Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was impossibly dark.

Dark and loud.

Neither Ginger nor Lou could see more than a few inches in front of them. Hours ago they'd dragged themselves through a narrow gap in the ruble of a collapsed train tunnel entrance. They'd have spent the night inside but with six inches of water and counting on the floor it hadn't seemed like a good idea.

Outside the storm raging was only getting worse.

They both had thought about turning back but in the blackness they'd never find the half flooded tunnel again. Ginger hadn't seen Dogmeat in hours but hoped he was sticking close.

With this much darkness, wind and rain it was unlikely their guns would do much good. An enemy would be on them before they even knew they were in danger. Knives and the dog were their only defense if anything was crazy enough to hunt in this weather.

Lou's outline was in front of her, he swore loud enough for her to hear him over the roar and disappeared. Ginger scrambled forward, her foot suddenly meeting air instead of soggy ground and she fell too. She rolled down a steep embankment and smacking into a pole or a tree. Ginger couldn't tell which but whatever it was it was going to leave a bruised mark on her left ribcage.

Wet ragged hands found her and hauled her to her feet. Lou felt along her shoulders and her neck, checking her for wounds. She felt his warm breath next to her ear and over the roar of wind he yelled, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" she yelled back through chattering teeth.

"We have to get out of this shit!"

Ginger agreed. Lou found her hand and together they trudged on. Distantly Ginger thought she heard a dog barking somewhere in the wind. She stopped short. Lou turned… or at least she thought he turned… to look at her. Ginger felt up along his arm until she found his ear.

"Listen! That's Dogmeat!"

They both stilled holding their breaths as they tried to pick out the sound over the wind and rain. Lightning flashed followed by a deafening clap of thunder. The sudden flash of light didn't help either of them at all. The area they were in was thick with blackened trees.

The thunder subsided and there it was, Dogmeat barking in the distance. Together Lou and Ginger made their way in the direction of their dog.

They fought through the storm for a few long minutes and then Ginger picked out a different sound. "Lou!"

"What!"

"Listen! Tin roof?"

Lou stiffened for a second while he listened before he tugged her along with new purpose. He had to get Ginger out of this weather before she froze to death. Hell ghouls were resilient but even he wasn't going to last much longer then she would in this hell.

The tin roof got louder until it almost muted the sound of everything else. Lou ran smack into a hard wall and swore with the pain that flared behind his eyes. Dogmeat barked to his right and he followed the sound, feeling along the wall with one hand while keeping the other firmly in Gingers. The mutt was smart, he'd never led them astray before and it was times like this he was truly thankful for Dogmeat's intelligence.

The rain stopped bombarding them as he felt his way up creaky old steps. In the blackness he could just make out a white painted door. It took a few seconds of grouping but he found the handle and twisted, his heart leaping when he found it wasn't locked.

They all rushed inside and Lou muscled the door closed against the wind. Once the door was closed it was quieter. Not quiet because of the rain on the roof was still thundering above them but quieter.

Ginger fiddled with her Pipboy for a few seconds, doing a sweep of the room before she tried her light. The light cast off by the Pipboy was faulty because the device was waterlogged. It also didn't help that Ginger was shivering violently but it was enough to avoid running into old furniture.

Lou looked the room over and spotted a cast iron woodstove with a fully stocked wood box next to it. Lou opened the iron door and after a little swearing and a little more effort he managed to get a half decent flame crackling.

Lou left the door open, casting warm orange light over the dust caked floor.

The ghoul grinned at his smoothskin and she grinned back, arms wrapped around her shivering body. "Th-the wastel-l-land al-al-always p-pr-provides."

Dogmeat shook, sending water droplets flying before he curled in front of the stove with a heavy sigh. Ginger giggled in spite of her numb lips.

"I'll barricade the door if you wanna look around for blankets or something," Lou said and Ginger nodded. Lou wedged a chair from the table under the doorknob and turned the lock. It wasn't great but they hadn't seen another living person in over a week so he figured it'd be alright.

He turned making his way back into the main living/dining area, Ginger's boots were set close to the stove to dry along with her clothes hanging over various surfaces. Everything they both wore was beyond soaked.

"Ginger?"

"Upstairs," she called back. "Th-there are b-bedrooms up here."

