I looked at Pete, he was a broken man but I couldn't let him go down like this.

"I know Pete, we've all felt the pain of loss at one time or another. I lost my brother, he was my idol, he would protect me and my whole family, I loved him so much. When he died I was angry, angry at the Enclave who had killed him, angry at the brotherhood for making him go off to war but mainly I was angry at myself. I wasn't there for him when he needed me, I could have helped him, just as he helped me. Then I saw Edward die right in front of my eyes, if I had just moved quicker, I could have saved him. I don't know why but we got a second chance with Ed and we owe it to him not to screw it up." I drew a big breath and crouched down to Pete's level.

"I don't know whether any of us will survive this but we can't give up. If we die at least we know we died trying to save our friend and that's what really counts. If something is pulling our strings then we have to pull back, harder, we have to fight back and damn the consequence. I know you can do this, don't doubt yourself. Don't worry I won't tell Ed about this." I stood up and held out my hand.

"Let's finish this, together, as brothers. Take my hand."

I looked up at Patrick and I drew a breath, I took his hand and he lifted me up, I don't know why I did what I did next, but I embraced him, I managed to say, "Thanks." I stepped back and I looked at him, he looked like he had a mass of emotions moving through him, just like me. Sadness, happiness, determination, confidence... I smiled lightly and I tried to say something, but I couldn't find the energy all of a sudden. I felt weak, woozy, I fell against the wall and I couldn't move away from it.

I stayed there for about a minute, then I quickly recovered, I looked at Patrick and I shook my head, "Thanks, Patrick, your a good friend... No, your more than that, your a brother, together, us three, the Brotherhood... Of the Past, because that's what we're all fighting against and for. Ed's fighting to remember it all, I'm fighting to forget it all and your fighting for it all..." I smiled lightly, "Patrick, together, your right, together we can do this, we'll fight against the strings that pull against us."

I stood up with my own strength, away from the wall, "Together, we'll get Ed's memory back, I'll forget my memories and you'll be the best damn guy I've ever met. Your right, so right, if we're together, not even the Brotherhood of Steel will bother us." I smiled fully and I clapped him on the shoulder, I sighed and I looked at my knuckles on my hand, it was still bleeding and I cursed. I edged my way past Patrick and I walked upstairs, I moved over to my pack and I took out some bandages.

I quickly wrapped them around the wound and I bound them tightly, I shivered in pain but I didn't really mind, I walked over to Ed and I hovered over him. I leant in towards him and I spoke, "Ed, you have to wake up soon, please, Ed... We can't do this without you." I moved back and I walked downstairs. I moved towards the room with some chairs and a broken refridgerator. I sat down and I pulled out some processed food out of one of my pockets, I quickly started eating and I soon finished.

I didn't move from my position, I couldn't even tell where I was, I was back in my past again, walking along through the Citadel with her... Then I saw when I first met Ed, to where we were now... How it all came to pass, how I became a Sentinel, how he 'died'... I couldn't tell whether I was awake, asleep, crying, yelling or smiling anymore, I was in another place...

Edward

I lay there, listening to their conversation. All of it. I knew now what they had done to my body. The horrible abomination that I was, that allowed me to listen to their conversation from all the way up here. I sensed Pete coming up to my room and I stopped moving.

"Ed, you have to wake up soon, please, Ed... We can't do this without you." he said before leaving again.

Sighing, I got up. Grabbing my pistol I walked down stairs, silently. Sneaking up behind Pete, I grabbed him and flung him around in the air, dropping him into the ground, pushing my gun up to his chin.

"I can't fight who I am Pete. I might as well kill you now, and get it over with. The new part of me will always win. Always. I'm not the Edward you knew before. I'm a monster. An abomination." I yelled. By this point Patrick had come into the room, and was cautiously aiming his Laser Rifle at me.

"Don't make me hurt you, Edward." he whispered, his face gaunt. I let my instincts take over, and before he could even blink, he was against the wall on the other side of the room, his laser rifle thrown through a wall and into the kitchen.

"You can't help me. I'm doomed. He told me everything." I whispered, leveling my pistol and Peter's head.

"You don't have to do this, Edward." he whispered.

I laughed, looking at him. "Yes I do. You don't know what I am, what they did to me." I said, bringing my pistol up to my own head. I laughed, firing it straight at forehead. The bullet hit, bouncing off and hitting the ground, disappearing through the wood floor.

"I'm an android, or at least part. They fixed my body by replacing most of it. There was to much damage. I'm not human anymore."

