Wasteland Tales

Wasteland Tales Ch. 4: A New Dawn

Will and Jamie reached the inner gates of Freeside walking past the people who cluttered the street. From junkies to men-for-hire line the streets.
"God this place is a mess," whispered Jamie to Will.
"Yeah, it is. Worse than I expected."
"Let's go find New Vegas. This place is giving me the creeps."
They walk quickly past through the second gate. Seeing ahead the gate to New Vegas, and all the bright lights of the strip. In excitement they walk to it only for one of the robots to stop them.
"Passport or 2,000 caps," says the robot with a monotone robotic voice.
"We don't have either," said Will.
"Then move along," it responded then rolling away.
"Well shit," says Will. "Now what?"
"I don't know. We don't have the caps, and we don't have a passport."
"Where in hell do we find a passport?" said Will rhetorically.
In silence they both think of what they should do until Jamie breaks the silence.
"What about a job?" she says.
"That's the best idea, but how are we going to find some?"
"There has to be around here."
"Alright, let's go find some."
Days of trying to find work, nearly running out of caps until the local casino, the Atomic Wrangler offered jobs. Accepting, they found themselves working seperate jobs, Jamie as a waitress and Will as a guard.
"Thank God we found jobs," said Will.
"Yeah, but I'm not too sure about some of the people who come through here," Jamie responds with slight worry.
"Don't worry, I bet the guards here, like myself, would keep people in check."
"Hopefully, I don't want you to screw up," she said sarcastically.
Will laughs slightly while tying his shoes, and he gets up to look in the mirror. While looking Jamie comes over putting her hands on his shoulders.
"Will you look fine," she says smiling at him.
"Thank you. You don't look bad yourself."
"Thanks," she says blushing. "Lets get to work."
"Alright," he says as he goes to open the door. Opening it, he says, "After you."
She smiles, and walks through, and Will walks behind her through the door, closing it behind him.
The night was tough for both Will, and Jamie, getting people from all over Freeside, from junkies to drunks. When the night was finished, they both went up to their room.
"There's only one bed," Will said.
Sighing, Jamie said, "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know. Should I take the couch?"
"Okay, let's do that," Jamie says with a tired tone.
With several days of the same tiring work, they are trying to get used to the routine of it.
"This is tiring, we don't even get breaks off to travel the city," Jamie said falling on her back on the bed.
"I know," WIll says sitting on the couch. "This is tiring."
"I want to at least see what the Old Mormon Fort looks like," she says while looking at Will.
"Let's see how the next few days work out before we decide anything."
"Well, okay. That's an idea though."
"Yeah, well I'm going to sleep."
"Okay, well going to do the same."
Closing his eyes, Will drifts into sleep, only to wake up stratled. Sitting upright on the couch, he looks over, but doesn't see Jamie.  Will confused, gets up and looks out to see that it was still night.
"How long has it been?" Will said quietly to himself.
"Long enough," said a familiar disembodied voice from behind him.
Turning around Will sees himself smirking on the same couch he once was at.
"You," said Will furiously. "Why are you here?!" he yells.
"Why am I here? You called me after all."
"Called you?" Will says more calmly.
"Yes. You're still dealing with the same troubles you're plagued with ever since you've started this journey. You have to deal with it, or I, or us won't have a mind to work with."
"What do you mean?"
"I cannot explain, but please deal with it. Look for her father, he's here, somewhere."
Will dumbfounded and confused sits over on the couch, and he drifts back into reality, and wakes up back on the couch. He looks over and sees Jamie sleeping still, he looks at his pipboy, and sees that it's time for them to get up. Standing up he goes to take a shower. As he does, he thinks of where in Freeside Jamie's father could possibly be, since Jamie doesn't talk about him. Getting out he sees Jamie sitting on the bed, she looks up at him with solemn eyes.
"I found this damn-" she tried to say but with slight interruption.
Glancing down, Will noticed the letter he tried so desperately to hide from her, crumpled in her hand.
