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maccreadysbaby · 1 year

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Chapter Six: The Angry-Looking-Man-Child

featured characters: tommy (oc), desdemona, drummer boy, carrington, dr. amari, daisy, hancock, maccready, fahrenheit, zeke, roxy, rowdy, bluejay, johnny d., duke

word count: 3,252

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"Her body can't take much more of this, sir!"

"Push it, Fielding! Push it! If this works, it will be groundbreaking!"

"She's dying, sir. Her heart is palpitating almost erratically!"

"Do as I say!"

"She's waking up!"

"She's... what? Impossible. Double the anesthetic, now!"

"She's waking up!"

Waking up!

Wake up!

Tommy jerked into full consciousness so suddenly she nearly gave herself whiplash. Her eyes flew open, wide and terrified. A small groan left her lips when a wave of sharp pain reverberated through her body. Her green irises bounced around the room she was in, jumping from the bed, to the small desk lined with figurines, to the pile of comics on the bedside table, to the shabby purple curtains that were shining in the sunlight. Was she in her trailer?

"Whoa, hey,"

A warm hand landed on her shoulder and gently pushed her back onto the bed. It didn’t take much effort, she was the weakest she’d ever been.

Glancing down, she studied the thick patch that had been taped onto her stomach, and the bandage that was wrapped around her middle several times. There was a little bit of blood seeping through. She had on the pants Daisy had given her, but the shirt was torn into more of a bra. Her boots and gloves were still on, but both had blood spots she’d have to clean out.

It took her a few moments to realize that she was, in fact, actually in her trailer behind the Atom Cats garage, and that the voice that spoke didn't belong there.

"Drummer Boy?" She turned her head and scanned him. He was posted up in her desk chair, sitting right up against the bed. His eyes were dull, but brightened when she looked at him.

"Tommy," He responded, shifting in the chair. She felt both of his hands snake around her left. They were warm.

"You are one tough son of a gun. That was brutal. When we got here I... we thought you were dead," He stated, sucking in a breath, unable to lock his blue irises with hers. "Two days away and you've already dodged death. Twice. By actual millimeters."

Her mind spun and fought to remember everything that had happened. She remembered Peepers, the Brotherhood, the explosion.

With a soft gasp, she sat straight up again with panic on her face. "Where's Zeke?!"

"Hey," Drummer Boy’s looked at her with pity, hands finding their way to her shoulders and pressing her down again. "You need to take it easy. He's in the garage. They're all there."

"All?" She questioned. Drummer Boy nodded.

"Yes, all of them. And Des, and Carrington, and some woman doctor with an accent. She came with two ghouls, a bodyguard, and an angry looking man-child."

Tommy blinked a few times, failing to even process what he said. "That’s all?"

“Yeah,”

The girl sighed, bringing a hand up to rub her eyes. It felt like every time she took a breath something pulled against her insides.

"Who else did you say besides Des and Carrington?"

"Apparently, someone in Goodneighbor tuned in to your frequency before we did. The mayor is here with his bodyguard. And a ghoul and a doctor that insisted they know you. Some short dude, too,"

Tommy sighed and ran a hand through her messy, knotted, bloody hair, grunting with the effort to lift her arm so high.

“What time is it?”

“Three in the afternoon, on Saturday.”

"I wanna see Zeke," She finalized, pushing herself up on her elbows.

Drummer Boy seemed to tense in his seat. "I... don't think-"

"I want to see him," She persisted, sitting up fully with a grunt. The fire in her abdomen only grew more vigorous the more she moved.

"Come on, Tommy-"

"Is he dead?" She questioned, eyeing Drummer Boy with a piercing gaze. He shifted under it.

He cleared his throat. "No, he isn't, but-"

"Then I want to see him," She stated, swinging her legs over the side of the bed with a hiss of pain. Drummer Boy stood up quickly.

"Tommy-"

She pushed herself off of the bed, and she didn't even get fully stood up before a horrible pain shot all the way up and down her body. Her knees buckled, and her hands shot out to grab onto Drummer Boy’s arms to keep her from falling. He flinched, latching onto her arms as well.

"I'm fine," She whispered, staring down at her noodle-ish legs.

He snickered. "You're starting to sound like Deacon."

