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Hancock awoke, still a bit disoriented from the Chems he and Lynn had taken the night prior. Not opening his eyes, his arm lazily shifted to reach out for his lover but found only an empty and cold right hand side of their shared bed.
The ghoul frowned a bit as he opened his dark eyes and his vision cleared. Lynn wasn't there. Instead, he gazed outside their porch window and saw the Crimson-haired beauty sitting outside alone in the rain. “Shit.” He cursed. Instincts kicking in, John immediately got up and threw on his duds and tricorne hat before grabbing an extra coat and walking outside.
Lynn was just quiet, very deep in thought, as she looked out at the wastelands. She hadn't been able to sleep ever since a nightmare she had a few hours ago. The sole-survivor hadn't even noticed as Hancock came out and sat down beside her. But she did note the sudden change in temperature as a coat was draped over her shoulders, which brought her back to reality.
She bit her lower lip, knowing that Hancock would want to try and talk and help her in some way. She loved that he cared so much for her, but he couldn't understand… No matter how hard he wanted to…
“If you don't wanna talk about it, it's okay, doll. I'm here for ya either way.” The ghoul stated, as if he had read her thoughts.
Lynn narrowed her blue eyes solemnly. She felt guilty for having these kinds of dreams, greedy that she felt the need to hide them and bury all the good memories of a life lost to time. She wanted to move on, but it was still extremely difficult, especially with seeing a world so new yet so old to her.
“Thank you…” Lynn whispered with a sad smile as she leaned her head on Hancock’s shoulder.
“No problem at all, Love.” He knew how she was after a bad dream or a nightmare. He learned not to ask questions or pry, but to let his vixen open up on her own accord. He would be there for her, with a puff of Jet on the side, in case she (or both of them) needed it.
Lynn's heart pounded in her chest as Hancock held her close to his side, his arm tight but comforting around her waist. But then something occurred to her… A memory from the dream she had. It made her sick, but so very happy at the same time. It was bittersweet. “Hancock… Did I ever tell you how I knew how to shoot a gun?”
The ghoul simply shook his head in response, allowing her the chance to talk. “Nope. But I am curious, considering the way you handle yourself out there is one of the first things that attracted me to ya. I love a woman who can fight for herself.”
Lynn gave a small laugh as a blush crossed her face. He did that to her. His casual attitude and honesty always seemed to make her seem less awkward and more open. She reveled in that connection of trust she had with the ghoul, and she didn't want it to ever end.
She frowned again though, as the memories were set on replay in her mind. “My hus-… Nate, taught me. He was in the military, as was his father, and his father before him… Dating all the way back to World War II. Nate had seen war, and feared losing me. So, after he got back from overseas, he made it his goal to teach me how to defend myself.
Women, in my time, weren't really so independent, and it was strange to see a woman learning how to handle a variety of military weapons. ‘Unladylike’, they would say… But Nate didn't care. He said that if anything were to ever happen to him, at least the baby and I would be safe…” She stopped for a moment, remembering the last words he said when he had finished teaching her how to use a submachine-gun. “He said he had a feeling something bad was about to happen. He had lived a life of military and war, and so he just had the gut-wrenching feeling something was on the horizon… A year and a half later, the Nukes came down on us and we were put into cryo… And I've come to realize that he was right, despite how ridiculous I felt during the time. Because if I had never learnt to use a gun, I wouldn't be sitting here now, with someone I've fallen for…”
Hancock just looked down at the sole-survivor of Vault 111. Surprised by the turnaround. Because it wasn't like her other dreams where they all ended in tragedy, but instead an actual good ending with him in it. He had newfound respect for Lynn’s deceased husband (not that he didn't before), because he gave her the chance to move on with her life. He gave her the chance to fight back and start all over again.
The ghoul’s lips curled into a sly smile as he kissed Lynn's forehead.”I'm not too sure about that, babe. You're too stubborn to die plus you've got attitude, and I know you would've found a way to survive either way…” He laughed as he popped a Mentat in his mouth. “But the guns do help though.”