"Jamie-" he tried saying.
"No!" She yelled, looking furiously with tears streaming down her face."
"I can explain. I didn't want to tell you because I know how much you hated him. Since you didn't want me to know, I wanted to ask him myself."
"He's a monster!" she screamed with strain.
With no words of comfort, reasons, or excuses, he stood there wondering. After what seemed an eternity of silence, she brought her head back up.
"You came here to talk to him," she said nearly inaudible.
"Yes."
"Do you know what he did to me?!"
"No, that's why I came, you don't want to tell me!"
"So don't bother," she yelled, grabbing a pillow, and throwing it at him.
She coursed her hands through her hair while Will threw the pillow on the bed.
"I know you're frustrated, but you don't have to see him. I was going to find him, and ask some questions, then be done with it."
"And you were going to do this how?"
"In secret, while we had breaks."
"You were going to sneak around here to find my dad. I don't know where he is? Do you?" she said while sniffling.
"I do. He's probably in the Old Mormon Fort."
"Then I'm going there." she says, getting her gun and storming out.
Will quickly puts on some clothes, and follows her out, trying to keep pace.
"Where are you going?" yelled Francine, one of the Garret twins.
"She's upset, I'll try to get her," Will yells back.
Then he quickly goes out to try to find her, and only catches a glimpse of her running to his left. He follows, trying to keep up, and notices her going further back into Freeside towards the Old Mormon Fort. Continuing, he sees her go to the Old Mormon Fort, and Will slowing down to a walking pace. Entering the Fort, he looks around trying to find her. Going up to one of the guards, he asks if they saw a girl with red hair walking around. At that moment there was yelling from one of the tents near the gate. Some Follower doctors went over to the tent, and Will followed close behind. In there, Jamie was being held back, and pulled out by the doctors. Letting them going out, Will sneaks in after them. There sat a few men, and one looks down, in what seems to be shame. He's an older man with white hair growing in and a scruffy beard on him.
"Excuse me, are you the one that woman yelled at?" Said Will sympathetically.
"Yes, who's asking," said the man with a ragged voice.
"The man who brought her here."
He looks up, "So you're the one brought her here. Why?"
"To find you. For answers."
"Answers. What the hell do you need answers for."
"Why she hates you so much."
"She didn't tell you?"
"No, she's ashamed, and I don't know how to help her."
"Help her with what? It seems you hurt her by bringing her to me."
"I know and that's my mistake. I just want to know why she doesn't want to see you."
"Do you really want to know boy."
"Yes. I actually do."
"Okay kid, but I want you to do something for me."
"And what's that?"
"Make her forgive me."
Taken aback a bit, Will responds, "I'll see what I can do."
"Well," he paused with what looked like a floodgate of repressed emotions released by the look in his eye. "What happened was 27 years ago when I was a hardcore addict to jet, psycho, and med-x. I lived as a junkie in this small town out in California, and besides taking multiple chems, I was an alcoholic.  I never really went out of my house, and the only times I did is when we decided to go drink and go have fun at this one bar. They had the typical bar, but also they set up this system where you could pay for a hooker. That night I wanted to have some fun, and that's where I met her mother. This young girl, she.... She was not that much younger than me, just by a few years.  We did what you would expect any man who gets with a hooker would do, but it turned into something, it wasn't just this one night stand. I.... We fell in love, and sooner than later, she found out she was pregnant. I was surprised to say the least, I actually quit and found a job, and we got married not too long after. When we had Jamie, at first, it was tough, It would be what you'd expect from any kid that young. Things started getting bad when she was around five though. I got back into chems, and this time it was mentats, psycho, and ultrajet. My wife, her mother, needing a solution to get money, went back into her old job. That's...... That's when the abuse started to happen."
"Abuse?" Will interjected quickly. "No wondered," he whispered.
