Joyride

[The next morning]

The hangar was abuzz with activity. Addie was up with the dawn patrol to prep Sheila for a run... and an unusual run at that. The call had come in late the previous night from Dakota. Saul Bright's nomad camp was in serious need of supplies and heavy firepower. Not many details were given, but what Jackson was able to dig up, there were some recent difficulties with using the smuggling tunnels to move cargo across the Border, leaving the NC Aldecaldos family between a rock and a hard place. The tunnels were their lifeblood, a crucial crossing point for shuffling goods back and forth, and resupplying their own camp.

Jackson and Bison had already made the early morning run to Dakota's garage to pick up the cargo while Addie and Jayce affixed a pully and docking collar to the undercarriage of the aerodyne to carry the container itself. Addie didn't necessarily like her beautiful bird relegated to being a pack mule, but all things considered, they were helping friends, so it was a small price to pay. Bison went way back with the Bright family, having been a fully-patched member before the temptations of the City called to him. Still, they were his family at the end of the day. Jackson, Jayce, and Strong had all spent time among the Family before settling into Mother Base, and so they too had strong ties.

Addie was particularly fond of Saul's second-in-command, a bright-eyed and loud-mouthed woman just as brash as she was. So this trip was a treat for her as well. And yet unbeknownst to Jackson, she had a little surprise in store of both hers and Jayce's doings.

Jackson wiped the sweat from his brow with a deep exhale as he walked away from the landing pad outside the hangar and lit a cigarette. The container sat ready, baking in the morning sun overhead and waiting for Addie's smooth moves. Bison stayed back, basking shirtless in the sun with his arms out and head back, eyes closed as he breathed in deep.

Addie stood in the shade of the hangar doors, arms crossed and in awe of the big beefcake, admiring his vascular form covered in tattoos. Although hardly her type, he was still pretty to look at from time to time. Jackson teased her as he took a drag of his smoke, "Take a picture, it'll last longer."

She laughed as Jackson took his spot next to her, turning to look out over the expanse of the desert ahead as he passed the smoke to her. She graciously nodded and accepted, taking a quick drag before handing it back as she said, "Y'know, ya'd think I'd just start buying my own instead of snaking yours all the time..."

"Yeah, you'd think...", Jackson chuckled as he stretched his arms overhead with a groan, "...but I like what we got... keeps us close."

Addie's eyes cut to Jackson as he stared dead ahead with a smirk, and she quickly tried to hide the rising flush in her cheeks as she smiled to herself and turned to walk inside. She called out to Jayce, "Oi! Li'l albatross ready to go?"

Jayce bit her bottom lip and stepped aside, revealing Nel standing wide-eyed with an ill-fitting flight harness strapped over her tank-top and cargo pants, a pair of goggles wrapped around her head. Addie stifled a laugh as she said, "Cu-u-ute..."

Jackson narrowed his eyes, looking first to Jayce before cutting over to Addie, "Explain, please."

Jayce laughed and deferred to Addie, who made her case confidently, "Girl's been cooped up for weeks, Jax... some air under her wings'll be good for her, don't ya think...?"

Jackson looked back to Jayce, standing with her arms behind her back and a twinkle in her eye. Nel just looked equal parts confused as hell and scared as hell. He looked down and laughed to himself as he shook his head and asked, "Albatross, huh?"

Addie firmed up, hands on her hips with a nod, "Sign of good luck, yeah?"

He couldn't really argue, as he'd read the same poem once... a long time ago. He smiled as he looked back to Nel and asked, "How 'bout it kid? Wan'a go for a ride?"

Nel's eyes widened further, the trepidation evident although she tried to curl the corners of her mouth into a slight smile. Jackson gave a nod of affirmation as he turned to Addie and said before walking off, "A'ight, she goes wit' us... but lose the damn harness."

Both Addie and Jayce burst into laughter as Nel's eyes lit up.

--

[One hour later...]

All of the excitement was drained from Nel's face as she wavered back and forth in her seat, holding her gut and looking out of the open loading doors over the sand dunes. The landscape whizzing by wasn't helping her situation, but she was honestly tired of looking at the smirk on Jackson's face telling her this was probably a terrible idea. It wouldn't have been as bad if they were running at a higher altitude, but even as far out as they were, the skies were still Night City's jurisdiction. Considering they were only moving closer in to the City to reach the Aldecaldos camp in Rocky Ridge, it was prudent for them to stay off the radar, forcing Addie to stick to the canyons as she made her run. What could have easily been a twenty-minute flight at higher altitude on a straight path was taking the better part of an hour.

