Chapter 2

Leona


The storm was dissipating. The dim sickly green light that covered her world mere hours earlier, was dying, making way for the familiar darkness of early morning.

It would be daylight soon.

Her body ached from a night spent huddled on the weathered, mouldy sofa and her head was pounding, either from hunger or as a side effect of the unfreezing.

Rubbing her stiff shoulders and tucking the sidearm behind her, she made her way to the open doorway, hugging the doorframe and scanning the darkness outside.

The cold winds were dying with the storm, rustling the dead trees and the encroaching vegetation. Whistling through the ruins of the old suburb.

"Codsworth?", she called, taking a tentative step outside, one hand still on the doorframe.

Nothing, just the wind, dancing locks of dark hair across her face.

A few more steps.

"Codsworth!", she called a little louder.

Then there it was, the light from the jets that propelled the Mr. handy unit, appearing from behind the house across the street and making a beeline towards her.

She'd never seen the robot move that fast.

"Mum!", he called, dashing across the street."Go go go, we have to go!".

"Wha…?", she managed, confused, taking a step back as the robot stopped suddenly in front of her.

"Please excuse my abruptness, but we really need to get you back inside", he insisted, grabbing her arm by the loose fabric of her Vaultsuit, and attempting to drag her back into the house.

"Codsworth, what's wrong with you?!", she resisted, pulling free and stepping out into the street.

Then she heard it, howling, voices, boisterous laughter only slightly muffled on the wind. "What is tha…are there people here?"

"It would appear we have a few uninvited guests, yes, now if you'd come with me…", Codsworth confirmed.

"Where are they, how many?", she asked,looking around, trying to discern any movement in the darkness. The voices seemed to be coming from the direction of the bridge leading out of town.

"There are four…individuals, and they are approximately 35 meters that way", he declared, pointing beyond the house opposite her own. "A little too close for comfort if you ask me"

If Codsworth were human, she imagined he'd be wringing his hands right now.

She stood there for only a moment before making up her mind, however, she managed only two steps in the direction of the sounds, before he flew in front of her, blocking her path.

"Mum, where are you going?!"

"I'm going to talk with them".

"Talk with them?", he asked incredulously. "Mum, please reconsider, I beg you, these, people are not the conversational sort".

"I need food Codsworth, and not to mention information, I have to at least try".

"But…".

"Codsworth", she smiled, placing a hand on his rusted body, a gesture meant to both reassure him and to say thank you.

"I can't stay here forever, I need to know what's going on out there, what's happened since the bombs dropped", she paused, taking a deep breath and brushing back the hair from her face. "If you're right, if I've really been gone two hundred years…then I'd imagine there's a lot I need to catch up on".

"I can assure you, there's not much to see out there Mum", Codsworth insisted.

"You don't know that", she countered. "You said yourself you haven't been that far from Sanctuary".

"But Mu…".

"It can't all be like this", she swept an arm across the ruins of the old town. "They had to have rebuilt, picked up the pieces…somewhere".

"Somewhere…", her voice tapering off into little more than a whisper. "It's not all gone, Codsworth, it can't be".

"I understand your….", Codsworth started but was interrupted by the noise behind him.

She could see well enough in the dim light, behind the house they were facing, a scrawny, bald man knocking over a stack of barrels and falling in the dirt, all the while laughing like a mental patient.

Then another male figure appearing from behind the house absently kicking him in the side before turning the corner and stopping short when he noticed them.

"Oh dear", Codsworth muttered.

She could see stained teeth in his twisted grin as he approached, dust and grime on his face, neck almost completely covered in ink, hair caked in filth and matted to his forehead. He stopped maybe ten feet away, on the sidewalk while she stood in the street, Codsworth between them.

She made no movement as he looked her over, giving Codsworth and their general surroundings a cursory glance. Her breath was slow and shallow, body tense and she could feel her heartbeat in her chest.

Was this such a good idea after all? , she thought.

He stood there seemingly relaxed, finally locking eyes with her.

To her credit, she held his gaze, her face calm and composed while resisting the rising urge to run.

Run and he'll chase you.

That much was clear from his stance and demeanor.

She was suddenly very aware of the gun tucked behind her.

Shoot them.

For what reason? They've done nothing, her rational mind told her.

