Sickness
Lies My Mother Told Me
By all accounts, Marie was an average girl living in Megaton with her mother. As average as a nine-year-old could be in the devastated landscape of the Capital Wasteland. She had bushy black hair that she kept in a low ponytail and her eyes were intense, like she could see right through a person. She looked clean, even when she and the other children had been playing outside all day. It was almost unnatural how her skin didn't seem to take on the dirty wastelander tan.
She had always lived in Megaton and rarely ventured out. For as long as she could remember, Marie and her mother had lived in the two story shack on the walkway right by the entrance into town. When her mother was out, Marie was left in the care of Wadsworth, the old Mister Handy that kept the house in order, or Charon, the really tall Ghoul that her mother kept around as a bodyguard. Moira Brown from the supply shop sometimes stopped in to check on her.
Marie's mother was a strange woman. A former Vault dweller, her mother had the naïve look of someone that was new to town, despite having lived there for over ten years. She had grown accustomed to the wastes long ago. She took to it better than most did. Though friendly, her mother was naturally wary of strangers. Most assumed that came from growing up in a Vault. It was hard for her mother to trust newcomers and she always had some sort of weapon on her at all times.
Like two peas in a pod, Marie and her mother were almost always seen together. The two looked nothing alike and many newcomers in town were quick to point that out when it was mentioned the two were mother and daughter. Marie knew her mother was not her birth mother. Marie understood that she was found in a raider hideout and taken in by the woman she now called her mother. Her mother loved her as if Marie were her own and she always said as much. Marie never questioned this story because she never had a reason to.
Marie was never left alone for more than a day. If her mother needed to go somewhere far away, Marie usually came along. The farthest Marie had ever been from this little two-story shack by the town gate was to Rivet City, and even then she was in the care of some friends of her mother. Now that Marie was coming upon her tenth birthday, she had hoped that her mother would be more trusting and let her stay in the shack alone for extended periods of time. She decided to bring this up after the festivities.
The day before her tenth birthday should have been an exciting day. Marie's mother should have been bustling around, trying to get the house ready for a little party. Wadsworth would have been going about trying to find substitutes for the cake recipe, and Marie would be spending her day trying to find her birthday present. Her mother always hid it so well. Marie wandered if some of the kids from the local Vault would be allowed to come to her party. She doubted it. Her mother's friend, Amata, sometimes came for a visit. It was rare and her mother was always sad when she left, but she liked Aunt Amata.
Marie woke up and didn't hear the sounds of her mother shuffling about downstairs. She heard Wadsworth say they had a visitor and then her mother talking with someone. Marie cracked her door and poked her head out just slightly. She recognized the voice as Gob, the Ghoul that had been running the saloon since Mr. Moriarty "disappeared" a few years ago. No one was sure what happened to Mr. Moriarty. One day he left town on a business venture and never came back. After about a year, Gob the Ghoul bartender and Nova the "Innkeeper" took over. Gob and Nova had been running the saloon ever since. Her mother's Ghoul worker, Charon, worked there some nights as a bouncer to earn extra caps.
"…where did he say he was from?" Marie's mother asked.
"Some place called 'The Pitt' up north. I've heard of it from passing travelers. I hear since that tunnel collapse ten years ago, it's gotten worse. Long-haul traders usually give it the wide berth. I thought he was trying to sell me a crock of shit, but then he told me he was looking for you." Gob said, crossing his arms.
Marie's mother sounded panicked. "Did he say why?" she asked.
"No, he didn't. I told him I didn't know who he was talking about. He accused me of lying and I had Charon escort him out. I don't know if he believed me or not, but Nova saw him stalking around town earlier. He has raider written all over him. He's here alone from the talk around the tavern. I don't think he'll do anything stupid while in town, but I think you might want to hold off on scavenging runs outside Megaton for a while." Gob sounded deeply concerned. "You've been good to me. You helped me set up my place after that bastard Moriarty…" Gob cleared his throat. "…when Moriarty 'left'. I owe you much more than that. Hell, Megaton owes you big time. I don't want to see you get any more banged up than usual."
Marie's mother sounded more scared than she'd ever heard her. "If the tunnel collapsed, how did he get here?"
"I'm not sure. I'm guessing there are other ways. The tunnel was probably just the fastest way. Though, I don't assume it took someone almost ten years to walk from the Pitt. I know it's up north but it's not that far up north." Gob said.
"Maybe they didn't know where to look first." Marie's mother said. "Is he still in town?"
"I don't know. I asked some of the regulars to keep an eye out. Do you think this guy is trouble?" Gob asked.
"He knew my name and he knew about what happened in The Pitt. He's trouble. Did he say what his name was?" Marie's mother asked.
"No, just said that some guy named Ashur finally tracked you down."
