A/N: Well... I never thought I'd see the day that I wrote a Fallout fic. However, like with so many other good fandoms, when inspiration and the opportunity for originality strikes... what can you do?
I didn't want to write another "Here's my walkthrough of the game" fic. Or another "post-game" fic in the vein of "Rangers: Echo" (by Thug4less, if I got his name right, which is a good fic FYI), or a pre-game ala "New California Dreaming" (another good fic).
No... this one's something different. It's going to be set ten years (or so, and slightly subject to change) post-Fallout3, where the Lone Wanderer chose to sacrifice himself for Project Purity. However... all is not lost.

This Capitol Wasteland is a bit different than you're used to. For one, the tidal basin around the Jefferson Memorial is cleaner than it has been in two centuries. Nearly rad-free, in fact. The Potomac isn't perfect, of course, but since the Enclave has been largely removed from power in the region with the destruction of the Raven Rock base and the Brotherhood of Steel's victory at the Jefferson Memorial, the Brotherhood has become the major power in the region... at least, for the 'good guys'.
But it's ten years later, and a lot can change in that time...

However...

War.
War never changes.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Dossier of Vault Inhabitants, Vault 100, Citizen 0342 memo.

Subject:

Duncan Maddox; Age 14 (09/17/2063). Caucasian Male.

Resident of Brunswick, Maryland (Slightly northwest of Point of Rocks, which will later be known as Raven Rock).

Grades: Middling, higher grades in Earth Sciences, lower in Arts and Music. Extracurricular activities include; Eagle Scout (Notable achievments include Survival Badge, Neighborhood Watch Badge, and Hunting Badge).

Notes: We believe young Mr. Maddox will be a prime candidate for our great experiement. He is average in nearly every way, but has shown talent in practical application of knowledgeability to adapt to change, as indicated by his highly-developed survival skills and the divorce of his parents (See Appendix DLC-0510-100). Mr. Maddox has fallen in with a rougher crowd lately, likely do to his rebellious teenage hormones, but we believe that, when the bombs fall, he will remember what is important to him- getting to the designated Vault.

As several other class and schoolmates of his have also been assigned to Vault 100, it is likely that when the stasis is lifted, Mr. Maddox will assume a leadership role given his knowledge and ability to adapt. This makes him a prime candidate for rebuilding society in Vault-Tec's image, if he can bring his fellow citizens to safety in the new world.

Dr. Alan Shezar, C-P, Grade Six.

Prologue: The End of Days

"Oh shit!" Lance yelled suddenly. The five boys looked up as one from the various glowing screens of the run-down arcade, their gang leader's tone indicating that all was not well.

"What?" Scooter, the smallest and youngest asked, "Fuzz coming? We ain't s'psed to be in school now! Can't arrest us!"

"No!" Lance cried, pointing up and out the west-facing window, "Look!"

Duncan, right in the middle of the group, could just make out white streaks of light climbing into the sky. The arcade continued to bleep with noise, but every resident- the five members of their gang and the proprieter- stood in silence, watching as lances of fire continued to climb into the sky. "It's... it's happening," he whispered after several minutes.

"Wh- what? What's happening?" Scooter asked, turning away from the windows to stare at him.

Duncan shook his head, suddenly moving toward the door at a run, dodging friend and electronic amusement alike as he went, "It! The War! The Big One! Those are nukes, man! I gotta get home, get to my mom and my sis!"

He didn't stop to listen as the rest burst into motion as well.

Because Duncan was already half-way down the block on his bike, glad he hadn't bothered to lock it despite the seedier area the arcade was in.

(O)(O)(O)

"Mom! Taylor! Are you guys- what's going on? Mom!"

Dropping his bike at the foot of the porch steps, Duncan threw himself up and forward. Just as he reached for the door, it was flung open.

"Duncan! Mom's at work! She called and said- she said we need to go to the Vault. She's gonna meet us there! I got her bag and yours all right here, so- so we can go!"
"Right!" Duncan nodded, struggling to lift the two backpacks onto his shoulders at once. But he couldn't leave them behind... just couldn't. They'd been instructed, he knew, to take only important documents and papers, medical records, things like that. But this stuff... it was heavy, but he, his mother, and sister had all agreed that some things were just more important. While they had those things, secured in supposedly air-tight containers in the bottom of each person's bag, they also had... well, time to worry about that later.

"All right, sis, let's get going! It's a half-mile to the Vault, so we gotta hurry. Get your bike unlocked!"

Duncan had wrestled the two packs, one much larger than his own, onto his back and climbed onto his bike again, already out of breath from the ride and struggle with extra weight, before his sister had gotten her own smaller one from the garage and wheeled up alongside him.

Without a word, both spared a moment for a last look at their home.

It was nothing special, just one of a hundred pre-fabricated homes just like it in the neighborhood, defined only by the color of the cheap siding and the number in black next to the door. All around them, parents were hurriedly throwing belongings into cars.
As they began to move, Duncan thought he heard one family a few houses away screaming, before several gunshots rang out.

It's already started... the bombs haven't even fallen, but people are already dying... war sucks...

Two blocks away, the teenager and his thirteen-year-old sister passed the first boarded-up house. The Johnsons... they left for the north woods of Canada two weeks ago. It's like they knew this was coming.