He was armed, she could see the crude, pistol shaped contraption tucked inside his tattered overcoat.

She ran through a half dozen 'what if' scenarios in the few seconds that they locked eyes.

The clanging of the rusted aluminium barrels shaking her back to the present.

The bald one had managed to get himself standing again. The way he moved, he was definitely high on something.

She decided to take the initiative and hopefully set the tone of their interaction.

"Good morning" , she brought her had up in greeting.

"My…", she gave Codsworth a quick glance, deciding how she should introduce him.

"My companion and I are just passing through, and I'm afraid we've run out of supplies", she explained, giving the best smile she could manage. "I was wondering if there was any place nearby where we could restock, or, if you're willing, perhaps we could purchase any food and water you can spare", she offered, keeping her tone as friendly as possible without sounding meek.

"You from that vault up the path", he motioned vaguely to the hills behind Sanctuary. It wasn't a question so much as a statement.

"That's right", she smiled again.

"That mean it's open now?", he probed.

"I'm afraid not, it's been…resealed"

"But you can open it right?". He tapped his wrist to indicate her Pipboy.

"I can't, I'm sorry, it…it's been locked out", she lied, rubbing a thumb over the dirty screen.

"Really now?", he looked her over again, scratching at the stubble on his face. "That's a shame".

"Anyone else come with you from the vault?"

"No". She mentally slapped herself. "Listen I… there's nothing left in the vault, I left pretty much empty handed, but I have money, if you have any food or w…".

"How much?", he interrupted.

"Pardon?"

"How much caps you got?", he repeated.

"C…caps?", she asked, confused. "I don't kno…"

"256 Caps", Codsworth chimed in. "It is yours in exchange for any sustenance you may be carrying."

"Codsworth?", she turned to the robot at her side.

"Allow me to handle these negotiations Mum". One eye on her , one eye on the men in front of them and the third seemed to be scanning their surroundings.

She gave the robot a nod.

By this time the bald one had finally stumbled his way to the man's side. "Hey now, that's a fine lookin bit..."

"Shut it you moron", the man spat at his comrade.

"Look she's got one a them vault things", the bald one persisted, earning himself a knock on the head.

"I said shut up!"

"That fuckin hurt", he snarled, rubbing his head and walking off to the side

"Alright lady, how bout this, we'll take that fancy bracelet of yours in exchange for some of our rations, I'm sure we can spare a few".

It was true she had one hell of a headache and her hunger was more than a little distracting, she felt dizzy, weak, but she had the presence of mind to understand a few things.

Codsworth's presence was the only thing preventing these men from simply trying to take what they wanted from her.

There were also supposed to be four guests according to Codsworth. So either this guy was trying to buy time until the others showed up, or the other two were already lurking in the darkness trying to get into a favourable position.

"Roan, what is this?",a gruff voice startled her. As if on cue, a man and woman appeared from the darkness, to her right.

Tattered leathers, rags and makeshift armor. Both with their guns out and just as filthy as the first two.

Shit. She bit her lip, her heartbeat fast and heavy, she could almost hear it.

"Mum?", Codsworth whispered, and she looked into the one eye focused on her, she was sure her face was beginning to betray her fear.

"She has a Pipboy, she's from that vault on the hill," the man with the inked neck explained, the one she'd been speaking with, apparently he was Roan.

"So take it, kill her and scrap the tin can, what are you waiting for", the woman replied.

How could they speak so callously about murdering her as if it was nothing, something barely worth a second thought, and to talk about it as if she wasn't even there.

"I dunno, that'd be an awful waste of a fine woman", the man to her right supplied, she didn't need to see his face, she could feel his eyes on her.

They were busy arguing what to do with her.

"Pssst, Mum, maybe if you hand over the Pipboy"

"No".

"But…"

It wouldn't stop her from being at their mercy if she gave it up. They would just as easily kill her, or worse, that much was plainly clear.

And Nate was in the vault, she'd die before she let this filth anywhere near him. Finally, her baby was out there. Nate's killer was out there.

If this meant her death then fine, she would die fighting, but she would not roll over for these, people, these scum.

"No", she repeated.

No…no, that wasn't it, she couldn't die here, couldn't afford to be so callous with her own life. She made a promise to him, to Nate, she had a responsibility to Shaun.

