"By the time you return, you're going to have a little army, Nate," Preston stated, chuckling away, "Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating slightly."
"Depending on how long I'm gone, you never know, Preston."
"So the plan is a return to Diamond City, Vault 81 then…"
"Maybe a little urban exploration and scouting, check locations of raider camps. If they look small enough to take out myself, I'll do so."
"Another Lexington?"
"That was just exhausting. Exhilarating, but exhausting."
"At least each settlement outside Sanctuary has a turret full of ammo. That with three guards should keep them safe for the time being."
"Honestly, within our borders, I think it's fair to say we're secure. But keep the scouts busy. Anything that we can use, bring it back here, then we can allocate elsewhere."
My three companions were ready to depart, and with a final goodbye, including a long hug and kiss with Jennifer before stepping into my power armour, the four of us started our trek south. I was now so used to walking along this road that it was rather boring, eventually switching on the radio inside my suit, linking it to Diamond City Radio. The host left a lot to be desired but I recognised plenty of the tunes, and my companions could hear the music, so it helped pass the time.
Approaching the outskirts of Cambridge, I had us turn left, heading towards College Square. Bodies lay strewn everywhere, noticing both raiders and ghouls. It would have been classified a disaster zone any other time. I figured it might be worth picking over another time, but there was no doubt in my mind that the raiders had controlled the entire area at one time.
"Wonder if the Brotherhood cleared it?" Haylen wondered to herself.
Cambridge Police Station was only a few minutes south of that. Escorting Haylen to the door, Rhys walked outside as we climbed the stairs. "Danse wants to speak to you," he said to me.
"About what?" I asked.
"I don't know. He just knows you're here and asked you inside."
Without another word, he walked back inside. Haylen looked at me with a somewhat sympathetic smile. "Well, I know for a fact I won't be welcome inside. Nate, why don't you head on inside, Piper and I will continue on home. We'll meet you there."
"You guys sure?"
"Think you've helped clear the road south more than once. Soon as we're across the bridge, it's a fairly safe walk home. We'll be fine."
"Okay, I'll see you two soon."
Following Haylen inside, I stepped out of my power armour in the reception area, following Haylen into what looked like a converted office. Danse was also out of his power armour, sat behind a desk. Even sat down, he was a broad man. Standing up, he offered his hand before asking me to take a seat. Haylen sat down next to me, not so subtly resting a hand on my thigh.
"What did you find?" Danse asked.
I let Haylen answer that, first explaining some of the technology that she researched in my vault, what its practical purpose was, the fact nothing about it could be repurposed for military means, and the fact the vault was abandoned and near our settlement meant it was safe. Then she discussed what we'd discovered at the other vault, going into greater detail about the experiments that had taken place. She definitely impressed Danse with her knowledge of what she'd researched.
Then he looked at me. "You kept her safe, Nate. Thank you."
"Haylen is a capable soldier in her own right. Certainly knows how to use that laser pistol. She was an asset alongside my other companions."
Her hand gently squeezed my thigh, glancing to see her smiling at me. That sort of smile I'd seen on at least a couple of women in my life. I could have easily added she'd also been an asset in the bedroom as well, but I'm fairly sure she wouldn't have liked that. Or it would have made her blush brightly and retort with something about me.
"I understand you're working with group called the Minutemen."
"Ah… I'm assuming you called me in to discuss it?"
"Yes. You are obviously aware of why the Brotherhood are in the Commonwealth. What are the ambitions of the Minutemen?"
I shuffled in my seat. "Look, I'll be honest, Danse. Trust you. Definitely trust Haylen. I'm sure you're honest and believe in why the Brotherhood is here. I'm just not sure if your objectives will meld with those of the Minutemen. Basically, our aim is to ensure the people of the Commonwealth are safe from all enemies, particularly raiders, mutants, Gunners."
"From what my sources have told me, the Minutemen had basically ceased to exist after what happened in Quincy."
"Heard about that?" He nodded. "Yes, that would be true, about what happened in Quincy. Things did go pear shaped for the organisation, but I met a small group of survivors in Concord. We've started a settlement north and have since expanded our influence, if that's what you want to call it. We will endeavour to live by some of the words from the revolution when it comes to the Minutemen. Protect the people at a minute's notice."
