Epilouge: The Children of Swat

I don't own Fallout, or any sort of LOTR thing, or Dion, etc. Just a story idea.

19 years, after Swat and Raid.

A velvety-voiced man once said that War, War Never Changes… BULLSHIT, War changes all the fucking time. First were spears, then bows, then swords, then guns, then fucking NUKES. You know what doesn't change?

The God. DAMN. WASTELAND.

Ooooooh well I'm the type of guy who will never settle down

Where pretty girls are well, you know that I'm around

I kiss 'em and I love 'em 'cause to me they're all the same

I hug 'em and I squeeze 'em they don't even know my name

They call me the wanderer, yeah the wanderer

I roam around around a-

"ROOOOOOO!!!"

The adorable big white dog, her front black paws looked like black boots, howled to the song, and the singer, a man in a coat with long black hair tied in a minute man ponytail continued to sing. Glancing out of his sniper's nest, really a Sniper's shack, as the radio nearby continued to play the song and he sang along with it, WITH the adorable big white dog as she swayed her dopey but pretty head.

Oh well there's Flo on my left and there's Mary on my right

And Janie is the girl with that I'll be with tonight

And when she asks me which one I love the best

I tear open my shirt I got Rosie! On! my chest!

The dog barked at 'Rosie', as the sniper continued to sing the song, pointing at her and winking before going back to his post.

"That's ma girl!-'Cause I'm the wanderer yeah the wanderer!

I roam around around a-"

"ROOOOOOO!!" Rosie the great wolf howled happily to her partner's singing as he turned around and pet her. she thumped her leg happily on the floor as he cooed.

"Who's my girl?! Who's my favorite girl!?" he grinned lovingly, his handsome, slightly Asian face smiling at her as she licked him. "Who loves this song?"

"JACK!!" he paused, Rosie blinked curiously at the interrupters… 'Jack' reached for the radio, and shut it off. "What the FUCK?!"

She was dressed like Jack, a long brown duster over body armor, but instead of black hair it was a long platinum blonde and it GLISTENED in the sun shining into the foxhole currently occupied by Jack and Rosie… both of them looking at her like a radstag in spotlights. At her waist was a pair of revolvers… they belonged to her grandfather and they practically sparkled they were so well cared for. Jack had a pair of 10mm's, plus the Sniper rifle he was using in the sniper's nest.

"…What?" he blinked with a nervous grin as Rosie smiled at the woman. The woman's dog, however, completely black as pitch, growled at his sister Rosie, but she seemed unconcerned at her brother Thorin's anger. Thorin was the overall oldest of Raid and Midnight's first litter of 9 pups. Rosie was the oldest girl and the third of the nine.

"What do you mean what? You're supposed to keep a lookout! And WHY is the damn radio on so loud? Thorin and I could hear it halfway from home!"

"Thorin's a wolf he could hear it from a mile away." Jack replied dismissively, before groaning irately. "Oh come ON Gladys! It's been two days it's BORING… it's unbearably boring!"

"And who's fault is that? If you had just gone with the Caravan like Father asked-"

"Dad asked." Jack replied patiently, 'father' was so STIFF.

"FATHER. ASKED." Repeated Gladys, "Then you wouldn't be on guard duty with me."

"Ugh. This is only because BEN can't shoot!" declared a grumbling Jack while grabbing the sniper's nest rifle and checking. "Nothing. Nothing. Annnnnd yeah. NOTHING." He stared at Glayds. "…Come on. Why don't we actually go on patrol?"

"Father says-"

"Dad taught us to shoot, we can take care of ourselves. And not to mention Thorin and Rosie are champion trouble detectors!" Thorin certainly looked the part… Rosie? Well… she was cute. "Come ON sis nothing ever happens anyway apart from animal attacks and at this point. I will TAKE that!" Gladys glared at him, then he added. "…Once you leave I'm going to do it anyway." He added as Gladys closed her eyes and groaned.

"…You see this. THIS right here?" she said, grabbing one of her revolvers and jerking her head out of the nest as her little brother and Rosie walked out. "This is why Dad leaves Virginia in charge." She noted, "And she's younger than us!"

…20 minutes later.