I stood up, slowly, but surely, I looked at Edward and I shook my head, "Ed, I don't care if your part Android, really, do I look like I care? There IS a chance for you, if you kill me Ed... Then theirs nothing I can do about it, but tell me Ed, what's the one thing, that you can't stop remembering? When you woke up, you said it was me Ed, I'm still here for you and I came all this [censored] way for you. Now your threatening to kill me because your a stupid Android? Do you think I'll let you do that so easily?"

I dropped my hands and I pulled out the pistol that Ed had given me, with his name on it, I looked it over and nobody moved, "Ed, you gave me this pistol, I kept it and I remembered you. You told me the very same thing written on the side of this weapon, we can't live without each other Ed. They obviously didn't finish what they were suppose to do Ed, otherwise we would already be dead. Your still part human, human enough to have emotions at least."

I looked at Patrick who looked scared out of his mind, then I looked at Edward, who looked calculating and violent. I shook my head again, "Ed, if you really want to kill us? All I ask is this, that you kill me slowly, because, if I've failed in keeping you alive, as my BROTHER, then I see no point in dying silently and quickly." I then stopped, I moved towards Ed, as soon as we were a metre away from each other I stopped, I stood there, waiting to see what he would do.

Edward, my brother, had changed partway into a monster.

"Damn it Ed I know the real you is in there. Don't do this, you and Pete, your best friends. Try to remember. You exterior may be made up of metal and wires but we know who you are deep down. Don't do this." I pleaded with Ed hoping he would see the truth.

"Pete's right I'm not going to hurt you, so your going to have to kill me too." I said as I put my laser rifle down.

I was scared but I had faith in Ed, the real Ed.

Edward

Every fiber of my mind was yelling at me to kill them.

They have their guards down! Kill them now!

I was fighting myself, fighting the whole essence of what they had programmed into me, fighting my future as a cold, inhuman, killer. But how could I fight the future...

...without a past?

I searched in my head. Through all of that cold, steel, merciless cybernetics, I could still feel me... The organic, weak, human me. Edward the human, not Edward the android. I could do it. As long as I was part human, I would consider myself a human. The human part was battling the mechanic, contradicting it and screaming that they were my friends. I dropped my pistol, walking towards Pete, I broke down, falling to my knees.

"I'm sorry Pete. Even the strongest of us can become undone at times. You've just witnessed that. I know I'll never be the same Edward that you knew, before the incident, but I'm willing to be as much of him as I can. He represents the best of me. I need to tell you what is going on. I was turned so that I could infiltrate the Brotherhood, and take them down from the inside. The Commonwealth is arriving in the Capital Wastelands, at Project Purity. They are uprising against you... against us... humans. They want to take Project Purity for themselves so they can gain control over us. They want to enslave us. I need to get there and stop them, I can't let them. I can't ask you to come with me, its too dangerous, so I'll wish you good luck instead. Goodbye, Pete. Goodbye, Patrick."

I stood up, walking to the door and grabbing my stuff. "I'm sorry." I said as I opened the door.

I shook my head and I ran over to Ed as he opened the door, I put my hand on his shoulder, "I can't speak for Patrick Ed, but I can sure as hell speak for myself, you can't ask me to come with you, because you know I'll follow you anyway, what can you expect from me Ed? You saved my life... Back in the days of Cold Steel, I saved your life as well, I'm not letting you go Ed, even if it means my death," I paused, "I mean that Ed, I'm following you till either I die or we finish this."

I quickly ran upstairs and I picked up my pack, I slung it over my back and I walked down the stairs again, I stood beside him and I looked at him, then Patrick. I felt, well, I hoped, that Patrick would come with us, because he was the second closest thing I had to a friend, and I couldn't lose him...

I was in shock. The commonwealth? What kind of powerful force were they? I was so gobsmacked I almost didn't notice Edward and Pete leaving. I ran over to them and spoke to Ed.

"Ed I can't let you leave either. I dropped everything to come and you, both of you because you guys are the only real friends I have. Together we've accomplished so much and if we split up now then we will die pointlessly. Back in the days of Cold Steel we saved countless lives by defeating the Enclave but we only defeated them because we worked as a team. I don't know what kind of power we face but, hell, I'm going with you guys to help fight it or I'm going to die trying." I looked down as I spoke I'd come too far to give up now.

"Besides I didn't come all this way so you guys could go off and take the glory." I joked, hoping it would some what lighten the mood.

