Sorry these are getting so short!

Out of the thousands and thousands of people who wandered across the Capital Wasteland, Butch had to fall in love with the biggest goody two shoes of them all.

He leaned against the desk of the Weatherly Hotel while Ana was sitting on the floor with little Bryan Wilks playing some card game. Bryan was laughing and beaming up at her while they played. Butch hadn't been with her when she had saved the kid from Grayditch, but she had told him what happened to him.

He felt for the kid, he really did, but right now, Butch was just plain bored out of his mind. They had made plans to head out back to Megaton tonight, but those plans got postponed when Bryan came barreling into the lobby of the hotel begging Ana to stay one more night.

She relented, of course. How could she say no to those big eyes and bright smile?

"That kid adores her, you know?" Vera Weatherly said, leaning on the opposite side of the desk behind Butch.

"I can see that," Butch replied, his boredom pouring into his voice.

"I can't thank her enough for saving him. If it wasn't for her...who knows what would have happened."

Butch nodded his head. He knew exactly what would have happened: slavery or death. Those were the only outcomes had Ana not saved the boy.

"She'd make a great mother," Vera said, her eyes glued to the pair before her.

That got Butch's attention.

He turned his head to look at Vera and consider what she said before turning back to Ana and Bryan.

Ana was truly a natural, that much was evident. Bryan seemed to trust her implicitly. Butch thought over what Vera said. Ana had never mentioned wanting a family; hell, she never even talked about getting married. He had thought about it, dreamt about it, but he never asked.

He loved her and she loved him, did a ceremony make that anymore official?

He thought it did, once upon a time. Maybe she did, too. But that was a lifetime ago. Besides, it wasn't like there was a jewelry store around anymore.

But the thought of her in a white dress walking down an aisle toward him...he had to admit, it was a nice thought.

Butch shoved the image to the back of his mind as Ana stood and approached him, a grin on her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek, drawing him out of his imagination.

"You sure you don't mind staying another night?" Ana asked.

"Nah, it's okay. Not like we're on any sort of schedule," Butch answered, setting his hands on her hips.

"Good," she replied, "Vera, we'll need the room one more night."

"It's on the house, Ana," Vera said, putting away the cards Bryan had left scattered across the floor.

"Vera, you don't have to-"

"It's no big deal, trust me."

"Okay, well...thank you. Come on, Butch, let's go grab some food downstairs," Ana grabbed his hand and began to lead him away, "Bryan, do you and your aunt want to come?"

Bryan shot a hopeful look Vera's way at the question. Vera smiled and nodded. Bryan ran to Ana's other side and grabbed her free hand.

Butch let Ana lead the way to Gary's Galley. As they went, many of Rivet City's residents waved and smiled to her. Ana had really made a difference in these people's lives and somehow Butch had gotten her, a saint among them all, to fall in love with him.

He couldn't get more lucky than that.

As these get shorter, they seem to be getting fluffier. Am I sorry? No. Not at all. Thanks for reading!