(now this is set in a paradox type universe there is no nate, no Nora, no shawn, this is as they never the story is still canon, and there are slight references and little bits here and there, but if you have not played the game you won't find them, maybe)

Time:3:50

Date:2077, Monday

(it was a normal day, hanging out with friends, grilling everything, and just partying, when over the radio an announcement that detailed we had finally went to war with china, you remember looking to you friends, only to see them melt in front of you, killed by the deadly fire of a nuke sent to the common wealth, you then feel a tingling, a warm tingling, you try to brush it off, but it does not stop, when you look down to see what was causing it, you only see your vision erupt with fire, you had almost survived the war, but the universe has a sense of humor, and as you sit there burning you realize…..the human race is doomed)

….

Time 4:40

Date:2287

(the truth about cryo sleep is you never actual dream, it's just a flash of memories starting with your birth, it is confusing, if sleep is the name than you expected to dream, but it's a jumble of loose memories, for Karen it's just some memories from high school, she had lost her memory when her parents died, they were heading home when they went through a Chinese checkpoint, the Guards thinking something was wrong, shot, and killed them, Karen was traumatized, she went to live with her aunt that lived in the boston commonwealth, Karen herself was an immigrant in America, and with the growing tensions she was hated by the kids at her school, day in day out she would hear people Call her chink and slant eyes, even the teacher's would say it behind her back, but by her high school year she was picked out for one of them vaults, she did not like the idea but anything was better than burning to death in the nuke)

(The vault was 111)

(Karen was confused she looked out in front of her, she saw the door to the cryo pod, she thought she must still be sleeping, but she then realized she could move, barely)

Karen:"(thoughts) i can move but i can't see anything, maybe"

(She tried to move her arm to the emergency unlock but she couldn't feel anything)

Karen:" wha(she tries to move her body, but all it did was flex the muscles) i can't move, i must still be under the effects of cryo"

Intercom:there is a technical problem with pod 10, please contact nearest vault-tec attendant

karen:"(thoughts)pod ten that's my pod, well that's explains it"

intercom:WARNING cryo storage lock on pod 10 has gone faulty, please contact nearest vault-tec attendant

Karen:" the doors faulty(she goes to move her legs, only for it to kick the door sending pain through her lithe body)(screams out in pain)

(she may have hurt herself, but that's another way to end cryo sleep)

Karen:" ow, no more of that(finally having control of her body she reaches for the unlock leaver)damm the lock is stuck(thoughts) i told them have a button, they're less likely to break, but no they had to have a leaver, vault-tec rules)(groan) OK just, OK, i need enough force to unstick the lever"

(she tries it a second time, only for the lever to shudder, but not open, then she puts her feet to the door and leans back pulling with all her force, only to land head first on the floor outside, the door open upwards making her pulling turn to pushing only the door went faster than her, the air made her cough, it was stifling beyond belief, she got up only to collapse back to the ground, coughing)

Karen:"(thoughts)i have to take it slow, I've been on life support air, not real air, but the air in here is different, what had happened while i was under"

(she took it slow but she managed to get back on her feet, barely, she looked around, but could barely see anything, she felt along the pods to find something)

Karen:" damn it dark, i should try and find a light"

(she then remembered the storage lockers right by the last pod, she felt and heard her way to the end pod 18, where she encountered the lockers, after a bit of rummaging, she found a lighter, it was a small lighter but it would give of a bit of light, she opened the top and started to flick it, it took a bit of flicking but it finally came on, giving her a dilapidated view of the room, to her left was the door out, but she had to do something first, she ran to the other side, her aunt, the one who took care of her, she finally made it to the pod, but what she saw made a low whine escape from her mouth, her aunt was dead, it seemed the life support went off and she asphyxiated, she slunk to the ground crying, she had come here to escape senseless killing only for her aunt to die, but as she was about to sink into depression, her mind kicked into gear, her aunt always said she had the mind of a survivor, she got up and wiped the tears away, she was not going to let herself wither away, her aunt was right, she is a survivor)

(she walked out the room, what she found in the other room was unsurprising, most of the people that had worked here were just skeletons, wearing what they had before their death, which was most lab coats)

karen:"(thoughts) they might have something i could use, no that would be disgraceful"

karen:"(survival thoughts)yes but it might save your life"

(she hashed out the thoughts, and came to the conclusion, he won't need it, she rummaged through his pockets to find a gun and some ammo, she had never actually shot a gun, from what she knew is that guns are loud and deadly, people on TV made it look easy, but from her school knowledge(mostly from rednecks) was that guns had kick and that you had to watch out for cartridges, there were some bottles on the table, she decided to take aim, and lightly squeeze the trigger until a burst happened from the gun, making her drop it)

