A/N: I was blown away by the amount of support this story had gotten. It was pretty epic to see how many views, favorites, and follows it had gotten on one chapter alone. I want to thank you all for your support. I'm going to be straight with you right now. Fallout is a masterpiece. As such I'm going to do my damndest to keep the plot moving, but in a realistic sense. I'm not prying for any reviews or anything, but I'd love some feedback there. Questions should be PM'd. I felt that the main question was kind of rushed in the beginning of the game, so I'm going to take it at a subtle pace. Also, be prepared for short chapters every now and then, like this one. On the bright side, I never post any chapters without them being at least 5,000 words in length excluding Author Notes. Enjoy!
Part 1: A Soldier Reborn
Chapter 2: Sanctuary Hills
As the Vault 111 elevator platform rose, I had to shield my eyes from intense rays of sunlight, due to Cryostasis and being underground for a long time. The scene all around me looked as if I had stepped into a real life horror story. My gaze combed over what was left of the world. Sanctuary Hills was barely standing. A couple buildings were destroyed beyond all repair while others remained strong but broken in some parts. The mountainous slopes were dead as I turned to look inland. The shades of natural life were devoid of color and in various states of death, rot, or irradiated. It looked like the city of Boston in the distance was still standing through morning hazy air; at least the skyscrapers were. I could see the water tower in the distance, the power line structures that moved towards the city, and disappear behind irradiated trees and hills. I stood there in a mixture of shock, awe, and discouragement staring at the horror and beauty of the once lively world that was now changed. I had to get back down to my home. I turned to look at the construction site around Vault 111. I took good measure to look around for supplies before I left the construction site.
The controls to the door of Vault 111 were in the building nearby, also sporting a first aid box and a crate. There was a Stimpak and a purified bottle of water. The crate had a Molotov Cocktail inside. I stuck it in my small bag before continuing on. There was another building in the area containing more ammo for my N99 10mm handgun. I finally left the Vault 111 site making my way back down the hill. But before I did leave, I noted countless skeletons that were grouped around the gate. My mind flashed back to when the skeletons were people trying to seek refuge, only to be gunned down by a U.S soldier. I pushed it out of my mind before continuing on.
Eventually, I would make it across the footbridge and come up between the two backyards of the Whitfield residence, and the Able residence. It wasn't until I found myself in the middle of the street of Sanctuary hills did I realize how much had changed thanks to the bombs. What once was a peaceful and lively neighborhood full of people was now dead, destroyed, and almost unrecognizable. If a nuke hadn't hit somewhere on the other side of boston, I could swear a tornado had hit. Several houses were completely demolished including the Baker's, Donoghue's, and from what I could tell from where I was at, the Callahan's. Others were still standing, just having years of neglect to deal with like my own home, the Able's, the Whitfields, Rosa's home, and Hawthorne's home. Trees fell, post-war weeds and bushes were reclaiming the cracked asphalt road, trees had fallen, mailboxes barely standing, and the street was lined with old rusted vehicles. The only tree still standing that looked as if it was the cold season was a large oak tree which was the landmark of the Cul De Sac. Everything was so quiet, with the muffled sounds of an occasional buzzing sound. Everywhere I looked, I saw what had been, and what could've been before and if the bombs didn't fall.
I made my way towards my home, or what was left of my home. It was still standing though the windows were shattered, parts of the roof and wall were missing. But what was strange was that the bushes had been freshly trimmed in a straight line, not blocking the view out the bedroom windows. Bushes didn't grow like that. Then I saw something. Out of the house came a humming Mr. Handy model Robot.
"Codsworth?" I asked.
"As I live and breathe!" The Mister Handy said, "Oh….it's….it's really you!" It was then I realized that if this bucket of bolts could survive, then others could have as well.
"You're still here?" I spoke, "So…..other people could be alive too." His response was not what I was expecting, though.
"Well of course I'm still here," He said rather proudly, "surely you don't think a little radiation could deter the pride of General Atomics International? Hah. But you seem the worse for wear. Best not let the wife see you in that state." My heart sank. "Where is the Missus, by the way?"
