10 A New Home, Underground

The walk from the entrance to Diamond City to the outskirts of Vault 81 barely took an hour. Or it would have done had I not had my first encounter with super mutants. Goddamn, they were the ugliest, meanest motherfuckers I've ever had the displeasure of fighting, and I spent nearly a decade fighting the worst China could throw in our direction.

While they were strong and mean, they were fucking stupid. I mean really fucking stupid. One of them ran at me, holding nothing more than a wooden board in hand. Maybe it had a couple of nails, but I was in power armour. What the fuck did he think was going to happen? Putting a bullet straight between the eyes did bring immense satisfaction.

The other two super mutants were brighter, though that's not saying much. They knew what cover was, at least, but that was about it. They were barely competent when wielding a weapon. After taking the three of them out, I took a quick look around their small camp, checking for supplies as always. What I found chilled me. It wasn't just they were brutes, they were cannibals. Well, I guess cannibals only eat their own, so the mutants were eating humans. I found two half eaten corpses and more human bones in a barrel. The only reason I didn't vomit is that I had actually seen worse things in my life, but it left me thinking I would now cleanse the Commonwealth of super mutants and Raiders.

My journey was otherwise uneventful, eventually skirting a small lake that I don't remember existing pre-war, where I was attacked by a few enormous flies and a couple of giant mosquitos. Killed most of them without a problem but what the flies threw at me stunk to high hell. I didn't let the big mozzies come close enough to worry me, at least.

Climbing the hill towards the vault, I was surprised to see a few wooden shacks, and there were a couple of traders there, a man and a woman. Wasn't sure if they were together or not, but noticing me arrive in power armour, they were immediately suspicious and on the defensive, noticing hands go towards weapons. I holstered any weapons and kept my hands away from them as I approached.

"Who are you?" the man called as I stopped a few feet away.

"I'm a visitor. A former vault dweller. I'm hoping the residents of this vault might have some answers for me."

"What's with the power armour?"

"I found it in Concord. I use it as protection."

"Concord?" I noticed the two traders share a glance. "You wouldn't happen to be from Sanctuary, would you?"

"I am. You know people from there?"

The male's face broadened into a grin and he relaxed immediately. He gestured for me to approach. "Sure do, sir. Word has spread far and wide about the settlement of Sanctuary, and the spread of its influence. And the reformation of the Minutemen is certainly something that is spreading as well. And if you're the vault dweller, you must be the one they're calling the Sole Survivor."

"I have a reputation?" I asked, rather curious as I didn't think news would spread this far.

"Word about you clearing Lexington and the Corvega Plant of Raiders spread quickly thanks to the caravan network."

"What are the chances of me getting into Vault 81?"

"They will want something in return. Every trader has to make an offer, something the vault requires, before they will open themselves to trade. Before you ask, it can be anything. Generally, things they are running short of." He paused and looked me up and down. "They'll be nervous about the power armour. Once they let you in, there's space you can store it at the entrance. It'll be safe there. The people of the vault are a trustworthy sort. Certainly more so than most people you'll meet around the Commonwealth."

"Okay, I'll head in and give it a go. Thanks for the information. What's your name?"

"Lucas. Lucas Miller. This is my wife, Nancy. We travel the Commonwealth, trading with farms and settlements, generally in and around the Boston area, though there are settlements further afield that we'll occasionally visit."

"Where are some other settlements other than those that I know?"

"Well, there's Covenant. Friendly place though… a little weird, to be honest. Greentop Nursery, farm run by robots. They have an abundance of food. There's the Slog, a farm run entirely by ghouls. Friendly bunch though. There are other farms I don't get to often but I can certainly give you a list if you'd like."

"Thanks. I'd like to spread our influence or at least have some allies out there, perhaps set up our own trade routes. Not cutting in on your action but we're growing plenty of food and would certainly be willing to trade with more farms and settlements."

