Of Toasters and Toy Soldiers

by seifersfire

"So what's your plan? Don't get me wrong, I have caps in my pocket and food in my stomach, I'm not complaining. I just don't get where you are. What is it you're trying to do...?" He hoped the question didn't come off as awkward as it sounded. She smiled, eyes gleaming in the firelight, "The impossible. Get some sleep Mac, you're going to need it."

You would think that after more than two years in the Commonwealth she would have the sense to look up before approaching new areas, especially since her deathclaw gauntlet didn't reach above the frame of most standard doorways. She had hated her short stature in pre-war times for other reasons but, right now her biggest concern was the turret opposite the door she was facing hell bent on turning her into a pile of meat.

She fumbled for the 10mm she kept with her for this type of a situation but felt the arm go lax as bullets tore the tendons necessary to properly fire the weapon. Out of options, she threw herself behind the sturdiest looking wall she could see and jammed stimpack between her ribs, meanwhile the turret kept chipping away at her precarious cover. She vaguely registered Dogmeat's whimper as the stimpack allowed her a full breath.

"Boss!" The sound of a heavily modified gauss rifle really did wonders for her current perspective.

The turret was still standing after the first hit, as if the machine knew it's time was up but wanted to make sure it took what was left of the concrete wall she was currently sheltering behind. Sarah fought the urge to sneeze as dust littered the air, because sneezing with damage to her torso,yeah not if she could avoid it.

"Sarah, say something!" The second report from the rifle heralded an end to the rain of bullets, although she could still hear the telltale whir of more.

"Dogmeat got hit," She groaned out. She heard the hiss of a stimpack and a secondary yelp from the canine. Good.

MacCready came around to her, rifle still at the ready, just in case. He eyed the stimpack in her torso and her posture. Sarah gave him a weary thumbs up with her uninjured hand, indicating that yes she was in pain, but it was no longer life threatening. After a thorough look see into the area and the death of two additional turrets, he came back around. "How's the arm?"

Sarah pulled the initial stimpack out with a grimace, "Working on it."

MacCready just shook his head and placed his rifle butt down to lean against the wall, her german shepherd standing watch over the area. "Here." He kneeled down taking the second stimpack before applying it to her arm. Sarah hissed as feeling returned to the injured area and did her best to ignore the very uncomfortable feeling of her muscles and tendons mending.

"So," he started conversationally. "Do we need to have the talk about killer doorways again or have we seen the error of our ways?"

Sarah huffed, "To be fair, that turret was on the building opposite the doorway, it just happened to be pointed at the doorway and not mounted on it." The stimpack came out with little fuss. She reached into her pack for some water.

"Yeah, because you're sure bleeding a lot less this way. It's not like if it had been mounted on the doorway those would have been head shots and not body shots." He dipped his hat a bit lower with a rather pointed look on his face. "Or maybe if I wasn't carrying the next museum exhibit of pre-war toasters, I would have been here sooner."

They were currently clearing up the National Guard Training Yard, after a request from a few settlements that had noticed the amount of ferals wandering the open space. The distance between said settlements and the yard left the vaultie wondering just how perceptive her people were. "Never going to let that go, are you?" She munched lightly on some radstag jerky left over from their last visit to Sanctuary.

"My aching back is a great reason to make sure you're just as miserable as me," he said good-naturedly while picking up his rifle and surveying their surroundings. "This place is all clear. It's going to be dark soon, we should head for somewhere safe to spend the night." Dogmeat trotted over and sat down, leaning heavily on the sniper.

Her Pip Boy's green glow illuminated what waypoints they had discovered. "Looks like we have a few settlements nearby, County Crossing is going to be our best bet. We'll head there, regroup and then head to Bunker Hill in the morning." She packed what rations she hadn't eaten back into her pack before standing on slightly unstable legs. She shook her head trying to clear the grogginess that tended to come with stimpacks, they worked wonders but man did they ever fuck with your depth perception.

"Easy Boss, we won't be in any shape to help Kessler if you can't walk." She felt a stabilizing hand on her shoulder. "You sure you're good?"

She smiled tightly, "You know me, ready for anything."

Sarah quietly pondered over the difference between cooking pre-war versus now. Then she had an entire kitchen of appliances and comfy stools to make her job easier, that being said, sitting on cinderblocks was very uncomfortable. She kept her thoughts to herself stirring the brahmin meat with only a sigh. She had seen other cooking stoves, ones that didn't require a leg or two going numb while she made dinner, but County Crossing had not been on her list of priorities at that time, perhaps it was poetic justice that she was here this evening? Hindsight and practical application were such a bitch. Dogmeat barked happily, almost like he could hear her thoughts and agreed.

She looked left to her somewhat less opinionated companion. "We should do more for these people."

MacCready laughed, "Like what? Put in your usual bed and bunker layout? There's nothing here that would justify that."

He was fiddling with the usual, shell casings and some processed fertilizer. He blew out a .308 shell before glancing up at her from under the brim of his hat. "You already gave them some turrets." He packed the round carefully before placing the shell on the shell on the loader and compressing the bullet into place. He leaned back from the ammo bench before meeting her eyes. "Why do you feel like you need to save everyone? You know they wouldn't do the same for you, right?"

Sarah schooled her expression carefully, turning her face away as much as she could. It wouldn't do for her vastly jaded perspective to be known to him. It was not his fault, or anyone's fault for that outlook on life, it was almost unfair that she had the comparison herself and there was no reason to force that burden on other people. She sighed heavily. "I understand where you are coming from. That being said, that perspective is exactly why the Commonwealth is in the state it's in. The only way we can improve the overall quality of life for anyone, is to help each other. Almost sounds like a bunch of kids banding together in a cave to keep each other safe?" She gave him a meaningful looker over the fire. "So, after Bunker Hill we're headed back this way to get some proper roofs over these people's heads. Ok?"

MacCready's head spun. Who had priorities like that? What foolhardy person actually thought themselves important enough to fix anything? Everything? Little Lamplight, sure, but that was a dream, before you got to cuddle up to the beasties life had to offer. He shook his head before standing to help with moving dinner away from the direct heat of the fire. "Little Lamplight was run by a bunch of wide eyed, albeit armed, children. Not exactly the best way to survive outside of a cave." He watched concentration bring a wrinkle or two to her brow while securing the food. He did his best to ignore how her self depreciating smile brought a warmth to him hadn't felt since... Since Lucy. "You're something else, you know."

She hoped he couldn't see the slight blush. "I'm sure Vault-Tec would be very interested in any feedback you have for them."

She dipped the ladle into the stew, making sure to nab all the goodies floating in the pot, some tatos and corn melding with the broth and brahmin meat and poured it into a makeshift bowl for her hired hand. She even produced a spork for him to use before relinquishing the steaming container to him. "Every little bit makes the difference, including toasters and all their components."

