Chapter Two: I'm No Hero

You opened your eyes, rolling your head. The angle you fell asleep in left you with a stiff neck.

"I should be heading out." You said, not looking up to know Nick heard you. He was always awake early.

"Sure thing, be careful out there."

You nod, grabbing ahold of your backpack and coat. "Will do, Nicky." You opened the door silently. Walking out and facing the morning sun tha washed over Diamond city in a glow.

You made your way out of Diamond city. Exiting the gates without question.

Now you wandered, something you find yourself doing often. Something you wish you didn't do as much as you did.

You walked through the streets of the older parts of the large city. Sneaking past any area's used by raiders.

You didn't want to deal with any violence right now.

You broke into a run when you reached the bridge. You always had a thing for running, you probably could've gotten on a track team that you've seen in olds books within schools.

You slowed your pace to a jog, still having to carry your backpack.

You looked around, getting farther from the city. Now closer to Cambridge, you continued to jog, turning to the Diamond city radio. The radio station was one of the only things you really liked about Diamond city.

You stopped in your tracks, ahead of you was a lone woman running and reloading her gun from a pack of radiated hounds.

Pulling out your pistol, you stepped to the left and aimed at the animals. Gain the woman's attention. Shooting at the heads with deadly accuracy, one by one they fell to the ground, dead.

The woman stopped infront of you, leaning down and resting her hands on her knees. "Thanks." She panted, tucking a bit of dark brown hair behind her ear.

"It's nothing." You replied, checking how much ammo you had left in your gun.

"Seriously, you pretty much saved my life. Who are you?" She asked, standing up straight.

"You first." You said, something you did on instinct.

"Oh, um I'm Nora." She said.

"(Fake/n). Where you headed?" You asked, leaning against the stone fence. Wiping the sweat from your forehead.

"Oh uh, I'm headed for Diamond city."

How ironic, you thought grimly. Then, without thought the words slipped from your lips. "I just came from there, want a guide?"

Nora's face lit up, "you'd do that? I don't want to take up your time." She said, unsure to take up the offer.

The voice in your head screamed not to insist, to leave now and keep going somewhere else. But you're voice spoke, making the choice before you could really process it. "Its fine, really. I don't have much to do anyway, come, I'll show you the best way to get there. Do you have a weapon?" You glanced at her, now finally taking in her appearance.

She wore an open sweater over a vault suit. A vault suit! She had a pipboy on her right arm, a bit over chin length long dark brown hair, and chocolate eyes.

"Uh yeah, a lazer musket."

You rose a brow, but nodded. "You can handle it?"

"What do you mean by that?" She frowned, sounding slightly offended. "Of course."

You shrugged, "alright, lets go then." You turned, mentally cursing at yourself for offering Nora to guide her. You should stop being so nice. You thought to yourself venomously.

You retracted the steps you took, this time going farther from the raiders part of the city. When Nora started a conversation you were bent on ending it quickly. Nora caught on quickly and choose to stay quiet. Hours passed, it was almost night.

When you finally neared the doors you stopped, "Nora, why come to Diamond city?" You turned around, looking at her.

She seemed suprised by your question, but her expression changed quickly. Her eyes shown determination, her red lips pursed. "I'm finding my baby, Shaun."

"A baby huh? Well... Why Diamond City? Most people in Diamon city spread lies, they can be greedy. They single out others." The word "ghoul" ran through your mind, and you pushed it aside.

"I talked to the minutemen about it who said Diamond city has help for me."

You nodded slowly, "find the person called Nick Valentine. He's a detective, if it's anyone who can help, it's him." You told her, making the woman smile.

"You're not so bad aren't you? Underneath it all, you must've been through some shit."

You snorted, "you don't say." You turned on your heel, prepared to walk away right then and there, no use staying another night with them in Diamond city.

"Wait. You... you can come with me." Nora said, extending a hand. You glanced back at her, and sent her a small genuine smile.

"Nah, I'll pass on this, but if you need me another time I might just accept. Go find your son, goodluck Nora." You gave you words and turned your head back. As you trekked forward, Nora said her final goodbye.

"Hope you can find him, Nora." You whispered despite no one being able to hear you.

•▪°○°▪•

You walked up the stairs of the lone building, from the entrance it showed no sign of anyone residing within. You needed some time to rest, even if it was dangerous. At this point you were desperate for some sleep.

