Sun rays across my face makes me open my eyes the next day. For a minute, I'm not sure where I am, as last night starts to revitalize in my head. Dazed, I lift my arm as I lie on my back, and rub the sleep away. Remembering things clearly after a few short moments, I try not to panic. Slowly, I look to my left, and see Dizzy peacefully sleeping next to me. In her sleep, she kept close to me. Clinging to my left arm and curling her body against mine. The scar on her face is almost invisible, and will probably go unnoticed by our parents. It's a beautiful day out, perfect, for starting again.

"Diz…Dizzy…"

I whisper, close to her ear like I did when we were little. Moaning, she rolls over and in typical Dizzy fashion, tells me exactly what to do with myself.

"Go fuck off I'm sleeping."

She doesn't mean it, she's always been cranky and difficult to wake. I smile at how even after all these years, she's the same kid she's always been.

"Come on, Diz, breakfast."

"No breakfast. Sleep."

Pulling the blanket over her head, she makes it known to me that this day will not start without some form of fight. Accepting the challenge I get up, and rip the blanket away from her. It does no good, as she continues snoring softly.

"Up, Dizzy. Start the day good."

"I am. By sleeping."

She waves a tired hand at me, trying to dismiss me. Trying something more drastic, I do what I would when I was smaller. Pressing my face close to hers, I stick my tongue out, and spit a giant raspberry in her face. This is greeted with a slap in the face, as she rolls over and tackles me like she's a guy. Both of us fly off the bed, and land on the floor in a pile. I laugh, whilst Dizzy feels the regular morning rage.

"I'm gonna kick your ass! I was sleeping!"

She does, too. Even though I go easy on her, she doesn't go easy on me. Strong like both me and my father, but small like my mother, Dizzy has the best of both worlds as she punches, and slips out of my grip. Jumping on top of me, she sits on my upper body, pinning my arms beside me. I haven't heard her laugh this much, in such a long time. Lifting her off of my by sheer willpower, I now have the upper hand. Her laughter makes her strength dissipate, but I take it light. I'd to almost anything to keep her laughing, to keep her happy.

In the middle of our morning wrestling fiasco, a loud pounding on the door takes our attention. I catch the look on Dizzy's face, as the noise echoes throughout the house. For a split second, she seems fearful of something.

"Diz?"

She looks at me, and puts a smile on, hiding the fear.

"I'll get it, I guess. You coming?"

I say, standing up and offering her my hand. She takes it, and walks behind me. Leading the way down the steps, I holler to the front door.

"Who is it?"

Even at twenty-two, I still ask whose behind my own front door. Dad always taught me to be cautious. After all, you can never be too sure around here.

"Seth. I'm a trader. Got a letter for ya."

The guy says from behind the door. Looking back at Dizzy, she shrugs and we both wonder who in the world would be sending us a letter. Reluctantly, I open the door. Just like she did when we were kids, Dizzy steps up on her tip-toes to peer over my shoulder, her hands gripping my forearm.

"Here, from your folks."

Instantly worry overcomes me. Taking the letter from his rough, outstretched hand I nod my head and shut the door. Curious, Dizzy looks at it as I hold it in front of me.

"Bad news?"

I shake my head at her. If mom and dad were in danger, or any other bad news, the last thing they'd do is send a letter. If Dizzy knew half of what I know, she'd understand that. But, she doesn't, so without waiting I open the letter and look at mom's swirly handwriting.

Diz, Cain,

Your father and I have decided since this is our first break from you two in seventeen years, to stay another two weeks. We're still in Rivet City, and we'll leave here in exactly fourteen days so any shit you two want to hide, start hiding it then. Oh. Charon says to 'stop dicking around and get your asses to town and help people if they need it'. I say don't bother because you're both young. Anyways, love and miss you lots!

Dezbe…wait…mom. Still not use to that.

And the sex is good.

Alright, typical mom. Dizzy laughs as she reads the letter over in my hand, and I smirk, too.

"Two more weeks?"