"Are you trying to tell me there's a piece of a toaster in this?" Despite the line of questioning he took the bowl from her without hesitation.

"No, but the bowl you're eating it out of is made from toasters, also the pot I cooked it in."

The conversation died down as the two ate, both distracted by the flickering light between the cinderblocks and their own thoughts. MacCready finished first, stretching his lithe arms behind his back before yanking on the ties that kept his bedroll pinned to his pack. "So what's your plan? Don't get me wrong, I have caps in my pocket and food in my stomach, I'm not complaining. I just don't get where you are. What is it you're trying to do...?" He hoped the question didn't come off as awkward as it sounded.

She smiled, eyes gleaming in the firelight, "The impossible. Get some sleep Mac, you're going to need it."

Sleep has been an illusive concept to her even before the bombs fell. It always felt like she had so much left to think about or deal with, sleep seemed like a waste of time. Nate had always chided her worrying, if she couldn't change it then why worry, right? Sarah chuckled in the cold, huddling closer to the heat that her cooking had produced.

She was always woken up by the slightest sounds, the neighbors getting home or Codsworth underestimating the width of the hallway. Crickets were the bane of her existence.

She always took first watch, Mac never said anything but she was fairly sure he slept better with a full stomach. Why she started shaping her daily routines around his preferences was still something she was more than unwilling to examine for any length of time. Her life was full of enough issues, adding a snarky mouthed sniper to the list had not been part of the plan. Nor had Preston or Mama Murphy been part of her original intent. Or Goodneighbor or Bunker Hill or... Hancock and Piper, hell even Nick. Danse and Curie, the list of people she had come to care for went on and on.

She hazarded a glance towards the sleeping bag by the fire. He looked peaceful while he slept. The gentle slope of his hat was shielding his eyes from the light the fire produced and his chest fell rhythmically and predictably. She gathered her courage before gazing out past the hazy shadows the light gave. She would protect them, each and everyone of those she loved. She would make sure that the generations to come would be able to rebuild this land.

She had failed to save her son, the least she could do was make sure someone else got the opportunity to get it right.

They left the settlement fairly early headed south into what was possibly her least favorite part of the Commonwealth. No area better summed up the loss of knowledge and infrastructure than Charlestown's hollowed out remains. What were once monuments and clothing stores now served as shelter to raiders and farmers alike. She tried to shake off the melancholy vibe, they were turning the last bend before they reached Bunker Hill and pouting wouldn't change that. Besides the silver lining in her rather cloudy day, Kessler was allowing her to put them on her supply chain, more supplies and connections meant she could do more. She plastered a smile on her face as she and MacCready walked through the entrance.

"Hey," Mac put a hand on her arm before she could be drawn into the settlement and hours of negotiation. "Before you disappear, could I see that 10mm?"

Sarah lifted a brow in question. Sure he gave her bullets every now and again but this was the first request of this fashion. They usually maintained their own guns and armor. She had seen him repair and mod other people's equipment, but that wasn't something she'd ever seen him do without stating a price in the same sentence.

Mac scoffed as his eyes nervously bounced between her and the ground. "Do me a favor and don't make this a thing. Just gimme the da... darn gun. If we are going back to County Crossing this is the last chance I'll have to mod it."

Sarah smothered the triumphant smile, maybe, just maybe if she could convince Mac to pitch in she was capable of hodgepodging her way through this mess that was the Commonwealth. She couldn't resist making him squirm just a bit. "How many caps is that going to cost me?"

His blue gaze shot skyward in obvious frustration, "Just enough to cover the parts."

This time she did not smother the laughter nor the smile. She handed over the gun on her hip and her cap stash. "Here you go, handsome." She noted his pink cheeks. "Be gentle with her. It's been a long time since anyone but me has tinkered with her chamber."

Mac wandered off grumbling about do-gooders and their horrible jokes. Kessler took the opportunity his absence left and sidled up to the vaultie. "Thank you for coming."

Sarah shook the other woman's hand and felt a stab of pity when she noted the obvious stress of someone having way too much on their plate. "I'm here to help. That being said this place is about fifteen turrets shy from being secure. How's your food situation?"

"The caravans keep us well stocked and we have enough water in the area. It's mostly just defenses and housing. Lately the local populace has been more rowdy," Kessler gestured outside the walls as they strolled around. "And we've lost quite a few people to other settlements. Which only weakens our position when we get attacked again."

Kessler wasn't wrong. Sarah remembered her first visit to Bunker Hill and the state that it was in right now was most definitively a decline. It seemed like the people's heads hung a little bit lower and their eyes were just a tad more shady. It was the look of people who didn't feel safe and were getting just shy of desperate. She placed her pack on a nearby table, fishing around for the silver whistle down at the bottom. Dogmeat wasn't an ideal messenger, getting sidetracked was something he was quite prone to doing, but he was reliable. He might show up an hour or two late but he would get there. He should be close enough by to hear she thought blowing delicately into the whistle.

She grabbed the construction paper in her pack and pulled out her box of crayons before penning a message to Preston mentally praising elementary school basements. They would need a handful of Minutemen for heavy lifting. The monument in the center was ideal for mounting the defenses this place was in need of. Normally she'd send for Strong, though his size and well, Strong being his usual charming self would not be ideal. These people were spooked enough and with Swan right across the river she couldn't exactly blame them.

"Are there any threats in the immediate area? It will take a few days for Preston to make his way down here with the supplies we need." Dogmeat bounded through the south gate screeching to a halt next to her side. She slid the latch on his collar and slipped the paper inside before securing it again. It would take the ridiculously large dog only a day at most to reach Sanctuary.

"There's a pocket of raiders up the street who have been scouting." Kessler pointed to the east. Sure enough she could see the spiky armor from here. They were way to close for comfort. Sarah felt a little less at ease about handing her 10mm to Mac. She squatted in front of her beloved giant puppy. "Hey boy, do me a favor would you?"

His massive head tilted.

"I need you to take this to Preston, and then follow him back here. There'll be a nice juicy brahmin steak in it for you." She cooed.

He barked happily, running in circles. She gave him a good pet, being sure to get that spot behind his ear. She tried to ignore the ruckus he was obviously causing as the puppy like behavior knocked over a few tables and jostled Kessler a bit. "Good boy! Now go, Sanctuary."

Sarah turned a blind eye to the resounding thud that indicated Dogmeat was indeed on his way and the door leading out might need some bolstering.

She turned back to said jostled woman. "Is that a large dog or a small yao guai?" Kessler asked, arms crossed in front of her her chest.

"I honestly never really checked." She rose from her crouch. "I have enough junk on me to get two turrets on the main entrance. Close down the southern exit for now, we can move that dilapidated car in front of it. That will at least buy us some time. I can have a functional four bedrooms or we can set up a bunkhouse, which would you prefer?"