"Yeah, well, not just physically and verbally, also I tried sexually. I tried, I never did, because I saw too much of what I saw in her mother to do such. Even after I took a mixture of chems and alcohol, I couldn't stand to do such. When I wasn't, my anger and frustration continued the ever abuse I gave her. Her mom stepped in to stop me so-." stopping quickly to try to hold back tears. "It was my fault. My fault that for many years I did this. She'd always run away to her uncle and aunt's place since he was better of a father than I could be. It was my brother you see, He always wanted a daughter of his own, and had four sons in the many years of his life. Many times, my wife would go over, and go retrieve Jamie from my brother. He did confront me about it multiple times, and each time I would tell him to stay out of my business. When she was sixteen, she ran away." he said with a brief pause.
"How?" Will asked sharply.
"I don't know how, but I know why. I was short on money to give to the dealer who was supplying me. I was going to sell Jamie for the many months I didn't pay this dealer. She must've heard, so the next thing I remember is her room being empty, and the window to her room was wide open. For the price of me not paying was the life of someone. So he took my wife, and- and he killed her right in front of me, and then I was tortured for some time. That was ten years ago, and the very girl I was going to sell was just yelling at me."
"Wow. How old were you when she died?"
"I was 51 and she was 44."
"That was all. Also, I'll see what I can do about Jamie, hopefully she'll return, but if not I'm sorry."
"Alright, treat her right kid. Don't do to her what I did."
Will heads out of the tent back into the courtyard, and hurriedly heads out of the fort in search of Jamie. Going back to the Atomic Wrangler, he enters to see Jamie sitting at the bar taking multiple shots. He heads over to the bar, right up to Jamie.
Before he can say anything, Francine says, "Hey, since you're back take her, you two are off for the day. Also, I'm expecting double from the both of you tomorrow."
"No worries," Will says, as he goes for Jamie.
"Get off me," Jamie sternly says. "I got myself," as she heads up, grabbing the whiskey off the counter.
As they head back up to the room, Will closes the door behind him.
"I talked to him," Will said.
"So!" she yells, "He can rot in hell for all I care."
"I know what he did to you."
"And?! What are you going to do about it?! Huh?"
"Jamie-"
"No Will! No 'Jamie' this or 'Jamie' that or whatever bullshit you're going to pull off because you know what? You lied to me. You had the audacity to blatantly lie to my face for some answers."
"I didn't want you to freak out. I knew this would happen if I did."
"Then what? Were you just going to ask me about my life with the sudden knowledge of what happened to me!"
"Yes and I was trying to protect you."
"Protect me from what? Myself, I told you a lot of stress from things I see and hear puts me through those nightmares."
"I know-"
"You fucking know what Will? You absolutely know nothing of the trauma I went through. You don't know the hell that I lived for before I ran away."
"But did you ever think of what he went through?"
"I don't fucking care what he went through."
"So you don't care that he not just lost you, but lost his wife, your mother, and was tortured afterwards."
Jamie quickly spins around, "What did you just say? Did you say my mother's dead," she said stuttering. 
She collapses onto the floor with utter shock plastered onto her face. Trying to find words, but only came out with panicked breath. Will realizing her distress quickly tries to comfort, but Jamie pulls the gun that was still on her, out, pointing it Will.
"Don't come near me," she finally mutters. "Haven't you done enough," she looks up at him.
"I know," he says plainly, getting up off his feet. "Then that's it. My part is done."
"What do you mean," she says putting the gun down.
"I'm done, you clearly don't need me anymore. You've seem to have dealt with your problems, and I'm not longer needed."
Will goes over to his stuff, and packs it quickly into his backpack, slugging it over his
shoulder. He grabs his gun, holstering it over his shoulder, walking towards the door.
"Wait," she says. "Where are you going?"
"Didn't you just hear me? You clearly don't need me."
"Wait, no. Will." she yells.
He doesn't look back, and everyone is looking at them in confusion.
"I'm quitting," Will says to Francine.
He heads out the door, and Jamie follows him outside.