I went over to the table and picked up my rifle and the food. I looked at my rifle and hoped that never again would I have to point it at Edward. I was scared about the journey ahead but all I could do was take a deep breath and move on. I came to the door and said.

"Lets go, I'm ready."

Edward

I nodded, accepting that I needed them.

"This will be dangerous. They have a new technology called a Cold Fission process. It enhances the particles in the androids metals, and holds together the structure tighter, making them near invulnerable (OOC: I'm talking out of my ass here, but just roll with it. I'm no scientist ) for a short period of time. If you see any moving slowly, with a silvery, shimmery look, run. After the steel is heated up from movement, and the sun, it locks up, locking the android in place forever. Follow my instructions if we see one of them having this done to them. Lets head out." I said.

Walking out of the house, I locked onto the coordinates Dr. Zimmer had given me, and started heading towards Project Purity. We started to hear a faint roar of an engine coming from the sky in the distance, and eventually a Jet came into view. I growled, stopping Pete and Patrick before pointing up at it.

I'm disappointed that we'll have to kill you, Edward. You should have come with us. Now, you'll never live to see our new world.

I ignored him, instead looking around. I calculated the distance of the Jet, and its velocity, before dragging Pete and Patrick over to a beat up gas station on the side of the road.

"I estimate the Jet will be in firing distance of us in three minutes and a half. It will be able to land in 6 minutes." I said, hacking into a terminal behind the cash register wirelessly. Searching the data banks of the computer, I quickly found a solution. "Pete, behind the cash register there is a trap door in the ground. Down there should be a missile launcher. This was a Chinese spy equipping outpost. Get the launcher and bring it up to me."

I exited the gas station, looking around while I did so. anolyzing the environment, I assessed where he would have to land and grabbed a car, dragging it right into the middle of it. Placing a explosive on the gas tank, I headed back into the gas station, to retrieve the Missile Launcher from Pete. Opening it, I started to repair the launcher, trying to make it as accurate as possible. When I was finished, I gave it back to Pete.

"Take it up to the roof, when the Jet gets in range, start firing. You don't have to hit, just try to make sure it can't shoot off a missile at us. Patrick, you take this detonator. When the Jet is about to hit the car, hit the button. That should kill the Pilot, so they won't get away. I will board the Jet once it has landed, and kill them. You in?"

I thought Edward was going crazy when he said to get away from the jet we were traveling to a gas station. I just hoped that for our sake the gas station run dry many years ago. Ed sent Pete off to retrieve some kind of Chinese missile launcher or something like that I didn't really hear him properly. Pete went off to get the launcher and I watched as Ed went outside. He walked over to a car and picked the entire thing up! It was crazy.

"I guess he really is part android." I said quietly to myself.

Pete came back with the missile launcher and Ed came back in and started tinkering with it. So much had changed about Edward, he was so different but I could still see evidence of his old self in there. He told Pete to go up and fire at the plane so it wouldn't get a clear shot off at us. I was told to detonate the car when it tried to land.

"I'm in Ed." I said as I leaved to go up on the roof.

Hopefully the roof would be a good vantage point. When I got up their I could see it off in the distance getting closer and fast. I prayed that Pete could keep it off us long enough so Edwards plan could work. Although in my experience almost nothing ever goes as planed.

I nodded and I nodded again, I shook my head softly to myself and I climbed the ladder to get onto the roof of the building. I hefted the launcher into a firing position and I watched as the jet moved towards us. I closed my eyes and I started counting down from 30, I felt tears start budding in my eyes and I opened them, still counting down. As soon as I hit 0 I looked at the ground, I then started counting from 30 again, as I hit 0 I closed my eyes once again.

Then I started counting down from 60 and as I hit 30 I opened my mouth, "Ed? Patrick? I need to tell you guys something. I want you to know... That whatever happens, at all, today, tomorrow, in the future, in the present... That you were the best damn friends a soldier could have. And... If I die, check my body, I always wear something around my neck, a note, don't say I won't die, because it's always possible," I looked up and I stared at the jet.

I opened my mouth again, "Patrick, you're braver than, hell, most anyone else I know, I hope that you... That you live for a long time and I know this, you sure as hell lived up to any expectations your Brother held of you. Ed, your the nicest guy I've ever met in the history of my life, I wish I could have more time with you... But that'll never happen, cause I know, sometime in this little adventure of ours... Something's gonna happen," I said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

I closed my eyes and I felt a tear fall down my face, I opened them again and I realised the time had passed, I aimed and I whispered, "I'm such an idiot...", I fired a shot at the jet.

