Chapter 3

The Citadel. Once The great Pentagon, it now houses Capital Wastelands Brotherhood of Steel. Under the leadership of Elder Owyn Lyons, he ignored his superiors orders and helped the people of the Wasteland. Inside it's walls the members of the Brotherhood work tirelessly day and night, trying to improve life in the Wasteland and fight against the super mutants. In the A rings break room the leader of Lyons' Pride, Sarah Lyons, is sitting next to the table holding a bottle of aqua pura, looking depressed.

Elder Lyons entered the break room and noticed his daughter was in low spirits. "Is something the matter Sarah?" Said Owyn in his usual calm manner.

"Nothing." Said Sarah while whirling the water inside the bottle.

Owyn knew that something was on her mind because while Sarah did want to take a break from all the fighting against super mutants and clearing out Enclave remnants, she always did her duty without complaining and it was rare for her to be depressed.

So Owyn decided that as her father, it's his responsibility to help her child. Even if it meant getting a black eye from her in the end.

Owyn sat on the opposite side of the table and said. "Let us try again Sarah."

Sarah slightly waved her arm and put an obviously faked smile. "Seriously dad, i'm fine."

Owyn raised his eyebrow. "And yet, you fail to convince me."

Sarah quickly dropped her faked smile. "And yet, you fail to keep your nose away where it doesn't belong."

"I'm your father Sarah. It is only natural I wish to help you any way I can." He reasoned.

Sarah mumbled silently for a bit and started to drink the aqua pura. Owyn suddenly said. "Especially when my daughter has love issues."

She spurted water straight to Owyn's face and coughed violently. Owyn slowly wiped his face with his hand. "And if I am not mistaken, it's about son of James correct?."

"How did you figure that out?" Said Sarah while still coughing.

Owyn shooked his head. "I find you easy to read. Like for example how you hurry to him when you hear he's visiting, how you look at him when you two are having a conversation. I even saw you few times try to confess to him but simply failed to have the courage to do so." He was right. Sarah had feelings for James but she found it hard to say anything to him about it. She killed dozens of mutants, destroyed Enclave encampments, she even had her share of near deaths. And now she's facing something she can't handle.

Sarah then thought about the Project Purity, how James selflessly sacrificed himself to start the purifier and how determined he was to complete his father's work.

Sarah came back to her senses when her father called her. "Are you alright?" Asked Owyn.

She simply said it was nothing. "Do not be ashamed of your inability to confess to him." Said Owyn. "It is an whole different battle than hunting down Enclave or slaying super mutants. After all, it took me quite some time to tell your mother of my love to her."

Before Sarah could ask, Owyn told her that he will be bothering Rothchild, asking about his progress on rebuilding Liberty Prime. "Oh, and I expect grand-children when you finally have the courage confess to him." Said Owyn in a playful manner which caused Sarah to throw the bottle at him and he quickly left the break room with a small chuckle.

Sarah sighed, stood up and walked to the sleeping quarters. Once there, Sarah walked to a mirror that was placed on the wall by knight captain Dusk, which according to her, is merely for decoration. Sarah looked into the mirror for a while, put on a serious face and told herself. "You know what Sarah? Next time when he comes here, you are gonna tell him straight to his face how you feel about him whether he likes it or not." She then placed her hands against the wall and said to herself. "Easier said than done."

Meanwhile.

"So what happened after you and that Desmond ghoul killed the brain... thing?" Asked Cody to James who was telling his time in Point Lookout.

James took a swig from his moonshine and said. "Desmond got so excited I told him to calm down that he'll make a mess and he called an ignorant fuck and he'll be gathering all the research data in the facility and after that he'll be going somewhere north to kill his next rival. Oh, and he told me to fuck off as soon as I was done looting the place."

"Charming." Said Jenny jokingly.

Ben asked James. "What the hell are you drinking anyway?."

James took a another swig of his moonshine and said. "Moonshine. I met this one nice local named Marguerite who makes these drinks called moonshine."

"Mind sharing it?" Said Ben wanting to taste it and to see why James seemed very fond of it.

James passed his moonshine to Ben and warned him that it has a good kick. Ben took one swig and began to breathe heavily. "Holy crap, that's some strong stuff." Wheezed Ben while Jenny and Cody laughed themselves to tears.

"Ah look, we're here." Pointed James as he stopped walking. Jenny and Cody looked at the direction James pointed and saw the Citadel and the Brotherhood around it. To Ben's eyes, it was a familiar sight and a suspicious grin appeared in his face. "You okay?" Cody asked him. "Nothing." Said Ben. "Just having some good memories for a change."

"You're friends with the Brotherhood James?" Asked Jenny in excited manner

"No... I'm part of it." He replied with confidence.

They approached the front gate of the Citadel, where the got stopped by Paladin Bael. As James tried to convince Bael to open the gate and let his friends in, Ben saw an intercom next to the gate. He pressed it and spoke into it. "Lyons! Don't tell me you're too old to come down and greet your old friend." A moment passed and the gate started to open and the soldiers around the gate were a bit surprised. James couldn't help but feel cocky. "Well, I didn't know i had another V.I.P with me." Bael squinted his eyes and said to him. "I hate it when you do that."

James, Ben, Cody and Jenny walked through the double doors and entered the bailey. Owyn was waiting inside and greeted them. "Greetings once again son of James."

Owyn turned his attention to Ben. "And young Williams! I'm amazed that you're here. Did something happened in Lost Hills?."

"I had a little disagreement with the Elders which caused me to be exiled." Said Ben proudly.

"Really?" Said Owyn in surprise.

Ben continued. "But that's another story. Owyn, there's a problem that you might want to hear." Owyn looked into Ben's eyes and he could tell it was something serious.

Inside the Citadel, Sarah was moving as fast as she could to meet James. And when she got to the bailey, she saw James was with three people. She approached them and before she could say anything, Ben spoke to Sarah. "Well I'll be damned. Sarah Lyons all grown up." Sarah look at Ben and she swear that there was something familiar about him.

"Do I know you?" She asked Ben. Ben crossed his arms and said to her. "I once diapered your skinny ass. And if my memory serves, which is darn good, I even played with you a few times with teddy bears and toy cars that your parents found in the ruins near Lost Hills bunker." Sarah zoomed her eyes and finally said "Ben?" in realization.

Owyn laughed and said. "Glad to see you haven't forgotten him completely Sarah." He then turned to Ben. "You spoke of a problem and you made it sound very dire Williams."

Ben told Owyn in a serious voice. "There's a settlement in Commonwealth were I, and these two kids, live that's been taken over by raiders."

Owyn raised his eyebrow."And I'm assuming that these raiders are not the everyday kind? Otherwise you wouldn't be here correct?"

Ben said straight and firmly to Owyn. "Lyons, it's the Khans." Owyn turned pale and he approached Ben and whispered him that is he certain. Ben nodded and Owyn then told everyone to meet him at the briefing room soon as possible. James was confused on what was going on. He noticed Jenny and Cody were nervous and Sarah had a worried look in her eyes. Whatever was going to happen, he knew that things are about take a unpleasant turn.