Heading into the tunnel, it was buried deep into the earth but I eventually came to the entrance. It wasn't quite the same as Vault 111, but I recognised the control panel with the giant steel door ahead with an enormous '81' written on it. Figuring pushing the button wasn't going to open it, I assume I would instead open up a communications link to whoever was inside, I linked my Pip-Boy to the console and hoped someone was monitoring the door.

It worked immediately as a voice soon came through the speaker. "Hold it right there. Vault 81 security. I don't know where you got your hands on a working Pip-Boy, but you better start talking. And what sort of business are you looking to take care of here in 81?"

"I'm a vault dweller. Vault 111. I'm travelling the Commonwealth, looking for other vaults and their dwellers as I'm after information regarding Vault-Tec."

"Vault 111. That's a new one. I'm guessing you outsiders are just throwing numbers our way now."

"Look, I've come all the way from the north-west, a place called Sanctuary Hills. I've been to Diamond City and now I'm here. All I want to do is talk to whoever is in charge, maybe meet some of you folks."

"Is that so? And you expect…" His voice dimmed, and I heard him mention something about the Overseer.

"Who is it, Edwards?" asked a feminine voice.

"Ma'am, some now Commonwealth traveller. Not one of our usual traders."

"Well, if someone wants in, they can earn it like everyone else. Let me speak to them." I guess she didn't realise I heard every word, but I wasn't going to mention that. "Hello traveller, Officer Edwards is just doing his job and is naturally cautious about anyone approaching. I'm sure you can understand our reasoning behind it."

"No problem."

"Good. Thank you. Now, for any newcomer, we like to operate an exchange. You help us, we help you."

"I'm a fellow vault dweller, ma'am. All I'm after is some information regarding your vault and Vault-Tec."

"Which vault were you from?"

"Vault 111, ma'am. I've been to Vault-Tec Headquarters and tried to find more information but, due to time, most if it had disappeared."

"And he does have a working Pip-Boy, ma'am," Edwards added, "It would suggest that his story might be true."

"Is that so?" she wondered, and no doubt gave it some thought. If they needed something, it wouldn't bother me, but I would rather get in quickly. "You know what? I'm going to allow it. Open the door, Edwards, and make the announcement. Traveller, Edwards and I will meet you at the entrance."

"Thank you. Just know I'm in power armour. But I'll leave it at the entrance."

"Power armour?" Edwards asked. "Holy…"

I stood back at sirens started to blare, bright lights flashed, and the door sprung into life. It certainly moved far easier than the door of Vault 111, which had creaked and groaned as if not opened much in two hundred years. It had probably opened once or twice at most.

Once it was open, I walked forward slowly, ensuring I wasn't armed and my hands were well away from my weapons. It was easy to see that the vault had been lived in for a long time but had been well maintained. It was brightly lit, and just those who I met at the entrance were clean and appeared relatively healthy. A trio of guards were waiting for me to arrive, in addition to a woman who I could only assume was the Overseer.

"Where can I put my power armour?" I asked.

Officer Edwards spoke, as I recognised the accent. "Just over there in the corner. No-one is going to use it."

I stepped out of it, popped the F.C, and placed that in my duffel bag, before I approached the small group waiting for my arrival. The Overseer definitely gave me the once over, probably taking note of my army fatigues, so I unbuttoned that and showed the vault suit I still wore underneath, turning around to show the number on my back. "Vault 111," I stated.

"We didn't think you were lying, we are just naturally cautious of anyone new arriving. Can't be too careful considering the state of the world outside," she said.

"No problem. I understand completely."

I gave her a quick once over like she'd given me. Redhead? Tick. Curves? Tick. Friendly, at least at first? Tick. "I'm Gwen McNamara. Overseer. Welcome to Vault 81." She offered her hand, which I accepted immediately. She smiled slightly, no doubt a welcoming gesture. Her hand was incredibly soft.

"Nate Shepard, Vault 111. Now… well, I'm not sure what I am really."