Note: To anyone and everyone who reads this, I hope your having a fun time reading our story as we are writing it. I hope you all enjoy it however it turns out in the future! Message to M'heree and AussieMade, I hope you one of you two post something soon. :shrug: We can't let this die, otherwise I'll personally hunt you down.

I climbed up behind Pete towards the roof. What he said as he was climbing, meant a lot to me although I wasn't going to let him know about it, well, just yet anyway. I got to the top and took a position in the corner. I then replied back to Pete loud enough for Ed to hear.

"Don't start talking to me like that yet Pete, we still have got a long journey ahead of us. I don't need to be getting emotional while a jet is trying to gun me down." I hoped he would see the funny side of my comment but in case he didn't I turned to him and said.

"Thanks Pete."

The jet was closing in and I watched he took aim.

"Please let this plan work." I prayed as Pete fired off the shot.

Note: For the sake of things being easier I'm moving this to the front page. In English that means, I'm bumping this thread!

OOC: Ugh, I'm sorry guys. I've been really busy hanging out with friends and my girlfriend lately, my apologies. Lets get this back on track then.

Edward

I gripped my rifle tightly, hearing it start to crack before loosening my grip. I was too tense. I closed my eyes, blocking myself out from the world, coming myself down. My body immediately relaxed, and I opened my eyes again, becoming alert once more. Pete had fired off his first shot.

I watched the missile closely, my highly tuned eyes having no problem tracking it. It was dead on accurate, going right for the plane. My calculations told me it would hit directly on the cockpit, hopefully ending this. Just as the missile came close to the plane, the pilot noticed it, sending the plane veering to the left. The missile went just under the cockpit, instead striking the weapons dead on. They were fried and marred beyond functionality, now.

"Come and get me." I muttered, seething at the fact I was putting my friends in danger.

The plane corrected it's course, heading straight for the car I had rigged the explosives up to. It hit the ground, quickly approaching the car, and just as its head shot over the roof of the car, Patrick must have pulled the trigger. The front of the Plane was engulfed in flames suddenly, before it came flying through it. The whole plane was burned on the outside, and the entire cockpit was missing. This plane would not be flying again.

"Move in!" I yelled to Pat and Pete. I charged the plane at a super human speed, not giving the androids the chance to get away. I climbed into the remains of the plane, looking around. There was twelve androids sitting down in the main section of the plane. The heat from the explosion and the flames had managed to weld the androids to their metal seats, and now they were all struggling to escape.

I walked up to the first, pulling out my pistol and shooting it once in the head. It hit, killing it at once. These androids were not as strong as me. I repeated this execution for two more of the androids, before reaching the fourth one in that row. There was something different about this one. It was not struggling to escape as the others were, it was sitting there, concentrating. He must have been anolyzing the situation for the best way to survive. Too bad their was no way.

Lifting my pistol, I put it to his head. Before I could react, he had grabbed my hand and smacked it against a pole, forcing me to release my pistol. It hit the ground, and we both lurched for it. I grabbed it first, rolling before taking aim at his head. Just as I shot, a sinister shimmer appeared on the android, and its movements began to slow.

"He's using Cold Fission!" I yelled, not knowing where my friends were. I launched myself to a standing position, ready to run. Just as I took off, I felt a hand on my ankle and I fell to the ground, a metallic bang sounding out.

"Pete! Patrick!" I yelled, unleashing several shots at the androids head.

I ran towards Ed's distartled cry and then I saw the problem, an android, holding onto Ed. I gasped at the thing, it had a sheen around it that made it look... I gulped, this must be the cold fission thing Ed was talking about. I looked at Patrick and I yelled, "Patrick, distract that thing however you can! Do it now before anything happens to Ed!" I quickly moved towards the pair, the other android was just holding onto him, but then it started moving closer to him and I choked.

I quickly yelled out, "Hey, [censored]! Yeah, you! I'm wondering, your invincible to bullets, fists and whatnot, but what about flames?" I asked, I quickly bowed behind my view and I pulled out a flamer in terrible repair. During our little climb down to get to Ed before he tried something like this, I'd noticed the flamer sitting in a little case, I'd broken it open and gotten into the weapon. It had very little ammo, but if that little bit of ammo was going to do nothing anyway, what's the point?

