The Impossible is possible

The road to Sanctuary stretched out before me. Familiar vacant buildings loomed, the shadows they casted threatened to engulf me whole. With each heavy step, my pulse galloped, and my heart jumped. It wouldn't be long now till we reached Sanctuary; until we reached Vault 111, and Nate…

My breath caught painfully in my throat as I coughed to clear it. Don't break down, I warned myself. We weren't even in the Vault and already I wanted to turn tail and run. How much of a coward was I that I couldn't even keep my composure before even reaching the Vault? I had to remain calm.

Easier said than done obviously. How could I do that when, with each step I took, my heart felt like it was being crushed by a semi-truck.

Damnit! I hadn't planned on coming back here, not anytime soon. So much for that plan…

Damn Maxon to hell! He has to be playing me! I could feel myself fuming and knew it had to be showing on my face. He had to know I came from there, why else would he withhold that info and just have Danse inform me of the mission? God damn that little prat.

Gazing up, my eyes caught sight of the Red Rocket Station followed but the familiar yet ominous mountain top that hovered menacingly over the landscape. My breath caught in my throat once more as my eyes stared transfixed on the mountain and what it contained deep within. My eyebrows knitted, I couldn't do this, I can't go down there…

"…mery."

…but I had to. Not because of the mission, but because I needed proof. Physical proof of what I was. To show Danse.

"Emery?"

Oh god, would he even believe that? What if he did? What then? Would he cast me aside? Hate me for being a part of the generation that destroyed the world? My throat constricted forcefully, and my breath came up short as my heart thundered against my chest.

"Soldier!"

Danse's calls broke me out of my reverie as a rock through a window. Jostled and suddenly out of place I looked around surprised that I hadn't moved. I glanced up at Danse whose face was awash of unmasked concern. "Danse?" I asked blinking, trying to train the emotion out of my face. It hadn't seemed to work, Danse's brows etched deeper with concern. "I'm sorry…I wasn't paying attention."

His brow raised ever so slightly as he glanced off to where I was staring. "Is everything alright?" He asked as he turned back to me.

"No-I mean yes,-I" I let out a sigh as I pulled on my hair, "No, not really."

"Is this because of your vault?"

"Bingo." I said as I walked to sit down on the guard rail. "Of all the places Maxon could have sent us, it had to be that Vault."

I watched his face scrunch up at the informal way I called his Elder. I could just see him try and hold back his thoughts on how I wasn't showing proper respect. But he held his tongue-surprisingly enough. "How long has it been since you left?"

I looked back up at the mountain, my heart feeling like lead as my eyes landed at the top. "Eight months." I said turning back to him. "Though I've been back to Sanctuary from time to time during those months."

Danse walked over to where I was sitting. "Sanctuary, that's the main settlement for the Minutemen." He said, "I forget sometimes that you had dealings with them."

Oh, I've had more than that. I would have to tell Danse about me being the General sooner or later; and especially before we reach the settlement. But now wouldn't be the best time for it. "Yeah, I've helped them before." I said turning my face away from him, "mostly helping to either restore or build settlements."

I could see him crane his neck to try and look at my face. "Does that make you a Minuteman?" He said, "I've always meant to ask, yet never found the right time."

Or the right words. "I guess you could say that." I said using my hair to conceal my features. He had once said my nose crinkle when I lie, I wouldn't give him the chance to see it.

"What can you tell me about them?"

I looked up at him brow raised. Since when did Danse care about the Minutemen? "That you don't like them?"

He let out a huff, but gave a slight grin, "besides that." He said with a shake of his head. "Have you've ever met their leader? I've heard some talk about her."

That sparked my curiosity. I wasn't surprised that there were rumors about me, especially with Piper and Hancock around. But I didn't think Danse had heard them. "Oh? What have you've heard."

Danse gave a roll of his shoulders before he gently leaned against the guard rail. I felt it shift with the weight of his armor. "I've never heard her name mentioned, nor had Rhys or Haylen." He said. "But I did hear about how she helped the Minutemen recruit new settlements and how their numbers have bolstered since the Quincy Massacre."

