Hello, everyone! This chapter is not quite as dark as the other, but be warned, we will return to our normally scheduled programming soon. Also, the language being spoken in this chapter is French, and I had to use Google translate, since I know little actual French. However, thank you for reading, and as always…Until the sun sets again.

Caroline was awoken by a light knocking coming from the door. Her eyes slowly opened and registered a dark shape moving towards it, before her vision cleared and it resolved into Corvus. He waited by the door and another knock followed, forming a pattern. He waited one more second before another knock and a woman's voice called out, "Ranger, this is Fixer, sent by Prophet. Pass is Dante's Inferno."

Immediately, Corvus pushed aside the metal bar and pulled the door open to reveal the visitor. She stood slightly taller than Caroline, with dirty blonde hair tied back into a bun, and piercing blue eyes. Her skin was fair and tanned, but covered in grease and soot, her face mottled by freckles. She wore a dull gray jumpsuit, the pants tucked into black combat boots and leather armor covering the torso and legs. Over everything was a light brown duster similar to Corvus' in style, though it was made of a much thinner material, as well as a worn brown hat with one side of its brim lifted up and pinned with…was that a feather? On her back was a large pack with a sleeping bag hanging from beneath and a lever action rifle strapped to its side. A large pistol hung from her belt and shone in the rising sun.

"Long time, no see, Ranger. How's it hangin'?" she asked with a light Boston accent, a welcome sound compared to Corvus' strange mix of Irish and French.

"We're doing well enough, but some backup on the way to the Vault would be nice. Since you were already headed back there, I thought it would be okay if you were just a day late."

"All right, Chief. I also heard you had injured here. How are they?"

Corvus motioned to the bed behind him. Mark laid in the bed, still sleeping, the sheets covering his form, and he had turned over to his left side, which was unaffected by the wound. "He's over there. A Gunner got a shot through his shoulder, and he fainted from the blood loss. Give him a few days and he'll be back to normal."

Fixer nodded, "Okay. Nothing we haven't seen a dozen times before, huh? Though, did you at least give him some painkillers? I know how you are with your own injuries."

"Yeah, I already gave him some Med-X and a few stimpaks, and I stitched up both the entry and exit wound. Also, I use painkillers with my own injuries, thank you very much."

"Oh, yes, how could I forget your rag method?" Fixer asked with a pointed stare at him.

"You know Med-X is dangerous for me. It only causes more damage if I use it too frequently," he said, shaking his head and approached Mark. Fixer entered the shack, securing the door behind her. Corvus prodded Mark's leg, waking him from his slumber.

"Time to move, think you can get up now or do you need a few more hours? I need you to think about it, I can't have you collapsing halfway to the Vault."

Mark nodded, thinking to himself. "I think I'll be okay, as long as I don't push myself too hard."

"All right, then." Corvus turned to the others and said, "Get ready to go, we're heading out in less than fifteen minutes. Fixer, I need to talk to you outside."

She nodded and stepped out, followed by Corvus, who shut the door behind him. "Say it already, because I know it's spread to everyone else by now."

"So, is she the one?"

"Yes, she is the girl who is infatuated with me. Honestly, I don't know how she's so smitten with me, and why y'all insist on interfering with my love life, which I would prefer to keep nonexistent. It's much easier to go on jobs without someone worrying about me every day."

"Well, half the women in the Commonwealth have fallen for you, Corvus. It's going to be a little hard to have no one worry about you, especially with our line of work. Eventually, someone was going to get bolder, you had to know that, right?"

"Yes, I already knew that, and I also thought that a change of scenery would be nice for a few months. I think I'll stay at the Castle for a while before moving to Sanctuary. They need a council member up there, and they've gone without one since dad died."

"Wait, you're going to leave the Vault?!"

"Quiet!" Corvus whispered, covering her mouth with his hand. He glared at her and lowered his hand. "Yes, I'm leaving the Vault. I'm only telling you this because I know how you can keep quiet in that reactor room you lock yourself in. I intend to train a new squad of Minutemen, then see what I can do about a situation I just heard about up north. I can't stay longer than a few days, so once the family's settled, I'm gone."

"You know, there are even more women at the Castle and Sanctuary who would do anything to get you in their bed. It's not just her, and they're missing you terribly," Fixer added, wagging her eyebrows.