"She's…." I said heavily, "In a better place."
Codsworth seemed undeterred and completely off at the moment. "Sir…." He said spoke, "these things you're saying…." In my mind, I the thoughts, I only said one thing. "...these, these terrible things you are saying...I…I believe you need a distraction. Yes! A distraction to calm this dire mood. It's been ages since we've had a proper family activity. Checkers. Or perhaps charades. Shaun does so love that game. Is the lad….with you….?
"Shaun's….." I started with difficulty. Five years in the military and the thought of never seeing my son would leave me almost unable to function. "...been kidnapped. But I'm going to find him." I said it almost just to reassure myself. "I'm going to get my son back."
Codsworth's response was again off. "It's worse than I thought," He said to me, "Hmm hmm. You're suffering from hunger-induced paranoia. Not eating properly for 200 years will do that, I'm afraid."
My mouth literally fell open. Did I hear that right? "No…." I said in disbelief, "No….that's not possible. I wasn't out for that long. Not 200 years…."
"Uh a bit over 210 actually, sir," Codsworth corrected himself, "Give or take a little for the Earth's rotation and some minor dings to the ol' chronometer, ha ha ha. That means that you're uh…..two centuries late for dinner, ha ha ha. Prehaps I could whip you up a snack? You must be famished." Food sounded great right now and that's all I registered for that moment.
"Starving," I replied, "Yeah…..I need a minute to think."
"Then I'll be right back," Codsworth replied before heading back inside. I walked in behind him as he hummed. I looked at the mess my house was now in. Leaves had blown in, the furniture in horrible condition, the refrigerator, stove, oven, and dishwasher were pretty much done. The bed where Nora and I once slept was completely destroyed. I walked into Shaun's old room and saw that the only two things that survived the past 200 years, were his crib and his baby changing table. The last time I was here, I was playing with him, spinning his favorite thing in the entire house.
"I'll find you buddy."
"Here you are sir," Codsworth said floating into the room and handing me a box of sugar bombs, "I'm afraid I don't have any milk on hand seeing as the grocery store over in Concord went out of business when the bombs fell."
"Thanks Codsworth," I said before opening up the box of sugar bombs and downing the entire box.
"You're Welcome Sir!" He replied, "I've been thinking….if something was amiss...your loved ones may simply be hiding….from…..the Red Menace." I gave him a look of confusion.
"Theh Rehd Memace?" I asked with tasty sugar bombs in my mouth. I didn't care about etiquette or manners, I was trying to fill a hole in my stomach.
"Why the Communists of course!" Codsworth said in indignantly, "The Russian's AND the Chinese!"
I looked at him dropping the now empty box of sugar bombs. The bombs had fallen. No government could have survived the outcome, not even the communist. "Codsworth buddy," I said, "I don't think the Reds are going to be a problem anymore."
It was like I wasn't speaking. "I have an idea!" He replied, "Let's search the neighborhood together. After all, the Missus and young Shaun, they're….they're my family too." This robot had been everywhere today. He himself stated that 210 years passed already, but he acted like not a day went by when the bombs fell. Furthermore, he didn't answer any questions or responded on topic, like he was avoiding them. That was the last straw something was up with my robot.
"Codsworth…." I spoke firmly, "Are you sure you're holding up okay?"
He didn't answer immediately. I didn't think it was possible for a Robot to have a mental breakdown. Until now. "I….I….." He started imitating a human who had just went emotional and on the verge of tears, "Oh sir, it's just been horrible! Two centuries with no one to talk to, no one to serve!?" The robot had become lonely and had almost drove himself crazy. "I've spent the first ten years trying to keep the floors waxed, but nothing gets out nuclear fallout from vinyl wood. Nothing! And don't even get me started about the futility of dusting collapsed house. And the car! The car! How do you polish rust!?" He was stuck on entirely the fact that things just continued on as normal. He had followed his subroutines and programming being an ever loyal robot and it had driven him almost crazy. I had to calm him before he short circuited himself.