"…Oh look." Gladys noted. "NOTHING." She added as they stood out in the middle of wasteland nowhere at an old red rocket truckstop… if they squint they could see the Vault 69 sniper camp a couple hundred yards away. "What a shock."

"That's what I been saying." Jack replied, missing or ignoring the point as he stood inside the red rocket truck stop on the inside of the counter and she on the outside. He uncapped a nuka-cola bottle that Rosie found, slipping the cap into his pocket and taking a drink of the fizzy cola. "But now we're not stuck in the nest.

"At least the nest has beds and shade." Noted Gladys, "and the radio's okay as long as it's not cranked up to max." he handed her a nuka-cola bottle that Rosie ALSO found. She glared at it, but she too opened it and took a swig.

"Come on it's Rosie's favorite song I couldn't resist." He replied as Rosie lay down next to him behind the counter. Happily out of the sun as her big brother Thorin sniffed the outside grounds curiously. "…So when do you think they'll be back?"

"Who?"

"Dad, Gina…BEN…" he noted with a smile as Gladys shook her head.

"You know you shouldn't tease him."

"It's not teasing it's his damn name." he frowned, "…Aunt Galoria shouldn't encourage him."

"It's part of her tribal culture!" Gladys declared scoldingly, "He had a vision quest and everything! So that's his name now and you should respect it."

"…Grognak is NOT his spirit name! it's his favorite comic book!" he declared frankly, then laughed as Gladys rolled her eyes with a smile.

"While my name is Galadriel! I am PERFECTLY fine with calling him Grognak." Gladys replied as Jack laughed again. "…Ugh! Our family and names. So silly sometimes."

"You didn't answer my question." He noted as Gladys shook her head.

"It's the caravan, they go every week or so to wherever, you know that. The Salty City. Spudtown, maybe even the New Vegas." Jack just sighed. "You should've gone if you're worried."

"I'm not worried I'm BORED… We're 19 going on twenty and we have barely gotten out of here! By our age dad was across the wasteland and back!" Gladys stared at her brother. "I'm just saying! Ben or Grognak! Went all the way to Bourbon Street over the great rocks and that was only for his 'vision quest' or whatever. With Aunt Galoria and Dad and they came straight back. Come on Gladys traveling is in our BLOOD."

Thorin's ears suddenly perked up, stoically glancing around as Jack went on his little tirade.

"Maybe I want to go to the NCR? Or New Vegas and gamble! OR! Maybe! We could go and visit Grandma and Grandpa's graves?!" Gladys looked at him rather pityingly, somewhat understanding his desire. "Or maybe going to the capital wasteland!" he blinked, "…And shooting Super mutants."

Thorin released a deep guttural BARK that echoed imposingly around the area. Jack grabbed his Sister's forearm, and she held tight to his as he dragged her quickly over the counter as a trio of armored super mutant wanders lumbered towards them firing cheap pipe rifles. "Shit. This is my fault isn't it?" he asked as Gladys drew her second revolver.

"YES!" they both stood up and fired, focusing on the center, laughing mutant as they peppered him with small arms fire and he went down screaming. "It totally is!" she added, taking cover as their cover started taking hits. Rosie was happily lying down next to Jack as he stood up and started firing again, Gladys quickly reloaded as a loud BOOM echoed on the other side of the counter, one of the mutants chucked a grenade.

"They're getting closer!" Jack noted,

"One more! Right side!" she shouted then the stood up, picked the Right mutant and filled him with lead before ducking down again to reload.

"Stupid humans!"

"Uh huh." Gladys mumbled dismissively, put her fingerless gloved fingers into her mouth and-"TWEET!" The mutant screamed as out of nowhere Thorin the great wolf leaped onto his back and crushed his head in his powerful jaws. Quiet permeated the air as Jack sighed, rested his head against the counter, and turned to Rosie who hadn't moved.