She rolled her eyes, glancing up at his face only for a moment before she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Drummer Boy went ramrod stiff for a moment. But when he realized what was actually happening, he loosely put his arms around her, too. “I could say the same about you.”

She could’ve stayed there all day, listening to the soft bum-bump of his heartbeat to remind her that she was alive, and he was alive, and everyone was alive despite the attack. But, eventually, she pulled herself away.

“Can you take me to see Zeke, now?”

Drummer Boy sighed, throwing an arm around her back to hold her up. She threw one around his neck.

"Just put all your weight on me," He stated, and together, a wobbly mess, they worked their way out of the trailer and to the front of the warehouse where the bar was.

As soon as they rounded the corner, an entire chorus of voices erupted from inside:

"Drummer Boy! Take her back to bed right now!"

"What is she doing awake?!"

"Is she okay?!"

"She doesn't need to be up yet,"

"Oh, thank God she's awake!"

Tommy's head had already been spinning, but now, it was doing cartwheels. Her eyes had to adjust to the movement. Behind the bar in the warehouse was Bluejay, where he always was. Sitting on the three stools on the other side were Duke, Roxy, and Rowdy. They were all scraped and bruised, but upon further examination, looked alright. Johnny D. was sitting at one of the dining tables that were positioned between the bar and the old car they kept there. His left arm was in a makeshift sling, and he had bandages all over his arm and shoulder. His sleeve had been cut off, much like Tommy’s shirt.

Oh no, her shirt. She was hardly wearing one.

She turned to Drummer Boy. “Uh, could… I wear your jacket until I have a whole shirt?”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” He stammered, quickly pulling off his blue jacket, revealing the brown and tan flannel underneath, and handing it to her. She muttered a thanks and slid it on, pulling it taught around her torso and holding it there.

Upon turning back around, she heard more people speaking somewhere outside the garage, but she couldn’t see them. Instead, she focused back on Johnny D.

"Thank God," She whispered. She managed to separate from Drummer Boy and make her way to the man, wrapping her arms around his neck without making him stand. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you're okay, too," He replied, patting her arm with his uninjured hand.

She parted from him and winced at the pain of standing up straight. Tommy grimaced, and Johnny D. patted her on the back.

"Where's Zeke?"

Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder. But when she turned, it was just Drummer Boy.

"He's over there," He pointed to the other side of the warehouse, near the old car. She could see, through the metal mesh walls, a cot with a figure on top, wondering how she hadn't seen it or the giant blue machine beside it before.

She rushed that way, up the few concrete stairs and into the little makeshift room. It had previously been a home for their armor workbench, but was now, decidedly, not. Zeke’s head was poking out from under a scratchy blanket, sunglasses removed and face peaceful. The blue machine whirred and gurgled next to him, small surgical tubes disappearing under the blanket.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. He's in a trauma induced coma. I'm not sure when or... if he's going to wake up. We have fluids and oxygen on him,"

Tommy glanced behind her at the voice, locking eyes with Doctor Amari from Goodneighbor. She looked the same, though a little disheveled and tired.

Tommy wasn’t paying much attention to her appearance because she was focusing so hard on the words that came out of her mouth.

If Zeke woke up?

“…What?"

The woman sighed and placed her hand on Tommy's shoulder, sad brown eyes lingering on the girl’s face. "I'm sorry. I understand he raised you, yes?"

Tommy didn't respond, and everyone in the garage stayed quiet. He couldn’t be in a coma. What was she supposed to do?

"Where are my guns? Did they survive the bombs?" Tommy finally piped up. Wiping away any hint of emotion from her features, she stepped back down the stairs, into the large room with The Cats and Drummer Boy. Amari followed her.

"Not even five minutes awake and you're asking about your guns. You really are one of a kind, Tommy," She glanced at Drummer Boy just long enough to catch his faint smile. She knew he was just trying to lighten the mood, but to be honest, as much as she liked him, she wasn't really in the mood for it.

"Did they?" She replied, glancing at the rest of the Atom Cats, who watched her warily.

"Yeah, your sniper and shotgun. Some stuff in your bag was crushed and broken, but we cleaned it up for ya. Still has a good amount of supplies in it," Bluejay responded from his spot near the bar. “It’s under your bed.”