"Codsworth," I said kind of feeling sorry for the robot, "Stay with me pal. Focus. What do you know about what happened?"
"I'm afraid I don't know anything sir," He said emotionally, "The bombs came, and all of you left in such a hurry, I thought for certain you and your family were….dead. I did find this holotape. I believe Missus was going to present it to you...as a surprise. But then, well..everything 'happened'." He pulled it out of a storage compartment in his chassis before giving it to me.
"Thank you Codsworth," I spoke looking at it.
He sniffed. "You're welcome," He said voice cracking.
"Give me a moment," I said sighing, "Go and…..do something else for a moment."
"Yes sir," Codsworth said, "Enough feeling sorry for myself. You have had a traumatic experience yourself. I will leave you be for a moment."
I nodded before putting the holotape in my Pipboy and pressed play.
"Oopsie," I heard Nora's voice and Shaun in the background making several noises, "no,no,no...put those fingers away. There we go. Okay. Just say it. Right there, right there. Go ahead." Shawn giggled and Nora followed. "Yay! Hi Honey. Listen….I don't think that Shaun and I how great of a father you are….but we're going to anyway. Isn't that right?" She had asked that question to Shaun. "You are kind, and loving…." Shaun laughed. "...and funny. That's right. And patient. So patient. Patience of a Saint, as my mom used to say. Look, with Shaun, and all of us being home together….it's been an amazing year. But even so, I know our best days are yet to come. Hmm, there will be changes, sure. Thing's we'll need to adjust to. You'll eventually rejoin the civilian workforce if you ever get tired of being a Mister Handyman, and...I'll shake the dust off of my law degree. But everything we do, no matter how hard…..we do it for our family. Now say goodbye Shaun." Shaun made several incoherent noises. "Bye, say bye bye. bye bye." Nora laughed again. "Bye honey! We love you! More than anything in the world."
I fell to my hands and knees, a single tear shed, which turned into many. The emotional pain coursed through me like sandpaper through my veins. I wanted to hold my wife and son, to never let them go again. I wanted to live a normal life with them. I wanted to see Nora again, with all her liveliness she had and joy in life itself. I wanted to see her lying there next to me in bed after I woke up one morning. I wanted to see that smile, hear that laugh, and see her holding Shaun or another newborn child of ours. And Shaun….I wanted to hold that little boy so close to me, like I did that day the bombs fell, calming him, reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. I wanted to be there to teach him so many things that my father and grandfather taught me. I would've taught him how to play baseball, hunting, fishing, a little bit of things on the agricultural side which his mom would probably start him off, survival skills, driving a car, and shooting his first gun. I would've been proud to see him growing up, attending D.B Technical High School, watching him grow into a man and find his own Soulmate and eventually marrying her. All these things that I wanted, all these things that could be only classified as The American Dream, had been ripped away from me. Everything I was forced to leave behind, had been wiped from the world, murdered, or stolen from me.
It took me several moments to pull myself together. I had just lost everything. But with all this grief, this….anger, something was born. Raw determination and a subtle lust for revenge. I got up and walked back into the kitchen where Codsworth was waiting.
"Are you alright sir?"
"Yeah," I lied.
"Hmm," Codsworth said, "I know better than that, tell you what. How about we search for young Shaun in the neighborhood? Surely he and his kidnapper would be in a nearby area? My motion sensors are picking up movement in Sanctuary Hills. "
I knew better than to have that kind of hope. But I went with it anyways. "I doubt it," I said, "But what the hell. Let's give it a shot."
"Proud to serve Mr. Nathan," Codsworth said happily, "Shall we go?"
"Yeah," I replied, "Lead the way." I followed the overly excited robot next door closer to the Cul De Sac. It was Johani's house, one of my wife's friends. I walked over to the house only to be a large mutated fly that flew through the window at a fast speed. I pulled out my pistol and fired a round, missing. I fired once more only having to duck from a projectile of….something that seemed to come from the oversized bug. The bug was cut down by Codsworth's skill saw. Then he torched the hell out of another oversized fly that came through the collapsed door.
