A/N: Thanks, xXFallenSakuraXx52, for telling me about my little error.

And sorry for the inconvenience.

When the future becomes the past, remind me where I'm supposed to be living in.

Chapter 3: Knight in Rusty Power Armor

After getting the gist on how to get the Power Armor working, Taylor was on her way. The dog stayed behind, surprisingly obeying the young woman when she told him to stay. While she wouldn't have minded the dog's company in retrieving the armor, Taylor knew that the less attention she brought to herself while she recovered the armor would be better for everyone involved.

One her way to the crash site just a stairway ahead, she had been spotted at least twice by a pair of raiders that had entered the museum just as she was making her down the hallway leading to the stairs. Preston and Sturges had begun shooting at them before they could target Taylor, as the young woman ran towards the stairs.

By the time she reached what was left of the roof, the shooting had stopped only to begin again once she closed the door behind her.

The roof was a mess, to put it mildly.

The vertibird had crashed one of its wings deep into the museum, leaving a large opening for sunlight to pass through. Other than a few broken parts, the vertibird was rather complete, even after two-hundred years resting on the top of this building. And then, there was the Power Armor.

It stood there, tall and imposing, promising righteous fury to all who stood on its way…but it just stood there. The armor Taylor remembered seeing was imposing and righteous—well, as righteous as one could get during war or civil misconduct—but this one was not. It was rusty all over the place and a few cracks on its paint job as well. The green colors were gone, mostly replaced by different tones of black. Taylor also spotted a few dents in the arm and leg pieces and even the US Flag that had been tattooed on its shoulder pads was barely visible.

A memory of the past, Taylor thought as she tapped her finger on the pad. Is this the future you wanted…?

She sighed and glanced at the armor up and down.

"Will this thing even work…? It's been…years…"

Sturges had assured her it would work and he seemed so sure about it that Taylor didn't dare to question it.

He had said that he had seen raiders use pieces of the armor but still they were pieces, this…this was a full set of military issued Power Armor. The same Power Armor that had won the war years ago (and set the world into chaos while it was at it).

Taylor didn't even know how to use a gun properly and this…

What credentials did you need? Any physical training? Medical training? Anything…training? How did you even put this thing on!?

(Nate had never worn one of these that much she knew and even then, he had never talked much about the war. Not that she could blame him…if only…things had been different…)

More shooting and shouting came from downstairs, as Taylor stopped looking at the armor and tried to get the thing to open…or something like that. She noticed a valve on the armor's back, which Sturges had mentioned would get the thing to open.

Open the whole thing? Or would the armor fall to tiny little pieces once she turned the valve, Taylor wondered.

She heard more shouting and gunshots, and could faintly hear unfamiliar voices coming from the stairs.

Taylor didn't think much of what would happen after, as she turned the valve as fast as she could. The valve was just as rusty as the armor and was hard to move, but after what seemed like forever, the valve began to turn and Taylor heard a small click emanating from the armor.

The young woman stepped back as she watched in wonder as the back of the Power Armor began to open up. The arms, the legs, the chest, the back of the head…like a…

It's like a cocoon… Taylor thought as she walked closer. She stopped in front of the open armor as she heard more gunshots and screaming…they were getting closer now! But how in the world would she put this thing on!?

She walked towards the armor and put her arms and legs in the empty sockets of the armor surprised that despite its size, the Pip-Boy had fit in the armor too, and then looked down at a small control panel near the chest area. Perhaps if she could get her arms to move towa—and then, she heard the armor's screeching gears as it closed behind her. The hissing stopped and then everything went dark and—

She was back in the vault. She was back in that dark and cold place, sealed shut…unable to do anything as Nate was shot and Shaun was taken…she was…

"ACK!"

The lights went back on inside the suit and Taylor was moving now but she was in a panic.

