June, 2287

The setting sun cast an orange glow across the barren wasteland. Irradiated light catching on jagged rocks and splintered tree trunks, making them seemingly glow. Sitting on the hood of a rusty, hollowed out car, Laura fiddled with her pipboy, attempting to tune into Galaxy News Radio. When all her Pip-Boy received was static, she gave up.

"Stupid hunk of junk...should have left you in that scrap heap..." she muttered to herself as she rummaged through her rucksack for a bottle of purified water and a box of Salisbury steak. Laura ate her meal in peace, having already cleared the area when she decided it was time to eat and rest. Once she was finished eating, Laura went about setting up a good amount of frag mines around the car. If it was to be her bed for the night, it might as well be semi-safe, right?

Satisfied with her 'trapsmanship', Laura procured a lumpy pillow and a scratchy blanket from her pile of belongings, that she had set next to the car. Luckily for her, the desecated car had a bench seat that was still fairly intact, minus the sharp springs protruding from the tattered fabric. As she was about to climb back inside and settle for the night she got the unshakeable feeling that she was being watched. Assuming it was a gang of raiders, then the worst plan of action would be to climb ontop of the car and scan the area, providing herself as a clear target to be picked off. Being the survivor that her father raised her to be, Lauara decided to snuff any lights that might give her position away and assumed a stealthy crouch. She unholstered her trusty 10mm and held it at the ready.

"There's no need for that." Proclaimed a gravelly, slightly accented voice. Laura couldn't see who or where it came from until an unusually tall ghoul cautiously stepped out from behind a pile of rubble and rock, careful to avoid any mines.

Taking aim at the ghoul, Laura asked "Who are you and you what do you want? You a raider?" He certainly didn't fit the description of a raider but it was worth a shot to ask.

"I am Charon. I came to give you my contract, seeing as you were the nearest person at the time of my last contract holder's death. And no, I am not a raider." He huffed out, irritation clear in his voice.

Still wary of the stranger, her blue eyes never strayed from the unfamiliar ghoul as she lowered her gun, but not holstering it.

"Oh. I see." She breathed, relieved that he wasn't here to rob her of both her life and belongings. Charon pulled an impressively wrinkled piece of paper from his pocket and took an apprehensive step forward, hand and paper outstretched for her to take. When he didn't move any closer, Laura closed some of the distance and took the paper. It was surprisingly made of a thick and durable material, yet the print had faded to an illegible blur.

"I was just about to turn in for the night." Laura's voice was stable, but hesistant. Charon merely nodded and started heading towards the hood of the car, careful not spook his new 'employer'.

"I'll stand guard." He stated, as if that's all he ever did.

Puzzled, Laura turned towards the strange ghoul, "You're not going to sleep?" She quizzed.

"I require little sleep, Mistress." It was just a matter of fact.

"Please don't call me that."

Charon didn't miss a beat, "As you wish."

Laura got very little sleep that night, as she did nearly every night. She tossed and turned, thrashed and mumbled. Haunted by visions of her father's death, and the man responsible for it. Awakening covered in a cold sweat multiple times, Laura eventually gave up any attempts at sleep a few hours before dawn. Her Pip-boy told her it was 3:49am.

Huffing a sigh, Laura rolled onto her back and sat up. She peeled away the strands of auburn hair that clung to her face due to the sweat. Careful not catch herself on any of the protruding springs, she scooted out of the car. Charon sat on the hood of the, puffing on a cigarette and cleaning his shot gun.

"You're still awake." Laura was baffled, he was serious when he said he didn't require much sleep.

There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "I said I would stand guard, didn't I?"

After a simple breakfast of Nuka and Yum Yum Deviled Eggs they set a course for North-East.

"May I ask a question?" Inquired Charon, shouldering his shot gun.

Laura snarked back, "You just did."

He gave her an irritated look but remained silent, waiting for Laura to give him permission to speak. She nodded briefly, ponytail bouncing with the movement.

"Where are we going?" He finally asked.

Laura didn't have to think about the answer. "Well, I have family in The Commonwealth, so that's where we're going." The thought of seeing her mom and brother again made her skin buzz with anticipation and excitement. It had been too long, years in fact, since she last saw them.

After that, they walked in silence, managing to reach the Republic of Dave by midday. Careful to give the Republic wide berth, so as to avoid undue conflict, and to find some shade from the blazing sun. Charon and Laura stopped to rest and drink their respective share of some nuka cola, that they scavenged from a long abandoned Nuka truck earlier in the day.