Kessler's posture just radiated distrust.

Sarah was getting used to being treated with caution, it was very rare for anyone to just want to help. That's it, just good old fashioned help, no strings attached, no angle or counter offer. Still the calculating look from Kessler stung, just a little. "A bunkhouse... We would be closer and better defended."

"It should be up before nightfall. When Preston gets here I'll get some generators and hook everything up so this place has power. I have a few spare lanterns and as long as everyone moves their own inside you should have more than enough lighting. Sorry about the lack of power but just not quite yet, I don't want this pot looking any juicier than it already does, especially given how cozy those raiders are."

Kessler nodded in agreement, while staring at the vaultie as if she were a living breathing question, one she lacked the answer to.

Sarah suppressed a smile, her rapid fire approach to life had left more than a few perplexed with her behavior. "Pardon me, I have quite a few things to be doing."

The sun was setting and Sarah was putting the last finishing touches on the steel sealing the southern entrance closed when she heard MacCready's distinctive strut coming up behind her. She lifted the visor on the welding goggles making sure the patch was doing it's job, before placing the blow torch down next to her and craning her neck up to face her companion. He was still fiddling with her 10mm and his hat was not on his person. She lifted her hand in a silent request and felt him grasp it before pulling her to her feet. She leaned on him for a moment, her balance lacking after sitting down for so long, letting the pins and needles in her feet dissipate. "Thanks."

"Yeah," He took a pointed step back once she had her feet under her. "If you've got some time I'd like to put these new mods to the test, the grip wouldn't sit right for hours."

She noted the changes with a glance, it was probably full auto and sported a new set of glow sights. It would be perfect for up close oh shit moments and the clip size had probably doubled. "You're in luck, check it out." She tugged on the binoculars on his belt. "Three o'clock, on the roofs."

He grabbed said item before staring in the direction she mentioned. He afforded her a playful sideways glance, "That's unsettlingly close."

She would have believed the joke unintended but his eyes danced and there was a slight quirk to his smile that gave it all away. "Unsettlingly. Really?" She shook her head before clapping a hand on his shoulder. "I'm thinking I stroll in the front door and you post up over there." She nudged the binoculars to the next house with an open and abandoned roof. The breeze shifted, leaving her downwind of her companion and notably all she could smell was Mac, smoke and oil and leather, for being as opposed to water as he was, she noticed his hair was actually clean, it looked almost soft.

"Boss?" The title was phrased as a question. He turned to look at her, the binoculars falling from his face.

His lips looked soft too.

Sarah belatedly realized she had likely been caught sniffing her partner, among other things. Embarrassment heated her cheeks and caused her to stutter. "Sorry, I was distracted." She stepped away from him, dropping the hand from his shoulder and grabbed the forgotten blowtorch. "Just let me hit up a chem station and then we'll head out. Ok?"

"Sounds good." He listened to her walk away still staring at where she had just been. MacCready sighed heavily while negotiating his overactive imagination back into a corner. Stuff like this happened when you partner up with someone for this long. It had happened in the past, all it took was time and this stupid infatuation would go away. At least thats what he kept telling himself. Everyone showed their true colors sooner or later and if there was one lesson the Capital Wasteland and the Commonwealth had in common it was everyone was looking out for themselves and everyone had a price. Trust was the quickest way to get yourself killed.

It didn't help that no matter how he shoved, rationalized, or begged his own mind to let this go, nothing changed. She was the first thing he looked for when he woke up. Their recent endeavors had left his heart pounding, wondering if it was fair for her to bleed out in a field full of ferals. He was reluctant to relive the moment he lost sight of her, the sheer panic when he'd called out and there was no answer. He couldn't live through loosing someone he cared about again and manage to retain his sanity.

These feelings were not part of the plan and irritation buzzed in his skull. Get caps, find cure, go home to Duncan. It started out so simple. Maybe, just maybe it was time to get back to the plan, before he got sucked any farther into this mess.

He ignored the little voice in the back of his head singing that he was already in too deep. Either way the cards fell, he had a job to do.

He did a quick mental ammo check before bringing the binoculars back into play and scoping his targets. It looked like they had already broken out some booze and the chems were flowing. He smiled, it was always nice when they went after easy targets, drunk raiders were much less time consuming to kill than sober ones. He placed the binoculars back on his belt before securing the gauss rifle to his back. He met up with her at the gate.

Sarah tightened the strap of her gauntlet, making sure the rig was properly supported. Her armor was go, the ballistic weave vault suit would be perfectly tailored towards the evening since she was fairly sure dodging bullets was impossible. She had all the stims she would need and an entirely inappropriate amount of jet dangled from her belt. There was addictol in her pack for after, withdrawal was not something she would willingly subject herself to.

MacCready was already at the gate, leaning on the recently repaired frame. His hat was back in place and his arms crossed in front of his chest. He was looking out towards the raiders they were gearing up for and a slight scowl darkened his face. The tattered trench coat was flopping lazily in the breeze and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He was handsome and it shook her to her toes when she realized all he had to do was ask and she'd hand him the moon. Her logical half kept screaming that was not something he needed to know. Sarah took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She could do this. She had destroyed the Institute run by her ungrounded son. She could face Robert Joseph MacCready.

All it took was a few steps to bring her closer.

"Ready?"

"I'm almost insulted that you have to ask." The wink he gave her put her nerves at ease. Her relief was palpable, she didn't think after having him watch her back she could trust anyone else to do the job. He handed her the 10mm, which she took and holstered. "Once we're done though, I'd like to talk to you about a favor."

"Anytime, anywhere."

"Thanks, Boss."

Sarah settled in front of the burning trashcan after successfully looting her junk happy heart out. She popped the top off of a bottle of whiskey with a smile, a little violence was always good for the soul. Those raiders had been surprisingly loaded she mused eyeing the three missile launchers stacked in a corner, not to mention the small pile of munitions that came with. All in all, this was a good haul.

MacCready chuckled, "We staying here boss or hoofing it back?"

"Eh, we're headed back." She stated while taking a moderate sip from the glass container in her hands. "I just want to bask for the moment."

"Bask?" He asked sitting on the other side of the fire with a lifted eyebrow.

She inhaled, smiling indulgently. "I want to revel in the victory of the moment?"

Mac smiled, "I get that." He accepted the bottle she handed to him, balancing his rifle between his knees. Whiskey wasn't his first go to, but he'd take the buzz either way, this was not going to be a pleasant conversation. He handed it back watching her settle into her chair before turning her gaze to him. "I wanted to talk privately before we go back. You mentioned a favor?"

She watched him take a deep breath before staring absentmindedly at the fire. "I never got to thank you for helping me take out Winlock and Barnes."