"Rather noble aspiration." I shrugged as I knew it wasn't always realistic, but with some of the ideas in my head and also discussed, it would at least give comfort to most people. "Would you still be interested in at least some sort of relationship with the Brotherhood?"
"I think it's fair to say that some of our ideals would match up, but my first concern is the civilians of the Commonwealth. From what you said, your first concern is finding pre-war technology. I obviously have power armour, and we endeavour to find more, as even Minutemen will require protection."
"Admittedly, I'm more worried about the technology being used by raiders, and then there is the Institute."
"I keep hearing about them and these synths, but to be honest, at the moment, I have more pressing matters to focus on."
"We don't even know where they are. The Institute, that is." He leaned back and stretched. "I can understand why you don't want to share too many details about who you're working for, but I can assure you personally that the Brotherhood won't interfere in your objectives. Wanting to restore order to the Commonwealth is something many of us in the Brotherhood would like to see, but our mission parameters are to generally not involve ourselves in civilian matters."
"Understandable. You're a purely military organisation. The Minutemen will have a small core of trained soldiers in the end, but we'll mostly be volunteers. So our aims will be different just based on that."
"Are you headed to Diamond City?"
"That's the plan. Doing some recon and scouting. Raider groups are everywhere." I thumbed behind me. "Was all that up at College Square your work?"
"Not entirely. The raiders were already dead. We figured out where all the ghouls were coming from so cleared it out. We'll eventually bring all the ghoul bodies together and burn them."
Danse had nothing else for me. He did ask Haylen what she was doing. The tone suggested she would have liked to continue travelling with me, but knew she'd have to start cataloguing all her finds, so she would remain at the police station for the time being. Danse stated she was more than welcome to depart on other fact-finding missions with me in the future.
Finding a private corner, she knew I couldn't stay there that night. If I stayed, we'd want intimacy, and that just wasn't possible with five other men around. Leaning back against a wall, she removed her hat to reveal her long red hair, gazing up at me with a slight grin before I leaned down and kissed her. Lasted quite a long time, her body eventually pressing into mine. When we finally broke apart, that smile hadn't left her face.
"Glad you weren't a ghoul," she whispered.
"Want to come travelling with me again soon?"
"I'd love to. I'll take advantage of it while Danse is in charge. He likes you." She paused before adding, "I like you more though."
"I'll probably be travelling north again soon enough, so next time I'm heading south, I'll kidnap you again for a little while."
"Long as you want, as far as I'm concerned." She leaned up to kiss me again, this one lasting even longer than the first. Only reason we broke apart was due to someone clearing their throat, glancing to see Danse in the doorway. "Sir."
"Carry on, Scribe. Are you staying here the night, Nate?"
"No, I'm off to Diamond City. Just saying farewell to Haylen."
"Okay. Good luck on your travels. I'm sure Scribe Haylen is already itching to leave again too." He chuckled before turning and walking away.
Taking her hand, we walked back towards the reception where my power armour was waiting. We shared one final embrace before I let her go, stepping into the power armour, before she walked with me outside onto the road leading south. I heard her sigh, which wasn't a surprise. "I had a lot of fun, Nate. Always felt safe, which was even better. And you're really doing something remarkable. Can't help but be impressed."
"You know, if you were to ever…" I paused and figured why not, "Haylen, there's always a place for you in Sanctuary. I'll leave it at that."
"Not sure I could ever leave the Brotherhood for how they helped me but I'd certainly love to visit Sanctuary as often as I can."
I gently took her hand, giving it a squeeze. "I'll see you soon."
It was already growing dark, so I switched on the lamp to highlight the ground. By the time I'd crossed the bridge, it was practically dark, and even I felt that the city had a sinister edge to it. The sound of gunfire erupted every so often. I didn't walk along armed, as I was confident raiders wouldn't come this close to Diamond City, but I'd heard rumours from previous visits that super mutants were starting to encroach on the borders of the city.
Thankfully my power armour was now recognised as I walked through the entrance and up the stairs. Despite visiting a few times by now, it was still a slight shock to see the once pristine green field having disappeared under a small town. Walking down the ramp, I left the armour at the station provided, popping the core out as always, heading straight to Piper's place. She opened the door, grinned, then took my hand and led me to the Dugout Inn, stating she was starving and wanted a drink.
