Hello guys. This is my first Fanfiction ever, and here's chapter one. This is a journey about the female courier finding herself again, seeing how the wasteland is a sad place, trying to follow her moral compass and battling with her past as she dives deep inside herself to remember her past life. Like I said this is my first story I've ever written, so please feel free to comment, critique and offer input and ideas on where this should go. I also would like to thank everyone in advanced for taking the time to read this.

I will try to update this weekly, and I will also leave warnings for the more sinister or sultry chapters... So yeah, enjoy guys!

Sirens blared all over the place. The sound startling a young girl and forcing her out of a deep slumber. Panic stirred up inside of her. Her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear and feel her pulse inside of her ears. Quickly she jumped out of her bed, and ran to the doorway of her room that connected to her T shaped hallway. She peeked her head out and scanned the hallway for her parents. They were no where to be found. "Mom!" the girl yelled, "Dad!" But there was no answer. Quickly she tried to asses the situation. The sirens... Were they just the smoke detectors? Was there a fire within the house? The girl quickly dismissed that idea. There would be smoke rising to the ceiling. The temperature of the house would be unbearably hot. Quickly she dismissed this idea.
She walked down the hall toward the stairs and decided to glance outside of her window. Towns people were running in every direction. It was utter chaos. Just as she registered what the sirens were indicating, she heard it. A thundering BOOM assaulted her ear drums followed my what felt like an earthquake under her feet.
The bombs were falling!

Oh god. I gotta find mom and dad. No! I don't have time, I need to get to the vault.

With that thought, her mind was made up, she would have to make it to the vault. Mom and Dad didn't even bother to get her and take her to safety. Surely she would see them at the vault.
She tried to remain as calm and collected as she could. She couldn't break now, not under this kind of pressure. Her life depended on it, and running around like a maniac was not going to get her to safety.
"Blanca! Here girl! Blanca!" She screamed as she made her way down the stairs into the main foyer of the house.
Slight panic slapped across her face as she realized her dog wasn't coming. She wasn't leaving for the vault without Blanca. She meant too much for her. She began to jog to the backyard to see if she was out there. Down the hall, to the left through the kitchen and to the back door. She slammed the sliding glass door open and began to call Blanca some more.
"Here girl! Blanca! Blanca where are you?!"
Nothing. She decided to backtrack through the house. She didn't have time to put shoes on, to get dressed. She ran out the front door, the crisp autumn air slapping across her bare legs, her waist to upper thigh barely protected by her shorts. Her belly short offered little protection from the cool air as well. She ignored the goosebumps rising on her skin and broke out into a sprint. She needed to find Blanca.
Thats when she heard it. Somehow over the blaring sirens, and the panic ridden residents screaming, she heard Blanca's bark. Quickly she darted across the street and to the right, following the direction of her companions cries.
She weaved in and out of the sidewalk and weaseled her way through crowds of pedestrians. The dogs cries becoming louder, closer.
The young woman stopped for a minute, not even realizing it, to admire one of the last moments of mankind. There was a large fire not too far off in the distance. She could see the smoke rising and the dim glow of flames dancing wildly, lighting up the night sky. It was terrifying yet beautiful.
For a moment time didn't move. Everything stood still.
Suddenly a whimper could be heard, and it snapped her back to reality. Picking up the pace, she continued to follow the cries.
Legs moving as fast as possible and arms pumping, her track instincts kicking in, and she was back on track.
The vault wasn't too far from her, and she was sure she would see Blanca any minute. She would find her, pick her up and then they can start heading towards- Her thought trailed off as she registered what was in front of her eyes.
Blanca was there, on the floor, crying out in pain. Blood all over the place, all over her. She looked up, saw her owner and let out a whimper. Her chest was moving quickly. Panting the dog cried out once again. The young woman ran over to her, tears filling up in her eyes. She couldn't believe it. Couldn't fathom the fact that people were just running past, not even trying to help a poor, suffering animal.
She put a hand on Blancas head, and she seemed to calm down a little. She gently tucked a hand underneath the crying pups torso, but to no avail. Blanca let out a scream of pain. The poor thing wasn't going anywhere.
She had two options at this point: Leave Blanca and head for safety, or stay with her. Human instinct kicked in and told her to make a run for the vault.
It was decided. The girl kissed her dog, sat down on the grass, and started to hum her faithful companion a tune.
She lied down next to the dog, put her arm around her and closed her eyes. She felt the tears building up, her head starting to hurt. A tongue made its way across her face, reassuring her of its love.
Together they laid there, only hearing the tune of her hum. Eyes close, she felt defeated.
In that instant, a bomb fell close by. She opened her eyes and saw a bright light. Felt the heat growing closer. If she was going to die, it would be on her terms. She was happy she would live her final moments next to Blanca.
As the blast radius grew closer, she couldn't help but think about her life. How her parents left her when the sirens went off, and how she wasn't ready for it to end like this.
In an instant. It was over. Fire purged all that was left of her and her dog.

