I close my save screen and my tail sways cautiously as I walked through the nuclear wasteland of Arizona, watching my surroundings carefully. Someone had told me about this area being populated with Deathclaws. I didn't want to die, so I kept myself prepared; fully stocked with ammunition, stimpacks, radaway, and grenades.

I spot a cave a few meters away. I jog towards it, wiping sweat from my forehead. I turn on my Pip-boy's light, illuminating the cave's mouth. I cover my mouth, keeping vomit from escaping. There was a mutilated corpse of a Brahmin near the cave's back. I shine light around, gasping when I see bones; some human, some not, scattered about the cave.

I look at one of the walls in curiosity. On the wall was a ruined corkboard with pictures of several people. . . My photo was up there, circled in a streak of fresh blood, it was strange because, all the others were just. . . Crossed out. I looked at it, and it was a photo of me and my boyfriend Edward. It was after he had gotten an ear pierced with a wolf tooth earring. We both stood outside of the store in the mall that did it. He was smiling at me and I smiled back.

I smile at the memory, but feel warm breath down my neck, making my smile fall causing my tail to stop swaying and droop. I reach for my 10. Millimeter pistol, quickly turning to face whatever it was. My heart nearly stopped. . . It was what I was warned about. . . A Deathclaw, standing over six feet tall, loomed over me. . .

It wasn't a Deathclaw, but somehow it was. It had human skin, aside from it's arms and legs having scales on them. The feet of the creature were clawed, but still plantigrade. Yellow slitted eyes stared at me, analyzing me, trying to figure out my next move. I dropped my weapon. . .

I knew I wouldn't make it out of this alive. I know I would be torn apart and eaten. Even though I had grenades, I doubt they would do much against the thing's scaly hide. I was scared, but I remembered my 'ability'. I notice a wolf tooth ear piercing. My mind immediately goes to the picture. . . This Deathclaw had my bestfriend's piercing in it's ear. It. . . It was him. . .

"Eddie?" I ask in uncertainty. The Deathclaw hybrid smiles, showing off shiny, white teeth. It was him! He picks me up in a hug and I throw my arms around his neck. "I thought you were holed up in a vault?" We both say, smiles on our faces. Tears start to brim in my eyes. He uses a finger to wipe my forming tears. "Hey now. . . I'm here. . . We're both here, together. Forever."

I sniffle and look into his yellow eyes. The eyes that belonged to what I once thought was a monster, but turned out to be my boyfriend of three years. "You know. . . I'm guessing you want to know. . . How I'm like this, eh?" I nod, being a little curious.

He sets me down and sits down. "Come on, sit down." He pats his scaled leg. I sit on his lap, shifting to get comfortable. "Ah. . . Where do I start?" He says, thinking to himself. "Well. . . It started when Vault 253 began doing 'experimental drug tests'." I nod, my tail brushing against the tops of his feet. "Then. . . People started to change, even the scientists. We all knew Vault-Tec fucked us all over. . . So, we all left. Going out and becoming vigilantes or just. . . Settling down in the different wastes of the world."

I look at his face, his teeth were bared and he was clenching his fist. "So. . . Vault-Tec used you as a guinea pig too?" He jumps in surprise, "W-wait. . . Y-you too?" I nod, my ears drooping. "They tried to make the people inside the vault. . . Immortal. . . In a sense at least." I look at my hand, remembering all the times I had to save and load to prevent my death, or even to prevent a disaster. "They. . . I-I was the only survivor. . . Everyone else couldn't handle their 'new power' and had grabbed the nearest object and. . ." Edward rubs my back reassuringly. "Hey, it's okay. . . That's all over now. Your here now, and that's all that matters."

I settle into his chest, snuggling against his hard scales. He was so warm. . . And I finally had him back. "I love you." I say, looking up into his eyes. "I love you too honey." He strokes my tail, making me squirm in his lap. He growls in pleasure and holds me close.

'I wonder what tommorow will bring?' I thought, slipping into unconsciousness, lulled to sleep by his breathing.