "Mostly you, yeah. But also 'cause I was sick'a hurtin' people I care about. I do some stupid shit when I'm drunk."

Veronica didn't answer, staring across the wasteland thoughtfully. She seemed to sense Cass looking at her and offered the cowgirl a smile. "Remember how you asked if I had something I wanted to talk about that night you and Six got back from seeing the Boomers?"

Cass ignored the anxiety that pooled in her belly. "Yeah."

Veronica gave the redhead's hand a squeeze when she heard the uncertainty in her voice. "It's not bad, don't worry. I just… I wanna tell you now." Her cheeks reddened slightly and she kept her gaze on Vegas so she wouldn't have to look at Cass. "While you were gone, I did a lot of thinking. About when you tried to kiss me, mostly, but about a lot of stuff."

There wasn't any bitterness in the brunette's voice and Cass hesitantly allowed herself to relax.

Veronica bit her lip thoughtfully, silent for a few moments. "I mean, I really wanted to kiss you that night. But I was scared," she admitted. "I already knew I loved you, and I didn't want to just be some drunk fling, y'know?" She ducked her head, ashamed, but she relaxed slightly when Cass rubbed her thumb over the scribe's knuckles.

"You're more'n that," the redhead promised quietly.

Veronica blushed and stumbled over words. It took her a minute to regain her composure, and she gave Cass a playful glare. "So what I wanted to talk about was… Well, I realized I wanted you enough that drinking didn't matter. You never gave me a reason not to trust you, and I love you more than I hate the alcohol. You don't have to change who you are just for me. So I was just going to try and tell you that. And maybe see if you still wanted that kiss."

"Course I do," Cass responded instantly. "Much rather get drunk on you kissin' me than any bottle of whiskey."

Veronica looked torn between blushing and snorting. "Why Rosie," she teased, "I do believe that's the corniest thing I've ever heard you say."

Cass rolled her eyes and elbowed the scribe gently. Veronica laughed and ducked away, then pointed out an abandoned gas station and led Cass to it.

"It's hot," the scribe decided as she pulled the door open.

Inside the station, most everything had been trashed, but there were a few chairs around a rickety table. Cass sat down across from Veronica and pulled a bottle of water out of her bag. She twisted the cap off and raised the bottle to the scribe, then took a long drink.

Veronica watched her, a proud smile growing at the corner of her mouth. She pawed through her own bag and found a bottle of sarsaparilla, popping the cap off with part of the hydraulic bars on her power fist.

"Didn't know they made those with bottle openers," the redhead teased, raising an eyebrow at Veronica.

The scribe grinned sheepishly. "They don't." She took a sip and gave a relieved sigh, then looked at Cass again. "But the parts there are strong enough that it won't hurt them. I checked."

They sat there and talked a little, mostly enjoying the relief from the sun and the comfort of each other's presence. Veronica drained her drink and got up, looking around at the junk in the station. She found a few bits of scrap electronics and a pilot light, tucking them into her backpack.

Cass watched the brunette work for a while, struck by how normal everything felt. It was almost like nothing had changed since that first trip where Veronica had seen her heart condition act up. It was strange; she expected their interactions to feel different. "Hey Ronnie?"

The scribe looked up from the fission battery she was fiddling with. "Yeah?"

Cass wasn't sure how to put her thoughts into words and looked down at her hands. "How's all this change things? Kissin' you, I mean," she added, feeling foolish.

Veronica was quiet for a moment, then tucked away the battery and walked over to Cass' side. She crouched there, dusting her hands off on her pants before resting them on the redhead's knee. "I'm not gonna make you settle down and have kids, if that's what you're worried about," she quipped. "It doesn't change anything. I like what we have going now, just… I get to make out with you now. And maybe other stuff, when you're better."

Cass laughed at that, waggling her eyebrows at the brunette. "Other stuff?"

"You know what I mean," the scribe muttered, averting her gaze as her cheeks reddened.

The cowgirl grinned at the embarrassment on Veronica's face, then tilted Veronica's chin up and dropped a kiss on her lips. "God, you're cute."

Veronica pouted, though a traitorous smile grew on her face a second later. "You're not so bad yourself, Rosie."

The scribe scavenged a few more bits of tech before they decided to continue back toward New Vegas. As they walked out into the wasteland and Veronica launched into a story about teasing Arcade, Cass pressed her fingers to her own wrist. Her heartbeat was healthy and strong. The cowgirl smiled and threaded her fingers through Veronica's, happy to be alive.