Crawl Out Through The Fallout (Fo4 Fanfic)

chapter 4

 

The day had been long enough with everything that had happened that morning, but it seemed to drag on even longer. Erin wasn't one to start or even carry a conversation.

"So um. What is diamond city?" Fiona asked. Before she had just assumed after 2 centuries the people just renamed uptown. Erin let out a low, annoyed sigh. "Prewar baseball stadium, largest settlement in the wealth." He grunted.

Like the Sox stadium???

They continued walking in silence. Fiona's legs crumbling beneath her as they hit Cambridge. The sun was beginning to set and Erin was showing no sign of slowing down. "Can we maybe take a break? Or like camp out or something in Cambridge?" She asked speeding up trying to walk next to him. "Do you ever stop whining?" His pace quickened. Fiona fought the urge to yell at him, knowing that wouldn't help anything. He could very well just put a bullet in her if he was annoyed enough, this new world was cutthroat, killing is probably second nature out here. She decided just to keep her mouth shut and let him lead.

"Cambridge is infested with ferals, half mile outside should be safe enough." He eventually answered. They made it to a decent spot a half mile outside the town, as Erin had said. "Should we build a fire or something?" Fiona asked kicking at the ground. "I'll get wood you stay here." Erin instructed, he tossed his gun ontop of Fiona's bag then walked off. Fiona felt sudden anxiety bubble up as she was left alone. It wasn't quiet but eerie. She sat down next to their stuff clutching her rifle that she frankly couldn't use very well. Everything still didn't feel real. The clattering of sticks hitting the ground startled the girl, she whipped around pointing her gun at an aggravated Erin. He had a bored expression as he just stared at her, but not her eyes. "might wanna load it if you wanna shoot me." He sighed sitting down beside the pile of sticks. Fiona's face went red in embarrassment "I'm sorry I got scared." She said bashfully putting the in fact empty gun in her bag. Erin didn't answer, but pulled a flip lighter from his pocket lighting the sticks. They eventually caught and gave them a small fire.

Fiona tucked her legs to her chest suddenly feeling vulnerable. Yet another awkward silence fell apon the two, this time with more tension. Fiona decided she should try to start a conversation, I wouldn't hurt to get to know him, maybe things would be less awkward if they knew more about each other.
Please don't be an asshole
"So uh. Tell me about yourself?" She asked way more nervously than intended. Erin glared at her for a moment before the curt answer of "no"
Of course
Fiona then had the grand idea, if she told him about herself maybe he'd feel more comfortable sharing.
"Well, uh, you already know we're looking for my brother. But I also have a mom, she was a nurse, not home a lot but she was a really great person." Fiona rambled, Erin stared, eyes half lidded and bored. "Good for you" he sighed rolling his eyes. "What about you? Your parents?" She asked innocently. She could see his jaw clench, he was visibly uncomfortable.

Oh no I hit a nerve

  "I'm sorry, if something happened to them I understand. My mo-" "is that so? You understand?" He raised his voice at her. His whole demeanor changed. "I-" "stop fucking talking. Go to sleep. We hit the road at 4." Aggression lacing his words he stood abruptly grabbing his belt with the holstered machete then walking off. Fiona felt all the blood in her body rush to her face. Tears swelled in her eyes.
What did I do wrong? I didn't mean to-

She curled up tighter, quietly letting the years fall. She shamed herself for crying over a guy she hardly knew yelling at her. is he still going to help her? What if this has ruined any chances of them becoming friends? "God, he hates me." She signed poking a stick into the fire.

Shortly after storming off Erin had returned to the fire. Fiona, startled, immediately whipped her eyes and cleared her throat. Erin cringed realising he made her cry. Hesitantly he sat down next to her. "Sorry" he awkwardly patted her back a little harder than intended. "No I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought it up. Too soon." Fiona replied quietly looking away. Erin just hummed having no idea what to say in these situations. The two just sat there for a moment awkwardly averting eyes until Fiona finally felt a wave of exhaustion. She curled up next to the fire with her bag bunched up under her head as a pillow.
Erin stayed seated beside her not really sure what to do. Fiona eventually drifted to sleep in a fetal position back turned to Erin. What the fuck am I doing here... He thought. He stood up grabbing his belongings and began to walk off.  She's annoying and I don't owe her anything. Hearing a shifting behind him he stopped in his tracks. Looking over his shoulder he saw Fiona flinching and shaking in her sleep. He rolled his eyes and begrudgingly turned back. Fuck I hate being a good guy.
   He sat down beside her again, poking at the fire. Her brother better be worth it.

FIONA

"Momma I'm home" I shouted into the dead silent house. "Mom?" I called walking down the hall "fi honey?" I smiled pushing through the door of my mother's room. She was sitting at the edge of the bed she use to share with my father. "Hey mom we got a lot of business toda-" "where's your brother?" She interrupted. "What-" "where. Is. Your. Brother." She looked over at me. My smile was gone at this point. "Where is he, where is my son?" She stood and walked towards me backing me into the wall "why did you let them take him? How could you lose him? You didn't save me and you couldn't even save your brother huh?!" Heart pounding goosebumps rose on my skin as I held myself. "You're leaving us too? Just like Nate! You're just like him! You're not even blood related and you're still just like him!" She shouted at me, I felt so cold. Mothers voice seemed to just fade out of existence as she continued to shout at me, I slid down the wall and held my knees to my chest.

I was abruptly shaken awake. I shrieked scrambling to find something to ground myself. I grabbed the closest thing which just so happened to be Erin's wrist as he shook me awake. We both paused, I was slicked in cold sweat and trembling, Erin glared daggers into me. "it's 4:00, time to go" he said without moving, he seemed almost frozen. He used my grip on his wrist to pull me up. Realising I still had a death grip in his wrist I immediately let go. "S-sorry i-" "let's go, get your shit." I nodded silently grabbing my bag. I was still shaking from my nightmare as we continued down the road.

"So uh. Did you sleep well?" I cringed at my attempt of awkward conversation. "No" he replied in the most monotonous tone yet. I looked over at him, he doesn't look tired but the dark circles under his eyes were nearly the color of a bruise. "Stop looking at me like that" he scowled gaze not leaving the road ahead. I looked anywhere but his face in attempt to be less awkward.

     The weight still hadn't hit me that I was now in a different world. Everything was vaguely recognisable, but this was a complete bone dry wasteland.