Jackson couldn't help himself as he noticed some turbulence, teasing her in the crew-wide holocall, "How's she flyin', Ads...?"

"Like we're carryin' a container full of shit strapped to our belly, Jax...", Addie fired back, in no mood for his shit at the present moment. Bison tried to join in on the fun with a chuckle, "Well, ya know what they say... walks like a duck, talks like a duck...?"

Jackson flashed his teeth and tried not to laugh as Addie barked in their ears, "I swear to God, I will put this bitch down and smack the quack out of ya, beefcake!"

"Don't tease the poor gonk, Addie...", Jackson returned fire on Bison's behalf, "I think he's been hurt before."

"I'll bet his mummy dropped him on 'is head more than once...", Addie joked with a laugh as Bison laughed along, the tension easing as she changed topics, "How's Nel doing?"

"Turnin' funny shades o' green, but 's not your fault...", Jackson answered, "Doubt she's ever been this high off the ground 'fore..."

Addie smiled wide as she cleared the last of the canyons and was met with a field full of old and decrepit wind generators peaking over the berm ahead. Some of them were still operational, no doubt thanks to nomad ingenuity, but more importantly, it was a sign that they had arrived. She cleared the final berm, careful to stay low and give a wide berth as the camp came into view. Large trunks of cables and pipes ran from the few running windmills across the sand to an array of equipment at the far edge of the camp.

Even only two hundred feet off the ground, it looked so small from the air, but as she maneuvered Sheila into position, the camp's size quickly came into perspective. For as mobile as nomads tended to be, the Bright Family had dug their heels in quite well to this spit of desert. They held sway over the entire region of Rocky Ridge, thanks in no small part to Dakota's advantageous position as the foremost fixer in the area. She was good to her people, nobody could argue that.

As if to roll out a giant welcome mat, Jackson looked out the open side of the AV with a wide smile to a familiar sight... a former Free States panzerboy standing one hundred feet away from the main camp, arms over his head to wave and direct their approach. His weathered blue eyes watched like a hawk as his ever-receding black hair blew amid the artificial winds kicked up in Sheila's wake. His aged face wore a similar smile to Jackson's, and yet behind it he carried a similar pain. Though nobody else could see it, it covered all of him like bloodstains still covering his jumpsuit and full-body harness when the day was done in Ridgecrest all those years ago; the very same jumpsuit and harness he wore to this day. And like Jackson, he lost a part of himself that day, his entire left arm implanted up to the shoulder.

Mitch Anderson was no stranger to the horrors of war. Finding a place among the Aldecaldos was probably the best thing to have ever happened to him. Having a family helped him heal, to overcome his own demons. And he had a solid friendship with Jackson, which boded well for the relationship between Jackson's crew and Saul Bright's family. If it weren't for Mitch, they likely never would have had a chance in settling in the Badlands.

As Mitch directed traffic to a far off area on the outskirts of the camp, Addie gave a two-fingered salute as she moved over the designated landing spot for the container. She hovered at thirty feet, allowing the AV to even out before she flipped a heavy switch. With a solid thud and a clang, the docking collar clamps released, the pully spinning with a metallic whine and the container descending rapidly before embedding itself several inches deep in the sand with a cloud of dust all around it.

The heavy magnetic end of the pully cord ripped loose, spooling back up into it's proper place as Addie moved into position near Mitch directing her down with disciplined and trained hand signals. They were barely fifteen feet off the ground when Nel decided she could take no more, releasing her harness and flying from her seat out the open side of the AV before Bison could even try to stop her. Jackson was on his feet, holding on to a handrail as he kept watch and thought, *Just what the fuck is she doin'...?"

Nel landed face first in the sand as her stomach forcibly emptied itself while she coughed and retched like a sick animal. Her eyes bulged and watered as she tried to pull herself together, her face losing all color. If she had her way, she'd walk all the way back before she dared climb inside the AV ever again. Jackson was just happy to see her moving after a stunt like that, and he tried not to laugh as Addie panicked in his ear while he quelled her anxieties.

