Today was a normal day. Everyday was normal. She really wished it wasn't.
She rationalized though, in her mind that it should be wished for, especially since Nathan had come home from the War.
But she found herself wishing for excitement. Like when they had just started courting in her teens. Motorcycle rides, rollercoasters, vandalism (not that she would admit to that), and maybe or maybe not the few times spent hiding from the cops… But then again, those times had maybe never happened.
She watched her husband stand in the mirror; his face was furrowed in concentration as he brought the razor blade across his skin to get rid of the nightly dusting of stubble.
After so many years in the War, she was surprised the stubble on his face and his short buzz cut hair missed the telltale grey of stress. His eyes were another story though.
When they were younger his eyes were a light sky blue, and they had made her feel like she was looking at a spring day morning sky. After the War, once he returned, his blue eyes had a hard-edged tint to them now. No longer was it the soft sky blue, no, now it was ice cold blue, and just as hard to crack the surface to get to the man underneath.
She still loved him though. She always would, 'Until death do us part'. Well, that and her child, Shaun, only a few months old now.
Marriage life was normal. It was supposed to be normal. She just found that marriage life was lacking in the excitement area.
She got a slight blush at the term "excitement area"; it just wasn't exciting in general. She had only slept with Nathan twice.
Once on her marriage night, and then once when he had gotten home from being deployed, when Shaun was conceived.
Women weren't supposed to be forward about their sex life, she found life in '77, 2077 that is, had reverted back to the older thoughts, such as 'women are domestics', or 'women are for men'.
It had gotten better though, like the fact she was a renowned prosecutor for the district attorneys office.
Since Shaun had been born she had decided to take a break, but if she ever needed too she could dust off the old law degree and start her career again.
Breaking out of her reverie she goes and hugs Nathan from behind kissing his cheek and affectedly moving him out of the mirror for her to be able to get ready.
She runs her hand through her hair. The white blonde locks curl elegantly around her face and she smiles softly.
It was the only trait she had gotten from her late mother. She had her fathers round eyes, a dark rich brown, dark lashes, full lips. Well, she had gotten her small petite frame from her mother, as well as her small pert nose, at least that's what her father had said. She personally hadnt remembered those parts of her. Just flashes of white blonde hair from a memory. She figured that's why she cherished her hair color so much.
Running her hand softly across a scar that goes through her left eyebrow she hears Nathan say, "You're the strongest woman I know."
She smiles in thanks and takes her hand down.
Sighing softly again, she just felt nostalgic today. She quickly brushes her teeth and freshens up her soft pink lipstick.
Deciding she looks okay enough for going to the Veterans Hall with Nate, she leaves the mirror and pats Nate on the back as he goes back up to the mirror.
Leaving her room she address her Mr. Handy, Codsworth, with a smile and "Good morning."
Walking into the kitchen she brings her hand gliding softly against things softly speaking to herself, "Sugar bombs, your daily dose of… sugar."
A knock brings her out of her reverie this time, and she notices Nate at the counter reading the newspaper.
"Its Vault -Tec."
She grimaces softly, and gestures for Nate to take it; after all it was his status in the War that landed them a spot in the safety of the Vaults, in the possibility of a nuclear annihilation.
Personally she didn't think it would happen, the War was over, and life was good.
Better safe than sorry she thinks.
Walking over to the front door, passing her law degree framed in the case with Nate's American flag that was flown in the War, with a soft smile, she opens the door.
She feels her smile falter when she notices the man from Vault- Tec wearing a yellow trench coat. It wasn't that hot out, it was around Halloween, but it was still warm outside.
"Good morning!" The man starts cheerily, "Vault- Tec calling!"
She smiles at him again, "Good morning."
The man smiles brightly at her back and replies, "You can't begin to know how happy I am to finally speak with you."
She grimaces in apology, "We've been busy since the baby has been born, I'm sorry."
The man tilts his head in acknowledgement, "It's no problem ma'am! You're here now, it's a matter of utmost urgency, I assure you."
She nods along with his words. "I'm sure you are right." She says, albeit sarcastically.
She felt bad, but she just didn't feel like going through this today, they might be late, and it was for Nate to be recognized and get his medals.
He must've noticed her urgency because he says, "Now, I know you're a busy woman, so I won't take up much of your time. Time being a, um, precious commodity."
She smiled ruefully; she could understand why the company had hired this guy to be a salesman.
"I'm here today to tell you that because of your family's serve to our country, you have been pre-selected for entrance into the local Vault. Vault 111." He says matter-of-factly.
She nods, she already knew this due to the mail she had labeled as junk, she had been getting.
