Chapter 1. Orders Are Orders.

Waking up, I had partly forgotten that I was in a nuclear apocalypse. Looking to my side, I half expected my husband to be there, but he wasn't. That damn bastard Kellogg killed him, when he was just trying to protect our son.

Putting my head in my hands, I felt something. My ring. I guess after being frozen for 200 years in a vault, still forgetting stuff is a valid reminder that you're still a human.

Not very good to forget something in combat, however.

"Morning, Mum!" That voice never failed to cheer me up. Even though Codsworth doesn't have an AI quite like Nick, I sometimes forget he's not human.

Smiling, I got out of bed. "Morning, Codsworth." That robot was so full of energy, it's a good thing he's solar powered, otherwise he'd be out of power in a flat second.

"Any news?" I asked, going out to the generator, making sure it still had power.

"Yes, for once, there is news!" This peaked my interest. "Miss Wirsner has just announced that she's leaving soon and Piper isn't back from Diamond City yet."

Sighing, I looked down at the picture of the "originals" as settlers stared calling us. The Minuteman, me, Codsworth, Nick and Piper. The image was taken a year prior, and yet it felt like yesterday.

Chuckling, I picked up the photo frame. "It's been a year since we started working on Sanctuary, but it feels like home now."

A while has passed and somehow I'd gathered enough strength to walk over to Sanctuary. Since we found a hotel nearby, and on decent shape, I decided to make that my house. Codsworth decided to live with me, for security reasons and knowing that I'd probably lay in bed or drink Nuka Cola all day.

Walking up to the metal gates, security raised guns at me and turrets targeted me, but they didn't fire, thank god.

Lowering their weapons while apologising to me, I forgave them and thanked them for being so good at their assigned roles.

They closed the gate after Codsworth, and I just admired our work. Children were born here. People were buying stuff from the stores, probably drinking from the bar, and I saw "The Shack" as people called it. It was basically a weaponry for any attacks. Depending on your rank in town, depends what guns you have access to.

However, there's only one thing I don't let anyone use or touch. My armour I gained from the Brotherhood Of Steel.

Next to the armour, was a radio. It was constantly tuned in on the Brotherhood's Constant Radio Channel, (or B.C.R.C for short.)

I waved bye to Codsworth as he went to go do his thing, which was probably check on everyone and water the flowers for the rest of the day.

My usual routine was simple; work on installing some new paint job or something on my armour all day, or respond to a B. C. R. C call, if one came through. They haven't called me in a few months.

I'm starting to get worried.

About half an hour passes and I get a signal through the radio, to my relief.

Static played through, I could only make our a few words. Something about an attack and the air base.

I knew what raiders were capable of. Maybe synths? No matter what, I had to respond. Getting into my power armour, I checked all the systems.

My left leg was a bit damaged, I can fix that when I've done the job.

I got in my power armour and began to run as fast as I could. Codsworth and I made eye contact and he nodded and waved me off, before going back to his routine.

After about 5 hours of nonstop running, I reached the airbase, only to find it covered in blood and mutilated corpses.

"Soldier!" I heard a voice from behind me and to my surprise, it was Elder Maxxon. He was clutching his arm. "We have to go!"

I retaliate, trying to calm him down and at the same time, keep an eye out. "What from? Raiders? Synths?"

He shook his head. "These weird bug things! They kept me holed up down the street and turned into me!"

I was skeptical, as I had the right to be. I aimed a machete against his neck and shone my flashlight directly in his eyes. "How do I know you're not one of these bug things? Me and Elder Maxxon took on the institute and we never stood down."

He grinned. "Damn, and here I was thinking you would play along with my friend's little story..."

I scowled at him. "WHERE IS ELDER MAXXON?"

The thing turned back into what he was talking about. I heard laughed and.. hoofsteps, from behind me.

I ready my rifle, and instead of fighting them, I feel pushed from behind. That's what happened. They pushed me, but as I got up, I see why.

There before me stood a doorway. It looked to be of another world. One much more contaminated and full of life.

The changelings approached me from behind and laughed, their snake like tongues being visible.

"Survive and you'll find out!"

Then I felt myself being rushed by about 50 of those things. At that moment, I felt true fear. I attempted to retaliate by swinging my machete against them, but they took no damage. Eventually, I lost my gripping on the portal frame and fell in.

I landed somewhere with a crash.

"Blue?" I hear someone fall out. It can't be..

"Piper?" I call back instinctively. "Where are you?"

She turned the corner right when I said that. I don't think she was doing to well either.

"Elder Maxon is over here! He's not going to make it much longer, so you better hurry!"

I ran past her and right to my leader's side.

"Oh, knight, how glad I am to see you. Don't happen to have any stimpacks with you or anything like that?"

I shook my head. Since he was like that, it was safe to assume Piper didn't have any either. "Fresh out. Got raided a while back. They almost killed a few of our people before they made us give all our medical supplies to us."

He chuckled, giving our a cough. "Well, death calls."

I took off my helmet, revealing my nasty scar across my left eye. "You're not going. You're the toughest son of a bitch I know, and I wouldn't live with myself if you died like this."

He chuckled. "You will. Ever since you were ordered to... Eliminate Paladin Dance, I knew you would do what I say."

I nodded along.

"I used to be just like you. Brave, good looking and rebellious. I knew killing Danse was something you despised me for making you do. I'm sorry about that. But, sorry doesn't fix a man dying. I know that."

"Danse didn't even know he was a synth. He went out with the Brotherhood. Before he died, he looked me in the eyes and told me that his life was a lie, and he was better off dead. I clearly convinced him otherwise."

Maxxon smiled. "It was just be panicking about a synth. After all, you were all told they were all evil. Danse cried, laughed and smiled his way until the very end. That's what I liked about him."

Piper smiled. "Even I liked him."

I rolled my eyes and let Maxxon continue. "It's time for me to go."

I almost cried when he said that. "No! You're like family to me!" I picked him up and helped him get a footing. Only then did I realise what injuries he acquired. 2 bullets, clearly done by a pistol, to his lower chest and a slash across his arm. "You, sir, are Elder Maxxon. I'll be dammed if you die on my watch, much less to blood loss."

That's when I ran out of the forest, not even aware on why i was running on all fours.

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