Chapter One: End of the world part one

A man once said to me you never really realize you're happy till that happiness is gone. He was right about that. I didn't realize how truly happy I really was until my life changed in moments. The happiness gone before my eyes, replaced by fear and pain. My name is Ryan Roland Crest and my story begins on a cool October morning in the year 2077 mere hours before the end of the world.

"Good morning Sir! It's 8 am, time to start the day."

"Uhhhhhh, go away Codsworth, just give me five more minutes." Ryan grumbled groggily, silently cursing himself for telling Codsworth his robotic butler to wake him so early on a Saturday.

"Afraid not Sir, you made it very clear to me that you wished for me to wake you at 8 am sharp and not to let up until you were awake." Codsworth said energetically while pulling the bedrooms curtains open letting in a very bright morning sunlight into the room. Ryan immediately pulled his pillow over his head trying to shield himself from the light. He was going to complain about it but he was beaten to the punch by the beds other occupant, his wife Nora.

"Codsworth! Come on, it's too bright." Nora half yelled tiredly.

"Yes it is Mum, bright and early" Codsworth replied jokingly.

"Uhhhhh fine I'm up, just no more puns. Please!" Ryan replied. Ever since they had gotten Codsworth they had had a number of laughs and a number facepalming moment this was one of the latter category.

"Of course Sir, I shall go and prepare breakfast."

"Coffee!" Nora yelled from under her own pillow as Codsworth left the room to prepare their morning meal.

"Of course Mum." Codsworth yelled back from the kitchen. Ryan grunted as he rose from bed stretching his stiff muscles, his joints popping as he did. Military life, while it had been great for his body it had also had taken its toll. Multiple scars adorned his back and chest from gunshot to stab wound and everything in between. Though even with his numerous injuries he was still in his prime only 32 years old 6 foot 5 inches tall. He still caught women's stares, though he only wanted ones stares.

"Morning Hun." He heard from behind him as he continued he morning routine. He glanced back toward the voice of his wife but couldn't contain a chuckle as he did. Her hair was everywhere.

"Morning, bed head. Sleep well?" He replied jokingly as he kissing her.

"Very, if your gonna do your morning run I'm going to steal the shower first." She said getting out of bed gracefully her night gown flowing around her thighs. She had always been graceful even in the morning which she hated as much as he did. Ryan couldn't help but stare, she was beautiful and she was his.

"Alright, be back in a few" Ryan always made his morning runs whether the weather agreed with him or not. Ever since he got discharged from the army he liked to stay in shape running he found to be his favorite way, made sense seeing as he had been apart of a special scout unit that relied on speed to stay alive behind enemy lines.

"Going for your run Sir?"

"Sure am Cods."

"Make sure you wear a sweater is a bit cold this morning Sir." Ryan smiled as he opened the coat closet near the front door. Codsworth always made sure he remembered.

"Thanks Cods, be back in a few." Ryan replied back as he walked out the door. He took off instantly to his left leading into the cul-de-sac they lived in. It was a beautiful community green lawns, well manicured foliage, and surrounded by forest that had changed to shades of golds and reds for autumn.

"Morning Ryan!" One of his neighbors yelled out to him as he passed.

"Morning Dalores." He replied he knew most of the people that lived here in Sanctuary Hills, it was a small community only a few miles outside of what had been Concord New Hampshire once upon a time. The government of The United States of America had deemed fit in the year 1969 to merge states into larger commonwealths, fifty states became thirteen commonwealths. And the flag also got a face lift returning to its original thirteen star design with an added larger star in the middle to signify the greater whole.

As Ryan rounded the bend of the cul-de-sac back towards home he couldn't help but let out a long sigh."This is the life. Great house in a quiet neighborhood, married to the love of my life and a baby boy. I couldn't have hoped for more." Ryan thought to himself as he ran past home toward The Old North Bridge that acted as Sanctuary Hills entrance over the Concord River.

New suburban communities were being built in the Minutemen Park area because of the areas beauty, though there were those that felt it an affront to the areas history. Despite that though Sanctuary Hills was the first suburban neighborhood built in the area but it more than likely wouldn't be the last. As Ryan reached the middle of bridge he stopped and leaned against the railing looking out across the river while catching his breath a bit. He did this part of his routine regularly it helped him clear his head for the day to come before he went home to meet it.