Pain began to take over, and god did it hurt. The Courier felt as if someone had bashed her head in with a lead pipe. Or a Power Fist. As The Courier opened her eyes, everything was hazy. Her vision blurred even more as she tried to sit up. A hand touched her shoulder, and a soothing voice followed.
"Whoa, easy there. Easy. You been out for a couple of days now."
The Courier shifted in the bed, looking around trying to take in the environment.
"Why don't you just relax a second? Get your bearings."
His voice was filled with concern. The Courier was confused. What could have happened that she was out for a couple of days? How many days exactly? She decided she was going to ask this man.
Just as she opened her mouth to say something, she closed it. Perhaps it would be best to wait before she probes him for information.
"Do you understand me? Can you speak?" The man started.
"Yes, I believe so." The Courier said. She was shocked at how beautiful her voice sounded. It had a soft, mid pitch to it. It was warm and inviting. Calm and cool. "Well then." The man started. "Let's see what the damage is. How about your name? Can you tell me your name?"
Puzzled, The Courier didn't know what her name was. She closed her eyes, and focused as hard as she could. Her head began to hurt.
"Don't strain yourself too much. You took a bullet to the head. It's okay if you don't remember your name. Anyway, I'm Doc Mitchell, and I patched you up." He said.
"Thank you for that doctor." The Courier said. She meant it. To be shot in the head and survive... He must have been a skilled doctor. Kind too, he didn't know who she was. Most people would just fend for themselves in a wasteland.
A wasteland! The Courier was so excited that she remembered that they lived in a wasteland. I guess she didn't forget everything. "I do want to remember my name. So if you don't mind doctor. I would like to sit here and think a little longer. It'll give my body time to adjust to being upright also." She was so sure of it.
The doctor sat there patient. With all of the willpower she could muster up, and concentrated long and hard.

I think it starts with a J. Jessica? No that's not right. Janet? No, no, not at all. Maybe Jill? That sounds like it fits.

