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"Gabby?"
"Don't... don't talk to her now. You shouldn't."
"Why?"
"She's... grieving. She told us that her brother had died. And she just managed to set her parents to rest. Give her... give her time, Preston."
It's been months after that short conversation with Jun, Gabrielle was working on the house. There were two graves behind it, flowers scattered on top. As heartbreaking as it was beautiful. He knew Gabby loved flowers, any kind and any color. This world must be a nightmare for her.
No one knew where she went after the Institute went up in smoke. She pushed the button just like everyone expected her to, Railroad and Minutemen backing her up. And then, nothing. Deacon was screaming as was everyone in that moment, the boogeyman finally gone. No one noticed one tiny girl leaving, crying her eyes out.
He knew he should have ran after her when she left. Wipe her eyes like a big brother she called him once. But he didn't. He was too happy to notice that the destroying of the Institute hurt her.
She noticed him, a short shovel in her hands and he could see how her eyes widened.
"What are you doing here? Didn't your Minutemen use me enough? Or are you here because of the Railroad? I won't do more jobs for you, you can tell that to Desdemona. I'm no longer a General. I don't care what happens next."
It startled him, how empty she sounded. Someone behind him moved, almost ran after Gabby.
"Gabby! You know you cannot just lock yourself-"
"Here comes the liar! To preach bullshit to me! 'Father needs to die, he's not your brother anymore! He destroyed so much! But here! Have my recall code! I'm a SYNTH!' Well, I was understanding! I understood everything! I gave you space, gave you everything you asked for! And then you ran. Again! Leave me, both of you! You're adept in doing just that!" And with that, she promptly let her tears fall, ran inside the house and locked the doors.
Both of them looked at each other. She was important to both of them, their little sister but they messed up. Marcy was looking at them from the sidelines, a sneer on her face but any venomous line she could utter simply disappeared when they heard it.
A single shot.
Deacon was the first one who ran inside, jumping straight through the open window and up the stairs to her room, to the room she build. Preston went after him, heart in his throat.
Gabrielle was sitting on the ground, pistol in hands. A giant hole in the wall where she kept the family photo. Hole where Shaun used to be.
"My baby brother... I used to sing to him... why did you get me out? You should have left me to die with him... " She moved the gun against her head and pulled the trigger. A shot rang through the air, her window broken when Deacon moved her hand away from her head.
Her eyes were empty.
She let go of the gun as if it burned her and hid her eyes away from them, curling on herself.
"Go away. Leave me now."
"No." "No, of course, we cannot let you-"
"Dogmeat! To me!"
The blasted mongrel ran inside, jumping on Gabby. It was as if he forgot Deacon and Preston, snarling and growling at them, protecting his master.
"You left me alone for months. You don't need me anymore. Let me live my life now, let me... leave me alone."
Barking of Dogmeat must have called other settlers. It was an unsaid truth, that Gabby was the leader, the creator of the settlement. Two settlers, armed with shotguns, gently palmed their weapons. "You've heard her. Get the fuck away."
While listening to her crying, both Deacon and Preston left.