"Don't even try to stop me," Will says before heading on.
Crying, she heads back into the Atomic Wrangler as Will puts his head down knowing he immediately failed at what Jamie's father asked of him to do. Leaving Freeside, he heads back down the way they came on the 95. After a long day of walking he makes it to Boulder City. Finding the bar, he heads in to see some of the garrison of the NCR there. Giving him stares, he walks to the bar itself, putting the bag down next to him.
"Where you coming from mister?" Asked the bartender.
"The Strip," Will responds hesitantly.
"Well mister, did you lose your money?"
"I lost myself."
"Ah, that's what the Strip does to you mister, I'm sorry to hear that though. But if you don't mind me asking, where are you heading off to now?"
"Back to California I guess."
"I see mister, I hope you have a good travel then."
"Yeah," Will says before taking a sip from his drink.
Some time passes and a couple drinks in, Will hears the sound of the boots on wood, and it's getting closer to him. A helmet thuds on the counter next to him, he slightly glances to the side, seeing a man sit by him.
"One whiskey Ike," said a man with a familiar voice.
Will shoots this man a glance, seeing that it was Kyle, and Will stiffens a bit, cracking his neck.
"Will?" Kyle asks.
"Hey," Will says, taking a sip from his drink.
"How are you?"
"Not so good," Will says, looking down.
"What happened?"
"Notice anything different."
Confused at first, Kyle realizes, saying, "Where's Jamie?"
"Freeside," Will responds, looking up now at Kyle.
"Wait, what happened between you two?"
"It didn't go well, we had an argument, then a falling out."
"About what, if you don't mind."
"We- I brought her here to New Vegas, and I didn't tell her that her abusive father was here as well."
"God."
"Yeah it wasn't pleasant. Her life and seeing her father. I shouldn't have done it."
"What did you expect?"
"I should've expected it, since I have asked her in the past about it, and all she would tell me was that she wouldn't ever have wanted to see her father. And I ignored her."
"Will, don't beat yourself up over this, you made a mistake."
"A terrible one."
"Humph, Will, can I be honest with you?"
"Sure go ahead, I don't have anything to lose."
"You should go back, and apologize to her. I think she would like it."
"I doubt she would want to see me after what I've did."
"Do you want me to go with you? C'mon, you won't be able to forgive yourself if you don't at least try."
"I guess, but I don't see how it would work."
"Let's do it, I get some time off starting Saturday. All I need to do is finish up some work here in Boulder City, then I can come. I think you should get back there before I do."
"Alright, I'll do it."
"That's great, that's the first step needing to be taken."
For the rest of the night, Will and Kyle talk about their lives before Will goes to the local hotel, and Kyle to his quarters. In the morning, Will heads out, back to New Vegas, fearful of what may turn out. Heading on the lonely 95, Will thinks of what he should do when he meets back with Jamie. After some hours pass, he finally makes it back to Freeside, standing at its gate, looking up at the sign. He heads in, focused on his mission, heading for the second gate, he looks over at the Old Mormon Fort. Going towards the Atomic Wrangler, he grows in anxiety as he nears the door. Entering, he sees it as it was as he left a day before hand. He sees that no one is giving him any attention which relieved some of his stress.  Going up to Francine, Will taps the counter to get her attention.
"Do you know where Jamie is?" Will said.
"Yeah, she said she was going to the Old Mormon Fort," Francine responded.
"Thanks Francine."
Will sighing, he heads back outside of the Atomic Wrangler. Going to the Old Mormon Fort, he sees Jamie turning the corner, standing there once noticing him. Jamie just walks not paying attention to him.
"Jamie," Will says.
She doesn't respond to him calling her, and just keeps walking back to the Atomic Wrangler.
"Jamie, I'm sorry," he yells this time.
She stands there, responding, "Sorry about what?" while turning around.
"About what I did."
"Why would you be sorry?"
"Because I should've told you that I was coming here for your father."