"We're friends. No thanks necessary." She did her best to exude an easy going attitude. Mac was about as tight lipped as they came and she couldn't deny she was curious.

"I wanted to say it anyway. You stuck your neck out for me and I don't forget shi... I mean things like that."

She took a slightly longer draw from the bottle in her hands, "Stopping yourself from cursing again? Why do you do that?"

"Yeah," he laughed before reaching for the whiskey. Sarah gave him the bottle fighting a smile, he sounded so carefree when he laughed. She wanted to hear it again. "I figured you'd ask me about that sooner or later. It's about a promise I made. When I left the Capital Wasteland I didn't just leave Little Lamplight behind... I left my family behind." He took a moderate drink off the bottle. She was almost mesmerized by watching his throat bob as he pulled from the liquor, obviously leaning on the courage it provided.

It took a moment for what he said to sink in, Sarah kept her expression neutral, simultaneously grateful and annoyed she wasn't holding the booze. He had a family?!

"Had a beautiful wife named Lucy and a son we named Duncan. He's the one I made my promise to, a promise to clean up my act and to be a better person." She recognized the look on his face, had only really seen it once before. Hazy memories of the Dugout Inn and Mac painfully explaining that Lucy hadn't made it floated through her mind. "I guess thats pretty stupid coming from a guy who shoots people for a living."

"You must have had a good reason for leaving Duncan behind."

"That's what I keep telling myself." His hand rubbed the back of his neck, a sure signal that he was more than uncomfortable. He took another drink off the bottle.

"My son, he's sick. I... I don't know whats wrong with him. One day he's playing out in the fields behind our farm the next he took a fever and these blue boils popped up all over his body." She saw the telltale tremble is his frame, the shaking of hands she knew she could trust to be steady that gave her the frame of mind she needed to understand just how much of a ledge he was putting himself on. His body radiated stress and she had never seen that much fear register in his blue eyes. "Last I saw he was almost too weak to walk. I didn't dare ask him to come with me." She felt her heart shatter. The similarities between them becoming much more clear. He was trying to save Duncan. He was trying to save his son, just like she had wanted to. "Honestly, I don't know how much longer he's going to last."

"There must be something we can do." Her mind settled willingly into what he needed, her soul and body following suit. MacCready wouldn't have brought this up unless there was more. If she could give someone the opportunity to do things right, Mac more than deserved it.

"I was hoping you'd say that. A few months before we met I bumped into a guy named Sinclair who claimed his buddy caught some kind of disease I thought he was wasting my time till he said his partner broke out in blue boils." He shifted in his chair before lifting the bottle to his lips one more time. "They dug up information about a cure at a place called Med-Tek Research. They even managed to grab the buildings lockdown security codes. Unfortunately Sinclair's buddy died before they were able to break into the facility. I mean there's no way that's a coincidence right? Med-Tek has to be the place."

"Don't give up hope. If there's a cure, we'll find it." Those words felt like a promise on her lips.

"Thanks Boss, I'll put Med-Tek research on your map. When you're ready just take us out there... I have all the codes we need to get through their security." He took a deep breath before meeting her eyes. "What you're doing... No one has ever cared that much about me before. Even if it takes me the rest of my life... I'll repay this debt to you, I swear it."

She shook her head, "All in a days work, handsome." Never mind that once she did help he would most certainly be headed back to the Capital Wasteland and his son. She capped the liquor before ambling over to the missile launchers. "Let's get these and ourselves back to Bunker Hill. Our to do list just got bigger."

She ignored the aching pit in her stomach at the thought of him leaving.

"What can we expect inside Med-Tek?"

Mac barely glanced up from the weapons bench covered in pieces of his rifle. "Ferals, and lots of them. I couldn't get past the atrium the time I tried." He shuddered. "I barely made it back to Goodneighbor alive."

She nodded, close combat was not his strength, but it was hers. "So stock up on Rad-X and RadAway." She meandered into the monument catching Carla before she closed up shop. "Hey Carla?"

"Looking to trade?" the gruff woman asked.

"Missile launchers for anti-rads, the missiles too if you want." The two went through the heavier items in her pack, they really couldn't afford any delays and a heavy pack meant longer walks. She even bartered her junk rationalizing that this stuff was literally everywhere and there was no need to hoard the aluminum cans. She did her best not to think about her power armor upgrades she had wanted those cans for as caps jingled in her hand. Once their business was concluded her pack looked pathetically empty other than the bulging stash of meds and chems she kept inside, along with some spare ammo. "Thanks Carla, you're the best."

"Oh, I meant to give this to you, it's from Sanctuary, that woman, the one that sounds like she's trying to talk with her foot in her mouth?" Carla handed over the small package. To Sarah she was confused would be an understatement. Curie had sent her something?

She could hear the familiar sounds of MacCready's rifle being snapped back together and tried not to bemoan the very empty state of her pack as it flopped lifelessly against her back. "See you around. Thanks again," she plopped a few more caps on the counter for a finders fee.

She tore through the brown paper her small surprise was wrapped in perching on one of the available stools. There was a note and syringes, she couldn't place what was inside the cylinders. Hoping for a little more direction she unfolded the paper inside. 'Only for use in a very dangerous situation.' It included the recipe: psycho, acid, and nuka cola. Overdrive?

"You didn't have to do that, you know."

She yelped at the unexpected voice right behind her and nearly dropped her package and its contents. The stool clattered to the ground as she did her best to keep her footing. Mac managed to look slightly sorry. She glowered before wrapping the paper securely around the syringes and placing them in her pack. "Didn't have to do what?" Perhaps there was a little more bite in her tone than was originally intended.

"Sell all that junk," he gestured to her bag. "We could have taken it back to one of the settlements."

Sarah chuckled, "If we were headed to a settlement, that would make sense." She turned towards the recently constructed bunk house and the exit. "If you follow that lovely little thread of logic, no we are not headed to County Crossing. I left a note with Kessler, Preston will deal with this. We are headed a little farther north than we originally planned." She really didn't like traveling at night, neither did Mac, but for this she could make an exception.

"You really are something else." He hefted his rifle onto his shoulder. The joy at finally getting past that stupid security lockdown lifted his spirits. "Let's go."

"Oh this place just reeks Vault-Tec," she mumbled as they came up on the building. Mac had been understandably quiet for most of the six hour walk so perhaps she was babbling a bit to break the silence, "Vault-Tec, Med-Tek. They probably just changed the name so they could pay taxes separately."

"Sometimes I have to remind myself you came from when all this," he spared a brief gesture to their surroundings before lobbing a grenade at one of the vehicles left in the run down parking lot. "Was brand spanking new." He shouldered his rifle, scoping out the exterior.