With a final controlled descent, Sheila's landing gear touched down, the heavy tires compressing under the weight against the makeshift landing pad. Addie flipped a few switches, at the same time flipping her hair out of her face as the engines wound down, the stacked twin rotors decreasing the speed of their rotation before gradually stopping altogether. Mitch held his chromed arm over his head to block the sand already kicked up as he carefully approached. Jackson was ready to greet him, stepping down from the AV's interior as he called out, "As I live an' breathe, ya old bastard!"

"Yeah yeah yeah...", Mitch laughed as he met his compatriot halfway, "Fuck you too, pal! How've ya been?!"

Jackson returned the laugh as they embraced one another firmly, chromed arms shaking loose the sand and dust as they patted each other's backs. Bison stood next in line, a wide smile on his face at feeling like he was back home. As Mitch and Jackson pulled apart, Mitch turned, wrapping himself around Bison with a grunt as they exchanged pleasantries. Jackson took a second and turned to make sure Nel wasn't dead in the few seconds since taking her unceremonious swan dive into the sand. Addie beat him to the punch, jumping from the cockpit and out the side of the AV as she ran to check on the girl.

Up-ended stomach aside, she appeared to be okay as she spat the last remnants of her breakfast into the dirt amid heaving gasps. To Jackson's surprise, she didn't jerk away when Addie knelt down and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Addie looked to him, a wary smile on her face as she nodded. That was all he needed, and he gave a thumbs up with a smirk as he turned back to the affectionate display of brotherly love, "Alright, get a room, you two..."

Mitch and Bison both laughed as they enjoyed the few brief moments of catching up. Jackson looked past both of them, admiring the relative order and neatness of all the tents and trailers occupying the hill on which their camp sat. People were coming and going, buzzing like bees around a hive with voices carrying in the air. Something had them all on edge, but if Jackson's suspicions were correct, they had good reason to be. The joy quickly drained from Mitch's face as he turned, reading Jackson's mind, "Yeah, it's been... an interesting couple of days, that's for sure."

"Well, tell us 'bout it...", Jackson joked as they turned and walked toward the camp, "...Dakota was a li'l light on the specifics."

As the three men got closer, an immediately familiar booming voice rose above the rest, causing Jackson and Bison both to chuckle among themselves as Mitch tactfully deferred, "Not my story to tell... just here to greet some friends and make sure you didn't crash land."

"Oi! I take offense to that...", Addie shouted as she caught up with them, Nel only a few paces behind and holding her stomach as she teetered from side to side. Mitch laughed again as Jackson looked past her and asked, "She goin' to be okay?"

"Get her some water, and she'll be right as rain...", Addie reassured them. Mitch had a curious look on his face as he scanned the girl up and down. Jackson shook his head, "Long story, choom... anyhow, let's make ourselves known, shall we?"

The booming voice became clearer as they approached an open-air metal shed, Addie smiling wide from ear to ear. A mechanic was being torn into over a beloved Thorton Mackinaw pickup truck, appropriately named Warhorse and built for a single purpose... to fuck up anything that crossed its path. Sure as shit, the truck took after its owner in the best and worst ways. Jackson could just make out the body as he approached. It wasn't much different than he remembered, although the cannon had been replaced with what he could only pray was a more reliable chain gun.

He never ceased to be amused in watching Panam Palmer pick the worst of fights in the best of ways with anyone who crossed her path; and today was no different. While the mechanic tried in vain to defend himself, Panam nearly tore him down to his very bones. Like her truck, it was obvious she hadn't changed much either. She was still the freckle-faced little red-ass they all knew and loved. A black dreadlocked bun crowned her head, a few wispy bangs hanging loose over her strong face. Her naturally dark complexion had only darkened from years in the sun, her full and pouty lips adding to her striking profile. Top it all off with a pair of deep brown eyes that could cut you in half with the right look, and it was obvious from the start that you didn't want to get on Panam's bad side. And God help you if she decided otherwise.

One thing different that did stand out, she no longer sported her trademark green one-piece. In its place was a cropped tanktop with a jumpsuit tied around her waist, her worn Aldecaldos jacket draped over the truck bed. She was still as lean and taut as ever, the lines of her arms flexing as she pointed and berated the target of her ire. Jackson couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he called out, "Hey! Give the kid a break why don' ya?"