Taking a seat at the bar on a stool each, we enjoyed a cold beer each, enjoying a savoury snack at the same time as our meat was cooked elsewhere. The radio was playing, and it sounded like the same host that I'd been listening to earlier. Vadim wasn't particularly impressed either. "The music is good, yes? The host, not so much," he exclaimed.
"Would expect a host to sound at least a little more confident," I suggested, "But the tunes remind of the pre-war times."
"With the wife?" Piper asked, definitely teasing me.
"Sometimes. Other times it was when we were at the front and the only entertainment was a radio. Certain songs would remind you of home, maybe a girl you'd left behind, or an old sweetheart. Definitely of better times while you're trying to forget the constant shelling and gunfire in the distance."
"And now you're awake and it's now here in Boston," Vadim murmured.
Returning to Piper's place, her sister was there, which meant there'd be no intimacy, but we still went to bed together, both of us happy to just cuddle under the blankets. I generally tickled her, making her giggle and squeal. Her sister eventually told us to shut up, and after a few more giggles, we kissed and went to sleep.
Waking the next morning, we dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. Piper had got her hands on some coffee, making us both a mug. Her sister wasn't interested in coffee. We ate breakfast in silence before she disappeared off to school. Heading outside, Piper walked with me to my armour. Telling me to be careful, she kissed my cheek before she turned and walked back to her office, glancing back once. I just watched her wiggle her arse before finally stepping into my armour.
The walk to Vault 81 was peaceful as anything that could have been a threat I'd eliminated before. There were a couple of traders operating outside, and the fact there were a few vault residents outside surprised me at first. Some seemed to recognise me, calling out my name as I walked by. Walking into the vault itself, one of the guards asked I head straight inside to see Gwen.
Nothing seemed untoward as I exited the elevator, stepping out of my power armour and leaving it aside, most people going about their normal lives. I must have made an impression during my first visit as most of the residents were friendly enough. The guard outside the Overseer's office noticed me and gestured with his head for me to just head inside. Gwen was behind her desk, her face lighting up slightly as I walked in. "Nate, good of you to come!"
"Sorry if I've taken too long to return."
"Not at all. We had a feeling you might have been back at Sanctuary. I'm just glad you're here now. Come, we can walk and talk." Falling in beside her, she started to explain. "You certainly were the talk of the vault after your visit. 'The Man out of Time'. To think you were alive when the bombs dropped? I have a million and one questions, but I know a lot of it would be… difficult, even painful."
"I can talk about it, Gwen. It isn't a problem."
"Maybe late, Nate. Right now, we have a problem. One of our residents… a boy… he's not well. Somehow, he discovered an area of the vault we never knew existed."
"What? How?"
"I'll let someone else explain. But after what you told us about Vault-Tec, I have a suspicion, and a bad feeling about it. Add to that, the boy… you met him before. He's only a kid. Austin."
"I remember him. He gave me a tour of the vault when I arrived."
"From what I've been told, he managed to somehow get into this secret vault and was bitten by a mole rat. But no ordinary mole rat. He's not well, Nate."
By the time she finished explaining, we'd arrived in the med-bay. Austin was a stretcher, hooked up to an IV and a couple of machines. There were pings and other noises that suggested he was still alive. The doctor who had taken some of my blood on my last visit hovered over him. Nearby were a couple of others and the situation was quickly explained. Bobby de Luca, who worked in the reactor area, told us that he found a door that had been hidden but, through sheer luck, whether good or bad, he had managed to unlock it. He'd done some brief exploring, and somehow Austin had found out about it and gone exploring himself. While he was doing that, he'd been bitten and within a couple of hours, he was bedridden and was now on the verge of death.
"No-one in the vault is equipped to deal with this issue, Nate," Gwen added, "You've dealt with some of the horrors the Commonwealth could throw at you so naturally you were the first person we thought of to head in there."
"Let me grab my weapons and I'll head in straight away."
"Just like that?" Gwen asked.
"A little boy lies near death and I have a sick feeling in my stomach your vault isn't the safe haven you think it was. So I'm going to kill two birds with one stone. Find some way to help Austin and get information I want about Vault-Tec."
"I'll show you the entrance, Nate," Bobby said.