The ferals outside the building began to move, stimulated by the noise of the small metal container hitting the ground, the fusion core in the car blew moments after the grenade did, hence no more ferals, at least outside the building.

She turned her radio off and dialed down the brightness on her Pip Boy as far as it would go. Stealth was not her favorite approach but the situation inside clearly called for it. "Stay behind me on this one. I don't think it needs to be said but, don't fire that thing if you can avoid it. Hopefully we'll catch them during nap time."

Mac strapped the rifle to his back before pulling out a silenced 10mm. "Let's just get this over with." He popped a rad-x before tossing her the bottle. She swallowed the acrid pill with a grimace before reaching into the pouch dangling off her belt. She appreciated that Mac didn't give her any real crap when it came to the chems because without them she couldn't have done half the things she had. She had noted he always seemed to have some addictol on his person, but never really had to ask why. They crept up to the door before she pulled out the little red inhaler and took a long pull. Vaguely she registered a bloody hand print on the door and shuddered, wondering if MacCready's hand was the same size.

Once they were inside she stayed low and quiet, not even giving the corpses on the ground a chance to sit up and maul them. If they were already dead great, however, if they weren't that was one less thing to deal with. The atrium was decently easy to clear and from the rot she could see setting in on those ferals that she had not killed it seemed Mac might have tried this last time she left him in Sanctuary. She was mildly surprised, he had been her almost constant companion since she had seen him at the Third Rail. She had been gone maybe four days? That sounded about right. It would have taken a day and a half to get here, then to fail, crawl to Goodneighbor and be back in that time frame. She shook her head, he should have asked for help sooner.

"All right, let's see if we can find that executive terminal and get rid of this lockdown." Mac mumbled.

She tried the terminal leading into what looked like a decontamination chamber. Mac was right, they weren't getting in this way, at least not yet. "You wouldn't happen to magically know where this executive terminal is, would you?"

"I wish."

"Right, upstairs is our best bet. The big wigs always loved a view."

Mac followed her closely, the mental image of a giant wig sitting in a chair leaving him more than confused.

They scaled the collapsed ceiling heading to the second floor. The few working terminals revealed just what these people had been up to. It made her stomach roll just to think about it. Another flight of stairs led them to the third floor. They reached a rather stuffy looking office and Mac shot straight for the terminal.

"This is it. I hope that passcode Sinclair got me works or we're screwed."

"Mac," she hissed, making a grab for his arm. They hadn't checked this room yet.

The growl and uncoordinated shuffle told her everything her eyes could barely see. "Shit shit shit!" She moved without thinking, placing herself between him and the feral. She aimed for it's knee and felt satisfaction when said limb detached from the feral, tackling her to the ground. One round between the eyes and the growling stopped. She really liked the new grip on her pistol. She rolled the mottled corpse off of her person before he helped her to her feet.

"Sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Don't worry about it." She cleared the rest of the room while Mac typed on the keyboard.

"It worked, thank god. Let's get down to the sub level, that's where they kept the cure."

The decontamination chamber opened with a hiss. It had been a very long time since that had been opened. The air smelled stale and unused. If this had been sealed since the war, they were bound to get more company. Hungry company.

Lovely.

She made it to the security terminal and opened the corresponding door that led farther into the facility. A quip pop or three let her know that Mac was clearing the room. She scanned the other entries on the terminal shaking her head at them, there was no justification for marketing drugs to kids but to specifically target them was monstrous. As they made their way farther in the cells were empty... At first.

"These poor people," she whispered, ferals prowled in a small space like caged animals.

"Just don't think about it, ok? I've got an elevator, looks like a good way down."

The ride was a little bumpy but gave them sufficient time to re-up on ammo and check their vitals. The 'ding' as they arrived at the sub level was met with a glare. They didn't need any auditory help announcing themselves. The doors slid back and she almost gagged.

"Ugh... smells horrible. I think we're the first ones down here in a long time."

"Hold up for a sec," She rummaged into her pack while Mac scoped the room. She pulled out another container of jet and dug into the brown paper before procuring a dose of overdrive and both chems flooded her system as she began to move.

A roamer was down before it even realized they were there. Two or three more rushed from a nearby bathroom but she dealt with them easily enough. She was going to be absolutely filthy from all the gore by the time she left but if that's what it took she was more than willing. The amount of handcuffs was seriously starting to creep her out and the sheer volume of human bones was highly disturbing. If Mac weren't so convinced that what he needed was here she would have put money down that it couldn't be here. Nothing good could come from all this.

They were meticulous in their search, every desk emptied and every locker left bare before they proceeded. To her right she heard MacCready gag. "Need a minute?" She asked, slowing her pace.

"Nah, let's just find the cure and get the hell out of here."

With every room that came up empty she could see his shoulders get tighter and she quietly prayed to any deity that might still exist that this wasn't a waste of time. "It's here handsome, we just have to keep looking."

"Right. Only one room left," he gestured.

Oh, of course that one had a glowing one. "I'll go for the legs, do you figure you can turn his brain into swiss cheese for me?"

"What the hell is swiss cheese?" Regardless the 10mm came up and at point.

He looked so darn cute was he was confused. She threw the latch and the door swished open. The ghoul came straight for them but, it didn't stand a chance. She took a swipe at it's knees as Mac leveled a scope to its head. It hadn't made it more than three steps.

The two complete human skeletons on the table were something she did her best not to speculate about. The fridges were filled to the brim with more bones. There were some containers around the room holding a decent amount of chems, but none of it was what they were looking for. Sarah fought the wave of disappointment that fell over her. It just had to be here.

The room was quiet enough to hear each other's breathing, which meant she heard when Mac stopped.

"Oh my god." He knelt down below the main table and he came back up with a silver and red vial. "Oh my god." He leaned against the table holding the syringe like he was terrified he was going to drop it. She came over and spied the label. Prevent. There were no cracks in the casing and what glass was on it seemed to have held. It was viable.

She swore the smile that crawled onto her lips was so wide it nearly broke her face. "Fuck yes." She took the vial from his shaking hands, wrapping it in cloth before placing it securely in Mac's bag.

Sarah took a deep breath once they breached the exit. The Commonwealth had never smelled so damn wonderful, the sun shined merrily at mid morning. "What's next handsome?"

"We need to head to Goodneighbor." Mac supplied before stowing the 10mm and unstrapping his rifle from his back. He turned south and started walking. She was so tired her bones hurt at this point but she kept her concerns to herself and plodded along behind her hired gun. Duncan had been suffering for months, her feet could use a few new blisters.

"MacCready, I haven't seen you in a while. You haven't been avoiding me have you?" Daisy drawled as the pair approached.

"Now how could I stay away from someone as cute as you Daisy?" To say he sounded weary would be an understatement.