"You heard about that? I thought that happened before you got here." I only ever heard what Preston had told me. Maybe Danse had a bit of outside knowledge about what happened. I doubted it, since he disapproved of my group.

He squinted off in the distance and crossed his arms. "I arrived just after it had happened. I had limited intelligence over the matter since it wasn't vital to our operation at the time." He said as he unslung his rifle and began to inspect it. "But since we needed basic information on the different Raider groups and Gunner Factions in the area we came across Quincy. I hope you weren't apart of that."

I could see the concern on his features and a warmth bloomed in my chest. He was getting better at that look. "No, it was way before my time. " I said, "I joined the Minutemen right after I left the Vault. My-I mean the Colonel had told me about Quincy. It's a shame that it happened."

Danse blew out of his nose, "that's what happened when civilians play military."

Something in me snapped and I was standing in front of him before I realized it. "They are a truly dedicated bunch and they work their asses off to protect the people of the Commonwealth!" I snarled, feeling my temper boil. "And they have made this hell on Earth a little bit safer each day!"

Surprised crossed his features before it was squashed by his narrowing brow. He stood up straight, squaring his shoulders and towering over me. "Rein in your anger Knight!" He said sternly.

I blinked taken aback by the use of his rank. Why did he always slip back into it whenever we had a disagreement? "Yes sir…" I mumbled. While I know I shouldn't have lost my temper like that, he shouldn't have pulled his rank. I let out a sigh, "I'm sorry I just think the Minutemen deserve a bit more credit that what a lot of people give."

His posture relaxed slightly, "we both have different opinions on that front." He said as he rubbed at his neck. "But I should have chosen my words better."

"Yeah you should."

"Knight…" He warned but I could see the corners of his mouth twitch. I gave him a grin that caused him to smirk back. He then glanced up towards the hill. "I think we've rested long enough. I would like to make it to your vault before it gets dark."

I flinched at the possession he used. I hated regarding the Vault that way. I wanted no association with that dreaded place. Danse must have noticed my discomfort for he subtly squirmed in his armor. "So uh, you never did answer my question earlier. Have you've met their leader?"

Now it was my turn to squirm. Unconsciously I blurted out, "Yeah shes a real piece of work." Before I bit down hard on my lip. I mentally groaned. Now would have been the perfect time to tell him, yet I couldn't control my big mouth. But did I really want to tell him? A small part of me wondered. His aversion towards the Minutemen was deep, would he in turn feel that way towards me for being their leader?

I felt something cold past through me and I lost the nerve to confess. I glanced away, watching my feet as I walked. "She', uh is a real hot head. Very impulsive and reckless."

I heard him snicker, "sounds like someone else I know." He said, "I take it, it rubbed off on you?"

"You could say that…" I mumbled stuffing my hands in my pocket. Lying again caused another knot in my stomach. How many more lies could I fill his head with until it burst. "She uh, she too was a Vault Dweller."

His reply was a head nod, obviously keeping his opinion on the matter to himself. I could practically hear his mind think, 'typical Minutemen, appointing a soft vault dweller as their leader.' Or something to that effect.

We walked for a short while in silence after that. Sounds drifted in the wind filled the air, that was until Danse asked. "I know it might be a hard question, but I have been wondering if you could give me some insight on what your life was like inside the Vault-?"

I froze, feeling all the heat rush out of me like a whirlwind. The Vault floated in my mind; I could picture it all clearly and with it came the memories of living in that icy hell. Like a horror movie, the guns barrel pointed at Nate's head, Shaun's cries as he was ripped from his fathers arms. The thick, frozen glass that wouldn't break, Kellogg's laugh…

Suddenly everything spun, and I felt strong arms around me. Within minutes I became aware as eyes pierced into mine. My breath came out in heaves as my brain tried to make sense of reality. I blinked a few times to realized that Danse was holding ,me, The chill from his armor cooling down my burning skin. His face was askew with a strange mixture of both concern and anger, as if he were planning on giving me one of his lectures. "Emery?" He spoke softly. "Are you alright?"

