Fallout 1. Chapter 1

___Disclaimer: I do not own fallout or any of the fallout characters I mention or use within this fanfiction._

**Fallout 3 Fanfiction. **

**Whatever you need.**

_I came to him then. And Why? Because he had been kind and, after everything that happened...after everything I've been through, I think I__'__m entitled to one night in the arms of a kind man. Don__'__t you?_

_FLW x Alex Dargon. _

**_SPOILERS:__ Spoilers for the main quest; companions, outcomes etc. You have been forewarned. _**

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**Chapter One.**

"God forbid I should be upset that twice now my work has been screwed over by your father. And, to make things worse, this time he brings his snot-nosed kid along for the ride!"

I stare back at the man incredulously, my fingers twitching for the rifle at my back. I, bedecked in the armour from a merc who thought he'd collect the bounty on my head and he, in his grease-spotted coveralls, a rag in his pocket. He'd preach honour and loyalty to Dr. Li, but really he envies the scientist; if he just had the skills and the wherewithal to know what to do with them, he could be wearing a lab coat right now and rubbing shoulders with James and Madison.

They still need him, of course, and appreciate him for his work, but to them, he is a curiosity, a piece of equipment, a footnote in the annuls of this new world.

Even I am higher in rank than he is. No scientist, to be sure, and no engineer, but I have skills he never will and it is I who clears the memorial of the muties whilst he stands safe and sound outside, flinching at the gunshots ringing out beyond the door.

And besides, I am James' daughter, born into a rank higher than he will ever be. Perhaps that's why he's so bitter.

He continues his tirade, gesticulating incensed, "Unlike some people around here, _I _stuck with Doctor Li through it all. _I _was the last one to leave when we finally gave up. Now your daddy shows up out of the blue, and suddenly I have to drop everything to come back and pick up the pieces."

"Oh is that what you do?" I pose with a smile, watching his face twist and contort with impatience and agitation.

"What?" He hisses, squaring up to me. He is not a tall man, but my own slight frame means he cuts an intimidating enough stature. I lock eyes with him nevertheless. I am not afraid and I want him to know it.

"I did wonder what your job was; I didn't know Madison had her own cleaner."

His eyes darken and narrow beneath a crumbling brow.

I can't resist.

"Still, I suppose someone's got to clear up after them."

I pause a moment and survey the scene around me. There's a pile of rubble and a burnt out nuka-cola machine behind a desk at the right side of the corridor, long-dead wires jut like rigor-mortised worms from the cracked and fissured ceilings and there is an assortment of smashed beakers and test tubes crackling underfoot.

"But, by the looks of things, you should probably get back to work."

There is a grunt then as he swings for me, but I am ready and sidestep his attack with ease. His knuckles graze the wall with a wince, but it's nothing that will keep him from his duties. He tenses for a second try, the muscles in his shoulders twitching beneath the grey-blue denim blend, but he never gets the chance.

"Daniel!"

We turn in unison to see a man approaching with a smile. Kindly hazel eyes turn to me in a moment; a gesture of greeting. I watch as Daniel relaxes beneath the attention from the newcomer and plucks the rag from his pocket, wringing it in his hands.

"Alex? What's wrong?" He asks, concern etched into the syllables.

"Nothing. Madison wanted me to come and find you."

"Oh?" Daniel eyes me suspiciously, possibly expecting a remark, but I am too tired to indulge him.

"Yes, she said she wanted you to take a look at what needs fixing and get a start on any repairs that are needed. Oh, and also if there are any errands we need to send this one on."

I think he aims a wink at me, but I can't be certain; the light is dim and the air thick with dust. I can be sure, however, of the straightening of Daniel at this statement. He gives a nod to his friend in parting and scurries away, no doubt in the hopes of finding a particularly repugnant task for me to complete.

I find myself sighing in relief at his absence, not because I was afraid he might do me harm if he stayed, but rather because he was boring me.

"So…" Alex begins, outstretching a hand, "You're James' kid, huh?"

I accept his offer and shake his hand conservatively. He gives something of a short laugh.

"Have you got a name, kiddo?"

"Maira."

"That's…nice."

I raise an eyebrow.

He checks himself, "Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely name; rare in a place like this…"

There is a pause as he releases my hand and makes a sweeping gesture to example the statement. I somehow think he means more than just the memorial, like the once proud and prosperous land outside or even the world beyond the wastes. His gaze shifts then, lingering in the general direction of the rotunda door.

"Just doesn't seem like something James would pick out." He finishes, dipping his chin as my own gaze finds the floor, a solemn smile simmers on my lips and I take a breath.

"I'm not so sure he did."

I look up to see Alex recovering from a grimace, "Yes, of course…your mother…I'm sorry."

"That's ok." I return in a tone chosen to put him at ease, "Did you know her?"

He shakes his head then, gives something of a laugh, "Nah, I was still a kid when Project Purity was started. I didn't meet Madison until about six years ago and I'd only ever heard about James. Just about managed to get the gist of what went on back then from Dr. Li."

I quirk an eyebrow and study him for a moment. I can see it now; he's perhaps only six or seven years my senior, but something about him makes him seem older. Maybe it's the lab coat, his bearing, his kind and wise eyes.

