I watched in horrified silence as my dad fell to the floor. His last request of me was to run, and I did, fast. I escorted the rest of the team to the surface, fighting Enclave soldiers and ghouls alike. We emerged at the entrance to the citadel and quickly gained access. I didn't talk to anyone unless I had to, and I had a right to be silent after what I'd been through. I rested there and gathered all the supplies and food I could carry. I finally returned to my bed in Megaton just as the sun was rising. I awoke around five in the evening to a voice I'd waited so long to hear again. It was Amata. My best friend and practically sister. But her voice came to me in one of the worst possible ways, a distress call from my former home, Vault 101.
Amata was calling for help, calling for me, and I needed to get to her quickly. I immediately gathered my things and traveled as fast as I could to the Vault entrance. I found Amata and hugged her tightly. I thought I'd never see her again and little did I know that this was the last time I'd see her for a very long time. She told me what was happening and I knew it was my duty to help her as she had helped me. I found the Overseer and quickly straightened him out. He listened to me and surrendered his leadership to his daughter and I was overjoyed to inform her of his decision.
I found her and told her and she looked so happy. I was happy too until her smile faded and she pulled me aside from the victory cheers of the rest of the Rebels. I hugged her again and asked her if she was happy. She told me that she was and that she was so thankful that I could help her. Then she shot me through the heart, not literally, but she might as well have. She told me that I had to leave the Vault forever and never come back. I begged her not to do this to me, but she told me that it was her duty to the people under her protection to get rid of anything that will make them unhappy. And right now, that thing was me. A single tear slid down her cheek and she looked away from me. I felt the urge to scream at her all of things I could never tell her when I lived in the Vault. But there was nothing I could do now. She was the new Overseer and she had to protect her people.
I walked in stunned silence out of the room and out of my last real home forever. Things were going to be easier now though. I'd never have to really worry about my vault family anymore; they were in good hands now. That's what I kept telling myself, but it never gave me any solace. I never really cared about any of them, except my dad and Amata. But my dad was dead and Amata may as well have been too. I missed them both terribly and what hurt more was that I'd never have the future with Amata that I'd dreamed of. It was never possible in the first place though. A relationship between two females was deeply frowned upon in the Vault, in fact, there may have been a law against it. It wasn't that I wouldn't marry a man, Amata was the only person I ever loved that way, male or female. She was my best friend and now she was gone from me.
I walked slowly back to Megaton, to my home. I slept for days on end, not wanting to do anything or see anybody. After about a week, I finally dragged myself to Moriarty's at around 8 in the morning. I figured if I wanted, or needed, to talk to anybody, it would be Gob. I knew he would be awake. I let myself in quietly and found Gob in one of the beds. He looked so happy in his sleep. I figured that sleep was the only time he ever found peace, when Moriarty or some other jerk wasn't bullying him or ordering him around. I watched him for a few seconds more then laid down in front of him and put his arm around me.
I felt him breath in and then heard him whisper in my ear, "welcome home, I missed you."
His gravelly voice sounded like music to me. I could always feel how much he cared about me even when he only said one word. I knew he spoke the truth, he never lied to me.
"I missed you too," I whispered back.
He turned me around to face him then kissed my forehead softly and squeezed me gently. I didn't realize how much I'd missed him until he looked in my eyes. I began to cry silently and he just held me, protecting me. When I was finished he asked me if I was okay and I told him everything that had happened since my dad died. He listened intently and comforted me again when I finished. I looked at him and saw that he was tired. So I told him to go back to sleep. He didn't want to until he knew I was okay. I told him I was and that I'd stay with him.
I woke up hours later and he was gone, probably downstairs serving the first customers of the night. I sat up and rubbed my eyes then slowly walked down the stairs. We caught eyes as I was closing the front door and he winked at me, which sent butterflies fluttering all around my stomach. I closed the door and turned around to face the dusk. A slight cool wind blew across my face and I smiled despite everything wrong that had happened lately. I knew that I had at least one person who cared about me and that made me feel good. For the first time in a week, I felt refreshed and not tired or irritated. I was ready, for anything.