Chapter Two

"Growing Up."

...

We never had a chance, I remember that
And no matter what we do,
We'll never lose what we had growing up.
Won't bring us down.
Yeah, growing up,
It won't bring us down,
Growing up won't bring us down
Growing up won't bring us down
...
Graduate, what's a kid to do now?
Get away, yeah-ah.
We've got so much to prove.
Cause it's time to move on
And I'm stuck to let go,

Posey woke with a start, and was unsure why. She was covered by a blanket and her books were stacked neatly on her nightstand. So that meant her dad had discovered her up past bedtime. Again. That would usher in a slight scolding, but she knew he wouldn't really mean it. He would berate her but his eyes would twinkle and his lips would twitch in an effort to conceal his smile. He loved the fact that she would bury herself with her books. "His Little Bookworm." He called her.

She sat up, stretching and trying to smooth back her hopelessly tangled blonde locks. She never really cared if her hair was neat or not, and neither did her father. So consequently, Posey ran around like a little ragamuffin, with her boots sloppily tied and her vault suit rumpled. But if anyone minded they didn't show it, except The Overseer, who made his distaste for her sloppiness known, and Butch Deloria of course, but Posey knew she would never have too high of an opinion in either of their eyes. A fact that seldom bothered her. She had her father, her books, and Amata. What use did she have for anyone else?

Posey tried to figure out what had woken her up so suddenly. She could hear soft movements in the living room. Her father already up and about, but she doubted that was what had awoken her. Then it hit her, it was her birthday! How could she have forgotten her own birthday? Admittedly, birthdays weren't made much of in the Vault, but still, you didn't turn ten everyday. Posey got to her feet and quickly changed into a fresh vault tec suit, and actually ran a brush through her tangles before stepping out into the living room.

"My goodness." Said her father, setting his papers down on the coffee table in front of their plain, Vault-issue couch and leaning back, looking at her with his usual kind glimmer in the eyes so similar to her own. "Who is this child with neat hair and tied shoes? You haven't seen a wild haired hoodlum about, have you miss?"

Posey stuck out her tongue but smiled all the same.

"Nope." She said, plopping down into the space next to him and placing her chin in her hands and looking up at her father with a mischievous spark in her eyes.

"Hmmm." Said her father, frowning slightly. "That is most troubling. She'd be about your height, nine years old, blonde hair."

"Is she pretty?"

"Prettiest girl in the vault." Posey smiled and her father winked at her. Posey struggled to reign in a giggle.

"You said she's nine?" She said, in mock solemnity.

"I did." Said James, looking very serious. Posey considered him for a moment, looking very pensive with her eyebrows drawn together and her eyes narrowed.

"Nope, haven't seen her." She said finally, flopping backwards against the couch. James frowned, "Oh, well that's a real shame, if you do, tell her her father misses her very much."

"I will. Are you sure she's nine?"

"Quite sure."

Posey felt her smile falter. Was he just playing along, or had he really forgotten? He got to his feet with a sigh, straightening his vault issued suit and saying, "Maybe she's down in the mess hall, care to keep me company while I look for her?"

"Sure, I guess." She got up off the couch, a little sulkily and followed her father down to the mess hall. She supposed she couldn't be too mad at him. After all, she herself had forgotten about her birthday.

"Here we are," He said, stopping in front of the door. "After you, miss." He gestured to the door and Posey pressed the button next to the door that activated it's opening, and she was greeted by a surprisingly loud chorus of "Happy Birthday!"

Posey jumped about a mile in the air and her father laughed. "Happy Birthday, sweetie." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it gently. "You didn't think I forgot, did you?"

Posey looked up at him with a grin so large, her nose crinkled and her eyes were almost forced shut.

"Of course not." She said, shaking her head. Amata Almodovar, Posey's long time (not to mention sole) friend rushed up to her, smiling almost as wide as the birthday girl herself. "Happy Birthday!" she practically squealed.

"Now Amata," Chided The Overseer, "give the girl some room."

Amata obediently backed up and The Overseer stepped forward, a supercilious expression on his face. "Now, I'm sure I don't have to tell you how important this day is. Ten years old." He said pompously. Behind The Overseer's back, her father rolled his eyes and Posey bit her lips to keep back a smile.

"You're old enough now to take on official vault responsibilities, and along with them, your own Pip-Boy 3000."

Posey's eyes widened as The Overseer revealed from behind his back a real Pip-Boy.

"Wow!" She said in delight, accepting it with an air of reverence. "Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Overseer, sir."

