"Because I'm interested in someone else." Said Rhys. They exchanged slight smiles, both wondering what the other was thinking and where this would lead. "Awesome. Well, now that the horrifically uncomfortable conversation is out of the way...maybe we can actually go into the Vault we risked life and limb to find."

"Yeah, okay."

Trying not to show her embarrassment, Fiona shrugged off the smirk and they both headed through the giant glowing arch. They were aw struck, as they made it through the portal door. A tingly sensation swept over Rhys. You wouldn't expect it but portals kinda tickle. The first thing he saw was a glow of blue-purple light. The walls looked like precious gems glowing with a warm purple light. Talk about a grand entrance. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. It only made it that much better that he was there with Fiona. At the moment he couldn't think of any one else he would rather be with, of course he wasn't going to tell her that but he the slightest hunch, or hope, that she felt the same way.

"Wow...you think they made this place big enough?"

"So this is it?!"

"I guess so."

"All that work to find a Vault...and here we are. I never dreamed I'd see the inside of one of these things. Walking through an echoey room to open..a glowy box" said Fiona.

"You know you've gotten pretty good at this whole Vault hunting thing. Could be future in that. I mean, how many people can say they actually found a Vault! Especially after you throw in all the people that die just after opening. You're in...you're in rare company." Said Rhys.

"I'm still learning but...I think I could grow into it eventually. I don't know. This life...suits me. And honestly...I'm surprised by that as anyone. It's been a good ride, why get off now right?"

"I'm sure you will make a FORTUNE Vault hunting. Obviously money isn't everything...Sure sure it's important but...I doesn't have to drive your existence like it did mine. There's, a healthy balance out there...somewhere."

"What about you? Finally made it up the corporate ladder. Atlas is a pretty big name...at least it was."

"Well to be honest...I'm just happy to be alive. It was pretty, touch and go fora bit there"

"Yes it was."

Rhys jumped up the final step to the giant glowing box in the middle of the Vault offering his hand to help Fiona up. They now stood in front of the chest.

"And I have no clue what Atlas is going to be yet, but I'm excited to find out. Smiling and looking her in the eyes he said "Hey I just wanna say...thanks. I...we...really couldn't have done this with out you. I really appreciate it. Alright, so...that's over and done with."

"We did make a good team didn't we?"

"Yes...yes we did." He said smiling and quickly remembering their journey together. They slowly advanced to the chest.

"Would...you like to do the honors?" Rhys said.

"It's the last one...it's only right that we both open it...it's the best part." She said shrugging.

"I was kind hopin you'd say that." He said grinning. They smiled wondering what was about to happen. Fiona placed her hand on the chest, then Rhys. They pushed down on their buttons...and that was it. The moment they had fought so hard to get to. The moment that lives had been lost for. The box started to open in several different places, a light brighter than the moon shining from inside. Growing brighter and brighter. And then...poof. Just like that. In a flash of ultra bright light...they were gone. Just...gone.

Back at the battle sight, Sasha and Vaughn were fighting over the last legendary piece of gear. One heck of a Maliwan SMG. Sasha being the more fierce and demanding of the two, won that fight. With their arms and pockets overflowing with guns, shields, upgrades, and mods, they headed back towards base. The giant crashed Hyperion base. The floating "H" by pandoras moon...the, well you get the point.

They quickly noticed that their best friends weren't anywhere nearby. "Hey Rhys!" Yelled Vaughn. "Fioooona!" Yelled Sasha. They exchanged nervous looks.

"Maybe...loaderbot, saw where they went?" Said Vaughn.

"Loaderbot left with Gortys. Maybe they are just back at base already?" Said Sasha.

Vaughn felt as though, there were a presence behind him.

"Short one, you are looking for the romantics are you not?" Said Zer0 standing inches behind them.

Vaughn let out a cowardly screech and cringed.

Sasha smirked as Vaughn tried to play it off cool. "Yea, yea we are. Have you seen them?"

"Indeed. They ran a puny race into the Vault. Probably trying to take all the loot for themselves."

A holographic sad face appeared in front of Zer0's helmet.

"They went into the Vault!" Sasha said with great concern.

"Best you find them before..."

Just then an pulse of light shot through the sky with a boom.

"What was that!" Yelled Sasha.

(Psycho in the distance)"AAAAHHHH! Glorious light beam of cheese!...whe...WHERES MY LEFT NIPPLE!"

So there they laid. Side by side. On top of a rock, In one heck of a desert. Pandora is known to have quite a lot of deserts, that's just how it is.

Fiona slowly started to open her eyes. Slightly confused from the blinding white light and large ringing noise in her ears. Slowly, her vision started coming back to her. She could feel the warm bake of the desert sun on her face, and sand between her fingers. Didn't take long to realize where she was, except for the fact that she was laying on top of her best friend, Rhys. She decided not mention the fact that had happened. Rhys was passed out, drooling like a kid. He must have been dreaming because he had a childish smile on his face and mumbled the words, "butt stallion."

