Outstanding

Chapter 14

"Y/N No!"

Danse shouts had fallen onto deaf ears as Y/N sprinted off, attracting the Radscorpion horde. He watched in horror as she withdrew a grenade and gripped the pin. "Stop!" He yelled louder, his voice tearing. He took off into a gallop, hoping to reach her before-

Panic gripped him as he felt his stomach jump into his throat. He urged his legs to move faster, but he realized he'd be too late. Y/N withdrew the pin and just as it left her hand and landed directly on a gas vein, it exploded, engulfing not only the radscorpions but swallowing her up as well. The sheer force of the explosion hit him straight, and it was all he could do to stay standing straight in it's wake. He felt his feet grind into the dirt and he braced himself.

"What the fuck just happened?" The freak exclaimed, running over.

Danse ignored him as he rushed into the settling cloud. Bits and pieces of the radscorpions littered the areas but no sign of Y/N. Only the prints of where her boots had been were the only sign she had even been there.

At once he recognized it, the quickening of his breath, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. A cool chill gripped his limbs as millions of thoughts buzzed in his head like a nest of bloatflies.

Hadn't she listened when he said this place was covered in gas fumes? No, he should have emphasized the danger more to her, drilled it into her, so her cautious side would come out. He knew she had one, deep beneath her reckless tendencies.

A tingling sensations soon set in causing him to shake with the incoming surge of adrenaline. He pinched his eyes shut in an attempt to calm himself. It didn't help.

"Where the hell did sunshine get off to?" The ghoul rasped, looking about. He then let out a snicker that made his skin crawl. "Don't tell me that explosion knocked her off her feet? That is the right expression right?"

The vein on Danse's forehead pulsed violently, sending stars to his vision. Not now! He pleaded, as if it would stop the onslaught of pain that was settling into his head. "It would appear she's been blown back by the explosion." He said as mildly as his frustration allowed. He couldn't loose it, not now. Not in front of the ghoul. He couldn't show any weakness, he was a Brotherhood Paladin! An elite soldier! "The armor must have taken the brunt of it."

The ghoul laughed again. His laughter sounded like gears grinding together to Danse's ears and only fueled his fire. "God, Y/N's such a clutz." He boomed, shaking his head. "Can't go five minutes without injuring herself. It's a wonder she was a dancer-"

Danse turned away and blocked out the freaks grating voice. He needed to focus, to control his emotions before they took over what little of his rational mind was left. He could slowly feel the cold iron grip of a panic attack seep into his nerves, like melted steel into a mold. Deep breathes, in and out. Push back, push it down.

He was in control, he wouldn't allow this weakness to control, to invade his mission. He told Cade it wouldn't effect his performance on the field, and by steel he would prove that he didn't need to be taken from active duty.

He just needed focus, steel like focus. If he couldn't do that, then how could he possibly save Y/N?

Taking a deep breath, he felt the cold hands slip further back and could finally think clearly once more.

The armor had taken the brunt of it. He repeated. There would have been pieces of her armor scattered around if it hadn't. Despite his mounting panic, he was impressed with the durability of her armor. She certainly knew how to craft them. Maybe he'd have her work with Ingram for a while. It wasn't the time for that. Focus!