"No, don't say that to me. I've decided I'm going to remain on patrol for as long as possible and return to base only when necessary. I've spent months on my own, and I can do it again."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this, Corvus! We need our leader at the Vault!"

"Then choose a new leader, dammit" he said, ice creeping into his voice. "I've been here long enough, and I need a break. Whether I'm still chief or not, I have to do this."

"Whatever, let's just get this over with," Fixer growled, shoving past him. Corvus shook his head and followed after her, ignoring her insubordination for now.

On the other side of the door stood Caroline, with her ear against the cold metal, hearing snippets of the conversation. Her mother had voiced her concern with her action, but she simply waved her away. Upon hearing Fixer's outburst over Corvus' departure, Caroline's hand shot up to her mouth in shock. She had never expected for Corvus to leave so soon; she had been hoping to ask him to teach her how to take care of herself in the Commonwealth, and see how she could build a relationship between them. But this new revelation threw a wrench in her plans and she had no idea how to fix it. When she heard Fixer approaching, she scampered away from the door and sat down in the chair just a second before Fixer opened the door.

Corvus stepped inside and began preparing himself for the last leg of the journey, strapping on his armor and coat. His pack followed suit, as well as his hat. "Everyone ready?" he asked, and a series of confirmations reached his ears.

Corvus nodded and led them back out into the hellish world, with Fixer taking up the rear, her rifle in her hands. Corvus unholstered his revolver and quickened his pace to increase the distance between the group and himself, mostly to notice any danger before it reached them, as well as to avoid any conversation. Caroline slowed herself to fall back to Fixer, and began a quiet discussion with her.

"Hey, I noticed something was wrong with Corvus. What's up?"

Fixer's eyes widened for a second, but she was able to catch herself before Caroline noticed. "What's your name, kid?"

"Huh?"

"What's your name?"

"Caroline," she answered simply.

"All right, Caroline. I'm only going to say this once. The Chief's got a lot on his plate right now, and it's not my place to talk about it. If you want an update on what goes on in his head, you'll have to ask him or Stalker. She's the only one who understands our dear Ranger, even better than Tracker. Also, how could you tell something was up?"

"I was a nurse at my old Vault, and I had to deal with a lot of depressed patients, so I know when someone's trying to hide something. Also, I noticed the bandages on his wrists…"

Fixer shot out her hand and snapped it over Caroline's mouth. "No one hears about that, do you understand?" Caroline nodded and Fixer removed her hand. "Good. Now, I suggest you find something else to talk about, or stay quiet. We don't need unnecessary conversation when we're too busy trying to keep you safe."

Caroline got the hint and stalked back up into the line, right behind her brother. Corvus looked back and directed a glare at Fixer, who shot her own right back at him. He turned his head and continued marching on.

The trip crawled along at a slow pace, Corvus taking several breaks for Mark's sake. After three hours, Corvus glanced up at the sun and noted they should be halfway between the safe house and the Vault, and the sun's position suggested they should reach the settlement by noon. He kept walking, the family close behind, and Fixer still watching their backs.

With no conversation, Caroline felt every muscle in her body protesting their labor. She was beginning to struggle, but decided not to voice her discomfort, as it would only worsen Corvus' mood, and she wanted to keep their relationship as positive as possible. "Of course, we don't exactly have any type of relationship, do we?" she thought to herself."I mean, yeah, I've bandaged his wounds, but that's it. Sure, I sang for him, but I did that for all my other patients, and they enjoyed it enough. But how do I get to know him? Do I just walk up to him and ask how he's doing? No, that would be too awkward, he's – wait! How he's doing! I can ask how his side is! I haven't checked on it yet, so it might be a good enough excuse to talk with him, and hopefully I can start to change his mind about leaving…"

Fortunately for her, Caroline's chance came up a short time later, when Corvus declared a break was due. He motioned to an overturned truck and Mark quickly climbed underneath the upturned bed, resting in the shade. Everyone else sat down around the truck, with Corvus and Fixer on watch several meters away, their weapons drawn. Caroline looked down to the cracked and scorched concrete, working up her courage to talk to Corvus. She glanced up and noticed him standing in the road, keeping his eyes moving across the horizon. Caroline sighed and stood up, walking up behind him.