"You're quite welcome, young lady." He seemed pleased at the excessive honorifics. "I expect to see you tomorrow to report in for your new responsibilities."

Posey made a mental note to keep track of how many times Overseer Almodovar used the word "Responsibility."

But for now all she did was nod and hope her smile came off as respectful and grateful rather than amused and mischievous. It seemed to do the trick as The Overseer smiled stiffly and gave her a patronizing pat on the head, causing her father to once again roll his eyes. He came up to her after The Overseer moved on, smiling proudly down at his daughter.

"Look at you," He said warmly, "Ten years old and with your own Pip-Boy, I couldn't be more proud."

"I haven't done anything really." She said, looking up at him. He smiled again, "But you will." He said simply. "Now," He straightened up and said, a little louder, "don't stand here gabbing to your old man all day, go on, mingle." He ruffled her hair fondly and Posey obligingly turned away and ran into the still grinning face of Amata.

"Happy Birthday!" She repeated, positively bouncing with excitement. "We really surprised you, didn't we! Your dad was afraid you were onto us, but I told him not to worry, you're so easy to fool!"

Posey made a face but laughed and said, sincerely, "Thanks Amata, this party is really great."

"Don't thank me yet, it was mostly your dad's idea anyway, but wait till you see what I got you!"

She handed over a comic book, only slightly wrinkled and said, with obvious pride. "Grognak the Barbarian, issue number fourteen, with no missing pages!"

"No way!" Said Posey aghast, taking the comic book with gentle hands, her eyes practically bugging out of her head.

"Yeah! I know!" cried Amata, "I found it in a box of my dad's old stuff. Can you imagine him reading comic books!"

The girls dissolved into laughter at the thought of Amata's father, the prim and proper overseer, doing something as frivolous as reading a comic book.

"Alright, I guess you better go socialize with the rest of your party guests. Your dad invited everyone in our grade." Said Amata, giving Posey a gentle push.

"So six people then." Said Posey, cracking a smile. Amata laughed and pushed her a little harder this time.

"Go on and make some more friends, you misfit."

Posey laughed and looked around at her party with an appreciative smile, that dissipated slightly when her eyes landed on Butch Deloria and his bunch of goons. No matter how many times Posey protested Butch hated her, her father always laughed and said, "Oh Posey, no one could hate you. He probably just fancies you and doesn't want to admit it."

She loved her father, she really did, and she would always consider him the smartest person she'd ever known, but he could be a real idiot sometimes.

But today was her birthday, and so far, it had been a pretty great one, and she wasn't going to let some greasy slime ball like Butch make it any less so.

So she ignored the table where he and his idiot friends sat, and instead went and talked to Old Lady Palmer, a sweet old women with kind, dark eyes, who smiled endearingly at her as she approached.

"Hello sweetie, happy birthday!"

Posey smiled back and responded, "Thank you Mrs. Palmer. Thanks for coming to my party."

"My goodness, ten years old already. My, it seems like only yesterday that your father came here."

Posey's eyebrows quirked down slightly, Came here? She thought.

"But don't listen to me ramble on, you're here for your present, aren't you?"

"Oh, you didn't have to get me anything, Mrs. Palmer. I was just-"

"Oh of course I did, you sweet little thing." Tittered the old women. "Here," She handed Posey a small bundle wrapped in thin cloth. Posey could already smell the warm butter and cinnamon smell of a-

"Sweetroll, just for you. Baked fresh this morning, and since it is your birthday, it's all for you, no sharing required!"

Posey's mouth watered and she held the bundle up to her nose, taking a moment just to appreciate the tantalizing scent of the sweet, and rare, treat.

"Wow, thank you so much!" Said Posey, "I love sweetrolls!"

"You are sweet," Said the old women, actually reaching out and pinching Posey's cheek. "Run along now, and have fun at your party!"

"Thanks, I will-"

But the rest of Posey's sentence was cut off as she found herself suddenly splattered with cake and frosting. Posey looked around to see the robot manning the bar with a circular saw covered in the innards of the cake and bits of icing and pastry spattered around in a circle. Posey laughed and shook her head, she started walking towards the bar but was stopped by an obnoxious, "Hey! Pissy!"

"My name is Posey, Butch." She said wearily, turning to face her long time bully with an uncharacteristically ugly look on her usually smiling face. A look mirrored by Butch Dilora, who even at the age of ten, was wearing his black hair slicked back from his face and was rumored to be carrying a switchblade around.

