Chapter 1 - Bein' Neighbourly

There was a storm coming. Hancock could taste the ozone on his tongue. He could feel the slight itch of increased radiation on his skin, or what was left of it anyway. He smiled, nothing like a storm to get him in a good mood.

"Boss?" Fahrenheit barked as she slammed her hand onto the desk. "Are you fucking with me? Did you listen to a word that I said?"

Hancock jumped but smirked at his second-in-command. "Ah Fahr, you worry too much."

"Bobbi is planning on breaking into the storehouse and you class that as worrying too much." Fahrenheit snorted and glared at her boss, her best friend. "That's bullshit, Hancock. If this isn't nipped in the bud people are going to start to think you're weak."

Hancock slammed his dagger into his desk, leaving the blade half buried in the wood. "Like fuck do people think I'm weak. I say we lay a trap for her, catch her in the act. Bobbi is an upstanding member of our fine little community, after all." He rested his booted feet onto his desk and leant back in his chair with his hands casually laced behind his head. "Now, that's just good business or people won't believe that she's planning on fucking me, and not in a good way."

Fahrenheit sighed and scratched the shaved side of her auburn hair. "I suppose, but we can't spare much of the watch, the super mutants have been getting pretty damn brave lately. I need most of my guys on the walls."

Hancock sat forward and snatched his knife from the desk. "Well, why don't we ask our dear old girl Kleo if she can spare some . . . equipment to watch Bobbi. Then you can just hightail it over there whenever she comes knockin'." He opened a drawer and retrieved his tin of mentats, immediately popping two into his mouth when a ruckus began outside by the main gate.

Raised voices and the sound of a fight was not uncommon in Goodneighbour and Hancock was more than happy to let people work out their issues with their fists. As long as it didn't end with a murder that wasn't sanctioned by himself. He was after all the authority figure in his little corner of the Commonwealth and Goodneighbour is nothing if not democratic. However with a radiation storm starting the streets should be quiet. Fahrenheit's hand immediately jumped to the gun on her hip, but Hancock held up a hand and a slid his knife into the holster beneath the American flag he used as a belt.

"Fahr, don't kick my ass for sayin' this but there's a radiation storm brewin' out there and I know for a fact you don't wanna mug like mine. I'll handle it." He sent her a crooked grin as she scowled at him and sank into the sofa in his office.

"Don't get yourself killed without me."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Hancock grinned as he threw open the doors to the statehouse. Civillians stepped back and looked at him with respect, awe. That's right, he was the mighty Mayor of Goodneighbour and one didn't rule Goodneighbour by being weak. People were already hurrying indoors though, the storm was brewing quickly. Already the rain was beginning to pour. All the drifters gravitated towards Hotel Rexford, hoping to get a room now as there was no hope in moving on with the storm. Others went to The Third Rail to wait out the storm for the comfort of a bottle and the soothing voice of Magnolia.

" . . . You can't be walkin' around Goodneighbour without insurance." A male voice declared loudly.

Hancock rolled his eyes, Finn. Of course it was Finn. Who else would be as much of a douchebag to try and extort newcomers in the middle of a storm. Hancock was nearly giddy with glee though. He had been waiting a long time to rid his little town of the plague that called himself Finn.

Hancock peaked around the corner and immediately frowned. Finn was stood over a woman, she was tiny, barely coming up to Finn's pectorals and slim as well. She didn't look starved like other wastelanders and Hancock immediately felt his eyes rake appreciatively up and down her form. What really stumped Hancock was the electric blue vault suit that she wore. What was a little Vaultie doing in his neck of the woods? The only way Hancock could describe her was cute, she looked almost . . . innocent. Fresh out of a vault by the looks of things. She even had a freakin' Mr Handy hovering behind her.

"Mum?" The robot questioned, seeming uncertain.

Hancock liked the look in her eyes, though. Tiny and cute she may be but this woman, she was a creature of wrath. She pulled a sawed off shotgun from her hip and aimed it menacingly at Finn's chest. The shotgun shook, mostly because she had to hold it one handed. Her other arm dangled against her side, limp with blood dripping from a wound and ruining the otherwise pristine vault suit she wore.

