Sweating profusely, Nate came to a stop on the elliptical he was using as he reached the end of his daily two mile run at the gym , finishing the cardio portion of his strict workout regimen- It was late morning by then, and nearly a month had passed since he had woken from his death defying surgery, only to discover that everything he had lived for was gone.

'No, Not gone.' He reminded himself optimistically, lungs burning as he struggled to recover his spent breath. 'Just broken- and what's broken can always be fixed...'

Obviously, he would never be able to get back the time he had lost with Shaun, but he could use the time they had left to make up for it- And once his rehabilitation was officially complete and he was able to return to the surface to rescue Audrey, they could start over, and make things right again...

Gliding toward the nearest drinking fountain on endorphin pumped legs, Nate felt his anxiety rise as he pictured his wife as he had known her, before the bombs, and his chest tightened reactively. During the time he had spent recovering within the relative safety of the Institute, Audrey had been outside, he knew- forced to face the unknown dangers of the new world alone, believing he was dead. Every day, he had been wracked with guilt and fear, imagining all the horrible things that could have befallen her while he was stuck underground, struggling to regain the strength he had lost while in stasis...How many sleepless nights had he spent starring up at the ceiling, praying that he would find her before something terrible could happen? How many nightmares had he conjured, imagining all the different, horrible things that could be happening to her without someone there to protect her?

'Too many.'

It had been only a week into his recovery when Nate discovered the Directorates opposition toward allowing his wife admittance to the institute, and in response, he had boldly insisted that if she wasn't welcome, then he shouldn't be either. The thought of her wandering, hungry, and defenseless through radioactive ruins made him physically ill, and had he been strong enough to walk without falling, he would have returned to the surface to find her right then- assuming Shaun would have allowed it, anyway... Much to Nates dismay, his son proved to have no qualms about using his authority as Director to detain him for his own good. At his direction, he was kept under close watch for the remainder of his time in the med bay, and several armed guardsman had been posted at either entry to stop him should he try to run, making him feel more prisoner than guest at times- Even now, a single guardsman remained with him at all times, making sure he didn't make a break for the exit when no one was looking...Not that he knew where it was anyway.

Thirst quenched, Nate exited the gym, shadowed by his ever-present chaperone, X6-88, as he headed for his routine checkup with Dr. Volkert- At the end of week two, The dutiful Doctor had decided Nate no longer needed to remain in his intensive care unit inside the sick bay, and he was instead relocated to his own spacious apartment in the hive like residential compartments built above the main concourse, where three levels of housing looked down on the common grounds below, illuminated by a set of powerful UV lights that shined from the top of the high, domed ceiling like an artificial sun. The first time Nate had beheld the immense hub of commerce, he had marveled at the craftmanship, appreciating the ingenuity and care that the scientists and builders had put into constructing what was essentially an artificial subterranean ecosystem built in and around the heart of the facility- After a month underground though, its wonder had all but worn off, and Nate would have given his left leg to see the sky again...

"Great set today, sir- I trust you enjoyed todays routine?" His ebon skinned guardsman inquired politely in his usual smooth monotone, appearing completely indifferent despite the inquiry as he fell into step behind his charge- Once his father had been settled, Shaun had gone out of his way to arrange a full rehabilitation regimen for him, making sure to keep the displaced soldier busy between frequent checkups so that he wouldn't become restless. From that point on, Nate had attacked each exercise with single minded determination, pushing himself to his limits every day until there was little room for improvement, earning the respect of his ever-present guardsman.

"It went well enough- Maybe one of these days you'll join me? I could use some healthy competition..." He suggested playfully, looking back to gauge the other man's reaction as they continued down the hall.

"As invigorating as the offer sounds, I'm afraid it wouldn't be appropriate- I am to remain vigilant at all times, and resist anything that may be deemed a distraction- This includes engaging in any and all recreational activities, including but not limited to friendly competition, and unscheduled exercise."

"Oh, come on, live a little! What's the worst that could happen?" Nate inquired loudly, exasperated by the other man's unwavering dedication to his duties- It wasn't like he was gonna make a break for it in the middle of a weight set, leaving his appointed chaperone pinned beneath a bar bell while he B lined for the exit, wherever it might be...

"Is that a rhetorical question, or a literal inquiry? I assure you; the possibilities are limitless."

Nate rolled his eyes at the predictable response, shooting X-6 a dry look over his shoulder.

