You're my sunshine
Vivian VanDam
Part one
Climbing over the shell of a broken car, Layla moved the plasma rifle from her right side to her left. Easier draw. Pickmens blade laid in a sheath on her hip and Gage, the dog was at her side. Combat boots smacked the broken road underneath her feet. Five raider camps down, and she didn't care how many more was left. She was going to find Heather and bring her back to some place, remotely safe. Layla turned around feeling the suns rays against the back of her neck. Gage, the German Shepherd, Preston Garvey gave her looked down at her with sad eyes. She reached out and he jumped into her arms. With a grunt she put him down.
She traveled all the way from vault 114, to Concord to Sanctuary, all along the way killing bandit, raiders and mercenary's alike. She was tired, sore, had cuts, scrapes and a few radiation burns all throughout her skin.
Each leader she killed, she took a piece of their armor and attached it to her vault suit. Layla took the bandanna her sister made pushed her bangs back and wrapped it around her head. Sweat glistened upon her forehead and the backpack she had was getting lighter by the day. Soon, she would have to stop somewhere, speak to a merchant and get more supplies. Gage was running low on dog food too…she placed her hands on her hips and looked down to the German Shepard.
"Well boy, looks like we have to find Goodneighbor. That's what Preston called it." She reached down scratching behind his ears. He was panting, the broken pieces of road that lingered went right to the bridge. She followed her pip boy to the best of her abilities. Now, it was just trying to find it.
"Shouldn't be too hard." Layla pulled the backpack off, unzipped it and rummaged through to find a single bottle of purified water left. It was all she had…
She looked at Gage who panted.
She cracked the bottle open pouring the cool water onto her hand, the dog came over and lapped readily. She was thirsty too her dog came first. She smiled feeling his rough tongue rub against her skin. He had been her only companion since her sister was kidnapped. She couldn't believe how lonely she had become. Gage finished by backing up his tail wagging.
"Good boy. Now, let's go find Heather." Standing she pulled the backpack over her shoulder and pressed on. The water underneath lapped against the bridge, it almost made her relax.
Almost.
Layla knew better to relax out here in the Commonwealth. You never knew who was going to turn around and stab you in the back.
Could've been synths, that's what Piper said…She shuddered.
"I'm not going to think that, I know it was raiders or bandits. They have my sister, I'm going to kill each and everyone of them till I get her back." The armor was heavy, hot too. Her skin underneath the vault suit was slick with sweat. Her tongue felt like sand paper. When she looked at her pip boy it showed the temperature creeping above ninety. Layla was going to have to stop soon, or face heatstroke.
"Well look who it is boy's. It's the girl who killed Red and her gang." A man shouted. She lifted her head looking at the other end of the bridge. He stood there with a machine gun while a man stepped beside him wielding a shot gun.
Thirteen others moved in.
Layla sighed.
"It's the little vault dweller." Said the shotgunner. She looked down at Gage, his ears were back growling.
"What do you asshats want? Isn't it bad enough I took out Sledge?" She ran her fingers over Gage's coat, his hackles were rising. All she had to do was whistle and they would fall.
"Listen bitch, you're worth more to us alive then dead. You've made some very bad enemies out here." Machine guy said, Layla stared.
"If you didn't take my sister, we wouldn't have this issue. Would we?" She retorted, the man just laughed.
"We know where Heather is, if you come with us willingly we will set her free. If you don't we'll kill you and take you. Either way we're getting paid." Layla looked at her plasma rifle. Fifty rounds, she was crack shot…
Her fingers ran across Pickman's blade and she reached for it.
"Ten thousand caps dead, fifty thousand alive." The man moved in.
Layla whistled.
Gage was tearing his throat out the second she dropped behind the nearest skeleton of a car. She felt the bullets hit the metal, she listened to them pinging off. A few scratched her neck and face. She readied the blade and ran out from behind the skeleton of the car, jumping on one of the men. The knife sunk deep into his fleshy throat.
Blood splattered on her face and she felt the thrill of the kill.
She was on another man in a second, her knife digging into his left side and she pulled up. The extra modification on the blade was for sufficient blood loss.
"Fuck it's Pickmen's knife!" A raider shouted, Gage growled. His fur covered in blood.
"Sick em!" She shouted, Gage was all too happy to listen to her.
