Going West

Note: Wow! I think it took me a year to get these many followers, favorites and reviews with my last story. I….I have no words guys just, thank you for your continued support.

"Gooood morning, Capital Union! It is I Three Dog, coming to you live from the new and improved GNR building! I hope all of you have gotten over your post-Unity Day hangovers, because I've got some news! Well, it seems that the parents of our nation are making it official. That's right, children, Marcus Lincoln and Sarah Lyons are engaged to be married. {plays wedding march} Ah, I can still remember the first time I saw them together – covered in dirt, grime and Super Mutant guts. No offense to our Meta-human brothers. I should've seen it then that it was love at first sight. Congratulations to both you kids, you earned it. Until next time, this is Three Dog, awwwww, and you're listening to Galaxy News Radio. Now, some music. Here's Billy Idol's "White Wedding"."

The Citadel….

Luckily for everyone (especially Three Dog), Marcus and Sarah were able to bring the news of their engagement to Elder Lyons and the rest of the Brotherhood before it was announced on GNR. The news was of little surprise to the Elder, since Marcus had asked for his blessing the week before. The two lovers also announced their intention to head out west, and Marcus accepted the offer to be reinstated into the Brotherhood. Nearly everyone gathered in the Bailey to watch as the Lone Wanderer, the Savior of the Citadel and father of their new nation, stood proudly in his black officer's uniform and recited the oath of allegiance.

"I, Marcus Lincoln, do solemnly swear that I will support, protect and defend, the Constitution of the Capital Union and all of its citizens, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That I will bare true faith and allegiance to the same. I pledge my loyalty to the Brotherhood of Steel and its Elder, Owyn Lyons. I will obey the orders of the Knights and Paladins assigned above me, and I will fight for my brothers till the last drop of my blood. I will preserve technology for the advancement of mankind, and keep it out of the hands of all those who threaten the peace. So help me God."

Once the oath was completed, Elder Lyons shook Marcus' hand, and then pinned the insignia of the rank of Star Paladin on his shoulders. Everyone in the bailey let out a cheer, but no one cheered louder than Sarah Lyons. With the ceremony concluded, Marcus and Sarah immediately went to work on preparing for their trip to the Mojave, and Marcus' first stop was the lab underneath the Citadel. As he stepped inside, he took a moment to look around. He hadn't been inside the lab since leaving the Brotherhood, and he was amazed to see all of the new equipment that had been installed during his absence. His eyes fell on the remains of Liberty Prime, the once proud robot that help them win the war against the Enclave, and he shook his head at the sight. Despite all of their efforts they still could not bring him back online, and there was no telling when, if ever, the robot would walk again. Marcus made his way down to the lower level, and he soon found the Scribe he was looking for. "Well now, look at you all dressed up."

Marcus glanced down at his dress uniform and smirked. "You're looking pretty good yourself, Ingram. How are you feeling?"

Scribe Ingram maneuvered her motorized wheel chair until she was directly in front of the Lone Wanderer. "Well these days I feel like I'm half woman and half automobile….but I'm hanging in there."

Marcus couldn't help but smile at the young red-head's ability to joke about her own plight. He remembered how battered her body looked after the Battle of the Mall, where she took the full blast from a plasma grenade – saving Knight Danse's life. Her right leg had been severed below the knee, and despite the best efforts of Doc Church and the Scribes, they had to remove her left leg as well. "I don't want to take up too much of your time…."

Ingram waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm a little tired of going over these plans anyway." She turned her chair to the left and wheeled herself over to a work bench littered with schematics. Marcus cocked his head to the side as he studied them. "What is that, some kind of….blimp?"

Ingram chuckled. "Word to the wise, don't let Head Scribe Rothchild hear you call it that….he'd probably throw something at you. Its plans for an airship capable of transporting an entire squadron of Vertibirds and a full regiment of troops."

Marcus nodded his head. "That would definitely extend our reach."

"That's the idea. And we'll need it to, thanks to the Rangers finding that squadron of Vertibirds down in Baltimore. It's all part of Elder Lyons' plans to stand up a Lancer Corp. Anyway, I'm assuming you're not down here to talk about this."