It was true, it would be the easiest thing in the world to go down fighting and say she tried. She mentally cursed her own weakness, her shaky resolve.

Depression and shock, she was still very much trapped within its web. And while she was enough of a student of psychology to recognize the signs and analyse her own feelings, she was no less a slave to them.

She took a deep breath.

Be smart.

Stay alive.

The man in front of her, Roan, still hadn't drawn his gun, he was arguing with the bald one. The bald one had a tire iron tucked in his ragged pants, nothing more, nothing hidden. The man and woman to her right were a good distance away and had their weapons drawn but not pointed at her.

"Codsworth, are your weapons still functional?", she muttered under her breath.

"Certainly".

Good.

"When I say, I need you to attack the two on our right, hold their attention but keep your distance", she directed. "I'll deal with the two in front"

"Are you s…As you say Mum".

The low light should reduce everyone's accuracy somewhat, especially with those crude looking guns. Was that wood, attached to a pipe?

Also with Codsworth's mobility he would no doubt be an incredibly difficult target to hit, and the darkness would not hinder him in the least.

It seemed they were entertaining the idea of giving her to the bald one.

If she was going to make her move, it would have to be now.

"Now Codsworth, go!", she hissed, soft enough so only he could hear.

She could feel the heat from Codsworth's jets as he dashed towards the duo on their right, drawing their fire away from her. It took Roan a few seconds to realize what was happening, whipping out his pistol and trying to get a bead on Codsworth as the robot circled the other two, unleashing torrents of flame, blinding and panicking them.

Exactly what she needed. In those few seconds his attention was focused solely on Codsworth, she pulled out the sidearm tucked behind her in one swift movement and leveled her aim on Roan.

The first shot missed and she could see his head turn towards her as if in slow motion.

Exhale.

The second shot hit him in the right arm, before he could get her in his sights.

His grunt of frustration through gritted teeth as the pistol fell from his hands, was drowned out by the third shot catching him in the right shoulder.

Her attention was so focused on Roan, allowing the bald one to close the distance on her. She knew he was there and could see him in the corner of her eye, but she didn't expect such speed from a man that could barely walk a straight line.

Switching her aim to the new threat while Roan doubled over cradling his arm, she managed to get a single shot off, missing him completely before he brought the tire iron down on her arm.

She managed to stifle a pained whimper.

A glancing blow but it was enough to knock the gun out of her hands and still hurt like hell. The momentum from his charge and swing causing him to stagger forward while she managed to get out of his path.

Dodging the charge however, caused her to show her back to Roan. This, she realized a split second too late, when he grabbed her from behind. With his arm across her, he had her left arm pinned while he maintained a shaky grip on her right. She started to panic, gritting her teeth and struggling against him, her heart beating like thunder in her ears.

"Fucking bitch!", he spat in her ear. His stench was sickening, infecting and overwhelming her senses.

She was facing the bald one. He had toppled over when she dodged his charge and was crawling back to his feet, rusty tire iron in his hand. She could see everything now, as if her senses were dialed to eleven. From the tattoos covering his body, to the sweat and dirt. The writhing movements of the muscles and tendons under his skin, lit with bursts of light and fire from the battle to her left. Codsworth had managed to set the woman ablaze, her screams distant and muted under the thundering heartbeat in her ears.

"Jet!", Roan barked to the bald one. "Take her, dammit!".

He had gotten to his feet, a sadistic, almost feral grin on his face, eyes wide and crazy, hunched over like a cat about to pounce on its prey as he approached her. "Gonna fuck you good, bitch".

He wasn't Human, none of them were. She realized in that moment, and it pissed her off.

"Fucking animals!", she roared, kicking forward with all the strength she could muster, her heel making contact with his face, breaking his nose and snapping his head back in a sickening crunch.

"Jet!", Roan screamed in disbelief, an unexpectedly higher pitch than she would have expected from the burly man. It only served to fuel her.

She screamed again as she struggled against him, a guttural and primal roar dripping with sorrow, fury and her indignation at this twisted world she'd found herself in.

Nothing but raw emotion fueling her.

She raised her leg and brought her heel down on his foot, feeling the bones crack, gritting her teeth against his screams and snapping her head back to catch him in the face. His grip loosened and she managed to get her right arm free.