Surprised by the tone, my mouth hung open for a moment, unsure of whether I had heard his tone correctly. He repeated himself again and words flew out of my mouth. "I'm fine!" I said as I moved to stand up.

Danse slowed down my movements and ushered me to stand up gently. Once to my feet I glanced up at his face, the concern was now buried under a scowl. "What was that?" He demanded. "Are you ill, and didn't inform me sooner?"

I shrunk under his look, "I-I don't know." I mumbled avoiding his steely eyes, "I just-well the it just bringing up my vault-its hard. It uh, well-its where my husband and my neighbors were murdered."

Her comment had been so shocking he just stared at her open mouthed. His brain formulated no thoughts other than to register that he was shocked. He closed his mouth and looked out at the landscape. He knew Kellogg had murdered her husband, but he had no idea that he killed an entire vault full of people.

But then why let Emery, the mother live?

The more Danse thought it over, the more her story seemed like pieces were missing. An agent of the Institute gets access into a sealed vault, murders the residents, kills Emery's husband, kidnaps her infant son and leaves only Emery alive? Why spare her? Surely the Institute wouldn't leave a witness?

Possibilities ran through his mind, but none seemed to cement themselves. Could she have sustained injuries where the agent thought she would die with them, no too sloppy. Surely this Kellogg knew she would hunt him down to rescue her son. And why kidnap an infant-

Wait. Danse's eyes narrowed. Hadn't Emery mentioned how she had lost ten years of her son's life?

He glanced down at her, whose gaze had been locked firmly ahead, her expression strange and unreadable. He searched her face for an impression that she was older than she looked. But found nothing, no wrinkles, no age lines no frown lines, nothing. There was no way this woman-this 'young' woman was a mother of a ten-year-old.

Clearing his throat, he drew closer to Emery, "Emery, I uh was wondering if you could answer a question for me." He felt his neck burn.

"Yeah?"

"I know it uh, might seem rude to ask this, but ah, "He said as he hastily glanced away from her piercing gaze. By steel when did she develop that kind of look. "How old are you? You had mention that Maxon was your age?"

Her eyes widened momentarily before they slowly narrowed and Danse realized his error. She had never said it to 'him' but to Maxon. "I did?" She said more to herself than to him. She shook her head and said, "I'm twenty, but I'll be twenty-one in June, why do you ask?"

Twenty-one? If she really had lost ten years of her son's life than that would mean she had to have Shaun when she was-eleven? While not impossible, Danse highly doubted that was the case. "You said you had your son at nineteen, am I correct?" He could hear his tone grow more skeptical with each question.

Her eyebrow raised, "yeah, but what brought all this up?"

Then how was it possible for her to lose ten years of her son's life when her son had to be only two years of age. There was something-well a lot of things she was holding back-again. He knew she hadn't been ready to share some things with him, yet why did she feel the need to lie to him. Hadn't, she promised him honesty? So why the secrecy?

He could feel his frustration bubble with the thought. Pinching the pressure point on the bridge of his nose he let out a sigh. "I'm trying to make sense of something you had told me." He said slowly, lowering his hand. "Back at the hotel you had mentioned how your lost ten years of your son's life."

He heard Emery take in a sharp breath and when he turned to look at her, her composure was tense, shoulders drawn back as if bracing for physical impact. Danse tried to get a read on her expression, but she hastily glanced away, her bangs obstructing her eyes. "Remember, all I had asked for was honesty from you." Some part of him told him that was an unfair comment, but he pushed it aside. It was unfair of her to hide things from him. They were partners-friends.

She sent him a glare, just as he thought she would. But instead of lashing out, her expression drifted. She glanced down at her feet. "I know…" She said pushing her hair out of her face. "And I will, I will explain everything once we get to the vault."

