A/N: I was thinking of what sort of name my character should have.... my game's character has a totally unrealistic and over-the-top name, so i won't use that. I wanted something that would represent the wastelands.... well, not exactly well chosen, but better than nothing, i guess.

Chapter 3: Healing Wounds

Maybe she should have chosen her words more wisely. Indeed, true to his word, Elder Lyons had forced her to take a rigourous rehabilitation excerise. When morning came, Sarah came in with her clothes, her old clothes that were repaired and returned. Once she got changed into those, she had to be helped into a wheelchair, and pushed into the special training area arranged by Elder Lyons and Paladin Gunnery especially for her. It took her the entire morning and afternoon to just get feelings back into her tighs, and she worked hard till she fainted from exhaustion trying to walk again. Apparently it wasn't just the one month that caused her muscles to malfunction. The radiation had caused many other unwanted side-effects.

She couldn't eat food properly without throwing up whatever entered her mouth just five minutes before, which left her to swallow pills to replace nutrients and minerals that she needed. Muscle death was also caused by the radiation, though the areas affected that were left after the initial operation were small and the doctor claimed to be easily fixed once located. If ever. She also had problems with dexterous hand coordinations. Most of the Brotherhood who had the time, and even those on duty near-by, would crowd round and watch their hero try time and time again to regain strength.

They constantly shouted cheers, and words of encouragement, only to be shouted at by Elder Lyons and Sarah to get back to their posts, or to mind their own business. Her struggle against her disabilities seemed like a losing battle, but her determination soon paved the way for her to recover. It would a whole week before she could walk on her own once more. Another three days after that, and she was able to dress herself. Another few days after that, and she started on firearms and machinery practices. She even sparred with Sarah in hand-to-hand combat, though Sarah constantly beat her.

Well, she wasn't one for close combat anyway. She could defend herself without weapons against a raider or two, and sneaking in close to kill someone using her hands was relatively easy, but against Sarah? No way. It wasn't a fair fight in the beginning. Still, even though she was getting used to her old self, there still were a few complications. She was still unable to stomach most solid food, and she also had to constantly take a few additional drugs and shots to make sure her body's vital functions don't collapse on her. Her immune system was apparently destroyed during her little dare into the chamber of death, as well as her ability to heal wounds, though the Brotherhood had enough technology to get those fixed.

Not completely, but enough to allow her own body to start its own repairs. It would be quite some time before she could really manage to survive on her own out there. But she did not take things quietly either. While she trained herself once more, she had also constantly worked on her searches. Using reports by Brotherhood scouts, she began to piece together information, though there were still too many holes in the overall picture. She had also sneaked into the science lab, grabbing spare parts and some interested Brotherhood engineers who were bored of normal work. Together, they worked to piece together old vehicles. She had only seen pictures of them go and so the team she had assembled had to do a trial and error method of repair.

With Sarah helping, getting wreckages of old vehicles was easy. It wasn't long before she managed to revive two vehicles. One that ran on two wheels, called a motorbike, albiet a rather fierce looking one, and one that ran on four wheels, which she thought was to be called a 'car', but somehow it was large enough for Fawkes to fit in. Well, it was a modification that the team put together, seeing how the only piece able to replace the frame was extremely large. She did not know if Fawkes knew how to drive, but she certainly knew someone else who could fit in the driver's seat.

While it took some convincing to get Paladin Cross onboard, Sarah had somehow accidently let it slip what she was working in the labs, which earned her a very stern lecture from Madison, who ranted almost for four hours how she should be using every minute of her free time recovering. While it was true that not all of her organs were completely recovered, she felt healthy enough to get around and do things, if not she would be bored out of her mind. She was very much like her father, too much into work that if she didn't do something to occupy her mind, she would literally go nuts.

A workaholic, though she did have methods to occupy herself if she ever found the need to just sit still. After Madison's lecture, she decided to head off back to lab. She never learns to keep away from her hobbies after all that. It wasn't long after she got her rides working, that she was soon certified by the doctor that she was as fit as she could get by resting. And so she began her pack and her route planning. She would need to ask around, so her first stop should be Rivet City.