Paranoia ate you on the inside as you walked, even having Jeremy with you those nights calmed your loneliness and fear.

Your fear of being alone, of no one being there when death finally gets you. You didn't want to die alone, you didn't like to be alone.

You reached an empty room on the second floor, deeming the best place. Fortunately the lock on the door still worked, you turned the knob, it locked with a click and you set your pipboy light to a dimmer glow.

You took of your backpack, and slid down against the wall till you sat. You put your backpack next to you, gun infront of you, and leaned to the side. Using your backpack as a head rest and shut your eyes, curling into a ball. You tried to fall asleep.

Turning off your pipboy with your eyes still shut, you just tried to listen to the sounds outside. Eventually lulling yourself to a restless slumber.

•▪°○°▪•

When you awoke, you were startled by the sounds of footsteps. Several footsteps.

"Oww! Please stop." A womans frail voice cried, "I'm sorry!" She apologized repeatedly.

"You tried to steal from us bitch, this is just punishment." Came the gruff reply.

They were downstairs, most likely near your exit. And the way the building layout was made, you'd be seen if you tried to leave.

You grabbed your things and rushed to stand. The woman's muffled sobs were heard from the broken cracks in the floor near the window.

You stepped over silently to the door, unlocking it as quick and quietly as possible and opened it. Lucky that the door didn't squeek loud enogh to gain their attention.

You tip-toed down the stairs, peeking to the first floor. Raiders, three of them, surrounding a woman. You guessed she might've not been with them, considering she was being treated like this.

Your eyes widened, the man infont of her's fun was pushed up to move her shirt up with it. Their gonna... oh god. Your eyes narrowed, tightening you hold on your trusty gun and aimed.

Before the raider could expose anymore flesh, he dropped to the ground. A bullet to the head. The two others immediately grabbed their guns and the woman crouched down for cover.

"Oh god!" She cried, the two other raiders looked for you. As they spotted you, you managed to shoot one in the shoulder, but that was it.

You ran up the stairs, waiting for them to come to you. To lure them in and strike, like a predator.

You turned the corner, ears picking up any sound lf their approach.

The sounds of them rushing entered your hearing, and you crouched, leaning to peer over the corner with your gun and fired several times.

Your eyes picked up on the shots hitting the injured one, before you felt a stinging burn in your arm and shoulder. Cursing you pulled out your hiden combat knife from your leg, and turn the corner.

You lunged for him, pouncing him like a cat, and stabbed him in the neck as he was caught off-guard.

You moved away before anymore blood could get on you.

You searched their corpses for ammo, wiping your knife and sheathing it once more. Grabbing the ammo and extra caps you stood. Taking out a stimpack, you were fortunate that the bullets went all the way through. You stuck the stimpack in, injecting its medicinal liquid and let it heal you.

Then you made your way downstairs.

The woman cowered there by the door, and you gave her a glance.

"Hey, lady." You called out, her pale face looked up to you with wide eyes, she was trembling. "Get up, take one of their guns, and go back to where you came from. It ain't safe here." You said, turning to the door.

"W-wait!" You stopped and sighed, a sense of deja vu. "T-thank you! You sa-saved me from them."

"Yeah, well- I'm no hero. Just someone taking chances to try and live." You said, continuing to leave the building. You needed to wash this blood away, you hated being covered in blood.

Leaving the woman, you made your way to the closes water source on your map. Maybe you shouldn't have left her like that, she was almost raped.

It was too late to turn now, you decided, though another part of you argued that was a lie.

"When you turn your back on someone, you already feel its too late. Unless given another chance to make it better." You recited those words.

It was early, 6 in the morning to be exact. You couldn't sleep to well, tossing and turning through the night.

But it was the best you were gonna get, at this moment.

You stared down at your reflection in the stream of water, you did your best with ridding of any blood that caked your skin. Couldn't say the same about the spots on your clothes though.

You sighed, mind in an eternal cycle of wandering.

You need to break this habit. Even if it breaks you.

You need to see him again. If what Nick says is true.

You need to see him, even if it's one more time. Even if he's different, you really couldn't run from it forever could you?

You let out a strained laugh, shoulders slumped and a frown on your face. No need to show weakness.

If you were going to do this, then you'd do it. Head on. Even if it hurt you physically or mentally, you couldn't live like this forever. You just... can't keep running.