"Sounds great." She mutters sarcastically.
"Great!" He says, "It's just a matter of verifying some information."
She nods at his next off handed comment about not being enough time for it when nuclear annihilation starts.
He clears his throat and hands her a packet of information about her and her family to check over.
Address, 1532 Sanctuary Hills? Correct, she initials there. Date of birth, September 13th 2055? Correct, for her, she initials there as well. She goes through a test that almost seems like an aptitude test, or a personality test.
"What is this test for?" She asks and the Vault- Tec rep smiles, "It's to prep you for your perfect spot in the Vault to work, so you're always happy!"
She nods and answers all the questions as truthfully as she could. At the bottom it asks her to print her full name and then sign. Jane Noelle Fox – nee Patterson, she prints before doing a fancy scribble in place of a signature.
Jane hands the clipboard back to the man and smiles at him "All correct."
"Great then! I'll go take this to the Vault, and you'll be all set."
She thanks him and lifts her hand in a wave as she watches him go back to his van before closing the door behind her.
"Prepare for total annihilation." She says in a deep voice rolling her eyes while she laughs.
Shaun's sharp cries and Codsworth's worried, "Mum? The young master is clean and isn't hungry but he just wont stop crying! I think he needs one of those maternal 'hugs' you seem to be so good at." Brings her go to her son.
She smiles at the robot and passes him in the hallway going into Shaun's room.
She notices the rocket ship mobile on top of his crib and she smiles, and notices Nate leaning against the doorframe, "I fixed the mobile, give it a spin."
She nudges it with her hand and watches it spin with a soft smile as Shaun's cries turn to coos and happy giggles.
She leans into the crib to tickle his tummy while mentioning to Nate that they should go to the park today if it was nice enough after the benefit.
He voices his affirmative when she hears Codsworth's voice say something worriedly, "Mum? Dad? You should come and see this."
Furrowing her brows she picks up Shaun from the crib and exits the room behind Nate to find Codsworth floating near the turned on telley, a distorted voice comes from the TV:
"Followed by… yes followed by flashes. Blinding flashes. Sounds of explosion… We're… we're trying to get confirmation…"
Jane can feel her heart jump up to her throat as the gravely voice of the news reporter talks about everyone's worse fears.
She shifts Shaun to Nate's arms and once he's taken she considers grabbing things quickly, but the man on the TV continues tacking her attention again:
"We have lost contact with our sources.. We do have… coming in… Confirmed reports. I repeat confirmed reports of nuclear detonations in New York and Pennsylvania… My God… May God be with you al-"
The TV turns off abruptly with the error message Please Wait…
Jane feels Nate's shoulder nudge her and she is acutely aware of herself saying, "We need to get to the Vault!"
Nate says even further away "I've got Shaun lets go!" He leaves the house without her, leaving the door open and Jane turns to Codsworth, "I'm sorry! Be good!" She cries before running after Nate.
She can feel her dress blowing against her legs and her belt chaffing her uncomfortably as she runs.
She ignores it though.
She ignores her frantic neighbors that don't have room in the Vault. She ignores the line and runs up to the front where Nate stands with Shaun already.
She pants out "We're on the list."
The man in military attire seems to read in slow motion, "Female… Male… Infant…"
He nods to them "Go ahead."
Before the words are even out of his mouth to go she takes off running through the gate. She can hear the cries of despair from the neighbors she leaves behind.
The cries of people holding each other on the Vault elevator reach a rising crescendo as it slowly descends.
The mushroom cloud is closer than she thought it had been, and the smoke is getting closer by the second.
This is it.. I'm going to die here with my family.
She steps closer to Nate and wraps her arms around him, kissing the forehead of baby Shaun in his arms as she braces for impact of death…
It doesn't come though. Surprising her. A gust of radioactive wind blows and she can feel the tingling of it before the top of the elevator closes loudly and the inhabitants on it breath a sigh of relief. Some crying out in relief.
The rest happens in a blur. She can feel herself moving through the motions the Vault puts her through.
She pulls on the spandex suit of the Vault Dweller and enters a pod that the doctor had mentioned was a sanitation pod.
Nate holds Shaun and enters the one across from her. She ignores the confined space around her and puts her hand to the glass. Nate does the same.
She focuses on her breathing. In… out… In… out… In... Ou-…
A/N: I've had this idea in my head for a while, decided to entertain it.
I hope you enjoyed it. I would love constructive criticism and reviews to let me know if I should continue.
All the best,
Lyly
PS: Thank you Hawke for letting me know it uploaded wrong! I appreciate it.