"…Some help you were…" he mumbled as she licked his face. "…Yeah I love you too." He sighed, "I can't stay mad at you-OW!" Gladys smacked him hard in his coated arm and it hurt even through the ballistic lining. "Oh, come on what are the odds!?" he declared angrily as Gladys rolled her eyes and walked off, whistling again as Thorin joined her at her sigh. "Gladys! Come on!" he repeated before following after her with Rosie at his heels as he caught up. "Gladys I just-"

"JACK!" she turned on him as he flinched. "…We are BOWMANS!" she declared as Jack fidgeted. "Dad's not a traveling mercenary anymore he's a SHERIFF! A pillar of our community! He found a place he liked, he homesteaded and had a bunch of kids!" she gestured to herself and Jack. "…We have a responsibility to protect Claw Town…"

Jack sighed. Claw town was just a dumb name but they couldn't really call it Vault 69 forever… and once Mayor Shakespeare decided to name it after the astrological sign of '69' aka Cancer… Cancer Town didn't sound right at all, nor did crab town… their father vetoed that one.

He STILL hated Mirelurks.

"Dad settled down after he traveled. You know that! I want to too, just a little! Don't you want to?!" Gladys hesitated. "…Are you scared?"

"I have Thorin." She declared, rubbing Thorin's head as he groaned happily sitting at her side. "I'm not scared of anything." She said bravely. "…But the town needs us. And I'm HAPPY there. Are you NOT happy there, Jack?" Jack seemed surprised at the question, and Gladys waited for a long time for his answer before she turned to head back to the sniper's nest.

…Night fell, the siblings all cuddled up in the sniper shack, eating roasted radstag that Gladys had shot when she got back to the nest after their 'argument'. Thorin and Rosie were curled up on the floor as they heard a low rumble of noise outside… rain it sounded like… Jack sighed, finishing his steak before heading outside… noticing the rainclouds, then double checking the roof of the shack and making sure its camouflage was secure… otherwise, it was going to leak like hell. Gladys came out and helped him, but she was notedly still silent. Barely saying to words to him and him in turn…

The rain had started once they re-entered the shack… then Jack took that moment to speak, shutting the door. "I AM happy in the town. It's home… but I want to actually see the wasteland, something other than our general area… just once." Then he smiled and added. "There and back again."

Gladys smiled, and took off her coat, lying on one of the beds as Thorin loyal lay beside her on the floor. "…Then you should actually talk to Father." She said, closing her eyes, "…You can take first watch."

"You're older than me." He mumbled.

"But I'm angry at you." She added, not opening her eyes as Rosie's tail thumped happily on the floor as if laughing at Jack. Jack side, shifted the stool close to the 'window' of the sniper's shack, and took first watch.

…Contrary to Jack's adventurous nature, he could be a GREAT sniper when he needed to be. Utterly still, focused… gazing across the wasteland from the camouflage scout nest as he kept his eyes on the regular trails leading eventually to Claw Town.

One hour. Two Hours… Three…

Jack Yawned, and finally moved his body stiff and his eyes heavy. He leaned back and blinked down as he realized Rosie's big white head was in his lap and her 'boots' were pawing the floor, she whined softly as he chuckled. A sure sign that his big scary dog needed to go to the bathroom… in the rain.

"Alright Rosie." He sighed, before revealing the pipboy on his arm and turning on his light, and putting on his own wide brim hat. "Let's go." The second he opened the door, Rosie darted off into the rain but seemingly ignored it. Sniffing the ground until she had a sit and a pee as the rain drizzled on Jack's hat.

He needed a stretch anyway, it'll keep him awake. For the next couple of hours before he woke up his sister. He yawned again, a big one, closing his eyes for a brief moment and opening them again… "Ah damn it, Rosie…" he looked around, first in the shack, then around again before whistling. "Rosie!" But she had vanished. "For a big white dog, you're really hard to keep track of." He sighed, finding her footprints. "…Where are you going?" he checked the tracks, before following them. Moving Quickly. "ROSIE!!" he called.

10 minutes, 20… "Damn it Rosie!" he barked, getting worried, she didn't usually run off like this. "ROSIE! WHY IS THE STORM GETTING WORSE?!" he barked as rain splattered off his hat and he had to hold onto it tightly. "ROSIE!"

