I do not own Fallout 4 or the characters. Some of the fictional characters here were made by me, but all else belongs to Bethesda. This is a non-profit story strictly made for enjoyment. :)
"War. War never changes. And time...well...time goes on. You can't turn back the clock, no matter what you do."
"May I have this dance?" asked Nate in a formal tone, as he bowed and offered a hand to his wife. "Why yes, mister. How could I refuse?" Diane giggled, as she placed her hand in his. The two began to waltz across the ballroom floor, as if nobody were watching. A cheery tune played. The chandeliers reflected warm gold light across the glossy floors, where folks drank and danced. The crowds were mostly white-collars and deep-pocketed attorneys, who chattered in their fancy lingo. In truth, Nate despised these charity galas that the city held, They practically bored him to death. However, it was important to Diane. As of late, Diane had been so wound up with all the loads of life; taking care of Shaun, squeezing in hours for work, and attending charity-events like these. He tried to convince her to take a break from work, but the woman was persistent. She never wanted to admit defeat.
"So," Nate whispered as they danced, "why are we here again?"
"Honey, how many times do I have to tell you...you know Mary, right? Richard's wife?" said Diane. "Uhhh…"
Diane pinched him. "He's the managing shareholder of the firm, and this is his wife's event. So be on your best behavior, because they're drifting around."
Nate leaned back so he could see Diane's face; which was focused on the crowd as they waltzed; scanning around for the manager and his wife. She had that look on her face; unfaltered focus-her mind was in another dimension.
He smiled and wrapped his hand around her waist, dipping down with Diane in his arms so low her hair nearly grazed the floor.
"Nate!" she said in a whisper shout. She tried to seem angry, but he knew her too well. She was adorable. "Does this count as good behavior?" He said lowly. He had a husk in his voice; one that Diane could barely resist. She tried to hide her smile.
"You're pushing it."
He leaned in, a breath away from her lips. "I guess I am," he whispered as their lips touched with a delicate kiss.
Life couldn't get better than this.
"Ah! Good morning, mum!" chirped Codsworth as Diane stepped into the kitchen. She yawned, grabbing a mug. "Your coffee, brewed at seventy-three point five degrees Fahrenheit. Brewed-to-perfection!"
The Mr. Handy bot was already whizzing away, as he poured the coffee into Diane's mug and placed a fresh copy of the Boston bugle on the counter.
"Thanks Codsworth," said Diane as she took a sip.
"I know we were nervous at first," said Nate as he walked down the hall, "but I'm glad we got Codsworth."
He planted a kiss on Diane as he grabbed the newspaper and slid onto the kitchen stool.
Just as soon as Diane was about to settle into her seat, Shaun's cries could be heard from the next room over.
"Uh...Mum!" hollered Codsworth. Diane exhaled deeply, as she put her mug down.
"I'm on it, Codsworth.." she mumbled as she made her way to Shaun's nursery. Nate was glued to his seat; his eyes on the paper.
'Nothing new, anyways.' she thought as she went to the baby crib. Shaun's cries subsided as his mother gently spun his mobile, and he drifted off to sleep once more.
Ding dong!
As Diane leaned over his crib, watching his eyelids flutter as his fell asleep, the doorbell rang.
"Could you get that, honey?" Diane could hear Nate say as she gently closed Shaun's door. 'No problem, no problem…' thought Diane as she subconsciously smoothed her pants and opened the door with a smile on her face.
"Good morning! Vault-Tec calling!" said a cheery man with a clipboard.
"Vault-tec?"
"Why, we're about you, m'am! And securing your future! You see, Vault-Tec is the foremost builder of state-of-the-art underground fallout shelters! Where you can wait out the horrors of nuclear devastation. You see, I've been trying to reach you for days...it's a matter of utmost urgency."
"What's so important?" Diane said, with a hint of skepticism. She'd seen enough door-to-door salesmen to see where this pitch was going.
