DISCLAIMER

Time for the standard rubbish... I do not own, or claim ownership of any characters, written events, or the entire universe of Fallout. It's Bethesda's job to claim these (however I do dream of it). All original rights are still intact. I do, however, claim ownership of Serena Carter, and any originally created content that I have thought up in this Fan Fiction story.

NOTICE: This entire Fan Fiction heavily relies on the Fallout 3 game, even though I am reciting most of it from memory after not having a copy of the game anymore. Either way, if you do plan to play the game and haven't done so already, do not read any part of this story. Go play, already!

This FanFiction has been rated T for content suitable for Teens, however this may change later on.

INTRODUCTION

This story is set exactly along the Fallout 3 universe, and the original character, Serena Carter, the Lone Wanderer, born to Catherine and James Carter. This story details Serena's life from birth to death, and details the complex choices that face her during her travels... if she has any, that is. (Phew, lucky escape from spoiler-ville...)

Of course, due to the limitations that face any writers like me who write about the quests, and stay to the original story, and what a short (boring, and dull) story that would create, there are going to be areas where I will be expanding, using my own creative flair.
(In fact, I'll probably do that everywhere...)

A Destiny, Torn Apart

"...Dr. Madison and I are going to recalibrate the recording..." A giggle. "...James, please!" Catherine exclaims, half-heartedly. "As soon as we get the results we need, we can move on to..."
James leans over, and presses a switch on the recorder, and twists around to face Catherine.
"You can finish that later, right?"

-Based on a recording found at the Jefferson Memorial.

Prelude, The Birth

9 months later, and our events begin.

"Catherine! It's a girl! A beautiful, baby girl!" James swooned, looking briefly at his wife, not wanting to miss a moment of the birth, yet ignoring the new arrival for just a few moments.

"Oh, ha." Catherine replied, breathlessly. "She looks so much like you!"

James smiled more, and kissed Catherine as nurses complete the normal checks on the baby. Turning back to the young arrival, his face lit up with pride. "Hello there, sweetheart. Your going to need a name... your mum and I have been thinking... What about Serena? Serena Jayne Carter."

"Serena Jayne Carter. Sounds pretty." Dr Li added from the side, pulling the Gene Projection screen down from it's resting place. It was rusted, and looked like it had past the point of no-repair a long time ago. "Gene projection is ready. Are you sure you want to see it? Last chance to change your minds.."

"We'll see it, thanks Li." James said with a courteous nod, as Dr Li switches on the screen. Both James and Catherine had been waiting a long time for this moment, and waited eagerly there. The screen took a moment to flash on, and even when light is emanating from the screen, it showed blackness for a while. A few flickers, and then a figure. It showed a stunning, tall woman, with shoulder-length dirty blond straight hair. Her face has a smile that no man could ever ignore. Serena gurgled in her cot, eyes closed, oblivious to the world at the moment.

"Look at that... Catherine? Catherine, what's wrong?" James had walked towards the machine, however now he darted over to Catherine, still lying, but extremely still, on the metal bed. "She's gone into cardiac arrest! Get the baby out of here!"
Dr Li and several nurses rush to help James, while two nurses wheel Serena out of the chamber. The corridor lights flush her vision to white...

Prelude, Final Education

16 Years later.

"No, darling, you are not ill, and yes you have to take the G.O.A.T test. Everyone else does. Even I did it back when I was your age." James said, as he finished Serena's medical evaluation. "Look, everyone is nervous, this test determines their future in the Vault. I remember back in the day when... ah, look. Here is Jonas. Looks like I'm going to have to wrap this short."

"Hey hey, sport! Today's the big day, eh? Don't want to be late, do you?" Jonas asks, slightly looking edgy. "Future changes, and all that."

"No... I don't. Bye." Serena walks slowly out the door, and watched it close behind her. There were very few times where her dad closed the door so shortly after her leaving, most of them when Jonas was there, or when he had "important work" to do. Sure, she'd been suspicious, and she had hung back from classes before. The last time, though, she'd been caught, and today was important. Today would determine how her future would manifest.

Well, it would, if aa group of her classmates surrounding someone nearby weren't in her way.

"Amata, we'd be so good together, and you just know it." said Butch, the leader of the gang, and closest to Amata in the centre. Serena would normally make a grave effort to avoid the group, had they been bullying someone other than Amata. But they were close friends, and she felt she had an... obligation to help.

"Butch, you wouldn't make a good match with the teddy bear in your quarters, even if you tried hard enough." Serena shouted over the heads of the crowd, smirking slightly. How that would help, she hadn't a clue, it was a gut reaction.

Butch turned towards her, the crowd now dispersing towards the classroom, for reasons unknown... "What's going on here? Serena, are you starting trouble again? As usual." Mr. Brotch's voice echoed in the corridor. "Get inside, the lot of you. Important day today."
Everyone files into the classroom, and sits, preparing for the test yet to come... their future. A lot of them were about to find their place in life.

2 hours later...

"Not one, but two Shift Supervisors, well well. Congratulations, Serena! Looks like I could be seeing two possible overseers. You'll join Amata in the Overseer's work quarters next week, ready to start work. Until then, you have the rest of the week off. Enjoy!"

Serena had been the last person to submit her test. She walked off outside, only to be met by Amata.
"Come on, you. Always last for everything. Let's go use our new privileges and push in front of Butch and his gang in the cafeteria."

Serena had no idea the next 3 years were going to be inspirational for her... and also the time after that even more so.