"Yeah whatever," He said with a sneer. "Hey, I'm hungry, and that stupid robot took out the cake! Give me that sweet roll you got from Old Lady Palmer!"

"Is it your birthday, Butch?" Snapped Posey, "It's my sweet roll, so shove off."

"You back talking me, Pissy?" He demanded, getting to his feet and glowering at her.

"Back talking?" Scoffed Posey, "Back talking is what it's called when you talk back to a superior." she said slowly, "And I don't think that is the case, Bitch." She smirked, "I'm sorry, Butch."

Butch was in her face with fists swinging before she could react, but in his anger he wasn't very focused. He did however, knock her sweet roll from her hands, which Posey then stepped on in an effort to avoid the barage. Now she was mad, but she didn't let it get to her head. Despite the adults shouts, who had finally realized what was going on, Posey merely ducked around Butch's frenzied hits and waited until his arms were down from his face and

Wham!

Her tiny fist connected solidly to Butch's nose, just as solid hand came down on her shoulder. Posey was whirled around to face her father, and the look he was giving her was one that was difficult to decode. Posey felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, and her little thrill of victory at blooding Butch's nose died. A moment ago, he'd been professing his pride, and Old Lady Palmer had been calling her a "Sweet little thing". Sweet little thing's, and father's pride and joys didn't go punching other kids in the face.

"Dad," She stuttered out, "Dad I-" Her head ached slightly from the weak punches she'd received and she had a bit of a scratch on her cheek from one of Butch's nails. He'd even managed to split her lip, but that wasn't what was making her feel horrible.

"Posey," He said softly, eyebrows knitting in concern. "Why did you hit that boy?"

"I didn't start it!" The words sounded childish, even to herself, and she hung her head, "I'm sorry Dad, he tried to take my sweet roll, and he kept calling me Pissy, which isn't even close to my name! And I swear, he hit me first. But..." She looked up at him, and at his eyes that were usually so expressive but were now unreadable and she felt sick suddenly, her excuses dying on her tongue. She'd really let him down, when five minutes ago, he had been saying he was proud of her, that she would make him proud.

"I'm sorry Dad, it's my fault." She mumbled, hanging her head and feeling tears sting her eyes. Her father was quite for a moment, and then he finally spoke:

"My Goodness, Posey. Where did you learn to hit like that?"

She jerked her head up, looking up at him with tear filled eyes. "W-what?"

Her father was keeping back a chuckle with difficulty and Posey saw him look around to make sure no one was looking. "Listen, I'm not condoning your act of violence, and I want you to go apologize to Butch, but-" a laugh escaped his lips and he caught his bottom lip in his teeth, "that was a good punch." He said, flashing her a smile. He saw The Overseer watching the pair and his smile melted. "Now," He said, a little louder, "Young lady, you go apologize to that boy." but he shot her a nearly invisible wink. Posey suppressed a grin, which wasn't difficult because smiling actually hurt with her split lip. Posey ducked her head and walked over to wear Butch was surrounded by his friends, and Officer Gomez who had glanced over his nose making sure it wasn't broken.

It wasn't.

She stepped over the crushed remains of her sweet roll, looking down at it with regret. That was the only casualty from this scuffle she would truly mourn.

"Butch," She said, shuffling her feet and avoid eye contact. When she did look up at him, she saw eyes full of an astonishing amount of venom for a fellow ten year old.

"What?" He spat, literally, spittle flying from his mouth and landing on her face. She braced herself not to flinch.

"I'm sorry I punched you." She said, and she herself was surprised at the apology's sincerity. "I shouldn't have done it."

"Yeah you better be sorry!" He snarled. "This isn't over Pissy!"

A tremor of anger ran threw her but she just glowered back at him before turning and stalking away.

The party kind of broke up after that. Amata shot her a sympathetic look before her father got up and decided it was time for them to leave. Freddy Gomez and his Father gave her a feeble "Happy birthday." Before heading out. Posey once again felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at her father's familiar face. "Are you ready for your real birthday present?" He asked quietly and Posey perked up slightly. "Another one?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yep, Jonas has it down on the reactor level. Why don't we go ahead and slip down there. I don't think anyone will mind."

"Yeah, I guess decking someone is a pretty good way to end a party." Said Posey regretfully.

James laughed and slipped an arm around her shoulder bracingly. "I suppose so, come on, my little boxer. This party was cramping our style anyway." Posey smiled up at him and it was such an innocent expression, her blue eyes positively shining with admiration that it made The Doctor pause for a moment. "Posey?" He said, as they walked out of the mess hall and down the hall towards the reactor level.