I open my mouth to speak, but a crackle on the intercom down the hallway grabs my attention.

"Maira, can you hear me, honey?"

There's no mistaking the voice or the pet name thrown into the barren corridors.

I brush a few flyaway strands of hair behind my ear and make a move for the speaker, giving an excusing nod to Alex.

He seems to understand and smiles back, "I'll catch up with you later, Kiddo."

I back away, deftly at first, holding Alex's focus. He holds mine too, that is until I slam my shoulder into a pillar. I grimace and wince, all at once cupping a hand around the area that is now ear-marked for a bruise. I expect to hear the stifling of laughter, but instead there is a sharp intake of breath and a sound as if someone stopped walking, mid stride. I pivot and locate the intercom within seconds, painfully aware of the heat in my cheeks.

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**_I hoped you enjoyed reading this. There is more to come, but it will not be a hugely long fic. It's just something I came up with the other day and I'm not sure it really has a point. I just wrote it for fun. _**

**_Anyway, thanks for reading!_**


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own fallout or any of the fallout characters I mention or use within this fanfiction._

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**Whatever You Need.**

**Chapter Two.**

I look up through the jagged fissure above my head.

My blood runs cold and terror coils itself around my spine.

It takes all my strength to keep from collapsing there and then.

Dad's voice echoes through the intercom, bouncing off the concave pipe walls so much so that I am certain to be discovered if I stay here. He calls them the Enclave, instructs us to be calm and remain where we are, but even before I have seen the men who swarm the memorial, when I have only beheld the aircrafts (Vertibirds I believe they are called), I can tell this will not end well. If they had wanted to be diplomatic they would have knocked, right? But this? This is an invasion.

Frantically, I try the grates at both ends, but both are locked. I am about to try the intercom and call dad for help when there is an electronic pip and one of the grates swings off the latch. With only a moment's thought, I push my way through and find myself presented with a vertical descent of ledges, leading god knows where.

I lower myself down recklessly, earning myself a few bruises along the way, but I don't care. I have to get to dad. He's the one most at risk here, not me.

The tunnel brings me back into the basement and I have to drop down into the lower level before I am seen by two men in heavy armour that hums with static. Luckily, I have a stealth boy handy and figure this is as good a time to use it as any. I activate it hastily and am able to steal my way back to the gift shop level without so much as firing a shot. The device wears off before I can push open the door to the rotunda and I am forced to confront an attacker.

My heart sticks in my throat as I loose round after round from my laser pistol, crouching behind a conveniently placed wall of sand bags. The weapon proves effective and the man falls before very long. I linger only a moment at the corpse's side, before an incomprehensible cry crackles through the intercom. I am at the rotunda door before I even know it and throw it open, heading up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

I blanch at the scene before me. There are two of the Enclave soldiers, dad, one of Madison's team and a man in a stiff-collared tan trench coat all behind the bulkhead door of Project purity. The trench coated man threatens dad in a southern drawl, draws a pistol and shoots the scientist without warning. Bile rises in my throat. I can see how this will end.

I am no longer listening to the conversation and I do not hear the door open below, or Alex's voice as he asks what's going on. I am too busy pressing the buttons on the console, in the hope that for once my subconscious would have retained something useful, that it actually listened to all the lessons dad tried to teach me, that it knows the code to get the door to open.

I can feel a wet heat at my cheeks and my jaw aches with the effort of gritting my teeth, but still nothing happens. I turn back to the scene beyond the bulkhead and I watch as dad fixes me with eyes that seem to beg for my forgiveness. Comprehension dawns and I start forwards, pressing my palms against the glass. I shake my head, plead silently for my father to stop, to think.

I need him. I wandered across the wastes to find him and it can't be all for nothing. It just can't.

_Please. No._

My inward protestations are irrelevant as he outstretches a hand and depresses a button.

Somehow he makes it to the glass. He presses a hand against it and we fall to our knees in horrific synchrony. Our palms are level, but all I can feel is the inch thick glass. It is without warmth and comfort. It is cold and meaningless. Just like my future. The future without my father.

Tears blur my vision and I can only half register the words 'I love you, honey' on his lips before his palm drops and his last breath leaves him but a crumpled mass on the floor.

_I love you too, Dad. _


	3. Chapter 3

_Fallout remains the property of Bethesda; all recognisable characters, settings and plot points belong to them. Everything else is mine. _

**Whatever You Need.**

**Chapter Three.**

Before I recover my senses, there are arms on my shoulders, dragging me to my feet. I stumble and trip on the way to the door, palms pressed flat against my back, thrusting me through doorways and downwards through a manhole cover.

I am guided on a little way. We round a corner but I cannot tell in which direction. We stop and someone leans me against a concave wall. I assume Madison, but cannot muster the interest to investigate.

"That's just great! Allegedly our best chance at survival and she's utterly useless!"

I know that voice, acknowledge it with a groan. Slowly, my senses begin to recover, the word 'survival' burrowing through my skull and pinpointing my adrenal gland. There is a hand on my shoulder and Alex comes into view, pity and concern etched into his features. I hastily wipe away the moisture on my cheekbones, push away from the wall to stand on my own two feet. I mean to spare Alex a nod in reassurance, but find I can't; it feels too much like lying.