"Might want to be careful sir," Codsworth spoke to me, "Bloatflies aren't the most dangerous thing out here. They're fast and nimble. They throw larvae at you and that can blind even the most resilient man today."
"Bloatflies?" I asked.
"Yes," Codsworth said, "I heard some of the locals call them that. And they call giant cockroaches, something stupid….now what was it….? Oh yes, Radroaches."
"Those are some strange names," I replied as I searched the house. The only thing I saw was a safe in the master bedroom. I didn't even think about touching the thing because I didn't have anything to pick the locks with for one, and two it would be weird to go around my neighbor's former homes looting it…..for now at least.
"Yes well," Codsworth said, "most humans are strange themselves these days. My sensors aren't picking up anything else. Nothing here but a few flies…...hmm not good at all. Wait….I'm picking up something else…..in the Gallagher residence. Follow me!" With that, the hyped up robot floated out the door with alarming speed. I turned to follow him to the Cul De Sac. Immediately, we were swarmed by more of those flies. I took aim, trying to hit one of those flittering little things. My aim was off, severely. I used to be a crack shot with weaponry. Now, I'm just rusty. Deciding not to waste any more ammo, I pulled out my baton and started swinging at the Bloatfly. Codsworth literally picked one out the air with his nimble robotic finger and slammed it into the ground before cutting it up with his skill saw. I dodged as another threw more of its larvae at me. I smacked it to the ground and then squished it under my boot. I walked inside the Gallagher residence seeing that someone had attempted to make a makeshift barrier to bunker down behind in the kitchen/living room.
"Your family isn't here either," Codsworth spoke with extreme disappointment, "They're….they're really gone aren't they?"
"Thanks for trying Codsworth," I spoke, "But Shaun's still out there somewhere. I need to find him."
"Hmm," Codsworth said changing his tone, "What about Concord sir? Plenty of people there. And last I checked, they only pummeled me with sticks a few times before I had to run back home."
"There is still people alive in Concord?" I asked.
"Yes," Codsworth said, "Although they're a bit rough. You remember the way? Just across the southern footbridge out of the neighborhood and past the Red Rocket Station?"
"Of course," I replied, "Concord's where we went grocery shopping." Concord was nearly a mile out from Sanctuary Hills, with the Red Rocket station at the top of the hill from it. I made the trip almost daily when I had an oddball job to go do.
"Very well then," Codsworth said, "Will you be leaving immediately?"
I was about to say yes when I came across the realization of something. If I left now, without making sure I was prepared, then I'd be as useless as I was when I fought with those Bloatflies. I would probably die if I went out there ill equipped and rusty; and Shaun would be lost forever. I couldn't have that. I was smarter than that. My nearly lost and confused civilian and emotional father-like state had almost gotten me killed. I had to return to what I was during the Sino-American War. A calculating soldier. But I couldn't return to it like I used to be. I couldn't return to that time where I was a cold blooded tactical thinking, inventive genius Green Beret who killed without remorse. If I was to return to that persona, the morals I had set for myself upon returning to civilian life with Nora, would be lost. I had to adjust. I had to adapt. I had done a pretty shitty job of it so far. The "The world's changed and my family is dead or lost" excuse was not flying anymore. I had to adapt. I had to. I couldn't let my emotions run me. I wasn't saying to just forget about Shaun and Nora, like they were nothing. I was saying, remember them and move forward so I could function effectively to actually find Shaun. That raw determination and resolve was the final straw I needed to flip the switch. I would hold onto my morals, while moving on like the soldier I was trained to be.
"No," I spoke firmly.
"No?" Codsworth questioned with scrutiny, "What about your son?"
"I'll find him Codsworth," I spoke, "But last time I tried, which was with you by the way, I almost got myself killed. I've got to prepare myself first. My time as a civilian has made me soft. My time in Cryo has seemingly affected my ability physically and mentally as a soldier. I have to change that."