"Sorry- Forget I asked. Sometimes you seem so life like, I forget you're not a real boy." He quipped sarcastically, only half joking- Since waking, the concept of the generation 3 synths had been the most difficult of Shaun's achievements to wrap his mind around. They were everywhere, making up the bulk of the institutes work force, taking on menial tasks doing everything from plumbing, and cleaning, all the way to general maintenance. To Nates untrained eye, they appeared no different than any other flesh and blood being inside the compound, though Shaun and Dr. Volkert were quick to reinforce the distinction between the artificially assembled humanoids, and natural, organic beings, reminding him often that they were but a mere imitation of true sentience.

"Sergeant Stryder- Good to see you. How was your workout this morning? I trust you exceeded expectations?" The Doctor greeted him professionally as they entered the med bay, only briefly glancing up to acknowledge their arrival as he prepared to administer an innocuous looking vaccine into the arm of the short, nervous looking female synth sitting obediently on one of the examination beds.

"As always. " Came Nates easy, confident response- Politely, he waited for the doctor to conclude his business with the synth, watching with thinly vailed disapproval as he sterilized the intended injection site.

"No visible reaction to the k-14 compound- we'll start the next trial then...The dosage will be much larger this time, and the side effects will likely be more pronounced." He informed her listlessly, voice devoid of any hint of concern for her well-being.

"Will there be any pain?" She asked, not quite managing to mask the apprehension she felt while watching him prepare the syringe.

"I honestly don't know. I suppose it's your job to find out- now, hold still..." Nate felt his stomach quiver as he watched Volkert slip the needle into the soft skin of her forearm, plunging the experimental substance into her blood stream. "There. all done. You may return to your duties- and remember to record every symptom you experience in detail."

lower lip quivering slightly, the Synth swallowed hard, rubbing the injection site tenderly with her thumb as she rose from her seat.

"I hope ill prove a useful test subject for you Doctor." She told him subserviently, not waiting for a reply before moving toward the exit. Seeming not to hear her, the Doctor discarded the used syringe in the trash bin, before turning his attention to Nate.

Wordlessly, he crossed the small space to step onto the standing scale, allowing the doctor to record his weight and check his blood pressure- In the first weeks of his rehabilitation, his implants had needed frequent calibration to ensure that his pain inhibitor wasn't overactive. Now that everything was appropriately tuned though, his visits tended to be short, and routine- He was hoping this one would be no different.

"Any changes since your last visit? No headaches or Dizziness? Shortness of breath?" The Doctor asked, reciting a list of possible symptoms he had been told to look out for that may indicate a malfunction in his cybernetics- as always, Nate shook his head in answer. "Good- I'd say it's safe to say now that you've made a full recovery. Father will be pleased with this week's progress report..."

"Thats great- I should be able to leave anytime now then, right?" He inquired enthusiastically, unable to contain the excitement he felt at the prospect of returning to the surface. Appearing startled by the notion of his abrupt departure, Volkert was quick to deny any authority on the matter.

"Unfortunately, its not my place to decide such matters- that would be up to the directorate, and you know how busy things have been as of late..."

"Busy or not, every day i spend doing laps in the gym is another day my wife spends alone in the wasteland... We done here?" He inquired impatiently, eager to leave the claustrophobic infirmary behind so that he might make his way up to his sons apartments at the top of the residential stack.

Rendered momentarily speechless by the unexpected malice in his patient's tone, Dr. Volkert managed a curt nod, hesitantly excusing him from their final appointment. With an air of determination, Nate promptly turned on his heel, exiting the medical bay and marching purposefully in the direction of the spiral stairwell, feeling the doctors gaze boring into his back as he went...

"Are you sure it is wise to interrupt the director without an appointment?" X-6 asked cautiously, following him up the steps as they began the three-story ascent- As they climbed, institute residents gave them a wide birth, shooting furtive, condescending, and sometimes almost hostile glances in their direction as they passed... In the days following his release from intensive care, Nate had thought it was X-6 eliciting the discouraging responses from the people there, but it soon became apparent as time passed that he too, seemed to be causing their unease...

'Strange.' He thought absently, before pushing the concern from his mind. Aside from Shaun, X-6, and the doctor, he hadn't really spoken to anyone- Hell, aside from his daily visits to the gym, he barely left his quarters. Surely, he had given no one cause to dislike him...Yet.

"Since when does a man need an appointment to visit his own son?" He answered the Synths question ruefully, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of the idea. Unconvinced, X-6 remained silent, fighting the urge to heave a sigh of his own as he followed Nate up the stairwell.

. . .

. . .

Feeling thoughtful, Shaun Stryder sat dutifully at the terminal that occupied his tidy, organized office space, taking a moment to collect his thoughts before hitting the record button on his daily log. As he began his latest entry, he allowed his gaze to wander absent mindedly around his quarters, toward the newly placed hospital bed that now dominated the central living space. Two black leather armchairs had been placed in front of it, positioned near the foot, and head of the bed- Not his favorite furniture arrangement, but a practical one, all things considered...

