Work Text:
A mushroom cloud catches Cooper Howard’s attention.
He’s stuck, staring at it when he should be focusing on his daughter’s birthday.
The bombs dropped.
The ones that his wife, Barb, suggested Vault-Tec drop. After all, “War never changes”.
And…on the same day one Robert House said they’d drop.
On Janey’s birthday.
And all he can do is stare in horror.
Who? Who ends the world? Is it you? What if it is you? I don’t think you’re a cowboy at all…No, I think you’re a killer! I think I know exactly who you are!
Cooper stared at the mushroom cloud that just keeps growing. He remembers holding the glowing little bottle, the cold fusion, in his hand. He remembers the secretary getting him a meeting with the President.
The moment you bought your ticket to Las Vegas, the date the world was going to end jumped forward by one month.
And he handed the President that vial. He handed over the cold fusion.
And the world is currently ending.
And all he can do is stare in horror.
For so many reasons.
The House always wins. Of course Robert House was right.
He was the killer.
He gave that…thing that he doesn’t even know the full truth of to the President. Which was the worst move he could’ve made.
Never trust the United States Government. Lest it end the world.
And it did end the world.
He ended the world.
And now he’s moving on autopilot, picking his daughter up in his arms and rushing to the car.
To get somewhere safe.
They need to run.
He can’t wallow on what he did.
That he caused this.
Not now, not with Janey’s life at risk.
He supposes he and Barb can agree on one thing. Wanting Janey’s safety.
But even with the end of the world being done by his indirect hand, he can’t take her to a Vault.
So he gets in the car with Janey and bolts.
All while playing Robert House’s words in his mind.