She took a few steps back and before she could stop herself, she slammed the armored shell hard against a nearby window. The window and most of the remaining wall broke under the armor and its occupant's weight. Taylor tried to grab onto something as she felt her body falling through the window but the armor's hold was too strong and instead fell all the while her hands held a few bits of concrete on them.

111-111-111-111

"She fell down…"

The words were out before Preston could stop himself but all of it was just…it was just so hilariously sad.

He couldn't believe it.

After he and Sturges had dealt with the pair of raiders that had entered the place, they had heard a loud yell and then breaking glass and before anyone knew it, a suit of Power Armor fell to the road below.

Mama Murphy and Sturges were the firsts that had looked down, while Marcy had just groaned in annoyance and Jun had just ignored her. The old woman shook her head as if she had expected something like this to happen and Sturges was trying very hard not to laugh, considering their situation. Preston didn't know whether to feel sorry for the girl or for his decision to send her to go and get that armor.

At least she had survived the fall.

"You okay down there?" Sturges called out. He grabbed a nearby gun and threw it her way. It fell on her chest piece as she let out another painful groan.

She just sat there, looking rather silly as she grabbed the gun and stared up at Sturges and Mama Murphy.

"…this…this was a bad idea…" her voice echoed back, as Sturges shrugged.

"…Hey, at least you got that Power Armor working…that should keep you alive for a while!"

Preston pushed Sturges aside as he looked at the young woman in armor below them.

"Just please hurry and deal with those raiders!" he yelled, while Sturges just shrugged back.

"You heard the man, lady! Buckle up and get—"

"GRRRREEEEAAAAAAARRGGGGGG!"

Everyone froze as the loud roar was heard. No one moved an inch as the roar went on and on.

They could hear something opening in the distance but other than that nothing. Then they heard it. They heard the panicked cries of raiders and their shooting. They even heard the gurgled screams seconds later.

"…sweet…mother of God…" Sturges whispered as they all looked out the window.

The girl was staring too, finally up on her two feet and staring in the distance, finally realizing that something was wrong.

Preston just stood there, staring at the creature rampaging in Concord's streets and then, he looked down at the new girl.

She wouldn't stand a chance. She was dead. She was…

…this was his fault too, huh?

He was a survivor after all…and she…she was dead.

111-111-111-111

Taylor didn't know what she was looking at.

The creature was an odd combination between a lizard and a demon. It looked too out of this world to be real and for a moment Taylor wondered if the gates of hell had opened while she wasn't looking.

It let out another high pitched roar again as it slashed and tore any raiders that were on its path and Taylor just stood there, staring. She just stared at the panic and the blood and…the raiders never stood a chance. Their cries of despair were the last thing anyone would hear as their body was torn apart.

The carnage was sickening but Taylor just couldn't look away.

She was afraid and couldn't move her legs—the armor wasn't as heavy or as dark anymore but she was still afraid.

Taylor questioned her sanity and the reality of things as she stood there, watching as the demon tore everything and everyone apart.

Was that thing real?

Was everything real!?

What…what in god's name was—

"RUN! RUN!"

That was Preston, Taylor realized.

But then, it was too late.

The demon had seen her and was running towards her and growling. It ignored the shooting coming from the building as it ran towards Taylor, who finally managed to get her legs to move.

Yet, she was too heavy. The armor was too heavy and she was—

And then, she felt it.

Something sharp and quick scratched the back of the armor and sent her flying towards the side of the building opposite to the museum. She crashed against the concrete and let out a groan. The armor had protected her but that red beeping in the screen couldn't be good—

The demon roared again.

Taylor was up and shooting with at the thing, despite her difficulty at holding the gun with the armor on. She missed once, twice, but managed to catch the thing by surprise in the chest. It roared and jumped towards her, grabbing her by the leg and sending her towards the front of the museum.

The young woman tried to get up only to be tackled to the ground by the demon. It slashed at the armor again, managing to damage some of the chest plate, before sending her crashing towards a nearby store.

Windows cracked as glass and wood exploded; the beeping was getting louder and the pain was getting unbearable.

