September 1st 2076

Anna

It takes all my concentration to not cry as I look at the DC skyline. The Washington Monument stands white and tall. There is no rubble, no missing section and no satellites. A steady stream of business and military types walk to and from the Capitol. Intact with windows and a full roof. I smile widely as I take it all in and I feel Charon walk up behind me an squeeze my shoulders.

"Welcome home."

We stand outside the Metro Station. Women in heels and dresses with petticoats saunter past. They smell of flowers and candy. Men in suits with cases give curt nods to others as they make their way into the station. Everyone seems to be in a euphoric bubble here. The only signs of war are taped up windows, propaganda posters and the occasional vault tec lunchbox being held by a small child.

I feel suddenly out of place. I am wearing a black full sleeve top with cargo trousers and boots. Men state and women sneer and I step self consciously towards Charon. He catches my eye line and follows it to the crowd.

"Aww does Anna want a pretty dress ?"

"Shut up."

General Nale whistles for our attention and we follow him into a nuclear fuelled truck which takes up down the intact busy streets. Mrs Nale briefs us. We are simply going in and out. Listening to whatever the person we are about to see says then going. When the truck stops a brief time later I hop out expecting a change of scenery. Instead I see the building I've been avoiding for years. The Jefferson Memorial.


September 1st 2076

Charon

I noticed as Anna visibly stiffens but I cannot do anything to question or relieve this. I attend to my duty and follow General Nale into the memorial building. The memorial has been converted into an energy resource lab for hydronic energy to cope with the resource war. Scientists mull around us and I stand back at exactly 4.3 feet away from the General against a brick wall as he greets the energy coordinator. Mrs Nale stands proudly next to him and I tune myself out of their jargon filled conversation to listen to the radio somewhere in the background.

I notice as Anna slowly steps in. She holds the wall as if to keep her balance. She is breathing heavily and her eyes dart around the room. I try to subtly catch Mrs Nales attention to question if I can assist Anna but she is so absorbed in her husbands words she cannot see me.

I try to listen in to find a suitable time to briefly interrupt but one of their words throws me off guard.

Rotunda.

Memory recall from my training make Anna's statement echo in my head.

"If we had been any faster we would have been in the Rotunda with him."

This is the place where Anna's father dies. Her eyes glaze over as she watches the scientists within the glass container. Noise ceases to exist as I watch her clutch at her chest and close her eye tightly.

A sharp grasp on my arm brings sound back loudly and in my distracted state I almost disarm the person. It is fortunate that I don't considering that my contract holder would not appreciate it if I broke his wife's arm.

"Get her out of here. If she disappears here they'll want to experiment on her. They are those type of people."

I quickly walk towards Anna and practically drag her out of the room. She clings to my arm and I feel as she begins to shiver.

"Anna. Anna."

I hold her shoulders and give her a brief shake.

"Stay here !"

"I can't control it."

"Yes you can. Look at me. You can."

I've lead her to a side room aside from the main rotunda.

"I don't wanna go."

She wraps her arms around my neck and holds tightly. I can't help but bring my arms around her waist.

"Then don't" it's barely a whisper but I know she heard as she holds on tighter. I almost stumble as my arms hold on to nothing.

I am alone and Anna is gone once more.


September 5th 2076

Charon

Mrs Nale nods at me sadly as she walks past me at our accommodation to bid farewell to her husband. I am guarding General Nale today as he follows his itinerary.

"Still no sign ?"

I shake my head.

"Poor girl."

I see that Mrs Nale has taken affectionately to Anna. She worries that she has found her way back to Alaska or back to her time. This bothers me and a strange twisting sensation sits in my stomach. Something has shifted in me since my last conversation with Anna. I no longer long for her to return out of curiosity. I care for her safety now and wish to know where she is.

Anna

I am back in Alaska and frozen to the bone. I cannot find my way back to the camp and I don't even know how much time has past since my Rotunda disappearance. I have begun to see a pattern with my disappearances. It is all dependant on my mood. When I am stressed or upset I leave. So to try and save my fingers and find a way back to heat, I think.

I think of Butch taunting me in our childhood. I think of finding Jonas' body. Leaving the vault. Losing my dad. The death of dogmeat. The pain of my own time in the rotunda. Finding Charon's body in the drug induced swamp.

I open my eyes when I feel light headed. I hold up my hand in time to see my fingers disappear.

Charon in DC. Charon in DC. Charon in DC.