More than one of us headed there, joined by Gwen, the doctor, Doctor Penske, who I think was related to Austin, and a few others. Checking over my assault rifle, I asked Bobby to open the door for me. It was clearly hidden, so no idea how he'd managed to find it. As he said, it was just a lucky coincidence, though unlucky for Austin. Stepping into the secret vault, I turned back. "Guard the door. No-one is to follow me. I'll either return here or the exit will be somewhere else. If I don't come back, then there is something a whole lot worse than a few mole rats." I check the time. "Give me two hours. If I'm not back by then, find some way to seal this door. Otherwise, I'll do what I can to find something that will help Austin."
"Good luck, Nate," Gwen stated, her good wishes echoed by everyone else.
I'd come prepared, making sure my combat armour was in place and comfortable, my helmet was secure, and I had plenty of ammunition. "Okay, seal the door, Bobby. I'll be back as quick as I can."
Soon as the door was closed, I switched on the light of my Pip-Boy as the light was minimal, readied my weapon and headed in. There were reminders of Vault 111. The rust and decay of two centuries. Everything suggested this area of the vault had been abandoned. Maybe the mole rats had just made their way into it and there was nothing nefarious about it?
The further I delved, the more reminders there were about my own vault. And then I ran into mole rats. I'd shot a few before. They were usually aggressive but these mole rats were something else. They did not hesitate and used pack tactics, causing me to back off constantly, though I never fired wildly, each bullet finding its mark, but these mole rats were something else. Tough little bastards.
A few also seemed to glow green, left wondering what was up with those. They had either burrowed down from the surface or they were part of whatever experiments were taking place. Apart from dealing with a few mole rats, the vault was silent, no sign of life, at least human life. There were signs the vault was meant to have been lived in, and this time, I did receive answers as I started to find terminals that were still working.
Vault-Tec had been… depraved. I think just saying they were downright evil would be perfect. I'm not even sure that's the right word. But the apparent safety of Vault 81 was a lie. They were meant to be human guinea pigs, just like Vault 75 and 111. But, for some reason, nothing happened. As far as they were concerned, the vault had always been safe and sound. The terminals suggested the residents were being observed and that the windows were one-way only, those on this side could see in, but the residents couldn't see the other way.
I found a terminal and observation window by most of the major rooms looking into the vault, particularly the Overseer, the doctor's office, the hydroponics lab, and it was clear there were reasons why. I found a research terminal a little later and, sitting down to read its contents, I was a little surprised by what I discovered.
I couldn't figure it all out, but the first Overseer was a Doctor Olivette. Military or civilian, I couldn't be sure. The side of the vault I was on only had three scientists. From the messages I found, it seemed that the bombs landed and the vault sealed before the full complement could arrive. The scientists were meant to be conducting experiments but, from what I could ascertain, Olivette had a change of heart and had tampered with the delivery mechanisms. The scientists were going to release god knows only what into the vault and Olivette made sure it didn't happen.
"Gwen did mention the terminal she was using was new. I wonder where the old terminal is?" I muttered to myself. "Find that and I reckon were learn even more."
I dealt with a few more mole rats, including one big fucker which I think was some sort of mother or queen, if that's how the hierarchy of the mole rat family worked. But once she was dead, the rest of the mole rats either dispersed or I'd simply killed them all. Either way, I was left alone after that.
There were plenty of terminals with even more information and it ended up just being disheartening, much like how I felt about Vault 75. There's only so much evil you can read about until you simply have to shake your head and walk away. Everyone involved was no doubt long dead and I could only be thankful that the residents of Vault 81 had managed to survive and believe the lie that they were safe and sound.
Approaching what seemed to be a shrine, that certainly brought me to a halt. Three lockers and a quick check of one showed me it was full of bones. "Hmm… I wonder…"
Walking onwards for a few minutes, I found myself staring through a window into what looked like a lab, long abandoned. The surprise, though, was the robot behind the window who appeared as surprised by my appearance as I was surprised to see it. "Are you Vault-Tec security? I've waited so patiently for you to arrive."
Okay, the robot had a French accent. Why did a robot have an accent? I looked myself up and down. Still dressed in green, I definitely didn't look like security. So I deflected. "Who are you?" I wondered.