"You're a lousy liar but I'll just play stupid and pretend I don't know that. So what do you need?" Daisy grumbled.

"I got it Daisy," His smile was worth the walk. "I found the cure to Duncan's disease."

"Oh my god, thats wonderful news. How did you do it? Last time you tried the ferals almost chewed you to bits."

"I didn't do it alone. My friend here got me through Med-Tek." She smiled and waved obligingly. "Now all I need to do is get the cure in Duncan's hands. Can you help me?"

"Of course MacCready. You've saved my behind more than once, it's the least I can do," The ghoul stated calmly. Sarah vaguely wondered if the woman had ever had the chance to be a mother before the bombs fell, her tone heavily suggested the answer to that question was yes. "It's ok, you can trust me. I swear I'll get the cure to Duncan."

"What did Mac do to help you out?" Sarah asked.

"Running a business in a town like Goodneighbor is a challenge. Let's just say I've had my share of unfriendly customers and MacCready's been there to help me handle the situation."

"If he trusts you, that's good enough for me." She said.

Mac carefully unwrapped their package and handed it over.

"I appreciate that. He's actually not so bad, once you get to know him. I'll get this on the first caravan leaving the Commonwealth. The driver owes me a few favors and he's reliable. It will arrive at your homestead in no time, MacCready."

"Thanks, you're a doll."

"Hey do me a favor, take care of MacCready for me. He's one of the good ones." The ghoul waved them out before greeting her new customers.

Sarah turned to her companion and noted that he had gone sheet white and the man was starting to visibly shake. "Mac," she moved closer when he didn't respond. "Hey there are you..." Before she could even finish he started to keel to the right. "Woah," she threw an arm around his waist and started looking for any privacy that could be afforded. She doubted he wanted fainting in the middle of the street to be added to his reputation.

Once they were safely tucked away in an alley she removed his hat before leaning the mercenary up against a wall to get a better look at him.

"We did it," he wheezed. "We actually did it." He had come here so long ago hoping to accomplish this. The weight that was suddenly no longer on his shoulders left him noticing the aches and pains in his legs from the two days of marching around the northern Commonwealth. He was light headed and couldn't think. Hell, he could barely breathe.

She smiled, "You did it. Come on, no loosing your shit just yet. This isn't the best place to go passing out in."

He was ridiculously grateful she had a hand on his hip because he seriously could not feel his knees right now. "I'm not a failure, I..." He attempted to take a deep breath. "I didn't fail Duncan." The laughter that bubbled up from his chest sounded deranged even to himself.

He glanced to his partner to see her scowling a bit. "You are not a failure. You did exactly what every good parent would. Everything you could." He gripped her shoulder as his eyes burned. Sarah bit back her own grief and issues before steadying her mercenary. "Besides, soon you and Duncan's cure will be on the way back to him. I'm sure he's missed you, I know I will. You're a hell of a traveling companion, handsome." She got some water from her pack and put it in his hand. "Drink this, then we'll head over to the Third Rail and get some food running through you."

The last thing she was expecting was to be hugged. Shock left her paralyzed for a moment before her arms got with the program, wrapping around his body as the water container fell without a thought. His scent permeated around her tense shoulders and eased the smile from her lips. His arms were trembling around her waist and his breath was caressing her ear. "Thank you," his voice was ragged and the wealth of emotion those two words brought her was staggering. He clung to her like a lifeline as he traded between little laughs and hiccups. His arms tightened around her further and his hands fisted the material of her suit pulling her farther into the embrace, "Thank you so much."

She let her forehead rest on his shoulder for a moment, blinking back tears at the most human contact she had gotten since climbing out of that god forsaken vault. It had nothing to do with the man in her arms, nothing what so ever. She hugged him back, letting her arms move over his back before resting her fingers at the nape of his neck. "Anytime Mac." Who was she kidding? It had everything to do with her merc.

"I'm not leaving."

She pulled back a bit to be able to see his face. "What?! Why not?"

Mac smiled before he brushed a lock of hair that had fallen out of place behind her ear.Because I'm in love with you. Because this one hug would never be enough. "I promised to repay you, even if it took my whole life." He'd send for Duncan as soon as his son was well enough to travel. Sanctuary would be the best place to raise him and it was a stone's throw closer to safe than where he was already. He wasn't leaving the Commonwealth and he wasn't leaving Sarah.

"Mac, don't be silly. You have to go back to your family. Duncan needs you." She felt her eyes burn, moisture threatening to fall. "I want you to stay but we both know that's not what's best."

"He's in good hands. I trust the people I left him with, once he's well enough I'll send them a letter, some caps, and he'll come here." He noted the obvious conflict in her eyes. "I bet it was different, before the bombs fell. Kiddos are raised by communities for a reason. I trusted them to keep him safe every day and every night since I left his bedside and I can trust them to get him here."

"I think this is a decision best made on a full stomach."

His stomach took the opportunity to grumble, loudly and she laughed. Mac smiled, a lazy warmth hitting him from his toes to his ears. He reveled in the feeling of her skin under his fingertips, that was until he noticed his hand had a mind of it's own and was stroking her jaw.

That and the fact that she had gone wide eyed and ramrod straight.

She took a shaky step back, though she couldn't help letting her hands slide slowly from his person. "Definitively need to get you some food." She grabbed her pack before looking back at him. "You ok enough to make it to the bar?"

He found himself smirking. "Well when you put it like that..." It'd be ok if she never loved him. It would even be ok if she never knew. He just wanted to have her by his side in any way he could. If she wanted his friendship and only that, well... He'd just count himself lucky either way.

They both missed the figure darting quickly out of sight.

Hancock grumbled to himself as they left the alleyway. Those two were about as perceptive as super mutants, the pheromones alone had let him know they were in town even under all that gore. Why they kept dancing around all that tension between them he did not know. He watched as Sarah put a hand on MacCready's shoulder and steered him towards the Third Rail.

Right, frickin mayor and matchmaker all rolled into one. Speaking of which...

He shot up to his room in the Statehouse before pulling a box out of his dresser. Sarah had always told him she missed the stuff. Luckily enough he had connections she didn't know about. It might not be common to the area, but he had some friends in the Mojave Wasteland that owed him a few favors, with an after thought he sauntered up to Fahrenheit, "Hey sweetness."

"Uh huh, what do you need?" Fahrenheit rolled her eyes and her expression just oozed sarcasm.

Hancock faked hurt on his face scribbling on a random piece of paper. "Do me a favor and run this down to the Rex?"

She scanned the note, her eyebrow threatening to climb off her forehead. "Should I be expecting you back at the Statehouse tonight or is one of your flames in town?"

Hancock smiled, "I'll be home before dinner." He reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist. "You're cute when you get all jealous." Fahr blushed and smacked his shoulder before heading for the door.