"You've probably heard that Sarah and I are heading out west, and I was wondering if you had anything I could use to upgrade our armor."

A playful smirk appeared on Ingram's face. "I may have a few things. Follow me." She lead Marcus into the armory where several pieces of power armor were sprawled out on the work bench. "About six months ago our scouts found an advanced prototype of medic power armor. It monitors your vital signs and when needed, administers stimpaks to any wounds you suffer. It also came with a rather annoying version of a Mr. Gutsy VI, so once we ripped that out we began to reverse engineer it."

Moira's avatar suddenly appeared on the PIPBOY's screen. "Well that wasn't very nice. I hope you don't decide to rip me out if I ever annoy you."

Marcus let out a sigh. "It's crossed my mind." He said under his breath.

Moira placed her hands on her hips. "Humph!"

"Anyway," Ingram continued, "we can now install this technology in every one of our sets of armor, but instead of stimpaks, ours will be dispensing adapted biogel."

"That sounds a hell of a lot better than having to remove your armor during a fight to treat wounds."

Ingram cringed. "Tell me about it. We've also got some ideas on how to improve that PIPBOY of yours. With Moira's help of course, I think we can enable your VATS to lock onto five targets instead of just three before having to recharge – which should give you just as many shots with your gauntlet."

Both Marcus and Moira's eyes seemed to light up as they contemplated the new upgrades. Scribe Ingram continued. "Plus we can update your hacking software so it should improve both your time and range."

Moira was as giddy as a school girl. "Oh, I can't wait to go into the field and try it out! I'm getting bored with hacking Wadsworth all the time."

Marcus stared down at the avatar. "Is that why he tried to shine my socks last week?"

Moira tried to look innocent. "I admit nothing."

Marcus could only smirk and shake his head. "As great as all of that is, Ingram, Sarah and I won't be able to run around NCR territory in our power armor the entire time."

"Relax, I already thought of that. We've had some success with installing Zetian shields in US army combat armor, so I should be able to the do the same with your Ranger set. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to do the same with the stealth technology."

Her last statement caused Marcus to cringe….but having shields incorporated with his Ranger armor would definitely give him an edge over anyone in the Mojave. "Thank you, Ingram. So how long will these upgrades to the PIPBOY take?"

"It'll be a while, so I suggest you use the head and then make yourself comfortable."

Sarah knocked on the door leading into the small living quarters. "Arthur. It's Sarah, can I come in?"

No response. The Sentinel took a deep breath and slowly opened the door, letting herself in. Twelve-year-old Arthur Maxson sat on the edge of his bunk, his elbows resting on his knees. The last descendant of the Brotherhood's founder Roger Maxson was clearly sulking, and Sarah took a deep breath before sitting down next to him. "I missed you at the ceremony today."

Arthur responded by shrugging his shoulders. "I didn't feel like going."

An awkward silence filled the room as Sarah studied the young man's face. It was no secret Arthur had had a crush on her for a long time, and the news of her engagement to Marcus no doubt added to the young man's torment. Looking to lighten the mood, Sarah stood up and walked over to a shooting range target mounted on the wall. "Did you do this at the range?"

Arthur nodded his head.

Sarah pointed to the various holes that were center mass in the target. "That's impressive. You're going to be quite the warrior someday…."

"Why are you leaving?"

Sarah was taken aback by the boy's interruption, and if they hadn't been alone, she would've reprimanded him for being insubordinate. Instead, she hung her head and sighed. "Because I have to, Arthur."

"It's because of him isn't!"

Sarah could clearly see the anger on his face, and she knew she had to choose her words carefully. "That's part of it, yes. But this mission is important, Arthur, you know this."

Arthur gritted his teeth. "It's not fair! First you move out of the Citadel, and now you're leaving the Capital!"

Sarah tried to place her hand on his shoulder, but he pulled away. "I'm coming back, Arthur. Okay. I promise you, I'll come back."

Try as he might, the boy could not stop the tears from welling up in his eyes. Sarah gently placed both her hands on his shoulders, and this time, he did not pull away. "Hey, look at me."

He stared up at her with his tear filled eyes.

