James couldn't believe his eyes. He ran down hill, trailing dust behind him. He nearly lost his footing as he climbed down the hillside. Ever since Ashur took him out hunting in the mutate forests just outside of the Pitt, James had never gone back to the railway that Wehrner had used to bring James to the Pitt.

He nearly lost his footing as he sprinted from the trail and onto the pavement. A flurry of missiles flew from the vertibirds orbiting the Prydwyn and slammed into buildings and newly rebuilt skyscrapers. Ashur had been busy while James was gone. And what was it all for?

A building collapsed and the ground shook. James panted as he sprinted past people attempting to escape the besieged city. He recognized many faces. Many who had previously been slaves. Not five years ago they wore rags and owned nothing. Now, many owned businesses, property, even trade caravans; many wore suits, dresses, jewelry in place of the scraps of clothing they once were forced to wear. Many "soldiers" in metal, leather, and combat armor rushed past pushing others aside. Society in the Pitt hadn't changed much since James had gotten sick of the place. Ashur promised change and it came, but too slowly for James. He could no longer stomach. Now he wished he stayed longer to do more, influence more changes, something. Something that would have left a legacy for the Pitt. But now, the Pitt is nothing. Reduced to rubble, purged a second time by the Brotherhood of Steel. But it was no longer a zealous and righteous swing of the sword, but a test and proving grounds for the Brotherhood's larger and future task of besieging the Commonwealth. James knew it. Maxson would have wanted nothing else.

Vertibirds rushed past overhead, miniguns blasted from the airborne vehicles. Many brave security officers or Ashur's militia took potshots at the vertibirds. Unfortunately, their attempts were in vain, they were mowed down by the well-trained crackshots in the Brotherhood. James made it into the main part of the city. A stone statue that vaguely resembled James stood in place of the old "chained man" that Ashur once erected to remind people of their place. It was vague the way James wanted it. Nothing recognisible except for the Vault 101 armor suit and the 10mm weapon that he carried. The 10mm had come to represent the law in the Pitt before James left. He caught a glimpse of it as he passed. He ran up the steps to Haven, soldiers and officers carrying assault rifles and missile launchers stacked up sandbags for the inevitable siege to come. No one recognized James. He would have smiled if it weren't for the situation.

James ran into the atrium he stormed into the elevator, past soldiers assisting escaping secretaries and office officials. They were new, Ashur had really kept his word about trying to overhaul the Pitt. James couldn't wait as the elevator inched up the tower. The doors shook open and James jumped through the slit. He ran into Ashur's office where Ashur stood, just like all the times before, behind his desk, slumped over a desk and a map of the Pitt.

"Ashur." James panted. Ashur looked up and the corner of his lip betrayed his calm composure. He almost smiled, he never does that. James thought.

"James." Ashur nodded. The building shook once more. James could hear gunshots in the distance. "I take it you've noticed the new additions we've made to the Pitt in your absence?"

"Yeah, Ashur I have. What do you-" James began. An explosion shook the whole floor, more gunshots. Closer.

"Our expansion was going so well too. You'll be proud to know your medical discoveries and tactical analyses of the Trogs allowed the militia to control the Trog population. We were so close to rebuilding the new sector. I just needed more time." Ashur muttered.

"Ashur, you're in shock. Where's Sandra? Where's Marie?" James asked. Ashur looked up grimly and gestured James to follow him.

"Sandra was in the Steel Mill. That was where the Brotherhood hit first." Ashur grunted. He shifted a piece of his shoulder armor.

"I'll go now. I'll find her Ashur, don't worry. I'll get you all out of here." James said as he grabbed Ashur's shoulder. Ashur smirked.

"You don't understand, son. The Brotherhood cratered the whole thing with their airstrikes. I doubt anyone made it out of there. Even if anyone escaped through the old coliseum tunnels, they'd only be heading straight to Trog infested blocks. It'll be a massacre for any survivor."

"My God." James whispered. "I'm so sorry." The dust fell from the ceiling as building shook gently. Ashur looked at James, both men looking into each other's' eyes. James knew, that Ashur had lost the will to live. He'd seen it in many wastelanders before. "What about Marie?" Ashur nodded. He opened the door to the playroom where Marie hid under her bed.

"Marie?" he asked gently as another explosion shook the building.

"Daddy, I'm scared!" Marie cried. Ashur coughed into his glove and James noticed that his armor was dented in several places and dusty. Scraps of shrapnel stuck out from numerous places.

"I've brought a friend to see you, little Marie." Ashur coughed and croaked. James walked out from behind Ashur's huge form.

"Hey there, baby girl." James smiled and said in his most comforting tone. Marie's eyes lit up and she burst into a smile.

"Uncle James!" she giggled as she ran to him and hugged him. The building shook and the lights flickered. James looked out the window. The Brotherhood squads were not too far from the Haven block.

"Ashur, we need to go."

"It's too late for me, boy. Take Marie. Take good care of her. Bring her home, where you came from. Save her from this place." An explosion broke Ashur's sentence. Laser blast sounds rained into the room. "They're here." Ashur sighed. "Take the emergency elevator, we had installed there. Get her out of here. I'll buy you time." Ashur grunted, he hefted a Fat man onto his shoulder and threw on an old T-45d helmet. James nodded his goodbye, picked up Marie and ran into the small compartment. The elevator shot down, much faster than James expected. His eyes failed him and the world became black for a moment. The elevator slammed inot the ground and James took off running. While still cradling Marie in his arms, James somehow navigated through the mess of the Brotherhood siege. He just ran. Ran faster than anyone could see him, faster than he ever had before; all the while holding Marie tight to her chest. She was crying. He thought he knew why, but he wasn't so sure himself. He thought the Brotherhood would never have attacked anybody that wasn't hostile. Now, he wasn't so sure. He finally stopped when he realized he had past the bridge that he first crossed when arriving at the Pitt. He turned back, a vertibird flew down and rained missiles at the bridge. The bridge collapsed. Fires raged across the rebuilt Pitt. He remembered what it had looked like when he arrived. It looked like Hell. He remembered. Is it any different now?