"If that insurance is to keep dumb assholes away from me then i'm not fucking interested. As you can see I'm having a bad day already, just let me and my friend here pass."

Hancock chuckled, what a firecracker she was! He was certain that he didn't need to step in but nevertheless Hancock was a gentleman. And gentlemen didn't stand by and watch douchebags like Finn smack a fine lady's shotgun out of her hand and reach for their throats. Nope, not on his watch.

He coughed and walked out from his cover with his arms spread wide. "Finny boy, you know that's not how we treat newcomers to our fine little community!"

Finn froze and whirled around to face him. "This is none of your business Hancock."

Hancock grinned and wagged a ruined finger in front of Finn's face. "Ah, Ah, Ah. No. Bad Finn. You do not speak to your beneolvent Mayor that way, ya feel me?"

Hancock moved fast, he unsheathed the knife he had stashed before and pulled Finn towards him by the shoulder, driving the knife home into his gut five times before shoving his corpse backwards to sprawl on the floor. He immediately turned to the cute little Vaultie who stared at him, stunned.

"You okay, Sister?" Hancock said gently. "Sorry, I know you could have handled that yourself but Goodneighbour is 'of the people, for the people.' Ya feel me?"

"I feel you." Her voice was soft and she seemed dazed. "Did . . . did he say your name was Hancock?"

Hancock tipped his tri-cornered hat and sent her a crooked grin. She returned the smile before she swayed forwards.

"Mum!" The robot cried.

Hancock caught her before she hit the floor. He lifted her tiny frame effortlessly and turned to the robot.

"Let's get her patched up shall we? Who may you be?"

"Codsworth, sir."

"Codsworth, eh? Come with me, looks like she's lost a lot of blood and the storm isn't helping. She may need a few stitches and some rad-away but you come and watch over her."

Codsworth agreed and eagerly floated behind the Mayor as he kicked open the doors to the statehouse as his hands were full. The men of the Neighbourhood Watch all looked at him like he was nuts, walking into the building from a radiation storm carrying a Vaultie with a Mr Handy floating behind him. Yeah, he'd probably stare as well to be honest. Fahrenheit stomped down the stairs, her entrance exacerbated by the heavy armor she was clad in.

"What the actual fuck, Hancock? You leave the building for two minutes. Two fucking minutes and you murder someone and come back with a pet?" Fahrenheit seemed to be a bit in shock. "Do I have to keep you on a leash, maybe hire the Vaultie's robot as a babysitter for you? Fuck me, Hancock."

"In my defense, I've been waiting to gut Finn for a long time now."

"Hancock!"

"And also in my defense, she is injured so could you give me a hand in patching our guest up a bit."

Fahrenheit pinched the bridge of her nose before reaching into a leather pouch on her hip and taking a mentat. "Fucking hell Hancock, fine. I'll go grab the first aid."

Hancock had a stupid grin on his face as he walked up the stairs to his office and gently laid the little Vaultie on the sofa. She was frowning in her sleep and Hancock unconsciously smoothed her shoulder length hair out of her face. It was still soft and chocolate brown. He snatched his hand back. Her robot friend didn't seem to mind Hancock being around her. He was still downstairs, his distinctive British accent could be heard questioning the men of the watch taking refuge in the statehouse from the storm.

Hancock sighed and sat on the sofa opposite to her, waiting for Fahrenheit to return with the first aid kit. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a log drag. He removed his hat and set it on the coffee table in front of him.

"Fucking hell, Vaultie. I feel like ya gunna take me on one hell of a ride."

So that's Chapter One! Usually I'm more of a fan of fanfiction than a writer but honestly, Fallout 4 and this beautiful bastard Hancock has completely sucked me in. So much so that in my own head my character and him have their own distinctive personalities which I really wanted to get on paper. So to speak.

Let me know if you enjoyed! :D

Cam xx