"We've never encountered a fellow vault dweller. Is Vault 111 still operational?"

"No, it's not," I stated bluntly, adding quickly, "Sorry, it's just…" I trailed off and sighed. "It's the reason I'm here. The fact this place looks safe and secure, Vault 111 was… something else entirely."

"What happened?"

"Putting it bluntly, Vault-Tec has us cryogenically frozen. Only I woke up a couple of months ago. My wife. My neighbours. Anyone else who was frozen is now dead. I had to bury my wife when I woke up."

"Oh god," she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"It's why I'm here. I've been looking for any information about Vault-Tec. How many vaults were like mine, experiments run on unsuspecting people? But I'm assuming this vault is safe?"

"We've maintained this vault successfully for over two centuries. We'd like to be self-sufficient but there are now certain resources we simply need from the outside world." She paused. "Look, there's no point standing here talking. Why don't you have a look around? All my guards are aware of your arrival and I've announced the residents that you have arrived too. But come see me in my office a little later and we can have a proper conversation about everything."

"I'd like that."

Must have been something in my tone that made her grin. To be honest, I wasn't thinking about that, not that quickly. I was just hoping she might have information for me. "Good. Take your time, there's no rush. Most people will at least say hello and you'll probably find yourself inundated with questions. But, more importantly, you'll find our vault is clean, safe and radiation free."

I joined Gwen as we walked together towards the elevator. She didn't ask any questions, so I guess was waiting for me to speak to others in the vault. "Anyone I should speak to?" I did ask.

"Hmmm. To be honest, speak to anyone, Nate. When did you… wake up, so to speak?"

"A couple of months ago."

"So you're still adapting to life outside?"

"In more ways than one." I paused before asking, "I guess you'll have questions about pre-war life?"

"I'm honestly astounded, Nate. We've been here for over two centuries. I can trace my ancestry as it's all been recorded, but to meet someone who was actually alive that long ago…"

"Didn't think I'd be alive this year either, Miss McNamara."

"Call me Gwen, Nate. No need for formality as you are a visitor to our vault."

"Thanks."

The elevator dinged and she again asked me to drop by later. I'd taken all of half a dozen step when I was approached by a kid, probably not more than ten years old. "Are you the outsider?" he asked.

"I am. Who are you?"

"I'm Austin. How would you like a tour of our vault? Ten caps."

I could see what was going on here. "You use caps in here?"

"Yes, once we realised the old money was useless and traders entered wanting caps. Do you want the tour?"

"Sure, why not."

I handed him ten caps and he actually took me on a tour of the vault. And it was everything that I would have expected when entering Vault 111 all those years ago. There was a diner offering the usual fare, though the older lady behind the counter stated she did bake cookies and cakes, but that over the years, they had relied on food coming in from outside. There was a hair salon, which amused me, a hydroponics lab, which made sense as they would have wanted fresh produce, a school, which would have been vital, and a final stop at the doctor's office, where I was asked if I would give a blood sample at a later date.

Thanking the boy, who introduced himself as Austin with a quick handshake, the first thing I did was stay with the doctor, as he jabbed a needle into me and took a sample. He thanked me, stating he would run some tests and compare them to the samples of those of the vault and see if there were any similarities.

Returning to the school, the lone teacher asked if I'd be willing to speak to the children. Asking why, she had already heard that I was a pre-war survivor, so wondered if I'd be willing to share my experiences of life before the bombs. I figured that wouldn't be a problem, so agreed to do it the next day.

My next stop was the hair salon, or barber. Walking inside, he took one look and beckoned me to take a seat, introducing himself as Horatio. "Well, you are in definite need some work. So, I'm thinking we'll take a little hair off the top and sides, and if you like, I'll give you a wet shave as well. Would that do?"

"How many caps?"

"For all that work, no more than twenty."

"Deal. I'll sit here and get comfortable."

"Would you like a Nuka-Cola, beer or…"

"You have beer?"

