New Vegas: Sheason's Story - Chapter 174: Afterword

Afterword

Something felt odd. I could feel something, for one thing, and that was certainly a change from… from… I’m not sure. I’m confused. Was I dead? It felt like I was supposed to be dead. I think. I’m not sure. Didn’t I already do this? Something tells me that I’ve been here before.

“I think he’s waking up!” I heard a muffled voice, like it was miles away.

I tried opening my eyes. The sterile chrome roof above my head was blinding. Everything felt fuzzy. But I could definitely hear a steady beeping, and it felt like I was covered in… wires? Where am I? Am I in one of the Big MT labs, or…

A hand squeezed my own. I looked down and tried to focus…

“Bout time yer crippled ass woke up,” Cass said from my side, smiling at me and holding onto my hand tightly. Her hat was nowhere in sight, and her messy red hair was hanging loosely around her smiling face. That just made me even more confused. Where the fuck was I? I think I’m lying down on something soft. Was I on a bed somewhere?

“Whu happen’d?” I muttered, trying to blink away the haze. “Am… m’I dead?”

“Very nearly,” a familiar male voice said from the foot of my bed. I looked up and saw Christopher, his eyes still hidden behind those reflective sunglasses of his, smiling broadly at me. “If you were anyone else, then you probably would be dead, considering the state you were in when you arrived.”

“Where is here, exactly?” I coughed out, the world finally coming into stark focus. I was pretty sure I knew where I was, since Christopher was here, but no harm in asking, right?

“You’re back on Mothership Zeta!” Moira said from my right. The frizzy-haired mad scientist pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and waved at me awkwardly, still holding onto the end of the stethoscope sticking out of her ears. “Hello!”

“Y’know, getting your intestines skewered and utterly ruined like that isn’t generally something most people can just walk off,” Chris said with a laugh. “But you’ve got a lot of fight in you. I knew you wouldn’t let a mosquito bite like that slow you down any.” Cass chuckled, squeezing my hand tighter.

“I’ll say this for you,” Moira said, pressing the end of the stethoscope onto my chest. “You’ve got a heart like a machine.” I considered that, thinking back to my time in the Big MT, and all the various cybernetics I’d had inside me.

“Pretty sure it is a machine,” I nodded at her. “Well… at least… part of the way.” Moira blinked at me several times before looking back at Chris; he shook his head and shrugged.

“Fair enough,” she said, returning the end of her stethoscope to the middle of my chest. “Either way, I’ve never seen anything like it. You’re really quite the fascinating specimen! I would love the chance to examine some of your tissue samples more thoroughly, and –”

“Moira…” Chris chuckled, patting her on the back. “Give him some space. He must have the hangover of the century.” Rather reluctantly, Moira nodded, getting up and making for the door. I turned back to Cass, who was still holding onto my hand with both of hers.

“So, how did you guys fix me up, anyway?” I asked. “I thought for sure I was a goner.”

“Some crazy alien space-magic, far as I can tell” Cass said. “They had y’suspended in this huge tank full’ve some kinda super healing gel fer, like, two whole days.”

“Cass has hardly left your side,” Chris offered up. I looked closer and realized she had positively enormous bags under her eyes.

“How long was I out?” I asked. Cass shrugged.

“Bout six days,” she said. “I know it doesn’t count, cuz we’re in space an’ all…” She shot Chris a knowing smile. “…but down in Vegas it’s January 1st.”

“It’s the start of a whole new year, huh?” I laughed, settling back into the bed. “I suppose that fits.”

“I’m sorry,” Chris said with a sigh.

“Say what?” I asked, confused by the sudden shift in tone. “Why are you sorry? What d’ya have to be sorry about?” Chris shrugged.

“Well, if I’d known that you guys were gonna go up against another Enclave super soldier, I’d have shown up earlier!” he said. “I mean, by the time I got down there, I’d already missed all the fun!”

I just stared at him with a look of exhaustion and annoyance for a few seconds.

“Tell you what: you can get a spike in the stomach next time. Sound fair?” Chris let out a bellowing, raucous belly laugh.

“Sure thing!” he said with a wave, walking away. “Well, I’ll leave you two alone.” He gave me one last thumbs-up before walking through one of the nearby circular doors. I turned back to Cass just as she took my face in her hands and planted a kiss on my lips.

“Thanks,” I whispered, resting my forehead against hers. “Thanks for looking out for me.” Cass smiled.

“Hey, don’t mention it,” she said, kissing me again. “If I ain’t gonna look out fer ya, no’ne else will.” She chuckled. “Hell, you sure won’t!”

“Yeah, you’re probably right…” I sighed, gently brushing her hair over her ear. “I love you, Cass.”

“I know,” Cass shot back, smiling and sticking out her tongue. “Love you too, y’big lug.” I pulled her closer, into a tight embrace, and she rested her head against my chest. The two of us held each other like that for a while… just content that we were together. For the first time in what felt like a very, very long time, there was nothing for either of us to worry about, and the two of us could simply relax. Eventually, Cass was the one to break the silence.

“So… what’d you wanna do now?”

I grinned at her like the Cheshire Cat.

“Let’s go somewhere.”

THE END