"WOOF!!" he immediately turned towards the barking, and ran. "Damn it Rosie you can't just-!" he paused as he found Rosie on top of someone, but not in a takedown manner, a protective one as an angry Yao Guai snarled, munching on a dead brahmin because it had finished eating nearby caravanners…

Rosie stood guard over a wounded young woman, she definitely took a Yao Guai swipe and now it was satisfying itself with the dead caravanning brahmin. "Oooh lucky you." He mumbled, glancing down at her as he drew one 10mm. "Rosie…" he said slowly as the Yao Gui kept eating, and he knelt down, checking the woman, she was older than he was and had a deep gash across her stomach. Her double barrel shotgun had been smashed to pieces… but she was breathing. He jabbed her with a stimpak, and quickly hauled her over his shoulder. "Rosie come!" he hissed as the normally very silly dog followed him as he ran off with the woman before the Yao Guai decided it wanted dessert…

Though he wasn't going to leave it there, he needed to get Gladys and they'd put it down, a Yao Guai with a taste for human meat was more dangerous than normal and that was a danger not only to their town but the next one over.

Even with dead weight over his shoulder, Jack could still move quickly enough. Physical conditioning and good genes had benefits, after all, he wasn't just a pretty face. "Gladys!" he barked kicking in the shack door as Gladys sat up in her bed, drawing her pistols.

"Wha-Jack!? Don't do that!" she barked angrily, before holstering her guns. "Who's that?"

"Caravanner." Jack declared, lying the wounded woman on the bed as she quickly got up. "Come we me we got a hungry Yao Guai to take care of.

"Show me." She declared, "Thorin." She added as Thorin followed after her as they darted back out into the rain. Jack easily found his way back to the Yao Guai and it was just finishing up his brahmin steak. It's bloodshot eyes leveled on the ominous gunslingers and their big angry dogs. Before releasing a defiant roar and charging them.

…It ended about as well as you can expect it. Not just because Jack and Gladys positively peppered it with accurate bullet fire, but because Thorin is a skilled Yao Guai killer. He gets that from his father… the hulking mutated bear died valiantly but just like many others.

The blood from its many wounds, mostly the gaping torn hole in its throat, soaked the ground even in the rain. Jack sighed, reloading his pistols as Gladys approached. "…And this is why Father has us watch the roads. Another dead Caravan."

"Well they're not all dead… and most of the goods-!" groaned Jack, hauling the luggage from the brahmin corpse. "…Are still here." He added curiously.

"Leave it Jack, we'll get it tomorrow when she wakes up." Declared Gladys, whistling as Thorin followed her and eventually Jack and Rosie back to the shack. They entered the shack and paused as Thorin and Rosie joined them, doing what all wet dogs do… they shaded their faces with their hats as water sprayed everywhere… at least Thorin had the decency to look shameful, Rosie, however, looked ready for another go.

The two took off their coats, and hats, almost in sync… they were often called 'the twins' even though they had different mothers and were born just a few weeks apart. Gladys was the oldest, Jack was the second oldest. Virginia and Ben were the youngest respectively… although Ben was the biggest, and Virginia was arguably the most responsible.

"She's pretty." Noted Gladys curiously at the dirty blonde woman lying on the bed. Now that she got a stimpak in her she was noticeably more comfortable.

"Yeah look at that." Jack replied, eyeing her shapely body. Grinning at Gladys. "Didn't know you swung that way, Gladys." She eyed her brother angrily. When you live in a vault town FILLED with beautiful women, herself included, calling someone outside that vault town 'pretty' was a rarity.

"Shut up Jack." She ordered as her little brother pried his eyes from the beautiful woman and grinned at her. "Should we wake her up?"

"Probably I'm going to need a nap soon." He mumbled. "Don't know why there aren't too beds in here."

"Because someone needs to be awake." Rosie took this opportunity to rest her head on the sleeping woman's arm, absently sniffing her until her nose poked her cheek.

"Mmn…" she moaned, opened her eyes and gasped, crawling immediately away from the big friendly looking dog, gazing fearfully around, spotted the far more intimidating Thorin, then stood on the bed standing up in the corner. "Where am I!? Who are you?! Where?"

Jack held his hands up. "It's alright…" he said, "You're safe… do you remember the Yao Guai?" he asked as she seemed to focus on the word, before pressing her side and finding the claw marks on her shirt. "…We killed it."