"Yeah Dad?"

"You are, without a doubt, my favorite daughter."

"Oh, well that's a relief. I was worried there for a moment."

"Ha Ha." He said, smiling wryly and ruffling her hair. Posey ducked her head away, but smiled and said, "I love you too, Dad."

Down on the reactor level, her father's assistant, Jonas, stood waiting for them. He saw Posey and said, with a slight smile on his lips, "What are you doing down here? I didn't think they allowed kids down on the reactor level."

"I'm ten years old now Jonas. I'm hardly a child." Said Posey with a slight air of haughtiness, which she ruined by trying to hold back a laugh which turned into a snort. "Besides," She said, laughing over her snort now, "I know you have my present down here."

"Alright, you think she can handle it Doc?" He asked, smiling and looking towards James.

"Oh, I think so." Replied James with a nod and a solemn expression on his face. "Are you ready for your surprise, Posey?"

"I was born ready." Said the girl, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her chin up in a defiant manner, though her eyes still shone with mirth.

"I don't think so, I would know, I was there." Replied her father, but he smiled and retrieved something from a metal locker, concealing it behind his back. "However, I will let the hyperbole slide. Very well then, here you go. Your very own BB gun." He held the small gun aloft, evidently proud of the gift. "I figure if you're old enough for Pip-Boys and "Vault Responsiblities" and fist fights,"

Jonas's eyebrows went up at that last item on the list.

"You're old enough for this. Jonas found it down here, in pretty bad shape, and we've been working on it for three months, scrounging up parts. Do you know how difficult it is to find a spring that small. Good thing Butch "misplaced" his switchblade."

Posey let out a delighted laugh as her dad handed her the small firearm. "Wow, a real BB gun!" She ran a hand down it's shaft and exclaimed, "Thanks Dad! Thanks Jonas!"

"Careful," warned James, "It's just a BB gun, but it's not a toy. I'm trusting that you're responsible enough for this, am I right?"

Posey nodded fervently and James smiled. "Good, now come see what Jonas and I have rigged up for you."

He brought his daughter to the makeshift shooting range he and Jonas had created. It was simple enough but Posey's eyes light up and she held up her gun, ready to try out her new present. Her first few shots went wild as expected, but as she concentrated a little more, slowed down and actually took time to line up her shots, her accuracy improved vastly. Posey laughed in delight as she hit all three targets in a row, causing them to spin around.

"Oh, watch it, I think I hear a radroach." Said her father, holding up a hand.

Sure enough, the disgusting creature scurried into sight and Posey's grip tightened on her gun. She hated radroaches, and all kinds of bugs in general. She'd read enough about them to know she wouldn't like them, even if they were still around.

"You can handle that, can't you?" He said bracingly, putting an encouraging hand on her shoulder.

"Sure she can." Said Jonas, "She was taking out those targets no problem."

"Go ahead sweetie, give it a shot."

Posey took a steadying breath and took aim at the scurrying creature, watching it flutter its wings with distaste before,

pop pop pop

Three short blasts later, and the radroach was in pieces.

"Well done!" Said James, clapping appreciatively. "Hey Jonas, I'd like a picture with this big game hunter. Capture the moment."

Posey stepped closer to her father, pointing her BB gun down at the floor as her father put an arm around her shoulder, both of them facing the camera.

"Smile big." Said Jonas, readying the device.

"Shouldn't be hard," Said Posey, "Seeing as this was the best birthday ever."

The camera flash went off, capturing a perfectly clear image of Posey and James Bennett, both of them smiling widely, not a care in the world.

"Posey," The Doctor's voice held a warning tone as he closed up his examination kit, "as far as I can tell you're a perfectly healthy sixteen year old, so yes, you do have to go take your G.O.A.T." Perfectly healthy indeed. She was well on her way to becoming the beautiful young woman he saw on the computer screen, sixteen years ago, with her well defined cheekbones, mirroring his own, and her fine, light blonde hair reaching past her shoulders now, though it was still just as messy as always and usually partially held back in some half hearted attempt of a bun or ponytail, and her eyes still held a child like spark of curiosity and mischief.

"But Dad," She protested,

"No buts, it's something we all had to go through, and you'll be fine. It's happened to everyone here in the vault, it goes along with that whole, "Born in the Vault, Die in the Vault," business."