Tommy sighed, dusting off her pants. "I want-"

"Tommy, we need to talk about work,"

Tommy turned, pulling Drummer Boy’s jacket tight around her as she came face to face with her boss. She hadn’t heard her wal into the garage, but she was suddenly there, staring at her. Desdemona’s red hair was a little disheveled, light green eyes dull with fatigue. She spotted Carrington standing behind her. Drummer Boy settled into the group beside Tommy, and in the distance, she could see a few more individuals standing out by the old gas pumps. Daisy, another ghoul in a… pirate outfit? A girl with orange hair, and a guy clad in brown and green with a sniper rifle thrown over his shoulder. Amari ventured back outside to speak to them — they must’ve all been from Goodneighbor.

"What about work?" Tommy questioned, eyes flicking back to Desdemona.

The woman's face softened, and she sighed. "You're not exactly... in peak condition, right now, and neither is your family. I think, as your boss and your friend, that it's best if you... take a few months off."

Tommy deflated like a balloon, creasing her brows as her heartbeat picked up rapidly. "What? No. I… I can't."

"I didn't ask, Tommy. We can't risk losing anyone right now," She explained, silently shifting her weight on her feet. "As you can probably tell, we've been talking with your friends from Goodneighbor. We heard about you showing up there half dead.”

Tommy grimaced.

The woman glanced at Carrington, and the two shared a look. “And we think it's important that you and the rest of the Atom Cats have someone here until you and Zeke are in a better condition to protect yourselves."

Tommy screwed up her face with nearly tangible offense. "What are you talking about? We don't need a babysitter! We can handle ourselves, and I can work!" She threw her hands up and eyed Desdemona sharply. She felt Drummer Boy’s hand land on her shoulder from behind, and she shrugged it off. "Please, Des."

"Don't worry. Nate and Deacon can pick up all of your slack without a hitch.”

Of course it was Nate who’d be taking her jobs. Nate that’d be going to Ticon, Nate that’d be spending time with H2, Nate that’d be by Leo’s side, Nate, Nate, Nate.

Tommy stepped forward and crossed her arms, a wave of anger and frustration bubbling up inside of her. "No, I can do it.”

"Tommy-"

"You just want to do this because Nate is your favorite person in the-"

"Tommy-"

"-entire universe, and I don't care if he can survive a jump off of the mass fusion tower, he-"

"Tommy-"

"-is probably working behind our backs anyways. He's never even at work unless he’s coming in to sweet talk you! He's probably the reason this happened in the first place-"

"Tommy!"

She finally silenced when Desdemona gave her the glare of a lifetime. The teen's eyes were watering now, and she was practically begging her boss with her absolutely defeated expression. "Please, Des. This is what I'm meant to do. I can’t just stop.”

"I'm not asking you to stop, I’m asking you to rest. Your survival comes before work. If you show up anytime in the next couple of months, I'll have you escorted out," Desdemona explained harshly. "I can't pretend I haven't seen your decline since Nate arrived. You're sloppy, slower, and getting drunk in the middle of work hours is unacceptable no matter how many times Deacon lies for you. And dragging Drummer Boy into it? Unacceptable. You just need some time off. Breathe, gather yourself, rest, and then come back the same as you were before he got here. Okay? In two months.”

The teenager merely stared at her boss, eyes shining with tears that threatened to spill. The Railroad was Tommy’s life, what gave her meaning, and Desdemona was taking it away like a child’s toy when they get in trouble?

"What am I supposed to do?" She whispered.

The woman placed her hand on Tommy’s shoulder with a reassuring, pitiful smile. "Heal."

Tommy said nothing, instead, wiped at her eyes with Drummer Boy’s sleeve.

"I've hired Mayor Hancock's Mercenary friend to stay around the garage until you're in a good condition to come back. If you leave, he goes with you. I intend to get my money's worth out of him, is that clear, Tommy?"

The girl looked down at the floor, sniffing. "Crystal."

"Good. Carrington, Drummer Boy and I are heading back to the city. Make sure to let us know if you need anything. Tom has your frequency locked on a radio so we can use it as a two way if you need."

Tommy nodded numbly as Desdemona and Carrington turned, starting out of the garage.

