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

Chapter 4 (RW)

Phoenix pushed through the thick foliage as she came closer and closer to the place that started her nightmare of reality. Nothing would stop her from receiving justice. Not Nate, not the beasts scattered about, of which she could hear howling in the night, and not her thoughts.
She reached the gate, stopping to stare at the skeletal corpses scattered throughout the site. A large part of her wishes she was amongst them. Because if she was, her mother wouldn't be. She sighed, taking a moment to gather her emotions, and walked to the control panel.
She had taken many classes on technology throughout her schooling, so she had no problem plugging in her pip-boy and raising the elevator. As she stepped onto the platform, she could have sworn she heard light footsteps. She chose to shrug them off and continue down into the vault.
She practically lept from the platform as she pushed her way through the gates and into the cryo-pod facility. As she made her way into the pods, she found shelves of boxes, labeled with the names of each dweller. She sidestepped, still staring at a certain pod as she began rummaging through a box labeled with her name. She slightly smiled as she pulled out the jacket her and Nate and drawn on, covered in carelessly placed doodles and words. She tied it around her waist as she shuffled around the box more. She pulled out a few pointless objects, tossing them aside. She stopped as she held a small charm in her hand. It was a small bird. It was a simply designed charm, except for the intricate feathers protruding from the birds behind, and a small, circle gem placed in the center of its body. A Phoenix. She remembered being constantly mesmerized by the gem, it's varying hues of red, orange, and yellow seeming to sway like leaves. It seemed to resonate with heat, glowing. She reached into the box and grabbed a thin chain, containing a charm shaped into the silhouette of a bare tree, given to her by her mother. A small shotgun shell was also on the chain. It was always a mystery how she got it and why it was there, until now. She added the third charm onto the chain, and secured it around her neck in one swift movement. She looked over at the box containing Nate and Nora's name. She refrained herself from opening it, and had another plan in mind. Instead of opening the pod she came here for, she opened another. Pod number 6.
She bit back tears as she looked at her dead companion, frozen in a mangled position of terror. Nora was deathly pale, as to be expected. Phoenix gently lifted her thawing hand, slipping the ring from her finger. She then removed the bracelet engraved with her family's names. She dropped them into the pocket of her suit. She gently hugged Nora's corpse for a final time, them re-shut and froze her pod.
The little bit of compassion she had shown for her memories was now masked with hatred as she opened the pod she had come for. She glared as the man who had destroyed everything in her life fell to the ground, gasping for air. She showed no hesitation as she gave him a hard kick to the side of his head. He yelled, clutching his head as he looked up, trying to adjust to the bright lighting. She pulled the gun from her belt, cocked it, and aimed it square in between his eyes. His breathing hitched as she hissed; "you took everything away from me, now I'll give you a taste of what it's like." It was somewhat pitiful if one were to be honest, as it sounded like nails on a chalkboard, at the volume of a whisper.
She began pulling the trigger, as large arms grabbed her from behind. She yelped as she twisted from them, aiming her gun at a dark-skinned man in a tan jacket and leather cowboy-like hat. He stepped closer, slowly raising his laser musket.
"Lower your weapon."
Shivers made their way down her spine as the low voiced man repeated himself. She made no move of doing so.
"Phoenix, please."
She looked to the doorway, seeing Nate and a perky German Shepard make their way into the room. She narrowed her eyes, lowering her gun as she took a step back.
A gruff chuckle echoed behind her. "You know you wouldn't have done it anyway, you would have ran off. That's what you always do." She whipped around, re-cocked her handgun, and swiftly kicked him in the stomach. Nate picked her up from behind as she pulled the trigger, the bullet ricocheted off the wall and into the shelves containing the boxes. She thrashed and kicked as Nate backed out of the room, the man and dog following.
"Looky here, her hero is back. Save her again why don't ya, I'll always come back." Nate groaned in frustration as he passed Phoenix to the man.
"Preston, don't let her go."
They all watched as Nate walked up to the bastard, delivering a few swift punches. He dragged the unconscious body back into the pod, using his pip-boy to refreeze it. He never looked to his right, at his dead spouse.
Phoenix sniffed as a few tears ran down her face. Nate pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back comfortingly.
"I know, I know. As much as he deserves it for everything he had done, let's leave him for raiders to find. They'll surley make a show out of killing him."
She pulled away, silently making her way to the platform. They soon joined her, the dog giving her hand a few licks. She scratched the dog's head, heavily sighing. Nate clamped a hand on her shoulder, slightly shaking it, causing her to wobble back and forth. She slightly smiled as he chuckled, walking off of the platform. Preston kept his distance as they walked, scouting the path ahead.
The dog's ears perked as he stopped, looking into the forest.
"Dogmeat? What is it?" Nate said, stepping towards the trees. Dogmeat growled as a black mutt with white flecks of fur, and about his size shuffled onto the path, showing submission.
"Branch?!" Phoenix croaked out as she sprinted towards the dog. The dog whined and barked with excitement as it tackled her to the ground, pawing and licking her face.
"I'll be damned." Nate chuckled and scratched the dog's head. Preston smiled as he walked to the scene, helping Phoenix to her feet. She giggled as the dog ran circles around her, yapping like there was no tomorrow.
"But how? If you know this dog, how is it still alive?" Preston questioned, patting the mutt's head. Phoenix examined Branch's glowing mouth and paw pads.
"Radiation?" Phoenix croaked, cringing at the sting it administered.
"Maybe, but we better get moving. It's getting late." Phoenix patted her thigh, telling the dog to follow. She happily bounded to the group, playfully barking at Dogmeat. He barked right back, nipping at her ears and tail. They laughed as the two nipped at each other, walking into the shelter.