She rolled her eyes in disappointment, but at the same time she loved his childish acts. Kinda...cute.

She started nudging him, "rhys, Rhys...RHYS."

"NO! Butt stallion don't leave m...where are we?!"

"Good question. Looks like we are still on Pandora from the looks of this desert." Said Fiona.

"What...happened?!" Rhys said. His eyes wide.

"I don't kn...traveler..."

"What?"

"Traveler...we went into the Vault of the TRAVELER. I can't believe we didn't even think of that. The Vault, it must have had similar properties to the monster."

"We had to have been teleported by the Vault"

"Only thing I can think of."

"It almost sun down! We must have been out a while. We aren't getting anywhere tonight, that's for sure. We will have to set up a camp till morning." Rhys said confidently, which was strange because it should have been Fiona saying that sort of thing.

"Well look at you " Fiona said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Yea, well, Vaughn is fascinated with survival stuff so naturally I hear every thing about "how to become the ultimate Pandoran survivor."

"Alright well, "ultimate Pandoran Survivor", I think we should start by making a fire. It's going to get really cold, really fast. I'll see what I can gather you...Rhys, what's that thing behind you?"

Rhys looked behind him to notice a pulsing purple rock. It had smaller rocks revolving around it that payed no attention to gravity.

"That looks really valuable." Said Rhys.

"That must be what was inside the chest. Rhys we are stuck in the middle of a desert with a Vault relic!"

"Yea that's not great, but hey, we have a Vault relic...could be worse!"

At that moment large, dark clouds rolled in. Lighting cracking across the blank desert sky.

It started pouring hard.

"RHYS! Never say "it could be worse!" (She mocked with a dumb voice) You jinxed it."

"Yea well...yea I got nothing...my bad." He said crack a please don't hurt me smile.

"Look we need to find someplace dry. With this wind, cold desert night, and rain, we could get hypothermia." Said Fiona with a concerned face. "Look there's a small hollow under these rocks." Said Rhys.

"Rhys, you look at that, I've got the fire wood." She said yelling over the pouring rain.

"Ok!"

Rhys and Fiona descended down the rock formation which they had landed on. It was nearly the only thing in sight, except a few dead trees and boulders. Rhys scouted out the hole in the rock while Fiona scurried to gather up the quickly wetting sticks nearby. He approached the hole to be greeted by...well let's call it a snake...discounting the rat like head and bat like wings. It was curled up in a coil sleeping until disturbed by Rhys. It raised up and prepared to strike. Rhys froze inches from the creature and gritted his teeth. "Please don't bite me...please..."

Fiona heard a cowardly cry from the other side of the rock.

"I'm stranded...in a desert...with an idiot."

Luckily the snake thing struck Rhys in his mechanical arm causing no damage. He quickly flung it out of the cave. Fiona soon returned with semi dry firewood pouring out of her arms and pockets. Rhys gathered up some tender off the cave floor to get the fire started. Fiona arranged the firewood in a TP shape and shot it with an incendiary round from her concealed pistol.

"We are soaked." Said Rhys with a disappointed face.

"So I really, really don't want to bring this up...but...(she looked back and forth at their soaking clothes)..we can't sleep in these wet clothes...it freezing outside, and this small fire..isn't going to do much so.." said Fiona with an embarrassed face.

"This is going to be humiliating. I think this was your plan along though Fiona...to get my clothes off..." Rhys said jokingly.

"You creep!" Said Fiona resisting the urge to laugh. "You caught me red handed..I setup the whole Vault raid to lead to this point." She said

"So what do you think this thing is?" Rhys said.

"Don't know, I'm sure Athena or Zer0 could tell us."Fiona said.

"So what are we going to do tomorrow?" Said Rhys.

"Well maybe you could try reaching Vaughn and Sasha . If not, well...well we will be doing a lot of walking. I'm not sure if you could handle it." Said Fiona.

Rhys smirked. "So...I'll just...uhm...I'll just turn around and...you know." Said Rhys trying to be respectful of Fiona's privacy.

There was awkward silence for a few seconds. "Yea I'll...ok." Said Fiona nervously.

They both faced away and removed their wet clothes.

Rhys was putting all his might into not thinking about the fact that the girl he liked was nearly naked behind him and he couldn't look. He especially admired how cute she looked with soaking wet hair hanging over her face. The two of them laid down next to each other by the fire back to back. With the sound of rain in front of them and a fire crackling beside them, they slowly fell asleep putting aside the embarrassing thoughts and feelings. It was actually kinda...peaceful.

Chapter 2 coming soon. Rhyiona will return.