Fallout 4: Rebirth At Vault 81

If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my Patreon!!!

Go to https://www.patreon.com/Tang12

___________________________

They moved on to the next section, then the next. Hours passed, each task blending into the next as they worked tirelessly against the fading daylight.

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over Diamond City, the workers were running on sheer determination. Every muscle in Sico's body burned, his hands raw from gripping tools all day. He wasn't the only one feeling it—around him, Sturges' team and the civilians moved slower now, their earlier energy replaced by exhaustion. But no one was willing to stop just yet.

The progress was undeniable. Almost all the critical sections of the wall had been reinforced, the gaping vulnerabilities patched up with thick sheets of salvaged steel. The inner support beams had been replaced, and the foundation strengthened. What was once a crumbling relic of old-world construction now stood tall and defiant against the dangers of the Wasteland.

But there was still more to do.

Sturges wiped the sweat from his brow, surveying their work with a tired but satisfied expression. "Damn," he muttered, shaking his head. "I didn't think we'd get this far in just two days."

Sico leaned against a newly installed beam, catching his breath. "Yeah, well, when you get a bunch of people who actually care about protecting this place, they work like hell to get it done."

Marta let out a tired laugh, slumping down onto an overturned crate. "Careful, Sico. You're starting to sound like an optimist."

He smirked, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nah, just stating the facts."

The rest of the workers slowly gathered, dropping their tools and stretching out aching limbs. Some exchanged quiet words, while others simply stood in silence, taking in their progress. The sense of accomplishment was palpable, but so was the exhaustion.

Sturges clapped his hands together, drawing everyone's attention. "All right, folks. We've done damn good today. We're callin' it for now. Go get some food, get some rest. We'll pick up where we left off tomorrow."

There was no argument. A few murmured agreements rippled through the group before they began dispersing, some heading toward the market district for food, others toward their homes.

Sico lingered for a moment, watching as the workers trudged away. He could see it in their faces—the exhaustion, the soreness—but also something else. A sense of purpose. Of unity.

This wasn't just about fixing a wall. It was about proving that Diamond City wasn't just a relic of the past, struggling to survive. It was about showing that they could stand together and create something stronger.

Sarah approached, her arms crossed, eyes scanning the newly reinforced sections of the wall. "You really threw yourself into this," she said, glancing at Sico. "Didn't think a big hero like you would be out here sweating with the rest of us."

Sico smirked, stretching his arms. "A hero's gotta eat too. And if this wall doesn't hold, none of us will be eating much of anything."

She let out a short laugh. "Fair point."

Preston joined them, his usual composed demeanor tinged with a hint of approval as he looked over the work. "This is what the Minutemen are all about," he said. "People coming together, making something stronger than what was there before."

Sico nodded. "Yeah. But we're not done yet."

Preston chuckled. "We never are."

They stood there for a moment, letting the cool evening air wash over them. The sky had darkened to a deep blue, the first stars beginning to appear. The city was alive in a different way now—lanterns flickering in windows, the distant murmur of conversations, the occasional laugh breaking through the night.

For the first time in a while, Diamond City felt… peaceful.

Sarah clapped a hand on Sico's shoulder. "Come on, let's get some food before you pass out."

Sico rolled his eyes but followed. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't expect me to sit still for long."

She smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."

They made their way to the market district, where the smell of cooking meat and fresh-baked bread filled the air. The small food stalls that lined the streets were busy, workers from the day's labor gathering to eat and share stories. It wasn't just the Minutemen—Diamond City's citizens were here too, mingling in a way that would have been unthinkable months ago.

Sico, Preston, and Sarah found a spot near a fire pit where a group of workers had gathered. Sturges was already there, tearing into a roasted brahmin steak like a man who hadn't eaten in days.

"Hope you saved some for the rest of us," Sico said as he sat down.

Sturges grinned around a mouthful of food. "Better hurry up, then."

Sico grabbed a plate, digging in as conversation flowed around him. The workers swapped stories about the day—who had almost dropped a steel beam on their foot, who had managed to weld two pieces together on the first try, who had gotten a little too close to a live wire. There was laughter, exhaustion, and that lingering sense of camaraderie that came from a hard day's work.

Marta nudged Sico with her elbow. "So, you gonna do this every day now? Or was this just a one-time thing?"

Sico smirked. "Guess that depends. You planning on slacking off tomorrow?"

She snorted. "Not a chance."

"Then neither am I."

The night stretched on, the firelight casting warm shadows over the gathered workers. For the first time in a long while, there was no immediate threat, no raider attack, no crisis to deal with. Just people, sharing food and stories, resting after a hard day's work.

But Sico knew it wouldn't last.

Tomorrow, they'd be back at it. Finishing the wall, reinforcing the weak points, making sure Diamond City could stand against whatever the Wasteland threw at it.

Sico woke up before dawn, the soreness from yesterday's labor settled deep into his muscles. He rolled his shoulders, wincing slightly, but there was no time to complain. The wall still needed work, and he had no intention of slowing down now.

By the time he reached the worksite, the city was already stirring. Sturges and his crew were back at it, barking orders as workers hauled fresh supplies to reinforce the remaining weak points. Marta was busy organizing scrap metal, while Preston was speaking with a few civilians who had volunteered to help. The atmosphere was different today—less rushed, more methodical. People knew they were close to finishing, and they wanted to do it right.

Sico grabbed a pry bar and joined Roy's team, helping to align a large steel sheet against the outer wall. It was heavy, awkward to move, and stubbornly refused to fit into place.

"Push it in, just a little more!" Roy grunted, straining against the weight.

Sico dug his heels in and heaved, muscles burning as they forced the sheet into position. "Almost there—hold it steady!"