That made him laugh. "Of course. Ice cold as well."

"I think I might stay here a bit longer if you're offering cold beer."

He focused on my hair first, and I asked him to get it as short as possible, just like it was during my days in the military. I wasn't interested in hairstyles, telling the barber that, so he was happy enough just to get the scissors out and cut it nice and short. I knocked the beer back while he was doing that before he sat the seat back, lathering up some shaving cream, applying that to my face, got out the old cutthroat razor, and gave me one hell of a close shave. Once he was done, I looked in the mirror to see someone I hadn't seen in a long time.

"Damn good work, Horatio."

"Thank you. So, will you be a regular visitor?"

"Not sure. I'm from a vault but it's a long story."

"Well, I don't know what others think, but I like the fact we have the occasional new face in the vault. We were isolated for two hundred years, the same faces, the same walls. Best thing the Overseer ever did was open that door to outsiders like myself."

"You weren't born here?"

"No, sir. I was born in Diamond City. I approached the vault not long after they opened the door, offering my services."

"Nice of them to allow you to live here."

"Only because I could offer than a service they required. Don't get me wrong, most of the people here are lovely, but there is still a minority who still don't accept my presence even after all these years. Some just don't trust any outsiders."

I finished my beer, paid for the haircut and shave, thanking him for a good job and I'd certainly return again. It was now mid-afternoon, so I headed to the cafeteria as I was interested in a piece of cake, having not enjoyed something like that since before the bombs. Coffee and cake was on offer and the lady behind the counter, Maria, cut me quite the large slice and I definitely enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee at the same time. I was joined by a couple of residents, who didn't inundate me with questions, asking which vault I was from, when I'd arrived, where I'd been around the Commonwealth, how long I was planning on staying.

It was time to speak to Gwen, though. I didn't know if she'd know anything but I was hoping there might be information on her terminal, or perhaps somewhere around that would help. Heading up to her office, there was a guard before the door leading into her office. He seemed to realise who I was, considering I was a new face.

Heading up into her office, it was certainly clean, spacious and surprisingly comfortable, well maintained after two hundred years. Gwen must have known I was coming, greeting me with another handshake. Instead of sitting at her desk, almost like a formal interview, she suggested we sit on the lounge and just chat. The offer of an ice cold Nuka-Cola was received with thanks, sitting back as I simply looked around.

"Do you smoke?"

"I do."

She pulled a fresh pack of cigarettes from her pocket. Offering me one, I took the flip lighter out of my pocket, lighting hers first before lighting mine. We sat back for a moment, taking a couple of puffs. I looked her up and down. Now that she was relaxing, I thought she looked… well, quite lovely actually. She probably watched me check her out of the corner of her eye, as much as I was checking her out of the corner of mine. Redheads are a weakness.

"I guess you've never been in a proper vault."

"No. The entrance shared some minor similarities, but the day the bombs dropped, it all happened so fast…"

"So… do you mind telling me what happened?"

"That day? Before? After?"

"Anything to do with that vault you ended up in."

"Okay… So, the really strange thing I remember is that a Vault-Tec representative knocked my door only a day or two before it all happened. Told me I'd been pre-selected for a vault just up the hill from my house. To be honest, they'd been building them for well over a decade by then. Not everyone took it seriously."

"Why were you pre-selected?"

"I served in the United States Army for fifteen years."

"Really? A professional soldier?" I nodded. "So much of our history has been lost. We've tried to retain and remember what we could. Where did you fight, if you did?"

"Alaska. We fought the Chinese. I retired not long after the fighting stopped there. I'd done fifteen years, and there was talk of more units heading to China. That part of the war… I didn't quite believe in. We'd been defending our own territory in Alaska, in addition to other interests, but at least that was a cause worth believing in. We'd kicked out the Chinese, killed them by the thousands. Hundreds of thousands, to be honest. It was carnage."

"Has it helped you survive the Commonwealth so far?"