Panam cut herself short, her entire body tensing as if she were preparing to take a swing before she turned and flashed her teeth, "You'd stay out of this if you knew what was good for ya..."

Jackson laughed out loud as he approached with arms wide open, Panam meeting him halfway as they embraced one another. With a moment to spare, Jackson looked over Panam's shoulder to the mechanic about ready to swing a wrench at her head, giving him a nod to get out while he had a chance. The kid took the opportunity and made himself scarce, out of sight and out of mind as Panam let go, successfully distracted from the entire ordeal.

Bison stepped up in Jackson's place, Panam happy to see an old friend as she wrapped him up and said, "Good to see ya, you big lug. Looks like they're feeding you well..."

"Yeah, I even got my own place to shit in the corner too...", Bison snapped back with a laugh as his eyes were drawn to his one weakness... a small group of younger nomad girls walking by and giggling among themselves as they admired the big beefcake. He let go of Panam as he excused himself, "I'll uh... let me know when you need me, boss..."

"Don't get lost...", Jackson rolled his eyes as he watched Bison run after the group like the dog he was. Panam turned lastly to Addie as she remarked, "Tall, blonde, and beautiful... good to see ya!"

"You too, love!", Addie laughed as she hugged her favorite loudmouthed nomad. Even amid the shade from the desert heat, there was a warm air of camaraderie between all of them as they reveled in the momentary joy of seeing old friends.

Nel stayed off to the side, unconsciously hiding behind Jackson's larger frame as she watched the goings-on. It was a lot to take in. Everyone in the camp had somewhere to be and something to do... and all of them had something to say as they conversed and bickered with one another. In all the discordant noise, it was clear these people operated as one big family, but the noise was almost unbearable, Nel clenching her jaw to try and shut it out.

Panam couldn't help but notice the small girl trying her best to remain unseen, and she carefully side-stepped Jackson as she reached a hand out, "Hiya, I'm Panam Palmer!"

The girl instinctively took a step back, her eyes wide and aware. Panam retracted her hand slightly, confusion on her face before Nel forced the step forward, squaring herself in front of the woman standing tall over her. She carefully held her hand out, meeting the older nomad halfway but entirely unsure of what to do next. Panam gave a light smile as she gently grasped Nel's hand in a quick shake before letting go. She didn't necessarily understand, but she could read the signs. The girl was jumpy, and likely had reason to be. Nel said nothing in return, only dipping her head forward as she looked at the ground and stepped back.

Panam tried not to dwell on it as she turned back to Jackson, "Can't tell ya how much we appreciate this, Jax..."

He gave a pat to her shoulder as he said, "Yeah, 'Kota said y'all was in a bit of a pinch... jus' doin' what we can to help."

"She didn't tell you much, did she...?", Panam smirked, confirming her own suspicions as Jackson shook his head while she laid it out for him, "Things are getting hairy out in the Badlands... our tunnels are being choked by a group of outlanders setting up camp between Yucca and the border. Been attacking our convoys both ways for the last two weeks."

"Outlanders...?", Jackson had a curious look on his face, Panam answering him by looking past and nodding to Nel. She was looking off in the distance, but Panam recognized the brand on the back of her neck, "Likely the same outfit..."

Jackson's eyes cut to Nel as he muttered under his breath, "...shit..."

"They're wild, Jax...", Panam kept going, a sudden worry on her face, "I've never seen such fervor... it's like they're possessed."

"Dakota found some poor scav bastard a few weeks back...", Jackson explained his end of things, eyes glued on Nel, "...half-dead, claimed your outlanders was meetin' wit' Raffen an' Scavs on this side o' the Border. Didn't go well."

Panam's eyes widened, the realization setting in even though she'd already heard the rumors as she leaned in, "S-So that's...?"

"The one 'at got left behind, yeah...", Jackson sighed, "Been wit' us for near a month now. Name's Nel..."

Nel couldn't help but hear her name said, and she looked at Jackson with narrowed eyes. She locked eyes with Panam for a few seconds before she turned again, looking back out over the desert as she took a few steps into the sun and spread her arms wide with a deep breath.

Panam shook her head, "I mean... I heard she was knocking on death's door... but she looks okay."