"I am Contagions Vulnerability Robotic Infirmary Engineer, or CVRIE. The human scientists called me Curie. Or more properly, they called me this when they were alive. I repeat, are you Vault-Tec security?"
Though I'd found plenty of information about what the scientists were doing in the secret vault, I'd found nothing to help young Austin so far. I guess this Curie could help me. "These mole rats have carried a disease. Do you know anything about it?"
"My poor little darlings. They were used to grow all manner of new and interesting pathogens. Then vault citizens would be exposed to these viruses in the hopes that they would develop new antibodies. But they never got a chance to execute their plans."
I know my jaw gaped at the brutal truth. Vault 81 was categorically another horrific experiment perpetrated by Vault-Tec. The only difference? The Overseer of Vault 81 had prevented the experiment from happening. Curie had kept talking, talking about what I think was a mole rat that escaped and may have even attacked the scientists. It would explain the infestation as I must have killed plenty of the little bastards.
"Can you open the door, Curie?" I asked. I certainly didn't blame the robot for anything that may or may not have happened. It was simply doing what it was programmed to do, much like Codsworth spent two years keeping clean a house blown apart by a nuclear blast.
"I am pleased to report I completed my primary duties eighty-three years ago. Thousands of pathogens were grown in the mole rat hosts. Then a single broad spectrum cure was developed to treat them all. Very satisfying work for many decades." Then the tone changed, and I think it was almost pleading with me. "Please tell me you are authorised to release me from the lab."
I shrugged. "Sure, why not? I'm authorised."
Well, that satisfied Curie as the door was opened and she… Guess it was the voice. Anyway, the door opened and I wandered in. The first thing Curie did was lead me to a nearby fridge in which there was one vial of the cure. And she told me there were no other doses. "Would it be possible to synthesise otherwise?" I wondered aloud, then figured the technology likely no longer existed. Anyway, it was what I needed to help Austin.
I looked around the abandoned lab and it did look like Curie had simply been hovering about for eighty-three years. Nothing looked like it worked any longer. There was a terminal nearby and she said nothing when I had a look. There wasn't too much information and that I did find wasn't interesting. I still reckoned on finding the old Overseer's terminal.
"What will you do now, Curie?" I asked.
"As my work here is now complete, I will follow you out."
Finding the exit from the secret vault wasn't too difficult. The exit was actually by the vault entrance, more than one guard turning to look at me in surprise at my appearance, and definitely had questions about the battered old robot next to me. "Long story. I need to get this vial to Austin," I explained.
Word passed quickly, as by the time I arrived at the med-bay, there was a small crowd waiting for me. I handed the vial over to the doctor immediately and he was able to inject its contents into Austin. It worked quickly, the young boy waking up in a matter of ten minutes or so, a little disoriented after everything but he seemed completely healthy. While chastised for having gone into the secret vault, I think everyone was simply relieved he was alive.
As for myself, I had my hand shaken by nearly everyone in the vault. Once the crowd dispersed, Gwen asked I follow her. Led to the residence wing, she opened a room and gestured around. "This is yours, Nate."
"What?"
"This room has been empty for years now. It was the home of someone who chose to leave the vault. After what you've just done for us, I want you to have it. Somewhere safe and warm to call home."
"I'm not sure you'll think that after what I have to tell you, Gwen."
It was definitely my tone. "Follow me then. And… what about your robot?"
"Oh, Curie?" I turned towards the robot. "Curie, just wait in this room until I'm back."
"Of course."
Following Gwen to her quarters, she knew it was probably news that would take a drink, sitting by her side on the lounge as she poured us a glass each, lighting a cigarette and taking a couple of puffs before I began to explain what I'd found. The longer I talked, the look on her face was one of absolute horror, but also perhaps realisation that the safety they'd all experienced was an illusion. If it had not been the actions of one person, it was possible the entire vault could have been wiped out thanks to one of the experiments taking place within the secret vault.
It also set her mind, as she asked me to wait as she rose to her feet and strode out of her office. I sat there for at least twenty minutes before she returned with a guard in tow, who was carrying a terminal. Plonking it down on the desk, it was powered up but Gwen groaned when it was found to be password protected. She glanced my way. "Don't worry, there's always someone around to crack into these things."