He felt his brow furrow, "why can't you just tell me now, instead of putting it off further?" He said, "You don't need to hide things from me, you know that. And as your commanding officer I need to know so I can help you work through the things that are bothering you."

He realized his error the moment Emery's expression shifted into a burning glare. "That is one reason." She said harshly as she pushed past him. "Because you can't ever seem to drop your rank when its just us. How do I know when I'm talking to Paladin Danse, or my friend Danse!"

"Now that's unfair!" He called out turning to face her. He hadn't meant for his words to come out that way. He wanted her to trust his rank, as well as himself. As an initiate he had always felt warmth when Keig had said he could come to him if he had problems. He had only wanted Emery to feel the same. "I maybe your commanding officer, but you can trust me."

She whirled around, her hair flowing madly around her, the light from the setting sun catching it making it seem as if it was a inferno. "So then why do you always slip into your rank when we argue or when you want something done your way!" She was beginning to ramble, he could clearly see the frustration play out on her face. "Even when its just us you slip into it. And how do I know you don't just tell Maxon about the things I say!"

There was a brief silence around them, only broken by the sound of wind rustling through the dead branches. He felt his own irritation spike with the accusation. How could she possibly think that he would break her trust like that. While he was her Commanding officer, he was also her friend. Hadn't he proved that when he promised he wouldn't inform the Elder about her misguided trust in a Synth?

But, he did have to admit, he did slip into his rank a little too often when they argued. Yet she needed to realize that there had to be a line between them. They weren't just friends and they weren't just Superior officer and subordinate. There had to be a clear line between them. Especially when they were on a mission. "After this mission." He said slowly, "I expect honesty from you. When something is bothering you, I want you to know you can trust me. And not as your commanding officer, but as your friend."

She looked at him, an expression of both calm and calamity battled their way for dominance on her features. "I am sorry I pushed-or have been pushing." He added. "Clearly these past few days since Good Neighbor have been trying for you. I just wanted to know, so I could effectively help you better." And not make it worse…

She remained silent, clutching her hands to her side. He turned away, allowing his words to sink in. He had begun to walk when he felt her hands pull him back. If he wanted to, he could easily pull his arm out of her grasp. But he didn't. Even through his armor he could feel her touch, sending a foreign burning sensation through him. Physical contact of any kind always caused him a crawling unpleasant sensation, as if his body had been covered in wet sand. Yet the more Emery reached out to him and broke the shield he had grown, the more he came to find her touch soothing, comforting. "Danse I-"She said uncertainly. "Your right, it hasn't been an easy couple of days, and I've been taking all that out on you-and I'm sorry." She took in a shaky breath. "I want to tell you and I will, but I need to show you-its something I can't tell you unless you see physical evidence."

He found himself at a loss for words. Whatever she had been holding back had to be a heavy burden, that much was evident from the shadows behind her eyes. He glanced down at her hands, still clutching onto him. A small part of him urged him to take her hand in his. If this has been months ago, he'd have brushed her off for breaking decorum. But now he found himself listening to that small voice as he placed his hand over hers. Hadn't he just say there needed to be a line between them?

His voice thickened with the gesture, "alright." He said meeting her eyes, "I'll wait till then, but I expect my questions answered."

She bit her bottom lip and he could practically see her squirm in her skin as she nodded her head in agreement. "Alright."

He didn't fully believe her tone, but it was enough. Clearly she was uncomfortable going back to her vault. And she had every right to be. He had had his suspicions about where her husbands murder had taken place, but he had no idea it had been in her vault.

She dropped her hands and took a breath. "Come on." She said side stepping around him. Folding her arms behind her she said, "we better get there before nightfall, the hills a bitch to climb in the dark."

"Language soldier!"

She let out a light chuckle, though her eyes showed no mirth. His brow creased. She was putting on a front. He didn't say anything, she clearly was trying to cheer herself up.

He hoped that whatever awaited them down in that Vault, wouldn't take it's toll on her.

And if it did, he'd have her back this time.