She asks, like the letter is a lie or something. Putting it on the table, I walk over to the fridge and grab myself a bottle of pure water. Taking out an irradiated one, I toss it to Dizzy.

"That's what mom says. So, I'm stuck with you for two more weeks."

"I'm not that bad, Cain. You just have to get to know me."

We sit down at the table, across from one another. She kicks my shin in play, and I kick her back. It's almost like we're kids again, and I'm curious what brought on the sudden change in her. And, really, what made her cry like she did last night.

"What brought on this sudden change, anyways? Before it seemed like you couldn't stand me and now…well, it's different."

Dizzy lights a cigarette, and I copy her. She thinks it over for a bit, looking at every little thing in the kitchen before coming up with a suitable answer. The silence is thick, but it isn't tense. Dizzy really does care about what she says next, and it's a change in the normal pacing of things. It feels like it's been a lifetime, since the two of us got along this well.

"…Sometimes things happen. They can be good, but mostly they're bad. These things take place, so that we can learn from our mistakes, and make them better."

"I take it this 'something' has to do with last night?"

Dizzy bites on her thumbnail. Since she was little, she's either biting her nails or lips. It a nervous trait, my mom has them too.

"Look…last night…I just, realized since Erica left you, you might have needed someone."

"Uh-huh…"

"And I've been a cruel bitch and figured it was time to…let my brother be my brother again."

I lean back in the chair. This time, it's less emotional, but more direct.

"You still bullshit though, Dizzy."

Her eyes narrow, and suddenly she's overcome with her old self. Standing up quietly, she runs upstairs. I hear her banging around for a bit, and soon she's running back down the steps. Her gun on her hip, I instantly know something is up. She hardly carries that thing around.

"Dizzy?"

I say, standing up just as her hand grabs the doorknob.

"We have two weeks, before mom and dad come home, right?"

"Yeah…why?"

Turning to look at me, I catch her eye. There's something that she's not telling me. Something she wants to tell me, but she can't.

"I'll be back, before they get home. I promise, okay?"

Before I can stop her she runs out of the house. I still haven't got my shoes on, and I know very well chasing her barefoot won't be a good idea. There's this feeling I have that Dizzy isn't going to stay in Megaton. That she's taking off for somewhere a lot further away, and much more dangerous.

Without wasting time, I run upstairs. Grabbing my boots I slip them on, and don't lace them all the way up. My gun and my jacket are both back downstairs. Even though it's hot out, protection from the sun is more important than anything. We don't travel the Wasteland, so we're not tanned like mom is. I'd rather be warmer, than have sun stroke. Running down the stairs, I grab my jacket and my gun. I put them both on as I lock the front door, and take off towards the distant running figure that is Dizzy.

She's way out there already, a slim shadow just below the horizon line. Luckily, I have dad's training and exact genes on my side, so it isn't hard to sprint after her. But, she's like my mom, small and light. It's like whenever I get close enough to call her name, the wind picks her up and pulls her just out of my earshot. Where she going? More importantly, what the hell is she running away from? Or…who? Dizzy…never hinted at the fact that she'd want to run away. In reality she isn't, either. Runaways don't come back, and Dizzy said after two weeks she'd return. It doesn't matter to me, though, because two weeks or not she's still alone out here. I can't let her be alone in a place she's never traveled, with dangers she's never encountered before.

Looking back as I run, I notice Megaton growing further and further away. With its shrinking distance, my courage grows, and my fear for Dizzy's safety heightens. Pushing myself, I feel the wind knocking against my face, not wanting me to follow her. But I fight it, just like I fight the burning in my legs, and the dryness in my mouth. I have to get to Dizzy, no matter what the cost. My lungs feel like they're about to burst, and I know I can't keep up much longer, let alone muster the strength to call her name anymore. She must know I'm following her. Even though she hasn't looked back, she can't not know I chased after her. And since when did she have this kind of physical endurance? Probably when she wasn't carrying this much weight. I'm bigger and stronger, and by fault that means I'm heavier. Dizzy, is light enough to jump into the wind and have it just fly her away. Which is what I'm thinking she's hoping for.