"Yes. And the officer rank I achieved has helped bring a sense of organisation to the settlement I've helped establish."

"So… the day in question and then after?"

"We entered the day the bombs hit Boston. Sirens went off, the wife and I headed straight for the vault. Around a dozen of us made it in before the first blast. As I said, it all happened so fast, we were told to get into these pods so they could check our health. Looking back, even at the time, I thought it was a little weird, but I was more concerned about my wife, making sure she was calm. Then… well, next thing I know, I wake up over two hundred years later and everyone is dead."

"Including your wife…"

"I buried her in the backyard of our home. I kept our rings on a necklace, just to remember what happened."

"And now you're investigating Vault-Tec?"

"Trying to. I didn't find much at their offices in the centre of Boston. A folder full of corporate speak and a list of vaults around the country."

She stood up and gestured for me to follow her to terminal. She fired it up and quickly showed me what I eventually feared. "Unfortunately, Nate, there isn't a whole lot here. Nothing from Vault-Tec at all. Any sort of mission statement about what this vault was meant to do? Long since disappeared. When I took over as the Overseer, the previous simply filled me in with what was expected of myself in the role. Keep everyone safe and happy but ensure order is maintained."

"Who made the choice to open the vault to the outside?"

"Mine. Ten years ago. I had no choice. Without trade from the outside world, we probably would have starved to death, or the vault would have simply ceased functioning correctly."

"I'm surprised you lasted two hundred years."

"After fifty, rationing had already begun. Obviously well before my time. Although we had significant storage, as it was planned to last anywhere up to two hundred and fifty to three hundred years before being opened, I had to make the decision whether to make rationing even stricter or throw open the door and see what happened. Although the move wasn't initially well received, once we started to receive food from the outside world, and rationing could be relaxed, most have come to appreciate the help from the outside world. But we're still restrictive."

"Have many people left?"

"Yes, that's why you'll find quite a few empty rooms now. Once the doors opened, some simply wanted to escape the vault, no matter what. Whether they've survived, I don't know as news doesn't always make it back here. One or two did leave and returned, tail between their legs. I've heard stories of what it's possible to meet out there."

"It's… different to what I lived in before the bombs."

"But you've survived."

"Been lucky at times. But I already hate Raiders. Scum of the earth, preying on the weak."

"What did you think of the vault here?"

"Well, would have been a much nicer experience than what I mine, though I guess I wouldn't be alive now. I'm guessing life up on the surface is easier now than in the century after the bombs. That wouldn't have been pleasant."

"True. I'll admit, I had no idea what to expect when I ordered the door to open, whether we would have just been inundated with radiation, people invading the vault, requesting safety, or whether the world had rebuilt itself while we'd spent two hundred years underground."

"Guess all vaults would have to open in the end, though. Can't live underground forever."

"Plus we get to meeting interesting people such as yourself." I gave her a quick look but said nothing. "How long do you plan on staying here in the vault?"

"I'm going to talk with the schoolchildren tomorrow. Not sure what I'll tell them, so I guess it'll be a question and answer session. Other than that, I've had a look around, everyone has been friendly, but I'll admit I did enter with a singular motive."

"Sorry I don't have more information but the vault is as you see it. Simply a warm, safe place people can survive and it's been the same way for two hundred years."

"Well, for that I guess we can both be thankful."

Finishing another cigarette and our drinks, she escorted me towards the residential wing of the vault. There were quite a few empty rooms. One question I did ask was about the birth rate. As there was limited space, had there been restrictions. She confessed that, although it wasn't stated explicitly, the very first Overseer limited families to three children at most. Generally, it was to ensure there was enough genetic diversity in the vault. It made sense.

Shown to an empty living space, there were a couple of beds, a small bathroom, table and chairs, a lounge and television set, which worked as there was apparently a library full of old books and movies. Once I was told there was hot water, the first thing I wanted was a shower, Gwen making sure I was given a towel and sheets for the bed before she disappeared. I was on the verge of asking her if she wanted to stay for a couple more hours, but figured I'd better not.