He rapid breathing steadied, and she slid down the wall, either in relief or shock. "…Did anyone else make it?" she asked, although she already knew the answer. The Yao Guai had killed the others when she started shooting it.

"…No." Gladys said apologetically. "Just you." She nodded her head and sighed, "…What's your name?"

She chuckled hesitantly. "Amber." She said softly. "Amber Karlson."

"Amber Karlson!?" The two repeated and stared at her, Jack's eyes narrowed… he rested his hand on the 10mm at his waist as Amber reached out, smiling sadly, and scratched Rosie's head between the ears. "Amber Karlson…" Gladys frowned… They knew the name. Because their father told them the story of his… less than pleasant temper tantrum through the NCR.

"We're Jack and Gladys Bowman." Jack said coolly as the woman stopped petting Rosie. "Is that going to be a problem?"

Amber looked at them both, then started petting Rosie again. "It's not." She said, "Though I suppose my word isn't enough."

"Our dad killed your dad." Jack said as Gladys sighed and smacked him HARD in the chest. "Oof!"

"Jack. Tact." She declared angrily.

"He did." Amber nodded. "But I promise I'm not an NCR ranger operative." She smiled nervously. "I really am a Caravanner…" she sighed, "I was working for the Whiskey Rose company but it looks like my cargo is bust… they'll probably fire me for this one." The Whiskey Rose Company was a New Vegas caravan company. Backed by the Courier and run by one of his companions that it was named after.

"You're not here to declare vengeance on our family and kill us all?" asked Jack concernedly as his sister sighed and glared at him. "What? You were thinking it too."

"No." she said, "I'm outmatched." She added softly, "Everyone from here to the NCR knows about your father and I can only imagine the trouble you two alone could cause and I don't want trouble. I couldn't even kill a Yao Guai." She noted gesturing outside.

"To be fair killing a Yao Guai is kinda tough." Noted Jack as Amber shook her head.

"I don't want trouble, okay?" she repeated "I just want to go back to New Vegas and report the lost goods."

"Your goods are fine." Gladys replied, "It only wanted the meat, the rest is okay."

"…Well that's a bit of good news." She noted, standing up as Rosie wiggled her tail adorably for more pets from the new lady. "Thank you for helping me." Jack and Gladys watched her as she looked outside into the rain.

"…It's a long walk back to New Vegas with a caravan that doesn't even have a brahmin." Noted Jack as Gladys glared at her brother.

"Don't even think about it." she ordered.

"Come on!"

"She is literally!" she hissed, "The daughter of a man our father KILLED." She added in a harsh whisper as Jack flinched.

"Y-yeaaaaah… so don't we kind of owe her?"

"…What?" Gladys replied as Amber ignored them both, walking out into the rain on her own. Jack watched her go, before grinning, shrugging, and following out after her. "Jack? JACK!" she barked then ran after him.

"It's this way." Jack said, noticing Amber walking in a completely different direction, before leading her back to her destroyed caravan. Right where they left the crates, strapped to the mostly eaten Brahmin. She sighed again, noticing her half-eaten caravaneers. "…I don't suppose you have shovels?"

"We have better." Jack winked at her, "Tweet! Rosie. Dig-dig!"

"Ah!" Amber laughed as Rosie suddenly found some good wet dirt and began happily digging like an excavator sending a shower of mud upon them both. Jack took her arm and dragged her away as Gladys arrived with Thorin.

"What the HELL are you doing?!"

"Digging graves." He replied, "Thorin. Dig-dig."

"Dig your own Grave Jack." Gladys replied suspiciously. Once Rosie was finished however, Amber dragged one of the corpses to the fresh shallow grave and buried him. Gladys watched her closely as Rosie dug another muddy grave, and Amber buried the other caravanner.

…Once she finished, the rain stopped. She brushed her shoulder-length blonde hair from her face and stood up, glancing at the crates. "…So. Do you have any idea how to get these to the closest Brahmin?"

"I don't have an immediate solution for that one. But you could probably get a new one in Claw town." He said, "I'll take you there tomorrow."