(her ears were ringing, she tried to plug them but the ringing kept sounding)

(after few minutes, there was just a buzz and she picked up the gun again, she then got ready again and fired this time hitting the bottle, it hit the bottle with a loud CRACK! She was elated, she had actually hit something, but when she would need this, she would not know, she stuffs it in the back pocket on the vault suit, and went back to rummaging)

(in total she found, 10 more rounds of ammo, a flashlight, shades, and a scalpel)

(Karen heard skittering and turned to find a big cockroach, it was not like before the war this thing was huge, almost as big as a small dog, she grabbed the bottle on the nearest table and threw it at the roach)

(the roach turned around, saw her, then spread it wings with a chitering sound and launched itself at Karen)

(it landed hitting Karen's chest knocking her back and winding her, she felt a burning sensation where it hit her, she got up only to see its charging at her ,she grabbed the desk lamp and started to swing hoping to hit the roach, it ignored her swings and launched itself at her back, hitting her and knocking her on her face, the burning was getting intense, she then remembered the gun, she got up and frantically tried to get the gun out)

(the roach let out a loud skittering sound, and charged, Karen finally got the gun out, she stood there pointing the gun, trying to aim at the roach, she then remembered to steady herself)

karen:"(breath of relief)"

(she breathed deeply and tightly squeezed the trigger)

(a loud THWACK filled the room she had hit the roach, it lay there unmoving, belly up)

karen:"(karen opened her eyes to see the dead roach) what….yes! Woo hoo"

(her celebration was cut short when a sour smell pierced her nostril, it smelled like wet dog plus sour milk)

karen:"(retching)oh my god(more retching)"

(thankfully her stomach was empty)

(she regained her composure a little bit later, she crossed the room and went through the door)

(time lapse) 3 minutes

(AN:sorry for the time lapse, it's just that i never played the game and i don't know the layout, i would have written through all the rooms up until the pit boy, but never played it soo)

(Karen stood to the door to outside, she had just processed all that happened through the past minute, she had killed some roaches(that seem to get deadlier as you progress) got some items, and found a skeleton, decked out in lab coat and dust, but the thing that got her attention was what he was wearing, she picked it up and wiped it off to reveal the big word ROBCO PIP-BOY 3000 MARK IV)

Karen:" oh"

(she undid the latch and strapped it to her forearm, where it flickers to life, reading out the no copyright boot up, then it switches to her stats, of course she did not know much, except a 1 on guns, she pulled up the inventory to find her items were already logged, it was weird it was like it already tuned to her, but she was not on file, it boggled her mind, but it worked, she climbed the stairs to the door controls, she plugged her new pip boy to the control and hammer out a few commands she knew from school)

(a blinding light filled the doorway before it encompasses the whole room, it was like she had lived underground her whole life, her eyes were burning, like someone lit a match and touched her eye)

(her vision finally cleared, and she headed out the huge vault door)

("In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.")

(she had known the nuke would cause damage, but everything was dead, the grass was singed, the trees were barren and stripped, a choking wind blew a heat wave that felt like it was eating away at Karen, she took a minute to see the damage that the bomb had caused)

(she noticed slight movement on the ground below the cliff)

Karen:" humans, maybe they can help me"

(she tired to make her way down the steep, hill carefully, only to end up on her face at the bottom)

karen:"(wipes away the pebbles that stuck to her face) why did they put the vault on a steep incline(she got up and cracked her back)

(Karen did not like the new world, every little thing she did sent a burning sensation through her body)

karen:"(survival thoughts)it must be radiation, you might want to get inside"

(luckily the "humans" where near a gas station)

(time lapse) few minutes

(she had finally caught up with the group of "humans", but when she came face to face with them they could not be described as "human", they were deformed, tall, green tinted monsters, they were lugging around assorted weapons, they were mutants)

mutant:" LOOK BOSS A HUMAN"

(it's voice was loud and annoying, it gave her a headache)

(what only Karen can guess was the boss grunted and motioned for his lackeys to get her)

(Karen took this as her chance to run, she turned on her heels and started booking it)

….

(Karen triped, she looked down at what she tripped on only to see blood, with a bear trap stuck to her leg attached to a chain, it sent a searing pain all the way up her leg)

(then she was getting dragged towards the monsters, she tried to stop but they were stronger)

Mutant leader:" LOOKS LIKE WE'RE EATING WELL TONIGHT"

(karen's mind went blank suddenly, she had escaped the vault only to get eaten by a cannibalistic mutant, her leg bleeding and sending mind numbing pain through her body)

?:" hey idiots"

(it was like it was in Karen's head at first, until the chain went slack, she looked back to see actual humans, they were talking to the mutants, mostly the guy who seemed like the leader)

?:" what did i tell you mutants, no vault dwellers"

Mutant:" YOU HUMANS THINK YOU OWN THE WORLD, DIE!"