Mind heavy with the weight of his thoughts, he began to speak, unloading the burden of his concerns into the secure files of his private terminal.

"My fathers rapid recovery continues to unnerve the others." he began, reaching up to idly stroke the course, silver whiskers clinging to his chin. " At first, i thought they may merely be intimidated by his confidence, and the fortitude he has demonstrated throughout his rehabilitation- or perhaps maybe even be afraid of him. he is after all a trained operative- but, as I've continued to monitor their reactions and gauge the implications of their hushed remarks, I've detected something else...Something i probably should have anticipated. Jealousy. Like Kellogg before him, Nathanial Stryder is a living memorial of a forgotten program. He is an augmented human being- a cyborg really. The benefits he has received cant be denied. That being said, the scientists here could not care less about enhanced reflexes or greater combat efficiency- No. The cause of their envy is something more practical i suspect...more primal. Surely, the real source of their jealousy lies within his enhanced life expectancy. Just how long will he live if he passes naturally? its hard to say. his complete physiology has been altered- Kellogg himself managed to make it passed one hundred years old before his termination. Perhaps my father will see one hundred and fifty, or even two hundred someday...Either way, let the petty have their petty jealousies- Hes a living testament to the Enginuity of the institute, and i derive great satisfaction in knowing my legacy will live on through him..."

Pausing, Shaun heaved a tired sigh before continuing, noting the peculiar feeling of impatience that seemed to twist his insides whenever he thought of his surface operations.

"In regard to my secondary point of interest, the wait continues- Ayo can only confirm sightings outside of vault 111, and again in diamond city sometime later. What that means, im not sure... Will we actually meet? Was this all for nothing? No...not nothing. i will have learned valuable things about myself, and my past either way. i cannot afford to let that notion get in the way- i must simply observe and record. Strangely, when i was told Kellogg had gone offline, i found myself thinking of Dr. walker. he had such high hopes for kellogg, and such faith in the implants and what they could mean- i still regret eliminating that project, but i know where it would have led us...Walker was never shy about his goals, and too many people were starting to listen. Back then, i believed i was justified in taking action against him- the institute is about preserving humanity after all, not some strange amalgamation of biology and technology...At least, that's how i felt at the time. Strange, how time changes things."

Ending his daily entry, the thoughtful director barely had time to rise from his seat before the automated alert system notified him that someone was at his door.

"Enter." He called, causing the automatic doors to open, allowing his visitor access to the room.

"...Shaun?" Nate called out to him from the open doorway, hesitating in the threshold as he waited for his son to answer. Pleasantly surprised by his fathers convenient timing, Shaun motioned for him to enter, offering him a polite smile. Behind him, the courser that had been assigned to guard him remained in the hall, taking a protective position beside the open doorway as he resumed his watch.

"Good morning father. Come, sit- There is much to discuss." He greeted, gesturing for him to take a seat in one of the leather armchairs near his vacant bedside. Patiently, he waited for Nate to obey, watching carefully as he cautiously entered the apartment to take the offered seat in the central living space while his own gaze wandered curiously about the room. "I'm pleased to understand that Dr. Volkert has just given you a clean bill of health- and as such, i feel it's only appropriate that you begin the process of acclimating to life here inside the institute and acquainting yourself with our procedures going forward...For starters, I'd like you to familiarize yourself with our standardized list of rules and regulations, to give you a better understanding of how things work here. "

Turning toward a stack of documents on his desk, Shaun grabbed a small packet of papers, neatly bound together by a staple in the top left corner before joining Nate in the center of the room and offering them up for him to inspect. Dubiously, Nate flipped through the pages, giving them a quick once over before fixing his son with a reproachful expression.

"I'm not good at taking orders." He admitted, thinking back on his days in the military, where he had been subjected to the endless rules and regulations that came with service- It was only after his retirement, in the comfort of his own home that he had been able to enjoy the freedom to do as he pleased, and unfortunately, that freedom had been short lived.

Displeased by his fathers obstinate response, Shaun's brows furrowed over fathomless brown orbs, deepening the fine lines that decorated the outer corners of his eyes.

"I'm afraid things in the institute are different from the lawlessness of the wastes above...A society cannot be maintained without order, and while you may be my father, i am father to the institute. It follows my lead, and thus, you must as well." He informed the younger man matter of factly, in a paternal tone that made Nate cringe internally. "My entire life has taken place within these walls- i have studied, i have trained, and i have devoted my life to this institution. time and time again i have proven that my primary goal is its success, and i have sacrificed a great deal along the way. While you are here, I'm afraid you will have to learn to make some sacrifices as well."