Lou removed his boots and set them next to Ginger's. He striped everything off except for his wet boxers before heading up the open staircase. Upstairs there were two bedrooms. One on each side of the house and connected by an open catwalk with hip high railings on either side.

One room was loft style and he could see that she wasn't over there. Instead he turned right and headed into the closed bedroom. Ginger had found and lit a candle on a nightstand. She was shaking what looked like two hundred years of dust out of the king size bed sheets.

She smiled at him, goosebums covering her pale skin.

"You should let me do that and look for some dry clothes." Lou scolded, moving to take the blanket.

Ginger snapped the sheet out over the bed with a flick of her wrists and laughed. "It's already warming up in here and soon I'll be curled up with you in this bed. Besides, there are other things we could do to get warm."

Ginger waggled her wet eyebrows at him and Lou laughed. "Well when you put it like that it's hard to argue."

Lou helped Ginger dust off the comforter and pillows before they climbed into bed. The sheets were cold but Lou dropped his wet boxers on the floor and pulled Ginger close to him, chaffing her skin with his hands to try to warm her faster.

"Lou?"

"hmm?" he murmured, kissing her neck while he hugged her closer.

"I love you." She whispered, she'd only said it a couple times before and Lou smiled against her skin, kissing her shoulder.

"I love you too smoothskin."

Ginger woke up early, she wasn't cold and that was a small miracle in itself. She'd been positive that she'd never be warm again last night. Lou was still sleeping soundly next to her so she eased out of bed and crept across the catwalk to the other bedroom.

She found some clothes in the dresser and after picking through what was available Ginger pulled on a pair of tight jeans and a dark red sleeveless blouse. She found socks too and a brush in the top drawer. After taming the cloud of doom that her hair always formed when she slept on it wet she slipped on the socks and tip toed downstairs.

Last night she'd removed her Pipboy to dry out. She checked the time on it but didn't put it back on, it was still damp. It was just before dawn according to the Pipboy but she felt wide awake. Ginger fed wood into the stove to fend off the morning chill and gave Dogmeat a scratch. His fur was impossibly tangled so the first thing she did was retrieve the brush and give him a good grooming. The dog loved being brushed. He made it difficult but trying to roll on his back and lick her fingers.

When she was done he looked better than he had in months. Hours in the rain had cleaned all the filth from his fur and after the brushing it was left shiny and soft.

Dogmeat went to the door and whined softly, looking at her. Ginger peeked out past the floral curtains and only saw a wall of fog. Sighing she quietly moved the barricade and unlocked the door, letting him outside to do his business.

"You better not roll in the mud you little bastard," she hissed and he wagged his tail as he disappeared. It was a gesture that said to her, We'll see.

In the grey early morning light Ginger could see the layout of the room. The front door opened into a little kitchen, the kitchen opened onto a large square living area and there was a large sitting room on the other side separated by half walls. There were big windows that looked out on flat fog and Ginger pulled the curtains closed because honestly the thick fog creeped her out a little.

She moved to the refrigerator and studied it. On the door there was a knob and a digital readout screen at said Standby. She opened the door and found it empty. She closed the door again and turned the knob because really who wouldn't fiddle with it?

The first setting read All. She pressed a green button that said enter but it made an angry beep and the screen flashed Insufficient Space.

Ginger shrugged and turned the dial again, Breakfast.

That sounded good.

She hit enter and the fridge made a humming noises. Things shifted and clinked inside and she jumped back several feet, her had flying to her hip were her knives usually were. The screen flashed Ready and the fridge quieted.

Vault-Tec was embossed on the top of the refrigerator and she was reminded of the cooler system they'd had in the vault. It had work off of some kind of cryo-storage technology that she hadn't quite understood.

Ginger opened the door again and her mouth fell open. The space inside was stuffed with food. Some of it she recognized from the vault and some of it she hadn't a clue what it was. A scratch on the door told her Dogmeat was back and she let him in. He was thankfully still clean and returned to his place in front of the fire.

"I'm gonna make Lou breakfast!" she whispered to him excitedly. His ear perked up and his tail wagged but he didn't lift his head. He was too comfortable.