"Joshua does one hell of a job, don't he...", Jackson laughed, easing the tension somewhat as Panam asked, "H-How's she been?"

The older merc shrugged, "One day at a time, ya know how it is... she's in a bad way when 'Kota found her. Sounds like you've already seen firsthand what they're capable of..."

"Yeah, and with your charming personality...", Panam joked, to which Jackson confirmed with a laugh, "It was rough at first, but I reckon she's learned she has a home wit' us."

Panam shrugged her eyebrows and shoulders, "She uh... doesn't talk much, does she?"

"Nah, seems her old outfit looked poorly on speakin' out o' turn...", Jackson explain further, "...she's had it rough out there, so all's we can do is let her know she's safe here."

Panam smiled, a warmth rising in her chest as she ribbed her old friend, "Doesn't matter what they say about ya, Jax... you're a good man."

He flashed his teeth as he gave a subtle side-eye, "Yeah... don' let that spread. Got a reputation to maintain."

The younger nomad bit her lip and shook her head as she reached into the folds of her jumpsuit, "Oh, and before I forget, this is for you."

She pulled a stack of physical eddies out, holding the wad in her hand as she reached for Jackson. He pursed his lips and asked, "You already settle with 'Kota?"

"Y-Yeah... we paid her for the goods last night...", Panam answered with some surprise, to which Jackson proverbially knocked her flat on her ass, "Then we're square."

Panam tried to insist, "N-No Jax, I—"

"Look, kid...", Jackson turned to face Panam head-on, his face hardened but still with a warmth behind his blue eyes, "If 's as bad as you say, you're goin' to need that scratch when shit hits the fan. You've been good to us in the past, so when I say we're square..."

He leaned in, looking down in her eyes clouding over before she crashed into his chest and held him tight, "You are a good man... thank you."

Like the older brother Panam never had, Jackson pecked the top of her head as he ruined the moment, "Now, we goin' t'unload this shit or are you keen on lettin' Bison knock up your girls?"

Panam groaned into his chest as she laughed out loud, "...God DAMNIT..."

--

[Meanwhile, at Mother Base...]

It had been the usual amount of quiet since everyone left earlier that morning. Jayce spent her time organizing her workbenches between putting her project motorcycle back together, while Doc Strong took inventory and straightened up the infirmary. With no one else around, Jayce took advantage of the opportunity to crank up the tunes, letting the sweet sounds of Morro Rock Radio and the unusually smooth voice of Maximum Mike carry through the hangar.

She had to give Nel credit where it was due; she had never before seen engine parts polished this clean in her life. While it saddened her to think it was probably driven by a fear of repercussion if the job wasn't done right the first time, she was glad for being able to sit down and just talk to the girl. She hoped that in time she could break Nel out of her shell, show her there was really nothing to be afraid of. These people... Jackson's crew... Jayce's family... they weren't like Raffen or anyone else. They cared for each other, and they looked after each other. Jayce didn't know what or how long it would take for Nel to really find her place, but she just wanted the girl to feel safe and welcome... to feel loved.

She was pulled out of her own mind by Doc Strong's booming but gentle voice calling to her over the music, "Hey kid... got a minute?"

Jayce turned, wiping a single tear from her cheek with an exhale of cigarette smoke as she reached up to turn down the radio, "Yeah, what's up?"

Strong was caught off-guard by the tear, hoping he hadn't interrupted anything, "Hey, i-if now's not a good tim—"

"Out wit' it, Joshua...", Jayce smirked with a light sniffle, channeling her old man's blunt demeanor as she ashed her butt in a nearby tray, "I-I'm okay..."

"I uh... it's time for a checkup...", Strong stumbled over his own words, "...figured now's as good a time as any."

Jayce wrinkled her nose and looked down for a second before reaching for a clean rag as she wiped her hands, trying like hell to get in between her fingers as she looked back to Strong with a smile, "...sure, lead the way."

Strong returned the smile and turned to walk, Jayce standing up and following a few paces behind. He turned back and asked, "Ya sure you're okay...?"

"...yeah...", Jayce answered, seemingly unsure if she believed herself as she sighed, "I jus'... I get'a thinkin' 'bout all Nel's been through, and I get a li'l sad."