Ashur…where had Marie heard that name before? It sounded familiar. Marie knew she had to start getting ready soon, but she didn't want her mother to know she was eavesdropping. The lone school house in the city would be opening its doors soon and Marie couldn't be late again.
"Ashur is still alive? I would have thought the rioting slaves would have killed him if the disease or the trogs hadn't first…" Marie heard her mother whisper. "This is bad. Gob, is Charon still at the bar?"
"I usually let him go right about now. He's probably on his way here now. Why?" Gob asked.
"Good. Let me know if anyone else comes around asking for me or Marie, alright?"
Marie heard Gob make some affirmative grunts and then leave. A minute or so later, the door opened again. Marie heard the familiar stomps of Charon, her mother's Ghoul worker. Marie was never clear on the specifics of how the tall Ghoul came into her mother's employ. He had always been with them, just like Dogmeat up until a few years ago. Dogmeat was now buried outside the cave to the big Vault nearby. Charon often said that Marie's mother held his contract, but she never knew what that meant. Charon would escort Marie and her mother whenever they'd go to Rivet City or some other settlement and Marie liked spending time with him. He was quiet, but he talked sometimes. He called Marie Little Miss and her mother Ma'am. She was always trying to get him to be more independent and to think for himself. It took ten years, but when Charon asked her mother if he could work part time at Gob's, her mother instantly said yes.
"Ma'am, someone was poking around the bar asking for you last night." Charon said.
"I know, Charon. Gob just came by. Do you know what he said?" Marie's mother asked.
"He said he was from The Pitt. Is it true? Did they track you down after all this time?" Charon asked. For some reason, Charon rarely used contractions in his speech and it made him sound like a robot from the old holotape movies they sometimes watched. It was like Charon was programed to do as his employer said, despite her mother telling him many times that he was his own person.
"Yes, it is." Marie's mother said. "Charon, I want you to escort Marie to the schoolhouse today." Marie's mother hated ordering Charon around unless she absolutely had to. Charon was honor bound to follow her instructions, but her mother always did what she could to make Charon feel like more than just a servant. "I want you to be no less than three feet from her at any given time today unless she is with me. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Ma'am. I will guard Little Miss with my life." Charon said. Marie could hear the uncertainty in the ghoul's voice. "But is it safe for her to be out and about with this Ashur person looking for you?"
Marie's mother sighed. "We're barely safe in here. I don't want Marie to think anything is wrong. She'll get scared and it'll bring attention to us. Charon, we're leaving Megaton tonight."
Marie's eyes widened when she heard that. "All of us?" She heard Charon ask.
"Yes, all four of us. You, me, Marie, and Wadsworth. You're more than just a hired gun, Charon. I keep telling you that. You're a part of this family, too. And that means you're in just as much danger as me and Marie. I'll have Wadsworth pack up mine and Marie's things and then you pack up yours tonight. We have to leave as soon as possible. I was stupid to think they'd never come after me…" Marie's mother sounded like she was about to cry.
"Do not worry, Ma'am. I will protect this family." Charon said. "We will need to make the necessary arrangements with Sheriff Simms and I will have to get my final pay from Mr. Gob."
"Yes, of course. I'll do all that today while Marie is at school." Marie's mother sighed. "Charon, did Moira finish with Marie's gift?"
Marie perked up again. Hearing about her birthday present almost made Marie forget about everything else she had just heard. Marie tried to open the door quietly so she could hear better, but the loud squeak of the old hinges gave her away. Her mother and Charon looked up and saw her. Her mother knew at that moment that Marie heard everything. She crossed her arms and looked at Charon. They were caught and her mother's face showed it. Charon's face never really showed much.
"It appears Little Miss overheard us." Charon said.
Marie's mother nodded. She thought for a bit and seemed to come up with a new plan. "Marie, you're not going to school today. Charon, go to Moira's with Wadsworth." She started, reaching into her pocket and taking out a small sack of caps. "Get all the food and medical supplies she has in stock, as well as ammo and anything else you think we'll need. Have her give Wadsworth a once over and pick up Marie's birthday gift. When you're done with that, go settle things with Gob and Sheriff Simms."
Charon didn't like being an errand boy, but he made an exception due to the seriousness of the situation. He waved for Wadsworth to follow him and left without another word. Marie's mother knew she could trust the tall Ghoul. He had been loyal to them and her mother was always good to Charon.
"How much did you hear, Marie?" her mother asked, when they were alone.
"I heard Mr. Gob come in and say something about a man named Ashur." Marie looked thoughtful. "I feel like I've heard that name before."
Marie's mother sat down in a nearby chair. "You probably have, but if you remembered I'd be amazed. Marie, you're ten years old tomorrow. I've always done my best to be honest with you and to make sure you grew up into a respectable person. When you were five, you asked why you didn't look like me. Do you remember what I told you?"