"So what are you going to do?" Codsworth said.
"I'm going to plan and prepare," I spoke, "And I'll probably need your help. Will you?"
"AB-solutely," Codsworth replied, "Where shall we begin?"
"First off," I said, "Have you seen any hostile activity around here while I was in the Vault?"
"No sir," Codsworth replied, "Other than the occasional pest like the Bloatfly or a dog passing through no. Sanctuary Hills remains untouched from outside contact for the past 200 years. There was one fellow in a yellow trenchcoat irradiated to…..hell but he left a long time ago for some reason. I haven't seen him since."
"Okay then," I spoke, "It's time for me to prepare. It looks like this is going to be my homefront from now on. My house is in a pretty strategic location, so that's where I guess I'll sleep. Codsworth, I want you to start going through the neighborhood and piling everything unusable out front. It's all going for scrap."
"Yes sir," Codsworth said, "Might I ask what you will be doing sir?"
"I'll be scavenging for anything else useful," I replied, "Weapons, food, Chems, gear, all the good stuff. If you find anything that is remotely useful, I want to see it. Put it in our carport. I don't care if there's a tiny screw out of a trashed up toy. I need it. Okay? Clothes, everything. Anything bigger pile it in the front yard."
"I may have to move the car sir," Codsworth spoke.
"It's useless," I replied looking at the old thing, "Do what you have to."
"Yes sir," Codsworth said. With that, we got to work. I went around the neighborhood armed with a single gun and baton. I left all my stuff on my countertop in my home. Codsworth was busy going around the general area looking for things to scrap. I went next door to Johani's old home and looked around for anything useful. That's when I saw a bobby pin. I was a good infiltrator and one of the things I learned, was picking locks. So I did so to the safe. I took me a moment, but I finally got the safe open. Inside was a blood pack, some prewar money, a box of shotgun shells, a crude improvised weapon used even before the bombs fell called a pipe pistol, some .38 ammo, and Psycho syringes. I even claimed a bottle of nukacola. With Johani's house plucked through involving supplies, I put all the looted items in my home before going over to the other formally bloatfly infested home. In all that junk, I found another safe, though this one was a floor safe. I found more .38 ammo, another pipe pistol, and some prewar money as well as a gold pocket watch. There were several Stimpaks and bobby pins in the mirror cabinet in the bathroom. I returned those supplies to my home before searching the final house on the Cul De Sac. I remembered that this was the home of a local fellow soldier named Axel. I sighed as I walked in and tore his home apart for anything valuable. I found ammo for my N99 pistol as well as a dufflebag that I fully planned on using. I searched around the back of his home, remembering that he had a root cellar before the war. This was where he had once stayed. I picked it clean, getting more ammo, medical supplies, and even gold bars.
When I returned to my home, Codsworth had dragged the old car into the middle of the street and had an assortment of gear on the carport floor. I dropped what I had gathered off, then continued on down the neighborhood. I went next door to my home which was the Whitfield residence to find nothing but a single Stimpak and salvageable items. In the Able residence. I found a first aid box in there. Next house I visited was right next door and use to belong to a seemingly okay guy named Mr. Hawthorne. That was until I found out what he did for a living. After spending a couple minutes hacking his terminal I found out that Mr. Hawthorne was in the business of making drugs and selling them; to neighbors no less. DiPietro, Mr Baker, Rosa, Jahani, Mr. Russell? What? They got drugs illegally? Well that pretty much changed my outlook on them. I had to disarm a makeshift bomb trap that guarded the safe full of chems and prewar money. He even had a Chemistry station out back. It had all the components need to make anything I wanted, bombs, medical products, drugs which it was used for, or cutting fluid. By the time I had made it to Russell's old residence, it was around five in the afternoon. There was some food, but that was it. Rosa's residence, which was across the street from mine, probably had everything I could ever want. She kept an assortment of equipment and tools because her and her son was trying to restore a Corvega before the bombs fell. She was a grease monkey on all ends.