They had reached the broken bridge to the settlement just as the sun began to dip behind the landscape. They only had a few more minutes of sunlight left, and from what he could see of the hill, he agreed with Emery's earlier statement.

They had bypassed the entrance of the settlement and opted to cross through the river and climb up the hill next to it instead. Emery hadn't enlightened him on why she wanted to do that, the only reasoning had been "I don't want to draw too much attention to us yet and walking into the front gates of the settlement will do just that."

So now Danse found himself struggling to climb up a hill, in the near dark, in bulky power armor.

Climbing up a steep hill in Power Armor was tricky, but after years of moving and adapting to it Danse felt as if it were a second skin. Yet that didn't mean a loose rock here or there couldn't make him lose his footing. Luckily Emery was leading the way and Danse could quickly regain it before she could look back.

The sun was just ducking behind the landscape when they reached the elevator. This entrance was different than the others. Instead of it being carved into the side of a mountain it lowered into it. He didn't quite care for the idea of being lowered down to who knows how deep on a two-hundred-year-old-rusted-elevator. Even if Vault-Tec could build something that could last centuries it didn't make him feel any better.

He felt the drop-in temperature as the elevator descended and with it came a chill that prickled its way through his body. Something wasn't right.

He saw a violent shudder pass through Emery as the elevator landed with a deafening clank. She was ghostly pale with a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead. She sucked in a shaky breath as the gates opened, allowing them passage in. "Are you alright soldier?" He asked taking a tentative step closer to her. When she didn't reply he called out to her.

She jumped at the sound of her name, her eyes wild with anxiety. "Fine!" Her voice rasped in a frenzy. She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath, "I just… need a minute."

"Take all the time you need," He nodded and took a step out of the elevator to her give her some space.

Much like other vaults, the entrance layout was familiar. It had a ramp that connected to the vault door and a welcoming sign over head. The room itself looked as though it had seen its fair share of violence. Danse squinted at the walls and noticed bullet holes. From looking alone, it seemed none of the machinery-save for the Vault Door controls were no longer in proper working order. Rust tinged nearly all the metal in the entrance while a few ceiling fixtures hung low or had completely fallen off.

It wasn't in nearly as bad condition as other vaults in the Commonwealth, but it showed signs of being vacant a lot longer than a few years. But for how long?

His eyes caught sight on a discarded lab coat but when he looked closer at it a chill raced down his spine. The coat was still being worn by a skeleton. "This couldn't have been your Vault." He said incredulous. "This place looks as run down as the rest of the wasteland." He turned to look at her and froze.

She had become paler now, her skin taking on a grayish tinge, while her whole body was racked with shudders. Her eyes were pinched, and her breathing became haggard. She had a hand tightly gripped on the side of the elevator and it seemed it was the only thing keeping her upright. Concern flooded him, while a dim sense of guilt knotted itself in his stomach. He shouldn't have forced her to go down here. "Emery?" He said taking a careful step towards her. "If its too hard I can go on without- "

"No!" She half rasped, half yelled. She took quick breaths and added, "no, I have to go. I have to face him and everything in here."

His brow furrowed, what did that mean? But before he could question her, she began walking but with shaky movements. "Come on, the longer we take, the longer were down here for."

He watched her for a time before following after. He had seen this behavior before. Both in other members of the Brotherhood, and in himself. She was on the brink of having a panic attack. He knew the signs all too well. It seemed foreign to him, that Emery could suffer from them. She was such an emotionally strong person. It just seemed wrong for her to be plagued by something like that.

If it got any worse he'd have to get her to leave, whether she went by choice or not.

"Vault-Tec designed Vault 111 to observe the effects of long-term cryogenic suspended animation on unwilling test subjects." Emery spoke breaking him from his thoughts. "I found that out the hard way."

He felt the growing sense of trepidation take root in his stomach like a seed. Emery was speaking with such disconnect that it worried him. And long-term cryogenic suspension? That couldn't be possible.