Using my last bit of strength and energy as I get closer to Dizzy, I reach out to grab her. The front of my boot hits a rock, and as I'm about to fall and crack my face on the hard-dirt surface, my fingers latch to Dizzy's pants. We fall together, rolling on the dirt. I my clothes protect me from minor scrapes, but Dizzy isn't as lucky. Hitting the ground after running so fast, she scrapes along the dirt in front of me, groaning as she goes. When I finally steady myself, I open my eyes to see the sky above. To my right, Dizzy moans in pain. It takes a second for my mind to react, and I sit up a bit disoriented.

"…What-the-hell-was-that-for?"

I say, out of breath and for good reason. Looking over at Dizzy, she's squirming on the ground in pain. I see she's only scraped up, because her armor is so revealing. Laying on her stomach, Dizzy rests her head on her forearm, hissing and sighing in pain. Her back heaves up and down with the deep breaths she's taking. I still can't believe she pulled this stunt, and I look back towards Megaton. For a puny girl, she ran far, and ran fast. Her head start helped, and I can just sort-of see the buildings of steel that make up Megaton. Mom said it use to be a dome, and I sort of remember that. But it's not a dome anymore, so it feels further away than it is. Looking back at Dizzy, I frown as her legs move back and forth in the dirt. The grass hasn't reached this far out yet, and even in the places it has, it's still just soft soil.

"Ow…"

She groans, not picking up her head. I stare at her until she does, and I'm met with angry, icy eyes.

"Why the hell did you follow me?"

The anger she emits, is a bit scary. I can feel it radiating off of her. She acts like I somehow betrayed her.

"Because you took off outside of town!"

Do I actually have to remind her?

"So? It doesn't mean you have to follow me! Why didn't you stay home? Go home!"

"No! Why didn't you stay home? No, wait, you go home! You have no idea how to survive out here."

"And you do?"

"I know better than you."

"Oh, right because dad took you out and taught you how, right? I was overlooked in that privilege."

I stand up, and the pain from falling down starts to disintegrate. My legs are sore, but nothing broken or cut. Like I said, I'll be getting a few bruises.

"Little sister, get up, and go home."

"No."

She gets up, but it's only to challenge me. A wind hits us, it's not hard, but it makes Dizzy close her eyes from the dust.

"You don't have food, or medical supplies. You have no idea what you're doing."

"I only need radiation and I can go a few days fine without food."

"Have you ever done it before?"

"No."

"Then you don't know that you can. Dizzy, seriously, go home."

She folds her arms in front of her, and giving me one last look she turns around and starts walking towards the city. I know this because you can see the ruins from almost anywhere in the Capital Wasteland, and because there's nothing but the ruins in front of her. Sighing, I have no choice but to follow her, and try to convince her to go home.

"Stop following me and go home. Don't I cause enough trouble for you as it is?"

She spits, reaching for her cigarettes. Did she even bring extra ammunition? No, and I didn't either. We're fucked if we don't turn back now.

"Apparently not if you're running out here on a whim. Look, Diz really, we don't have the necessary gear to survive."

"Mom and dad never leave with anything."

"Because they're mom and dad!"

She stops walking and puts a hand on her hip. Looking back at me as she smokes, I shudder. What has my sister become, and what is she hiding from me?

"So?"

I always forget she doesn't know. That she has no idea of our parents, and what they once were.

"I just mean they're older and know this place better."

"I've wanted to get out for so long. Just let me go to the monument, and I'll be back before mom and dad do."

She's not going to change her mind. Once Dizzy decides something, there's not much room to change it, and little to compromise. It's better to know that in advance, so you don't spend countless hours arguing with her, like I usually end up doing. Sighing, I look back at Megaton once more. There's no going back there today, I know that much.

"At least let me come with you. If anything happened…"

"Yeah I know, mom and dad would flip. Whatever let's just go."