"So now that you said that, should I forgive you."
"I'm not expecting you to, but Kyle wanted me to before he got down here."
"Kyle? You spoke to him."
"Yeah, he's coming on Saturday."
"Really, he's coming down? Are you sure?"
"Just wait for another day, then he'll be down here."
"Okay, but if you're lying to me, you're the one that's going to get it."
"Deal."
"Then come in."
"Yes ma'am."
Will runs up to Jamie, and they both walk into the Atomic Wrangler, and back up to the room. Will sets his stuff back down onto the couch which is still vacant from when he left a couple days earlier. Will get's his job back, and for the next day, he works in anticipation of what's to come. When Saturday comes along, they work all day waiting for Kyle to come. Losing hope, they start losing hope that he'll come down to meet them, then after their shift, he comes.
"Hey Kyle," says Will.
"Hey Will. Where's Jamie."
"Cleaning up, our shifts are almost up."
"Great, I've hardly come down to this part of Freeside."
"Really?"
"Yeah, hardly anyone NCR soldiers come down here. The local populace isn't too happy some refugees had to start settling here."
After a few minutes of talking, Jamie comes up to them excited.
"Hey Kyle," says Jamie, hugging Kyle.
"Hey Jamie, how are you?"
"I've been better," she says in a sorrowful voice whilst looking at Will.
"Well I hope it goes better," responds Kyle, smiling.
Smiling back Jamie says, "Yeah... I hope so as well."
Will noticing, says, "Let's go sit."
"Perfect," says Kyle.
For a few hours, the three talk to each other about what happened for the past few weeks since they split up. After this, for a few months, Kyle took most of his breaks going and seeing Jamie, and as much as she could took her breaks off to see him. During this time, both Jamie and Kyle started dating, and Will became more solemn and withdrawn, Jamie slowly but surely sought a relationship with her father, talking over it, with some moments with or without Kyle. Will also discussed in more private details with Jamie's father about it as well as with more clarification with Jamie. Over time the three of them became closer and distant over the span of the few months.
After some time though, tension once again built over the fact of their growing apart, both Jamie and Will.
"Hey Jamie I was thinking something over for a few weeks now," says Will.
"What is that?" Jamie asks, brushing her hair.
"I think after the significant progress you've made with your father, I was thinking. I think it's now my time to really go."
"Go? Why?"
"Honestly, it's really seems like you're happy, and got through a barrier. You stopped having nightmares, you're happy, and you're in a great relationship."
"Well that is true, but that doesn't mean I want you to leave," she said, putting the brush down.
"It seems that you got what I brought you here to realize, and I think it's good for me to go back home."
"Will, this can be our new home."
"I've seen enough of this city to realize that it's like any other city in California."
"Will, really, just think about what you're saying."
"I know what I'm saying Jamie, it's that-"
"That what? What's really going on Will?"
"In all honesty, I feel as if we're growing apart."
"Growing apart? How?"
"All your time is focused on Kyle and-"
"Oh I see, you're just jealous."
"I'm not jealous."
"Yes you are Will. Just admit it."
"I'm not admitting anything, but I feel as if it's good for us to separate."
"You do you."
"Okay, thanks, and I'm leaving tomorrow by the way."
"What, tomorrow, tomorrow is my birthday though."
"Yeah, I thought you would spend it with Kyle. You guys seem perfect for each other."
"Will, really? You can't just stick around for one more day?"
"I can't. I have a family to go back to."
"So do I."
"Well your closest relative is just down the road. Mine is all the way near the Boneyard."
"Alright then, just go."
"Okay, I will."
"Good."
After a restless night of sleep, Will wakes up, tired, and confused. In a drowsy haze, he stumbles into the bathroom unknowingly. Not hearing the sound of the shower, he heads in only to see Jamie come out. He immediately perks up, realizing what he just did, and Jamie noticing him, has a face of panic.
"Will?!" Jamie yells, grabbing for a towel.
