There was a light...and what a brilliant light it was. Betty tried to call out her husband's name, but she had no voice. No matter, she had to keep trying.

"Hey, she's comin' out of it!" she heard someone whisper from far away.

Betty could feel it. Nate was just within reach. She couldn't wait to see his handsome face, those beautiful green eyes, and run her hands through his dark blonde hair. She called out his name again and this time, she found her voice.

"Nate!" Betty shouted.

Why was the light fading? Of course it was fading...she killed those raiders, the ones who weren't even fighting her at first until she turned her pistol on them. Light couldn't shine for one with a cold, dark heart. She fell, down into a black abyss. There was no escape. The Sole Survivor reached out in desperation, searching for something, for someone to save her from this fall.

"It's all right, Betty," an unfamiliar voice murmured. "We're here to help you now."

"No! No, no!" She lashed out with her fists and kicked out with her legs, but several hands appeared to hold her down. "Get away from me!"

"-She's gonna hurt herself, someone get me a Calmex! Betty, can you hear me?"

Betty's eyes ripped open, her heart almost pounding right out of her chest. She looked around, her vision still a bit fuzzy, and counted five figures surrounding her. A hand touched her shoulder and she flinched. A kind voice spoke and it was then that she recognized it. As her vision returned, she saw that she was in her old bedroom. Codsworth must've told the settlers that this was her house.

"You're safe at home," Preston told Betty. "Your Mr. Handy's been worried sick about you. We all were."

"W-what happened? After I killed that...monster," she asked him. "Did I kill it?"

Dogmeat rushed in at the sound of Betty's voice, leaping onto the bed and slobbered all over her face. Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek against his snout, telling him over and over again what a good boy he was.

Preston and the other settlers chuckled before he answered, "Indeed you did. That was a Deathclaw, the most dangerous creature out in the Commonwealth. You passed out afterwards. We thought you were dead and when we opened what was left of the power armor, there you were, still breathing. Figured the fight took a lot out of you so we carried you over to Sanctuary. Dogmeat led the way. That robot of yours was going to attack us until he noticed you hanging over my shoulder."

"How long was I out for?" Betty asked.

"Almost a week."

Codsworth jetted into view, shoving past Preston. "Oh, mum! I'm ever so glad you're all right! I thought I lost you all over again!"

"Still here...some how.." Betty said. "That power armor is amazing. Was it destroyed?"

Preston nodded his head and answered, "The frame is good, but all the pieces broke off during your, uh, wrestling match with that deathclaw. The fusion core is almost out of power as well, so you'd have to repair the armor and find more cores."

Betty sat up and tried to stand but her legs were far too shaky still and she almost took a fall if Preston's quick hand didn't find its way to her arm. He set her on the bed and said, "Where are you going? You're in no condition to get out of bed, much less face the brutality of the Commonwealth."

"I need to find my son!" Betty said as she tried to push Preston aside.

The old woman who traveled with Preston's small group of settlers shuffled into the room, holding a bowl and a clean rag. She dipped the rag into the bowl of hot water and began to dab at the cuts and scrapes peppered across Betty's arms. "There's more to your destiny. I've seen it, and I know your pain."

"You saw it? What do you mean?" asked Betty. "Who are you?"

"The name's Mama Murphy." The old woman turned to the others huddled in the room and said, "Outta here, all of you."

Preston nodded and gathered the others to leave, including an irritated Codsworth who shouted, "But mum needs me!" as the door closed. Dogmeat curled up around Betty's feet and settled down with a huff to sleep.

"It's the chems, kid. The give ole Mama Murphy the 'Sight.' Been that way for as long as I can remember."

"What's the 'Sight?'"

"I can see a bit of what was, and what will be. And even what is, right now. You're a woman out of time. Out of hope. But all is not lost. I can feel...your son's energy. He's alive."

"Where? Where's Shaun!" Betty asked, squeezing Mama Murphy's wrinkled hands. "Please tell me!"

"Oh, I wish I did kid, I really do. But I can't see your son...just...feel his life force, his energy. But I don't even need the Sight to tell you where you should start lookin'...the great, green jewel of the Commonwealth. Diamond City."

"Where is it? I'll leave right now," said Betty.

"You need to stay here a while, and get strong again. Stronger than before, to survive out there, kid. Help Preston with the Minutemen. They could use someone like you, and Preston'll teach you whatever you ain't sure of. But if you leave now, you...and Dogmeat here, will die within the week. Please...you're meant for so much more."

"All right. I guess it's for the best, huh? I won't do Shaun any good if I'm dead...at least he's still alive."


Nearly two months passed since Betty recovered from her battle against a deathclaw. She was unexperienced, frightened, and filled with a rage that just wouldn't quit. Now, as she surveyed the Starlight Drive-In settlement, Preston down below her dragging another ancient, rusted car out with the help of three new settlers, she was a little more experienced, a little less frightened, but the rage still remained.

She glanced down at her Pip-boy. Almost six in the evening. Cleaning up the rest of this settlement would have to wait until tomorrow. Traveling at night was never the best move to make, unless one was fond of being shot or eaten. Sometimes both.