No. What I wanted to say for some reason, is that I'd never let myself live it down. If I left her here, and something happened…it wouldn't be mom and dad I feared, it'd be my own self. I can't tell you why I feel like that, I just do. She's been raised as my sister my entire life, and even though she's not, I just feel there's something stronger between us. Something…I can't quite explain that draws us together, even after so many years. There has to be a reason, why even though we've downright hated one another, my blood still boils when I remember last night, and think of who possibly hurt her. It boils a lot more, than it ever has, or than it ever should.

"Fine."

I say as she starts to walk, and I start to follow. We don't need a map, to get to the city. You can see it just fine from where we are, and as far as both of us know, you simply walk towards it. But, while Dizzy carelessly looks around at the vast land, a land she's never seen before, I'm distracted. My mind races with dangers, and what could be behind every large rock or broken structure. My dad warned me, of Super Mutants, Deathclaws, and crazies. I've never seen anything aside from a Raider, but, I'm wry regardless.

"Raiders."

Dizzy says, unusually calm. I look around, and see a small group of people heading our way. I reach for my gun, but Dizzy looks back and raises her hand.

"I got this."

Something tells me to trust her. Cautiously, I let my gun fall back on my back, and watch her. Carefully, I watch how something…changes about her. As the Raiders see her outfit, they don't take out their weapons. While they get closer, they see me, and I can tell it's me they don't want to deal with.

"Hey."

Dizzy says, in this tone I've never ever before heard. It's powerful, and seductive. All the Raiders are men, and the three of them stare at her. She's wrapped in some self-imposed glow, something that tells even me, she can handle this.

"What're you doin' all the way out here, girl?"

One of them says, and Dizzy smirks.

"What's it to you?"

"A lot if you ain't gonna talk."

"Why not take it up with Scab before you start talking to me like that?"

The Raider boys nod in submission. Scab? Who is he and what kind of name is that? Instead of picking on Dizzy, they turn their attention to me.

"Who's this fool you got?"

"Don't worry about him, he's fine."

"He ain't fine with us."

Dizzy takes her gun faster than I can think to get mine.

"Fuck with him, and you're fucking with me. Fuck with me, and you're fucking with Scab. Think of that."

Surprisingly, they do. They look at both of us, and Dizzy keeps the demeanor she took on until they start to leave without another word. I don't bother to watch them, but Dizzy does. She stands there, gazing at them until they're finally out of earshot. When they are, she sighs and puts her gun back on her waist, the glow around her vanishing.

"Come on."

Following her, I decide I'm not going to let this topic drop. Beneath the burning hot sun, in the middle of the Capital Wasteland, my sister somehow convinces four Raider boys to leave. It wouldn't been easy to take them on, but it wouldn't have been hard, either. More likely than not, it would have been a giant waste of ammunition we could have used on a bigger threat. But…thanks to Dizzy, it didn't have to be that way.

"Hold on, wait. Who is Scab?"

"None of your goddamned business."

Grabbing her arm, I pull her back to me. We stop walking, and she rips her arm from my hand, glaring. Has she forgotten last night? That she was in pain and came to me, and promised me that we'd rebuild our relationship?

"We have nothing better to do out here, so you might as well tell me who he is."

"We have to survive, that's better than talking."

"Last night…was he the one who…?"

Her silence is my answer. Tears fill her eyes, but she looks away and continues on without another word. Jogging to walk beside her, I catch up and sigh. She doesn't look at me. She doesn't want to show me the tears she's fighting back.

"You can tell me, Diz."

"Why? So you can run and tell mom and dad?"

"No, so I can help you."
"And then tell mom and dad."

"I wouldn't tell them anything you didn't want me to."

"It doesn't matter! They'd find out anyways if you did something!"

"How?"

She gets frustrated and tosses her cigarette to the ground. Balling her hands into fists, I think she's going to punch me. But she doesn't. Instead, she sighs and talks through clenched teeth.

"Because Scab is the head of the Raider gang around Megaton."

"And how do you know him?"

Again, she averts my gaze. I'm not stupid, and I connect the small dots between last night, her late-night triads, and now.

"Dizzy! You didn't…did you?"

"What's it matter anymore? I fucked him."

"What are you, a Raider now?"

She shakes her head.

