Well a more chilled out chapter, perhaps typified by Alex having a relaxing hair do, but no less enjoyable for that. So her hair falls straight down rather than having one of those fifties style waves? I tried putting one on my character but it never quite suited.

Most intriguing was the mystery about the empty parts of the Vault. Can't say I can guess why unless they left, though coincidentally there's some artwork on the net from the now deceased Fallout concept artist which shows a much more spacious Vault. And also huge hydroponics plants, which I always thought there should be somewhere down there.

Sorry if this is more like a message than a review! Anyway it was good as always, and liked the intro of a new love interest/potential rival for Butch into Alex's life. I was kinda surprised Butch didn't try cheating even more to win the bet! And another interesting point is about Mary and Tom Holden. Some see them as married, others as brother and sister. Looks like you've gone for the latter, though of course the time of Escape is not yet, so who knows, there could be more rivalry to come!

So, when are we getting to the in-game storyline? Lmao. Nah, I don't mind this at all to be honest. But still, there two years left between this and the day James leaves the vault. That's assuming Alex is 17 at the moment, which she may be since the GOAT was somewhat recent. Butch is awesome as always, he's a great character for fics imo, and you are doing justice with him. I do like Alex, the eventual LW, and this in-depth foray into the LW's teen years is very well written. I honestly have found nothing to complain about, you have a great story going here. Sure, when I clicked I expected the Capital Wasteland, but I'm sure we'll get there eventually.

Reading this chapter, it struck me how mature this story is, and how the internal/external dialogue of the characters has such depth. All illustrated in the heart to heart talks that take place. And how they choose exactly the right (and wrong) things to say.

It was also good to shake things up and throw Amata back into the mix, as well as putting James in a potentially difficult moral dilemma (albeit he's a man who has had/will have to deal with plenty of them!)

And a great title, which had me 'turning the pages' though ultimately I was uncertain who the 'fiend' was. It looked until the end like being Amata but that seems ruled out unless there's a plot twist. Butch for being an arse? Alex for using Amata?

In the end I had to agree with Amata's reflection that a lost friendship is a high price to pay for a promotion.

I really love this story. It is well written, has an awesome plot, and I love the summary. "But the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, and dreams of the world above will guide the way." It gives me chills for reasons I don't even know. I love it.

Wonderful chapter! There was so much going on in the last chapter that I didn't think you'd be able to cover it all in this one but you did :) AND you even tackled the Amata issue! I was so afraid Amata was going to spill the beans to James but should've figured she was smart enough to catch on and keep quiet lol It was so sad hearing her mention to Alex that she could forgive Butch and not her. It's one of those ironic incidents where you hold a dear friend to higher standards than everyone else. So when they "screw up" it's harder to forgive compared to someone not as close. The Vault is too small a place to live around someone you're ignoring lol And the end was sweet too :) Nicely done!

You are amazing at character development. This has to be one of my most favorite fics in the fallout section here! I looooove your writing so much and eagerly await the next installment! Keep it up 3333

you just have to continue!i absolutely love this!i just read all the chapters in one sitting and i can't wait for the next i really want to hit the Overseer now xD

Kinda kicking myself for somehow missing this when it was posted, and what a chapter! Rather like the participants, just when I was in my comfort zone, the anti is upped! Perhaps oddly I didn't see the intense love scene coming, just like being faked and hit with a hard right. And then finally the dodge away too.

What is remarkable and great is how this relationship keeps developing and becoming more interesting. Just when I was wondering if it might actually become staid, there's a whole new level of connection between Alex and Butch, centred on a mutual desire to escape the Vault and 'live life to the full' (I'm paraphrasing what you conveyed much better).

And Alex keeps surprising! I booed when she was gonna take the laser apart, and massively cheered when she reassembled it. Then she flunks her first pool shot but gets her game together in the end. I have to keep reminding myself she IS the LW, which shows how clever the story is.

As for Butch, he's laid some trouble for himself. He handled the Snakes reaction well initially, then messed up. If only he'd told them what he told Alex eventually and pushed his authority - well it just leaves things pretty damn well on edge.

Will be waiting for the next installment which will have a lot to live up to!

Love love love love LOVE the new chapter! The length made it even better lol And b/c of that I felt like a lot of things we're covered/introduced; the Wally/Paul scenario, the sexual tension between Alex & Butch, Jonas' late night activities :) I thought how you ended the chapter was well done also since its so true to Alex's personality. She wants more out of her life. And even though she's stifled by the restrictions of the Vault she always dreams of something grander (is that a word? lol sounds a bit off). She doesnt appear to be the type of person to settle. So even though what Butch is offering is tempting, she knows that it doesn't have to be as generic and expected as everything else in the vault. She's holding out for the idea of something better, something with meaning. What makes it all more exciting is how they deal with each other now that (almost) everything is out in the open :) Thanks again for the excellent update and can't wait for the next one! Take care!

ANother great chapter :)

so i am in love with this as of chapter four, right? i'm the biggest fan of butch/F!lw and i think alex is a really great character and i think you've really just written everyone well. and i was super into the whole make out scene and then you had james say "WHAT THE DEVIL IS GOING ON HERE"

and all i could think of was a very potter musical...and now im laughing. i still love this though haha

Definitely one of the best Butch stories I’ve read. I really do like how this story is developing. Anticipating the next update!

Like a lot of your work, this chapter is an even better read the second time round, where more of the subtleties can be appreciated. In particular I felt the childhood thrill of exploring an old, disused part of a house (or in this case Vault) and also of making a secret den. Which was a pretty cool one, by the way.

I could also absorb better Alex's feelings when caught in a very sticky situation, and Butch's cleverness in getting her out of it, more or less intact, if embarrassed. You've developed his character very well, making him gradually more sympathetic as he opens up to Alex, and their relationship alters over time, when other writers might've rushed and spoiled things. Like Alex, we are able to see there's much more to him and he's a great deal smarter than he appears on the surface.

And the laser finally fired - yay! But as someone said about light sabres, it being good against the living is something else entirely.

So congrats on another fantastic chapter! Really enjoying the story!

This story is absolutely adorable! Please update soon!

Wow! I wasn't expecting you to update THAT fast! And a Merry Christmas it shall be lol I loved your description of Butch's secret hideout :) Obviously there would be multiple levels to accommodate a larger population and when that population dwindled those floors would be sealed up, along with some of the goodies in there but the hideout is very much what I would expect of Butch (pool table, shelves stocked w/ booze and cigarettes, a jukebox, etc). Everything is progressing really well! Even after Butchie swooped in like a knight in shining armor (who grabs boobs for show lol) you didn't have them falling head-over-heels for each other, but that little spark is there :) So great work, as usual! And don't be deterred by reviews and what not. Honestly I'm surprised it hasn't generated more b/c this is a great read but know that those of us that have said something appreciate your hard work! Just assume other people who read and ditch are shy lol Good luck on your new story (DON'T FORGET THIS ONE!) and have a nice holiday!