"The big kaboom! It's inevitable, I'm afraid. And it's coming sooner than you may think. Anyways, I know you're a busy woman and I don't want to take up much of your time. I'm here to tell you that because of your family's service to our country, you have been preselected for entrance into the local vault! Vault...one eleven."
Diane raised an eyebrow. "But...I have a family. You can fit us all, right?"
"Course, of course! In fact, you're cleared for entrance, just need you to verify some information."
Diane hesitated, crossing her arms. After a few moments, she finally decided.
"Sign me up."
"Mum, you should come and see this!" said Codsworth from the living room, with a sense of urgency in his voice.
"What's wrong?" said Nate, holding Shaun in his arms, but he and Diane hurried over before he could explain.
"Flashes...followed by….sounds of explosions….it's...confirmed reports, I repeat...confirmed reports of nuclear detonation in New York and Pennsylvania. My God…"
The tv buzzed as the signal was lost. Nate and Diane looked at each other with worry in their eyes. Nate was lost for words, but Diane was already miles ahead in her head.
"We need to get to the vault. NOW." she said, going into auto-pilot mode. When there was panic, Diane's instincts always kicked in. The two began to sprint; without a second to lose, as sirens blared in the distance.
The residents of Sanctuary Hills fled their homes; unsure of where to go. The sky was blue, but tinted with the faintest bit of an embery orange as a military vertibird flew by. Something was off about moment; as if something terrible was waiting to happen. The autumn gust rustled the yellow trees as Nate and Diane followed the military personnel down a forest grove. The other neighbours followed as well, but were stopped at the gate.
"What do you mean we can't come in?" said one man.
"If you're in the program; step forward. Otherwise, return home!" barked the military officer. Diane couldn't help but feel her heart jump in her throat when she heard this, but right now all she could focus on was getting her family to safety.
"We need to get in. We're on the list." said Diane, with a hint of unease in her voice.
The officer looked down his clipboard, then ushered them in.
"Thank you." said Nate, as he pushed past the crowd.
Diane swallowed as she passed two soldiers armed with miniguns; both standing in hulking power armor.
"What about those people outside the gate?" Nate asked as he and Diane followed after another officer. He ignored his question as he led them to a circular platform.
Only a handful of other residents stood, all shaking in fear and equally confused.
"Is Shaun okay?" asked Diane as she hunched over, catching her breath.
"He's fine, we're going to be okay. I love you." Nate's words hummed as a flash overtook the sky and everything turned white.
A great mushroom-shaped cloud filled the horizon as the sky turned red.
"Oh my God!" yelled a man, as ripples of the explosion ripped through the sky; erasing the blue with an eerie copper color. Everyone ducked as the wave of impact rolled over; merely moments after the platform lowered.
The platform lowered into the earth; leaving the fallen world above, and submerging into the dark subterranean passage below.
"Just step in here, and put your vault-suit on." said the doctor, as he pointed to a cryo-chamber. It was tight, but just big enough to snugly fit one person.
Diane turned to face Nate, who was going to be in the chamber directly across. She gave him a weak grin, as she brushed a finger across Shaun's tiny face lovingly. "Shh, it's ok. Mama's right here." Nate stared at Diane, noticing the faint shaking in her voice. Whatever happened, he was always going to be right here. They were in this together, and even if this meant a new lifestyle, he was ready to accept the change. He would do it for her. He placed his hand on Diane's, bringing it to his face and kissing it. It was small and dainty; and fit perfectly into his, which were worn and rough from being in the army.
"How long do you think we'll been down here?" Diane finally said to break their silence.
"However long...at least we're here together. You're right here with me, and that's all I need." said Nate as he smiled at Diane. He gave her hand a squeeze, and finally let go.
Diane slid into her vault-suit, which was a tight blue jumpsuit with a big 'one eleven' on the back. She inhaled deeply, then climbed into her chamber.
Breathe.
She told herself, as the doors closed. She looked across to see Nate holding Shaun, as he waved to Diane. She blew a kiss back as the glass began to frost up.
Everything faded to white when that countdown ended.