"I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to my favorite Squire. Now you listen to Paladin Gunny, and Star Paladin Cross. They're going to train you to be the warrior I know you are destined to be, so I better not hear you've been slaking off while I was gone, you hear me?"

The young Maxson swallowed the lump forming in his throat, and stood up and threw his arms around her. Sarah returned the embrace, and she too, had to swallow a lump in her throat. "I'm coming back." She whispered.

Arthur wept into her shoulder. "You promise?"

Sarah closed her eyes and tensed up. She didn't like making promises she wasn't sure she would be able to keep. "I promise."

Freeside, The Atomic Wrangler….

"And that's the job. We find which ever one of these couriers has the real chip, and then you get the rest of your money. What do you say?"

The two burly members of the Great Khans sat across from the man in the checkered suit and listened to his proposal. The one with the mow hawk, Jessup, downed a shot of whiskey. "So what's so important about this chip, anyways?"

The man shook his head. "That's not your concern. All I need is for you two to help me persuade these Couriers to give it up. I'll pay you half now, and half when the job is done. Deal?"

Jessup looked over at the other Khan, who gave him a nod. "Alright, but the payment better be in caps or Legion coins. We don't except NCR credits."

The man in the checkered suit smiled. "No problem." He down his own shot of whiskey. "Word is the first courier is hanging out at the old 188 Trading Post. I say we pay him a visit."

After settling the tab, the three men walked out of the bar.

MegaVault City, Gob's Saloon….

The night before they were scheduled to leave, Marcus and Sarah received a quote "urgent" message from the mayor Lucas Simms, asking to meet he couple in Gob's Saloon. When they arrived, they discovered the "urgent" situation was a surprise going away party. As soon as they walked in, it seemed that the entire town was inside, waiting to yell "surprise" when the lights were turned on. While Marcus and Sarah were cringing on the inside, they still smiled at the throngs of people. Lucas Simms was the first one to approach Marcus and shook his hands. "Sorry about the deception, but we figured it was the best way to get you two down here. Besides, the whole thing was Jericho's idea."

As if on que, the ex-raider appeared at the mayor's side, wearing a rather expensive suit and holding a glass of whiskey. "I thought it was only fitting to give our two heroes a proper send off."

Marcus smirked. "Plus it no doubt gets you in the people's good graces before the next election."

Jericho only smiled. "Well….it doesn't hurt my chances."

Lucas chuckled. "Put on all the fancy parties you want, Jericho, but it will do you no good."

Jericho snorted. "We'll see, mayor. We'll see." He downed his whiskey and turned to the guests of honor. "Help yourself at the bar; drinks are on me." He flashed them a smile and walked away.

Marcus shook his head and turned to Sarah. "Do you want anything?"

Sarah thought for a moment. "Just a beer."

"Okay." Marcus kissed her and headed for the bar, while Sarah became engaged in a conversation with Karen, Nova and Susie Mack. He'd lost track of how many people shook his hand as he approached, and once he'd made it to the bar, Marcus noticed that Jessica, aka Cherry and the late Moriarty's estranged daughter, was the bar keep for the night. "Hey, Jessica."

"Hey there." She responded with her sultry voice.

Marcus took a quick look around. "Where's Gob at?"

Jessica shrugged. "Where most bosses hang out – behind the scenes in their office. So what can I get ya?"

"Two beers, please."

Jessica reached underneath the counter and popped the caps off the bottles. "So, the New California Republic, hu? Funny, I've never even left the Capital Union, now you two are traveling three-thousand miles away. Can't imagine." She gently placed her hand on his forearm. "You take care of yourself, okay."

Just as Marcus thanked her, he felt a hand slap down on his right shoulder. "Hey man, you're not hit'in on my girl, are ya?"

Marcus gave the man a sideways look. "Hello, Butch. Were you in on this with Jericho?"

Butch, former resident of Vault 101 and Jericho's right hand, flashed his usual cocky smile. "Please, after all the parades, and radio shows, and landmarks named after you, I was just gonna let you ride off into the sunset." He turned to Jessica. "Hey babe, can you send us another round over at our table?"

Instead of drinks, Jessica gave him a dirty look. "Get it yourself, big shot."