"I can't do that to you or mom and dad. I'm just someone who can hang out with them freely. And I have status because…of Scab."

"What kind of name is that, anyways? And what kind of person are you to them?"

"A joke, right now."

"What?"

She stops walking, and looks me in the eyes. This is hard for her, but she's telling me anyways. My sister is finally going to give me some insight, into her life and to what's going on. Her bottom lip quivers a bit, as she looks through me with her eyes. I feel a cold breeze, but it doesn't bother me through my jacket. Dizzy rubs her arms, uncomfortable with the wind. I just realize, at night, it can get very cold, very fast out here.

"…Scab is the head of the Raider gang near Megaton. He's made a lot of connections out here."

I raise an eyebrow at her. She shakes her head, as if I don't understand plain English.

"…and…I got close to him."

"Is he the one who caused that cut? Wait, what do you mean you 'got close' to him?"

"What do you think it means, asshole?"

She snaps at me, but alright, it's my fault for asking an inane question. So, Dizzy got herself into a mess with the leader of a Raider gang. Still, I can't connect the dots just yet.

"Alright, what else?"

"And…look they were going to ambush Megaton, but I persuaded them not to, since dad isn't home. And so they didn't, they listened to me for some reason, but now they're waiting, and I don't know why. But…last night…"

"What about last night?"

"I'm getting there! Last night…they wanted me to join the gang for good. And I said no."

"Why?"

"Because I can't do that, I said that already Cain."

"So…what does this have to do with your cut? They hurt you because you didn't want to join?"

"Because of that, and you."

"How does this have to do with me?"

She lights another cigarette, and starts to walk away from me. Quietly, I follow her. Dizzy isn't avoiding the question anymore, she's just answering it at her own time and pace. We walk a few yards, before I hear her voice loud and clear. Out here, everything echoes.

"They said if I didn't join…they'd have to make sure I never told anyone about anything they had planned. They wanted to take you, to make sure I didn't talk, but…"

Take me? Why? Ransom…or…they were going to attack Dizzy where it hurt. Somehow…they knew she was closest to me. Even if it was a long time ago, they still knew.

"So what did they do, Dizzy?"

"Do I have to spell it out? Do I have to go into anymore detail than I already did? Just drop it already, Cain. It's not important."

I'm taken aback, even though I should have expected this kind of response. Listening to her, I don't ask anymore questions. She doesn't need to answer them, I can think for myself. Looking at her as she walks ahead of me, I feel my blood beginning to boil. I was right about last night. Someone hurt her, and badly. They got her, where it hurts almost every woman. Thinking of this, of how much pain she must have been in, about the emotions that were running through her…I get mad. I get mad at them, and I get mad at myself.

I should have followed her. I should have went, and followed her there and never let her leave again. Instead, I didn't. The one time, she truly needed me, I wasn't there to protect her. Looking up at the sky, I see white clouds drifting across it, covering the sun, and floating as if there's not a care in the world. It feels like everything came crashing down on me. Dizzy, never really needed much of my help before. Only with small, childish things like bullying. Then, she needs me, and I'm not there. At the worst of times, at the pitfall of her life, I wasn't there when she needed me most. I don't think I'll forgive myself for that. There's nothing I can do about it now, except…to make sure it never happens again.

Jogging to catch up to her, I meet her just as she finishes her cigarette. She doesn't look at me, and it's alright. I think she just wants to be alone. Even if she wants to be alone, I won't let her. With my right hand, I grab her left. Her fingers collapse in my palm, as I squeeze it gently, letting her know I'm here. She doesn't squeeze it back, but she looks up at me. In her face, I see the child that use to chase me, and hang on my coat.

"You're the only one who would listen to me."

She says, staring at the ground as we walk. I won't let go of her hand, and I want to tell her I'm at her wrath. That at this point, I'd do anything she asked of me, if it meant to see her smile.

"I told you, I would. And I'll fix this."

"What?"

Dizzy tries to tug her hand out of mine, but I don't let her. Holding it, makes me feel better, too. My hand warms when I hold hers, and I don't feel like such a terrible person. Knowing I can still do this, knowing she still accepts me, helps me believe it will be alright in the end.