That first hot shower was invigorating though, and I probably used half a cake of soap scrubbing myself clean. Sitting back on the lounge later, I found a bottle of whiskey in a side cupboard, so poured myself half a glass and relaxed. After making my bed, even going so far as to inhale the scent of clean sheets, I slid between them and almost fell asleep straight away.

Joining most residents for breakfast the next morning, as the day before, most of them were friendly but one or two were naturally cautious, even suspicious. I didn't really blame them. I'm sure they'd heard all sort of horror stories in regards to the Commonwealth. Once I'd finished, I headed back up to Gwen's office to thank her for letting me in and providing the information she could.

"Wish I could tell you a lot more, Nate, but there's just never been anything suspicious about this vault."

"Well, at least you've all been safe since the bombs dropped. I guess you can be thankful for that, at the very least."

She walked me back to the entrance, shaking my hand one last time. "Will you visit again?"

"Sure. Nothing like a hot shower and a warm bed. Definitely don't get the former on the surface. The latter? Well, it depends."

"If you ever just want to visit for a drink…"

My eyebrows definitely rose at that as she smiled. "I assume there's no Mister McNamara?"

"Many of the men find me a little… intimidating, due to my position. Plus, it's just a drink… to start…"

"Well, more fool them. And I'd be delighted. Not sure when but…"

"The door is always closed. Now that we know who you are, just hit the big button on the console outside and we'll let you in. You're always welcome here, Nate. I'd like to you to experience good times in a vault and not only what you had to endure."

"Thanks." Stepping into my power armour, I made sure I had everything before turning back to her. "If I find anything regarding Vault-Tec, I'll be sure to let you know. You might be interested to know if vaults like yours were common, or if there really was some sort of sadistic plan behind most of these."

"I'll start investigating myself. I'm sure there has to be something in storage. Maybe an old terminal or something. If I find anything, I'll try and get word to you."

I grabbed a pen and paper, writing down the frequency of my helmet and the settlement. "I'm not sure if you'll be able to contact me like that. If you can't get hold of me or anyone, send word through the caravan network. I'll hear eventually and come as soon as possible."

"Excellent. Well, until next time, Nate. Take care."

"You too, Gwen. I'll see you soon."

The door was opened and, a few minutes later, I was back out into the real world. I was honestly a bit lost now. Vault-Tec Headquarters hadn't heled the answers I sought. Vault 81 was a symbol of a good vault, but had little information I wanted. So all I could really do was go through the list of other vaults, find them, and see what secrets they might hold.

I didn't feel like walking all the way back to Sanctuary just yet so headed straight for Diamond City. I could hear gunfire in the distance, part of me wondering if I shouldn't go locating it and see if was Raiders or something else, but although I remembered the layout of Boston, the fact so much had collapsed, I had a feeling I'd still end up getting lost. I might have power armour, but I didn't want to end up wandering the streets.

Walking back into Diamond City, I stored my power armour as usual and headed straight for Nick's office. I sat down with he and Ellie and explained my visit to Vault 81. When I told him they had next to no information, he was almost as disappointed as myself, so he pulled out the folder and we looked through the list. "Okay, so you're from Vault 111. We've been to Vault 114, which was never actually finished. Vault 81 had no answers. So that leaves Vault 75 or Vault 95. The former is north of here in Malden. Vault 95 is to the south west, on the outskirts of the Glowing Sea. If I were to give you any advice, Nate, I'd avoid anywhere near the Glowing Sea. If the radiation doesn't kill you, the creatures that infest the area will. Even on the edge, they have a habit of wandering about."

"What does it say about Vault 75?"

He flipped through the folder. "Hmmm. Here we are. It was built under a school. Malden Middle School."

"Anything else about the vault?"

"No, the usual corporate speak that already seems so familiar. It's up to you whether you want to head there or not."

"Fuck it, why not? You want to come along?"