I shook my head and I brought up the weapon, I pulled the trigger, the flames leapt from the front of the weapon. The android turned slowly at the feeling of the flames and he let go of Ed. I didn't know whether it was annoyed, injured, or just plain pissed off, either way it didn't matter, the same thought flew through my head. RUN!!! I turned tail and I leapt back about 2 metres, I couldn't see Ed but I could see the android. Moving slowly but surely towards me...

Edward

The flames narrowly missed me, instead hitting the android who was about to kill me. It stood up, trying to get Pete, when I noticed it could barely move now. The heat from the flames must have sped up the warming of the Cold Fission process, so he was about to...

"Don't worry Pete! This guy is through." I yelled to Pete, right before the android came to a grinding halt. I walked up to it, hitting it in the chest with all the force I could muster up. It went flying through the planes wall, landing a bit away.

"That is pretty damn solid. Bullets definitely won't do anything to 'em when they use Cold Fission." I said to Pete. Grabbing my pistol off the floor, I nodded at Pete. "Give me a hand killing these, will you?" I asked. He nodded and we shot them all, this time from a distance. When they were all destroyed, I walked up to the back of the plane, into the cargo bay. In there, I found a wonderful surprise.

"Anyone up for arriving at the Purifier in style?" I yelled back to my friends. They entered the cargo bay, both gasping at what they saw.

A set of four, pristine, modified motorcycles.

I looked at the motorcycles and I let my mouth drop, I walked over to one and I just couldn't believe my eyes. I turned to Ed and I grinned, "Hell yeah I'm up for it, although I think you should go in the lead, considering you know exactly where to go." I then turned to a motorcycle closest to me and I laughed, it was painted in the colors of the Enclave, red, white and blue. I shrugged and I checked it over, it looked like it could go fast and it looked sturdy.

Good enough for me.

I rolled it out of the jet and I looked at the others, I chuckled, "Come on, picking a motorcycle can't be that hard surely?"

Pete's shot couldn't have been more perfect even if it wasn't meant to be intentional. I was ecstatic to see the jets weapons explode mid air. I almost didn't realise it was my time to shine. The jet was beginning to land on the exact spot Ed predicted. I waited until it was practically on top of the car, then I pressed the detonator. The light show was spectacular, the cockpit burst up in flames, killing the pilots. Edward was quick off the mark and began to kill androids left right and centre.

Suddenly Edward yelled out that one of the androids was using cold fission.

"[censored]" I thought.

Pete began to run but towards Edward instead of away. I had never gotten anywhere by running away so I attempted to follow Pete. In my haste to climb down the ladder from the roof, I misplaced a footing. I fell from the ladder and landed harshly on the ground. I had managed to bang my head on the way down, the helmet had taken most of the force, but the the ordeal had left me dazed. I could hear shouting off in the distance but I didn't know what was going on.

I lay down on the ground until I was ready to get back up. By the time my head stopped spinning Pete and Edward had some how killed the android by sending it through the planes wall. I wasn't sure if anyone had noticed my blunder but just in case they hadn't I casually strolled over as to not give it away. Edward had managed to find four modified motorbikes and was all up for riding them. So was I except for one little problem.

"Yeah riding a motorbike sounds like fun but there's one problem. I have no idea how to ride one. I've only ever seen rusted out skeletons of them, I've never even thought about riding one."

I leaned against the jet as I waited for the others to reply.

Edward

I looked over at Patrick, as he nervously eyed down one of the bikes. Pete already had his on the ground, and I was just about to go grab my own.

"Okay. Pat, you ride with Pete. I'll lead and cover the front. Pat you can watch our rear, and Pete you just worry 'bout driving that dam thing." I told them. I would have no problem driving and shooting at the same time. My heightened reflexes made that easy. Grabbing my bike and lifting it out of the plane, I went back inside to find the keys, and entered a small storage room. It was filled to the brim with weapons.

After grabbing two grenade launchers and the keys I jumped outside.

"Take these." I said, throwing the launcher to Pat and one set of keys to Pete. Attaching my launcher to my leg, I jumped on my bike and started the engine. I yelled out to the guys, telling them to follow me, and started accelerating away from the plane. I heard Pete and Pat behind me, so I continued on. We had be driving for around fifteen minutes when I heard more engines rumbling to life around us, and spotted a deep trench that extended as far as the eye could see. Stopping my bike, I scanned the area.

Trucks. Three of them. Two were on the other side of the trench, with gunners on the back. There was one more coming up from behind, most likely having just checked up on the plane.