"Give her a break Daniel, she's just lost her father, for God's sake."

The reprimand is soft and coaxing and comes from Alex. Somehow though it still manages to summon pain to the mechanic's features.

I set my brow, swallow back the lump in my throat and fix my sights on Daniel. I register a spark of terror in his eyes as I claw at his lapels and shove him towards the rest of the group. He just about manages to remain upright, but I couldn't care less about him, feeling instead the itch of eyes upon me. He opens his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it.

"Get moving." I instruct flatly, only waiting a moment to see Madison and Garza begin to turn before I turn tail and head back the way we've just come.

I return a few seconds later to bewildered expressions from Daniel and Alex. I offer the word 'mines' as the only explanation.

We traverse the tunnels with relative ease, only running in to feral ghouls and a handful of enclave soldiers. I kill the ghouls in self-defence and in the knowledge that my charges would be less that useful against the terrible creatures. I take little or no pleasure in their deaths; they did not choose to become ferals. It just happened to them.

The soldiers, however, are different; they chose to wear the armour and wield the weapons and prey on the good and the honest and the righteous. They chose to ally themselves with the man who murdered my father. And it feels good to kill them right back.

There is only one occasion where we stop for any length of time. Garza's heart condition manifests itself and I am forced to surrender five Stimpaks to just keep him going. He thanks me, but I ignore him and push on not saying a word.

The group gets the message eventually and our journey progresses in silence, a few prompts from Dr. Li and one or two snide remarks from my favourite mechanic not withstanding.


	4. Chapter 4

**Whatever You Need.**

**Chapter Four.**

We are all exhausted when we reach the citadel and the group are offered beds and food. There's no such luck for me though and I am dragged into a conversation with a Brotherhood of Steel Scribe by the name of Rothchild. He gives me the co-ordinates of where I might search for a G.E.C.K. and I load up on Stimpaks, make my way back up to the courtyard.

I don't even reach the gate when I am halted by a hand on my arm. I pivot, incensed, expecting Daniel, only to be met with kindly hazel eyes. It is Alex and, before I can protest, he takes my hand and leads me to his temporary bedroom. It is small and grey, but it has a cot and a sink tucked into a corner at an awkward angle, above which hangs a tarnished mirror.

"What is this?" I ask on completion of my survey, turning to Alex as he closes the door behind him. It only takes him a step to close the gap between us and he grips my shoulders, giving a gentle squeeze.

"Whatever you need." is his answer and he fixes his eyes on mine. The sentiment is earnest and honest; he genuinely wants to help. The only problem is, I'm not sure if he can.

"Thank you, Alex…" I offer, vision blurring and voice cracking. Before I know it he has folded me into an embrace that is both strong and tender. I lay my head against his chest and take comfort in the beating of his heart, his steady breathing.

"…but you can't give me what I need."

"Try me." He replies, in a tone I assume is supposed to be playful and upbeat. Instead it is tainted by solemnity.

Something in the back of my mind tells me to pull away. It tells me to open the door and leave in search of the G.E.C.K. It tells me to never talk to Alex Dargon again. It tells me there's no point in daring to love him; he's just going to end up dead anyway.

But I can't and it's something more than his arms that stops me.

"I need…I need for all of this to be over. I need people to stop asking me to do things…and I…I need my father."

I register the expansion of his ribcage as he heaves a weighted sigh.

"Perhaps you're right…" he remits, loosing his embrace. He pushes me away gently and I all at once miss the warmth of his arms. "I can't give you those things…but I can give you warmth and tenderness, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and, if you should ever need it, a partner to fight at your side."

I half consider this, imagine Alex by my side, his physique wrapped handsomely in recon armour, a laser pistol or .32 mil in his hand, staring down the Radscorpion and only squeezing the trigger when it doesn't get the hint and leave us alone. We kill it but not before Alex is stung. It takes the poison a week to permeate his system completely. We say goodbye in an old shack that I assume used to be a convenience store. I give him my last Stimpak, but it does nothing. He is too far gone. He takes his last breath convulsing on an ancient mattress, the only halfway soft thing I could find for him. When he is still, I lay my head on his chest, willing to hear his heartbeat.

_Fine, so we__'__ll just avoid Radscorpions__…_

I try other scenarios, see him cut down by a Deathclaw, incinerated by a Protectron's laser, captured by Raiders. They string him up on some ruined flyover and he bleeds to death from the stumps where used to be his arms and legs.

I try my best to swallow back the lump in my throat, cough and push away from him.

"Thank you for the offer, Alex…" I begin, wracking my brain for something I can say to make him understand. I find nothing and settle, instead for venom, "But, I'm better off on my own; you'll probably just get me killed."

I swing the door open and make my escape, wondering, as I climb the stairs back up to the courtyard, whether my voice was steady enough to have convinced him.

I throw a glance over my shoulder as I reach the citadel's main gate and am half relieved, half disappointed when I see no sign of him.


End file.

Fallout, Hurt-Comfort