When Ryan got home the house smelt of breakfast, bacon and eggs with waffles today it seemed. It made Ryan's Stomach growl but he had to shower first.

"Smells great Cods. Coffee ready?"

"Of course Sir! Brewed to your specifications, here you are." Codsworth replied as he hovered over to Ryan with steaming coffee mug in hand.

"Thank you Codsworth. Nora done with the shower yet?" Ryan asked as he took a sip of his coffee immediately feeling bliss as the steaming drink met his tongue.

"Yes Sir, I believe shes feeding young Shaun at the moment, in his room."

Ryan set his coffee down on the kitchen table before heading down the hall to his sons room where Nora was rocking him gently in her arms while feeding him from a bottle her back turned to the door. Ryan put his arms around her from behind as he looked down lovingly at their nearly one year old son.

"How did I get so lucky to have you? He said kissing her on the cheek.

"You didn't, I knew exactly what I wanted the moment I saw you." She said flirting with him.

"That so?" Ryan replied with a smile on his face. He remembered the night he saw her at a military benefit ball that her and her friends had attended. He knew he was going to marry her the instant he did. She wore a navy blue dress that flowed down to her just below her knees. Her hair lightly curled and flowing gently to her shoulders she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. It was her who had asked him to dance and they spent the night dancing, it had been magical.

"Mmmhmmm, Now go shower you stink." She replied before looking back at Shaun.

"Yes Mam." Ryan washed the sweat from his body as ordered, the hot water soothing his muscles from their recent exercise. Steam billowed from the shower shrouding the room in a thin vapor as he washed. The shower was his favorite thing about the house having the best pressure he'd ever had the fortune to feel, it was blissful but like all good things it had to end.

"War, War never changes." Ryan said reciting the speech he was going to be giving this evening at a Veterans ball, oblivious to his wife coming up behind him as he wiped down the mirror with a towel.

"You're gonna knock them dead at the ball tonight Hun." She said resting her chin on his shoulder as she was leaned over the sink.

"You think?" He said taking his trimmer out to trim his beard that had gotten longer than he preferred. After his discharge he had stopped shaving completely preferring to have a trimmed beard. Mainly because he hated how young his face looked without it.

"I know you will. I'm gonna go eat breakfast, don't take to long. She said walking out into the hall.

Ryan admired his work in the mirror after he finished his trim. His steel colored eyes staring back at him in the mirror. He kept his hair short on top while nearly shaved on the sides, His beard neatly trimmed on his firm jaw. Like his body his face hadn't been spared in the war he had a few scars adorning it reminders of the fights he'd been in, though he'd made certain those that gave him the scars received worst from him. The most prominent ones, the ones he actually didn't mind having were a long scar down the left side of his head. If you looked straight at him it was hidden though if he turned to the right it was quite visible. It had been a gift from a Chinese Chimera tank that had gotten lucky, the blast had killed two of his squad and sent him flying a bit of shrapnel had caught him in mid air causing the horizontal scar. Pure luck had saved them from the tank in the end, most of them at least.

The next prominent scar was a small one above his right eye that took a bit of his eyebrow with it, a jagged ricochet round bounced off an APC he had been next to striking him in the face him narrowly missing the eye. Luckily the round had lost a lot of speed. The last was a burn on his right cheek it had faded quite a bit in the years since he received it but the scar always reminded of his first run in with a Chinese flame thrower, he'd been lucky the man next to him however not so much. The phantom smell of burning flesh still haunts him at times. All other scars were either on his body or to minor to notice.

"So much death, all those men for what? Fucking pointless war. Ryan thought to himself shaking the memories hes scars brought up before turning off the bathroom light and heading out into the kitchen.

Author's Note: Hey there this is my second story on this site so I'd like to ask you the reader to kindly review, even if you don't review kindly. I'd still like your feedback, suggestions, ect. This is part one of Chapter one i decided to cut it in half because of the length. Part two should be out in a day or two after release of this chapter. Thank you for reading.