Posey scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. "But,"

"You're going to be late." Said her father, picking up her medical examination clipboard and making a few notes.

"Do we have to die in the vault?" She inquired, "Can't we ever leave?" She asked partly because she was curious, and partly because she was stalling. James fixed her with an oddly serious gaze and said, "That's not the way it works, and it won't do to go around asking questions like that. Especially not around The Overseer." Posey looked ready to interrupt but James held up a hand. "I want to tell you something now. It's important, so listen closely." Posey nodded, surprised at the turn this conversation was taking.

"This place, this vault, it's not perfect, I know. But it is your home. You're safe here, stay on the good side of The Overseer and you always will be. You understand?" Her father's eyes were steadily gazing into her own, not a trace of their usual mirth or kindness. He was being oddly firm and somber today. "You need to appreciate all you have," he continued, "Because what's up there, on the outside, that's not the life I want for you, and it's not what your mother would have wanted for you either."

Posey started slightly, her father rarely brought up her mother. She could tell he missed her deeply, and it pained him to talk about her, even now.

"Okay," Said Posey meekly, "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm just nervous."

The Doctor's eyes softened and he said warmly, "Don't be, you're going to be fine, alright? I'm sure of it." He patted her knee comfortingly but then said briskly, "Now, go on and take your test. Go on, shoo." He waved her off his examination table and she grinned, hopping off and slipping out the door, giving him a cheery wave as she did so. James shook his head, smiling to himself before turning back to his clipboard. "Oh, my Posey," He mumbled under his breath, "What am I going to do with you?"

Outside her father's office, Posey heard the unfortunately familiar tones of Butch Deloria, followed closely by the snap of Amata's voice. He was bothering her again? She rounded the corner, straightening her spine and setting her jaw tight. She brushed a few flyaway strands of hair out of her eyes and marched straight up to Butch, cutting of his filthy remarks and asking, "Hey Butch, what's going on?" she asked cheerfully.

"Piss off, shortie." He sneered.

"Posey, don't," Said Amata, but Posey ignored her.

"What? I'm just curious." Said the doctor's daughter, with a shrug.

"This don't concern you blondie, so unless you wanna go back to your daddy with a few broken bones, I'd keep on walking."

"Oh Butch, I'd thought we'd grown past simple threats." She said with a shake of the head and a sigh. "But, since you obviously haven't, why don't we all just go our separate ways in peace. Actually not all that separate because we all have to go to the same classroom, but let's all try to end up there in one piece, sound good?"

"Alright," Said Butch, clearly at the end of his rope, pushing off the wall and advancing on Posey. "Listen here you little bitch," His face was inches from hers but Posey didn't move, simply stared back at him, eyes narrowed. "I'm sick of your crap," He snarled, teeth bared.

"No, you listen here, hard ass." Said Posey, standing up straight in front of Butch and glowering at him. He looked surprised at her sudden turn of aggression, but he quickly smoothed over his shock with a sneer.

"Do you really want the might, mind and wrath of The Overseer to come raining down on you and your pathetic little gang here?" She asked, gesturing to him and the rest of the tunnel snakes. "Because if you don't, I'd consider letting off his daughter a bit. Harassing his pride and joy is not exactly a sure fire way to win his favor. And I don't think you'd want him to find out about what you and your cronies get up to. So I'd keep my greasy head down, if I were you."

Butch sneered again but to her surprise, and somewhat relief, he took a step back, looking down his nose at her and straightening his tunnel snakes jacket.

"Whatever, Daddy's little girl." He said with a sneer, "You ain't worth my time, bitch."

"Right back at you," She said to his retreating form.

"Posey," chided Amata, "He could have beaten the shit out of you!"

"But he didn't!" Said Posey cheerfully. "Which at the end of the day is all that matters. A simple thank you would have sufficed."

Amata let out a shaky laugh and shook her head. "You're going to end up on the underside of his boot some day." She remarked while the pair strolled into the classroom.

"Please," Scoffed Posey, "I'm not afraid of Butch Deloria."

Although that wasn't entirely true, because at the time of squaring off with him, it had taking all of Posey's self control to keep her hands from shaking. She didn't like getting in people's faces. She didn't like making threats. Ever since her tenth birthday, when her father had given her that look, that look of something close but not quite disappointment, after she punched Butch in the nose, she never wanted to hit someone again. She never wanted to see anything even close to disappointment on her father's face again. He always said she had a bright future ahead of her, he was sure of it. He was always "So proud of her." And Posey would always laugh and reply,

"I haven't done anything for you to be proud of yet." To which her father would just smile and shake his head.