Betty cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Garvey! Time to go home!"

She rushed down the rickety, wooden stairs of the massive outdoor movie screen, her combat rifle banging into the backs of her knees with every step. Preston met her at the bottom of the stairs and she jumped the last step, snatching the hat off his head and plopping down onto hers instead. Her friend laughed and waved for the other, newer settlers to follow Betty and himself.

"This was a great spot you found, Bets. We could build something on par with Diamond City, I think," Preston said as they walked down the worn path back to Sanctuary Hills.

"You're going to have to start that project without me," Betty told him. "I think I'm ready to look for Shaun."

Preston nodded and was silent for a moment before he replied, "I think you're ready as well. Getting all of these settlements together really helped, both you and the Minutemen. We're lucky to have you."

Betty laughed and said, "I'm not too sure about that. You and Dogmeat saved my ass more times than I can count. Remember that one raider, Ack-Ack? Pinned me in that little hallway with her minigun?"

"Yeah and you were shouting out directions for me to hack the turrets, heh. You've gotten pretty good at that, you know?"

"Thanks, brother," Betty said with flushed cheeks.

The group arrived back at Sanctuary Hills just in time for Codsworth to serve dinner. Betty mentioned to Codsworth her plans to leave the settlement the following morning, and asked him to make something enjoyable for everyone. The settlers depended on her and Preston to keep everything running smoothly, but she knew he could manage it on his own until she found Shaun. Once she found him, she'd bring him back to Sanctuary Hills and rejoin the Minutemen and their cause to rebuild the wasteland. It could even be a pleasant sort of life for Shaun and herself. Nate would still be gone, but at the very least, she and her boy would still have one another.

During dinner, Preston explained and delegated the different tasks for the settlers regarding the Starlight settlement. Cars still needed to be scrapped. Codsworth would help remove the two radioactive barrels that lay at the edge of a pond. Marcy would work on the garden. It was all coming together quite nicely, and as much as Betty wanted to help and see the growth of this settlement herself, Shaun still weighed on her mind.


The next morning, Betty packed all the things Preston said she'd need for her trip to Diamond City. Stimpaks, extra ammo, a handgun, a switchblade, among other things. She wrote a note for the settlers late last night before bed, explaining where she'd gone and that she would return once she finds Shaun. Grabbing her combat rifle off her desk, she took one last look around the room she once shared with Nate and peeked into Shaun's room next.

"I'm coming, sweetie. Hold on a little longer," she whispered to the emptiness.

The sun was just breaking past the horizon. Most everyone would still be asleep, dreaming in peace. That was not the case this particular morning. At Sanctuary's entrance, all of the settlers, Dogmeat, and Codsworth were waiting for Betty with words of comfort, praise, and encouragement. She had to smile, at this...family she grew to care for so much.

Preston saluted Betty and she followed suit before he said, "Good luck out there, Betty. We gathered some extra caps for you. Money talks and opens a lot of doors in the Commonwealth. You could always use more."

"Thanks, brother. You're going to do great watching over these settlements. You don't need me," said Betty as they hugged. "As always, I'll help whoever I come across out there, and try to get them to join the Minutemen."

"We'll be stronger when you do come back with your son," he replied. "Maybe we'll even try to take back the old Minutemen stronghold, the Castle."

Codsworth was next to say his goodbyes, which consisted of him sobbing and trying to wrap his appendages around Betty to hug her. Dogmeat sat beside Codsworth, his tail a blur.

"Hey boy," Betty said to the dog as she squatted down. "You stay here and help Preston, all right? Make sure nothing happens to anyone. I'll be back soon. I love you, you're such a good boy, yeah?"

She hugged Dogmeat as tight as she could; Betty could never bear to lose him out in the wasteland, even if he was useful and tough.

Mama Murphy was the last to say goodbye. She handed Betty a small bag of stimpaks and rad-away, who thanked her with a hug.

"Before you leave, I wanna tell you what the Sight showed me as I woke up. You will meet two men during this journey to the green jewel but they ain't gonna be the kind of men you expect. A glowing heart leads the way to the one who can help find your boy. The other man is somewhere deep and dark, surrounded by folks with nothin' but cruel intentions. His love for you, and yours for him, will keep you from the brink of death and lead you to your destiny. And there's an echo...something in the past that can help you. When you find that the green jewel won't allow passage, tell the man at the gate to "remember the Quarry and Lilly June on the rocks," and he'll let you and your love pass."

"I'll never love anyone else," Betty told Mama Murphy with certainty. "Not after Nate."

"The Sight ain't never lied to me yet. You're still young and there's always room for more love. You'll see."

Betty hugged the old woman and whispered, "Thank you so much, Mama. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Follow the old highways east into Downtown. It's somewhere there!" Preston shouted as they all waved their last goodbyes to the Sole Survivor.

Betty waved back and took a deep breath before crossing the lop-sided bridge. "I'm coming for you, baby. And when I find out who took you, I'm going to kill them."