Lou tossed an arm over his eyes to block out the sunlight beaming directly into his eyes through a crack in the curtains. The bed was warm and he didn't want to get up yet but he could hear movement downstairs. Bacon was sizzling and it was accompanied by the scent of green peppers and onions.

He should probably get up for school, any minute his mother would yell up the stairs for him to come get breakfast. His mouth was already watering even as he tried to fight his way into a few more minutes of sleep before he had to get up and - wait a minute.

Lou sat bolt upright, his eyes snapping open. The fuck?

His eyes traveled around the dusty room. In a chair next to the bed a clean pair of jeans and a black T-shirt topped with boxers and socks waited for him. He pulled back the curtain he could reach from the bed and looked outside.

The sun was burning off the last of the fog and he could see a debris covered dirt driveway, a couple shed looking buildings and what looked like a fire pit that needed to be cleaned out in the worst way. What had him staring though were the trees. Tall, healthy, leafy, trees turned into the dense forest surrounding the yard.

Lou blinked several times and he had to close his mouth. He threw off the sheets and pulled on the cloths in a hurry. They fit pretty good and he suspected Ginger had taken some time to find the closest sizes for him.

Ginger…

Ginger was cooking.

Ginger was cooking bacon?

Outside was momentarily forgotten when he came down the stairs. A light blue tablecloth was on the little round table and it was set with clean dishes in a little patch of sun streaming in threw a skylight.

Ginger was pouring steaming coffee into porcelain cups and she was wearing a blue plaid apron. If he hadn't checked his hands just to make sure he was still a ghoul he might have sworn that the last hundred and fifty years had never happened.

"Good Morning sleepy head!" she smiled like a new wife greeting her husbanded for the first time.

"Good Morning," He answered, awed.

Lou was confused but in a delighted kind of way. Lou crossed the room, pulling her into a hard kiss. Ginger returned his affection for a few glorious seconds before she pulled away, going to the stove to collect the waiting food. Dogmeat was right on her heels, incredibly interested in what she was doing.

Lou tried to follow but she giggled and snapped a green kitchen towel at him. "No, go sit down and let me serve you. I'm playin' housewife and you have to play along."

Lou grinned and moved to the table, sitting down without taking his eyes off her. Ginger looked great naked and she looked great in bloodstained armor but right now, dressed in soft famine pre-war clothes with that apron she was heaven sent.

Ginger met his eyes with two steaming plates in her hands and she blushed. "What?"

"You, let's go back to bed…or right here on the floor, or on the table," he grinned and she shook her head.

"No. the floor is dirty and I spent too much time making the table look nice for you. Besides if we go to bed now you're eggs and bacon will get cold,"

She set a plate in front of him and he damn near had a heart attack.

Bacon.

Real bacon. And there were scrambled eggs with peppers, mushrooms, onions and cheese. To top it off she had triangles of toast with butter and red jam.

Lou looked at her, awed all over again. "…how?"

"The refrigerator is a Vault-tec storage device. We had a big one in vault 101. It preserves everything inside like the day you put it in. It has like four settings and I only got to breakfast but there is all kinds of stuff in there."

Ginger moved to the fridge and opened the door, pulling out a carton or orange juice and filling the two glasses on the table. "I hope you like what I made because it's the only thing I know how to cook."

Lou picked up a warm slice of bacon and took a bite, groaning in pleasure. He bit a corner of toast, identifying the jam as strawberry and forked some eggs into his mouth. It was amazing. He was in love with her all over again.

"Smoothskin…this is amazing." he growled. Ginger was having a similar experience and she grinned at his praise. Dogmeat moved from Ginger and set his head on Lou's thigh, looking up at the ghoul from under oddly expressive eyebrows. The dog groaned and Lou gave him a corner of toast.

Ginger laughed and fed Dogmeat half a strip of bacon. "Remember boy, Mama love you more."

Dogmeat snapped up the food and grinned with his tongue lolling out one side of his mouth. Ginger scratches his ears and he dusted the floor with his tail.

Lou was scraping up the last bit of egg with his toast when he remembered the view from the bedroom window. He shoved the food into his mouth and jumped up, grabbing his boots. Miraculously they were dry. He swallowed and yanked his boots on at the same time.

Ginger brought the empty dishes to the sink and cocked an eyebrow at him. "What's the rush?"

