AN: I've gotten so into my Fallout 3 game it's sad really.

To my dismay there weren't very many Fawkes love stories. So I guess I'll try my hand at one.

This is going along with what I do in my game. No doubt it will be different from yours, just keep that in mind. This occurs after you gain entrance into Little Lamplight on the quest Picking up the Trail. (I speech successed to get in so I haven't saved the kids from paradise falls yet.)

...

It didn't seem real at first. Sure, I'd been exploring all the vaults since discovering their locations at the Citadel. Yes, their little secrets were enough to make my skin crawl, but this? This was a whole different level of wrong.

So far all the other vaults had indeed just been experiments for Vault Tec. But so far the Overseers and perhaps some top researchers in the vaults only had ideas of what the real purposes of Vault Tec. were.

But this? My mind could hardly stomach the very idea. According to the terminal of the Chief Physician they had all been more than aware of what was being done. Human test subjects, radiation, and having to make up outlandish stories to explain the deaths of family members? This was sick.

I walked out of the ruined room still trying to process what I had just read in a daze. The scratchy voice to my left had me letting out a small girly screech, hitting the wall to my right, and reaching for the assault rifle on my back. What I saw made my eyes widen a bit.

There, in a room was a Super Mutant… But… Something was off. The Mutant in question was wearing what was left of his shredded clothes and was unarmed. The weirdest thing about it all was that he wasn't yelling at me about how he was going to use my various body parts to decorate his house.

After a moment of pause he spoke again. "Please, talk to me on the intercom."

I was skeptical to say the least but I'm more curious then cautious and it's served me pretty well so far.

Timidly, I reached over and pushed the button to let him know I was listening.

The urgency in his voice made me jump back a bit. "It can't be! Either you're quite real, or I'm going quite mad!" I blinked. "Could you really be a pure human?"

This day was just getting weirder and weirder by the second… Honestly, I wasn't too sure how to reply. He wasn't trying to attack me, nor was he yelling or cursing at me. Thinking for a bit I decided to play along for the time being. "Yes…" I started cautiously, "I'm human. But what are you?" I already knew what he was but something was beyond off about him.

He was silent for a while. "Me?…" He seemed shocked. "You really care who I am?" I was going to answer but he continued. "Forgive me, I'm not used to pleasantries… I'm more used to grunts and being struck around by the others." The others… I assumed he meant other super mutants… He continued on, "My name's Fawkes. I've lived in this… cage all my life."

I felt pity for him but I was hardly going to let my guard down. I let out a slight snorting breath and replied, "How ironic that the others consider you a mutant of their kind…"

He looked to the side. "Yes, it is indeed ironic…" He looked back to me. "Forgive my astonishment, but I hadn't expected to meet someone with such a learned outlook on these things. It is a pleasant change." His face was just as mutated ats the other Mutants that roamed the Wastelands, his lips were all but gone, and yet… If I didn't know any better I'd almost say he… smiled at me for a moment. Before I could really dwell on it though he turned away from me and said, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, it was only a matter of time before someone like you showed up for the G.E.C.K."

That certainly caught my attention. I steadied my best glare and asked in a chilled voice. "What do you know about the G.E.C.K.?"

Apparently, he was hoping for a reaction like this. That odd look reappeared on his face and he answered. "I know what it is, I know where it is, and best of all: I know how you can get your hands on it."

I shifted unsure how to proceed from here. On one hand I could choose to trust this Mutant and he can get the G.E.C.K. for me… But on the other hand I trust the Mutant and he kills me the second I turn my back… "Why would you help me?" I asked through narrowed eyes.

He looked down. "Because, you can help me.." A split second later he had one hand pressed up against the glass to his cell, looking at me with what I could only describe as desperate eyes. "Let me out of this place! I can't take it anymore!" His urgency again made me flinch but he pressed on. "I can't even recall how long I've been in here." He lowered his hand. "Take me with you, and I'll retrieve the G.E.C.K. for you."

The look in his eye… Fear. There was no mistaking it. The Muta… Fawkes… Was scared. Or maybe just desperate… It sent and off pang through my stomach but I pointedly ignored it and asked, "Why would I have difficulty getting the G.E.C.K.?"

The look diminished from his eyes, well, partly anyway, "The chamber in which the G.E.C.K. resides is absolutely flooded with radiation. It's unlikely you'd survive very long." That odd look returned yet again to his face. "Myself, on the other hand, have surprisingly inherited a useful trait from my fellow Meta humans. I am highly resistant to radiation." He exhaled and stared into my eyes. "Let me out of here and I will place the G.E.C.K. safely in your hands."

I wanted to trust him, I really did… I'd done my best to be as good and helpful to anyone I could out in the wastes and so far it's served me pretty well. But when I go look for captives to recuse it's always Super Mutants… Sometimes I don't make it in time… I've seen my fair share of mutilated humans. So I quickly learned that the only good Super Mutant is a dead Super Mutant. Needless to say it was hard to simply just trust this one.

I crossed my arms and asked. "How do I know you won't run the second I let you out?" I felt so bad for asking but couldn't figure out why. I shoved it aside and waited for his response.

He looked down trying to think the answered softly, "There's no way to prove it… You'll just have to take my word for it." He looked back up, almost looking dangerous. "I've already helped you by warning you about the radiation. Take that as a gesture of good faith." He placed his hand back on the glass, looking more than hopeful. "So… What do you say?"

I was scared. I was more than certain I could handle and unarmed Mutant if he decided to turn on me… but I had to admit: the thought of befriending a friendly Super Mutant was more than exciting. "Alright, Fawkes. You've got a deal." I said with a smile.

"I'm glad to see you are a sensible person." He took a step back from the glass. "Now, get me out of this place. I can't stand it anymore!"

He seemed like he really wanted to leave but I couldn't ignore the nagging question. He seemed to know a lot more than I wanted to give him credit for. I wanted to know just how much. "Do you know what the G.E.C.K. does?"

His eyes narrowed a bit. "We can discuss this later. Right now, concentrate on getting this door open." He raised his voice a bit at the end.

I sighed and put a hand on my hip. "Tell me how I can get you out of that room."

"At the end of the hallway to your right, there is a maintenance room." He pointed to my right and I looked down the hall. "Inside you'll find the fire control for the medical area. Trip the alarm on it and I'll be able to get out." I looked back to him. "A word of warning though. Tripping the console activates a failsafe and will open ALL the recovery rooms in the medical area."

I nodded, nothing so far had been simple, why start now? "What do I do once I trip the fire control console?" I noticed on my Pipboy that there were a few enemies in the other rooms. I was in for a fight…

"I'll stay here until you clear a path to me." I nodded. "Just be careful!" I felt myself freeze. "Some of these 'failed experiments' are quite nasty."

I looked into his face. He warned me to be careful? Was he worried? I shook my head and stared down the other hall. "I have to go now. Wait here."

From behind me I could hear him call to me. "It is my hope that we will speak again soon."

…

AN: I will write this as I play the game from here on.