Butch busted out laughing. "That's why I love you honey. Come here." He leaned over the bar, kissed Jessica on the lips, and headed back to his table. Marcus looked over at Jessica. "So how long have you and Butch been…."

"I fucked him a few times when he first joined up – mostly to piss off my father. But after a while...I don't know I guess I found him….charming."

Marcus busted out laughing. "Butch? Charming?"

Jessica threw her dishrag at him. "You keep making fun of me and I'm going to start charging you for drinks." She flashed him a grin, and walked down to the other end of bar to wait on another customer.

Marcus was about to turn around, when anther hand slapped down on his left shoulder. "Hey there, kid."

Marcus bit his lower lip in annoyance. 'These beers are gonna be warm before I take them to Sarah.' "Jericho. Thank you, for doing this."

The ex-raider smiled and ordered up another drink. "Well, all kidding aside….you deserved it." He leaned in closer. "Level with me kid. Why the hell are you heading out there?"

Marcus snorted. "I didn't know you cared."

Jericho turned and leaned against the bar. "Well listen, you wacked Moriarty and put me in charge of his organization. Then you beat back those Pitt bastards and made sure the Brotherhood kept their end of the deal for the Purifier, and now I'm one of the richest guys in the Capital. You keep this up, and someday I might actually start to like you." After downing his whiskey, the ex-raider again leaned in closer. "But seriously, kid, l've heard through my usual sources what's going on, so let me give you some free advice….although I know you're probably too goody-two-shoes to take it. When you're not sure which side to take in a war….you pick the side that's gonna win."

With that, Jericho walked away, leaving Marcus to ponder what he had just said. It was true that the more he thought about the task at hand, the more doubts would find their way to the surface. He had pledged his loyalty to the Brotherhood, and in that he was unwavering….but what if the Western Brotherhood was to blame for the war. What if they had gone the route of the Outcasts, and only cared about hording technology and the hell with everyone else. What if the NCR was just acting out of self-defense….

"Hey!" Came a familiar voice from behind him. "I'm going to die of thirst waiting for you!"

Marcus turned around. "Oh…um, sorry. Here you go." He handed the drink to Sarah, who cocked her head to the side as she studied him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He quickly answered before taking a long swig from his beer. "What do you say we mingle for a while before sneaking out of here?"

Sarah chuckled. "You read my mind."

The next morning, Marcus was standing in the middle of their bedroom wearing his Ranger armor and Regulator duster. It had been over two years since he'd donned the armor, but it still fit him as if he had been wearing it just yesterday. He placed his desert eagle in his holster, and strapped his sawed-off shotgun "Lucy" to his right thigh. It took a moment for his body to get acclimated to the weight, and he looked at himself in the mirror. "Here we go again." He said with strain in his voice.

There was a knock on the door, and Sarah (who was wearing a set of upgraded green US army combat armor) stepped inside with Max and Marie in tow. "Are you ready?"

The look on their children's faces knocked the breath out of him. Max was too young to comprehend exactly what was going on, but Marie looked to be on the brink of tears. This was the moment both he and Sarah dreaded the most. "Ready."

The family made their way into the living room where Clover, Charon, Fawkes, RL-3, Dogmeat, and Wadsworth were waiting for them. The servant robot was the first to approach. "Sir. Mum. I have finished packing your things, and the rest of your gear was picked up by the Brotherhood, and will be waiting for you at the Citadel."

"Thank you, Wadsworth." Sarah said. "Just make sure the kids don't make too much of a mess."

"Don't worry about that, Mum. It will be as if you never left."

Charon clasped Marcus' hand, and the two friends embraced. "Looking good, brother. Glad to see your armor still fits."

Marcus gave him a sideways look. "Are you saying I'm getting fat?"

Charon shrugged. "No….just a little soft around the edges."

"Hey, I maybe out of practice, but I'll still take your ass."

The ghoul chuckled. "You're on." Charon's mood suddenly took on a more somber tone. "I just wish I was going with you to watch your back."

Marcus nodded. "I know. Don't worry, we're just there to assess the situation, that's all."

Charon wasn't buying it. "Right. I've heard that before."