"Put your boots on! Have you looked outside?" he almost yelled and she moved to obey, grinning in response to his excitement.

"Outside was nothing but a wall of fog when I looked. Why?"

"Just…shake a leg woman. Let's go!" He tossed her newly dried boots to her and she yanked them on, lacing them up with a practiced ease. As soon as she tugged her pant leg down over her second boot Lou grabbed her hand. She almost fell flat on her face when he pulled her to the porch windows. He had been planning on just dragging her outside but though the window might be better first.

He threw open the curtains and both of their mouths fell open. Ginger clapped her hands over her mouth. The cabin they were in was sitting on a twenty foot cliff face overlooking a beautiful lake. The lake was nestled in the bottom of a densely forested valley. From the window they could see other cabins dotting the opposite shoreline but there wasn't any sign of people.

Small colored bird's flitted in the trees and Lou saw a fish jump out of clear water. It was a paradise on earth.

"Jesus Christ…" Lou whispered. Ginger was stunned into silence. Lou grabbed her hand and hauled her out the front door, the mutt close on their heels. Outside the air was cool and damp, water droplets shone brightly in the light and Ginger laughed, spinning on her heels to take it all in.

"Lou! Look at this place!"

"I know!" He looked towards the lake and spotted what looked like a path to the water. "Come on!"

Hand in hand they ran down the steep embankment to the shoreline. The dock was old but they ran out onto it. Lou could see fish swimming lazily on the bottom of the crystal clear water.

Ginger dropped to her hands and knees at the edge of the dock. The red head hesitated but then she carefully stuck her handed in the water. Silence. She cupped her hand and lifted a little water to her nose. It smelled okay so she took a sip. Her Pipboy stayed silent and it tasted fresh.

"It's pure."

"It's pure?"

Ginger nodded, almost frightened.

"This place…" Lou breathed, looking slowly over the rolling green valley. "It's not possible. Something's got to be wrong, dangerous. Maybe some giant creature that stalks the woods or something."

"I know what you mean but…there are birds singing and fish in the water. And the trees... Lou I know what this is."

He looked at her expectantly and Ginger blew out a sigh, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "We died last night."

"We died?"

"Yes. Probably the fire went out and we froze to death in our sleep. Funny, I always thought it would be a bullet to take me out."

"I thought you'd blow us up one night while trying to make bombs."

"Hey!" she shot, "I'm fantastic at bombs."

Lucifer slapped his leathery cheek a couple times and shook his head. "I don't feel dead."

"Like you could possibly know what being dead feels like." Ginger gestured to the spectacular view. "How do you explain being in paradise if we aren't dead?"

Lou was still shaking his head. "That's another thing. If we were dead there is no way we'd make it into Paradise."

"Well that's true," Ginger sat back on her heels. "I'm not convinced that any of this is real but as long as we're here we may as well enjoy it."

Lou nodded. "Do you want to stay here?"

"Stay?" Ginger asked, weighing the word on her tongue.

"Your job is done smoothskin," Lou reminded her gently. "You went to war, almost single handedly took out the most dangerous army in the wasteland. Gave D.C clean water, thus finishing your parents work. You even managed to die in the process. It was only for a few minutes but you gave your life for the Capital Wasteland. You're free kid. We could stay if you wanted."

Ginger looked up at the cabin they'd spent the night in. "We could, couldn't we?" her eye's brightened as she started babbling excitedly. "Lou we could live here! Quit wandering and just live out our day's right here in this valley!"

"You'd quit wandering?" Lou asked, surprised.

"Well," she amended. "Quit wandering far and wide. I do want to search this Valley from one end to the other!"

Lou smiled crookedly. "That's my girl."

Chapter Text

Ginger swept a scrappy broom over the floor of the cabin for the second time. The amount of dust had been bad enough to warrant a double sweeping before she mopped. She'd already taken a rag… several rags… and wiped down everything above floor level. Under the dust she'd found lovely finished wooden walls and shelves.

As she'd worked it had gotten brighter in the cabin. Now that most of the dust was being swept outside the light could bounce off the honey colored wood, filling the space with a homey brightness.

