A/N: I want to make these chapters as detailed as I can. I know this is a very popular game anymore, but I had fun writing it and creating this love story between the lone wanderer and Butch. I really hope you enjoy.

She fell backward from the kickback of her shot. It was a clean headshot. Celeste was lining up for another shot when she heard a pebble skip across the ground. The lone wanderer made no head movements to indicate she heard someone behind her. Her actions included taking her silenced 10mm pistol out, and quickly turned to face directly behind her. Although she did her best to remain hidden from the second raider outside grieving over their lost mate; Celeste spoke quietly, but loud enough for only her mystery visitor to hear, "Who is there. Show yourself now, or I will cause the raiders to mutilate you. I'm a fast runner. I wonder if you are."

Aleah Mercado stepped out from behind a group of rocks, making sure her hands her held up in surrender; just enough so the raider didn't see them.
Celeste breathed a sigh of relief.
She didn't have to kill anyone else...yet.
"Aleah. What are you doing here? Get over near me. I don't need the raider hearing us."
"I wanted to see if I could convince you to change your mind. I really want to join The Megas. It just isn't fair."
"What do you want me to tell you? How will it be fair to all the other potential recruits that I rejected, if I took you in? I know it isn't fair to you, but I was making sure it was fair to everyone. I told you that once you were 18 you would immediately be placed into training and on the very next mission with Captain Deloria. I even had plans to designate other recon squads and have other commanding officers under the captain. If you worked hard in your training when you were of age I guarantee he would have appointed you. This is just about waiting."
"I don't want to wait. I'm here now! Why can't I help you at this moment!"
"This isn't up for discussion. You are to wait here. I'm then going to kill this raider and I'm escorting you back home to Megaton."
"NO! I won't! Either I get to join The Megas, or I'm leaving the town!"
"Is this really how you want to act. That attitude would never keep you on the squad. Sit down and wait for me."
When Celeste was about to aim for the sobbing raider, Aleah broke into a sprint away from the Super-Duper Mart. She even ran in the opposite direction from Megaton.
Celeste jumped to her feet and yelled at the 17-year-old girl, "Aleah! You're going the wrong way! You're going to die in the wasteland! Be smart about th-" Her words were cut short as the raider found her hiding spot and started shooting at both her and Aleah.
She took out her assault rifle and let it rain over that monstrous raider. The girl made it behind some rocks in time, but as Celeste ran in the same direction as her, there was no indication of which direction she went. With no pipboy on Aleah to track her, she was as good as dead.
The lone wanderer started to run back home. That was until she called Butch on his pipboy.
"Helle Cela, how is everything? Miss me already?" His words were so comforting. It made her forget she could die from raiders, at any moment.
Celeste started to talk but, she was trying to catch her breath as well, "Listen...Butchie...I have a situation...on my...hands...I should be back to Megaton...in 15 minutes...if I'm not back by then...assume that I'm dead..."
"Are you okay! Are you hurt? I knew this was a bad idea! You better not die! Amata and I need you in our lives. You'll make it. I promise."
"Can you send Emilio and Daniela Mercado to my office. I have news about Aleah."
"What does their daughter have to do with you being out there and in trouble?"
"Butch, please? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. I'll see you there soon. T-minus 9 minutes now."
"Roger that. Over."

"Captain Deloria? Please, why are we here? Is my princess okay?" Mrs. Mercado's voice was shaking. She didn't know what to expect, after hearing that the mayor had information regarding their only child.
"Mrs. Mercado, I wish I could tell you. Mayor Faust only insisted I have you both here by the time she arrives. It should be any moment now."
The mother was crying uncontrollably as the father did his best to comfort his wife.
Town halls doors burst open as Celeste ran inside and jumped into Butch's arms. "Oh! Butch, I'm so sorry I scared you."
"It's okay. Make it up to me later. Let's get down to business. I brought the parents."
"Alright...Mr. and Mrs. Mercado...Captain Deloria...follow me into my office. We have things to discuss.

"Gone? What do you mean? She wouldn't just run away!" Emilio screamed.
"Listen, Mr. Mercado. Your daughter followed me on her on record. Insisted I change my mind about her joining The Megas, and when I said no, she took it upon herself to give away my location to a raider by yelling and running off. She may or may not be out there still. I needed you to hear it from me. That way I didn't hear from Sheriff Simms about a missing person report."
"Why didn't you just let her join she was almost 18!"
"If I did that then every underage person who came to me would wanna join. It's about fairness to everyone. You do realize I have every right to put every able body, like yourself into this squad? I don't do that because I want people to volunteer themselves...she had promise to become a commanding officer under Captain Deloria. If she had just waited. I wanted others who could take charge after training in separate recon groups, so that way I could have him at home. There is only so much time you can spend away from your loved ones."
"Well, what do you suppose we do? Our little girl is out there! She could be dead...or so much worse."
"What could be a fate worse than death?" Said Captain Deloria.
There was only silence from the Mercados.
"Listen, I know this is hard. I never expected this to happen, especially before we could have training. The captain isn't even in any condition to go out into the wastes. I'll do my best to track her down. Since it's not too late in the day, I'm grabbing some of the new recruits and giving them special training and we'll rest for a little while and go out as soon as we can. Even if it means staying out all night. I will be in as much contact with Captain Deloria. You just have to be patient. Can you do that?"
The parents nodded in agreement. They parted ways from the mayors' office.

"Darling...what happened? Did she really run off?"
"Yeah. For all we know the raiders might get to her. Or even super mutants. She should have just been patient."
Celeste put her hands over her face and sighed in aggravation.
"Butchie...how am I going to get some of the recruits trained enough wear metal armor and handle a gun? In such short time!"
"You are an amazing leader. Alright? I know you can do this with confidence. You already know what you're doing with a gun, and you can lead them to find Aleah. I'll ask which recruits wanna go with you. I think 3 should be just enough. Should I also go to Dr. Sica to ask about the pipboys? They'll definitely need them."
"Of course. Thank you. I'll set everything up with uniforms and guns in a training area. I think this one roofless building will be perfect for shooting guns. We'll do as much as we can togather...okay Butchie?"
"Okay, Cela. I'll see you soon."
They shared a passionate kiss as they went their separate ways.