“Hey, I’ll see you,” Drummer Boy stated, drifting out in front of her. He gently placed a hand on her arm and rubbed it. His light blue eyes stayed locked on her, pity shining in his irises until she forced herself to look away. She hated being pitied.

“I’ll see you,” She replied, shrugging his jacket off her shoulders. He held his hand up.

“Keep it. I don’t need it,”

With a faint, fake smile, she pulled it back over her shoulders. “Thanks.”

"’Course," He replied, turning to follow behind Desdemona. She sighed, arms crossed over her chest as she watched them trail away from the Garage without her. The group of people from Goodneighbor took notice and started making their way inside.

Tommy turned with a sigh, walking over to Bluejay’s bar and propping up on it, sharing quiet greetings and words of encouragement with her fellow Cats. She really didn’t want to talk to anyone else right now. In fact, the one person she really wanted to talk to… was in a coma.

"Guess who was right?" There was a sudden nudge on Tommy's shoulder, and when she turned, Daisy was there with a smug smirk on her face.

"Shut up, Daisy."

“Hey, you can’t deny that I told you so,” The ghoul chuckled. "Speaking of, Hancock’s Mercenary friend’s name is MacCready. The help you so kindly declined in Goodneighbor." Daisy pointed through the door out into the parking lot, where the ghoul in a pirate costume, the girl with the red hair, Amari, and the so-called angry-looking man-child stood.

"Which one?"

"The short one,"

He seemed to hear this, because the short one in green sent Daisy a glare. She waved him over, and he sighed, approaching without any arguments.

He looked… more like a dude than a man. He was a little taller than Tommy -- only a little -- with a tan duster, army green clothes, and a sniper rifle thrown over his shoulder. He had a green army cap on his head that had bullets on the strap, that reminded Tommy way too much of her police cap. Where was that thing, anyways? His eyes were light icy blue, shielded by the bill of his cap, and he looked kind of like… a mouse, or something. The hair peeking out of his hat was a mixture of brown and ginger. He looked like... like someone who lived out in the dumps alone. Much like everyone who lived in Goodneighbor.

He didn’t say anything upon his approach, nor did he make any sort of readable expression.

"And those are Hancock and Fahrenheit, Mayor of Goodneighbor and his Bodyguard. He's the one who heard you on the radio," Daisy explained, pointing across the area at them.

Upon hearing their names, the ghoul man and red-haired woman approached, falling in line in front of Tommy with the Mercenary. Amari followed behind. Fahrenheit had on armor and had one side of her head shaved. An impressive amount of weapons were strapped to every available part of her clothing. The ghoul, on the other hand, had on a long red coat and tri-corner hat like some old pre-war patriot, an American flag wrapped around his waist.

"Glad you made it out, Sunshine," He said, holding out his hand. "John Hancock. Mayor of Goodneighbor."

The teenager took his wrinkled hand and shook it. "Tommy."

"We're going to be heading out soon. Is there anything you need before we go?" Daisy questioned, looking back and forth between Tommy and MacCready. Tommy shrugged.

"Something to keep me occupied for the next couple of months would do some good," She stated sarcastically, un-crossing her arms and dragging her shoe in the dirt below them.

"I heard from some of your friends here you're really into tech and building. I can have a caravan bring you some scrap every now and then — I've got people running all over creation for little ol' me," Daisy suggested with a sly wink.

Tommy was caught off guard, and spent a moment blinking. "Wait, are you serious?"

"As long as you pay a shipping fee, I can have you so many scrap parts you won't be able to breathe,"

The teenager smiled lightly, nodding. "Okay, deal. I need to scrounge up some kind of security for this place anyways."

"You got it, darlin'," The ghoul smiled, patting Tommy’s back. "We're headin' off. Keep an eye on this one, okay? He's unpredictable," Daisy nudged MacCready with her elbow, and Tommy chuckled lightly. MacCready didn’t have much of a response.

"Can do, Daisy," She replied, glancing at the mercenary. He didn’t look at her.

After they shared goodbyes, Tommy watched the two ghouls and a bodyguard fade off into the distance, leaving their man-child behind. She sighed.

This was going to be the longest hiatus of her life.

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