Outside Lou was working just as hard to clean up the yard. He'd made piles of brush to be burned later and he'd raked up the decades of leaves that littered the ground. Now he was chopping stove length firewood. He'd taken his shirt off since the last time Ginger had looked out the window so she took a moment to drag her eyes over his lean muscled frame.

Dogmeat was all over the place.

The dog hadn't stopped moving since he'd gone out with Lou that morning. There were so many new smells and sounds that need inspecting. Ginger chuckled, he was going to sleep good tonight.

Lou glanced up and caught her watching him. The ghoul smiled at her. "When I get this done I'm going to take Dogmeat and do a sweep of the area."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

Lou shrugged. "If you want but I did a close one already and it doesn't look like anything sizable –human or otherwise- has been around here in years."

Ginger nodded with a smile still on her lips. Ever cautious she did have her pistols strapped to her hips and when she turned to go back into the camp Lou saw her beloved twin combat knives secured in an X pattern at the small of her back.

Ginger kept up her cleaning, eventually realizing that the sound of wood being chopped had stopped. If this place was as wonderful as it seemed she and Lou may very well settle down here. Make a home for the two of them. Raise crops and dogs.

A very small part of her almost dared imagine a child in their future but that was one fantasy that was destined to stay in her imagination. Thanks to the same experiment that made radiation a healing influence for her she was a sterile as Lucifer.

After a great deal of effort Ginger stood in the middle of the old camp, surveying her surroundings. The place was looking pretty good all things considered. She'd washed down everything, standing on a chair to get to the top of the walls. Now that the dirt and dust had been washed away and the windows had spent the day open to let the air move around the place was looking almost pre-war.

The sound of boots in the gravel outside and a low growl from Dogmeat had her flattened against the nearest wall almost instantly. Ginger plucked the 9mm pistol from her hip and moved stealthily towards the front door.

She peaked quickly around the doorframe before ducking back out of sight, Dogmeat was on the other side, crawling on his belly. There in the dooryard were three men in leather armor, all carrying rifles. Two were human and one was a ghoul.

"Fresh tracks in the dirt, woods been split and the windows are open." a rough voice was saying. It was the ghoul by the sound of him. "Spread out, someone has been here recently and it looks like they were planning on staying awhile."

Not wanting to be found with her back to a wall Ginger stood and stepped out onto the porch, pistol raised. "No need to spread out. We're right here." She told them in a clear voice, clicking her tongue. Dogmeat joined her, hackles up.

The men all had their guns up but the ghoul stepped forward slowly. "Easy now." He sounded like he was trying to sooth her and she almost laughed. He sounded like Lou did when he was trying to calm her down. "We don't mean ya' no harm, we just don't have many visitors here in the valley."

"Not looking to start any trouble myself," she told them although she didn't drop her aim just yet.

The ghoul gave his men a hand signal and they dropped their barrels towards the dirt. Ginger hesitated a moment and then she let her own aim drop slightly.

"Are you alone out here?" the ghouls asked, glancing around.

"No," she told him evenly, nodding towards Dogmeat.

"Ah, well welcome. Like I said we don't get many outsiders."

"Is this your cabin?" she asked, starting to relax. Her instincts told her there men weren't out to slit her throat or steal her blind.

"No, it's unoccupied." he told her. "Although I like to keep an eye on all the places in the valley. We have a small village on the far side of the lake. You'd be welcome if you wanted to stop in."

Behind the men Lou immerged from the undergrowth, gun up. "Nobody move." he growled surprising their guests. "You alright smoothskin?"

Ginger tucked her pistol back into her holster and nodded. "Yes, it's alright Lou. These are our neighbors, they seem friendly enough."

The men turned towards Lou slowly and the ghoul's eyebrows shot up. Lou cocked an eyebrow at him but he did let his gun drop.

"Please," the ghoul said, watching Lou. "Come join us for our evening meal tonight. We usually gather in the long house around six. We'd be happy to have some new faces."

Lou glanced at Ginger who shrugged and then nodded. "Alright," he said, slinging his rifle over his shoulder and sticking out his hand. "Name's Lucifer."

"A pleasure, I'm Wyatt. I'm the all father here." He looked over his shoulder and Ginger grinned.

"Ginger," she introduced herself.