"Its a trap!" I yelled, scouting the area. "You two take out the one coming from behind, I'll deal with those two!" I yelled again, looking at a rock near the trench I could hopefully use as a ramp. Without waiting for confirmation from them, I sped towards the rock, trying to get as much speed as possible. I hit it traveling at an extremely fast speed, and while flying through the air grabbed my grenade launcher. The motorcycle was now on its side, still airborne.

One shot at the closest truck hit the gas tank, making the area light up with the glow from the flames that engulfed the truck and its gunner. I eyed the second, just as I saw the rocket being fired off the back at my bike. Using my reflexes, I jumped from the bike, falling towards the trench as my bike was hit and exploded. I looked down towards the trench and saw something terrible. There was a fourth truck right were I was going to land.

I hit the back of the truck head first, and before I could move I was pinned down and a blindfold was being out over my head. Next I was bound to the side of the truck, and then I sensed a gag nearing my mouth.

"Pete!" I screamed, just before my cries were muffled by the androids.

I looked at Pat who nodded, he brought up the grenade launcher shakily and he aimed at the truck speeding up on us. I saw the shot go straight at one of the vehicles wheels, it went flying off its course and it rammed into a small mound, everyone inside, screaming. Pat aimed again and shot at the men, the whole truck blew up in a blast that would arguably have the force of a micro-nuke. I looked at Ed who had hit a rock, on purpose by the looks of it and he was flying.

I saw him fly through, when all of a sudden he jumped off and his bike blew apart, I heard a great collision and a split second later I heard one thing yelled, "Pete!" I cursed and I turned the bike towards the rock, I sped up and I kept going, I heard Patrick yell, "What the hell Pete!?" then we hit the rock. We went flying in a wayward course from what Ed had done, which I found was very lucky, there was a truck sitting in the trench, hidden from view unlike the others.

I saw our course through my mind and I realised we were going to hit one of the other trucks, I cursed and I quickly yelled, "GET OFF PAT!" I jumped myself and I fell through the air. I felt the collision of the ground hit me and I was winded, I looked up and I saw a couple of Androids standing over Ed. I let out a cry of rage at the sight and I tried to rise. I felt something hit me in the arm and I yelled out in pain, I fell back down to my laying position.

I looked over at Pat, who was laying on the ground in pain, slowly rising, unlike me. I felt something else hit me and I yelled out another cry, I tried to move but I couldn't find enough energy in my limbs to lift me up. I pushed through the red haze that was taking over my vision and I looked at Ed, his eyes told me, "Pete." I could see the way they moved behind the cloth and I felt strength move through me. I grunted and I moved my hand to my holster, I pulled out my pistol, slowly, but surely, one of the Androids were walking towards me and as soon as he was close enough...

I whipped out the pistol from it's hiding position and I shot at the being, it fell back with pain and I shot it again, in the head. It fell back, dead, I grunted and I tried to raise again, but this time, instead of shooting me, an Android moved towards me with superhuman speed. He hit me on the head and I felt everything go dark, with my last ounce of strength I yelled out two words, "Pat! Run!" before I drifted into the realms of sleep.

I couldn't believe it, I was riding a motorbike, holding a freaking grenade launcher! Of coarse with our luck my shock happiness didn't last long. Three trucks came up on us fast. I looked at Pete and nodded, I knew what to do even if I was scared. You'd think after all this time I wouldn't be scared of something like this. Anyway there I was aiming at the truck. I actually closed my eyes as I fired off the first shot, I was busy praying that this would work. I opened my eyes to see that I had managed to hit the trucks tire. I fired again and it was another direct hit. I was quite proud of myself, I'd done well.

Again the moment was short lived, when I heard a loud "Pete!" come from Ed. I turned around to see Pete gunning for a large rock.

"What the hell Pete?!" Was all I could yell just before we hit the rock.

We flew through the air straight into the path of a truck. As we hit the truck I heard Pete yell to jump off. I did as he said but I didn't look where I jumped to. I hit the ground awkwardly and was winded. I had landed right on my helmet, it took most of the force but it had become mangled as a result. As I was getting up I could hear yelling, although I couldn't see what was going on. I managed to hear.

"Pat! Run!"

I took off my helmet and looked up to see an android standing over Pete. I managed to reach for my laser rifle and begin firing. The android noticed me and began running. It wasn't moving fast enough as I managed to unload an entire round at him. The android fell down right in front of me. I then reload, stood up and ran over to Pete. He was lying on the ground out cold, I tried shouting him awake.

