Disclaimer: I don't own Fallout, or anything related to it. No matter how badly I wish I did, I don't, and I never will. With that being said, I'm going to be taking plenty of liberties with the stories, and the characters that inhabit them. Again, I don't own Fallout, or anything to do with it.

Prologue

October, 2077. Sanctuary, MA.

"War. War...never changes."

Those words had been bouncing around Nate's head for the past month or so. Ever since he'd gotten the call asking him to be a guest speaker at the war memorial, he'd done nothing but work on his speech.

"Thank you, fair people of Massachusetts." As the steam cleared, he smiled at his reflection in the mirror. His smile quickly faded, and an audible groan left his lips. "I'm gonna screw this up. I know I am." He shook his head, and reached down. He turned the taps on the faucet, causing hot, steaming water to spill into the porcelain basin. He cupped his hand under the faucet, and leaned down, splashing several handfuls of water onto his face.

When he straightened himself, he found his wife's reflection smiling back at him from over his shoulder. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and her chin settled on his shoulder. "You're going to do just fine." She hummed, letting her fingers lace together against his abdomen.

Nate smiled, and set a hand on top of hers.

"You sure?" He asked, looking at her in the mirror. "Because I've been working on my speech, and-" Before he could finish his thought, Nora laughed.

"I heard." She nodded, opening her eyes. "Lose the whole, 'Fair people of Massachusetts' bit, and you'll be fine." Nate sighed, and nodded.

"I had a feeling that was too much." He set his hands on either side of the sink, and leaned forward. He studied his reflection, allowing his eyes to scan across the hardened lines that had wound their way across his weathered skin. He was young, but, the stress of war had taken it's toll on him. His eyes were dull, and the stubble that dusted his jaw was split by a thick, albeit faded, scar.

Nora sighed, and pressed her lips to his cheek.

"Really, hon." She whispered, looking at him in their reflection. "You're gonna knock 'em dead."

Nate couldn't help but smile. His wife always knew exactly what to say, and exactly when to say it.

"What would I do without you?" He asked, staring at her in the mirror. She smiled, and her nose crinkled. Her eyes fell into a squint that made his heart skip a beat, and a sound of appreciation filled the air between them. He turned in her arms to face her, leaning back against the sink. "Huh? What would I do without you, Nora? What would I do?" The final word was little more than a whisper, as he had been gradually reducing the distance between them. His lips pressed against hers, and he felt that oh-so familiar weakness in his knees that came with being married to Nora.

Of course, their happiness was short lived.

"Um...Mum?" A voice from the hall crackled, as if someone were speaking through a walkie-talkie. Nate pulled back slowly, but allowed his forehead to rest against Nora's.

"Codsworth wants you." He sighed, fighting the urge to laugh. Nora rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same.

"Yes, Codsworth?" She called out, turning to face the door. The robot peeked one of it's sensors around the door, before the rest of it's bulbous form came into view. "What is it?"

Nate took this opportunity to pull himself away from the conversation that was bound to take place. It was a conversation he'd heard every morning. In fact, he began to mumble it to himself on the way out of the bathroom. "Mum, would you like to hear a joke this morning?" He whispered under his breath, putting on a fake, cockney accent.

"Mum!" Codsworth chirped moments later, hovering into the bathroom. Nate stepped out into the hall, and shot one last look back at his wife. She was smiling, but, it was the same tired smile a mother gives their child, who just turned a beautiful painting, into a page from a coloring book. It was true, Codsworth was a Mr. Handy robot; but, to Nate and Nora, he was part of the family. "Fancy a joke this morning?" He asked, his sensors dilating, as he looked at Nora.

Nate looked down the hall, and figured he had a few moments to spare. "Yes, Codsworth." He nodded, leaning against the wall. "We would both enjoy a joke this morning."

Codsworth turned, and Nate was sure that if Mr. Handy's had been programmed to smile, Codsworth would be beaming. "Ah! Wonderful, Sir!" He waved his arms through the air, and turned back to face Nora.

"So!" Nate chuckled under his breath, and turned. "A Spy, a Communist, and a Chinaman walk into a bar." Nate felt a smile settle on his face. One of Codsworth's favorite jokes.

"He orders a drink." Nate chuckled to himself, beginning to walk down the hall. Luckily, Codsworth hadn't heard it.

"He orders a drink!" Codsworth laughed, and Nora laughed as well, though, she laughed simply because of the robot's enthusiasm, if anything. There was something so beautifully innocent about the robot and his jokes.

Nate pulled open the door at the end of the hall, and poked his head in. There, laying peacefully in his crib, was Shaun. Nate stepped into the room, and pulled the door shut behind him.

"Hey, buddy." Nate smiled, approaching the crib. Shaun looked up at Nate, and smiled. His hands rose into the air, and his fingers curled against his palms. Nate leaned onto the railing of the crib, and extended a hand toward his son. "How you doing? Good?" He asked, setting his palm against Shaun's chest. The gentle thudding that emanated from the infant's chest was all that Nate needed to know that life was good.

"How are the two most important men in my life?" Nora asked, having pulled open the door. She stepped into the room, and leaned against the wall. The smile on her face was that of a loving mother and wife. She pushed herself away from the wall, and made her way to Shaun's crib as well.

"We're good." Nate nodded, running the tips of his fingers across Shaun's cheek. "I think Shaun just woke up from a nap." He looked back down at his son, and couldn't help but smile. To Nate, all that he ever needed was in this room. Nora and Shaun were his whole entire world.

Nora set her chin on her palm, and smiled down at Shaun. "I wish we could take a nap. Lord knows we could use it." She nudged Nate with her elbow, and laughed. Nate chuckled in response, and sighed.

"Hey, I was thinking." Nate straightened his back, and looked over at Nora. "After breakfast, maybe we could go to the park? Could be-" Before he could finish speaking, the glinting metal body of Codsworth appeared in the doorway. "Mum! Sir! Come quick! The news! And please, grab young master Shaun!"

A/N: I know this is a short first chapter, and it follows the game really close, but, I'll change things up after this! I promise!