A/N: I love Sergeant Montgomery. Too bad he's a soldier who's been dead for 200 years. (Seriously, why do all the hot Fallout 3 guys have to be so…out of reach?) I'm going to stay away from the "songfic" trend that has become the norm for me and instead come up with my OWN chapter titles, lolwutt. Anyways, I've had this idea in my head forever and I just had to get it down on paper. Um, computer screen. You know what I mean. In any case, my plotbunnies present…
DIGITAL CRUSH
Prologue
"What do you mean, you're leaving?" Freddie's eyes were disbelieving, dismayed, even. Summer swallowed back a lump in her throat and forced herself to continue. She nodded.
"I have to, man," she told him. "There's no choice. I'll die if I stay here! And besides…I have to find my dad. He's the only family I've got."
"Summer, don't," he pleaded. "You can stay with me! My dad'll vouch for you, you can stay with us—you can—maybe you could…"
He trailed off. It was no good and he knew it.
"What about—what about…us?" he asked desperately.
She dropped her gaze, unable to stop the tears from forming anymore. He grabbed her hands and looked into her eyes, questioning.
"What will happen to you and me?" he reiterated.
"You can come with," she suggested weakly. But he shook his head.
"I can't, you know I can't, just like you can't stay. Just—"
She knew he was going to say something sappy and stopped him with a kiss. He fell silent. When they broke apart, he pulled her in for another, deeper kiss, and it was a while before they pulled away.
"Take care of yourself," he finished lamely. "Maybe…maybe we'll see each other again."
"Maybe," she said, although she knew that the odds of that were astronomical. As much as she wanted it to be true…it just was never going to happen.
"It's been fun," she finished sadly. "I just wish…you know…"
"Yeah."
"Bye, Freddie."
She disappeared around the corner, and for the first time in years, Freddie wanted to cry.
"Bye, Summer."
two months later
"You're back," he said. It was not a question. A statement.
"Yeah," she said softly. She didn't even know where to begin.
Maybe she'd just been out in the Wastes for too long, but he looked…remarkably different. No longer the boy who she'd sneak a glance at in class, no longer the teenager who she'd pulled into the storage closet after the G.O.A.T., nor the young adult who she'd said goodbye to just a month ago…no. He was a man now.
"You're…different," he offered, looking her over. And it was true. There was more dirt, new scars, and an all-around weathered look to her. Her eyes were different, too—haunted, hollow, even. It was like she'd seen things she would never forget.
"Things change."
It was amazing. For two months he'd been reciting to himself what he'd say if he ever saw Summer again, everything from relieved to angry to…sappy, even, but now, Freddie was utterly lost for words.
Finally, he abandoned his attempt at words and gathered her in his arms, kissing her like there was no tomorrow—like he'd never see her again.
Maybe that hadn't been too far off the mark.
Amata Almodovar, that bitch, wasted no time in banishing Summer from the Vault the moment she became the new Overseer. Infuriated and heartbroken, Freddie stormed up to her office and broke her nose.
He got two weeks in the jail for that one, but it didn't matter. All that did matter was the horrified, betrayed look in Summer's eyes when Amata had told her that she was never to return to Vault 101.
Summer left the Vault that day feeling utterly betrayed. Amata had been one of her best friends. Dammit, she had been her only friend. How could she have banished Summer from the only home she'd ever really known? Megaton didn't count for jack shit. What could possibly be the ramifications of her at least being able to return from time to time to check up on the state of affairs, and, indeed, Freddie?
Aside from that general feeling of being betrayed, there was the gutwrenching pain of never being able to see him again. It wasn't something she hadn't felt before, when she'd first left, but Summer was still sore at having to leave him behind. Two months, sure—but dammit, she loved him and it wasn't fair that Amata would go so far to tear them apart. It was as if the entire universe was working against her, and it felt awful.
She'd never been one to heal easily. When Paul Hannon had turned her down, she'd spent an entire week sulking, staring at herself in the mirror, and being all-around miserable. Was there something wrong with her? Was she ugly? Did he think she was a loser? Desperate questions that flitted through her mind but had no answer—or purpose—and now, she wondered if Freddie was going to move on. Would he forget her? Would he hold on? Would he, would he…all the what-if questions you weren't supposed to ask yourself, but were asked anyway.
She needed a distraction. Summer turned on her Pip-Boy, tuning in to GNR for the latest on the Wasteland, to take her mind off herself. Unfortunately, Three Dog was giving the latest on her.
"Don't let that revolving door hit you in the ass on the way out, kid."
That was all she caught.
Fuck you, Three Dog.
A/N: The prologue sets the stage for the main story. Summer is, for all intents and purposes, still a completely hormonal teenager. When it comes to love, all the intelligence in the world won't stop her from going utterly stupid. And when it's over...well, let's just say she shuts down and reboots. And it takes a long time.
Cue angst! Enjoy the rest of the story. :D