The first thing Diane could hear was a computer beeping, as her vision cleared and she could see through the glass. She could make out a person in a hazmat suit, pointing to Nate's chamber. Another person-a bald man with a gun- made his way over to the switch as he opened the chamber and the door swung open. Although she had been awake for merely seconds and was disoriented, Diane had a sick feeling her gut. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
"Is it over? Are we ok?" she could faintly hear Nate cough.
The hazmat-figure inched closer, as she pried her hands around Shaun in an attempt to pry him away from Nate.
"Everything's going to be fine," she said in a muffled voice, as she took ahold of Shaun.
Nate pushed her away, as he clutched the infant in his arms.
"No-wait! I've got him!" Nate struggled as the mysterious figure fought for control.
Diane's breathing began to hyperventilate, as her breathing became irregular. Condensation began to build up on the glass. She looked around her for anything-a switch, perhaps-something to get her out of the chamber.
"Let the boy go! I'm only gonna tell you once!" yelled the figure.
"I'm not letting go of Shaun!" Nate cried, as he pulled the baby close to him, his howls getting louder.
BANG!
The sound of a gun firing rung in Diane's ears; the sound penetrating her soul. She felt a pang as she saw Nate's body go limp. She couldn't grasp what she was seeing. Was this real life? Or was she in hell right now, being trapped and unable to do anything but watch as her worst nightmare manifested itself?
"Goddammit! Get the kid out of here, and let's go!"
Diane couldn't register the words she was hearing; all she could hear was the painful ringing from a moment ago. She was still trying to understand what was happening.
The man-the man who murdered her husband, stopped in front of Diane's chamber moments before he left. He briefly peered into her chamber, and Diane was able to burn the memory of his face into her mind. Even if it was for a fleeting moment, she saw. That scar. An ugly, meandering scar that ran along his brow.
"At least we still have the backup…" he said casually, as he walked away; their steps fading in the distance. The image relayed again and again in her mind; as everything began to spin. The chamber began to fog up again, and once more it all turned to white, making Diane wonder if this had truly happened; or if it was simply a nightmare.
In what felt like moments since it happened, Diane awoke with a startle, as a computer voice chimed.
"Critical failure in cryogenic array. All residents, vacate immediately."
Diane looked around, and once again the pang settled in. She began to scream; banging on the glass as the view of Nate's lifeless body was directly in her sights. The door finally began to rise after what seemed like an eternity; and Diane stumbled out, not wasting a moment even though her legs were wobbly. She crawled to the parallel chamber switch; as her temples swelled with each heartbeat.
"Come on, come on...Oh my God…"
The door lifted, and there he was; his corpse covered in white frost. Diane weakly placed a hand on his. It was cold and still, and she traced her finger, trying to remember its warmth. She gently slid his wedding ring off, squeezing it in her palm as she kneeled over.
'I'll...I'll find who did this...and I'll get Shaun back. I swear.'
Her tears pattered on the frigid metallic floor as she finally gave in, with nothing but the sound of her cries in the eerie silence of the vault. She could feel it; she knew it. She was alone, there was no one else.
'I'm the only one…'
She finally mustered the strength to stand on her two legs, as she looked around. In truth, she didn't want to move, she wanted to stay where she was and weep...weep until she had finally awoken from this terrible dream. But right now, she had to get back into the right mindset: she had to get out of this damn place.
She had to get back to the surface.
"Enjoy your return to the surface. And thank you for choosing Vault-tec."
The computer voice chimed a little tune as the platform creaked; beginning to rise.
'How long was I down here?'
Diane recalled seeing skeletal remains lying around the vault-probably the Vault-tec employees. Her heart was still racing from her encounter with those...those...creatures. Giant roaches. She was never really experienced with a gun, but she knew a little about shooting from what Nate had taught her. There were only a couple of bullets left in the 10mm pistol she found, but it would have to do for now.
Once again, everything went dark in a fleeting moment as the elevator rose through the depths of the vault. Diane slowed her breathing, unsure of what to expect on the surface.