"Get off of me!", she elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to stagger backwards, finally releasing her.

She spun to face him, again swinging her elbow blindly behind her and catching him in the jaw, breaking it. She wasn't done however, using the momentum from her blind swing, she followed up with a sweeping kick that, to her surprise, knocked his feet cleanly out from under him. He hit the pavement flat on his back, the wind knocked out of him, sputtering and grunting, his nose broken and face bloody, truly a pathetic sight.

She staggered a few steps back, almost tripping over the dead body of the bald one as she stepped over him, gasping for air in ragged bursts but never taking her eyes off of Roan. His left arm seemed to be the only thing still under his control, sweeping wildly across the ground.

No, not wildly.

She had failed to notice, with all the trash and debris littering the ground, the crude, makeshift pistol he was reaching for.

Too late, he had it.

No time to charge at him, she turned around, scrambling to the ground for the sidearm she dropped earlier as the sound of gunfire rang out behind her. In his current state he was pretty much firing wildly in her general direction, bullets cutting through the air above her and hitting the street around her, kicking up dust and rubble.

Found it!

She spun around on her side and squeezed the trigger, again and again, gritting her teeth and holding her breath until the magazine ran empty. Finally relaxing when he stopped moving, releasing the breath she'd been holding, the coldness of the ground seeping into her, sending a shiver through her body. She lifted her head and propped herself up on one elbow, Codsworth had led the last man about two houses away, and if the stray laser fire, flames and ear shattering screams were any indication, her 'butler' was just about finished with his task.

Home defence…right…

Her body ached, breathing was becoming difficult and her world was starting to spin, she attempted to sit up, but the sudden explosion of pain in her side sent waves of white hot lightning through her brain.

She clutched her side, feeling the dampness that had formed, her palm, a dark crimson.

Shit.

Don't move, keep pressure on it.

She clenched her teeth and tried to bite back the pain, resting her forehead on her arm, her hair clinging to her damp skin while she shivered in the cold.

It's not over, not like this…not yet.

Codsworth…hurry.


"That's it, keep it steady, relax, breathe in".

The intoxicating scent she knew all too well, his warmth on her back, his breath on her cheek, rough hands cupping hers.

"And exhale…", his voice reverberating through her, sending delightful shivers down her spine. "Squeeze…".

The shot startling her, but he held her steady as she laughed, his hands slipping down to her waist and encircling her in a gentle embrace.

"There you go, great job", he smiled, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"But I missed", she giggled.

"Technique first, we can work on your aim after that, cadet".

"Oh I'm a cadet, am I?"

"Don't worry, we'll make a soldier of you yet", he grinned.

"Besides, you might have even hit the target if I didn't shift your aim to the side", he mused, feigning a tone of innocence and detachment.

"What?!", she put on the best scandalized look she could manage. "Why would you do that?".

"Well we can't have you getting a big head, can we?", he teased, taking the gun and placing it on the makeshift table at their side then locking his arms around her again.

"I have no idea what you mean, sir", she turned to face him, wrapping her arms behind his neck.

"I'm the most humble person I know, ask anyone", she smiled sweetly, pulling him into a kiss.

The grass was soft under her bare feet, the lake off to her left, calm and serene, the sun warm on her face, and she was safe in his arms.

"Seriously though, honey, I don't know when I'll get called in again, I want you to…", he began.

"Don't", she silenced him with a finger on his lips. "I don't want to talk about that, you're here now".

He caught her hand in his, placing a gentle kiss on her fingers. "I want you to be able to protect yourself".

"I've been protecting myself just fine so far, mister", she insisted, mentally slapping herself when she saw the hurt flash in his eyes.

Guilt, regret, she knew how he felt, despite how many times she tried to reassure him, he still blamed himself for their situation. Didn't he know by now, how proud she was of him. He was her hero, her soulmate, and she'd wait for him as long as it took.

"Nate, I...I'm sorry…I didn't mean…", she gave him an apologetic look, resting her palm on his cheek and rubbing a thumb across his lips.

"I Know", he smiled, kissing her forehead.

"One more year…one more year and we'll be free", he whispered.