"I don't mean to be a bother. I think I know what my name is, can I have a piece of paper and a pen?" She asked. She was sure if she wrote it down and it felt natural, then her name was Jill.
"Sure thing, give me one second." The doctor got up and walked over to his desk. He rummaged through the drawers, retrieving a pencil, and paper. He also grabbed a binder so she had a flat, stable surface to write on.
The doctor made his was back over and took a seat next to her. He handed her everything he had retrieved and she could feel his eyes concentrating on the paper.
With the pencil in hand, she began to write out Jill. It came to her naturally, which wasn't surprising at all. She did have a good feeling that was her name.
"Jill." The Courier said. "My name is Jill."
"Well Jill, it's a pleasure to meet you. Where ever you came from, you must have had top notch education. No one out here knows how to write their name cursive like you do, and they don't write as neat either." The doctor chuckled.
"I wish I could remember, but I guess it'll come back to me in time." Jill said with hope in her eyes. She put her mind to it and figured out her name. She'll be able to figure out everything else. "Let's try and get you out of bed now." The doctor motioned for her to get up, extending his hand out to her.
Jill accepted his help, and was on her two feet in mere seconds. He motioned for her to follow him into the other room. To the right and through an archway in the door. He ushered her to a couch and motioned for her to sit. She complied.
Sitting across from her, the doctor took a seat. He began to speak. "I just wanna ask you a few questions before I let you go. It's important to make sure that you're brain isn't damaged and you'll be able to function in society."
Though his words weren't sugarcoated, she appreciated his honesty and concern. She would answer his questions to the best of her ability.
Once they finished up, they headed over to his front door. Just as Jill as about to open the door into the wasteland, the doctor stopped her.
"When they brought you in, these were the items that you had on you. I've also put a couple stimpacks in your bag as well. I would also like to give you my Pip Boy 3000. You'll get more use out of it than I will." Doc Mitchell smiled, handing her everything.
It was then Jill realized she wasn't dressed. She had been walking around in booty shorts, and a tank top. Her face began to burn. She was embarrassed and it showed.
The doctor politely turned around while she dressed. While her outfit didn't offer any protection, it was cute and easy to navigate in. She had cowboy boots, that came up mid calf. A skin tight shirt that cut off right above her belly button, and denim shorts. They were snug and accentuated her features. Lastly, she grabbed her hair tie and put her long auburn hair in a messy bun. "I have an old pistol you can have, the wasteland can be a dangerous place, you'll find it in your bag. I also went and logged all your items into the Pip Boy for you." The doctor offered everything he had to her. Jill decided she owed him a debt she couldn't repay. Thanking him, she dug in her bag, grabbed the pistol, and holstered it on her hip. It felt natural, and she instantly knew all about the weapon.

Have I handled guns before? I mean, I know that I have to cock the chamber after loading a new clip in. They also need to be maintained, and if I find a similar weapon I'm sure I can scavenge whatever parts needed for repairs.

She decided she had some type of experience with guns. Maybe she was military? No, she didn't feel like she would be the military type. They have too many rules.
Digging in her bag a little more, she found a knife. It was the size of a dagger. And easy to conceal in her boot. Perhaps she had some hand to hand combat experience?

Well lets hope that I don't have to find out.

The doctor wished her luck and told her to speak to Sunny Smiles, and that Jill would be able to find her at the Saloon.
"Before I leave doctor, I had a dream while I was out. I had a dream that I lived in the world, before the war. I heard sirens, people were panicking and bombs were going off everywhere. I was looking for my dog and I found her and she was injured badly. I decided to lay down next to her, and die with her. As the fire from the blast radius reached us, I woke up. Is that some sort of an omen? Do you think it means anything?"
The doctor didn't know what to say, and it was easy to read by his facial expression. He looked up in the air, as if an answer was going to appear there. Frowning, he apologized and said he didn't know what that meant.
"Perhaps you've heard stories passed down from you're mother and father about your ancestors life back then. Or maybe you've just read a lot of books about Pre War times and it was your brains way of coping with being shot." That was the best answer she was going to get, and it was good enough for now she supposed. As she turned to leave, the doctor spoke.
"Sunny Smiles will be able to teach you how to use that gun, and how to survive in the wasteland. Good luck out there." The doctor said as Jill opened the door. It was time to start her long journey.
As she turned the doorknob, she thanked Doc Mitchell one more time and said her farewells. As the door swung open, the sunlight immediately blinded her. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust. Scanning the area, she saw a small town, a school on a hill, an old gas station, and crops. There were some Brahmin near what she assumed to be a farmer. A quick glance to the left a little and she saw a general store. Next to it was a Saloon. Taking a deep breath, she headed for Sunny Smiles, hoping that the bullet didn't mess up her social skills too much. She didn't want to make a fool of herself.