I returned to my house looking at all the gear I had. I made sure to keep a checklist of everything I had. Codsworth had piled a great amount of appliances and junk on the carport floor. These ranged from tin cans, aluminum cans, light fixtures, old radios, kitchen appliances, etc. Before it got too dark, I made sure to move the couch in front of the front door so it couldn't be opened. That way there was only one way out of the house that someone would most likely use if they tried to come at me. Codsworth floated in through the side door.
"Sir are you okay?"
"Just making sure there's one way in Cods," I spoke, "At least for the night. How much scrap have you gathered?"
"A lot sir," Codsworth said, "Shall I name off the materials."
"No," I replied, "We'll probably go over that in the morning. I'm going to get some food in me and call it a night."
"Very well sir," Codsworth said, "I shall stand guard then." I ate some preserved yum yum deviled eggs before finally getting some sleep.
I was walking through the halls of D.B Technical High School beginning my year as a Senior. It was a crowded high school from what I was used to. I came from a farm from the state of New York, being a descendent of a Southern farmer. My father was in the military like I was and he was reassigned to be stationed in Boston. My family and I were new here. But I didn't let that deter me from being myself. I was raised by a military mother and father, so yeah, I was an army brat. It was seemingly a good00 day, until I caught a glimpse of that Blonde Hair and blue eyed girl. Then it became a better day.
I woke up to the sound of my Pipboy's alarm clock, looking for Nora. But all that was there was the destroyed kitchen of my home with Codsworth watching over the house. I turned off the alarm clock and got ready for the day. Codsworth and I began our work. I walked over to Rosa's first thing that morning and looked at all the equipment and tools she had. She had a smelter for melting down metal, a forge for reshaping it, and a prewar wood fabricator. She also had a lot of tools and even a car lift that could be reconfigured for holding up a Power Armor frame. I'd probably do that if I could find some. The U.S military wasn't still around was it? They wouldn't give a rats ass. I spent the better part of the day moving all the fabrication equipment to Johani's garage, which the only thing separating our houses was hedges. There was a gap between the hedges that allowed easy access to her carport. The best part was, there was no side door to her house. Codsworth and I moved the rusted car out the way beforehand, so installing the equipment was easy. This pretty much got me out of the Stone Age. I could now modify my weapons and build defenses. I just had to create several molds out of clay and what not.
Building my home base wasn't too hard, especially with Codsworth, even if his programming wasn't suited for construction. He was entirely helpful as he doubled the process of constructing a few wall panels and fences made of junk. I installed the junk fences in the gaps between the backyards of my house and Johani's old home. Then I made sure the gaps between the car ports were fenced in and the a door frame was installed on both garages. Most people would wonder, why I'd want to fence in such a big place. I was an excellent strategist and I planned ahead a lot. I also liked to be prepared. The second day, I used the drug dealer's terminal to create a basic program for two machine gun turrets. Codsworth aided me in every step of their creation. One was put on the front top side of Johani's garage and the other looking over the backyard of my house.
Day three was all about me getting some lighting. I had just enough copper to make two DIY medium sized generators that were built at the back corner of Johani's backyard. I strung wire all the way to her car port over our hedges that divided the two houses, and to my garage. I had just enough for two lights. One under each carport. After my third day of improvising land management, I finally felt that my home was safe enough and could serve my needs. It basically became a workshop. With adequate power now, I decided to modify one of my guns with the available materials I had. I replaced the standard grip with a leather grip for more comfort and then readjusting and completely modifying the standard receiver into an upgraded one. These little adjustments aided with helping my aim, and the velocity of the bullet once it leaves the chamber. I decided to get a little target practice in testing out the new modifications. I only used twenty 10mm bullets, deciding to be sparing with it. With a backpack full of necessary equipment such as medical treatment supplies, ammo, and rations, I decided to leave the next morning towards Concord. Codsworth would stay and guard the workshop. He could handle it. He's done it for 200 years now.