But that was not the first empty lot they passed.

By the time Duncan and Taylor had reached the Vault entrance, there was already a large crowd gathered at the entrance to the compound. Far more, he knew, than the Vault would be able to hold. Fortunately, several Protectrons, and even a Mr. Gutsy, were holding most of the near-riot crowd back, while a few United States Army soldiers were checking identification. As they moved down the hill toward the bunker at the water's edge, both sets of eyes were already searching for their mother, her car, or even their father, who neither had seen for months.

Where is she... mom? Mom, where are you? You'd better be here... you promised you would...

Despite the growing crowd, the two were able to shoulder their way through after having found a neighbor's family and following in their wake.

Once they'd had their entrance passes scanned by the Army officers, Linda Rickman, mother of Cheryl, Amber, and Cody, the first of which was Taylor's best friend, hugged both of them to her breast, "Oh, I'm so glad you two are here... listen, your mom made me promise, swear on my life, that I'd do everything I could for you if she wasn't here... if she didn't make it in time. So come with me, and... and I'll keep my eyes open for her too, okay?"

Taylor, already hyperventilating, only nodded before moving to grip Cheryl tightly.

Duncan nodded tersely as well, sparing a glance for Cody, who he'd never particularly gotten on with, and their father, who's name he'd never known. "Mr. Rickman."

The tall man looked down at Duncan, pale-faced, "D- Duncan. How g-good to see you. Are you- were your family given passes to Vault One-Hundred as well?"

Duncan nodded again, "Yes, sir."

But as the crowd grew louder, and the line formed by those being allowed entrance to the great Vault that promised safety and security from the nuclear war grew shorter, his eyes never stopped roving, looking for a woman he knew he'd never see again.

Mom... why aren't you here? You promised...

(O)(O)(O)

"Welcome, Maddox, Duncan."
The Protectron's artificial voice made Duncan scowl. It wasn't like he hated them, but the machines always mangled the pronunciation of his name. It wasn't Dune-can!
"Please proceed to your left. Deposit all personal belongings in the locker designated 0342, including your clothing. Once the locker is closed, proceed to the next room, following the RED line, where you will be given a Vault-issue Vault One-Hundred Jumpsuit. Once you are wearing your Vault-issue Vault One-Hundred Jumpsuit, new instructions will be given to you."

Duncan nodded, and slipped his hands from his little sister's grip. She moaned behind him.

"It'll be all right, Taylor," he consoled, not turning around while the robot repeated it's instructions, but for the name, and indicating she should follow the GREEN line into a different room to change, "Remember, Vault-Tec promised we'd be together, so don't worry. You don't wanna change with a bunch of guys, do yah?"

He heard her whimper, but didn't respond again. He couldn't, there was another Protectron already ushering him forward.

(O)(O)(O)

"Maddox, Duncan. Welcome to Vault One-Hundred. Please take a seat in your Medi-Lounger Seven, designated 0342, for your full medical evaluation."

Three feet past him, another Protectron was ushering his sister, looking... well, a little strange, in her blue and yellow-striped Vault Suit, up the ladder and into her own Medi-Lounger. Taylor met his eyes, still terrified, but Duncan only forced a smile, "Mom's gonna make it, sis. I asked the last Army dude I saw, and he said she checked in on her phone from the office. She left like, ten minutes ago, so she should be here by now. Just relax... it's gonna be okay."

Taylor nodded, eventually laying down in the capsule-shaped medical device, as a screen moved down toward her face.
The Protectron below him spoke again, "Maddox, Duncan. Your Medi-Lounger Seven is waiting. Seismic reports indicate nuclear detonations nearby Vault One-Hundred. Please take your seat before the Vault is sealed."

Duncan's blood ran cold. Another glance reassured him that his sister was okay. She was already visibly relaxing, eyes closed and everything. Across the large chamber, he could see rows and rows of the Medi-Loungers, hundreds of them, twenty rows of ten each, and stacked three high. He and his sister were both fortunate to be on the bottom. The Rickmans were a few rows away, and Amber was up on the top level.

But his mother... if she wasn't in the Vault already...

It's too late. She's... she probably didn't make it. And dad was in the pen... he'd never have been let out to get into a Vault.

Duncan scowled before throwing himself into the machine for his medical check.

The screen lowered toward him with the capsule lid, as a soothing voice began to speak, "Maddox, Duncan. Your Medi-Lounger Seven Stasis Pod is equipped with the latest in life-support and -suspension technologies, brought to you by your friends at Vault-Tec and RobCo. For the next sixty years, you will have the pleasure of the deepest sleep in your life, while other Vault-Tec Vaults and their inhabitants will start rebuilding our great society after the horror of nuclear war. And all you need to do is relax! The soothing vapor you're now breathing is a carefully-measured dose of chemicals designed to induce full hibernation in preparation for your-"

Duncan suddenly stopped listening as the words sunk in. Hibernation? Stasis? Sixty years? What the hell was going on? This was just a medical check! Wasn't it?

Panicked eyes slid to the left. His mother's pod... empty.

Right. His sister's... Thank God... she's in there... and sleeping already... I... I hope this... this... what the hell is going... so... sleep...