As they continued heading north east a caravan was spotted nearby. The Brahmin securely guarded by four mercenaries, and the caravaneer walking next to a fifth meecenary, leading the way.

"We should try and stop them so I can ask for directions." Suggested Laura, as she pulled a bottle of purified water from her bag and handed it to Charon, and then grabbed one for herself. She would need to trade for more food and drink as well, soon.

Charon, being the stoic ghoul that he was, merely grunted his acknowledgement.

Flagging down the caravan wasn't difficult, especially with an unusually tall ghoul to lend a hand.

"Well hello, strangers. Looking to trade?" Inquired the caravaneer when they were in earshot. He wore a dusty wind breaker and tattered mismatched combat boots. On his nose sat a pair of purple sunglasses, which was oddly flattering with his neatly combed and styled black moustache, and shaved head.

At his side, the mercenary wore road leathers and combat armor, her blonde hair pulled up in a tight bun. She stood about a half foot taller than the caravaneer. The other four mercenaries spread out in a semi circle, their faces grim. Charon eyed her and the other mercs warily. They all had their guns in hand and looked primed for a fight.

Laura was please they had stopped when they did, but seemed oblivious to the tension. "Actually I was hoping to ask for some directions," she explained with a pause, "and yes, trade a little."

"Alrighty then! My name Jeb and don't pay these people no mind, they're still a little on edge."

"What happened?" Charon ground out, suddenly on edge himself.

The mysterious blonde merc spoke up this time, "We miscalculated our route and wound up on the edge of the Glowing Sea." She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up before continuing. "We ran into a pair of Deathclaws. Managed to take one down, and just angered the other."

Laura's face blanched, Charon noted that she looked scared shitless, as anyone in their right mind would be. He turned to face her, placing a hand gently in her shoulder to get her attention, "Are you sure you still want to go to the Commonwealth?"

It took her a moment but eventually Laura found her voice, "Yes. I can't stay in the Capitol Wasteland all my life. I miss my family."

"In that case, "Charon turned towards Jeb, "do you have any Rad-X or RadAway? Maybe some stimpaks too?"

Caravaneer Jeb scratched his dusty bald head as if in thought, "Well," he drawled, "I do have some RadAway, and I think a couple syringes of Med-x left, but no Stimpaks. I reckon Barb here used 'em all on her boys after that lil' firefight back there." Barb, the blonde mercenary, shrugged and flicked her cigarette away.

"How much for all the RadAway and Med-x?" There was no way Charon was going to let his new employer die so soon, especially after only having been with her for a day. The fact that she seemed so innocent of all the chaos was what really tipped the balance. It helped that he found her quit adorable; not that he would ever mention it to her, or that he could ever do anything about it due to his contract.

"We'll take them." Laura piped up, anxious to get moving again.

While Caravaneer Jeb dug through the packs on his brahim, to find the requested supplies, Charon spoke with Barb. He inquired about the best route take in order to avoid the Deathclaw, all the while keeping a milky blue eye on his employer.

Once the exchange of goods and information was completed the caravan headed on their own way west, while Laura and Charon trudged on at a more Northerly route. They walked much longer and farther than they had really expected, only stopping to set up camp for the night once they found a fairly safe and decent wall of rock to put at their backs.

Laura quickly went about starting a small fire to cook some food and purify the couple cartons of dirty water that they had kept for an emergency.

"What do you want to eat?"Laura asked as she rifled through her bag, pulling out a box of Salisbury steak, and sugar bombs. Trying not to pointedly stare at the Sugar Bombs, Charon hesitates before saying "You don't have to feed me. I can fend for myself, if given permission."

"If given permission?" Laura parroted back, confusing evident in her voice and words.

He hated having to repeat all the rules of his contract to every single employer. Some didn't care, but those were usually the ones who were truly evil and used him to do their bidding.

"Yes. You can give me permission to fend for myself, in regards to food and water. You may also, if you so choose, allow me to sleep...or not. "

"Why would I tell you that you aren't allowed to sleep? That's just ridiculous"

Charon almost snorted out of amusement. She truly was innocent to all the chaos that the unforgiving wasteland created.

"You should sleep. We're almost at the Commonwealth border." Suggested Charon. She was only human, after all.

"Well, do you want the Sugar Bombs at least? I saw you eyeing them when I asked earlier." Laura extended the box of sugary treats and shook it a bit.

Charon reach out and grabbed them, "Yeah. Okay."

Laura ate her box of ancient Salisbury steak, and curled up on her side, facing the fire. Sleep came to her quickly.