"People from Sanctuary Hills and Concord flocked to this Vault when the bombs fell, so Vault-Tec had plenty of test subjects." She spat as she paused in front of a window and gazed out into it. "A little more than a hundred people rushed into the safety of this Vault, unaware of what they got themselves into. "

He followed her eyes out of the window and saw a chamber of sorts. It wasn't run down like the other sections they had past in the Vault, instead it looked clean and pristine, untouched by the scarred hands of the wasteland. Strange looking pods lined the room. "Those are the cryo pods." She said, her eyes narrowing. "Vault-Tec scientist said they were decontamination pods to lure people to get in."

"How do you know all this? Did your Overseer or someone teach it to you?"

She wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head, "no." She said blatantly, "Come on."

None of this made any sense. Last he knew prewar minds didn't have the knowledge nor the means needed to make cryogenic suspension possible. At least not on a living breathing person. "Emery." He said gently as they passed more rooms fill with those pods. "I don't understand, this can't be your Vault this-"

"Danse." She said quietly as they paused in front of one room. She turned and opened the door. "Please just wait till the end." Her eyes were glazed over, unfocused as she stared into the last room. The room was like the others, age and neglect tinged its contents. Papers and objects haphazardly scattered on the floor, and a few cryo pods lined the walls, looming over the isle menacingly.

She let out a breath and leaned against the door frame. Her posture was ridged, and she had sweat trickling down the side of her face. "This was-this where my son was kidnapped, and my husband murdered. " She said with a shaky breath. "If-if you go to the last pod and read the terminal* next to it, it'll show you. I-I need a minute."

He didn't argue, from just a glance alone he could tell she wasn't in the mindset to argue. It was clear that sheer stubbornness was the only thing keeping her upright. A sense of helplessness swirled around him like a fog. He reached out to her, but she shook her head, freezing him. "Danse please. I-I don't want to be here longer than I have to." She breathed out. "And you won't believe me without proof."

His brows drew together. What could she mean by that? "Alright." He said hesitantly and turned to walk towards the pod. He paused when he walked past the first cryo pod. Was there a person inside of it? He peered inside it and was startled to realize there was. A man stared back at him, his features forever frozen in shock. He was unmoving as if he were-

"Dead." Emery said through clenched teeth. "I found out-when I had watched Kellogg's memories-that when he had entered the Vault to kidnap Shaun, he had been directed to turn off the life support, except for my pod. Said I was the spare. So all these people died, frozen in time and unaware of what happened to them."

"Your pod?" He thought out loud. Perhaps the people in these pods weren't from prewar, but their descendants. And that these pods weren't used to cryogenic suspension for another purpose.

Emery let out a chuckle, but it was cynical not a mirthful one. "You might not believe me but-" Emery paused, moving a hand to brush back her hair. "But these people-my family and I had thought this Vault meant protection. That we would be safe. But it wasn't, and I sometimes wish we had taken our chances with the bombs, we could have stayed together. "

"What are you talking about Soldier?" She wasn't being coherent. His concern for her mounting. It was impossible, there was no way she could be prewar. There were only a few ghouls he knew of that claimed to be pre-war and even then it was a long shot. "Emery, your not well, why don't we-"

"I'm not crazy!" She hissed shooting him a seething glare. "I entered this Vault with my family and neighbors on the morning of October 23rd, 2077 at 9:42am."

He stared at her, her words chasing themselves in his mind, piercing his thoughts like hot needles. It couldn't be possible. It wasn't possible. She let out an airy laugh, "'It's not possible.' Is what your thinking." She said turning her gaze away from him. "It's what I thought to when I found out what year it was when I left the Vault."

He heard Emery let out a shaky breath. "It might be easier if I start from the beginning. I was born June 15th, 2057. Nate fought in the war for Anchorage and they sent him home in 2074, we married a year later. We had no idea that when we entered this vault our lives would be ruined. We didn't know we'd be frozen in cryo pods or that someone would break in to try and steal my baby and kill my husband, all while I was trapped in that damn-" her face had gone red with anger and her eyes were blazing. "-cryo pod and all I could do was fucking watch as Nate struggled to hold onto Shaun and Kellogg just shoots him point blank! With no fucking remorse! And then the fucking bastard laughs in my face!"