Sunny Smiles was sitting in the Saloon. Trudy was the bartender as usual, and some of the patrons were just unwinding after a long day of work. It's been three days since that robot Victor brought that girl to Doc Mitchell.
Her clothes were full of blood. Strands of her hair tinted red from the blood. Sunny remembers everyone screaming and panicking. Sunny and Trudy gathered as much alcohol as they could that night to give to the Doctor. He would need it to sanitize her wounds. They also brought several bottles of purified water for the Courier. Sunny shook the thoughts from her head. She hadn't heard anything from the doctor about the girl, and her heart bled for her. She was always worried about others, always looked out for them. It was in her nature. Her mother was the same way, and its what got her killed. She gave her life to protect all the townspeople back in the Capital Wasteland. She was a scientist, and thought she died, she will live on forever as a hero. After all she was the one who helped invent the water purifying device that cleaned the radiation from the rivers. Perhaps Sunny would take a walk over to Doc Mitchells house to check on the courier. This was why she was at Goodsprings. She needed to protect people from the harsh realities of the wasteland. It was a shame that a girl so young would be shot in the head. She didn't look any older than Twenty Two. There was a bark and it snapped her out of her thoughts. Cheyenne wanted Sunny's attention. She knelt down and began to scratch her behind the ear. She was the best companion anyone could ever ask for. Tough as hell too. She helped Sunny hunt Gecko's and keep them away from the town. Sunny walked over to Trudy, giving her a warm smile. "Howdy Trudy. Reckon it's gonna be a good day today. Have you heard anything about the courier yet?" Sunny's face was riddled with worry.
"Not yet hun, but I hope shes okay. Such a young thing that one was."
Before they could continue their conversation, the door to the Saloon opened, and a woman's voice could be heard.
"Heloooooo, I'm looking for Sunny Smiles." The voice called.
Sunny didn't know why someone was looking for her by name, but she figured she would walk over and see who it was.

Jill was about to call out again, when a woman approached her.
"Hi, are you Sunny?" Jill asked with smile. "Doc Mitchell told me to come find her. Said she can help me learn how to survive out in the wasteland again."
The woman smiled back. "Howdy. Sunny Smiles, at your service. And this here is Cheyenne. Don't worry she won't bite."
Jill knelt down, made a fist, and put her hand out. Cheyenne sniffed her hand, and nudged her. Jill gave her a pat on the head, and called her a good girl.
"I reckon you've handled animals before, you read her body language and let her make the first move. You sure you can't fend for yourself?"
Jill shrugged. "I'm not sure honestly. I can't remember. I guess socializing with animals is second nature." Jill smiled. "I think I can fend for myself. I had a dagger in my bag so I'm pretty sure I'm good in a physical fight, but I would still rather be safe than sorry."
"Meet me out back sugar. Cheyenne and I will be waiting." And with that, Sunny disappeared.
Jill decided to walk over to the bar before meeting Sunny out back. She took a seat, and grabbed some caps out of her bag.
"Hi there, I would like a water if you have any." Jill wanted to make sure she would stay hydrated. She didn't need to end up at Doc Mitchell's house again.
"It's on the house darling. You've been through one hell of a week." Trudy smiled, handing her a couple bottles of water.
"I insist. You guys have done enough by making sure I lived." Putting the money down on the counter, Jill got up and logged her waters, putting them in her bag. As she was walking away, she heard Trudy cursing the radio.
Jill walked over, behind the counter and started tinkering with the radio. "I don't mean to be rude darling, but you really shouldn't just walk behind someones counter, they might get the wrong idea and take you for a thief."
Jill's face turned red and could tell Trudy felt terrible.
"I'm sorry, I only wanted to help. I think I used to be good with electronics." Jill continued to tinker with the radio. Determined to fix it now so she wouldn't feel like a complete idiot. She couldn't believe how much she forgot about what was acceptable and what wasn't.
"Don't apologize doll. I didn't mean nothing by it. I was just letting you know so someone else don't get the wrong idea. You're fine, no need to be embarrassed." Trudy's comment made Jill feel better.
Within a couple of seconds, the radio flickered to life. Trudy thanked her profusely and offered her caps as a payment, but Jill declined.
"Just call it even for the water." A smile painted across her face.
Now it was time to meet Sunny and see what she had to teach. She took a water out of her bag, took a sip and made her way outside.

I'm a survivor. I'll figure this out. If I have to ask for help along the way then so be it. I'm not ashamed, especially if it increases my chances of living.