Sole Survivor

9- Bye, Shaun

The next morning I awoke the an empty prydwen. No one was there except Nick. I sat up checking my pipboy for the time, 7:08AM. shit, I overslept an hour. I stood up quickly walking to a close bathroom, which wasn't so close. I washed my face with cold, irradiated water, brushed my teeth with some sort of tooth brush I made & soap, yes, soap. I couldn't find any good toothpaste ingredients so this will have to do. The soap tasted foul but I just tried to wash it down with the taste of irradiated water.

I took one last look at the dirty mirror, today was the day I was going to destroy the institute. The Commonwealth's boogeyman was going to be gone, forever.

"Alright. Let's gooo." I said to myself walking to a vertibird to to go down the airport. Once I got down there I saw Liberty Prime up and ready for action. God only knows how tall and destructive this damned thing was but it'll do. Nate disappeared somewhere and I didn't have time to go and look for him.

"You ready, Paladin?" Proctor Ingram asked me.

I nodded walking behind Liberty Prime. We were going to go to the old CIT ruins, where the Institute was located, 'cept it was underground. So Liberty Prime was going to use his laser stuff to destroy the ground and we'll be going straight into the Institute. We couldn't just teleport like I did or use the machine because it was broken & Shaun had me banned from the Institute.

Once we arrived we were met by synths shooting at us in all directions. Liberty Prime did most of the work, shooting and throwing nukes at the synths. Once the ground was literally open, we all jumped in.

"This is the Institute? I would've expected something much more.. impressive." Elder Maxson said.

We walked through an unlocked door and down steps. "Wait 'til you get to the active part, Elder." I said as we were shooting at synths.

I was calm during combat because im from the Commonwealth, I'm used to it. Once we got where everyone stayed I saw that the walls and stuff were locked down. Synths started shooting at us again.

God, I never realized how annoying synths are.

I walked up to Shaun's room, he was lying in his death bed.

"You. What are you here for? To change your mind or gloat?" He hissed at me barely, his voice light but cruel.

"How about neither? I wanted to come up here and say a final goodbye to my son."

"It doesn't have to be goodbye. You can stop this, you shouldn't do this. You know the institute is the best choice for the world."

"You're wrong Shaun. The people of the Commonwealth deserves to determine their own faith."

"No you're wrong, Ava. The Commonwealth needs the institute." Alright familiar voice said.

I spun around to see the one and only Danielle. "What? After all you spoke about loving Nate you just betray h--"

"Until I actually saw up there. There is no faith left up there."

"There is no faith left in humanity if you do what you're going to." Shaun added.

"There is. But I guess you won't be alive to see it will you, Shaun? The institute is corrupted and needs to be stopped. I love you, Shaun,.but this" I waved my finger in a circle indicating at the institute, "needs to be stopped."

"I love you too mother, but you are doing the wrong thing."

"I'm not."

I walked off, back down the steps and with all the other soldiers. After all the synths were dead Proctor spoke to us through a speaker the Institute had,

"You can go up to the room now, I'll unlock the door when you're there."

I did as told and went to the door directly in the middle. As I & the rest of the team stepped up the door opened.. The Reactor.

Once we got down to the Reactor there were coursers with miniguns waiting. I tried my best not to get shot but last time I encountered a courser, it didn't go so peachy.

"Scribe!" I yelled out from behind a wall to someone, anyone.

"Sir!"

I liked them calling me 'Sir' though I wasn't a male. I don't know, it makes me feel like I have power I guess. "I need a distraction!"

I was going to kill the last courser, I just needed a distraction. Next thing I know a pulse grenade was thrown and the courser turned the other way. Once he turned I ran up and grabbed my knife piercing it straight through his skull.

I was breathing heavily as I charged the reactor. "Ready?" Proctor asked.

"I'll teleport you all out. The destination will be on top of the Mass Fusion building."

"We'll be there." Elder Maxson said to me.

Everyone was teleported out before me. Once I was out, we were all indeed on top of Mass Fusion. I guess they were waiting on me. Where we were standing the old C.I.T ruins were in plain sight but some kid was there also.

"Good work." Elder said walking up to me. "All the work you did, I am very proud to call you one of my own."

"I'm proud to be here Elder."

"Since you did so well, I will let you do the honors."

This is it. No more institute, no more Shaun, no more Danielle, nothing. This was a new start. I walked to the ledge where the button was located and took a deep breath. This is it.

"Meet back at the prydwen when you're ready." Elder said.