Danse turned down to the terminal, a frost settling into his veins. He clicked it on and it whirled to life with a low-pitched hum. He dimly heard Emery's footstep drawing closer, but his thoughts drowned out his other sense.

Cryo wasn't possible, especially not pre-war. The Brotherhood hadn't possessed that kind of knowledge, how could prewar minds? But yet, he had seen other Vault-other experiments that the Vault dwellers had been forced through. It could have been possible for them to freeze humans, but not keep them alive for long. What Emery had said couldn't possibly be true. No one could survive two hundred years being frozen in time.

But Emery sounded like she believed it; that it really happened to her. He didn't think she was crazy, maybe just confused. She had gone through so much stress in the last few months alone, and he knew what stress did to the mind. Warped it, layered a thick blanket of confusion over it. She could have found this Vault after her family had died and morphed it into her past…but that didn't sound like Emery. But he couldn't believe she was pre-war, it was too far fetched.

He stole a glanced behind him, while the terminal powered on. Emery was behind him, yet her focus was solely on the man frozen in the pod n front of her. He couldn't see her face, there seemed to be a certain reserved hesitance in her manner.

"This was Nate, my-my husband." Her voice was even but with an undertone of despair as she reached a hand out and touched the glass window of the pod. It was then that he noticed the gold band on her finger. He knew prewar couples would get rings to exchange to one another; it was a tradition that died when the bombs fell. He had never noticed her wearing them before and felt a small pang of shame. She had been morning her husband and he had never noticed.

He followed her line of sight and stared at the frozen man before him. He had strong features, with chiseled cheek bones and a pointed chin. His stature was on the smaller side, but he had a medium shape build. He had thick hair like his own, but he kept it longer and wore it down instead of slicked upwards. This man before him had no grime or dirt on him. No whether on his face from being exposed by the wasteland. "His father moved from Okinawa to the states to try and start fresh and met Nate's mother here in Boston." She said somberly. "They weren't to thrill with the idea of Nate joining the army when he was eighteen, but they were proud of him anyway. " He could tell she was smiling, but her tone wavered slightly, "I met Nate when he was recruiting at my college. I guess you could say it was love at first sight…but I think it was because I was pushy and annoying. I had left him my number and was so shocked when he called me the next day." The tension in her showed in the lines of her body. She was strung up taut as an industrial belt. She didn't remove her eyes from Nate but said, "He was always a man who believed in justice, and he fought so hard for it…I think you would have like him…well everyone liked him. He was fun loving and easy to get along with. He could talk his way out of a fight with only a few words…and god, he was strong, so strong. He was my rock…"

The way she was gazing at him caused Danse to briskly look back down to the terminal. He felt as if he were intruding. The admiration in her voice caused something to stir within him. He felt angry with himself for feeling that way.

And could that really be her husband? The man behind the glass looked so pristine so clean, that he couldn't have possibly been out in the waste. Could what she have said really be true? "You don't believe me…" He heard Emery say behind him, "Read the terminal, the proofs there. And if that's not enough, I'm sure the Vault still have working security cameras we could access."

He scrolled through the files, each labeled classified, until he reached one labeled; Subject 0103. He felt his brow crease as he scanned over the information, a cool steel like grip his veins.

Emery (Gilmore) Ishida

Age: 20

Hair: Cooper

Eyes: Green

Height: 5'8

Weight: 135

DOB: 6/15/2057

Blood Type: AB

SUBJECT IS SPOUSE TO SUBJECT 0104 AND MOTHER TO THE INFANT IN POD 0104. HEALTH CONDITION NORMAL PRIOR TO ENTERING VAULT. ANXIETY LEVEL HIGH. MONITOR HEART RATE FOR ANY CHANGES AFTER FREEZING PROCESS. OVERSEERER WANTS THE FAMILY WATCHED CLOSELY. MONITOR INFANT DAILY AND REPORT ANY CHANGES IMMEDIATELY.

