Author's Note: I do not own Falllout or the character "Deputy Weld" but the charachers Riin and Vance are based off of the Lone Wanderer. Please read and respond.

Chapter 1: Dust

The light was harsh, bright, and it was hot. Everything was hot. Even the wind was hot. Hot and dusty. Riin and Vance stood side by side on the rock outcropping looking over Springvale. Riin looked out over the bleak land before her, while her twin, Vance looked back over his shoulder at the old wooden door that led back to the entrance to Vault 101. Riin turned and grasped Vance's shoulder,

"Vance. We have to go." She said, breaking him from his trance-like state.

"But, Amata…" his voice trailed off and he turned to face her. The twins had always been close to Amata, the overseer's daughter, Riin being her best friend and Vance being her best-friend-turned-boyfriend.

"I'm sorry, I really am, but you know why she couldn't come." Riin consoled him as she started making her way down the slope towards the road, or what was left of it at least.

Vance followed behind her, "Yeah, I know, she needed to calm down her father. Crazy bastard, I don't think anyone can calm him down, I hope he doesn't hurt her for letting us escape." He replied as they passed a burnt out hulk of a car and made their way through the ruins of Springvale.

"I know that you don't want to be out here, neither do I." she confessed as they passed the first few ruined houses. "But the Overseer didn't give us a choice; it was living out here, or dying in there." She continued as she opened one of the rusted mailboxes and pulled out its contents.

Vance stuck close by, and pulled his 10mm pistol out and looked down the sights pensively "You're right." He admitted, and laughed, "The Overseer always said 'You're born in the Vault you die in the Vault.'" He parodied the Overseers "authorative" tone, "We sure showed him though." He turned back toward the mountain that held Vault 101, "You hear that you crazy bastard?" he yelled, "We're outside of your damn Vault!" he laughed again.

Riin looked at him funny before turning her attention back to the items she found in the mailbox; a letter from Vault-Tec, a handful of metal bottle caps, and a magazine about boxing. She handed the magazine to Vance, "Calm down. All that hot air's going to make you float off." She chided as she dropped the bottle caps into her pocket and opening the letter. She scanned it briefly and tossed it aside, letting it flip and dance in the wind.

"No air much hotter that this." He said, making a gesture to the open air with a smirk on his face. The two of them laughed briefly before something caught Vance's eye; a flickering red light, just a short distance down the road. "Hey, look," he said, pointing, "A Cola machine." He started off, at a quick pace; she followed behind him, pondering the contents of the note.

Moments later, Vance pried open the vending machine and pulled out a few bottles of Nuka-Cola. He cracked one open and dropped the cap into his pocket and took a swig. He licked his lips, "It's not as cold as I'd like it but it's good enough." He said, handing the bottle to Riin.

She took the bottle from his hand and took a swig for herself, surly enough, it wasn't ice cold, but it was refreshing enough to help her ignore the heat of the wastes, at least for a little while. Then she remembered what they had read bout on the Overseer's terminal, the scouting reports, and the Giant Ants and the town, Megaton. "Hey, we should find a place to stay before it gets dark." She suggested as she handed her brother the bottle.

"You're right," he said, as he took the bottle, he took a swing and handed the bottle back, "I'm thinking that settlement from the report, Megaton."

She finished off the Cola, "And they said we didn't have a mental link." She joked. "Check your Pip-boy, the town should be marked, if these scouting reports are accurate." She said, tossing the bottle aside.

Vance laughed and checked his Pip-boy "Right as rain, sis." He said, "Megaton's close, not even a half-day's walk."

The two made their way towards Megaton, pistols in hand, wary for any Giant Ants.

Later, the two of them stood ogling the mass of scrap metal that made up Megaton.

"Oh man." Vance said, "Those scouts didn't do this place justice." He said, awestruck.

"You said that right." Riin concurred.

The door rattled open and a dinged metal robot wearing a cowboy hat clomped out towards them, "Howdy, pardner." It's synthetic voice attempting a western accent caused both siblings to stifle grins. "Welcome to Megaton, I am Deputy Weld, I keep an eye on this here town."

Riin smiled, "Well thank ye' kindly." She said, using the best western accent she could muster. Vance just grinned from ear to ear as they passed by into the town. They opened the gate and looked at the town of Megaton for the first time. Both of their eyes wandered briefly before they locked firmly on the atomic bomb in the center of the town.

"Oh shit." Vance said.