A couple of minutes later, a resident appeared and the terminal was quickly hacked. Asked for privacy, Gwen made sure the door was locked before we sat together behind the monitor and read the details. It suggested the first Overseer, Olivette, was a medical professional, either a doctor or perhaps a professor. But it was the 'prime directive' that told us what the original purpose of the vault was.
The mission of Vault 81 is to research infectious disease s and antibodies, with particular attention paid to potential mutations in a climate of heavy radiation.
Clinical trials are a vital part of Vault 81's mission. Trials will be performed in three stages. Stage I trials are to be conducted in petri dish cultures. Stage II trials are to be performed on a colony of heterocephalus glaber specimens, furnished by Vault-Tec. Stage III trials may be performed on the residential population of Vault 81.
Gwen could only sit back, her hand shaking as she tried to light another cigarette. I took the lighter from her and lit it as she smoked the entire thing within what seemed like a few seconds. "My god," she finally muttered.
But then we read Olivette's private diary, and all I could think was 'Thank god'. From the outset, he sabotaged Vault-Tec's efforts in regards to their experiment. He ensured very few scientists actually arrived in the secret vault. He made sure the nozzles that would have spread infections didn't work. He cut off communication with the secret vault. But, most importantly, he ensured the people of Vault 81 lived out their lives in peace.
"I never met the man or woman but it seems they simply didn't have the stomach to carry out whatever Vault-Tec had planned for us," Gwen stated.
"From what Curie told me, the robot that followed me out, and also from the terminals I read in the secret vault, they would have released numerous pathogens that could have left everyone sick, or if they got it wrong, could have simply wiped out the vault."
"But the truth is this vault was an illusion. We would have been a petri dish experiment." She glanced at me. "Is this what you wanted to find out?"
"Honestly, yes, that the truth about Vault-Tec is that they never had our safety and security in mind, that every vault was an experiment to do whatever they wanted. But to break the illusion you all had about this vault? No. Part of me hoped you may have been the only vault around here that was what it was originally designed to do."
"Were they always like this? Was this always the intention of these vaults?"
I shrugged helplessly. "I really don't know. Maybe when they first started building them, they were simply meant to be safe places for people to escape an atomic attack. What I don't get is that they always talked about an 'All-Clear'. Did they really think they'd survive? There was never going to be an All-Clear. Once the bombs were launched, that was it. Life was over for nearly everyone."
She grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze as she leaned over to kiss my cheek. "Thank you, Nate."
"For what?"
"For finding the truth. I'm… not sure how much I should tell them though."
"Want my honest opinion?" She nodded. "Seal off the secret vault then tell them about the vault but nothing more. Let them have their illusion. The vault is safe. It's always been safe, always will be safe. They don't need to know the ugly truth. Anyone responsible is long dead. Telling them what I found won't change anything."
She sighed. "Knowing all of this…"
"Thank your predecessor, Gwen. At least you can retain your position, knowing the very first Overseer ensured the safety of everyone inside this vault. And that's what you've been doing since you took on the role yourself. It's obvious you care about them."
"I do…" She paused before looking at me. "Stay with me tonight."
"Huh?"
She still held my hand, giving it another squeeze. "Stay with me tonight." I raised my eyebrows though couldn't help grin at the suggestion. "If you're wondering, I am single, Nate. And I'd like your company."
"Made an impression, have I?"
"In more ways than one."
I took a chance, leaning over to kiss her. She was expecting it, of course. I had liked her immediately the first time I'd walked into the vault, so perhaps this wasn't a surprise to either of us. The kiss grew hot and heavy as it was obvious we desired each other… until she broke apart, resting her hands on my chest, forehead against mine. "I'll admit I like you already, Nate, but if you stay… I don't want to leap straight into…"
"That's okay."
"Part of me really does want to. It's… been a long time." She met my eyes. "I'll probably give in really easy."
"I won't complain if you do."
That made the smile broaden. "So you'll stay?"
"Of course."
We enjoyed dinner together, a simple meal but it was filling and tasty, and enjoyed another couple of drinks, sitting back on her lounge as we smoked a couple of cigarettes. I mostly told her about life before the war, a favourite topic of mine. I realised quite quickly after waking up and speaking to people that the idealised version of the world before the bombs didn't quite match what I lived through. She admitted life in the vault could appear dull, but due to its age, everyone was constantly busy keeping it as maintained as possible. It was the reason why the door was eventually opened, as the vault simply needed things it no longer had.