"I'm sorry," says Will with panic in his voice, immediately heading out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Sliding his back along the door, Will slides his hands across his face with the full realization of embarrassment washing over him. The door opens behind him, and Will stands up, turning around, seeing Jamie with an odd look on her face.
"I'm so sorry," says Will.
"Yeah, don't let that happen again," she responds.
Will getting himself prepared, grabs all his stuff, slinging it over his shoulder. Jamie dressing in some of her nicer apparel, waits on the couch.
"I'm heading off," says Will.
"Have a good time Will," Jamie says, getting up.
"You too."
Giving each other a hug, a knock at the door goes through the room, and Will goes to open it.
Seeing Kyle, Will says, "Hey Kyle."
"Hey Will," he responds confused, "Why does it seem like you're leaving?"
"It's that he is," interjects Jamie, with her arms out.
Giving her a hug, Kyle questions Will, "Why are you?"
"I have to get back to my family."
"How do you know?"
"It's just been too long."
"Oh, okay, I wish you could stay."
"Same, but I just have to."
"Take care then."
"You too man."
They shake hands, and Will heads out the door, on his second trip going back home.
Heading down, Will buys himself a drink from the counter, and goes out, looking back for the last time. He goes, but he felt an urge to talk to Jamie's father one last time. He heads in, and finds out that he had left only a couple days earlier. He heads out, having an urgency to find him, heading towards the entrance of Freeside, due to the high populace of the residents that aren't in the Fort being there. When arriving at the location, he looks around the outer most parts of the building before he went into the crumbling building itself. Not finding him on the first floor, he looks on the second floor still to not find him. Looking around, he sees one of the other people who was with Jamie's father's tent with him. Walking up to the guy who seemed to be back on his jet addiction, Will looks at the dazed man.
"Hey, do you know where the old guy from the Old Mormon Fort went? The one that was with you in your tent," Will says sternly.
"What man?" the guy responds clearly out of it.
"You know the man who was in your tent, the one who always spoke to the red head girl."
"That guy. Oh that guy he went to the other part of Freeside."
Will shakes his head with frustration due to the man's inability to help, and the vagueness of the answer he gave him.
"Whatever," Will says, taking a sip from the bottle of the drink he had.
Will heads back down towards the other side of Freeside in hopes of finding Jamie's father. He was stopped in his tracks when he heard a gunshot, and a familiar scream coming from beyond the gate. At the other side by the North gate entrance of the Strip, he saw in the distance of Jamie at gunpoint with a body lying next to her.  Will quickly ran over to where she was, pulling out his rifle. Once getting near enough, Will saw a group of men surrounding a crouched Jamie, and a bleeding Kyle. Will ran behind them to avoid detection, taking a street around behind them. Once they were i sight, Will threw his drink towards them, shooting it above them. The glass fell all over them, and the group of guys turned around. Will got behind cover, while one started shooting at him, and the rest charging him. Shooting the guy with the pistol, Will stood up, shooting another straight through the eye. The other three still charged, Will used up to bullets to take down another one of the thugs. Only having one shot left, he used it on the closer of the two. Will, knowing he didn't have enough time to reload, dropped the gun, pulling up his fists against the thug's knife. The thug swung the knife at Will, and he dodging as many as he could, took a punch at him, striking him. The thug stepped back, and then went onto the offensive again with more precise action. Will kept stepping back, and dodging, got hit only a couple times on the arms. Trying to take another punch, so did the thug strike again this time with his left hand. Will reacted, opening his fist into an open hand, but instead of grabbing the knife out of the thugs hands, it went through Will's palm. Reacting both in pain and instinct, used his other hand, and took the knife out of the thugs grasp. Pulling the knife out of his left palm, Will shook his hand, with blood clearly pouring out of his hand. Cracking his neck, Will put his left hand behind his back, wielding the knife in the other hand. The thug clearly scared, started to back off, but before he got the chance to run, Will made a quick jab, stabbing the man in the neck. Taking a moment to process the situation, Will looked up at Jamie, who was trying to tend t Kyle. Will ran over to them to see the condition of both.