A welder rushed in, securing the piece with quick bursts of heat. The moment it was locked in, Sico stepped back, rubbing his aching hands.

"Not bad," Roy said, breathing heavily. "You sure you ain't done this before?"

Sico smirked. "Just got a knack for not letting things fall apart."

Roy chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder. "That makes one of us."

The work continued, with each team tackling a different section. Sturges' crew reinforced the wall's foundation, driving in thick support beams to prevent collapse. Marta's team handled the outer plating, sealing any remaining gaps. Sarah moved between groups, checking structural integrity and ensuring everything was holding together.

The morning passed in a blur of sweat and labor. It was shaping up to be another long but productive day—until disaster struck.

A loud groan echoed through the worksite, followed by a sharp crack.

Sico's head snapped up just in time to see a section of the wall, one they had reinforced the previous day, shudder violently. The steel plating bent at an unnatural angle, and for a split second, everything seemed to freeze. Then, with a deafening clang, the entire section gave way.

The massive sheet of metal, easily weighing several hundred pounds, came crashing down toward two workers who had been securing bolts near its base.

Time slowed.

"MOVE!" Sico roared, sprinting forward.

One of the workers, a young man named Elias, turned just in time to dive out of the way, but the second—an older man, Greg—wasn't as fast. The falling metal caught him across the leg, pinning him with a sickening crunch.

Shouts erupted around the site as workers scrambled to help.

"Get that off him!" Sturges barked, already rushing over.

Sico didn't hesitate. He grabbed a crowbar and wedged it beneath the fallen section, muscles straining as he tried to pry it up. Roy and Preston joined in, pushing with everything they had.

Greg let out a strangled cry, his face pale and contorted with pain. Blood pooled beneath his leg, staining the dirt a dark red.

Marta knelt beside him, pressing a cloth against the wound. "Hang on, Greg. We got you."

The metal refused to budge.

"Dammit," Sico growled, adjusting his grip. "We need more leverage!"

"Here!" Sarah appeared with a steel beam, jamming it under the collapsed section. "Everyone, push on three!"

Sico gritted his teeth. "One… two… THREE!"

With a combined effort, they heaved. The metal lifted just enough for Roy to drag Greg out. As soon as he was clear, they let the sheet drop with a heavy thud.

Greg groaned, clutching his mangled leg. Blood seeped through his pants, and the unnatural angle of his knee told Sico everything he needed to know—it was broken, maybe worse.

"We need Doc Sun," Sturges said. "Now."

"I'll get him!" Elias took off toward the market.

Marta kept pressure on the wound, her hands slick with blood. "You're gonna be okay, Greg. Just stay with us."

Sico exhaled, his adrenaline still running high. His hands were shaking, but he clenched them into fists, forcing himself to focus.

"That section shouldn't have collapsed," he muttered, scanning the damage. "We reinforced it yesterday."

Sturges ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face. "Yeah… but if it gave out that easy, then something was wrong with the supports."

Preston frowned. "Sabotage?"

Sico shook his head. "More likely a weak weld or a misaligned beam. Either way, we should've caught it."

Silence settled over them as they took in the damage. The section they had spent hours securing was now a twisted mess of metal and debris. And Greg…

"Dammit," Roy muttered, kicking a loose bolt. "We were so close."

Sico took a deep breath, forcing himself to push past the frustration. "We'll fix it. But first, we make sure this doesn't happen again."

Doc Sun arrived within minutes, his medical bag in hand. He knelt beside Greg, assessing the injury with quick efficiency.

"Broken tibia," he confirmed, carefully feeling around the leg. Greg groaned in pain, but Doc Sun continued. "Some tissue damage, but he's lucky. No artery was hit."

"Can you fix it?" Elias asked, voice tight with worry.

Doc Sun nodded. "I can set the bone, but he won't be walking for a long time. He needs rest."

Greg gritted his teeth. "Just do it."

Sico watched as the doctor got to work, splinting the leg and giving Greg something for the pain. Around them, the workers had fallen silent, the weight of what had happened settling in.

After a few minutes, Sturges spoke. "All right, listen up. We messed up, but we're not gonna let it happen again." He turned to Sico. "You said we need to check every section?"

Sico nodded. "Yeah. Every weld, every bolt, every support beam. We double-check everything before we move forward."

There was a collective murmur of agreement.

Preston crossed his arms. "Then let's get to it."

The accident changed the pace of the work. What had once been a determined rush to finish became a careful, methodical process. Teams were split into pairs, each tasked with inspecting specific sections of the wall.

Sico worked alongside Roy, checking every weld with a critical eye. They found weak points—rushed work from the previous day, spots where the metal hadn't fully fused. It was clear now that they had moved too fast, eager to finish, and it had nearly cost Greg his life.

"Feels like we're starting over," Roy muttered as they re-welded a section.

"Better than having another collapse," Sico replied.

Hours passed. The sun climbed high, the heat bearing down on them. But no one complained. They worked with renewed focus, ensuring that every part of the wall was solid, stable, and safe.

By evening, the weak sections had been reinforced. The part that had collapsed was completely rebuilt—stronger this time.

Sturges wiped his forehead, looking over their work. "This time, it'll hold."

Sico nodded, exhaustion weighing on him. "Yeah. It will."

Greg was stable, resting under Doc Sun's care. The workers were tired but relieved. And Diamond City's wall—its shield against the Wasteland—stood taller than ever. Tomorrow, the work would continue.

________________________________________________

• Name: Sico

• Stats :

S: 8,44

P: 7,44

E: 8,44

C: 8,44

I: 9,44

A: 7,45

L: 7

• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills

• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.

• Active Quest:-