He felt his blood run cold when he clicked through the pages until he found one that stood out to him. Staring back at him was a younger woman, with bright burning red hair, a vibrancy to her face that shown in the picture. A woman untouched by the scarred hands on the wasteland.

It couldn't be a relative, nor an ancestor. There were too many similarities. It was inconceivable, yet the image showed the truth.

It was Emery.

"But how?" Was all he could grasp out. His mind searching every corner for an explanation but came up with nothing. Only what she had told him.

He turned to look at her; hoping this had all been some elaborate prank, but she had already walked away. He glanced to the entrance to find her passing through the doors; her pace unsteady as if she were sleep walking.

He called out to her as he followed, she didn't stop. Picking up his pace he caught up to her with ease. He had been about to reach out to her when his eyes caught sight of her face. Emery was staring transfixed ahead of her, wearing a wide eyed panic expression. Every muscle in her body was strung taunt like a belt. "I need…I need to get out of here." She breathed out heavily, her cheeks drained of all color.

She tried to take a step forward, but Danse's hand shot out and grabbed a hold of her. "Emery hold on a minute!"

Whether it was his voice or the physical action, it seemed to have broken whatever trance she had been under. She turned slowly, blinking. "I need to get out of this place." She repeated in a much steadier tone, yet her expression still looked panicked. "Please Danse…I have to get out of here."

Danse stood there, his hand still grasping her forearm. "Affirmative."

They walked with a brisk pace, silence deafened them as they road the elevator to the surface. Thoughts chased themselves in his mind; she had been frozen for decades? How was it even possible? She was born over two hundred years ago and wasn't a ghoul. That would explain her sensitivity to radiation.

The prewar knowledge that she possessed would be indispensable to the Brotherhood.

He had so many questions, but now was not the time. Emery needed to get out of here, one glanced at her was enough. She was barely able to stand on her own.

His concern for her outweighed his curiosity. He may not be an expert at reading others emotions but even he could sense she was on the verge of a break down. And having that here, would not be a good thing.

Though it had only been a few minutes the ride to the surface seemed to have stretched longer. They reached the top level with an echoing thud. Silence filled the air until Emery's deep breaths took their place. She stared out at the path ahead with a strange expression. She wasn't shaking as badly now, but her face was still pale. "You know the last time I left this vault I had been so disgusted and terrified at the sight of the wasteland. " She said her voice thick with emotion. "But now…its almost a welcoming sight.

She took a step off the elevator and looked around. "This area used to be a great picnic and hiking area." She said then turned to him. He hesitated at the hallowed look in her eyes. She gave him a small-forced smile. "I bet you have a lot of questions, but think they could wait till later? I-I don't think I could answer any of them now."

She turned around, "we can stay at Sanctuary." She said quietly. "But before we go there, I need to tell you something else."

He felt his brow crease, "whatever it is, it can wait, you need rest-"

"No, it can't." She said with a finality to her tone, that he didn't argue with. "And its something I should have told you the first time I met you." She took in a deep breath. "I'm the General of the Minutemen."

Chapter Eight

End

* It would make sense for there to be a terminal with everyone's information on it like birthdays and stuff. So wanted to throw that in.

And I am soooooooooo sorry for the late update. A lot of stuff has happened and i couldnt find time to write. Plus one of my best friends who was also my editor moved to Japan. And job promotions have kept me crazy. but i have found time to write. Plus i have more good news. (Well two) I have a beta reader now and she is AMAZING! So lets give a huge shout out to death-titan who has helped me get back on track and back into writing again! You were the help i so desperately needed! This chapter wouldnt be posted without her help! And two, i have two more chapter written, one is being edited as we speak and the other needs to be typed up.

I also plan on posting a new chapter once every month and i will notify if i have to take a hiatus to keep up with it as well. I plan to try and stay 3 chapters ahead of what i post. Again i really am sorry for the late update. I have been working on the story, it just needed to be rewritten a few times.