'Breathe, Diane. Breathe…'
The white sunlight caused her to stagger, as she adjusted her eyes to light for the first time in a while. Finally, her vision cleared up and she could not believe her eyes. Diane couldn't help but gasp at the sight around her-everything was destroyed. What was once a bright array of houses and shrubbery was now a path of rubble and waste. Every tree was barren as far as the eye could see; with nothing but the sound of crows in the ambience.
"No, this can't be." was all Diane could muster.
She stepped off the platform, noticing a decaying car to her right, which was practically held together with rust.
'How long...was I down here?'
Home. She had to go home and see the extent of the destruction. She raced across the rotting bridge to Sanctuary Hills without a second thought. Diane visually scouted the area-this was her old street, that was the Browns' home...and that was the Millers'...
Her heart sank as she took in the amount of wreckage of what was once the homes of her neighbours. She remembered their faces-their poor faces...when they were shut out of the gate and told to go home. A shiver ran up her spine. Their fate was already sealed.
There was an unsettling howl in the wind as Diane began to stride further, looking for the remnants of her house.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something glistening. Metal.
She ran over, and it was none other than the familiar Mr. Handy bot; who seemed oblivious to his surroundings as he trimmed away at a dead bush, humming a tune. He was dented; and a little discolored, but she knew who it was.
"As I live and breathe…" he said, adjusting his optics on Diane.
"It's...it's REALLY you!"
Diane exhaled deeply. "Codsworth...you're still here. There must be others...who are alive, then...right?" Her voice quivered as she considered the thought.
'What if I'm the only one...alive?'
"Well, of course I'm still here! Surely you don't think a little radiation could deter the pride of General Atomics International? But you seem the worse for wear. Better not let hubby see you in this state. Where is sir, by the way?"
Diane felt a pang in her conscience at the mention of her husband. She was still registering the loss-in a state of shock.
"He...he's…" she couldn't even put it into words.
"They...killed him. They murdered Nate." saying the words still didn't make it seem real. Diane felt disconnected from what she was saying, she was in another headspace.
"Mum...these things you're saying. These terrible things...I...I believe you need a distraction. Yes! A distraction, to calm this dire mood."
Codsworth didn't quite understand the mention of a loss-he was not programed for this type of protocol. Neither was Diane, or anybody for that matter.
"A family activity! Checkers, or charades. Shaun does so love that game. Is the lad...with you?"
It was almost as if there was a hint of apprehension in the robot's voice as Diane inhaled deeply and stared off into the distance. All she could make out was the broken roofs of houses and the unending sprawl of empty trees.
"Shaun...he's been kidnapped. By the murderers. But, I'm going to find him. I'm going to get my baby back." She squeezed her fists tightly at her sides, remembering the moment they took him.
A mother's attachment to her child was unexplainable; it was as if a piece of her was missing. But he was out there, she knew it. And she was going to find him.
Codsworth scratched his eye socket in a perplexed manner with one of his metal arms. "It's worse than I thought. It seems you are suffering from hunger-induced paranoia. Not eating for 200 years can do that, I'm afraid."
Another pang. Diane could feel her heart stop for a moment. There must have been a malfunction with Codsworth. It couldn't be.
"200 years? What..? Are you…" Diane could barely speak.
"A bit over 210, give or take a few years, mum! That means you're two centuries late for dinner! Perhaps I can whip you up a snack? You must be famished."
"Codsworth…"
"I...I...Oh mum! It's been horrible! Two centuries with no one to talk to! No one to serve! I spent the first ten years trying to wax the floors! Do you know how hard it is to get nuclear fallout out of vinyl wood? How does one polish rust?"
"Slow down, Codsworth. Focus. Tell me...what happened?"
"I'm afraid I don't know anything, mum. The bombs came, and all of you left in such a hurry. I thought for certain you and your family was...dead."
There was trepidation in the last word. Here she was, awake after more than 200 years; with nobody but an old household robot to explain to her what she was too afraid to hear. She felt so alone, she had only been up for a short while and already she yearned for things to go back to the way they were. She wasn't ready to be alone. The cold emptiness still hadn't resonated in her quite yet, and she wasn't prepared.
