[color=00aeef]FRIEDA RICHTER[/color] - the weapon shop -- late? afternoon

Waylon laughed, "Guess we shall see about that,” he turned and pulled open his small cooler and pulled out two purified water, “Would you like one?” He held one bottle out.

Frieda reflexively recoiled, though she tried to catch herself.  She didn't want to offend Waylon, let alone have to have an awkward conversation just then.

[i]"You'll have to tell him, eventually,"[/i] Brian's voice in her mind, again.

[i]When are you gonna move out?[/i] she scowl-thought at him.  "Uh...cheers," she replied to Waylon, taking the water bottle.  She cracked it and gave a small sip.  Some habits would take a while to die.  "Is Shelby okay, though? Do you think we should go looking for her?"

Waylon swallowed his drink and shook his head, “No, as much as I would like to she...it would probably just piss her off even more. She needs to do what she needs to do you know?” He twisted the cap back on his water bottle, “I noticed you looking at the wall. Shelby makes those blades in the back garage, she has a forge set up. It's really an art form, I tried and failed miserably.”  He laughed and took another toke on his cigarette. “She could make you one if you'd like? Guarantee there wouldn't be another like it anywhere.”

"Huh!" Frieda huffed, truly impressed.  "That's pretty damn amazing.  Sadly, though, it'd just be an ornamental piece.  I'm way better at wielding things that go 'pew pew.'"  [i]Plus, not like I have a place to hang it, anyways.[/i]

Snuffing out his cigarette in the ashtray, “Do you need a hand with anything over at the clinic? Try to get it so you can get a nap, it's been non-stop today.”

"Um, nah," Frieda replied, tapping out her own stub of a cigarette.  "Apparently there's a new nurse in town.  A...super mutant...like Rook.  Only this one used to, ugh," she closed her eyes and swallowed a wave of nausea.  "Used to be Brotherhood.  Apparently," she finished quickly.  "But, you're right, I'm supposed to be the clinic guard and not Gorge, so I should get my ass back there.  That back door remains a hell of a mess, thanks to a deathclaw, and a definite security risk."  She clapped her hands on the top of her thighs, smiled, and stood up from her chair to approach the door.

"I'll see you --"

Her comment was interrupted by a sudden knocking at the door, causing her to jump.  She looked over at Waylon, who shrugged.  Frieda opened the door.

"Hey Shelby -- err -- oh.  It's you," Barney corrected himself.

"Something wrong?" Frieda cut straight to the chase, her hand lowering to her weapon on her belt in response.

"Not this time.  Just makin' the rounds lettin' everyone know we're having a town meeting at the inn, two hours from now.  See ya!"  With that Barney offered a wave and left.

"The inn?  Why would we meet there?" Frieda mused out loud.  "I hope it has a bar.  Dealing with these surfaaaah-I mean, townsfolk, can be frustrating, don't you think?"

[i]Get out, get out now, don't make it worse for yourself.[/i]

Frieda cleared her throat.  "Okay, I'll be at the clinic, hauling rubble around. Literally."

[i]That's hot.  Not.[/i]

She paused in the street to take a few deep, calming breaths.  Frieda knew she'd have to tell him of her origins, eventually.  Sooner rather than later was probably better.  Give him a chance to decide what he was getting into.  ...or, if he wanted to get into it, at all.

Frieda sighed.  Before she realized it, she had wandered back to the front of the clinic, just in time to see a roughed up individual stumble up the steps, through the door, and collapse heavily to the floor.  She looked up and into the clinic and was met by Ace's gaze.  Steve was absent, Brandy unconscious, and Gorge, well, AWOL.

[i]I suppose I could have come back to worse.[/i]  She glanced over to Steve's abandoned cot and figured that was as good a place as any.  Frieda squat over the man's body and hauled with all her strength, nearly dropping him when she realized he was soaking wet.  "Jesus!" she cursed, adjusting her grip and pulling the man up once more.  She half-dragged him to the open cot, pushing and pulling and rolling him onto it.  She leaned her ear over his mouth and held it there for a few moments to confirm that he was breathing.

"Do you know where the doc went?" Frieda muttered aloud, not expecting anyone to answer her.  Movement in the diner windows caught her eyes.  She remembered the last time she went in there looking for someone and what a waste of time it had been.  

She could default to what she usually did to try and find the doc, and that was to run around calling his name until he showed up.  Did she really want to do that through town, though?  The very thought exhausted her.

She exhaled slowly.  "Fuck."  Frieda stood over the latest patient and crossed her arms, looking him over from head to toe.  He seemed familiar but she couldn't pinpoint it.  [i]You have basic first aid training.  He's not missing any limbs or anything. 
 Give the doc a leg up, for once.[/i]  She opened and closed her hands as she tried to think of what to do, first.  His skin was red and he looked like he sustained some burns, but that didn't make sense with the soaking wet clothing.  She looked up at Ace and pointed across the room.  "Grab me some more blankets.  I can at least get him dry and warm."