(Chapter 1) Children of Steel.

Year 2254: Lost Hills Bunker

The seven year old Carter looked down crossly to the three year old, Sarah Lyons.

"Daddy, I don't want to leave!" said the young girl as she looked up to her father, Owyn Lyons. Owyn kneeled down in front of his daughter, resting the helmet of his T45D armour on the steel floor.

"My dear. We have spoken about this…I don't want to leave either, but it is our duty."

"She doesn't know what duty is!" said Carter crossing his arms.

"Now, now Carter." said Reginald Rothchild as he approached the group.

"Do you know what duty is? Would you take a bullet for a brother of steel?"

"Put me in some think steel armour and I will!' Rothchild smiled at the small boy.

"Haha, one day little one." The small girl began to cry as she hugged her father.

"Please daddy…" Owyn placed his helmet onto his head and stood up, lifting his daughter in his arms.

"Tell you what sweetie, If you put on that big girl face your daddy will carry you there." he said with a happy tone in his voice. Sarah's lips formed a small smile as her father pulled her closer. Carters frown turned into that of a solum expression as Owyn lovingly held his daughter.

"Its okay Carter." said Rothchild as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Your father would of…He would of felt the same for you." Carter nodded. His father had died only a year ago now. A stray bullet penetrated his neck guard during a small skirmish with a squad of super mutants. His armour had been handed down to his son and was currently being packed on to a Brahmin. After the death of his father Carter fell under the protection and guidance of Rothchild, a scribe. He wasn't used to the way of thinking Reginald expressed. His father was a Paladin and his mother a Knight. He already had a basic knowledge of both conventional and laser based weapons. if you asked him to load you a pistol he'd probably get you a mini-gun, but Rothchild went deeper then that. He exposed Carter to a wider view of the world around them. Carter gave a bleak smile to Rothchild.

"Thank you…" As the steel doors of the bunker opened the group saw the caravan of men, women and children ahead of them. A small heard of Brahmin were being formed in to a line by the soldiers as the group approached. Owyn placed his daughter on top of the front Brahmin as Carter climbed up on top of the one behind her. Both Reginald and Owyn grabbed the ropes of their Brahmin and began to push onwards.

Six Hours Later…

The now empty black sky stretched over them. Small gusts of wind would kick up clouds of dust and sand around the group. Sarah Lyons slept on top the Brahmin as her father held her in place with one hand and the ropes in the other. Carter on the other hand sat up looking over the the empty desert around them.

"Get some rest Carter." whispered Rothchild.

"I'm not tired." said the young boy as he struggled to keep his eyes open. Reginald laughed softly.

"Of course your not. Your merely resting your eyes." Carter nodded. Reginald looked to the young boy in mix of pride and sorrow. As he snapped out of his thoughts he gave another smile.

"Well Mr Westborn. I'm not sure if I should be doing this but gear like this was meant to be used…" Rothchild opened a small satchel on the side of the Brahmin and pulled out a black fingerless glove and some sort of wrist computer. The boy instantly looked to the device with curiosity.

"This is a pip-boy. A few of these have turned up over the years, they belong to vault dwellers. This is the 3000 model we picked up in a storage room in vault thirteen. As he passed the glove and pip-boy to Carter he quickly placed it on. Reginald pressed a small button on the pip-boy and the screen activated in to shades of blue.

"You see this page shows you your own vital signs and any internal injuries you could have." Rothchild turned the nob on the pip-boy and the screen changed.

"This keeps you up to date on your inventory. Just add it to the list and when your done with it remove it." He changed the screen again and a blue map popped up.

"This is your map. Very useful, and if you scroll across you can access your private journal." Carter happily flicked through the screens of the pip-boy.

"Now the pip-boy itself can be adjusted manually as you grow but the glove will expand. Quite useful actually. Carter smiled down at his wrist.

"Thank you sir." he said. The light till shone pretty brightly so Reginald pulled a leather case out the satchel. He strapped it around the metal of the gauntlet and adjusted the square space so it was held over the screen. Carter pulled the flap from its velcro so he could see the screen then closed it again.

"thats cool." Rothchild nodded.

"It is isn't it? Took me a while to find that." Carter looked to Reginald curiously.

"Why are you giving me this?" Rothchild laid a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Both you and Sarah will never have a 'normal' childhood, but she has her father to guide her through life. You may have me but I'm no parent. Your father was a good friend of mine and I made a promise to him and your mother the day you were born, that I would take care of you if anything happened…" Rothchild thought back fondly of Carters parents. They were the two most loyal and foolhardy people he had ever met.

"But, Carter. We both know you won't stick with me forever. You'll find your own path and I hope this will guide you." Carter smiled.

"Thank you sir...Reginald." Rothchild raised a finger.

"But promise me one thing." Carter nodded.

"anything."

"I want you to take care of Sarah." Carter frowned.

"Why!"

"Because she may have her dad to guide her but she will never have a father. Now she may be happy but when she grows up she'll be cold. She needs a friend and the other kids here are as emotionally capable as a dog. She is Owyn's daughter and will never be treated the same. You know this, I have seen you do it yourself."

"But she is just a little girl!" Rothchild sighed.

"Carter…She won't be a little girl forever, and we know its not her fault who her her dad is. The blame goes to the others. One day she will earn her own respect but until then…"

"What are you saying?" said Carter.

"Until then it is your job to look after her." Carter frowned. He was only seven but he knew what he meant.

"What if while 'protecting' her some other kids had 'accidentally' broke their nose…''

"Don't worry Carter. I'll handle that." Carter nodded.

"Me and Owyn are going to be extremely busy when we get back and your the oldest boy there. Establish yourself and teach her a thing or two before your trainig begins."

"Thats eleven years from now!"

"Better make the message early-on then." Carter opened the leather cover on his pip-boy and went to his journal.

"Protect my shield sister. Honour my family." Rothchild gave a curious smile.

"Honour your family?"

"My father told me that the Lyons are one of the most loyal and skilled families in the brotherhood. Imagine the…pride. My father would feel to know I was watching over the last of their blood line." Rothcild patted him on the back.

"He would be. Very. Proud of you Carter. I can promise you that."