"When we get back, I'll fix all of this. And no, I won't tell dad. He won't keep his temper like I did."

I let her go for so long. I let her grow distant, and wander off. I should have never, ever let her leave. Never should have put her second, to the callings of puberty and adulthood. Maybe if I had done things differently, then we wouldn't be here now, talking like this.

"…I won't let you do it. You'll get hurt."

"I won't die."

"I won't let you get hurt!"

This time she looks at me. She looks at me, with fresh tears in her eyes, and I realize…those tears are for me. Stopping all movement, she squeezes my hand tightly, sternly glaring at me. The tears well up, and stream down her face. Dizzy cries, at the thought of me being hurt. At the thought of me being hurt for the sake of her. Inside, I feel something. I can't describe it, but, knowing after all this time, she still hates the idea of me getting hurt…makes me want to be closer to her than I ever was in the past.

"If they hurt you, they hurt me too."

She tells me, reading my mind from last night. Pulling my hand, she pulls me close and presses her face into my jacket.

"You're my only friend. You're the only one I could ever talk to. I don't…I don't want you…getting hurt over me. It's my fault and I was stupid. Let me live with it. Stop…stop trying to save me from everything."

I pat her head with my free hand, while she stands there. She isn't crying, but she isn't quiet, either. Her hand is still in mine, and still is when she decides to walk again. We walk side-by-side, towards the city. Dizzy says nothing, but there's nothing left to say. Despite what she says, though, I'll make it my personal mission to get back at those Raiders. To make every single one of them know what happens when they fuck with her. Thinking of this, I absentmindedly squeeze her hand. I feel her squeeze back and then…all the thoughts, and what I'm going to do to them when I get back, dissipates. I look down at her, but her gaze is set straight ahead. She'll never know how much that simple gesture meant to me, or how much last night and our conversation did. In a way, even though I'll kill those bastards, the Raiders gave my sister back to me.

Together, Dizzy and I silently walk over the dirt and sand of the Capital Wasteland. Her hand in mine, I make sure to keep an eye out for any danger. So far, aside from the small group of Raiders, there's been none. No one to look out for, no one to feel scared of. Dizzy doesn't say much, but she sighs every now and again. Glancing at her after one of her sighs, I feel like I'm looking at her for the first time. I feel…like I'm supposed to be here.

Her eyes shift, and she catches me looking at her. Feeling the silence has gone on too long, she starts a new conversation.

"Cain?"

"Yeah?"

Thought crosses her face, and she looks at me, walking closer.

"Ever…ever get weird feelings?"

"What kind?"

"Like…never mind. I can't really explain it."

I smile at her, and offer comfort even if she doesn't know what she's talking about. Honestly, I don't either.

"Yeah, I do."

I do get strange feelings. Often, I've questioned them, and if they're right. I would watch other kids play with their siblings, be it brother or sister, and none of them had the special bond Dizzy and I shared. None of them, acted like us. They didn't hold their sister's hands, or help them up when they fell. I felt different for that. I thought I was a freak, for caring about my sister as much as I did. But, now that I'm older, I look back and see how stupid they were for not following in my lead. Even though she's a pain in the ass, she has great qualities. Having someone, you can learn to talk to about anything, and be accepted, is a good change.

I still can't tell her everything, or talk openly about things with her. Those feelings I had in childhood, didn't disappear when we fell apart. If anything, they stayed under the radar, waiting for something like last night to come along. At times, I would catch myself watching her. In ways, probably a brother shouldn't watch a sister. Sometimes I'd remind myself that she isn't my sister, and there was nothing wrong with that. But, most of the time I'd say in the end we share DNA, and that means we're related on some basis. Then, I'd feel guilty about it.

Her being close to me now, I know we won't be able to do a lot of the things we did as kids. She won't be able to crawl into my bed, and won't be able to hold my hand anymore. For now it's alright, because she needs it, but later I'll have to tell her normal siblings don't do those things. Yeah they rely on one another, and they offer comfort and support but…she's seventeen now. She's a young adult, if not an adult, and needs to stand alone. I'll always be there if she needs me, but I hope to find a common, middle ground of space and closeness, that lets me protect her but keep these feelings away.