So she had to try. She didn't know what she could possibly do, stuck down in this vault, that would make her father proud, but she would find it.

"Ah, Miss Bennett," Posey looked up into the face of her teacher, Mr. Brotch, "All set for the G.O.A.T.?" He asked with a kind smile.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Said Posey, her lips twitching in an effort to smile.

"Oh, don't worry about it, you'll be fine." He said, "Go ahead, take a seat."

Posey slipped into a seat behind Amata and surreptitiously wiped her sweating palms on her jumpsuit, and let out a steadying breath. Amata turned and gave her an encouraging smile while the tests were passed out, then turned back to the front of the classroom while Mr. Brotch began the test.

The questions were not at all what Posey expected, and the further into the test she got, the more incredulous she became.

What kind of a test is this? She thought, trying to answer as best she could, though sometimes she didn't really agree with any of the answers.

A grandmother signing up her grandchild as a hitman?! What the hell?

Her face must have accurately displayed her thoughts, because Mr. Brotch was trying to hold in a laugh after he glanced in her general direction.

"And finally," Said Mr. Brotch, putting down the original test down and saying in a monotone voice with a rehearsed air, "Who is indisputably the most important person in Vault 101: He who shelters us from the harshness of the atomic wasteland, and to whom we owe everything we have, including our lives?"

Posey looked down at the test and snorted quietly. "Naturally." she murmured, looking down at the options of, The Overseer, The Overseer, The Overseer, The Overseer. Posey glanced around before quickly scribbling in a fifth option underneath.

James Bennett.

"Alright, pencils down everyone." Said Mr. Brotch. "And please bring me your tests. You don't want to know what happens to people who fail the G.O.A.T."

"Can you do that?" asked Posey, walking beside Amata. Amata shrugged, "I don't know, and frankly I don't want to know." Responded her friend, getting in line at the teacher's desk.

"I wonder if they kick you out." Mused Posey, mostly to herself.

"Don't be ridiculous," scoffed Amata, "I know my father is strict, but he's not that strict. The vault doors haven't been opened in years. Two hundred, to be exact."

Posey shrugged as Amata handed in her test. "Just a theory," She said. When it came time to hand Mr. Brotch her test, Posey felt her heart pound in her chest. She handed it over and waited for Mr. Brotch to look it over. Her stomach clenched when she saw him frown slightly at the last question on her test,

Oh no, she thought wildly, they're going to kick me out. Stupid Overseer question. Stupid me for trying to be funny!

"Well Posey," He said, sliding her test into a folder and saying with a smile, "Looks like you're the Vault's new Marriage Counselor."

Posey's jaw dropped and Mr. Brotch laughed, "It almost makes me want to get married, just to be able to avail myself of your services."

"Marriage counselor?" she protested, "Who is going to take marital advice from a sixteen year old who's never even had a boyfriend?!"

Mr. Brotch laughed again and shooed her off. "Oh, you'll be fine Posey, go on."

Posey walked out of the classroom, still looking perplexed, and mildly distressed. "Marriage counselor?" She whispered under her breath, "How on earth-"

She walked back to her father's clinic in a slight daze. Jonas looked up at her with a smile and said, "Ah, so, are we talking to the next Overseer? Or perhaps, the next Vault Doctor?" Jonas's smile widened, "No, I know what it is. The next vault librarian! You've got enough books to supply the everyone with at least one."

"Ha ha ha." Said Posey, pulling a face at Jonas, but immediately covering it up with a smile. "No, you are in fact, talking to the Vault's new Marriage Counselor." Said Posey, a little miserably.

Jonas laughed so hard, he fell off his desk chair, and his pencil went rolling away. James however, got up and smiled widely at his daughter, giving her a hug and saying, "That's great sweetie! I'm sure you'll be a wonderful Marriage Counselor."

"But," She looked up at him, at a loss for words "But I'm only sixteen!" She protested, "I'm sixteen and I've never even had a boyfriend. How can I give people advice on how to save a marriage!"

"You'll be fine." He assured her, "Most of the time, people just need someone else to listen, and you can listen very well."

Posey huffed, causing a stray lock of hair to flutter upwards. "I wanted to work in the clinic, with you." She said, sulkily.

James laughed and went back to his desk, "Posey, you will make a fine marriage counselor." He said, turning back to his work.