"How is he?" asks Will.
"Still conscious," says Kyle. "But hurts like a bitch."
The wound was in Kyle's abdomen, and Jamie was applying pressure to the point.
"Will you're hurt," says Kyle.
"Oh this, it's just a stab wound," responds Will calmly.
"Through the hand?! And I thought I had it bad."
Jamie looks at Will's hand, "God Will, right through the hand."
"Don't worry, all we need to do is get him to the Fort."
"No, I should get to an NCR medical facility, just bring me to the gate, I can get through."
"We can't just leave you bleeding like this!" says Jamie.
"There's people on the other side."
"I got an idea," says WIll, standing.
Before either of them could say anything, Will took off the jacket and shirt of one of the thugs. Will wrapped the shirt around his hand, and put the jacket into a makeshift tourniquet which he wrapped around Kyle.
"Now that's on, let's get you up," said Will.
"On the count of three," said Jamie.
"Alright, one, two, three."
Lifting Kyle onto his feet, the helped him over the the North gate of the Strip. Letting him walk, the moved fine with pressure on the jacket.
"Will, I hate to ask you again, but honestly, I don't think you should leave, at all. Jamie needs you, now more than ever, I can't come back here in awhile, especially after this," said Kyle.
"Is that alright with you Jamie?" asks Will.
"That's fine. I would like the company if Kyle isn't going to back for awhile."
"You heard it from her Will. Now go get your hand fixed up."
"For sure, and I hope to see you again soon."
Jamie runs up to Kyle, hugging and kissing him, and WIll goes to get his rifle and stuff. He comes back to them, and Jamie ready for him, stands there patiently. Will waves at her to come, and they go to the Fort. Will got stitches for his hand, and the cuts on his arm. They also found also that Jamie's dad, Richard, had died from an overdose, and was buried. For a few weeks after, Kyle didn't show up, and Jamie was saddened by this, and got closer to Will. As they usually did, they started conversing about their lives a bit more. Jamie revealed why she left, and admitted to how she ended up in the town that she met Will. It was that her grandparents were in that town, and Will talked about his part in the NCR military for past eight years. That's why he left with her immediately after he was done with the military. This night was happened to be more on Will's life than Jamie's.
"So Will, I was wondering something?" asked Jamie.
"What was that?" Will responded.
"I was wondering, why are you overprotective?"
"Overprotective? How so?"
"How so? Like all the times that you didn't want me to see something over the course of our journey here?" she responded with a smile.
Sighing, Will said, "I didn't want to talk about this, but I guess you should know. You weren't the only one with a hard upbringing, well not as hard. I lost my mother to raiders when I was young, about six or seven. My little sister, she was around five at the time was as devastated as I was. My dad worked a lot, and so we had to look out for another a lot since most of our family tried to take care of us, but couldn't due to their own kids. But I had to protect my sister due to the hardness and difficulty of how things were. So that's why I am overprotective."
"Wow, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry, I've moved on."
"How's your sister?"
"I don't know, she married, and moved to San Francisco a couple years ago, so I haven't talked to her in a long time."
"I hope you get to see her again."
"So do I."
Conversations went on for more weeks as did the now once or twice a month, Kyle started coming. Jamie feeling more distant fell back into Will as a lover than a friend. More and more, Will also saw Jamie in the same view. Eventually, the two of them started dating behind Kyle's back. After a couple weeks, they had sex for their first times ever. The morning after a huge explosion woke both of them up.
"What the hell was that?" yelled Jamie.
"I don't know, but let's go find out," said Will with a worried look on his face.
Heading outside, the both of them with countless other people saw a huge cloud of smoke in the distance.
"That's near where Kyle is," says Jamie frightened.
"I think that's where it was," said Will in shock.
There they stood paralyzed looking at the column of smoke in the sky.