"I did find this holotape. I believe sir...he meant to present it to you. As a surprise." Codsworth drew a small orange holotape and handed it to Diane, who took it with trembling hands. She stared at it with a blank expression, then looked back to Codsworth.
"Thank you."
The evening was cool, with the eeriness of the wind blowing down the rubble-filled streets of Sanctuary as Diane searched the area. She slowly made her way into some of the houses, each decaying and practically in shambles. Diane entered her old house, coughing violently as she entered through the broken doorway. There was an unusual amount of dust in the air, as the home lay battered than its previous state. Diane ran her fingers along the counter, where a thick layer of dust and stone lay atop. It felt like just days ago she was sitting here, enjoying breakfast with her family. She went to the nursery, where Shaun's crib stood, broken and empty. Diane did her best to fight tears as her fists trembled.
The evening had finally overtook the sky, as the clouds turned a soft unnatural orange and a nip formed in the air. The draft blew right through the house, since half the tiles and shingles were missing or broken.
Diane was curled up in the corner of her old bedroom, where the bed was too damaged to sit upon. She held her knees close to her body as she closed her eyes.
'This is really happening.'
She opened her eyes, peering outside the window from the floor. The sky was getting dark, but she could still see the wreckage of her old neighbourhood. There were no streetlights, no cars...no people. It was a phantom of her old life.
"The world has changed so much." She said to herself, choking back tears. She turned away. No, no. She needed to distract herself. Diane began to fiddle with her Pip-boy, which was a large, elaborate leather band around her wrist. Tuning it to a radio station, she closed her eyes once more and leaned her head back against the wall. A familiar song, 'We'll Meet Again' by Vera Lynn, began to play fuzzily as the strange silence was broken with the nostalgic sound.
"We'll meet again
Don't know where,
Don't know when….
But we'll….meet again….some sunny day."
Without realizing, tears began to well up in Diane's eyes. She began to whimper, as the weight of her loss finally set in.
"I'm not ready, I'm not ready! I can't do this! I can't!" She began to yell to nobody, as she pounded the floor-tears streaking her face. She let out a frustrated cry, as she punched into the ground.
The thing about time was that there was no going back. No matter what, time was linear. It always moved forward. Time didn't care if you were ready or not, it was cruel like that. It felt like moments ago she was in Nate's arms, dancing and worrying about the most mediocre things in life. But like an anchor, the burden of the world had finally gotten to Diane and she finally lost it. Even in times of despair, Diane was always the level-headed one. But now, there was nothing. Her world was empty. Her world was fractured in two; her life before, and her life after. Her life now was starting to feel less like a nightmare, and more like reality. And her life before...before everything happened...it was starting to feel more like it was just a fading dream. A distant memory.
The world was a shell, and Diane was a shard of its old days.
As Diane sat up, her body weak from crying, she pulled out the holotape, tracing her fingers across. Hi Honey! It read in Nate's blocky writing.
Diane stared at it for a while, as her face began to scrunch up again. She kneeled over, bringing it close to her chest. "Nate…" she whispered, as tears began to fall once more. She hadn't had the proper chance to realize the grief.
'He's gone. He's really gone. I'm not going to see him again.'
She sniffed. She huddled over even more, hugging herself tightly.
'Nate…' she yelled in her mind, 'Nate, I need you here. I'm not ready to be alone! I can't…'
It was just a piece of plastic, but it felt like something more. The last bit of Nate she had left.
'Once I listen to this, it'll all be real.'
There was no use pretending. No matter how hard she tried, the world was never going back to the way it was. And deep down, Diane knew that. She knew it well.
With a bit of reluctance, Diane finally slid the holotape into her Pip-boy as the green light of the screen illuminated, casting a strange light in the dark room.
"Oops. Ha ha ha. No, no. Little fingers away. There we go. Just say it. Right there. Right there. Go ahead.
Hi Honey!"