Don't have weird daydreams, kids. That's how these stories are born.
She was known as Sweetpea by many. She was known as Fiona by few. But all knew her as the Sole Survivor.
She had walked the entirety of the Commonwealth, touching the life of every single person she had met along the way. Some remember Sweetpea as just that; a sweet young lady somehow untainted by the commonwealth. Some, however, remember her as a vixen sent by the devil himself. A charming, gorgeous woman in a little silver dress who mastered the art in eyelash-batting to get what she wanted before robbing you blind.
Yet, of all the people she had met and the few she enjoyed enough to invite them on her adventures, she felt lost. Nick could set his internal clock to her daydreaming; eleven each night. Sweetpea would stare just above the fire, over his left shoulder.
"Dame's like you don't have time to daydream." Nick tossed into the air, hoping to finally get some answers. Since everything that had happened with her son… she had fallen victim to this weird habit.
"Dame's like me isn't the best statement when I'm one in a million." Sweetpea replied in an instant.
"You're one in a million for a lot of reasons, but I think you should elaborate." Nick slide over, positioning himself a little closer to her.
"Do you think… that there is anyone in the world who has seen what I've seen? Been through what I've been through? I feel… alone."
That was enough to make Nick sit back and really think.
"Depends on what you're referring too, doll." Nick sighed. A wave of determination fell on Sweetpea's rough, scarred features.
"Do you think there is anyone in this world who has emerged from a vault, then had to venture on some bullshit quests to find someone or something they love, just to get fucked in the end? Do you think anyone has lived my life? Or do you think this is just some cruel joke… just like the Deathclaw. A cruel fucking joke." At some point during her mumbled reveries, she had found a bottle of whiskey in her bag.
"Maybe not. But we haven't been around the whole world, doll. In fact, I'd say odds are good there is at least one other person who knows how you feel."
Sweetpea said nothing, but Nick's words touched her heart. The old, broken detective still had a little spark in him. She smiled, giving him a pat on the back. He took it as a silent thank you.
"I'm going to walk you back to Sanctuary, then I'll be going out alone. I just… I just need to travel on my own."
"You sure? I know you're one tough little lady, but that doesn't mean we won't worry." Nick said, obviously referring to the group she now considered family, who were all back at Sanctuary.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll be okay. Just for a day or two. If I end up staying out longer, I'll try out that new courier service that just set up in Diamond City." Sweetpea said, packing as quickly as she could, ready to be alone with the radio and her thoughts.
The pair reached Sanctuary just an hour after packing up. After a nice sleep in her own bed, she ventured out on her own despite the rumbling discontent that came from her friends.
Sweetpea didn't scavenge or search through the wreckage of old buildings. If she found anything that looked interesting, she simply made a note to come back to the coordinates when she felt ready. She ended up stumbling all the way to Goodneighbour; everywhere she looked, she was reminded of Hancock, and she smiled. Sweetpea loved that crazy little ghoul.
"Hey, you should head down to the Third Rail. You have some… competition." One of the security ghouls mentioned as she passed. Sweetpea showed no outward interest, but her stomach churned.
'Competition? Now what could that possibly mean?' Sweetpea let her thoughts race as she practically jogged downstairs to the musky bar.
At first she didn't notice it. Mongolia was singing, settlers where chatting. There seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary. Sweetpea furrowed her brow. Competition? No one could compete with her. She was practically the damn Queen of the Commonwealth with all the shit she's done for others.
But then… it was clear.
The shadowed figure in the back corner, just across form Mongolia's stage, sat a figure. She set down a shot glass and chased whatever was in it with a swig of Nuka Cola. The figure stood, taking of what was clearly a trench coat and slung it nicely over the back of the small loveseat. They poured themselves another shot, and repeated, until they clapped at the end of Mongolia's song.
Sweetpea knew Mongolia would never be able to resist the new face; ordering herself a drink to get a good view at all the action.
"My, my, my… another new misfit coming to Goodneighbour to find their real home?" Mongolia was barely audible over all the typical hub-bub of the bar, but Sweetpea moved over to the collection of chairs in front of the stage, hoping to get some better reception.
"A misfit town? Come now," the figure chuckled in a feminine voice ", this ain't even close to a misfit town."
"And who gives you the authority to say that?" Mongolia chuckled, placing her hands on her hips, gently swaying back and forth.
"The fact I've been just about everyone on this burnt fleck of land gives me the authority. But pardon me. Your set was excellent, dear. That was the second time in my whole life I've ever heard music played live. Here," The figure handed Mongolia a little leather pouch, obviously full of bottlecaps ", please buy yourself something nice. On me."
Mongolia blew a kiss to the new stranger, walking to the bar with a swagger in her step. Sweetpea, one of Mongolia's many one night stands, laughed.
"You didn't even have to sleep with them and they're throwing caps at you. You just get better every day.
"Listen, Sweetpea. That woman," Mongolia gestured softly and out of notice ", is an enigma. She waltzed in here about an hour ago, bought three bottles of whiskey and three Nukas. She's just been sitting there. Hasn't even told anyone her name… reminds me of you." Mongolia winked, gently dumping the caps onto the bar top to count.
Sweetpea left her to her business, curious about the woman in the corner of the bar. As she approached, the figure became more fleshed out. While her face was scarred and sun kissed, there was still a sense of beauty to her. It was clear she couldn't be much older than herself.
Her back was straight, her posture was perfect, and her hands unfolded from her knee just for a moment to fix her auburn hair. The red lipstick hadn't been reapplied in a while, leading Sweetpea to believe she just put in on in the morning out of habit. Then, Sweetpea's eyes fell upon a PipBoy. It looked older and way more beat up than her own.
Sweetpea sat down across from her and folded her arms. The enigma didn't even look up from her drink. Sweetpea coughed, but still received no response. It was strange… everyone in the Commonwealth responded to her, some even begged to be in her presence. But this woman was acting like she was better than her.
"Never seen you hear before." Sweetpea started, cautious and slow. She wasn't certain what the dark stranger wanted.
"I've never seen you before." The woman replie.
"No, I've never seen you in the Commonwealth. Who are you?" Sweetpea insisted.
"I'm Melina." She responded.
"Cut the shit, just tell me why you're here."
Melina opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted by a loud, male voice.
"Hey, Sweets! You left Bella on the table," MacCready ran in with Sweetpea's prime laser rifle in his arms ", I just had to make sure you had it! Not like Nick sent me to check up on you." He winked in his cheesy way, leaving Sweetpea with a smile.
When his eyes lifted to the stranger known as Melina, Sweetpea could take her eyes off his face. MacCready suddenly fell still and silent. His lips pursed and his brows moved along with his thoughts; Sweetpea wondered what was going on inside his brain. She looked to Melina, who seemed calm as ever as she locked eyes with her companion, waiting for him to do anything.
"Mac… Mac, you okay?" Sweetpea whispered, shaking his arm a little.
"How are you doing, mungo?" MacCready grinned, clearly in disbelief.
"Whoa, droppin' the 'M' word? By the looks of it… you're a great big mungo yourself. And… your face still looks like my butt." Melina smiled. She could hardly contain herself leaping to her feet, MacCready jumping into her arms for a big bear hug.
"What the fuck is going on?" Sweetpea, confused and nothing else, rose to her feet and stared at the hugging pair. MacCready seemed to scoff, keeping one arm around the woman when he went to speak to her.
"I can't believe I almost forgot about this lady. Sweets, this is the Wanderer."
I just don't even know. I have an idea of where this is going so I hope everyone enjoys?