"Pete! Pete wake up?"

He didn't respond, so I took off his helmet and I slapped him. I know it may have been a little harsh but there was no time Ed was in trouble. I just hoped the slap would wake him up.

I felt something else hit me in the face and I grumbled in pain, I heard a noise, "Pete! Pete wake up?", after I couldn't respond I felt my helmet slip off my head and something hit me in the face. I slowly opened my eyes and I looked Pat directly in the eyes, I opened my mouth, "Pat, help Ed, please, for the love of god, Pat, I don't know if I can make it through this, I feel so..." I stopped and I coughed softly, I felt fine enough to move but I felt so terrible deep inside.

I saw a flicker of movement behind Pat and I cursed, there was an android, holding a weapon, that seemed to be continuously moving. I recognised the name of the weapon from what it did, it was a ripper, I yelled quickly, but nothing intelligible came out past my lips. I jumped up out of my position, fast as I could, I threw Pat out of the way, he was still crouching so he didn't go far, I realised that in this moment, it was the luckiest and un-luckiest moment of my life.

The luckiest part was that I'd just saved Pat's life, he was there, lying on the ground, I looked down swiftly and back up, just enough time to see Pat hit the place in which I'd threw him to. I saw the Android had raised the weapon in preperation to hit Pat, but now he was just enough in prepearation to hit me, I saw him bring down the weapon and I brought up mine. I shot the thing right in the stomach, it yelled in pain and the weapon fell from it's hands, it fell...

Right into my chest, it was still on as it tore through the whole right side of my body, I yelled and I fell back down, right next to Pat. I swapped the weapon to my left hand, in pain and with fury I shot the Android twice more in the head, bringing it down. I watched the blood flow from my veins as they pulsed, I looked over at Pat, everything seemed so slow and I could hear my heart beat drowning out everything in my ears. I opened my mouth and I sputtered, blood flowing from my lips.

I coughed, then gasped, then I yelled out, "Ed! Do something! Your more than these goddam Androids! Show them that your more than they think you are! Pat, I..." I spluttered and I looked into Pat's eyes. I saw sadness, anger, disbelief and a tinge of happiness coating his eyes, I smiled softly, "Pat, give... Give Ed this," I muttered, I opened a small compartment in my armor and I pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, I handed it to Pat. I smiled softly and I pulled out another piece of crumpled paper and handed it to Pat as well, "This is for you," I whispered as I passed the second piece of paper.

I smiled softly once again and I reached up to my neck with my right arm, it was bleeding terribly, but I knew it didn't matter. I pulled out the pair of holotags and with them, a small holo-tape that was a part of the necklace, I brought it out, but I couldn't hand it to Pat. My arm hang uselessly beside me and I felt my life fade away from my body, I whispered, "Here I stand, hopeless and left for dead, close your eyes, so many days go by, easy to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right... I found what's right, I found you Pat, I found you Ed, I'm so sor-"

I felt my breath cut off as my eyes grew heavy, the words stuck on my tongue as I couldn't say anymore. I felt my heart continue beating, but it slowly gallopped it's way towards it's last beat, I felt the blood ooze from my wounds and I smiled softly, I thought of my memories with Ed and I let my body go.

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Note: Am I dead? I guess it depends on whether Ed and Pat can save me or not.

OOC: Yo, homies. I've been busy with friends lately, sorry. Here is the bad news: I leave to Vietnam tomorrow for a week or two (idk how long lol). So, this will have to be put on hold for a while, unless you guys want to carry it on without me, or control Edward. Sorry.

Edward

I could hear fighting going on outside the trucks, so I went limp, pretending that I was giving up. As expected, the androids loosened their grip, and I sprung out of their grasp, breaking the metal chains they had used to constrain me instantly. Grabbing my pistol, I quickly destroyed them, shooting them all in the head before snapping it off with my hands. I grabbed my things, jumping from the truck and instantly spotting Pete and Pat. Pat was leaning over Pete - who appeared to be unconscious - and was oblivious to the android sneaking up behind him. I grabbed my grenade launcher and shot once at the androids chest. The grenade penetrated it's chest, before exploding inside of it, destroying it easily. I scanned the area, making sure there was none left before rushing over to Pete.

There was a large gash on his chest, and he was losing blood quickly. I pushed Pat aside, before grabbing some bandages from my pack and quickly stopping the blood that was flowing from his chest. There was a lot of internal damage, so I injected a large amount of Stimpacks to his chest. I started listening, trying to find a pulse. It was faint, but there. I continued listening, and noticed it was slowing.