"Gotcha bitch!" A man screamed, she moved feeling a deep burning sensation throughout her right hip. It hurt but the adrenalin kept most of it off. She barred her teeth and ran full speed to the man who shot her. She brought the knife up at an arc cutting through his throat and jaw. She watched his face split into two. His gun fell to the ground and she snatched it up. 10mm pistol. It was shit but it would do. Taking aim, she shot another raider right in the throat. She listened to him gagging on his own blood. She moaned in content.
Layla just kept thinking about her sister. Praying to see her again soon.
"You fucking bitch!" One of the raiders screamed, a shot rang and knocked her right in the shoulder.
He was up on one of the balcony's. Her arm hung limp at her side, she took the pistol and aimed spraying an entire clip into the building. She heard bullets strike flesh.
The pain rang in her head, her hip pulsated, she was bleeding. She felt it in her combat boots, they were filling up. Gage was whimpering as he looked at her.
The ground around her was filled with bodies. Various armor and weapons strewn about. She took it one step at a time keeping the 10mm close to her side. She didn't have much for ammo, but she still had her blade and her wits.
Her body hurt but she pushed forward, walking with a limp. She didn't come this far for nothing. She had to find Goodneighbor, rest up and leave the next day. Heather was somewhere out there she needed to save her.
The Commonwealth was so much bigger then she thought. Inside the vault she heard of the outside world, she took her sister to train her on how to use guns.
Layla shuddered, she didn't want to think about what they were doing in her vault…it made her sick. She reached over gently petting Gage, the sun screamed on her skin.
The shadows of the ruin's felt good. A few degrees cooler, she ran her hand over her sweaty face. It came away bloody. She used her last stempack after fighting a rad scorpion. Now, she was relying on luck.
"Woof?" Gage howled. She looked down at him and softly hushed him.
"We can't be seen or heard boy. I don't know how much more I can take." Her voice cracked through chapped lips.
Gage trotted in front of her and she limped after him. Layla was leaving a blood trail, anyone who wanted to find her will at this point.
Her bandanna fell off in the fight and her bangs stuck to her sweat covered face. She tossed the empty gun to the side. Huffing, puffing she collapsed outside of a water fountain, long since dry. She laid her back against it and felt the sun biting into her skin. She was tired and saw spots dancing in front of her. Gage walked up next to her, whimpered and licked at her face.
"I'm alright boy, I just need to rest for a little." She laid her head back against the limestone, she reached to the blade and held it within her sweaty palm.
Pickman, the serial killer of raiders. She enjoyed his company after she rescued him. He was good conversation, his art a little eccentric but he had cold nuka cola and food. He even enjoyed Gage's company. That's when he unlocked his safe and gave her what she held now.
That had been over two weeks ago.
He was the only one other then Preston who even tried to help her. He gave her a name, and where to find him. Her next stop was Kellogg. She knew he worked for the institute…
They didn't take her, they couldn't have. She blinked away the blurry vision. Crows were flying above her.
She was tired.
So very tired.
Gage laid his head on her hips looking up at her with sad eyes. She gave him a soft smile as she ran her fingers over his coarse coat. He whimpered licking her fingers.
"It's alright boy…it's alright." Her eyes bobbed, her head laid back against the rough stone. It was the most comfortable she'd been in a very long time.
…
"Why do we have to patrol tonight? I wanted to go to the third rail and hear Magnolia sing." The man in black sighed. He kept his machine gun down low, the man in tan, a ghoul shrugged.
"You should just talk to her man. Magnolia is single. Whether or not she'll take you to her room, I doubt it. She's pretty hard to get." The ghoul chuckled keeping his own machine gun down low. It was a calm night the sun finally went down and it was cooling off. Not by much, just a few degrees. The man in black laughed.
"I heard otherwise." He nudged the ghoul who only gave him a side glance.
"Mayor Hancock only gives the patrol to people he likes and trusts." The man in black lifted his chin and squared his shoulders.
"Then why doesn't he send out his body guard? I'm sure she'll kick some major ass. With that minigun of hers?" The ghoul only shook his head.
"She won't leave his side. Not after he saved her from diamond city." Both chuckled.
"I wonder if he'll ever let the townsfolk know who his brother is." The man in black turned to face the ghoul.
"I wouldn't want to be that sorry mother fuck-" He stopped, his eyes widened and his scarred face turned quickly to a frown.