(The mutant swung its hammer at the leader only for him to side-step it, and to counter it with a kick to the mutants gut buckling him and then he pulls out a big revolver and shoots the leader and his guard, the rest were taken care of by the other humans, the leader took notice of Kazan and started walking to Karen)

(Karen's jumped, she had nearly been eaten by cannibalistic mutants, maybe he was cannibal, she tried getting up, only for her leg to buckle under the pain of the bear trap, the guy stopped and put his hand up in a reassuring way)

?:" whoa. Whoa, i won't hurt you"

(Karen managed to talk through all the pain)

Karen:" how do i know that"

?:" now in the only one who can get that bear trap off(he moves a bit closer)"

Karen:"(pulls out her pistol) stay right there"

(The guy stopes right there)

?:" whoa hey no need to shoot me see(he drops all his weapons)see i dropped my weapons, now there's no way for me to harm you"

(Karen was about to drop it when a torrent of pain rang it's way through her body making her drop the gun and clutch her leg)

(the guy crossed the distance and pushed the gun away, he then check her wound, the most she allotted)

?:"(he pulls his bandanna down and his goggles off to get a better look) lucky you they at least clean their weapons, this will go septic in a little, (he puts his hand on the trap, lightly as to not hurt her)I need your permission, this will hurt though"

(Karen gets a look at him, he had a scar going down his eye reaching to his mouth, stopping at his chin, he had many other scar peppering his face, to Karen he almost looked beautiful)

Karen:"(thoughts) he at least asked, he may not be that bad"

(Another torrent of pain wormed its way through her body again, making her gasp in pain)

Karen:"y-yes"

?:" ok(he reaches into his pockets to find a cork, he hands it to karen)here this is for the pain"

(Karen looks at him. Confusingly)

?:" it's to make sure you don't bite through. Your tongue or break you teeth"

(She puts the cork in her teeth and gives it a bite)

(Guy puts his hand around the teeth of the trap, giving her a look to make sure she's ready, when he sees a nod he starts pulling)

(It sends pain through every part of her body, making her toes curl up and making her bite down on the cork, it lasted for a minute)

(The Bloody bear trap lay to the left forced open, and Karen lay there with labored breaths trying not to go into shock , she could still feel the teeth of the trap around her leg and the guy bandaging her leg)

?:" (jokingly) hey don't you die, you haven't even met some of the deadliest ways to die yet, GUYS our friend here needs some help walking"

(Two men walk. Over, they were a mismatch pair, one guy was a giant in his own way, he wore a helmet with goggles put on the outside, the other Was a walking beanpole, Karen had a laugh thinking of how he was going to carry her, but then the big guy picked her up and moved her over to this big caravan wagon and put her inside)

(The inside of the caravan smelled musty and was dark but she could feel every movement that the caravan made, she then noticed she wasn't alone, it was the kid from outside, she could tell he was a kid now that he wasn't wearing that bandanna, he is a short wiry redneck kid he looked around a bit paranoid like, until his vision stopped on Karen )

?:" hey lady are you alright"

(Karen wanted to tell him that she's thirsty but she couldn't trust none of them, during her little time in the new world, she has already been threatened with cannibalism and death, her old trusting nature had gone away now it's survival time)

?:" you don't. Talk that much do you, well I've got to break the ice somehow(he holds his hand out) my name is silas and i am the "best" caravan guard"

(This makes her laugh, he even air quoted himself when he said best)

Karen:"(laugh) OK silas(she holds out her hand)my names Karen

Silas:" well thanks miss Karen, nobody usually talks to me on the account that I'm just an illiterate westerner, or that I'll talk your ear off"

Karen:" well i don't mind that silas"

silas:" oh really miss Karen"

Karen:" yes"

(That's when the floodgate opened, her and silas Talked the rest of the day, just chatting, Karen almost felt like she was back in the old world, and the stories silas told of their adventures where epic, they had been everywhere from here to the sea(except now they call it the glowing sea)they had even set up camp at the sanctuary hills housing area)

(Time lapse) 4 hours

(Silas was about to fill her in on their leader that only goes by the name jack when the wagon came to a stop, she could hear wood being taken out of the other wagons, she decided to take a peek, she opened the flap of the wagon)

(She had not realized it was night, the caravaners were sitting around homemade campfire, talking, singing, and cooking food, the aroma hit Karen like a freighter, her stomach growled furiously, she had not eaten anything in the past few days, well the past few years, silas took notice of her stomach growls)

Silas:" well ma'am it seems you must be hungry, let's go see what we can get you to eat"