I don't even know, what to call the overbearing protectiveness I feel towards her, or the anger and resentment that boils when I think of someone hurting her. All I know about anything, is that it's not normal. It's not normal, for me to be so angry at people, for me to want to shield her from every bad thing known to man. And it isn't normal, to want to get as close to her as humanly possible. I never felt that way towards Erica, and Erica was there for me throughout my entire childhood. Even then, I didn't feel like she was as important as Dizzy is. I never felt like I had to sacrifice for her, or care for her. Although it was a relief, it was different. At night, I preferred to hear Dizzy screaming at something, than the silence of Erica's house.

"Hey now what?"

Dizzy's voice echoes, and I look down at her blinking. She lets go of my hand, and for a minute it feels cold. Raising a finger, she points stupidly to the river that lies ahead of us, blocking us from entering the city.

"Well…I guess…we swim?"

She's way ahead of me, as I hear the sound of fabric coming off of her body. Her shirt drifts to the ground, as she wiggles her butt from the pants that constrict her.

"Dizzy?"

"Jumping in!"

Leaving her shoes and clothes…and gun, on the ground beside me, Dizzy dives headfirst into the sparkling water.

"Come on!"

She yells, swimming around in her underwear. This girl will get me killed out here. If she leaves her clothes and gun on this side, then what is she going to do on the other side? Grudgingly, I pick up her clothes and pile them in my arms. I don't dive in, instead I wade in, and make my way across carefully while she splashes and has a grand time swimming by herself.

"Cain! Come on, swim!"

"I am swimming, hold on. Gotta at least get this shit to the other side."

"Oh. Smart. Didn't think of that."

No, Dizzy, of course you didn't. That's why I'm doing it for you. Even though I'm annoyed at her right now…it makes me smile. She's a bit brainless, and always has been, but I like that about her. It gives me a break from the usual seriousness I've been feeling these days.

"Okay you're there, swim now?"

Dizzy says just as I reach the wall on the other side. Feeling cornered, I look back at her while she splashes and dives under. It's fresh, pure water so it doesn't bother me to swim in it. She doesn't mind if it's irradiated or not. Rolling my eyes, I jump up on the wall/walkway, and take my gun off my back.

"Finally, you're going to have some fun."

Stripping down to my boxers, I dive in after her. The cool water feels nice over my sweating body, and the hot sun makes for a nice, even temperature. My feet can't touch the bottom, and even though we've never swam before, we know how. Dad taught us in an old bathtub once. Don't ask me how he pulled it off, I can't really explain it, I was too little. But he did.

Joyfully, Dizzy splashes and makes a bunch of noise for all in a twenty-mile radius to hear. Joining in with her, I laugh and splash along, enjoying something we've never done before, and are doing now together. This is both of our first experiences with swimming, and in a way, I like sharing it with her. Sharing firsts is something I've always liked doing with her. When we were younger, I taught her how to shoot her first gun. We both learned how to throw a decent punch at the same time, and we both built our first fort together. Sharing those memories, makes that person special to you. There's no one more special in my life right now, than Dizzy.

"Look out! Incoming!"

Dizzy says as she jumps off of the wall and into the river. When she doesn't come up again for a bit, I start to worry.

"Dizzy?"

I call out, to no one. She can't hear me underwater, and I'm about to panic when I feel something tickling my feet. Kicking, I hit something hard, and soon Dizzy comes up, rubbing her nose.

"You twit!"

She yells, splashing me with water. We spend the rest of the afternoon swimming, laughing, and horsing around together. Last night, Dizzy said she wanted to spend the day with me. I guess, this far surpassed anything we could have ever done together in Megaton. Swimming, laughing, enjoying it all with her, made me happier than I've been in a long time. Hearing her laugh like she once did, makes me have a bit of hope. For what I don't know yet, but it's hope in general.