Strong laughed, catching Jayce by surprise as she asked nervously, "W-What...?"

He shook his head as he turned toward the infirmary, swiping the doors open, "You are your mother's daughter. Heart of gold, Aiyana had. Good soul, just wanted to heal the world."

Jayce's head dipped as her cheeks flushed, her hair hanging over her face. It didn't matter how many times they all said it, she would always be just a little bit embarrassed when she was compared to her mother. But it also made her happy to know all her efforts weren't for naught. She had a skip in her step ever since talking to Nel the night before. The girl's raspy voice uttering the word beautiful kept repeating over and over in Jayce's mind. Yet she still felt she was at something of a personal crossroads with her transition. Maybe now was the best time to talk to Strong about it.

She hopped into the exam chair as she had done a hundred times before, shaking her personal link loose from the palm of her left hand as she held the connector between her thumb and pointer finger. Strong pulled a cable free from a mounted terminal display, holding it up and meeting Jayce halfway. The little click was always so satisfying to hear. In a split second, Jayce's HUD lit up with an incoming connection, a flood of data flying across the screen in her head.

At the same time, Strong punched a few keys on the terminal's keyboard, reaching up and tapping the screens a few times. He gave the usual nearly inaudible grunts and sighs as he read over the results. Jayce looked at him with all the snark her lanky body could muster as she flipped her hair out of her face and joked, "How bad is it, Doc? How long I got...?"

He furrowed his brow as his face twisted and he looked in Jayce's eyes. He gave no response, his face telling her all she needed to know as she giggled and swung her legs back and forth. She could almost hear his voice in her head, cut the shit, kid.

As mundane as it was, she always liked these checkups. Doc Strong was gentle as could be for someone his size, and he had an unmatched bedside manner. Even when Jayce first approached him about her transition, and as nervous as she was, Doc Strong had her feeling calm and at ease in only a few seconds about all of it. She knew she was in good hands with him.

Strong finally broke his silence, tapping a few more buttons on the screen before swinging it out of the way as he said, "Textbook... everything looks good here. How do you feel?"

Jayce knew the Doc well enough to read between the lines, but she wasn't giving it up that easy as she shrugged her shoulders, "I feel fine..."

The older doctor's eyes narrowed as he chided her, "Not what I me—"

"I know what ya meant, Joshua...", Jayce cut him off as her arms pulled inward, her entire posture shifting as she looked down, "How much d'ya already know?"

"I know up until yesterday you and the girl were dancing around each other...", Strong confessed, "...never less than thirty feet between ya."

Jayce smiled this time around as she recalled the events of the last few days, stifling a laugh, "I uh... I walked in on her in the shower, an' she saw me... all of me."

Strong leaned back in his swivel chair, the wheels scraping against the clean vinyl tile floor as he crossed his arms while Jayce continued, "She was... confused... that much was obvious. But I felt like such an idiot!"

"Well, you've grown comfortable around us...", Strong reassured her before he chuckled, "Maybe more comfortable than you ought to be, traipsing around the showers in nothing but your own skin..."

"F-Fuck you...", Jayce spat as she laughed out loud, her cheeks burning bright red as she tried to cover her face, "I know it's a bad move, and I didn't mean to sneak up on her. But I... I jus' feel some type o' way when I'm aroun' her. I can't explain it."

Strong watched as Jayce started to fiddle with her own hands, her legs trembling as she looked everywhere but directly at him. He sighed and offered some wisdom of his own, "You know what I see...?"

Jayce's head raised slightly and she met Strong's eyes as he continued, "...it's the same way Jackson used to look at your mother... looks to me like you're sweet on her."

She was dead to rights, and she couldn't even try to deny it. Her mouth curled on one side as she looked at the floor again, reaching up and scratching her shaved scalp. After several seconds, she looked back to Strong and asked, "W-What was they like... before...?"

Strong shrugged his shoulders as he leaned in, "I only met Jax during the war, you know... but right away I could tell he was a man who loved his family. All the shit we went through, all the horribleness we saw... you and Aiyana were the only thing that kept him going."

His shoulders sagged as he looked down, as if the words were pulling him into the floor, "After all of it... he changed. He's never been quite the same, but your mother was the only one that could pull him out of that dark place. They loved each other, more than anything in the world. And after her..."

