A/N: Looks like I'm back from the dead. I was in the hospital for a while for personal reasons and needed to focus on not stressing over things. Unfortunately, writing can get very stressful. Anyway, this story seems to be ending pretty soon. But don't fret, my children. I have the first few chapters of the next part already written.

Chapter 58: Rivet City Lovin'

The next morning was a blur. I remembered waking up to see Charon and Dogmeat on both sides of me, keeping me in place. Then I remember breakfast being very awkward and short before we made it outside and in the metros again. There was nothing exciting about the tunnels today.

We stood in front of Rivet City in the late morning and the heat was already insufferable. Freddie still wasn't used to anything that wasn't air conditioned. My hair at least felt much cleaner. I had that going for me.

"Charon?" I asked furtively.

"Hm?"

I kicked a rock with the tip of my boot. "Can we get some Sugar Bombs? I'm craving some mean cereal."

He chuckled and nodded. "Of course, Elle."

I bounded up the stairs noisily and waited impatiently for the walkway to swing back. The screeching metal fell on deaf, hungry ears. The security guards gave me looks that said "Try anything. We dare you."

I ignored them and opened the door to the market hastily and tipped-toed down the steps. The market was bustling today. I pushed through the crowd and took a seat at Gary's. Gary beamed and set a bowl of Sugar Bombs down on the counter without a word. I ate the stale cereal in silence and thought back on the last time I had come to Rivet City. I had come to help the scientists.

A sharp kick to my ribs sent me doubling over the counter. Angela was at my side within moments.

"Oh my gosh! Are you alright?" She asked in concern.

I nodded. "The baby doesn't want Sugar Bomb today. I'll be fine."

Her face lit up in wonder. "I didn't know you were pregnant. What's it like?"

The pain had dulled for now and I rested my head in my hands. "It's fucking awful. Don't ever get pregnant."

Angela chuckled. "Is it really that bad?"

I dropped my hands and pushed my bowl away with a sigh. I really wanted to eat them too. "No, it's not all bad. I mean, it can be pretty awful but there's some good parts to it. Like when you first feel them kick makes you aware that everything is real. Do you know what I'm trying to say?" I tapped my fingers on the counter. "I don't know how to describe it."

"I think I do. Like, you just kinda know that you are pregnant and then you feel the kick and it really brings you back to reality?"

I nodded. "Exactly. That's it. And my favorite memories of my life would be laying on the couch with Charon and he's rubbing my stomach and we're talking about the baby. It makes me feel like I'm going to finally have a normal family."

Angela's eyes widened as a large hand wrapped around my arm, eliciting a gasp. It was just a frantic Charon. "Don't run off like that into a crowd again. What would I have been able to do had someone decided it was a perfect opportunity to get you alone?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "We're safe in this place. There's guards everywhere."

Freddie finally caught up with Dogmeat and took a seat. "How can a pregnant chick run so fast?" He asked, gasping for breath.

Angela cleared her throat and the three of us looked at her. Charon seemed annoyed with her, but Freddie seemed captivated by her, as if he hadn't seen anyone like her before now. Which would be strange because she was a very plain girl and very much like the girls in the vault.

Charon brushed her off and leaned in closer to whisper. "I heard there's a slaver here. He's looking for a runaway slave but he wouldn't hesitate to take you with him."

My eyes widened in shock. "How on earth can a slaver get into the city?"

Charon shrugged. "Beats me. But he did it. And that's why you never run off like that."

Angela hadn't taken her eyes off of Freddie, but neither of them spoke to each other. They were both social frogs, croaking when they needed to speak.

The bustling market had grown louder and Charon grabbed onto my hand and was tugging me away from the counter. I stopped him and threw the caps I owed for the cereal next to the bowl before he pulled me away and to the exit, Dogmeat and Freddie in tow. Charon opened the door and led me onto the bridge.

"Look," he pointed to the Jefferson Memorial.

My eyes followed his finger and froze in shock. Rods protruding from the ground all around the building had formed a blue, transparent force field. I could feel my hair bristle at the sight and my chest burned in anger. "I want to kill every last one of them."

Freddie watched me in confusion. He had no idea about what had happened to my father, the Enclave, and my entire time out here. "Elle, what is that?"

"Enclave took over the place." Charon said.

Freddie was completely ignorant on the matter. "I don't know-"

"They killed my dad. He left the vault to finish his project at the Jefferson Memorial to provide clean water for the wasteland. And they killed him for it because they wanted the purifier."

"Big Brother is watching you," Charon mocked.

I vaguely recognized the reference from school but it was unimportant. What was important was killing every last one of those motherfuckers slowly and painfully.

Freddie swallowed loudly. "Ouch. Touchy subject, I guess. What do they want with the purifier?"

I threw my hands up in astonishment. "Who the fuck knows? Maybe they only want it for themselves. Maybe they want to poison the water and kill every last one of us. Maybe they want to fucking destroy it and let everyone suffer longer."

Charon rested his hands on my shoulders and lightly shook me. "Eleanor. Stop getting worked up. It's unhealthy."

I pushed him off. "I don't care! It's my fucking emotions and I want to be angry. I want to hate every last one of the sick fucks and carve a path through them. A bloody, fucking path."

Charon sighed and took my hands in his. "Eleanor, I know you are angry but you need to calm down. If not for me, at least do it for the baby. Do you really think this kid needs more stress on them?"

Tears stung my eyes and I thumped my hands against him. "I fucking hate them, Charon! He didn't have to kill himself! We could have killed them if he only opened that god damn door..."

The longer I was angry, the more tired I grew. I leaned my head against his chest and he picked me up bridal style. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into him. "I just want my daddy, Charon."

Freddie gave me a sympathetic look and opened the door to the stairwell. Charon carried me to the "hotel" and paid for two rooms. It wasn't anywhere near nighttime, but he knew I needed more rest. I guess they lifted our ban because know one said we couldn't stay.

Freddie said he would be back before night and set off on his own thing for the time being. Charon set me down on the bed, tugged my boots off, and pulled the blanket over my shoulders. "I love you, Eleanor."

I moved over and he settled in next to me after kicking his boots off shrugging off his armor. "Can we just stay in bed today, Charon?"

He kissed my forehead and pulled me to him. His arms cocooned around me. I will always be safe in his arms. He was warm in contrast to the cold ship. "I shall follow you wherever you shall go, for good or ill. Even if you don't want to go anywhere at all."