"Sure. I haven't got any investigations going on at the moment, or nothing urgent anyway. Ellie?"

"Nick, you're going to do what you want anyway, why ask me?"

"You want to come along, Miss Perkins?"

She looked at me and grinned. "I prefer the safe walls of Diamond City, Nate. I certainly don't need to go further north than the river."

"And miss out the adventure?"

"My adventure is simply stepping past the gate."

"When do you want to leave?" Nick asked.

"We'll leave first thing tomorrow. I mean at dawn. I'll ask Piper if she wants to join us too. I'm sure she will as, after the interview I gave, I think she can smell a story here. Not much of it has to do with Diamond City or the Institute, and anyone involved is long dead, but I'm sure some would be fascinated to read about it."

"I'll meet you by the gate first thing, Nate."

I found Piper in at her home. Asking if I should book a room at the Dugout Inn again, I think she almost slapped me for asking such a stupid question, taking my duffel bag and throwing it next to the couch before she cuddled into me. "I was only gone a night at most!" I said quietly.

"Am I not allowed to give you a hug?"

"Not complaining. Not unexpected. Rather nice, actually."

"Good. So shut up." Taking a seat once she'd was done hugging me, I lit us both a cigarette as she asked, "So, how did it go?"

"No dice. As far as everyone is concerned, the vault is a shining example of safety. To be honest, the entire time I was there, there was nothing untoward, aside from a little suspicion from a few people, simply because I was an outsider. So my answers, if there are any, lie somewhere else."

"What's the next step?"

"Tomorrow, Nick and I are heading north to another vault. Number 75. Want to come along?" The smile that lit up her face… "I'm figuring you can sniff quite the story here, plus I'd like your company. And I've just thought of something else too. We can head north to Sanctuary first, show you what's there, before we swing east to Malden."

"How long will it take to get to Sanctuary?"

"If we leave first thing tomorrow morning, it will take all day."

After a couple of cigarettes and opening an already half consumed bottle of bourbon, Piper ended up straddling my lap as we enjoyed a little make-out session. I'd learned she was particularly sensitive on her neck, making her giggle and occasionally moan lightly whenever I kissed her there. There was eventually a little under the shirt action, which made her laugh… then she simply took off her jacket, shirt and bra, my mouth soon finding its way down her body, nipples hardening as I certainly enjoyed playing with her breasts.

Once we started, there was no stopping, Piper eagerly lowering her trousers and panties as I did the same, sliding down my cock quickly, both of us sighing at once as I found myself buried inside her once again, her mouth hungry for mine again as she started to slowly ride me. "God, Blue," she whispered.

"Can't go more than a couple of days…"

She simply rested her forehead against mine, looking into my eyes, biting her lip as she started to ride me fast. Must have been horny. To be honest, so was I, sliding down the couch just enough so we were both comfortable. Watching her ride me was something I knew I'd always enjoy watching, plus she felt fantastic, running my hands up and down her body.

"Fuck," she moaned softly.

"Yeah, it's pretty fucking good, Piper."

Leaning down to kiss me again, I ran my fingers up and down her back, making her shudder and smile as she whispered about being sensitive. "And I haven't even cum yet," she whispered with a giggle.

"Well, I think we need to rectify that."

And we did together, Piper grabbing my hand, running tongue along my thumb, before placing it at her clit. I raised an eyebrow as she smiled. "It'll make it even bigger."

It did, and then some, or so it seemed, as she cried out around five minutes later, her pussy seeming to squeeze my cock like a vice, her body seeming to spasm out of control as I held her by the hips to simply keep her on my cock, before she just sighed and collapsed onto my chest, running my fingers up and down her back again, this time hearing her whispering that it tickled, but she liked it.

Taking a couple of minutes to recover, she then seemed to realise I hadn't finished yet, so we finished undressing and headed up to her bed, where she lay back and spread her legs provocatively… enough that I didn't care about my orgasm for a while as I buried my face between her legs. She loved it, and loved it even more when I made her cum a couple more times before I buried my cock and probably finished within a minute.