Slipping the container from his dresser into his pocket he swaggered his way down to the Third Rail.

"Well well, if it isn't my favorite pair of troublemakers. Been a while Sunshine, MacCready." Hancock nodded to the pair strolling up to their very heavily laden table. "This looks like a celebration. Mind if I crash your little party?"

Sarah smiled and offered him a fried tato slice. "It is a celebration." She kicked out a chair for the mayor to make his seat.

"Hancock! How's my favorite ghoul in the Commonwealth?" Mac saluted with a tip of his hat before returning to his plate.

"Doing good, real good. So what are we toasting?" Hancock waved to Charlie and a beer was quickly supplied.

Sarah glanced at MacCready, she was unsure just how much the ghoul knew.

Mac smiled before lifting his own beer. "To getting a job done."

Hancock chuckled, "A worthy goal."

Three beers clinked together.

"So what brings you to Goodneighbor, not that I'm complaining mind you," Hancock asked getting comfortable in his chair.

"Just doing some trading with Daisy, nothing too dire I'm afraid." Sarah said off-handedly.

Hancock noted that MacCready was still eating and unable to chime in. Man, what the hell had they done? Walked the entire Commonwealth?! He noticed two plates off to the side that were already clean. "Trading huh? Three plates in and you're going with trading." He shook his head. "Keep your secrets if you want but at least come up with a better cover."

MacCready snorted. "Fair enough." He did however, place his mostly demolished plate to the side.

Sarah, she had one in front of her, it was mostly gone. She looked really tired and more than a little strained. Hancock sighed, well this wouldn't do at all. He whipped out his most charming face, "Hey Sunshine, I got a present for you."

He handed her the small box with the biggest smile a ghoul could manage. "Just figured you might appreciate knowing you don't know everything." He watched her face light up when she opened the box and the smell hit her. "Hancock... How did you?" She teared up something fierce and he noted the look of concern on MacCready's face.

Sarah stood from her chair and came up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered a quiet, "Thank you, John." Hancock popped a mentat and smiled at the irritated merc across the table.

"What is that smell?" Mac asked before eyeing the box dubiously.

"That is weed." Sarah explained with a blissful look on her face as she settled back into her chair. The sight the vaultie made sliding into her seat was most definitely a show, no bombshell emphasized her tits that way not on purpose.

"What do you do with it?"

She smiled and brought the pre-rolled joint to her lips. "You smoke it."

Hancock shifted in his seat, more affected by the visuals than he would be ok with publicly admitting. She lit the joint and pulled lightly, holding the smoke inside her lungs. "Hancock you are an angel."

He chuckled, "Glad to be of service. Of the people, for the people."

MacCready scrunched up his nose at the smell. "I'm going to get another beer."

Sarah grabbed his wrist. "Get me one too?"

He watched as Mac melted, his entire fricking being swaying towards where they were connected. Hancock did his best not to roll his eyes. The mercenary wandered towards the bar. He waited until MacCready was out of earshot and Hancock just knew the grin he was sporting was devious. "So you and him sealed the deal already or was that cuddle session earlier just for the wind up?"

Sarah started coughing.

He took advantage of her voiceless state. "Because honestly if you two don't get this shit over with it's going to kill me."

Sarah inhaled shakily, "How did you even... Never mind." She coughed lightly. "We've been two days without decent sleep or food. What you saw was a fluke. He just needs to sleep it off."

"Just him then, huh?"

The glare she leveled him with was a potent as the whispered thank you moments before. She took another pull off the joint attracting a fair bit of attention in the unventilated area, it also seemed to remind her just who had handed her that. Her gaze was sheepish. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but there's nothing there. Besides, he won't be in the Commonwealth for much longer."

Hancock's brows came down. "Sunshine, what he told you, he wasn't lying. It's actually kind of uncommon for people to try and uproot the kid. Speaks to how much he cares about the little squirt." He gave her a sideways glance, "And you."

Sarah flicked the rolled paper between her fingers, her gaze falling to the floor.

Hancock frowned. How could she not see it?

"Do me a favor. You think about it, he's head over heels for you, he just doesn't think he's good enough. I see the way you look at him." Hancock leaned close, keeping an eye on the distance between their conversation and the one person she didn't want hearing it. "We only got this one shot. This one life to find happiness in. Don't spend it alone."

He glanced back up at the bar noticing Mac moving towards them.

"What if he doesn't want me? What if I've read him wrong or... " John barely heard her.

"Sunshine, there's no chance in hell that would happen." He assured as vaguely as he could with a wink.

"No chance what would happen," MacCready asked setting two beers on the table before sitting back down.

Hancock waited until the mercenary was mid swig and shifted away from the opposite side of the table. "She wants a threesome, sorry. I'm just not that easy."

MacCready started coughing.

Sarah was doing her best to not look simultaneously amused and terrified while taking another pull from her joint. Hancock spotted Fahrenheit coming down the stairs. Good.

It was actually cute how confused Mac looked, his eyes bouncing between himself and Sarah. He apparently dismissed his concerns turning to the woman seated next to him. "What does that do, exactly?" Mac asked, gesturing towards the paper between her lips.

Sarah tilted her head back exhaling. "It feels almost like mentats, mix mentats and booze and you probably have it. Here, try it." She held out what was left. "Be careful, if you pull too hard you'll burn your..." Her gaze dropped to the merc's lips. "Yourself."

Hancock watched Mac's brain go strolling down perv lane. "Thanks for the heads up."

Hancock was officially going to pull a muscle with all the cloying tension. His eyes would be permanently glued to the top of their sockets for the rest of his life. His partner meandered over before slipping two keys into his hands. Perfect. Almost done.

"One last thing Sunshine." He held out one key. "Got a room for you at the Rex."

Sarah's brow dipped in confusion, it had a mini glowing Nuka Cola on the key ring. "This doesn't look like a key from the Rexford." She accepted the bauble either way. MacCready was too busy wheezing after he hit the joint to participate in the whole exchange.

"It's the deluxe suite."

"Christ Hancock, that's 500 caps a night." MacCready choked out.

Hancock laughed darkly, "Not for me it ain't. Besides, every lady appreciates some hot running water, ain't that right Sunshine?"

Sarah was on her feet in less than two seconds with a short, "Enjoy your dinner and thank you," before disappearing up the steps key clutched tightly in her fist.

Hancock stood, almost feeling like he was getting ready to pull a curtain closed over a stage. "Word of advice from one opportunistic bastard to another." He lit a cigarette and took a long full drag. "It's a rare thing to find something like her in this fucked up world."

Mac rolled his beer between his hands, "Don't I know it."

"You ever wonder why she's lonely?" It was framed as an honest inquiry. He popped another mentat, relishing the muscles in his shoulders relaxing. It also didn't hurt that it gave his linguistic skills a bit of an edge.