"Yeah but I wanted a useful job." She muttered, sitting on the edge of his desk and flicking the head of his Vault Tec bobblehead. "Like Medicine, or even Vault Mateinces."

"I'm sure the couples you counsel will find you very useful."

Posey groaned, "Dad, you're being very annoyingly optimistic."

He raised an eyebrow, looking up at her with a slight smirk. "Do you want me to tell you that you're going to make a dreadful counselor and that you'll hate your job for the rest of your life and always regret the day you took the G.O.A.T. to your last breath. Because if that is your only regret in life, I'd say you're doing just fine."

"See!" She cried, pointing at him. "Optimistic, again! I think you are physically incapable of being negative."

"I could give you evidence that would crumble that claim." Called Jonas, his laughs finally subsiding and hauling himself back into his chair. James shot him a withering look before glancing at his Pip-Boy for the time.

"Tell you what, why don't we leave Jonas here to finish up and we go down to the reactor level for a quick game of catch, what do you say?"

"Dad, I'm not twelve." She said, rolling her eyes. Though her lips twitched in an effort to suppress a smile.

"Oh, well then." He said, raising his eyebrows, "You sure you're not just scared I'll beat you?"

"Beat me!" She laughed, "We're tossing a baseball back and forth, how could you possibly beat me?"

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it." He said with a smile, getting to his feet. "Come on."

Down on the reactor level, Posey punched her glove with her free hand, making an indentation for the ball while her dad warmed up his arm a little,

"So," He asked, tossing the baseball up in the air and catching it again. "Are you really upset at being a Marriage Counselor?"

"No, not really." Said Posey thoughtfully. "I mean, it's not something I've dreamed about since I was little and I don't think I'll be super passionate about it, but it's not a bad job. At least it's not waste management."

"There you go," He said, smiling and throwing her the baseball. "Now who's being optimistic!"

Posey smiled and caught it deftly, before throwing it back.

"Did you have a certain job in mind when you went to take the test?" He asked, "Is there some job you've been dreaming about your entire life, that will now never come to pass, leaving that part of you empty and unfulfilled?" He teased. Posey rolled her eyes and held up her gloved hand, a silent prompt to throw the ball to her again. He did so, and Posey felt it smack solidly into her gloved hand. She picked up the ball, looking at it thoughtfully, running a finger down it's red seam.

"Well, like I said. I wanted to work with you, but, my childhood dream job was to be an explorer."

James's smile froze, as he watched his daughter examine the baseball.

"Not much to explore down here," He said, forcing his tone to be light. "But I'm sure there are still some levels here you could discover something new on."

"You know what I mean," She said, looking up at him. "I wanted to explore outside."

"Posey-"

"I know, I know. This vault is my home. It's what mom wanted for me, and I respect that. I know I'm lucky and that upstairs is a total mess with mutants and raiders and that people are selfish and cruel, but I can't help but be curious. It can't be all bad, out there. There has to be good people left, somewhere. Maybe they just have forgotten what it's like to be good, and they need a reminder."

"Posey, these are blood thirsty, cold hearted killers we're talking about here, not naughty puppies." He said sternly, "Here, you're safe. You have so much-"

"I know!" She snapped, "I know," her voice was softer this time. Her father stepped forward and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Posey," he said gently, "listen to me. I know this vault isn't perfect." He let out a humorless laugh, "Believe me, I know. But you're safe here. You don't know how much that means to me. Your safety is the only thing that matters to me. If you were up there, out in the Wasteland, you have no idea what it's like."

"And you do?"

James Bennett froze as Posey looked up at him, looking suddenly much older than he had ever realized. She was growing up, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Dad, at my tenth birthday party, Old Lady Palmer said she remembered when you came here. What did she mean? This whole 'Born in the Vault, Die in the Vault' is it true? Were you born here? And if so, how do you know what the Wasteland is like? Maybe it's changed. Maybe they're are cities out there, full of happy, healthy people. Maybe-"

"Posey, you can't go around asking questions like that, if The Overseer-"

"Dad," She looked up at him, deadly serious. "Were you born in this vault?"

He looked down at her, and her eyes, the eyes she'd inherited from him, didn't waver.

"Yes, of course I was"

The lie felt like a physical wound, it tore out of him, leaving a gaping emptiness behind. Posey's eyes searched his face, and he saw nothing but trust in their blue depths. She trusted him completely.

And it just about broke his heart.

"Okay." She said simply.

"Come on, let's go get some dinner." He said, numbly, turning and walking back up the vault corridor.