Jayce's hand moved up over her heart, curling into a fist as she tried to hold it together while Strong continued, "You're the one person in the world that keeps him grounded, Jayce... everything he does, he does for you. He's proud of you... we all are... I know you know that."

She nodded her head as she smiled through it all, "...thanks, Joshua... I don' know what we'd have done wit'out y'all... you, Addie, Bison... you're our family."

"Glad to be part of it...", Strong smiled back as he placed a gentle hand on Jayce's knee, "So, you said something to the girl when you got back yesterday... saw you playing dress-up this morning..."

A laugh burst out of Jayce's chest as she tried to recover, clasping her hands together between her legs, "I jus'... I apologized for bein' so bold... but she didn't understand why..."

Strong cocked his head in curiosity while Jayce kept talking, motioning to herself, "She understands... in some way... that I identify as a woman, and she sees me as a woman... but my... she's confu—"

"She doesn't understand that you're still pre-op...", Strong interjected, "...which... yeah, that'd be confusing for someone like her."

Jayce scoffed at the nonchalant response, "I told her there was operations for that... implants an' all, but I didn't think I was there yet."

Strong cleared his throat, leaning forwarding with his elbows on his knees as he asked, "It's always been your choice, kid... you told me from the start you didn't just want to just chip in."

"Because it wouldn't be me...", Jayce blurted out, feeling a swirl of emotions rising inside of her, "...it'd jus' be cold, lifeless chrome. What's the fuckin' point if I don' feel like I belong in my own skin?!"

"Hey, I get it...", the doctor said with his hands raised. Jayce backed off, silently admonishing herself as she continued, "What's weird is... as soon 's I mentioned implants... she asked if I felt like I had'a cut myself up. Her claws... said it wasn't her choice."

"No, I don't imagine it was... girl's been through a world of hurt before us...", Strong mused, stroking his chin before his mouth curled into a smile, "What it sounds like to me... is that as confused as she is, she likes you just the way you are."

Jayce's eyes widened and she met Strong's stare as he followed up, "I think in some way, she recognizes how you struggle with yourself... feeling like you don't belong. I think she sees the same in herself being here, with us. And I think she wants you to know in her own way, just like she's safe with us, that you're safe with her."

Jayce fought a round of tears forming as she jumped off the exam chair, throwing herself at Strong as she wrapped herself around him. He gently closed his arms around her as he whispered, "We're all proud of how far you've come, kid... and we're behind you all the way."

--

[Some time later...]

Jayce's long talk with Doc Strong had her feeling, in her own words, some type o' way, but it was a better feeling than when they started. Even despite Nel's affirmation that Jayce was beautiful, she felt truly confident in her own skin for the first time in several days. The skip in her step had returned, and she was dancing along to the radio as she put the motorcycle back together, piece by piece. She had made good progress in only a few hours, praying that she could get the damn thing running soon enough. She had always wanted a bike of her own.

Strong smiled as he watched her work, leaning against the opened doors of the infirmary. He meant what he said; he was proud of how far she'd come all on her own. All he had done is provide the medical care she needed, but every choice from sixteen to now was her own. Not to mention the absolute hell of a mechanic she'd turned into under Jackson's tutelage. Once she was old enough... and if Jackson actually allowed her... she'd be a hell of an asset to the crew, or any crew for that matter.

The doctor breathed in deep, enjoying the calm peace for a few more moments before his ears perked up to a low rumbling. He would have been on edge, but he knew the sounds of Sheila's jet wash all too well by now, and instead he smiled wide as he walked toward the open hangar door to greet the returning party. The approach was as naturally smooth and methodical as anyone could expect from Addie, and her beaming smile came into view, the sun almost shining off each individual ivory tooth as she waved to Strong and pulled around. She set down gently on the concrete landing pad, the turbines slowing as the sound and whipping wind of rotors ceased. Nel managed to actually walk out of the AV on her own, yet she still doubled over as soon as she was back on solid ground.

Another series of raspy heaves had her fighting for her life to stay vertical, the same shade of green flooding her face as she tried to forcefully eject anything still in her stomach. Thankfully for her, there wasn't much left, and her fits only amounted to gasping for air and a guttural retching sound. Strong had a smirk on his face, already knowing in the back of his mind the girl was just fine, outward appearance notwithstanding.