Talking eventually led to a lot of making out and the exploring of hands on bodies. She had one hell of a figure on her, and when we slowly made our way to the bedroom, any idea of either of us holding back ended once her vault suit came off and I got a good look at her body. My eyes must have lit up as her hand slid down to my crotch, which made her grin. "I'll take that as a sign you approve, Nate."
"Fuck yes."
We ended up naked on her bed, mouths never apart, hands all over each other, and I simply had to show my appreciation with mouth, tongue and fingers. I teased her a bit before I got down to what I really wanted, Gwen spreading her legs nice and wide as I lowered my mouth to taste her. Once I tasted her, the best way of putting it is that I went to town on her. Thankfully, her room must have been sound proofed or something, as she made quite a bit of noise. I loved that sort of reaction, and when I made her cum the first time, I think they would have sent guards inside if they thought something else was going on.
One thing I learned is that Gwen knew what she liked and what she wanted, as I ended up pushed onto my back, Gwen lowering herself down on my cock, and she fucked herself silly through another orgasm, before I rolled her onto her back, her legs pushed right back as I felt ever so deep inside her, lasting barely five minutes before I came inside her.
"Fuck, I needed that," she whispered, her legs now wrapped around me, fingers trailing up and down my back.
"I'll admit, I had thoughts the first day we met."
That made her smile though… she immediately turned a little shy. "So did I, Nate. You were the first person from the outside who seemed to want nothing in return."
Pulling out, I relaxed back as we enjoyed a cigarette… and then to ensure we began again quite quickly, she used her mouth on me. To say she was enthusiastic would be an understatement. She had me rock hard in seconds but seemed to really enjoy herself, though I wasn't interested in cumming in her mouth or on her face, as I pulled her up so she lay on my chest and slid my cock inside her.
That second time, we made love, as much as what I think it is. Even though she was on top, I was in control that second time. I loved grabbing her arse, while my mouth found areas of her body that definitely earned her approval as well. The only sounds she made were light moans and occasionally saying 'Right there' whenever I was hitting somewhere that worked. When I made her cum again, I definitely grinned while all she could do was kissed me hard, the sort of kiss that ended up with her on her back again, legs around me, fingers into my back, aching, begging for me to just… ruin her, it seemed.
Once we were done a second time, we headed into her clean shower, making out like we were a pair of teenagers, hands still fondling each other. Eventually, we had to agree to just stop otherwise we'd never sleep. I don't think either of us would have necessarily cared but she did have a job to do.
Waking up with her in my arms the next morning, there was plenty of kissing, cuddling and giggling, from her at least, before we eventually had to get up. We enjoyed breakfast together before she asked the question I expected. "I know you won't stay, Nate, but will you come back?"
"Definitely, as I now have a rather obvious reason to."
"I… won't leave the vault, Nate. This is my home. And I'm not expecting you to move in. But it would be nice to see you as often as you can manage."
"I'd like that a lot, Gwen. Trust me, last night wasn't a one-time only thing. Even if it was, I definitely enjoyed myself."
"So did I. Best night I've had in a long time."
Heading downstairs to the room she'd given me, Curie was still waiting there, so I picked up the few belongings I'd brought with me, telling Curie she could follow me out of the vault. Austin made sure he came and said goodbye, Doctor Penske thanking me profusely for saving his life, and I earned plenty of more handshakes as I made my way to the elevator. I think Gwen thought 'Stuff it' as she gave me one hell of a parting kiss before I stepped onto it.
Back on the surface in my armour, I let Curie take a moment to survey everything. "So what do you want to do?" I finally asked the robot.
"I will travel with you, the one who rescued me."
"Are you sure? My life is sometimes exciting, but a lot of the time, it isn't."
"I believe I will see things I wish to learn with you… What is your name?"
"I'm Nate. Nice to meet you, Curie."
"Yes, you too. Now, shall we be off?"
"Good idea. We're heading somewhere called Diamond City. I'm not sure if you have memories of before the war. Just keep in mind that the bombs dropped."
"I hope to learn much during our adventures."
I think she was going to learn quite a lot but might end up being rather disappointed in what the human race had done to the planet and how it had struggled since that day.