(no subject)

[calmhrtprevails]

The door opens on a vista of rocky landscape punctuated here and there by yellowed, rough-edged grass and low, scrubby brush. There's a hint of coolness on the breeze in the otherwise warming air, and a scent of distant rain. "We are," Fawkes rumbles, "some hours' distance from the Citadel. We're likely to stop at the town of Megaton first, and then make for the Arlington route the rest of the way."

Comments

[cantdiequiteyet]

Teresa could run faster than any of them. She could leap over the crowd of kids if she wanted, and get herself and Bumble free.

But a crack appears in the ceiling just as the children start to flow, and Teresa stops. Holding Bumble close to her with one hand, she stands in the river of children and watches the roof.

They're going to get out of there. All of them.

[calmhrtprevails]

Far away, through cavern and tunnel and sealed door, the explosion can be heard as the rocks and dust start to fall:


BRRRRABOOOOM!

[cantdiequiteyet]

The floor shakes, and Teresa moves a foot to stable herself, watching the kids run out.

She looks up, still, and sees it - the point of the ceiling that's suddenly become very weak, and starts dropping first dust, then pebbles, on the crowd.

She moves in a blur, knocking kids down in her hurry, and stands right under a slab of rock that was about to fall. Lifting a hand, she holds it in place as casually as someone hanging a picture.

[calmhrtprevails]

There is going to be quite a lot of wide-eyed staring at that.

Some of it is even going to be from the big green fellow standing just the other side of the surface exit, flanked on either side by Brotherhood soldiers in power-armor.

[cantdiequiteyet]

"Hello," Teresa says to Fawkes, pleasantly. "Is everyone out?"

[calmhrtprevails]

Fawkes shakes himself off and begins counting the kids over. MacCready, however, has other ideas. "Hey!" he calls out. "Everybody sound off!"

The kids, all of them, start yelling out their names one at a time. MacCready and Joseph listen for a moment, then glance at each other and nod. "Yeah," says the smaller boy. "That's everybody."

"And all the Paladins are here," notes Fawkes. "There will be a sweep somewhat later, to ensure the bombs did their work- but I believe we've seen the deed done."

She doesn't really understand the words, but she gets the general idea; "Hooray!" shouts Bumble.

[cantdiequiteyet]

Teresa lowers her hand and strolls out of the gate, still with Bumble in hand.

(The slab she was holding up collapses to the ground behind her.)

"That's the job done, then," she says, finally putting the child on the ground.

(She misses Clare. This just reminds her)

[calmhrtprevails]

Fawkes nods. "Anything else that remains," he says, "is mere cleanup, and our responsibility."

Bumble takes the opportunity to hug Teresa's leg tightly.

There may be other children attempting the same. Specifically, the ones who had been under that slab before she got there.

[cantdiequiteyet]

The last tiny child to hug Teresa's legs was kicked unceremoniously to the ground repeatedly.

She doesn't do it this time. She just looks down at them, slightly concerned about whether this is a good thing, and eventually pats Bumble on the head.

Then looks up at Fawkes, silently asking for help.

[calmhrtprevails]

Bumble beams and lets go. Fawkes suppresses a chuckle (from him, such sounds are not very reassuring) and gestures to the other children. "You'd better come away now," he says. "Teresa and I need to talk, and then I need to take her home."

"Mmm'kay," says Bumble. "Bye bye, lady!"

There's a certain amount of murmured good-byes from the other kids. MacCready's looking vaguely mutinous, but then he always does that.

[cantdiequiteyet]

"Goodbye."

Teresa doesn't particularly want to leave them, but it's better than getting to know the kids better, and she draws closer to Fawkes.

"You didn't run into anything we neglected to kill when setting the explosives?"

[calmhrtprevails]

"One centaur," says Fawkes. "It didn't last long."

The others of his kind are the objects of vengeance, but the centaurs deserve what little mercy he can give them, final as it is.

"Anything else that might have remained had enough brains to stay out of my way. How are you doing?"

[cantdiequiteyet]

"What?"

She doesn't know what to make of that question. Because no one asks it. Ever.

"I'm unhurt. Telling them about dogmeat worked. Shall we go back?"

[calmhrtprevails]

Fawkes nods. "That would be for the best," he says. "Come, this way. There's a passage not far from here that should serve."

[cantdiequiteyet]

She doesn't really say anything else on the way back.

But that smile stays in place. It was nice to be thanked, and Teresa won't forget that easily.