"You need to rest," Corvus said without turning to face her.

"So do you," she retorted. "Your side needs to heal, and it can't do that if you're marching all day long."

"I've done it before. I'll be fine."

"No, you won't. It could get infected or agitated from the movement. At least let me clean it, okay?"

Corvus sighed, lowering his head. "Fine, you have ten minutes, then we need to move," he muttered, walking back to the truck, sitting down on the ground and leaning his back against the door. Caroline moved his duster out of the way and he unstrapped the side of his armor, revealing the bandages, already seeping blood.

"Shit! You're still bleeding out!" She quickly removed her bag and took out her medkit from the pocket and opened it up, grabbing the small scissors and urgently started cutting through the bandages.

"Ranger, what's going on?" Fixer said, jogging up to them, hearing the commotion. "The fuck is that?!" she yelled, seeing Corvus' side.

He opened his mouth to speak but Caroline cut him off. "He got hurt by a…a thing by the safe house. It looked like a giant lizard, but I don't know," Caroline muttered, her voice cracking. Tears were beginning to build up in her eyes, but she willed them back so she could see clearly.

"Oh, shit, Corvus. Stalker's gonna kill you for sure, now," muttered Fixer.

Caroline finished cutting off the bandages, and the sutures broke through the skin, opening the wound even further. The wound was too deep and needed more stitches and medicine if it was going to heal properly, if at all. "No, no, no!" she cried, and tears dripped down to the concrete. She started taking out a syringe of Med-X before a hand covered her own. She looked up to see Corvus shaking his head, and she understood; she couldn't risk the Med-X with what he's said earlier. She dropped the syringe and took the needle and medical string from the box and prepared herself. "This is going to hurt. A lot."

Corvus nodded and took a rag from his pocket, stuffing it into his mouth. "Oh, for fuck's sake!" Fixer yelled at him. "Not this again!" Corvus' eyes shot up and his glare quickly quieted her. He looked back at Caroline and she nodded, quickly plunging the needle into his side, and began sewing the sensitive wound closed. Corvus' hands immediately gripped the side of the truck, screaming into the rag and biting down reflexively. The cloth may have muffled the noise, but it couldn't stop its effects. Caroline nearly buckled and reached out to him, but stopped herself just in time. She continued her gruesome work, tears running down her face and dripping onto her hands and Corvus' side, mingling with his blood. Several agonizing minutes later, she finished and wrapped his torso with fresh gauze and bandages, thankful the medkit had such rare items. She didn't want Corvus to get an infection, which would only worsen his condition.

Corvus gasped raggedly, and spat the tattered rag out, stuffing it back into his pocket. He dropped his head back onto the side of the truck and closed his eyes, calming himself, his hat falling beside him. Seconds later, he felt a syringe puncture his arm and felt the cooling sensation of a stimpak coursing through his veins. The needle was removed and a pair of arms reached around him and he sighed, surprisingly glad for Caroline's caring nature. She placed her face into his shoulder, and he felt it growing wet through what remained of his shirt. He reached over and pushed her head up by the chin, looking into her eyes. She glanced up before looking back down, covering her eyes with her jet black bangs. "Hey, look at me." When she didn't respond, he placed his other hand on the back of her head and ran her fingers through her hair, sending shivers down her spine. "Come on, look at me," he said sternly. She finally relented and looked into his eyes with her own. He stared at her green irises, surrounded by red from crying so much and tears were still escaping from their prison. He muttered something under his breath in a strange language Caroline didn't recognize and pulled her into his arms, feeling her relax in his grip. Fixer coughed lightly and he raised his head to see her smiling like a kid on Christmas. He rolled his eyes and placed his chin atop Caroline's head, whispering to her, telling her he'd be all right.

Finally, Caroline realized the compromising position she was in and stiffened. She felt Corvus loosen his grip, but she knew she was safe, and buried herself deeper into him. She placed her ear on his chest and heard his heart beating strongly. She sighed and closed her eyes, knowing this was probably the only time she would be able to do this, especially after the news she remembered from this morning. Caroline heard footsteps beside her and opened her eyes to see Rachel standing there, tapping her foot. Caroline smiled meekly, and her mother shook her head, but Caroline noticed a kind glint in her eyes, and Caroline knew her mother finally approved of her love for the man her heart was beating for.