Sarah handed Max over to Clover. "What are you saying, Charon, that we cause trouble?"

"Let's just say when you two show up, the local mortality rate goes through the roof." Charon gave her a hug. "You two look out for each other, okay."

"We will." Sarah said.

Fawkes was next to approach the family, and he presented his giant hand to Marcus. "My friend, I too wish I could accompany you on your journey, but my duties as the Meta-human representative cannot permit me."

Marcus accepted his hand. "Don't worry about it Fawkes. What you're doing here is just as important it. We need you on the Council."

"Yes," Fawkes agreed, "it is ironic that I am usually the voice of reason in that esteemed body."

Marcus took a deep breath and approached Clover, who was holding onto his son Max. "Thank you for doing this, Clover."

Clover shifted so that Max was resting on her right hip. "Oh, it's no problem. I left Caleb in charge of things at the Temple of the Union, so I'll be able to stay here and look after these little monsters."

"And I'll be stopping in from time to time to check up on them." Charon said.

"As will I." Fawkes added.

Marcus turned to his son, and did his best to present a smile. "You here that, buddy? You get to hang out with mommy, uncle Charon and Uncle Fawkes."

The boy stared back at his father. "Where you go?"

"Well," Marcus began, "your aunt Sarah and I have to help some of our friends who are in trouble, but we won't be gone for long."

"I go."

Even though he laughed, Marcus felt like a dagger was in his heart. "I'm sorry buddy, but you can't. But we'll be back real soon, okay?"

Max stared at his father for a brief moment, before finally nodding his head. "Okay."

Fighting back his tears, Marcus took his son into his arms and hugged him tight." You a….you be good for mommy, okay?"

"Okay."

Marcus kissed his son on the forehead, and then handed him to Sarah, who also embraced Max and kissed his cheek. "Goodbye, sweetie." After handing the child back to Clover, she looked down at her adoptive daughter Marie, who was standing just behind Clover's leg, twirling her black hair and staring at the ground. Sarah kneeled down, and was eye level with the child. "Marie, honey….your father and I have to go."

The child made a sound that was a cross between and groan and whimper. "I don't want you to go."

Sarah's voice nearly failed her. "I'm sorry, but we have too."

Another whimper, and this time the child tried to pull away, but Sarah held onto her. "Marie, honey, I promise you we'll be back soon. Okay? But I need you to be strong and look after your little brother. Can you do that for me?"

With tears streaming down her cheeks, the young child reluctantly nodded her head. Sarah, who could no longer hold back her own tears, threw her arms around her. "That's my brave girl." She held onto her tight, and had to force herself to let go. Marcus reached down and scooped Marie up, and hugged her tight. "We'll be back soon, baby girl. I promise."

The young girl could only cry into this shoulder. Marcus swallowed the lump in his throat as he reluctantly put her back down. He quickly composed himself, and made his way over to RL-3. "Sergeant. I want you to protect them while we're gone, you understand me?"

"Sir, yes sir! I swear to you that no commie bastard will lay a finger on your children. Good luck with you mission, sir. Hoorah!"

After thanking the robot, Marcus kneeled down in front of his loyal companion, Dogmeat. "Are you ready to go, boy?"

The Australian Cattle Dog barked and waged his tail.

"Oh, I see how it is!" Charon grumbled. "You leave me here, but take the mutt with you."

Dogmeat responded with a low growl.

Marcus let out a chuckle. "Well one he's not a Ranger with responsibilities, and two….I feel better knowing you're here to help keep an eye on them."

Charon let out sigh. "Alright."

Marcus and Sarah gave each other a wary look. It was time, and they both knew it. Marcus looked over at his children….and then ran to them and embraced them again….silently praying that it would not be for the last time.

Vertibird VB-37, four hours and twenty-five minutes after leaving the Citadel….

