Another Unoriginal Oneshot Book

Awake, O Sleeper

Zion Valley, April 2283.

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Midmorning sunlight glinted off the river's gently sloping currents and into the eyes of the two men above, on the cliff overlooking the Narrows. Neither squinted; they were strong-willed, the both of them. They shared that, at least. Or maybe they didn't want to close their eyes against the beauty of this place, even for a moment.

Zion Valley was a land that caught the eye and held it, crafted by the hand of God. No one left this place without a very compelling reason — which was about to make things difficult.

Daniel lifted the brim of his hat as he scanned the canyon and its people. "We're headed into delicate territory here."

"Something must be done," said Joshua grimly.

"It should. We've put it off too long already. But we need to be careful, or—"

"The longer we wait, the more volatile it could get."

"Okay, okay," Daniel murmured, more to himself than to Joshua. "No more stalling." He turned to enter Half Mouse Cave, jaw set.

The cave was mostly empty at this point in the morning. The few Sorrows who were about —mothers with very small children, a few sick or injured — were all giving a fairly wide berth to the woman lying spread-eagle on her back, staring dimly at the strip of sunlight from the cave mouth. She watched the two men's shadows pass over it, then slowly tilted her head up to meet them. "Hey, guys."

"Good to see you," Daniel greeted her. "Any plans for today?"

"Or are you going to spend all of your earthly hours lying on the ground once again?" grumbled Joshua. Daniel shot him a look, pleading for caution.

The Courier had returned to Zion last month with news of her victory at the Dam, and the independent Mojave that followed. She'd been eager to "put out fires," as she put it, feeling guilty with how she'd left the state of things the year prior. Daniel had returned from Dead Horse Point for the occasion. They'd welcomed her and been grateful. She met Waking Cloud's children and grieved Follows-Chalk's disappearance. But it turned out the fires were burning too low to be stomped out entirely, and Sage ended up converting the mission into a much-needed vacation. But what seemed at first like Sabbath rest had turned pathological.

Sage moved her limbs thoughtfully, like a child making a snow angel. "Floor feels nice. It's cold."

"Astute," observed Joshua flatly.

Sage's lips tightened into a pensive frown at his sarcasm, and she turned her attention to the rock ceiling. "Didn't realize this was an interrogation."

"No, no..." Daniel started to crouch to her level, then thought better of it. "We've just been getting... well, concerned."

"About me?" she asked innocently.

"About the fact that you haven't left Zion," Joshua said bluntly.

Sage was no longer sleepily calm, but she still wasn't roused off the floor. "I thought you wanted me here. I've paid my share — I mean, I'm not hurting anything, am I?"

Daniel took the opening, picking through each word like a minefield. "We're a little more worried about what you're doing to yourself."

"And the city you swore to protect," Joshua added. He was no less empathetic than Daniel, but he had no desire to coddle a grown woman, whatever crisis was going on in her scar-pocked head.

Sage finally pushed up, spun herself, and propped her head on one hand. "Waking Cloud wants me to stay," she declared with apparent finality.

Daniel sighed slowly, either at Sage's argument or the mention of his estranged friend. "Of course she does. We'd love it if you could stay. But just because we wish it could happen doesn't make it the right thing to do. Like Joshua said, you have New Vegas to think about."