Corvus tapped her shoulder and she tightened her grip, knowing what he was about to say. "Come on, Caroline. We need to move. Unless you don't want a safe place for your family to live?"

"That's not funny," she replied, leaning back, hesitantly removing her arms from around his torso.

"I know, but it worked, didn't it?" he asked, a wide smile on his face. She giggled and lightly slapped his arm before standing up and reached her hand out. He took it graciously and stood up slowly. He glanced at Fixer and said, "Il faut qu'on parle."

Fixer nodded and followed him a few meters away, leaving the family to their own devices. Corvus stopped once they were out of earshot and turned around to look at Fixer. "This doesn't change anything. I still need to get away from her. I can't risk getting killed and breaking her heart when she receives the news one day that I'm never coming back."

Fixer looked down, knowing he wouldn't listen to reason, before an idea popped into her head. She quickly squashed it, but it quickly took root and spread across her analytical mind and a wicked smile spread across her face. "Oh, no," Corvus muttered. "I know that look, and I don't want anything to do with whatever thrice-damned notion you have."

"Just listen," she said. "If you don't want to break her heart like that, why don't you take her with you?" Corvus started to answer, but she cut him off. "I'm not done. If you take her with you, the two of you might build a relationship, which you need, and you would still be able to reach the Castle and Sanctuary. Also, someone skilled like her could teach others valuable medical skills at every stop, which could save countless lives. I know the mademoiselle had some great ideas and techniques, but Caroline may have other ideas, as well."

Corvus opened his mouth to answer, but quickly shut it again with an audible click from his teeth. This process repeated itself several times, much to the joy of Fixer, both because he couldn't find a decent response, and he looked adorable doing it. "Okay, that is a good idea, but she still needs to talk to her parents. I'm not going to separate a family without a very good reason. Also, she should receive more training from the Professor before leaving," he said. Fixer smiled and Corvus glared at her. "I hate you sometimes, you know that, right?"

"I know," she answered happily and skipped back to the others. Corvus chuckled at her childish antics and walked back himself, strapping his armor back up. He adjusted his duster and reached the family. He bent down and retrieved his hat which had fallen off and placed it securely on his head. "Everyone ready?"

The others simply nodded and followed him, this time with much less distance between them, with Caroline at the front, keeping a close eye on Corvus' side. She noticed a small wave from him, and thought nothing of it, but he looked over his shoulder at her a moment later, and motioned again for her to join him at the front. She quickly stepped up her pace and she reached his side after a few seconds. He reached over and placed his arm over her shoulder and she placed her hands gently around him and felt his weight settle on her shoulders. "Thanks, I was struggling for a bit."

"Why don't we stop? If you need a break, we can rest."

"No, we need to keep moving if we're going to make time. I just needed a crutch."

Caroline looked up at him with a pout on her features. "Is that all I am to you?"

He shook his head immediately, flustered by the adorable look he was faced with. "No! No, I just needed some help and I thought you would be some nice company, as well."

"Okay, then," she replied cheerily, a blush working its way up her cheeks, and she hoped he thought it was just because of the tiring hike. She looked forward again to hide her flushed face and tried to match her pace with Corvus who took long strides, even with the deep gash on his side. After a few moments, she spoke up again. "Hey, Corvus?"

"Yeah…?" he asked hesitantly, not knowing where this was heading. With Caroline's tone, this conversation could lead anywhere, and even though his skills in changing a topic were impressive, he hated having to implement them.

"I heard Fixer say something about your oh-so-efficient painkiller method with your other injuries. What other injuries have you received?"

Corvus fell silent for a moment, having been in this situation rather often over the years with several female settlers who had taken a fancy towards him. He had always avoided the question easily, spouting off some excuse that he was needed elsewhere around the settlement, or that he was already late and couldn't regale his feats. This time, however, he couldn't escape or find an excuse, so he decided to try a more direct, but dangerous, tactic.

"I've gotten quite a few, but I'm not quite ready to talk about most of them just yet. I got them in a bad part of my life several years ago. I might tell you some other time, but not yet."

"So, you don't trust me?" she asked, sounding insulted.