Taylor was not getting cut to pieces, but every time that thing threw her or scratched her with its giant claws, she felt the metal against her skin. The bite she had received from those giant mole rats was beginning to act up but nothing was compared to the pain all over her body.

She'll die here.

She'll die and Shaun would still be missing…

…she'll never get to see her baby again and…

The demon grabbed her again, this time by the arm and swung her towards a car. Taylor let out a yelp as she crashed into the car, breaking the windows and flattening its top; she quickly slid towards the side. She saw a hand missing from its body, the finger on the trigger and while panicked, Taylor grabbed the gun away from the dead and then, fired.

She missed, again, but the damage was bigger now.

One of the bullets had managed to pierce one of its eyes…but its pain didn't last for long as it dashed towards Taylor again, before grabbing her by the chest and raising her up. She cried out in pain as the demon pierced her hard with its claw before throwing her to the side.

The armor's chest piece was torn; the metal digging into her chest like a giant needle. Taylor let out another groan and tried to stand up.

She could hear the creature roaring and the gunshots.

Preston and the others had distracted the demon but…

But she couldn't do anything.

She was weak and useless.

Had she made a mistake by coming here?

She was way over her head and now she was going to die for her own carelessness…but…no…

Taylor stood up slowly, turning her head and watching as the demon roared at Preston and Sturges as they shoot it with everything they had. It was in front of the museum, growling and dodging bullets.

They wouldn't last much longer.

But neither would Taylor.

She was a terrible shot inside a rusty armor that was breaking apart and everything hurt. And she had no way to attack this thing.

The best she could hope for was to hide in the buildings but she knew it would be pointless. Once that thing got inside it would all be over for her. Now the only thing that stood before her, were broken buildings and cars and a demon…

…and cars.

Cars…with…

Of course! But could it work!?

If any of these cars were of the nuclear powered type then…but what if the town came down with it all…? What if…?

Taylor shook her head as she took aim at the nearest car that was parked in front of an old store; the demon was roaring again and it was ready to rush towards the museum. The young woman took a deep breath as she began to fire at the vehicle.

The shooting caught the demon's attention and it turned towards her.

Taylor was still shooting at the car as the creature ran towards her.

It was getting closer…

Taylor was still shooting…

…and then…

BOOOMMM!

An explosion engulfed the side of the demon as it jumped; half of its body engulfed in flames of nuclear power. It was still alive and even as it burned, it rushed towards Taylor, who in a panic began shooting.

Surprisingly, she didn't miss this time but it did little to stop the rage fueled thing. It scratched and slashed, hitting the armor with those large claws as Taylor cried out in pain…

BOOOMMMM!

Another explosion sent the demon down.

Another car had caught on fire while the demon and Taylor were busy trying to kill each other and blew up while no one was looking.

The young woman cried out in pain as she slammed against the concrete.

She could hear the faint growling of the creature nearby. It dragged its body with its long hand, jaws opening and closing and its only eye glaring at her.

Taylor tried getting up, but only managed to sit up and tried to drag herself away from the fallen demon. Then, she hit a wall, or rather what was left of it anyway. She noticed more bodies nearby, a few more raiders holding to what appeared to be old tire irons in their hands.

Still, the creature kept on dragging itself towards her, faster now and it was getting closer. Taylor knew it still had a lot of fight in it, even after taking two small nuclear explosions in the back and its flesh burning off and Taylor…Taylor couldn't even stand up straight. If that thing managed to reach her, then it was too late—

The demon had grabbed her by her leg—her injured one, she noted—and was now dragging her towards it. Taylor tried to grab onto something but the thing was strong, even with half of its face burned and its eye gone.

Without thinking, Taylor grabbed something—anything—and then, slammed it hard, once, twice, on the demon's head once she got closer. It didn't do anything at first and then, she heard a strange sound and the dragging stopped.

Taylor opened her eyes and from beyond the armor saw the creature and the tire iron she had buried on its head.