The men left with Wyatt as quickly as they appeared. Lou crossed the dirt when he was sure they were gone. He kissed her, his hands settling on her hips. "Are you really okay?"

Gingers laughed, "Yes Lou. I only have my pride hurt. They were in the yard before I noticed them." She told him. "What do you think? The neighbors invited us to dinner. Should we go?"

"Might be a trap," He said and she nodded. "But my instincts tell me it's not."

"Mine too, and it wouldn't hurt to learn a little about the locals if we want to stay here."

Ginger and Lou made their way along the edge of the lake that afternoon. Ginger grinned at everything, tipping her head back and watching little colored birds flutter from one thick leafy branch to another. The bright afternoon sun streamed gold through the emerald leaves. It was otherworldly.

"This place is beautiful." She said, "I could really see us settling down here."

Lou took her hand in the midsts of the tall hardwood trees and pulled her against his chest. Birds were chirping, the sun warmed the air around them and he smiled down at her. "Anna…" he breathed, placing his forehead against hers. "Will you marry me?"

She paused like she always did when he asked her to marry him. His little vault crawler turned hero had commitment issues.

Ginger leaned in, pressing her lips against his softly and breathed. "Yes."

Lou stiffened, his hands tightening against her back. "What was that?"

Ginger grinned at him, her words barely above a whisper. "I said yes."

Lou's chest swelled and he picked her with his arms wrapped tightly around her hips, swinging her around. He'd asked her to marry him dozens of time in their years together and she'd never agreed. Of course there was always some big heavy responsibility on the horizon and neither of them had been sure they'd survive the Enclave.

That was all over with now. He realized that simple fact with Ginger locked safely in his arms. They were both free to be regular people making a life in the wasteland.

"Say it again," he asked and grinned up at her.

Ginger laughed loudly. "Yes!"

"I love you," Lou dropped her to her feet and caught her lips with his. "More so every day."

"I love you too, how'd I get so lucky?"

"I might ask you the same thing smoothskin." He took her hand, reaching into an inner pocket of his armor. He slipped the ring he'd been carrying around with him for well over a year onto his fiancés finger. "I've been saving this for you."

"Lou it's beautiful!" she had a swallow a small lump in her throat as she gazed down at the simple gold band now decorating her left hand.

Lucifer kissed her fingers. "Come on," he smiled at her like she held the sun and the moon just for him. "Let go have dinner with our new neighbors."

The village that they found looked like it may have once been an old hunting or summer camp. There was a large lodge at the top of the hill and a handful for smaller cabins scattered down the sloping lawn to the water's edge.

A handful of people milled around and when the closest guard spotted them he raised his rifle but he nodded in greeting. "Hello, we've been expecting company. I'll just need to hear your names."

Lou nodded his approval of the security measures. "I'm Lucifer and this is Ginger. We've been cleaning up one of the camps at the far end of the lake."

The man lowered his weapon, waving them into the town. "I'm Gavin. Welcome to White Stag."

"It's lovely." Ginger grinned.

"Thanks," he smiled with true appreciation for the compliment. "We've worked hard. This way, I'll take you to Wyatt."

He lead them through the village and up the embankment to the lodge. The people they passed looked on curiously but didn't approach. The lodge itself was beautifully made of logs and it had been well maintained over the years since the war.

They were brought up the steps and onto a wraparound porch. Wyatt was reclined in a rocking chair made of tree branches, smoking a long carved pipe.

"You came!" he grinned, gesturing to two more chairs that had been place so he could entertain his guests. "I was hoping you would. Thank you for bringing them up Gavin, return to your post and I'll have one of the girls bring you down something to tide you over until your shift change."

Gavin nodded, all good nature and easy personality. "Thanks Wyatt. Do me an extra kindness and send Inga."

Wyatt chuckled. "Of course."

Gavin left with a little extra bounce in his step.

Wyatt shook his head, puffing his pipe. "If that boy doesn't have her living in his house and a babe in her belly by winter I'd be shocked and amazed." He told them. "Inga already finds whatever excuse she can to spend time with him and they're both good people, it's a smart match."

Lou reached out and squeezed Gingers fingers, he was still elated that she'd finally agreed to be his wife and he wished Gavin the best of luck with Inga.