"It's not that at all. It's just…it wasn't a good time for me, and talking about the scars brings up a few memories I'd rather forget…" he trailed off, his eyes taking a glazed over look, and Caroline knew he was lost in one of the memories he had mentioned. What she didn't expect, however, was a tear in Corvus' eye, threatening to fall down his face. Corvus left his reminiscing and quickly composed himself, wiping his eye with his gloved hand. Caroline felt both relieved and slightly disappointed. She had hoped he would tell her what happened and allow her to comfort him, but she was also glad that he left his scarred memories without losing his dignity.

She looked forward again and felt eyes boring into the back of her head, but she ignored them. She suspected her father was beginning to catch on to her feelings for their loyal guide, and she knew he would approve, but she still wanted to avoid that confrontation for as long as possible. She continued walking beside Corvus, keeping his weight partially on her shoulders for the rest of the trip and they left the position momentarily during every rest period, leaving her feeling an emptiness she wasn't familiar with. He returned to his living crutch every time, though she could tell he was improving already, and knew he wouldn't need her after they arrived, which was sooner than she expected.

Only three hours later, they reached a clearing in the woods lining the road to reveal high wall composed of wooden planks, barbed wire, and tires held together by metal posts and heavy chains. The wall stretched far to the right and left, until it reached a wooden tower several meters tall, before curving around and continuing on, supposedly to other towers. In the center stood a wide gate, built with the same materials, and a Hunter symbol on the right door, and another emblem Caroline was unfamiliar with: a crossing lightning bolt and rifle, with stars surrounding them. Along the top of the wall were guard posts, each manned by an armed settler, which Corvus explained were the Minutemen. Each wore a hat similar to Fixer's, though it lacked the feather on the side. The woman nearby noticed the small group approaching them and yelled to someone behind the gate, "Ranger and Fixer are here with civilians! Open the gate!"

Immediately, the gate creaked back, revealing a sight Caroline would never get used to. Inside was a curved row of houses, connected by wooden shacks and somehow, a wrecked bus, though she had no idea had they had moved the hunk of metal. They all faced a grassy hill in the center, with a small metal structure near the top. Surrounding the houses was a shantytown of metal, wooden, and concrete structures, similar to Diamond City, but on a much smaller scale. Moving through the streets were several children chasing after each other, chattering men and women minding their own business, an occasional Minuteman, and a few robots that seemed to be on patrol. From shops, vendors shouted out their wares and sales, brahmin caravans plodded down the larger roads, carrying supplies and orders, and customers haggled with the shopkeepers. Visitors would come through the one of the gates and trade or conduct similar business before leaving, supplying a steady stream of caps. Surrounding the entire town was a deep trench four meters deep and wide, preventing any unwelcome visitors from ease-of-access. Laying across it and following the main road was a wooden bridge, which was secured by ropes, easy to cut in case of attacks.

Corvus led the group across the bridge and the was shut behind them with a loud clang, and locked with metal bars and chains. As they walked down the road towards the center of the town, several settlers stopped to greet Corvus and Fixer, welcoming them home. When they finally approached the hill, Fixer passed them and entered the structure, disappearing inside. On the front, below a glass window, was a Vault-Tec insignia, worn from age and the unrelenting elements. Caroline could hear Fixer speaking to someone inside and the tell-tale sounds of a radio.

Corvus released himself from Caroline and approached a Minuteman with two silver bars on his jacket collar who marched out from the center house.

"Major Corvus, sir," the man said, snapping a sharp salute which Corvus returned.

"What's your report, Captain?" asked Corvus after he let his arm down. Caroline stopped in her tracks, listening to the conversation. "Major?" she thought, turning herself back to what the two men were saying. "We were attacked by a small group of raiders three weeks ago and successfully eliminated all hostiles. Two days ago, a large squad of Gunners attempted to reach the west gate, but were pushed back quickly. I sent a team led by Lieutenant Morrison to track them down and stop them before they reach the Plaza."

"Thank you, Captain. Any news on Stalker and Tracker?"

"Yes, sir. We have received news that they have completed their mission and are making a detour to Starlight Town to resupply before returning here through Diamond City," replied the Captain.

"Excellent. Now, I have wounded that need tending to," Corvus said and turned to the structure nearby. "Hey, Fixer! How's it coming?"

"The Professor's on his way up, Chief!" Fixer's voice reached them through the open door. "He's bringing Prophet with him and they'll be here in a minute!"

