In all her 18 years in the wastes, Amber didn't feel as horrible as she did in this very moment. Tied by her wrists, she laid in camp full of Super Mutants. Minutes before they hauled off some poor man, whose screams didn't stop until she heard a wet crunching. She doubted it wouldn't be long before the large brute guarding her went and did the same. She could see the hungry glances he was giving her, that stench of his filling the tent.
"Christ, please hurry the hell up so I don't have to put up with this!" She screamed in her head, pulling her legs in close as to cover her nose.
"Intruder!" someone had screamed not far off.
In mere seconds the entire camp was in an uproar. The mutant guarding her had left his post, having run into a sea of shouts and gunfire. She could escape now, but the likeliness of running successfully through a camp of speeding bullets while tied was unlikely. Even more unlikely was meeting someone or something that would untie her. So she was stuck.
"Great, just fucking great!" She cursed herself over and over, her mental argument having completely blocked out the rest of the world. She didn't notice when the gunfire ceases, or when light, not heavy, footsteps made their way to her location.
When the Lone Wanderer made it to the entrance he was greeted by a heavily dressed woman, muttering to herself. He possibly stood there for a full minute watching the spectacle until she noticed him.
When she raised her head, he saw the greenest eyes he's ever seen.
"Oh..." Amber had an unpleasant word to end that, but she decided for the future of her life, it would be best to play "proper lady".
"Um, hi?" It's all she had to offer, and she wouldn't blame the guy if he shot her right then for the dull comment. Or burn her. Maybe shoot a missile?
In fact the man had more artillery on him than any armory she could dream of. And he still had the strength to carry full packed pockets and a backpack.
"Hi, need a little help?" His voice, young and ignorant, was shocking to her. Despite the possibility they were the same age, that kind of innocence in any tone of voice was hard to come by in the Wastes, even in children.
"Would be nice." She muttered, still taken aback by his voice.
She held still as he grabbed a large knife from behind his boot and cut loose the ropes. At a closer inspection she was able to see the reason for his voice.
"Vault 101". His faded blue jumpsuit with yellow highlights in some way made her feel a pang of jealousy. She had heard about these people.
Living in some hole, they had escaped the horrors of this world and its men, living with clean water and plenty of food. She couldn't help but wonder what made them run from such serenity. But as she held her wrists and gazed at her tattoos, her own "perfect" past presented itself. She threw away any assumptions then and there.
"Will you be okay?" He had interrupted her train of thought, a look of concern on his face.
She caught his eye, and stood looking into a dark brown abyss. It's been months, possibly years since anyone has asked her that. The majority of people she's met either being Raiders or mercenaries interested in target practice. She looked down as to not show him watering eyes before nodding.
"You sure?" Despite his good intentions, this form of compassion had her on the brink of a breakdown. Had her wanting and yearning for true human contact, not the mere hiding and avoiding she had told herself she was content with.
She motioned her head towards a leather satchel and and the rest of her belongings in the corner. She still felt his gaze on her.
"Well, okay then. Wish you the best out there." He said, and he was out of the tent.
Even though more than anything she wanted to buckle down and cry, she willed herself to dress in her coat and headpiece, throw her satchel over her shoulder, tighten the buckles necessary to hold her her pistol and knife, and finally place her goggles over her eyes.
Then all of the sudden the stranger returned, his rushing in causing her leap back and scream.
"Woah! Sorry, you okay?" She wanted to yell at him, but kept it in and just shook her head up and down. What now?
"Look, do you have anywhere to go?"
She would have said yes, but her home, a dumpster not too far away, had been trashed when the Mutants and found her. It was actually an ideal place. Once cleaned out and cushioned, it was like her own metal encased world. The still staying smell concealed her own scent, but this morning she had dumbly left without checking first and opened her once secret world to a passing trio of Mutants.
She shook her head in response. For some reason, she couldn't lie to the guy.
"Okay then." He took something from his pocket, and scribbled on a piece of paper. Handing both to her after he was done.
It was a key, she was about to ask when he answered her.
"Look, I'm leaving somewhere real soon, and doubt I'll be making it back. Anyways there's this town, Megaton, I did some stuff for them and they gave me this house. Barely used the place and its best not to waste it, y'know? So, uh, here you go."
Amber stood in front of him, mouth open wide, clutching his gifts to her chest.
"What!?" She screamed. What was this? A joke? She couldn't believe him. No way in hell was he serious.
"Yeah, the piece of paper is for the sheriff, nice guy if you behave" He chuckled, possibly remembering some memory "Anyways give it to him, it's the deed and on the back I scribbled that you didn't, well kill me for it."
"Why?" She asked weakly.
He shrugged. "Dunno, you look like you've gone through hell. Maybe just trying to make up for humanities mistakes."
With that she leapt forward and hugged him. Startled at first, he then wrapped his arms around the weeping girl before she pushed away.
"Thank you, dear God thank you."
He smiled, touched her shoulder and led her out of the camp. At the entrance he quickly gave directions and took off one final time. She watched in silence, seeing his figure grow smaller and smaller before disappearing entirely.
She looked in the direction he had pointed, and for the first time in very long time she decided to trust again.