The flight from the Capital Union and the Mojave was estimated to be roughly six hours, provided there was good weather. In addition to the two Lancer Corp pilots, the Vertibird was carrying Marcus, Sarah, Dogmeat and Lenny, who had agreed to accompany them to New Vegas. As they sat in the back of the noisy aircraft, the three companions were looking over the old world map of the Mojave on Marcus' PIPBOY, and Lenny was pointing out current land marks and settlements. "New Vegas is here, in the heart of what was once Las Vegas, Nevada. It's surrounded by a wall guarded twenty-four seven by Securitrons, and the thugs from the three Families. Outside the city is a ghetto called Freeside. It's infested with gangs, drugs, prostitutes….you name it." He zoomed in on a particular spot inside Freeside. "This is an old Mormon Fort that's being used by the Followers of the Apocalypse. They're trying to help all those poor bastards but, it's a lost cause."

Sarah leaned in closer. "Are there any Brotherhood outposts in the area that you know about?"

Lenny shook his head. "I'm sorry but the only one I know about is an old abandoned bunker, here, just east of New Vegas. It's not much of a lead but, I would start there."

Sarah's shoulder's seemed to sag at the news. She was hoping for a location of actual survivors….but it would have to do for now. "What about NCR facilities in the area?"

"Well aside from Hoover dam, their biggest is Camp Maccarran, which is right here next to New Vegas. They have a correctional facility down here, the Mojave Outpost here, and several small camps scattered all along the Colorado River."

As Lenny was speaking Moira was updating the map, and Marcus watched as the names of the landmarks began to change. "What other settlements are nearby?"

"Well you've got Goodsprings, Primm, Novac, Nipton – though I wouldn't go there, people there tend to be assholes." He pointed to an area at the top left corner of the map. "There's a settlement here called Jacobstown that you might be interested in. It's a settlement of Super Mutants, and the leader there knew your grandfather."

Marcus' eyebrow went up. "My grandfather? Maximillian?"

Lenny nodded. "That's right. He and your grandfather stormed the Poseidon Oil Rig and helped destroy the Western Enclave. It might be worth the time to go and see him."

Sarah gave him a nudge. "I guess you're not the first Lincoln to work with a Super Mutant."

Marcus laughed. "I guess not…."

They were interrupted by the sounds of an alarm wailing, and before anyone could ask what was happening, the pilot's frantic voice could be heard from the cockpit. "We're being targeted!"

Marcus felt like his heart was in his stomach. "By what?"

The Lancer Pilots frantically looked at their controls. "Um…..it's coming from the surface! It must be an old pre-war missile battery that's still active….and it's tagged us as hostile!"

Marcus and Sarah shot each other a look of dread. "Strap in, now!" he screamed. The two lovers, who were sitting next to each other, managed to get their safety belts harnessed, while Dogmeat jumped into the seat next to Lenny, and the ghoul managed to secure the safety belt around the canine.

Then, more alarms began to wail from the cockpit. "TWO MISSILE'S INCOMING! BEARING 240!"

The pilots gunned the throttle and banked the aircraft hard right. Marcus gritted his teeth, and he quickly grabbed onto Sarah's hand for dear life. The pilot watched the radar as the first missile inched closer and closer to them. "Launch starboard countermeasures!"

The co-pilot hit the switch, and dozens of flares shot out of the right side of the Vertibird, just as the pilot yanked the aircraft to the left. The surface to air missile zeroed in on the flares and exploded harmlessly in the sky.

"Missile one down!" The co-pilot shouted. "Missile two….bearing 165 degrees!"

"Launch portside countermeasures!"

The two pilots repeated the action, shooting flares this time out the left side of the aircraft, and banking hard to the right. Just as before, the missile was fooled by the flares and explodes in the sky….but it was too close to the aircraft, and shrapnel from the missile slammed into the Vertibird's fuselage. The aircraft jolted violently, and the cockpit lite up like a Christmas tree as systems began to fail. "WE'VE LOST RUDDER CONTROL! I CAN'T CONTROL HER!"

The aircraft was caught in a flat spin, and began tumbling down to earth. The G-forces were so intense that everyone was pinned to their seats. The pilot's desperately strained against the controls, but it was no use. "WE'RE GOING DOWN!"

Marcus and Sarah, still clutching each other's hands, stared into each other's eyes. There was so much that they wanted to say to each other in that moment, but they found it impossible to form the words. They held each other's gaze as the Vertibird plunged into the earth….and the darkness claimed them.