"Jack." Gladys warned

"It's not exactly a secret where it is!" Jack replied indignantly. "I'm not giving away any family secrets… we don't even have family secrets unless you count Aunt Casey's mirelurk steak recipe."

"That actually sounds delicious." Declared Amber surprised. "But. No. I don't want to intrude… maybe I can walk to the Salty city?"

"That's two days and you don't have-" he picked up the broken double barrel. "A weapon." Amber groaned.

"…I should've stayed in the NCR." She mumbled, "Noooo. I wanted to go to New Vegas and be my own woman." She mumbled to herself as the siblings began to argue.

"Jack. You can NOT be serious! What would Father say?"

"I don't know you said he's coming home tomorrow should we ask?" Jack replied casually.

"I said he COULD be home tomorrow." Replied Gladys, she then eyed Amber as she untied the crates from the Brahmin. "…Fucking damn it."

"Aunt Casey would want us to, you know how NCR she is."

"I'm technically still a citizen but I'm not NCR." Declared Amber suddenly as they looked at her. "Seriously. I'm NOT seeking vengeance I just want to keep my job."

This was either the most elaborate case of reverse psychology ever or she really was telling the truth. Jack saw it as an opportunity, Gladys was suspicious, and she was always more tactical than her adventurous and eager brother.

"…You'll just have to stay put until our father gets here."

"What?" Amber blinked at them both, her eyes narrowed. "…No. You can't keep me here."

"We can't… but what are you going to do?" Jack replied rather hesitantly. "You're brahmin's dead, you have no weapons-" she opened the crate and retrieved another double barrel, but Jack and Gladys drew their guns on her and she paused. Dropping it quickly, and with a rather nervous look on her face.

"Right! Right bad idea!" she admitted, "But I have a weapon." She said, pointing at it. "I can just borrow one of the stocks."

"Yeah but you still can't haul those crates by yourself." Said Gladys as Amber frowned. Gladys made a point. "…Let's wait for our father."

"Damn it." Amber mumbled leaving the shotgun in the mud and approaching them. "I guess I can do little else." They returned to the shack, and almost instantly Jack flopped onto the bed as Rosie did a few little twirls and dropped down onto the floor, dozing quietly as Amber sat in the corner. Thorin's gaze leveled on her as Gladys sat in the sniper's chair watching the roads.

"…So what is this place an outpost?"

"It's a sniper's nest. There are a few watching the heavy traffic roads for raiders and caravans." She glanced at Amber. "Claw Town made an agreement with the nearby settlements to help protect the roads… and deal with trouble."

"…Wish I knew that I would've tried to stay on the trail instead of letting Benji to try and take a shortcut." She sighed, "He was in charge of the caravan route."

"You weren't in charge?" asked Gladys conversationally, keeping an eye on her scope. Thorin kept an eye on Amber.

"…I'm sales." She replied with a light laugh. "The… pretty face they use to sell stuff. I can handle a gun in a pinch but Benji was the one who handled routes and stuff."

"Well. The roads are mostly safe… or at least you'll have some support if a raider party ambushes you." Gladys replied.

"…Are you always out here?" Gladys shook her head.

"No. It's just our 'shift'." She said, "We rotate with others from Claw town. We have another outpost… not too far away." she stopped talking. "…Other posts are handled by other towns."

"…I've never traveled this far from New Vegas." Said Amber. "…My mother and I moved to Freeside after… well you know, we got by pretty well but this was my first job out of state." She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. "Mom was right I should've just stayed to the local routes. But out here is where the money is."

"…Jack and I haven't wandered far from Claw Town." Said Gladys softly, "I think the farthest we've ever gotten was the Salty Lake when Father took us there to train… but that was years ago."

"mmmm…" Gladys looked over at Amber, who was breathing slowly… but she was asleep.

"…Keep an eye on her Thorin." She noted, as the big wolf growled softly.

Dawn broke over the wasteland… Jack yawned, and his legs stretched up in the air and he swung them down and himself up. He glanced around, spotting Gladys still in the sniper's seat and Amber sleeping softly beside her. He scratched his chin, "Any trouble?"

"…no." Gladys said hesitantly, as he frowned.