"Dammit!" I yelled. I was helpless, there was nothing I could do. I listened as it slowed and then stopped, and if I could cry I would then. I started doing chest compressions, but nothing was working.

"Go get the truck battery!" I yelled at Pat. He complied, and a few moments later I had the batter, and I was preparing to shock Pete. I did it, and nothing happened. I gave it to Pat, and gave him a sad look, before walking away.

I had failed. I brought my pistol up to my head, contemplating if life was worth it anymore, before bringing down again. I was the only one who could stop Zimmer. After that though...

I heard Pat trying again with the battery, and I shook my head.

"There is no use Pat. He is gon-" I stopped, what was that?

Thud..... Thud....

A heartbeat!

"He's alive Pat! He's alive!" I yelled, before rushing back over to him. I grabbed a lot of Med-X and gave it to him, trying to keep him unconscious and keep him out of pain. It would be better for him to be unconscious while his body tried to heal. I lifted his body from the ground, and put it into the back of the truck, before telling Pat to watch him. I grabbed the battery and installed it into the truck again, before getting into the cab and driving as far away from the battle site as I could. I didn't want the androids finding us when Pete was healing. Finally, as night settled over the wastes, the engine died, and I left the cab, heading back to the guys.

"How is he?" I asked. Pat shrugged, and I listened to Pete's heartbeat. It was going strong. He would survive.

"Thankyou, Pat. For not giving up on him, or me. You go to sleep, I'll take sentry duty. Its been a long day."

He nodded, and walked over to me, slipping a piece of paper into my hand before heading off and pulling a bunk out of the side of the truck. I looked at the paper, and started reading.

To Ed,
You do know, that when you did the things you did, I felt as though I'd died.
Well, I know that even though your not fully human anymore, I think you might feel like how I felt then.
You will only be reading this if I'm dead: So I want you to know this Ed.
You were the best damn friend I've ever had, you were my brother, you were my family.
I'm sure gonna miss you Ed, I hope that you can find your Past, your Future and even the Present.

Your Brother, friend and even fool, Pete.

I left the truck, walking a bit away, and sitting down to think things over. I looked up at the sky, and noticed a big amount of smoke coming from where the trucks had ambushed us. They were near.

I lay alone in the darkness, I could feel my body, mutilated, it wasn't my body anymore, it was more of a husk with a beating heart to me. I heard it beating and it took up my head, I felt a giant headache come on and dissapear almost instantly because of some drugs that were obviously in my system. I shuddered as memories came to me and I thought of the bad ones... More of the bad ones... And even more, but soon, a good memory floated by and I caught onto it.

"Boo," that's all I heard as I woke suddenly from my sleep, I reached for my gun as I looked up, it was a young man, a man that I recognised as my friend Edward, he stood there, opening his mouth to say something. Before he could say it, the memory changed and I saw Ed now, I saw the difference in the faces, how Ed was now colder, harder, more calculating... I felt the ice cold realisation of it hit me and I shuddered, I opened my eyes.

I looked up and I saw Ed, sitting alone, on a rock, watching, for enemies I guessed, Pat was asleep, snoring away, I didn't move or make a sound. I sighed and I saw Ed stiffen as he heard the noise, I opened my mouth and I let out the words, "You aren't the same anymore Ed, I can tell now, I can see the differences... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Ed, but now I wish you'd just left me back there," I saw him completely freeze as he heard those words left my lips.

I opened my mouth again and I continued, "I'm sorry Ed, I truly am, but I can't continue like this, my body, is worse off than you think, my whole right arm feels ruined... Ed, why don't you just kill me?" as I spoke those words, Ed turned into a statue and didn't move. I shook my head, "But you can't can you? Your last little bit of humanity won't let you, but of course, you don't have enough of it to be Ed any more, I..." I stopped, I looked at myself.

I stopped and I let tears fall down from my eyes, I didn't know how I'd found the energy to say what I did, I just layed there and sobbed. I eventually looked up at Ed and he was still in the same position. I opened my mouth again, "I'm sorry Ed, I am, but I can't even move... These meds aren't helping me enough, I still feel pain, if I kill myself Ed, ask Pat for the thing I gave him for you... I'm sorry Ed," I turned my head and I closed my eyes, within seconds I was back in the drifting and uneasy land of sleep.