Lifting my head to meet her eyes, we broke into fits of laughter as I felt her fingers caress my back. "Well, I think it's safe to say that this part of our relationship works, Blue."

Feeling her legs wrap around me, she kept me in place for quite a while, not that I was going to complain about still being buried inside her. "As I said, Piper, I like a woman who knows what she wants, and I definitely like women not ashamed of the fact they enjoy sex."

"Helps when the person you're with makes it enjoyable, Blue."

"Well, with my wife…" I trailed off, figuring it would be awkward, considering my current position.

"Tell me, Blue. It's not awkward if you want to share your life with me."

"Well, let's just say, Nora always appreciated certain things I did for her."

That made her laugh. "I have already gathered you do enjoy doing it, Blue." I felt her squeeze my cock again as she added softly, "Though, let's not fool ourselves, we both really enjoy this."

I leaned down and laid a soft kiss on her lips. "Best sex I've had since waking up, Piper. And I will definitely enjoy it going forward."

Eventually pulling out and lying next to her, we enjoyed a post-sex cigarette as always. Nat decided that was the best time to walk in the front door, and she probably notice our discarded clothing within a few seconds. "I thought it smelled a bit funky in here," she said, "Are you naked up there?"

"We are," Piper replied.

"You two are addicted."

"You'll know how good it is when you meet someone you like, Nat."

"Is she old enough?" I whispered.

"Well, if she is or isn't doesn't matter as who is really going to stop it nowadays? Unless I lock her up in the house. I've just warned her about strange men or women who make her uncomfortable and to just be as safe as possible."

We eventually got up, Nat lying on her own book, reading a book, so we managed to get dressed without her looking in our direction. Once we were back in clothing, I offered to buy us all dinner at the noodle stand before we headed to the Dugout Inn, where Piper and I enjoyed a couple of alcoholic drinks, and I bought Nat a Nuka-Cola as well.

Heading back to Piper's afterwards, we sat on the couch together, listening to Diamond City radio. I certainly appreciated the tune being played but did mention that the DJ left a lot to be desired. "Many of us think the same, but no-one else wants the job," Piper admitted.

Knowing we needed to get up early, the three of us headed to bed early, Piper stripping off completely once in a modicum of privacy, and while I didn't completely, I think the signal was clear, so I showered her body in attention again, ending up with my face between her legs. She tried her best to remain quiet, but there was little chance when I made her orgasm more than once. Nat would have heard but she didn't say anything, either already asleep or just trying to ignore it.

It was only afterwards, when we were lying back in silence, that there were other noises in the small house. Noises I would recognise but coming from someone else. My lips were close to her ear as I whispered, "Is that what I think it is?"

"I've heard it before, Blue."

"Ah… Okay."

"To be honest, I don't bring men back here, not that there are many anyway. Obviously, we both do it but it's a newer thing for her. I just don't make it awkward, much as she does the same for me. As you can guess, there's very little privacy so you make do."

We eventually drifted off to sleep, the alarm on my Pip-Boy waking us quite early. We dressed as I grabbed my things, Piper packing a small bag, as we didn't know when we'd return. She wrote Nat a letter, explaining what was going on, before we headed out into Diamond City before dawn. The lights were on so it was remarkably bright, heading up the stairs towards the entrance after I'd stepped into my power armour, to see Nick waiting for us, sucking on a cigarette. He offered each of us one, standing around as I stepped out of my power armour again, sucking down the smoke into our lungs, before stubbing them out.

"Right, are we off then?" he asked.

"Sanctuary first, Nick, then Vault 75. That okay?"

"Sure. Wouldn't mind seeing what you've managed to create there, Nate. If it's a sign of things to come…"

"Well, let's see, shall we?"

Back in power armour, weapons clipped everywhere, duffel bag around my back, we began the long journey back north.