"...Alright. I understand." The younger man amended after a moment of tense silence, feeling oddly chagrinned- There was something deeply disheartening about being talked down to by his own son, even if he did appear more advanced in age. He wasn't sure he could ever get used to it...

"Wonderful." Shaun exclaimed then, re fixing his features with a tight-lipped smile that didn't quite touch his eyes. " I trust that you've found your new living accommodations to your liking?"

"Uh, yeah...Its nice, but kind of big for just one person don't you think? Besides- Now that im physically able, i was hoping to be able to leave soon. Your mother..."

At the mention of his mother, Shaun's expression hardened, and he quickly interrupted his father before he could get ahead of himself.

"...Has done a remarkable job in taking care of herself up to this point- And while you may be physically able, I don't think your quite ready to face the dangers of the surface just yet."

Taken aback by the unexpected rebuttal, Nate started in response to the disheartening news, forcing himself to swallow the string of insubordinate remarks that bubbled on his lips. Grinding his teeth, he took a few moments to regain his composure before daring to speak again.

"I...I dont understand." He forced himself to admit, at a loss for words. Shaun watched the other man carefully, studying his expression and body language with a practiced eye- He was stiff, he noted, and visibly agitated, but didn't show any obvious signs of hostility.

" ...Forgive me, i know it sounds callous, but after all the resources we've expended to ensure your survival, my colleagues and I would like to make absolutely sure that you've been properly prepared before turning you lose on the commonwealth- the cybernetic technology you possess is invaluable, you see- and highly dangerous. Should you meet an unfortunate end while wandering the wastes, we run the risk of that technology falling into the wrong hands- and the consequences of that could be...catastrophic."

In denial, Nate shook his head, feeling almost dazed as a tight knot of apprehension formed in the pit of his stomach. The thought of postponing the search for his wife bordered on torture- He had already waited too long. Every day that passed was another day she remained in danger- Another day she got by without him, and another day she moved closer to forgetting him...How long would it be before she forgot their life together completely, and decided to move on with her life?

"What sort of preparations would i need to make before you decide im ready?" He inquired coldly, unable to completely mask the anger he felt at being held against his will.

Eyes softening, Shaun regarded his father sympathetically, regretting the necessity of denying him permission to leave- In truth, it gave him no pleasure to disappoint him this way, but it was a necessary sacrifice- The directorate had agreed upon Audreys release that there would be no interference with events following her exit from the vault- and Shaun had already tampered with the experiment enough by placing Kellogg, and the child synth prototype in diamond city as bait to keep her moving in the right direction.

"...first, we would need to be convinced without a doubt of your unwavering loyalty regarding the secrets and operations surrounding the institute." He lied, careful to keep his expression in check as he looked his father in the eye. "Youve only recently awakened, and during your time in recovery, you've chosen to isolate yourself from the rest of the compound. As the director, it is my duty to err on the side of caution- but, as your son...I would tentatively advise you to give us the chance to get to know you. Make friends- form connections. When the time comes and you've proven yourself trustworthy, as well as capable...Perhaps then the directorate will see fit to allow you to leave the institute."

Devastated by the prospect of possibly waiting months for them to allow him to leave, Nate leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands as he gave in to despair. A few moments of tense silence ensued between the pair before Shaun took a chance, leaning forward and reaching out to place a comforting hand on the grieving man's shoulder.

"I know this is difficult for you- that you fear for the safety of your wife. It is not my desire to keep you from each other, but for now, you're going to have to learn how to live without her." He told the younger man solemnly, voice heavy with regret. " In the meantime, the institute is your home now, as well as mine. Please, take some time to get to know it, and meet the people you'll be living and working with. When you're ready, you'll want to introduce yourself to the division heads as soon as possible. Dr. Fillmore is in facilities, Dr. Ayo leads the SRB, Dr. Holdron runs bioscience, and finally, Dr. lee oversees projects in advanced systems...They've all been notified of your recovery of corse, and are expecting you. introduce yourself to them, and well discuss what comes next afterward."

Heavy hearted, Nate rose from his spot in the armchair and took a deep breath, nodding to himself as he struggled to come to terms with the decision of the directorate, and accepting that it may be months before he was able to reunite with his wife- if he ever did at all.

"As you wish Director." He agreed at last, before turning away from his son to head for the door.

Shaun watched his father leave wordlessly, struck by the unexpected use of his official title- Since achieving his position as director of the institute, he had always taken great pride in the position. In that moment though, he was surprised to find he derived no pleasure from the word.

. . .

. . .