Treiy groans, trying to stretch and not disturb Charon. She winces as she feels something sticking into her back, and looks behind her. The ghoul had fallen asleep in his armor,and sometime during the night had rolled over, pulled her against his chest, and left an arm draped over her waist.
She smiles at this, and wiggles down the bed and out from under his arm. She pushes Dogmeat gently over to Charon, and watching with a barely suppressed laugh as the big, tough ghoul pulls the dog against him and buries his face in her fur, then resumes his snoring.
She shakes her head and makes her way quietly downstairs, giving Wadsworth a 'good morning' and asking if he has an Salisbury Steak.
Charon woke up in a less comfortable way, with a tongue in his mouth and hot, stinky breath on his face. He gags and rolls over, spitting and glaring at the dog as she wuffs.
"Dammit, dog. Where's Treiy?" At the girl's name the dog's tail starts wagging, and she jumps from the bed and runs down the stairs.
"Good, mutt." Charon murmurs as he follows the dog down the stairs.
The dog jumps up on Treiy when she finds her, licking the girl in the face. Charon makes a disgusted face, but the girl just laughs and sets a can of Cram on the ground.
"I don't know why you let the mutt do that. It's disgusting." Treiy just shrugs and takes two plates off a nearby counter.
"I think I made breakfast." She holds out one of the plates, revealing a charred lump.
"What is that?"
"Well, it was Salisbury Steak. I tried cooking it, but..." She makes a face and puts the plates back on the counter,"Never mind." She murmers, plopping down on the couch and picking up the book Charon had left.
She flips through it idly,"I didn't...Charon, you read?" The ghoul nods, sitting down next to her and taking the book gently from her hands.
"Yes. Not many are literate out here, but I am from before the war." Treiy looks at him in awe, a smile on her face.
"Really? Were...were there trees?" He looks at her in surprise. He had expected her to ask more about himself, but instead of saying anything about it he nods and grumbles.
"Yes." Treiy's smile widens, and she closes her eyes as though imagining it. She sighs, then calls for Wadsworth.
"Sorry for not letting you help me earlier, but...can you cook us something?"
After breakfast Treiy changes into a tank-top and Brahmin-skin pants, raising an eye at Charon,"Do you always wear armor? I mean, we're pretty safe here." The ghoul nods, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.
"Yes." Treiy merely shrugs and heads outside, navigating the confusing maze of ramps up to Moira's shop.
"Well, we're leaving later to go to Vault 112, so we need more supplies. What do you think we should get?"
"Ammo, get our weapons and armor repaired, food, and medical supplies. We'll need more of each if we are to go on more of your..." He pauses, and decides to use the word that Treiy had taken to using for their little detours,"...adventures."
Treiy looks back at him as she opens the door, smiling,"See, they are adventures!"
"And one day they will get you killed."
"Not as long as I have you, pessimist." Moira gives them a weird look as they walk in, then puts a hand on Treiy's shoulder and pulls her into one of the empty rooms.
"I didn't get to tell you about your lovely new symptoms before Mister Overprotective barged in. You see, you'll be able to heal from radiation-"
Treiy interrupts her, her heart beating fast in her chest,"Like a ghoul."
"Yes...kinda. Don't worry though, you probably won't turn into one. However, if you start showing any other symptoms, like skin peeling off, medicines and chems not working as well, then come talk to me. Or better yet, Dr. Barrows in Underworld. He's basically-"
"The leading scientist in ghoulification." Her mouth is dry, and she feels like screaming. What the hell did you do to me?
"Oh, you already know him? Isn't that just super!" Moira's voice is cheery, and Treiy kind of wants to punch her like she did Jericho.
"Alrighty then, just a quick rundown: You can?"
"Heal from radiation like a ghoul."
"But you probably won't?"
"Turn into one." Probably. I still might. Oh god, what have I gotten myself into with this woman? Moira smiles again,"Alright, let's get back before your buddy starts to freak out."
They buy the supplies they need and head back to the house and begin to pack. Wadsworth putt putts around them, making little suggestion to keep the inside of their packs neater and more organized. Eventually Charon turns around and tells the robot to shut up.
"Oh, Charon. Be nice, he's just trying to help." Treiy says, stuffing their medical supplies into a lunchbox and stacking it neatly on top of their ammo.
"It is annoying."
"I am very sorry, Sir. I will be sure to ask if you would care to hear my advice first, next time." He glares at the robot, then reaches over to help Treiy with organizing the pack.
"Are you ready?"
"Yup, I just wanna say goodbye to Gob before we leave." Charon suppresses a growl, and stands.
"Fine, but let us make it quick."
"What's your problem with Gob anyway?" The ghoul sighs, following her out with the pack slung over his shoulder.
"It is in the past. I wish not to talk about it."
"Alrighty, then." Treiy says as Charon pushes the door open for her,"But I'll get it out of you one day."
He snorts, and leans against the wall as Treiy walks up to the bar.
"Hey, Gob. I'm leaving now, I've got a new lead on my dad." The ghoul leans over the bar, hands working at the sleeve of his shirt as he talks.
"That's great, Treiy. What will you do after you find him?" Treiy frowns. She hadn't really thought about it.
"I guess...come back here. Dad, Charon, and I can live in the house I got from Simms."
