(Note: I do not own Charon or any of the other characters from Fallout 3, they belong to Bethesda. I only own Emily, she is my OC.)

Everything around me was fuzzy and hard to focus on, the only real things that were clear was the Lincoln's Repeater in my hand (that was now out of ammo), the look on Butch's face as he fired his new toy, the tri-beam laser he had picked up off a Super Mutant Overlord, And Dogmeat growling in the same direction that Butch was firring in. But what was he firring at? Everything was so fuzzy it was hard to tell. I remembered quickly strapping the Repeater to my back and turning to yell at my companion.

"BUTCH! IM OUT OF AMMO! GIVE ME YOUR KNIFE!" I screamed over the gun fire.

"USE YOUR OWN FUCKING KNIFE!" he yelled back.

"IT BROKE FUCKHEAD! GIVE ME YOURS!"

Butch looked at me like I was high on Jet or something as he ran backwards trying to keep the distance between him and what he was firring at, so I quickly returned the look, and just as I was about to finally get a form of defence I suddenly could see what we had been firring at, well I didn't actually see it but more the long claws attached to it. one simple swing of its arm the long claws tore through weapon, armour and flesh leaving three large painful gashes across the my back, gashes that wasted no time in staining the rest of my armour in a warm red liquid then...

With a gasp I quickly shot my eyes open and tried to sit up, but there was so much pain it was nearly impossible, it hurt so much I wanted to puke. Were the fuck was I? I was obviously in a bed and everything around me looked familiar but I couldn't put a name to it.

"Hey.. you awake?" a raspy voice asked from beside me.

My neck was stiff and it hurt to turn my head but if I was going to see who the hell was talking to me it was gonna have to be done. "Charon?" If Charon was here then I must be in Underworld, probably the Chop Shop, cause he never leaves Underworld unless he is with me.

"Duh, what other ghoul would sit here and keep eye on you for three very long and very boring days while you slept." he said with his trade make half smile.

"THREE DAYS? HOLY FUCK!" I screeched, trying to sit up again, almost would have had it to if Charon wasn't trying to push me back into the bed. "How the hell did I get here? Where is Butch and Dogmeat, are they ok?"

"Calm at the fuck down." Charon said dropping the smile and finally pushing me back into the bed. "The dog and other smoothskin are fine, They drug your ass back here." He turned his attention to under the bed. "Hey, get your scrawny ass out here."

Slowly Dogmeat crawled out from under the bed and yawned before looking around and jumping on the bed, he didn't even notice me while he made himself a nest at my feet and went back to sleep.

"Were is Butch?" I asked pushing my dark blackish blue hair out of my face.

"Bar."

"Should have known."

We sat in quiet for a while. Charon sat in his chair cleaning his shotgun, making sure it had ammo, god he loved that gun. It was obvious though that he was kind of mad at me and any moment he would say why. We had gotten way past the employer and employee thing, he hardly ever called me boss or miss or anything like that but more often called me by name now, and spoke his mind way more often then he used to, I guess you could say we were pretty good friends now.

"You know your a fucking idiot right?" He said in his raspy voice, still looking at his gun.

"And I'm sure your going to tell me why right?"

"I told you not to take that other smoothskin, you were going to far north ans should have taken me or Fawkes, but did you listen? NOOO."

"I was going for stealth, you cant be stealthy with Fawkes around, and I thought you needed a break."

"A break? You thought I needed a break?"

"Yes, you have been following me since I bought your contract and I thought you might like a little rest."

"Right..."

It was then when the door to the chop shop flew open and Butch stumbled to were my bed was, bottle of whiskey in his hand and everything. He pulled up a chair beside Charon, after nearly falling off it he sat down and looked at me.

"Man your okay." he said half slurred.

"Yeah and she was just about to go back to sleep." Charon said as he glared at Butch.

"I was?"

"Yes, if you have forgot there are three large and deep gashes down your back."

I groaned as I tried to push myself onto my side. "I was just forgetting about the pain, thanks for that Charon." I grumbled as I rubbed my eyes with my palm. I felt like shit and probably looked it to, and now all I wanted was to sleep. Charon must have noticed cause he stared at Butch, making him uncomfortable enough (even in his drunken state) to get the hell out. Charon smirked as he leaned back in his chair, it was comforting to know that he would stay even though he didn't have to and he knew he didn't have to. The last thing I remember before I fell asleep again was catching his eye and smiling then I closed my eyes and let sleep take me away to a pain free world.