"Yes, so stop worrying about me and focus on yourself out there, I'll be here, as long as it takes…I'll be here", she repeated, punctuating it with a quick, deep kiss.

"Besides, I pity the poor bastard that decides to mess with me", she grinned.

"Oh you mean that, Judo….uh..Jitshu…nonsense you've been learning", he teased.

"That's not what it's called, you jerk", she slapped his chest, doing her best to look appalled, but unable to contain her playful grin.

"Ha!, all that dancing and twirling around isn't gonna help you in a good old fashioned street brawl, lady", he stated in his best condescending tone, enjoying her look of faux shock as her lips moved, but she couldn't find the words.

"Street brawl!?", she managed, finally.

"Good sir, I don't know what kind of lady you think I am, but all my brawls take place at the very best high class drinking establishments!", she stuck her nose up at him, doing her best imitation of a pampered high society lady, but unable to keep a straight face.

"In fact I bet I could give even you a run for your money, slick", she poked him in the chest, her cheeky grin, achingly adorable.

"Oh ho ho, is that a challenge I hear, little lady?".

"Damn straight, think you're man enough to take me?"

"Let's see then, shall we", that wicked grin of his was her weakness.

She was over his shoulder in an instant, kicking and laughing as he made his way to the car, suddenly changing direction when they were halfway there.

"Nate?".

"Nate, that's the lake!"

"That's right sweet cheeks", he laughed.

"Nate, No!", "Don't you dare!", she screamed slapping his butt.

"Nate!, I still have my clothes on"

"God dammit Nate!"

"You kiss your mother with that mouth, sweetheart?", he returned the favour with a slap of his own on her backside, earning him a shocked whimper.

She could see the water's edge approaching from her vantage point behind his back, then hear the splashing as he waded in, until the shoreline was a few feet behind them.

"Nate I swear if you throw me in…", she didn't get a chance to finish her threat, as he flipped her over, catching her in his arms before she hit the water.

She looked up at him in surprise for a moment before she regained her senses. She wanted to scream at him, but decided the grin tugging at the corners of her mouth would do little to help her case.

"Arrrrrggghh", she growled, as he looked down at her with that smug toothy grin.

"You're gonna pa...mmmphh", she started, but the words died in her throat when his lips met hers and pulled back just as quickly, leaving her head spinning.

"Give up?", his voice little more than a whisper even as he leaned in, his breath hot on her lips.

"Wh…what?", she managed, not really hearing him, her gaze focused solely on his lips, her heart racing in her chest.

He had her under his spell and they both knew it.

He pulled back with an amused smile when she followed his lips as far as she could, before sending him a quizzical look, but he just chuckled under his breath, gently lowering her legs into the water until she was standing in front of him, her hands on his shoulders. It wasn't cold like she thought, the midday sun actually making it quite pleasant.

She regarded the water lapping at their hips with a frown before he cupped her face in his palms and tilted her head until he was staring into those enchanting, emerald green eyes. Leaning in close, studying her face, brushing his lips ever so lightly against hers. Pulling back just a bit to judge her reaction, pleased when she ran her tongue over luscious, slightly parted lips. Her hungry, half lidded gaze locked on his own.

He kissed her again, pulling her closer.

"Nate…", his lips now brushing her cheek.

"Hm?"

"Nate, my..bathing suit…", warm kisses trailing under her jaw.

"Still…in…the…car…", his fingers in her hair, gently forcing her head back, her throat exposed to his relentless assault, nipping at the soft flesh, lips moving down her neck to her shoulders.

The deliciously hungry, dull ache deep inside her, clouding her thoughts.

His scent, his kisses, the heat of his touch, as his hands roamed her body underneath the flimsy fabric of her shirt, drowning her senses in a world of pleasure. She ran her fingers through his hair, absently scratching the back of his neck as their cheeks touched and she hungrily searched for his lips. Denied again, he pinched her chin lightly, grinning, and asked for the second time."Give up?".

She flashed him her own seductive grin.

"Never", she brushed his hand away, crushing her lips into his in a deep, breathless kiss, biting and playfully tugging at his lower lip when they finally part.

"That's my girl", he smiled, his eyes gentle and warm, he kisses her cheek and whispers in her ear.

"Leona…".


Fixed a few minor errors I missed on the first edit.