"Dad," Posey jogged to catch up with him, "you're not mad at me, are you?"

Her brows were knitted together in concern and James smiled slightly, ruffling her already messy hair and saying quietly, "Of course not, sweetie. I just worry. That's all."

"You don't have to worry about me, I can take care of myself." She said with a smile, catching up with him and gently bumping into him. He smiled, and Posey was surprised to see something like sadness in his eyes as leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I'm glad to hear it." he said,

"Dad?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"You're definitely my favorite dad ever."

He smiled but felt like someone was tugging his heart out of his chest.

"I love you too, Posey. Never forget that."

She looked up at him, "Don't let me forget."

Three Years Later

He couldn't do this. How could he even think about it? James Bennett passed outside his daughter's room, running his hands threw his graying hair. On the coffee table in front of him was a small leather backpack and next to it, all his notes on Project Purity. He was so so close. He could feel it. Project Purity would change the world. It would make it better. The outside world Posey wanted to believe was out there could come happen. He was sure it could. And James could make it happen. It was what Catherine would have wanted. It was what he wanted. He looked back at the closed vault door, where on the other side Posey slept soundly.

He couldn't leave her with no explanation, no goodbye. He couldn't leave.

Damnit James, she's nineteen years old! She's not a child! He argued with himself furiously. But she WAS a child! She was his child. His baby girl.

She's hardly a baby anymore.

But he remembered when she had been. He had always been there for her. When she was scared or hurt, he was there to dry her tears and put her fears to rest.

"It's okay Posey, it's alright sweetie, I'm right here, Daddy's right here. My brave girl, I'll always be right here."

But not anymore. He thought miserably. He'd been standing there for ten minutes, going over every argument he could think of.

This will be for her good. For all of our good.

She was the last good thing this charred out hunk of a planet had to offer. He had to keep her here. Keep her safe.

A sudden feeling of utter calm encompassed him, and he stopped pacing. It was as he'd said to her. Here she was safe. To stay here with her, or even worse, to take her with him, would be the worst act of selfishness he could commit. He glanced to the wall, where the framed phrase of Revelations 21:6 greeted him. 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely'.

He would do this. He would do this for Catherine, for Posey. For them, he would do anything.

He looked back at the door, his hand hovering over the button to open it. If he could just see her, one last time, even if she was just sleeping. Kiss her brow, tell her loved her, and he was sorry. That he was doing this for her. Guilt twisted in his stomach. She would feel so betrayed. He could practically see her face when she awoke to find him gone. Anger, hurt, and sadness would all play across it. And it would be all his fault.

He knew Jonas was waiting for him. He had wasted enough time as it was.

He placed a hand against the cool metal of the door. "I love you, Posey, never forget that." He whispered.

He took the framed bible verse from the wall, and slipped the paper from the frame, folding it up and placing it in his pocket. He hiked his backpack up on his shoulder, the same bag that he had taken when Posey was just a baby, and he had turned his back on Project Purity, seemingly forever. Well, now he was turning back, and there was no way he was quitting again. He was seeing Project Purity through to the end.

"Wake up!"

Posey rolled over, pulling the covers of her head and groaning. "What time is it?" She mumbled, lips thick with sleep.

"Damnit Posey get up!"

Her blankets were yanked off her head and her shoulder shaken rather rudely. Posey sat up quickly, scowling and her mouth open to say something angry, but she was surprised to see Amata, standing beside her bed and looking terrified.

"Amata?" She said, rubbing her eyes. "What are you doing? What's going on?"

Amata's dark, liquid eyes were enormous and she was trembling. "Posey, you've got to get out of here!" She said, "My father...his men are looking for you. He's gone crazy, they killed Jonas! They're..they're going to k-k-kill you!"

Posey's fists clenched, clutching handfuls of her blanket. "Amata, slow down, what are you talking about? Where's my dad?"

Amata looked up at her, "Posey, " She said softly, "you're dad is gone."

Author's Note: Wow, and I thought the last chapter was a beast! I'm sorry if you guys are bored to tears with all this beginning, set up stuff. I hope I made interesting! Thank you so much for reading! You guys have no idea how much it means to me. I promise the next chapter will be more exciting! Reviews are always helpful! This Chapter's song is Growing Up by The Maine. It's not a super fit, but it'll have to do. Also, the title of this fic is subject to change. I'm giving it some thought. I don't think the current one really fits. If you guys have any suggestions, please let me know! They are most appreciated.

Thank you lovelies! Goodbye!