"We have a live one." The ghoul walked forward to the young girl, bleeding in the street. A dog laid out against her thighs. When they approached the dog lifted its head and growled. The woman seemed to wake up, her hand clutching something, the other on his fur. Her eyes were glossy her lips cracked, her skin flash fried from the sun. The vault dweller outfit clung to her every curve, she had five pieces of the most major armor they had ever seen. The two patrolmen looked at each other before looking back at the dweller. The puddle of blood grew underneath her, her skin took on a waxy complexion.
"We should take her to Hancock, after all she's in his jurisdiction." The ghoul stepped to the woman. He noticed within the palm of her hand was a blade.
"We're here to help ma'am." The ghoul's hoarse voice came through her haze and she nodded.
"Down Gage." She whispered, the dog relaxed. She held onto his collar as he pulled to help her to her feet.
The men watched the pain cross her face, the sudden flush to her skin. The ghoul holstered his weapon and took her in his arms. He took her weight like it was nothing.
"Alright, come on. Let's take you to Hancock. He'll know what to do."
…
Hancock took a long pull on the Jet riding the high, time moved slow he rolled his head side to side. Blowing out smoke he closed his black eyes and laid back on his couch. Fahrenheit was stationed right outside his personal quarters. The Third Rail was right outside his home and he could hear Magnolia's soulful voice flow through the streets.
He laid his hands on his lap, touching the tricornered hat. He wanted to become Mayor, so he could give those kicked from Diamond City a home. A place they could be themselves.
Of the people, for the people. He ran his hands over his rough face. He was getting tired of all the power he had. It was weighing him down, sure he liberated the people of Goodneighbor for a reason.
Now, he was constantly looked up too. Always making the tough decisions.
His people needed that.
His people needed him.
It was why he stayed when he had that itch to get up and leave. To stretch his legs for a while. Hancock despised those who were set out to hurt others. In this world he knew it was kill or be killed. He was just sick of those stealing, kidnapping, and killing the innocent. Children, toddlers…newborns…
This world was savage he was tired of it.
Hancock took another long pull of his Jet and groaned.
One day I'll be sick and tired of the darkness and just end it. He blew out the smoke keeping his eyes closed.
When was the last time someone touched me? Loved me? Cared for me? I'm always looking out for my people, I see the hope in their eyes that one day things would be better. He opened his eyes staring at the cracked walls of his quarters. The high was hitting it's peak, the pain shooting through him was sharp.
He had everything and anything he could ever want. Power, caps, the chems.
What am I missing?
"Are you two shitting me? She's bleeding all over the damn carpet!" Fahrenheit shouted. Hancock took his hat holding it within his fingers, he stared down at it. Wondering if this was all worth it.
"We brought her Hancock could decide what to do with her." He knew the ghoul, it was Archie. Archie and Hemmington, the two he put on patrol. Why were they back so damned early?
"I don't care, she's bleeding everywhere. She's armed and why is that mutt with her?" His guard was not happy. Before Archie could speak up Fahrenheit was at it again.
"She's a vault dweller. The hell are we going to do with her? She's good as dead." That was when Hancock intervened.
He placed the burden upon his crown went to the door. He was not ready to face what he was staring down.
A woman with the darkest hair he'd ever seen, the palest skin slick with sweat with the lightest dusting of freckles crossed the bridge of her nose. Her face was sun-kissed and the armor over her vault suit was mixed and matched ranging from: The rust devils, raiders, gunners and trappers. The young vault dweller had been everywhere.
Why? He looked at Archie, the dog standing guard right by the girl. He nodded his head.
"Put her on the couch, fetch Henry." Hancock felt the high dip low, crashing. He watched Archie lay her down on the couch. The vault dweller let out the lightest of groans.
The dog jumped right up next to her, staring Hancock down growling. Her hand came up touching the scruff of his fur, petting him. When she opened her eyes, he was stunned. They reminded him of amethysts. The rare jewel. Though glossed over, he saw the pain within them and felt her pain radiate deep within him. Hancock was approaching her when the dog barred his teeth growling.
Fahrenheit walked in, you couldn't miss her with her bright red hair, minigun, large biceps and half shaved head. Her eyes narrowed her lips pursed, she held a cigarette in between her teeth.
"She ain't worth it Hancock, she's good as dead anyway. Besides she dropped this." She tossed a blade to him, it was made well. He turned it over the blade had a serrated edge and was lighter then a feather.