"…What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Said Gladys, looking over her shoulder at her brother. "…Father's back."

Jack glanced at Gladys. "…Let's not mention her last name, yeah?"

…

The Road goes ever on and on,

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can…

Sang the pretty young woman with pixie cut black hair, her wide brim hat on her head as an older Bard Bowman, now sporting a neatly trimmed black beard and still wearing his practically trademarked uniform sang along with her, leading a large brahmin with two more Claw Town guards in the train, and one big one.

"Father! I think I see Gladys!" declared the big one. Unlike his sisters and brother who dressed like their father… he was more like his mother. Wearing an airy gator leather loincloth, boots and gloves. And not much else… displaying her heroic musculature and his many battle scars. He looked like a barbarian straight out of the strange tales comics… Grognak to be specific. With his long barbarian hair and his powerful build. Carrying a battle ax forged of scrap metal… Sharp and brutal.

"Oh yeah?" Bard shaded his eyes, and sure enough, he could just make out his oldest daughter waving hello to him. If he had to be concerned she'd be shooting. He waved back and she stopped… he adjusted his hat, the jack of hearts and jack of spades of his father in the brim as he walked on… if you squinted you'd notice his still present limp, but that was only if you squinted. "She's flagging us down Virginia go have a look ahead.'

"Sure Dad." The young girl smiled and whistled, calling her own dog "Duo!"

Two giant wolves, one huge and pure white, the other a mottled white and black, suddenly appeared next to Bard. He ran his hand over his loyal companion Raid's head as Raid's youngest son followed after Bard's youngest daughter. Duo, so called because he was both white and black, was the runt of the First litter and the youngest… but the Bowman family didn't love him any less. Especially Virginia.

At the red rocket truck stop. Virginia blinked but smiled at her brother and sister, their dogs… and someone new.

"…Jack did you get a girlfriend?" she teased as Jack shook his head. Duo immediately approached Amber, sniffing at her leg as she reached down and began petting him. Licking her hand.

"I did not… maybe." He eyed Amber who gave him a 'seriously' look, as she continued to pet Duo. "I did not."

"Her caravan was attacked. She's the only survivor." Gladys said. "She wants to get a Brahmin and head back to New Vegas. We thought Father might help her with that.

"Oh my god." Breathed Amber in awe, as Grognak. Aka BEN Bowman loomed over her suddenly.

"Greetings!" he declared cheerily. "I am Grognak Bowman! Son of Bard! Defeater of the-"

"Shut up Ben…" Jack declared as Bard arrived as well, staring curiously at Amber who, to her credit… didn't even remember Bard's face.

"JACK." He scolded sternly as Jack sighed.

"…Shut up Grognak."

"That's better." He declared, before eyeing Amber up and down. "You lost your caravan?"

"Lost as in they're dead…" she noted, "A Yao Guai killed them."

"Sorry to hear that." he declared, as she nodded.

"Yes. I, we were wondering if I could maybe get a replacement Brahmin, and get the goods back to New Vegas." Bard stared at her curiously, as she flinched.

"…I can't really just give you a Brahmin." He noted, "I have a lot of pull but it's not really my place…" he seemed to think on it. "Not to mention It would be like just giving away a brahmin. Shakespeare's kinda touchy on that they're all his precious pets." He smiled, scratching Raid… he knew the feeling.

"Well. Dad. Maybe…" Jack interrupted as Bard gave him his full attention. "We could go with her to the Salty City? Then she can get a new Brahmin there and-"

Bard crossed his arms as he stared at his son. He also KNEW his son. He closed his eyes, suppressed a smirk. Then opened them again. "…I think I can spare you a pack mule to get you to the Salty City…"

"You can?" replied Amber surprised.

"Yeah. Grognak?"

"Father!" Grognak replied cheerily.

"Feel like some exercise?" he asked.

"Indeed father!" he flexed his powerful muscles.

"Gladys, you and Grognak go get the crates. Bring them back here."

"Yes, Father. Thorin Come." She said as Grognak followed his sister.

"…Jack… you take her to the salty city and you come right back home." he ordered as Jack grinned.

"Of course dad!" he replied as Bard nodded slowly, waiting for Grognak and Gladys to return. "What do you take me for?"