"All right, thanks!" Corvus turned back to the Captain and put a firm hand on his shoulder, leading him away towards the houses and talking quietly with him. Caroline thought about following him, but the conversation the two were having seemed important enough to keep private. Instead, she turned to her father, leaning against his wife, with a grin plastered on his face.

"So, how's Corvus doing?" he teased.

"Oh, come on! Already?" she whined, burying her face in her hands.

"Yup. Come on, you really think I wouldn't notice my daughter crushing hard on our escort? You insult me, Carrie!"

"Oh, keep it down!" she whispered as she looked back up. "I don't want the entire world to know I like him. And don't call me that!"

"At the rate you're moving, I don't think I need to stay quiet," joked Samuel. "You might as well be yelling it from the top of a tower."

"Whatever," she muttered. "Let's just get inside." Rachel and Mark smiled at each other and Samuel chuckled, then followed Caroline up the hill to the top, where a giant metal door lay. It was embedded in the ground, and had the familiar shape of the Vault-Tec gear. Painted in the center was the Hunter insignia in a deep red, surrounded by a black circle. Caroline stared at it, wondering what the Vault number would have been before the bombs fell. Perhaps that would be something she could ask Corvus as he gave them a tour. Oh, yes, Corvus would definitely be giving them a tour, and Caroline smiled to herself.

Moments later, a screeching was heard and the door slid down several feet before pulling aside to reveal a deep cavern in the ground, and Caroline stepped back to avoid falling in. A dim light was seen approaching them and it quickly revealed itself to be a metal platform rising to meet them at the surface, with two men riding it. One man was old, about fifty years, with a white mat of hair and matching, trimmed beard a couple inches long. His face was etched with wrinkles and a few light scars. He wore a pair of jeans and a gray button-up shirt underneath a white lab coat. He carried a large medkit in his hand, and a large revolver hung from his belt. The other man was slightly older than Corvus, possibly just a few years under thirty, though it was hard to tell. He had light brown hair, and a thick moustache that gave him the look of a genuine cowboy from the olden days. He wore dark blue jeans and black leather boots with a light brown and blue plaid shirt. Over this he wore a long black coat which almost reached his knees and a black cowboy hat, completing the ensemble. He carried a lever-action rifle in his hands and a darkened revolver on his side.

The platform reached the surface and the two men stepped towards the family. The older man spoke in a rolling Scottish accent, "You the family we've been expecting?"

Rachel nodded and stepped forward, Mark still leaning against her. "Yes, Corvus led us here from the north, through Diamond City. He said we would be safe here."

The man replied, "Well, ma'am, safe is a relative term. If you stay in the Vault, you'll be safe, but most of us have businesses up top, since visitors aren't allowed inside without an escort, which is a bit difficult to come by sometimes, so it's better to stay up here most days if you want to make a living. Now, who's injured?" He looked to Mark and asked, "Is it you?"

Mark nodded silently, and Caroline could see his face was beginning to lose its color and immediately rushed to his side, helping Rachel keep him up. "He's lost a lot of blood since yesterday," Caroline said. "Corvus was able to patch him up a bit, but he needs better medical attention."

"Alright, let's get you all inside," he said. He turned to the man beside him and spoke directly to him, "Prophet, why don't you go get Ranger? He's probably talking with Captain Hines in the office. We'll wait for you."

"You got it, Doc," Prophet said, and Caroline recognized his voice from the radio the day before when Corvus called for backup. His voice had a thick western accent, most likely originating from a place called Texas, if she remembered correctly. Prophet jogged off down the street toward the center house and the older man turned back to the family.

"Alright, get on the platform up here," he said and gestured at the upturned door. They gingerly stepped on and the man turned towards them after getting on himself. "By the way, I'm the Professor. I'm the doctor here for the Hunters, so I'll be taking care of most of your needs."

Caroline nodded and made a note to speak with him later about helping in the infirmary. She may not have been the lead doctor at her old Vault, but she was still the best nurse they had. She heard a voices she recognized and turned to see Prophet and Corvus approaching from the buildings.

"Ah, Ranger, how are you doing?"

"Just fine, Professor. How's your knee holding up nowadays?" asked Corvus as he removed his hat and turned his jack of hearts card to face inward.

