This is the SEQUEL to "Trouble on the Homefront".

This has been a long time in the making. TheManApart first put the idea in my head after "Trouble on the Homefront" and it took root and this happened. If you happen to like this, go thank him for planting the seed. Also, my extreme gratitude goes to x-lonelygirl-x who went through and fixed all my mistakes.

Warnings: Femslash, angst, and fluffiness.

I'm getting ready to settle down for the night, and I take a moment to pause and let the cool wasteland breeze blow through my hair. Part of me relaxes instantly, relishing in the feeling. Another still-bitter part of me muses that if I'd stayed in Vault 101 with Amata months ago, I'd never have felt this again.

I hunt around for a little while and find a nice sheltered spot in a nearby cliff face. I make sure the hole goes deep enough that even a deathclaw couldn't reach in and yank me out, then I toss my bag into it and stretch one last time before crawling into my little cave. Nights in the wasteland aren't fun, but being out of sight gives me a pretty strong sense of security.

My stomach grumbles a little, and I sigh, settling in a little before grabbing my pack and rifling around in it for some food. I find some mutfruit and bite into it, pleasantly surprised when the fruit is crisp and sweet. Most of what I've found has been bruised or on either side of ripe, and I continue munching on my late-night snack as I relax after the day's events.

Images of today's travels are playing in my mind when I hear shouting from outside. My ears prick up and I crawl back toward the opening of my little hole, trying to hear what's going on. The breeze rustles some brush on the ground near me, making it almost impossible to hear, but when I peek out, I can make out the glowing green barrel of an Enclave soldier's plasma rifle being waved around the corner. The words and voices are indistinct, but a cry of terror reaches my ears and I scowl.

I scurry back to my bag and reach into it, pulling out an old scoped .44 magnum I'd bought off a scav. I grab a few extra rounds and head back to the open wasteland, stepping out of my hole and sneaking over toward the apparent confrontation.

"... all we need to know is the password to your Vault," one of the Enclave soldiers is saying as I position myself just out of sight behind a conveniently placed rock. The words make the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I'm reminded of some information I came across in an Enclave terminal; it seemed the Enclave was raiding Vaults for their pre-war technology and doing whatever they could to make sure they got it. The self-proclaimed "righteous army of the wasteland" would even go so far as to slaughter entire Vault populations to get their hands on the technology.

I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I miss the response, but the sound of the soldiers' rifles being reloaded snaps me back to reality.

"Speak up," the other soldier snaps, "and tell us the password. Or else we'll get it by force."

"I said I don't know," a shaky, unmistakable voice answers. "Please, just let me go. I don't know anything!"

I feel frozen in place, unable to form any sort of physical or emotional response to the sound of Amata's voice.

"Don't let her escape," the first soldier growls. "I'm gonna radio to base and get orders."

I envision the soldiers killing Amata, then brutally cutting off her arm to get her Pipboy and returning to Vault 101 to get inside. The thoughts makes my stomach roil, and I have to fight my instincts and remain calm.

The heavy thudding of power armor boots come my way and I press myself further into the shadows, getting my gun ready. A moment later, the soldier comes into view and starts fiddling with something on his suit.

I lift my gun and aim for a chink in the armor around the soldier's neck, desperately trying to steady my shaking hands. I'll only have one shot to take him by surprise. After a moment of aiming and thanking the moon for providing some illumination, I squeeze the trigger.

The bullet tears through the air and, miraculously, sneaks into the weak spot in the armor, blasting the soldier's head off.

Three things happen in the next second: the other soldier curses in surprise, Amata screams, and I realize she may be killed in the commotion over the sudden report.

Thoughts for my own safety are thrown aside as I jump out of my hiding place and run at the surprised soldier. He pulls up his rifle and gets off a few rounds in my direction before I tackle him to the ground. We scuffle around for a few minutes, trying to get a point blank shot at each other, or at least trying for a stunning blow. I get a knee in my gut and gasp, and he takes the opportunity and scrambles on top of me, pinning me down and trying to use his rifle to strangle me.

Luck must be on my side, because I manage to get my gun jammed up against his armored neck and pull the trigger. He gives a strangled yelp and goes still, collapsing on top of me. I shove the corpse off of me and roll over onto my hands and knees, coughing and gasping for breath. I look up at Amata, who's sitting on the ground looking terrified and ashen, indescribably glad to see that she's still alive.

I sit back slowly, trying not to scare her, and offer her a weak smile. "Hey, 'Mata." Seeing that she's still looking afraid, I set my gun down and raise my empty hands. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you."

She says my name quietly, as if she can't quite grasp what's just happened.

I realize that she probably can't wrap her mind around the scene she's witnessed, but I nod anyway, ignoring that for a moment as I try to coax her out of her fear.

After a few more moments of silence, she scrambles toward me and throws her arms around me, burying her face in the crook of my neck. I wrap an arm around her in a soothing embrace, rocking her gently and trying to hide my shock at how violently she's trembling.

Amata doesn't seem to be able to speak, so I inconspicuously reach for my gun and tuck it into my waistband, guiding her to her feet and leading her back toward the shelter I'd found. The smell of the corpses is liable to draw the attention of any animal nearby, and I'd rather not be out in the open when they arrive.

We climb into the little cave together, and once we're a safe distance inside, I pull a folded piece of padding out of my bag, unfurl it, and let Amata lay down. She does, but once she's curled up on her side, she reaches for my hand and holds onto me tightly.

"You're okay," I whisper, giving her hand a comforting squeeze as I sit across the narrow tunnel from her, trying to give her enough room in the tight space.

We're both quiet again, and soon I hear her crying quietly. I'm not sure what to do or say, so I just hold her hand. After a while, the sounds stop and her breathing evens out, a sure sign that she's asleep.

Once I'm sure she's completely unconscious, I gently pull my hand from hers, easing my Pipboy light on just enough to be able to see her without the glare waking her. She doesn't look like she's been out of the Vault long; her skin isn't grimy like most of the wastelanders', and her jumpsuit still looks mostly clean. I wonder what happened for a while, images of the Vault being attacked or sabotaged flooding my brain, but when her breathing catches, I focus my gaze back on her.

The few months that have passed since I've seen her have felt like a lifetime. For a long time after I left 101, I could hardly keep myself together. I'd abandoned my responsibilities to the Brotherhood for a while, spending my time either wandering aimlessly around Megaton and parts of DC or trying to beat Jericho in drinking games at Moriarty's, which usually ended in me puking my guts up. Eventually, Nova and Gob had pulled me aside, told me they were worried, and banned me from the saloon for a week. I'd taken the time to accept that Amata was out of my life for good, and that it would be easiest to feel the pain of it and move the next few weeks, I had slowly figured out how to block out most of the fondness I felt for Amata. It still hurt to think of her, and I was still angry over being ousted from the Vault. The feelings muddled together and I was left with a heavy resentment in my chest.

Lucy West had approached me, told me about her family, and asked me to deliver a letter to Arefu for her. I'd accepted, and was just now making my way back to Megaton. I'd had plans to go talk to the Brotherhood and see what needed to be done after I'd rested a bit from the trip. But now...

I frown in the darkness, thoroughly confused by the turn of events. I had thought I'd moved on, but seeing her again has shot everything I think I know for a fact to hell.

I turn the light of my Pipboy completely off and settle back against the rock wall, trying to sort through everything in my mind. After a lot of thinking and confusion, I slip off into a restless sleep, hoping that tomorrow will bring some clarity.