Gob looks over her shoulder at the larger ghoul, who fixes him with an icy glare.
"Right. Well, be careful. I hope you find your dad this time."
"Thanks, Gob."
Treiy starts heading back to Charon, but is distracted by the man in the corner. He's extremely different from the bar's usual patrons, since he's wearing a suite and hat. Charon gives her a look and focuses all his attention on her as she steps up to the suspicious character.
"Well, hello. I believe you are the one I have been sitting here waiting for, my dear."
Better just stick to being nice. She casts a glance over her shoulder at Charon, silently hoping he has her back as she nods,"Please, continue."
"Ah, yes. I have been waiting for a person of distinction to come by for quite some time. I have a business proposition for you." She nods and listens, quickly coming to the conclusion that this man is more batshit than Moira, and that's saying something.
"Well, then I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I've already disarmed the bomb." She says it between her teeth, trying to keep from running away as Burke fixes her with a murderous glare.
"You will regret that. You will regret it dearly." He sits up, pushing his chair away from him and not looking back as it clatters to the ground and he leaves the bar.
Treiy sits there for a minute before she feels a hand on her shoulder,"Are you okay?"
She looks up at Charon and nods,"Ya, right, let's go."
They make it to Vault 112 in record time, with no problems except for the occasional wildlife and raiders. Dogmeat proves to be a great fighter, and no matter how many times Treiy asks, Charon won't admit it.
As they get inside Smith Casey's Garage, Treiy starts rambling,"Do you think the vault residents like my father? What if they hate him? What if he's not even here?"
Charon sighs, sharing a look with Dogmeat, deciding he's an idiot for thinking the dog knows what's going on, then turns back to Treiy.
"Don't worry, Treiy. If he's anything like you, he should be fine." Treiy smiles at that as she searches around the building, taking out the numerous molerats with Dogmeat.
"I can't find any-" She stops, examining a button on the wall.
"Found somethin', Charon!" The ghoul steps up beside her, watching as she presses the button and the light turns green.
At first, nothing happens. Suddenly the floor slides out from under Treiy and she falls shortly, her butt hitting the ground. She yelled out, wincing at the pain that blooms on her rear.
"Dammit! That hurt!" She picks herself up, rubbing her butt as she looks up at Charon as he takes the easier way, down the stairs.
"Are you okay?"
"Ya, I think it might be bruised though." She straightens herself out and pets Dogmeat absently as they come up to the vault door. She tenses up as her fingers fly over the commands on the console, and the door rolls out of the way with a deafening screech.
"Welcome, my sensors tell me you are 202.3 years late. Please change into your Vault 112 vault suit. If you have misplaced yours, I am programmed to give you a new one."
Treiy frowns, noticing how silent the vault is,"Umm, I've misplaced mine."
The robobrain goes to a nearby locker, pulling out a blue vault suit and handing it to her. She turns to Charon and makes a turning motion with her finger, and the ghoul turns away to stare at the wall.
She changes quickly, moving to Charon and stuffing her armor in the pack.
"Ready?"
"Yup!" They head through the vault, and Treiy freezes when she see's the Tranquility Loungers placed in a circle around what appears to be a central system. She runs down the stairs, stopping at each pod before finding the one with her father in it.
"Daddy!" She yells, her hands leaving prints on the glass. She grabs at the edges of the door, but her attempts are useless. Before Charon gets to her she's already taken out her shotgun and started slamming the butt against the glass, again and again.
"Treiy!" As she turns the gun around frantically, about to take the shot, he grabs her wrists, causing her to drop the weapon.
"Let me go, Charon! I have to get him out!" She looks around, noticing the empty one.
"No, Treiy. You are not going into one of those things." He grips her wrists tighter, his eyes widening in a panicked expression.
"Charon, I have to. My dad is in there. I have to go!" Charon shakes his head, tightening his grip on her wrists as though he'll be able to keep her with him.
"What if you die in there, what am I going to do?" She takes it as him worrying over his contract, and holds up a finger. She pulls a couple plates of armor from her shoulder, revealing the little folded paper between them. She unfolds it and hands it to him.
"If I die, take Dogmeat and go back to Megaton." He shakes his head.
"Treiy, that's not what I meant."
"I know what you meant. You're worried about where your contract will end up. I understand." He shakes his head again.
"No...I'll show you what I meant." He knows, he knows he shouldn't do it, but for once in his life he lets his emotions control him. He steps forward and takes her face in his hands, and bends over, pressing his ruined lips against her's for a second before stepping away.
"Be careful." She nods as though in a daze and steps up into the Tranquility Lounger, settling back in the oddly comfortable chair. She looks back at Charon as he presses a ruined hand against the glass. She presses her hand against it from her side, giving him a smile before turning as a small T.V moves down.
She watches the images flashing in front of her, distracting her almost hypnotically from the numerous plugs and I.V's sticking themselves into her skin. She can feel the screen pulling her from reality, and she gives Charon one more fleeting look before the darkness consumes her.
The last few chapters have been pretty long, sorry about that. There's just so much now that the stories picking up the pace. Don't worry, though, there's plenty of excitement to come. Now we're about to come to the creepiest, and my least favorite, quest of the game. I won't be spending a HUGE amount of time on it. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!