"It's better than before. I used the physical therapy techniques you showed me a few weeks ago, so I must thank you for that." Corvus nodded gently and replaced his hat. "Now, don't tell me you've been hurt, as well."

"Yup, gonna get another scar in a few weeks, but I've got someone else to thank for that," he said as he scooted over to Caroline. He placed his hand lightly on her back and she shivered from his touch, but felt comfortable with it, almost like it belonged there. "She patched me up just fine and I would recommend you take her under your wing. She has skills you may be able to use."

The Professor looked at Caroline and nodded. "I'll certainly have to consider that."

Corvus turned to Fixer in the Vault-Tec shack and nodded, and she signaled back before pressing a button on the console, sending the platform down into the earth. Caroline stumbled forward, but Corvus caught her by her waist. "Careful, we don't want you to have to stay in the infirmary, now do we?" he laughed.

Caroline nodded, feeling his strong hands around her midsection. She tensed slightly and he quickly removed them and placed his arms behind his back like a soldier at parade rest. "Get your hands back here, damn it," she thought to herself. However, her mental command clearly didn't get sent properly, as he stood as still as a rock. Above them, the door slid closed and the lights built into the platform flickered to life, emitting a soft yellow glow into the tunnel.

Corvus waited for the platform to stop moving, having hated descending underground for several years. He had started going on patrol more often because of this, as his office was inside the Vault and he felt he was imprisoned again. After a minute, the giant elevator began slowing, and entered a well-lit room where several settlers and a few Minutemen were loitering. Some of the settlers had shops open exclusively for fellow dwellers and the Minutemen kept watch over them all, ensuring no one lost their cool and started any fights. Caroline's thoughts went back to her old home and friends, seeing the familiar Vault-Tec walls and doors all around her. The platform came to a rumbling stop before she could continue the depressing thought and the Professor stepped off, followed by Corvus and Prophet. Caroline wanted to keep as close to Corvus as she could, but she also needed to make sure her dad was well taken care of, so she remained under her father's arm. Prophet spoke a few words in the same language Corvus had muttered in before and quickly passed through a door in the far wall.

The Professor led the rest of them through the entryway and down a ramp on the right. Soon, they reached a locked door, where the Professor entered a code into a nearby panel. The door slid open to reveal a large room with several beds lining the wall to the left, with two already occupied, the curtains drawn closed, with a settler in a lab coat near each. Many cabinets were attached to the wall on the right, most likely filled with medical supplies. On the back wall were gurneys and a door leading into a room which, if Caroline guessed correctly, was the surgery room. In Vault 89, the surgery room was where she spent much of her time, helping her teacher with patients or captives in critical condition.

"I may not hurt any of them, but I did keep them alive, allowing Office Stan and doctor Lowell to continue torturing them. I'm to blame just as much as them…" She was distracted by Corvus placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "Are you all right?" Caroline nodded quickly, not wanting Corvus to know what she had done.He sent her an incredulous look before turning away. In the center of the room were four desks facing each other in a square, with a terminal on each. Corvus took Mark from Caroline and Rachel and led him to a bed, where he laid down immediately. The Professor sat down at a desk and began asking several questions for Mark to answer.

"All right, what's your age?"

"Forty-nine," grunted Mark as Corvus plunged an IV needle into Mark's arm and walked away to retrieve more supplies from a nearby cabinet.

"Blood type?"

"B negative," Mark replied and Corvus quickly returned with a blood sack, attaching it to a hook on the wall and sending a tube from the needle into the bag. The blood began flowing down into Mark's arm.

The Professor continued asking questions which Mark answered to the best of his ability. He was unable to answer some, which the Professor waved off, as they were difficult to test without the proper tools, which he stated "Those pieces of technology were missing or destroyed before we got here". He then asked the same questions for the rest of the family, and this continued for an hour before they were done and Corvus had finished tending to Mark.

"Very good," said the Professor, standing up from his chair. "I believe you should stay here for the night, Mark." He turned to Corvus and said," Ranger, I will have a nurse remain on watch here for the rest of the night."

"Thanks, Professor," he replied, then said the others, "Y'all can come with me and I'll show you your quarters. We'll have a more extensive tour tomorrow."