She strapped her 10mm pistol holder to her belt as she prepared to set off. With all of her weapons and equipment in her bag, her mind wondered to whether she forgot anything. Food supplies, extra ammunition, lock-picks, and other things. She turned another page in the manuel of the vehicles, since she was going to use them. She did not know how to ride them, though repairing was probably easier. She slung her bags, one a sling bag and the other a backpack, onto her shoulder, and headed out of the room. To think, she had not stepped outside this complex for three months. She walked through the hallways, passing Knights and Paladins who saluted her. Turning a corner, she saw Madison standing there, still looking grim about the entire thing.

"Everyone's waiting."

Madison simply said, before walking in step with her. The two were silent for most of the way till they were out in the courtyard. There were her two vehicles, the bike, and the oversized car. Fawkes and squeezing himself into the back seat of the car, a spot that she personally designed for him, and his large gatling laser. Dogmeat was in the passenger seat up front, with Paladin Cross at the wheel. She could probably fit one more person in that car, but with this arrangement, it was fine.

"Did you read the manuel?"

she asked Star Paladin Cross, who simply smiled in reply.

"Read it? Ha! I don't need to read a book to know how to work this."

"Good to know."

She smiled, heading to the bike. It too was specially designed to carry things. On each side of the rear wheel were holders for her bags, and there were also special holders for her rifles. She had two rifles, one hunting, and one sniper, and she had a chinese assault rifle as well, but she couldn't find a proper holder for it, so it sat tied to her back-pack. After she slotted her rifle into its holder, she turned to those who came to see her off. She gave Sarah Lyons a hug first, thanking her for helping her.

"No problem, you're part of the Lyon's Pride. One of us. You take care of yourself out there, and don't do any more foolish stuff."

"I know, i know. Madison chewed enough out of me for that. I don't need another lecture."

Sarah smiled, patting her friend on the back.

"Good. Then we'll meet up at the GNR building."

She nodded her head in agreement, before she turned to Madison. Madison was obviously pained, as evident with her tears. She could not help it, and so she gave Madison a hug.

"Promise me.... promise me you'll be safe and return to me."

Madison's soft voice trembled as Madison's tears soaked her sleeveless coat.

"I promise... don't worry, i'll make sure to come back. Then we can talk all we want."

"That sounds nice.... Here, i want you to have these."

Madison passed to her two things. A dog-tag, and a 10mm pistol that was clearly modified.

"These belonged to James and Catherine. Before you were born, your parents asked the Brotherhood to make them a symbol of their marriage. This dog-tag was what they got."

She read the inscriptions on the tag, and it simply read '21-6'. The same engravings were on the handle of the pistol.

"That was all i managed to get from James's old things. I'm sure he would have wanted you to have them."

She clutched onto the items closely. From them, she thought she could clearly hear her father's voice. She looked at Madison, and smiled, though her own tears were clouding her vision.

"Thank you."

She strapped the pistol and its own holster around her thigh, and wore the dog-tag around her neck, before she parted from Madison and saddled onto her bike. Turning the engine on, she glanced a look over at the car, and Paladin Cross gave her a thumbs up. She pulled her biking goggles on, and held onto the dog-tag closely.

"Watch over me, dad."

Giant steel gates of the Citadel slowly swung open, showing the road for her. Revving her engine made her smile. It sounded really good, despite using energy and microfusion cells as its fuel.

"Let's roll."

And off they went, out of the Citadel faster than anyone had expected, leaving only a dust cloud in their wake. Madison could only look and worry. Elder Lyons walked up to the scientist, and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"Don't worry, Madison, she can handle herself out there. You know better than anyone else."

"I know.... But i still can't help to worry."

"And that makes you a great parent."

Madison did not even want to glare at Elder Lyons for that joke. All she wanted, was her safe return.

"Return safely.... Ashely."