Jackson hopped down, landing firmly on both feet against the concrete as he tried not to laugh at Nel's expense. He saw Strong approaching, and he just couldn't help himself as he joked, "Firs' time up... she'll get used to it."

Strong laughed as he said loud enough for everyone to hear, "Shit, should have seen the first time Jackson got in one of these..."

"Yeah... uh...", Jackson waved his hand and sidestepped the doctor, "...we don' talk 'bout that..."

Strong to turned to watch Jackson walking into the hangar, placing a gentle hand on Jayce's shoulder. She looked with wide eyes to Strong, who mimed a vomiting face as she tried not to laugh. As soon as Addie was clear of the cockpit, she resumed her role as Mother Hen in checking on Nel, making sure the girl wasn't about to keel over where she stood. Bison stayed closed until told otherwise.

Back in the kitchen, Jackson kicked open the refrigerator, reaching inside for a well-earned cold beer as Strong caught up with him. He held the lip of bottle against the edge of the countertop before giving a quick smack to pop the cap. Old habits die hard, he thought as he remembered his chromed hand could just as easily pull the cap off, and he chuckled to himself as he took a long swig, reaching in his shirt pocket for his softpack. With all the grace he had, he shook loose a single smoke, grabbing the end between his lips as he turned to Strong, "Somethin' on your mind...?"

Strong was leaning against the doorframe with a smile on his face, "Jayce is doing well, thought you'd want to know. Had a checkup while you were out."

"Fit as a fiddle, huh...", Jackson joked as he lit the cigarette and inhaled deep, "Jus' like her old man..."

"Not if you keep smoking like that...", Strong chided him, "Nah, she's in good health, and her head's a lot clearer about... everything."

Jackson smiled and gave a nod, reading between the lines of Strong choosing his words ever so carefully, "Thanks... Joshua..."

"It's nothing, brother...", Strong nodded back, "So how's our friends in Rocky Ridge doing?"

"Million dollar question, that...", Jackson snapped his fingers as he leaned back against the counter, "...seems some o' the girl's old chooms are makin' camp on the other side o' the Border wall, chokin' the tunnels... Panam calls them outlanders."

"That ain't good...", Strong crossed his arms, "Anything they plan to do about it? Anything we can do to help?"

Jackson looked out the window and shook his head as he exhaled smoke, "I uh... I asked that question 'bout a dozen different ways, even let 'er keep the scratch for our end of things... Panam doesn't want 'em gettin' antsy... thinks 's better to lay low for now, get a clearer picture o' things to come."

Strong leaned in a little closer as he tried to get something useful, "And Dakota...? How's she feeling about it?"

"Shi-i-i-it...", Jackson let a chuckle escape as he flashed his teeth with a wary smile, "I think she's got enough to worry 'bout, what wit' Raffen an' Scavs poachin' in her back yard... not to mention some big boogeyman o'er yonder. My guess is she's content wit' stayin' out of it 'til she's needed, like she was 's mornin'."

Jackson felt his own darkness creeping in as clouds were forming outside the window. A storm was on its way, in more ways than one, and Strong could see his choom's demeanor changing as he mused, "Dark days ahead, it seems..."

"Yeah... I'll drink to that...", Jackson shrugged his shoulders as he took another swig of his beer.

From behind, Strong's attention was pulled away as Bison called out to him, "Hey Doc! Could use your help..."

He turned, seeing Nel standing awkwardly, teetering from side to side as she clutched her gut with both arms. It was likely nothing more than dehydration causing some abdominal cramping, but they all wanted to be sure their little albatross was looked after. A checkup with the good doctor and an IV of fluids and electrolytes were in order.

Back in the hangar, Jayce had returned to her motorcycle after Addie and Bison both assured her they could look after Nel. She paused her work long enough to look up, her eyes following them. Nel looked to her for a brief moment, their eyes meeting as Jayce gave a smile and a nod of her head. Nel cracked a slight smile before another wave of cramping washed over her and she nearly fell to her knees. Across the way, Strong left Jackson to enjoy his beer as he swiftly marched toward the infirmary to join the rest of them.

Jackson stepped into view, leaning against the door frame as he looked over to Jayce. She gave him the same nod and smile, and he tipped his beer toward her with a wink. All in a day's work...

--