Wasteland Ferns

A Whole New Me

**Fern's POV**

I stayed at Moriarty's Saloon for about two weeks, healing from almost dying in the wasteland. Gob and Nova became my family over time, with Nova keeping the creeps away from me, and Gob protecting me from the owner of the bar, Colin Moriarty. 

I swear, that guy had a stick up his ass.

As I started to heal, I got used to the lifestyle in the wasteland, and I honestly liked it. People got to live life on their own terms. No one treated me like shit, or blamed me for what hapened at the vault, even though only Gob and Nova were the ones I told. 

Gob sometimes told me about a place called Underworld, which was a settlement for ghouls like him. He mentioned his mother a few times, but never said her name. I never pried about it, since he seemed sad when talking about it. Apparently, Moriarty bought him from slavers, and he can't leave until he pays off the caps.

It seemed weird, using bottle caps to replace money, but I wasn't complaining.

One day, I was playing pipfall on my Pip-boy in the back room, until I heard voices. Moriarty was talking to someone. Making sure to stay hidden, I stood by the doorway and listened, my anxiety flaring.

A familiar voice beckoned," We have reason to believe you're housing a fugitive. We've been sent to bring her back to vault 101."

They found me?! Shit!!

Moriarty's voice rang out, his irish accent as strong as the booze he made Gob sell." Care to describe this fugitive?"

"Fair enough. This fugitive is named Fern. About this tall, 19 years old, bright red hair."

Moriarty rubbed his chin before he possessed his sly grin. He haggled, "Information doesn't come cheap, fellas. I'm gonna need something in return."

One of the guards nodded as he replied, "We don't carry your currency out here, but we have supplies. Food, water, ammo, whatever you want. But we need the girl first."

I wanted to scream. That prick was just going to sell me out?

Before anything else happened, Gob walked into the room, careful not to be spotted by Moriarty, and he mouthed two words to me.

Hide. Now.

I reluctantly nodded, and crept behind a bookshelf, wrapping my hand around my mouth so I couldn't make any noises.

Before long, I heard footsteps, and trembled uncontrollably at the sound of Moriarty's voice.

"Fern, you little shite, where are ya? You've overstayed your welcome, girlie."

I saw his shadow near the doorway, and tried my hardest to keep from crying. I couldn't go back. Not after what they had done to Jonas, after they tried to kill me.

Gob hurried over, and blocked Moriarty's path, arms spread wide open as he warned, "Leave her alone, Moriarty! She's just a damn kid!"

Moriarty scoffed, surprised by Gob's audacity. He muttered in a low voice, "Stay out of this, ya fuckin' zombie. That girl is nothin' but trouble."

"Don't you dare touch her!"

A slap rang out, and I heard a body stumble to the ground.

Gob!

I heard more slaps, with Gob grunting in pain. He winced, "Just leave her alone! She left that place for a reason!"

My vision started to blur, and I was back in the vault, in the restricted storage room, but I wasn't hidden in the crate. I stood in that room, seeing that guard beating Jonas.