"Ranger, a moment, if you will." Corvus stopped and returned to the Professor, who began talking in the same language she had hard Corvus speaking in before, when she was tending to his wounds. "Le travail de sang est revenu positif.Vous avez la même maladie que votre père.Je suis désolé, mais il n'y a rien que je puisse faire. (The blood work came back positive. You have the same disease as your father. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do.)" "Il est tout droit, Professeur. Merci d'avoir essayé. (It's all right, Professor. Thank you for trying)." Corvus said and turned back to his charges. "Let's go."

The family nodded, each taking a minute to say goodnight to Mark before following Corvus through another door on the opposite wall. He led them down a hallway before opening another door and the sight they came upon stunned Caroline. Before her was a gigantic atrium, several times larger than the one in Vault 89, and well over a hundred feet high. It had several pillars down the center of the room and two levels of catwalks suspended over the ground floor, with several doors branching off into rooms with windows or hallways. On the back wall was a window with a Hunter flag over it, and Caroline recognized it as the Overseer's office, where she supposed Corvus stayed. After a moment, she realized they weren't alone, and noticed many settlers walking across the catwalks and speaking with their neighbors or finishing their business in one of the windowed rooms along the walls. "How many people are there?" she thought out loud.

Corvus chuckled, "That's what most people say. Currently, we have about one hundred settlers in here and another hundred fifty up top in the town above us. Also, the contingent of seventy-five Minutemen and the headquarters for the Hunters make this settlement the safest place in the Commonwealth. Come on, I'll show you to your room."

He turned right and walked up a ramp, leading them to the third floor toward to the back of the atrium. They passed several settlers and Minutemen along the way, Corvus sharing many greetings and salutes along the way. At the end of the catwalk, they passed through a door and turned to the right, ignoring a door with a Hunter symbol painted on the front. They walked down the corridor into another large two-story chamber, several doors along the wall at regular intervals over several meters. "Here are some of the settlers' quarters. In the back are Hunter quarters for those not on the council, and those are off limits to anyone not in our ranks. Basically, if a door has our symbol on it, ignore it; you're not allowed inside without express permission or an escort." He was answered by a nod from each of them.

They continued on, and Caroline noticed numbers were painted on the wall beside each door, and guessed they were people could remember where they lived more easily. "Now, if I remember correctly, there should be…aha! There it is." Corvus stopped at a door on the left side of the chamber and punched in a number on the keypad, unlocking the door. "Here we go, home sweet home."

The family stepped inside and shared a gasp at their new home. A long, well-lit room opened before them with two doors, one on each side, the one at the right immediately after stepping in and the one on the left wall was at the end. The living room had a small kitchen with a stove and sink along the far wall next to a metal counter, and a table surrounded by several folding chairs stood in the center of the room. A television stood against the wall to the left, and a jukebox was on the opposite wall, further down. The walls were decorated with a deep red and the wooden floorboards added a homely feel to the room. "The two chambers on the sides are for men and women or parents and kids, you get to decide. Each has a shower and restroom, and the beds can be replaced, as we have spares in the back. Unfortunately, the televisions don't work unless you have a holotape with a recorded video on it."

"What was this Vault originally meant for?" asked Rachel, dropping her backpack from her shoulders and onto the ground.

"We found a terminal in the Overseer's office that outlined his duties, which were to provide a shelter for high-ranking members of society and the company, as well as their families. The houses above us were homes for the board of directors for the regional office. Other important figures lived a few minutes away, but they didn't make it before the bombs fell. The directors were in a meeting downtown, so the Vault was completely untouched when it was discovered."

Caroline opened the door to the right and flipped the switch for the lights, illuminating the room. The walls and floor were the same, and in the far corner was a walled-off section with a wooden door, apparently leading to the bathroom. Nearby were two twin-sized beds with a dresser on the outer side of each and a single nightstand in the middle. She dropped her pack and dragged herself to a bed before collapsing onto it, and she felt more comfortable than she had in years. She never expected to feel a warm bed ever again. "Well, then, I think I'll leave y'all to it. G'night, everyone," Corvus said as he walked out and closed the door behind him.

"Well, what do you think?" said Rachel.

"I think I'm too tired to do anything else right now, mom," replied Samuel.

"All right, dear. I'll see you in the morning," she murmured and stepped into the room with Caroline and shut the door. That was all Caroline remembered before sleep's embrace enveloped her gently.