Wyatt grinned at them. "I am very excited to have you both here but especially you sir. I've never met another person like myself. I've heard from other travels that have stumbled into the valley that there are many and that the people call us ghouls but that's all I've been able to find out. I've never dared leave my people to find out more elsewhere."

Lou's eyebrows shot up and he leaned back in his chair. "You've never been outside this valley?"

"Not since the bombs first fell. I was on my way here when they went off. Thought for sure the radiation would kill me but here I still am. "

Lou nodded. "What do you want to know?"

"How long will we live?" Wyatt asked.

"Indefinitely." Lou told him. "We ghouls are resistant to illness and healed by radiation. We can turn feral, that's when our minds rot away and only a starved animal is left behind. It's not a good way to go but that tends to only happen when a ghoul become depressed and malnourished."

Wyatt nodded and a pretty young woman in a maroon halter dress stepped out of the lodge with a tray in her hands. A pitcher and three glasses were balanced on it. Her brunette hair was pinned up in a bun and the smile she gave reached her dark green eyes. "Here, I thought it would be nice to bring you some sweet tea while you have your visit."

Wyatt smiled and she placed the tray on the little table next to his chair. "Thank you Inga. Would you perhaps have time to put together a basket for Gavin on the western guard post? He's doing a double shift to cover for Travis."

Inga brightened visibly and nodded. "Oh yes, right away."

She left in a hurry and Ginger laughed softly. "She's lovely. I hope things work out between her and Gavin."

Wyatt nodded. "I think they will and their blood lines are unattached so they'll produce strong children."

"How do you keep such a small and isolated community from becoming inbred?" Ginger asked curiously.

"With a lot of effort and a little luck." Wyatt told her. "We have people wander into the valley two or three time a year. When they do we watch them to make sure they aren't a threat and then we invite them here. The women always give new men all the attention they want, many of them with the hopes of becoming pregnant. Nobody is forced into it but shall we say…promiscuity with our outside guest is encouraged. That's how we've survived all these years. With that in mind I'd like to apologize in advance. We've never had a couple wander in, You both will very likely receive advancements."

Ginger grinned and Lou laughed. "Ginger can take care of herself and I would be a waste of time."

"Oh?" Wyatt asked and Lou's face fell.

"Oh, I suppose you wouldn't know. Ghouls are sterile."

Wyatt frowned but he nodded after a minute's consideration. "I have suspected that for years. I do appreciate knowing for certain."

"I'm sorry," Lou told the older ghoul.

Wyatt waved him off. "It's alright, I am an old man and even if none of my bloodline is left here I do view all my people as my children, or grandchildren, as the case may be." He chuckled, watching a couple boys kicking a ball between the buildings. "Now tell me, with you working as hard to clean up that camp how long do you intend to stay?"

"As long as there are no objections Lou and I have been talking about maybe settling here permanently. A kind of retirement for us."

Wyatt nodded. "I don't think that would be a problem as long as you don't mean us any harm." He puffed his pipe, leaning back comfortably in his rocker. "Although I might suggest you pick a spot closer to the village. It would be hard to offer assistance if you ever needed it."

"What kind of dangerous things live in the area?" Lou asked.

A shadow flickered in the old ghouls eyes. "Used to be nothing especially dangerous. An occasional bear but those are far and few between."

"And now?" Ginger asked.

Wyatt sighed. "Now there is something…something new. At first I thought perhaps too many ghost stories were being told at night. Over the last several months our scouts have been finding strange things in the woods. Large footprints in the dirt. Scorched earth. Broken limbs of large branches. I thought surly there was a logical explanation even as my children name the thing a demon."

Ginger leaned forward, her mind running through all the creature she'd seen in the wasteland that might be able to cause damage like that. Fire breathing deathclaw? She sure as hell hoped not.

"Has anyone seen it?"

Wyatt tapped the ash from his pipe into a tray he'd blanched on his knee. "Young Travis stumbled into came a week ago covered in burns. He was babbling about a monster, completely black in color. Said he fire at it and the bullet glanced off it's hide. The creature threw fire at him, it looked like a man but wrong. Bigger. I don't know what to make of it."

Cold washed over Gingers back and Lou reached over to squeeze her knee. "I have an Idea." She said. "Hellfire armor. It's the Enclave. They're here."