"I take you for a kid who's WAY too much like his grandfather." Dad replied, as soon enough Gladys and Grognak returned. Grognak hauling those crates like they were NOTHING… his Strength was off the charts after all. Amber could only stare. "Which is why your siblings are going with you."

"What?" Jack mumbled annoyed

"What?!" Gladys stared.

"WHAT!!?" Amber asked surprised. "No! I don't want trouble!.. TO trouble, any of you!"

"And yet Jack's offering to take you." Bard replied jokingly, "That IS trouble.

"Love you too Dad." Mumbled Jack disdainfully as Bard smiled good naturedly back..

"I Love you too son." he noted honestly before clarifying. "Grognak needs to carry the crates. Gladys needs to keep an eye on you. And Virginia needs to be in charge-

"Cazador!!" shouted one of the other caravan guards keeping lookout suddenly, as the deadly giant bug zoomed towards them over the nearby hill, but as soon as she said it.

Bang!! Its head and its ass exploded as a sequoia round went straight through it with a perfect shot. Bard didn't shoot it. He glanced at it dismissively as it skidded to a halt in the dirt, before eyeing Virginia and her smoking Sequoia. it used to belong to her mother Casey James'. "Nice shot honey."

"Thanks Dad." She smiled prettily, holstering it under her coat at her hip.

"I expect you back in two days. Three tops, because I'm being nice." He added looking at Amber. "You'll be perfectly safe with them. They're a little weird, but they're good kids."

Amber sighed, gaping at him, and his kids, then his dogs… because she was at least a dog lover. "…Okay. Thank you, Mr. Bowman."

"You can call me Bard." He said, kindly. "See you, kids, later." He said looking at his children from oldest to youngest… he had to look up because his youngest, Grognak, was so huge. "I'll tell your mothers you'll be late for dinner." He rested a hand on his shortest son's shoulder. "…Good luck Kiddo."

"Sure Dad." Smiled Jack as Virginia gave her father a hug and he waved them off. Walking on with his duster waving goodbye to them and his dog trotting at his side.

Virginia then stood imposingly in front of her siblings, being the shortest and the cutest it didn't really have the desired effect. "Alright! Let's go! To the Salty city! Grognak! Are you tired?"

"I am not." Grognak declared proudly, easily carrying the crates like a regular pack brahmin. "I am ready!"

"Big sister Gladys?"

"I'm good." Smirked Gladys.

"New girl?"

I'm confused but. I'm ready?"

"And big brother Jack!"

"Why am I last?"

"Are you ready?"

"I'm older than you, why am I behind Ben in ranking!?"

"Let's go!" cheered Virginia adorably ignoring Jack and leading the group with Duo, and, as always. Singing the Bowman's traveling song.

Roads go ever, ever on,

Over rock and under tree,

By caves where never sun has shown,

By streams that never find the sea.

And, naturally, the siblings joined in and sang along. Their voices carried a marching cadence, and a warning for anyone in the area dumb enough to pick a fight with the gun-slinging, ax-swinging family.

Roads go ever, ever on,

Under cloud and under star,

Yet feet that wandering have gone

Will turn at last to home afar.

Amber watched them, with a look of pure confusion on her face at first. But soon smiled prettily, travelling with the Bowman siblings, and their dogs, was contagiously fun.

End

This is not the start of something new. At least not yet. This is something more... continuous. Roads go ever ever on after all. This is to set everything in stone if I ever decided to continue this with the Bowman Family: the kids and their dogs.

Gladys, the oldest Daughter with her grandfather's twin revolvers. The Brains: Fastest draw of her siblings.

Jack, the Oldest son with two 10mms and a lever action rifle. The Will: Best Sniper of his siblings.

Virginia, The Youngest Daughter with her mother's sequoia. The Charisma: Most accurate of her siblings.

Ben/Grognak, the youngest son, with a brutal forged metal ax. The Muscle: Strongest of his siblings. Can wrestle a gatorclaw, allegedly.

Thorin, oldest son of the first litter,

Rosie, oldest daughter and third pup of the first litter

Duo, youngest and the runt of the first litter.