I'm so sorry...(A fallout fanfiction)

Chapter 3 (RW)

It had been about two days since Nate exited the vault with Phoenix. In that course of time, hebhad found himself with the minute men. Thanks to the help of Nate, they were now lucky enough to all be holding up in sanctuary hill.
Phoenix shot straight up, panting and sweating as she fell onto the broken floor next to her bed. She hissed as the held her stomach, only able to see a few inches in front of her. Loud footsteps made their way to her room, turning on a light.
"Oh my god, you're alright!"
She was pulled into a warm hug from Nate. Her head was spinning, memory still fuzzy. She ducked her head, the bright light burning her eyes.
She used all of her strength the push him away as she limped and pulled her way through the door. Despite her massive wound, she was practically running down the street. She arrived at a moderately large house. Her house, or, what was her house.
She barged the door in, going straight for her parent's room.
"Mom?" She yelled throughout the house. She went from room to room, tearing through everything in her path. What made her stop was a small safe that was hidden under the master bed. She knelt down to it, turning the dial slightly.
She hurried into the garage, pulling out a screwdriver from her father's toolbox. She swiftly made her way back to the safe, pulling a loose Bobby pin from her hair. She never thought she would need the skill of picking locks. But throughout her young life, she had to break out of her closet many times. She took a shaky breath as she slowly opened the safe.
She couldn't stop herself from screaming out a sob as she pushed herself away. It was her mother's rose gold locket, Phoenix's childhood music box, and a crumpled, folded photo of the two at her favorite downtown diner.
Her mother had never taken off the locket, as it was something she held close. There was a small note leaning over the music box. Breathing heavily, she read the note, having to go over each sentence many times for it to set into her head.

Sweetheart, if you get this note, then you know it most likely didn't go well for me. You were the little bit of sunshine to my dark and painful life. No matter what happened, you always had something to smile for. If the smile wasn't for you, it was for me, Nate, Nora... you held on for all of us. And remember the little puppy I brought home on a rainy night? I told you I bought her, but I found her huddled next to a tree. That's why her name seemed so strange to you, Branch. I could see the glint of happiness in your eyes as I handed you the pup... it licking away your fresh tears. Over the years, I had made it my goal to make you smile as much as I could. Because you see, a few weeks before the bombs, I had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I never had the courage to tell anyone. But the only thing I don't regret doing, was bringing you into my life.
Now, open the locket. You may be wondering who that is. Well, it's me and your father. He was a soldier in the early stages of the war. He went missing when you were very young, and we all assumed he was dead when they couldn't find him. I don't have much time for story telling, but i'll tell you one thing... He would have been beaming with pride to see who you have become.
I married that Satan of a man one year later. He was never related to us in any way other than the thought he had of using us for the money we had received from the loss of your father. I wanted to give you everything you wanted. You deserved everything you wanted.
Now your vocal cords. We told you it was an accident. But in reality, the Bastard threw a cigarette at you. It fell to the ground and started the fire that charred the entire area around your vocal cords. And which you know resulted in the surgery that impaired you speaking abilities.
I felt you deserved the truth. About everything. And, if you so choose to, there is a few holotapes in the music box that I think you may want to listen to.

I love you, and I'm sorry,
Mom

With one hand holding the locket, and the other one rubbing the bright scar covering the majority of her neck, she cried. Cried for her mother. Cried for her father. Cried for all of the ways her mother tried to give her what she wanted, but couldn't. She cried for her selfishness, pitying herself to a point that she'd was oblivious to her mother's declining physical condition.
Everything was gone, the only thing that really kept her from giving up. She was filled with something more than sadness. She was filled with rage. She quietly sobbed as she pushed past Nate, grabbed a small hand pistol, and made her way back to the vault.