( they climbed out of the caravan, then Silas led her to the nearest food handler, who was handing out bowls of spiced meat, Karen not caring it was spiced grabbed, and found a spot nearest to the campfire)

(Silas sat down beside her)

Silas:"m-man I've never seen a woman scarf down her food like that"

(She then. Realized she was)

Karen:" sorry"

Silas:" don't worry ma'am, i know what it's like to be hungry, we've all have"

(Karen looked around, she was surprised to see the likeness between the caravan and the caravaners from old history, they talked, sang songs, heck there were even people dancing, and sitting around a campfire telling stories, will she was taking in the sights she noticed their leader silently making his way behind the crowd, then disappearing behind one of the caravan's, she decided to see what this was about, she got up and walked over to the caravan)

(She noticed that nobody was caring about him behind the caravan, she went behind it to find him loading and cleaning weapons)

Jack:" I'm guessing it's the vault dweller, right"

(This made her stop)

Jack:"(turns around)no don't worry I was just cleaning my weapons, what do you need"

Karen:" well i just wanted to talk"

Jack:"well silas seems to like talking, maybe you could talk to him"

Karen:"why don't you want to talk'

jack:"(sigh)because talking can get you killed in the wasteland"

Karen:"huh"

Jack:"this aint the friendly world you left, this is the wasteland, instead of friendly color book animals, there's irradiated monsters"

Karen:"that is-"

Jack:"oh yeah(he pulls down his bandana to reveal his scar)my first time outside, a deathclaw gets a claw in, leaving me bleeding out, i found the strength to fight, this is the wasteland, friends are a hamper, just leave me alone"

(knowing she was beat, she left)

(she found herself sitting beside silas again)

Karen:"whats jacks problem?"

Silas:"well i may not like being anti-social, but he has the best reason to be"

Karen:"and what could that be"

Silas:"well i heard this from some of the others, but jack is a synth"

Karen:"a what"

Silas:"oh yeah your a dweller, a synth is a android, whatever that means, but i've seen how they operate"

Jack:"SILAS!, you you need to tell everyone my secret"

(This made silas jump, jack came out of nowhere suddenly, karen, who had thought she was stealthier had not detected him)

Karen:"is it true?"

Jack:"well i guess the cat's outta the bag, yes i'm a synth"

Karen:"what does that mean"

Jack:"(sigh) as smart people put it, a synthetic organism made to look and act(karen starts poking him in the face)human"

Karen:"you feel like a human, silas come check it out"

(Now they where both poking and prodding him)

jack:"(sigh) ok yeah we get it i feel and look human, do you even know what being a synth is like"

Karen:"and what would that be like"

Jack:"well for a start, everyone and i mean everyone hates you, just because of your supposed allegiance to the institute, but the most of all you can hear everything said behind your back, like with silas"

Silas:"oh i never said nothing about you captain"

Jack:"(he says without looking up) your pupils dilated and your heart rate quickens, and should i mention the things you talk with tank about"

(this time karen can see the nervousness that silas expresses)

Karen:"what else can synths do"

(jack was about to say something when he notices a knife throwing board(it's just a dart board repurposed)

jack:"(sigh)"

(he gets out a standard issue combat knife and throws it without looking, so fast that karen didn't perceive it until she hears a THUNK)

(karen looks back to see he got a perfect bullseye)

Jack:"and on top of that i'm stronger and more durable than normal people, any more annoying questions"

(karen was about to say something when jacks eyes met hers)

Jack:"just take my word, you would have been better off not knowing my secret"

Karen:"why"

Jack:"i see that your chinese, and my records say that chinese were hated during the post war days, it's like that now except for synths, everyone hates me, but i've came to the conclusion"

Karen:"and what is that"

Jack:"(speaking in a monotone voice)that is normal for humans, the humans of the old world, hated people who were not similar, they hated anyone who wasn't of white descent and humans hate other genders"

Silas:"uhh boss your really creeping me out"

(jack cradles his head)

jack:"(laugh)i guess that damm cpu is taking over, well i need to charge, feel free to talk all you want about me i guess(he gets up and heads to the nearby building)"

(karen gets up to follow him but is stopped by silas)

Silas:"uh karen that building is litrdwith radiation"

Karen:"how do you know"

(silas points to the radioactive waves coming off the building)

Silas:"you ain't getting far in there without severe radiation poisoning, it's best to let him cool down, he'll be okay in the morning"

(karen couldn't argue with him, he knew more about jack than anyone, she sat down beside him, staring into the campfire)

…

Karen:"so how do you know jack"

(that was long, this has to be the longest chapter i ever wrote, but i had to fit every little tidbit about karen and the caravan i could in, just to end it on a little cliffhanger, feel free to reaview, i don't mind criticism ether, room to improve is needed and if you got any ideas feel free to share :)