Marie nodded and sat next to her. "You told me you found me after clearing out a raider hideout." Marie said. It was a story she didn't like thinking about. "You had heard of some raiders taking people away to be sold up north. When you cleared out their hideout, I was the only survivor. You said you didn't know what happened to my real parents. You brought me back here and you and Charon raised me."
With a thoughtful look, Marie's mother nodded. "Marie, forgive me but that's only a half-truth." She said. "I saved you from raiders, but the story goes deeper than that. I saved you not just from a life of servitude, but from a life of being a test subject."
Marie looked confused. "What does that mean, Mama?" she asked.
"Marie, you were born with a unique condition. You're naturally immune to most forms of radiation. Whether or not you still have that immunity, I don't know." Her mother sighed. She had that habit. It was as if she was thinking of a different time and place when Marie was around. "I was afraid to have you tested for that as you got older because I thought they'd take you away from me. I couldn't stand the thought of you being poked and prodded your entire life for some farfetched dream of a diseased and dying city. You deserved more than that."
"Where are you going with all this, Mama?" Marie asked.
"I know where you were born and I know who your birth parents are and I'm sorry this is how you find out." Her mother said, holding back strained tears. She tried to pick her next words properly, but she knew it was no use. What she was about to tell Marie would not go down smoothly. How does one tell a child their entire life up until now was a complete lie? How could she justify her actions of that night and the many sleepless nights after basically kidnapping a child? What right did she, a newcomer and total stranger to those people, have to make that decision? She tried to justify her actions many times over the years, but she knew it was her penance to live with these actions for the rest of her life. "Your parents weren't wastelanders I was too late to save. Looking back on it now, maybe they were. You were born in a place called The Pitt. It's a horrible place; diseased and dying from more than just radiation. I was brought in the help save the people there."
Not sure how to take all this in, Marie just nodded. "Did you?" she asked.
Her mother shook her head. "I was already too late. The ravages of that sickness took those people years before I arrived. If it didn't drive you insane, it mutated you into something…" Her mother winced at the memory of fighting the beasts of the steelyard. "…something inhuman. Some were saved many years before I got there. Some of my friends in the Brotherhood at the Citadel came from that place, but they were the rare ones saved from the illness. A man came to the Capital Wasteland looking for help freeing his people. He gave an entire population hope…" Marie's mother looked like she was about to cry. "…but it was all a lie in the end."
Marie looked like she didn't want to hear the rest, but she had to know the truth. "What happened to those people, Mama?" she asked.
Her mother looked down at her with a sad, nostalgic face. "I was going to wait until you were eighteen, but you're old enough now. When I finish my story, I hope you won't judge my actions too harshly. If you're angry at me, if you hate me, if you think I'm a selfish person hiding my actions behind altruism, I will understand. Those thoughts, and more, have crossed my mind many times over the years. But please remember, after everything is said and judgement has passed, that I take sole responsibility for what happened and none of it is your fault. I will live with this for the rest of my life so you can live yours without guilt and the need to atone."
Marie nodded and sat close to her mother.
With a big sigh and a silent prayer for strength, Marie's mother was finally ready to tell this terrible story. "Ten years ago…"
Hi, hi, everyone! I'm Luna Peachie!
If you don't know me, well it's nice to meet you! So, you might be asking, "Luna Peachie? Why are you writing a fan fiction for a game that's almost ten years old? And why are you doing it now? And what about your other projects?"
Well, oddly nosy individual, I'll tell you! I recently replayed Fallout 3 to freshen my outlook on the games. By the way, it runs horribly on Windows 10 because it's not compatible. I found myself oddly drawn to The Pitt DLC when it came out, but I hadn't started writing fan fiction at the time. It's a tragic story under a lot of dirt, grime, and disease. Like many of my stories, this idea had been floating around in my head for a while but I could never put it on paper (or, type it in Word haha).
Taking a break from another fic, I decided to type some ideas. I added a few more every so often while working on other projects and once I organized my inane rambling into an actual chapter, I decided to post it.
I'm guessing I'm not the first person to have the "What if I take Marie from the Pitt and raise her as my own?" idea when playing the DLC and I doubt I'm the only person to post a fic about it. I don't plan on making this a long fic. Maybe five chapters or less depending on how well it does review and fav wise.
How did I do? Would you like to see me continue this story? Let me know in a review and I'll continue it! Updates might be sporadic as I am working on a major fic in the Fallout 4 zone of this little area, but I do plan do finish it if it gets the right amount of support! And don't forget to follow me on Tumblr and dA for updates on my projects and other fun stuff!
And so, I welcome you to my new side project! Read, review, and be merry!
Fallout belongs to Bethesda.