"Good for stealth." He replied.
"Think your brother sent her here to kill you?" Fahrenheit looked to the bleeding woman groaning on his couch. He looked at the blade to the dweller and shook his head no.
"I don't believe so." He replied, Fahrenheit shook her own head.
"And I don't trust her." She snapped biting the cigarette in half. Hancock looked to the stone eye'd girl and felt pity.
"I'll keep her here, hear her story and we will decide from there. Right now, she's like any other that lives in Goodneighbor. She needs help, we help." He tossed the knife on the table filled with chems. Mentats, Buffout, Psycho, Jet, and Fury. All of which he was about to down. Hoping it would be the end of him.
He looked to the woman and shook his head.
Now, he wasn't so sure.
"My name is John Hancock, you're in the town of Goodneighbor. Do you remember your name?" He asked, the girl looked at him and grit her teeth she was in some serious pain.
"Heather…" She croaked.
"That's your name?" He asked, she was shaking her head.
"My sister…Heather." She closed her eyes, steadied her breathing and tried again.
"I'm looking for my sister Heather." She looked so pale Hancock looked over his stash on his table and saw nothing he could give her. This girl was going to die if he didn't do something.
"I'm going to give you a hit of Jet. It'll make everything seem slow. It'll calm your heart." He took the red and white inhaler, when he went to her Gage barked a warning.
"Calm boy." She whispered, the dog's eyes looked at her and lowered its head on her hip.
"He's protective of me. I'm sorry sir." She grits her teeth.
"I've been shot right through my hip. I was out of stempacks. I was on my way here from Sanctuary hills." She slowed her breathing, accepting the hit of Jet. The high was instant and she laid her head back blowing the smoke out, she'd done this before. And she enjoyed the high.
Layla's eyes were stuck on the Mayor. He was a ghoul but one of the most attractive one's she's ever seen. His puffed-up Pettie coat, tricornered hat, and boots made her smile. He still had a strong jaw line and wonderfully shaped eyes. His lips were pursed, and his chin was strong. When he looked at her she felt the weight of his world crashing around her.
He looked normal, his eyes held how deep the sadness went. They were the saddest eyes she'd ever seen. Hancock looked away from her to look at a speck on the wall.
"My name is Layla, I'm from Vault 114. Someone took my sister Heather. I've tracked down several raider, rust devil, gunner and mercenary strongholds to find her. Each piece of my armor is from their leaders. Red, Jared, Slag, Captain Sally-" Hancock shook his head.
"You're telling me, you took on the L&L Gang, the Forged and Rust Devils? A dweller?" He watched her nod.
"They took the last person I give a shit about from me. I watched them rip her from my arms. Garvey armed me with a plasma rifle." She reached up to her bleeding shoulder.
"I guess that's gone…" She laid her head back down, her eyes closing Hancock waited. She jumped up crying in pain.
"My blade! I need my blade please." Her amethyst eyes stared at him. He reached over and handed it to her. He watched the color fade from her face eyes turning to glass she collapsed.
Hancock took her into his arms his world became a blazing sun, his skin was uncomfortably warm within his petticoat. Placing his fingers against her throat, he felt the beating of her heart. Slow, irregular. He had to get the doctor up here and quick-
"I'm here sir." Doctor Henry came through the door without knocking, his hair a messy mop but his eyes bright filled with knowledge. Henry gently took the dweller in his arms, looking at the damage.
"Good news, the bullet went through. Bad news, it hit an artery." He looked at Hancock.
"I'm surprised she's even still alive. She's lost so much blood." Henry sighed shaking his head.
"You should just let her go. Let her have peace-" Hancock snapped his head to him.
"Can she be saved?" Snapping.
"Well yes but-" He stopped as the weight of his gaze weighed down on him.
"Is she worth saving?" Henry asked.
"Her sister has been kidnapped, she's came this far. I will say this one last time, Of the people. For the people." Henry was already pulling things from his doctor's bag.
"I'm going to need you to hold this." He took Hancock's hand and placed it to her hip. He wanted to save her for more reasons then just her sister being stolen from her. It was for a much more selfish reason.
She made him feel. She made the darkness seem a little brighter. Within this vault dweller hope radiated from her.
"You better save this one Henry, or you're going to be in deep shit."