MacCready looked up, confusion written across his face.

"I mean it's not like she could have anyone she wanted. Not like she's developed a small army of followers who would be happy to bend every knee they have to accommodate her whims." His nonexistent eyebrows wiggled suggestively. He sidled up to Mac taking up Sarah's previous seat and met the mercenary eye to eye. "It's not like none of us have seen hide nor hair of her since you walked into the picture." MacCready bristled, obviously on the defensive. "Hold up before you go getting all huffy."

"Fine," the younger man bit out. "What's your point?"

"I would have sworn when I let you in here you had a brain between your ears."

Mac placed his empty beer on the table with a notable amount of frustration.

"What in the hell could stop you from being with her?" Honest confusion bled through in his tone, much to his annoyance.

MacCready sighed before his head hung slightly. "She doesn't want me. Besides, she deserves a fu... a hell of a lot better than me."

"I hear ya. She deserves something better than this shit pit can cough up." He waved his hand and Charlie delivered two fresh beers. "The thing that gets me, she's travelled with a lot of people. Me? I practically threw myself at her a few times but she always brushed me off with a smile. Preston, god the man has hearts for eyes when she even gets near Sanctuary, but she let him down gently. Even Danse tried and his nickname is the tin can." He glanced over. Yup. Mac was red in the face and had a sour expression. "You though, she treats you a bit differently."

Hancock pretended to ignore that sour expression drying up into curiosity.

"She always treated me like she knew I would stay." Hancock could just feel the reminiscing sneaking up on him. "She'd just plow on ahead, mission first and all that bullshit. Whatever it took, that's what she signed up for. Didn't really matter what the mission was or my opinion on what we were doing. She even took me to see good old Maxson himself."

"As in Elder Arthur Maxson, leader of the east coast division of the Brotherhood of Steel?"

"The one and only."

"You're a ghoul." Mac dead panned.

"That would be my point. Wasn't my favorite experience but it did tell me something. She was willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to get what she wanted, even me. She would have quite happily let the entire Brotherhood burn and if you hadn't noticed there's a glowing radioactive pit where the Institute used to be. But you, I'm pretty sure she would have tried to save you." Hancock took a good long pull from is beer. Mac had joined the group late, very late... Like post Institute explosions late. He probably knew less about the vaultie than the rest of her band of misfits. "Normally I wouldn't be spouting her secrets but I get the feeling you need the info." Hancock leaned back in the chair, "It started out pretty simple. She showed up in Goodneighbor with a dog and a synth. Said something about needing to use the Memory Den."

Mac nodded, albeit looking more than a bit uncomfortable

"To make a long story short, she was looking to infiltrate the Institute to rescue her stolen son."

The mercenary across from him went still.

"Yeah, symmetry is a beautiful thing," He took a deep breath before continuing. "She actually got into the Institute, found her kid, well kind of," He trailed off. "But that's not my story to tell."

Hancock tossed the second key on the table.

"She was trying to save her son." MacCready shook his head as all the pieces finally fell into place. "She took down the Institute to save her kid."

Hancock stood up before offering what he hadn't drank. "She needs somebody who can understand and in case you were still wondering, that's you."

Hancock was satisfied that the stage was set as he waltzed out of the Third Rail.

The walk to the Rexford hadn't changed a bit since he had left. It left him feeling surreal either way. How many times had he walked through Goodneighbor consumed with worry? Was Duncan all right? Was he in pain or hungry?

Was he still alive?

MacCready shuddered.

He scaled the steps of the hotel and took a left before sliding the key into the doorknob and entered the room, locking the door once he was on the other side. It wasn't uncommon for them to split a room but she hadn't been there to see the secondary key and likely wouldn't expect him once she emerged from the bathroom. He could hear the sound of water behind the bathroom door and there was an unusual amount of moisture in the air. He cracked one of the windows so it could escape. He also noted that there was a working window. Mac sighed, apparently miracles still occurred.

He placed his pack next to hers on the floor and took off his leather duster. The green jacket underneath was placed on the back of a chair near the bed and his hat on top of that. The sounds from the bathroom stopped and the tension in his chest skyrocketed. Sarah was going to open the door and MacCready was terrified about what was going to happen afterwards. He wasn't expecting the wall of steam, kinda made her look more otherworldly than she already was. He took his scarf off to give him something to do with his hands, anything to combat this anxiety.

"God that was sooo nice," She was toweling her hair dry and wearing one of his shirts and Christ he really hoped there were panties, if there wasn't he was not going to make it through this conversation without really embarrassing himself, luckily enough on her the shirt went down to mid thigh. "Oh! Hey, sorry about that. Just give me a sec and I'll get decently covered up."

She moved towards her pack but he caught her arm along the way, she was just so damn beautiful. He had to say something. "Lucy would have loved you." Great. Go ahead and lead with mentioning the dead wife. Mac back stepped. "I... I'm sorry. I just thought you should know that."

Sarah smiled and patted the hand on her arm. "No worries. I appreciate the compliment." She was searching his face and she looked almost sheepishly curious. Clothing forgotten she led him towards the bed, he almost panicked before she settled herself into a chair across from him, legs crossed almost daintily in front of her. "What was she like?"

He couldn't stop the smile, "She was amazing. She had the sharpest instinct and the softest hands. Lucy was a medic mostly, handling a gun wasn't her way but, she could sweet talk herself out of any situation." He laughed. "I remember seeing her and Duncan together and just thinking I was done for. It was at our farmhouse, she was sitting on the porch with Duncan in her lap. She had just gotten rid of a splinter under his nail. He was crying and Lucy just kissed his head, told him it would be all better. She had a way of making life simpler, almost like I knew I could tackle the world as long as I had them to come home to." He closed his eyes, reliving the moment. A flash of blonde hair and oh so green eyes. "Between those two I didn't have a chance to get a word in edgewise, didn't want to for that matter."

He turned a bit solemn as his fingers slipped into pants his pocket. "I told her I was a soldier. I didn't want to loose her because of who I was, what I did." The lines and edges were something he had long ago mapped out, the grain was almost smooth and the paint was starting to fade. He pulled the tiny figurine out into the light of day for the first time in years. "I want you to have this. Lucy made it for me after we first met."

She took it without question, seemingly content for now to let him talk.

"She... She died a few years back." He dropped his eyes to his feet as the all too familiar feelings of grief, uselessness, and utter despair welled inside him. Sarah had reached out and intertwined her fingers with his, the figurine resting between them. He felt her squeeze a bit, as if the pressure could help.

"We uh... We didn't know the metro was infested with ferals. They were on her before I could even get off a shot." Suddenly he was back in that same metro with the smell of blood in the air and terror in his heart. He was running, trying to balance his son and,keep running, reliving the sight of Lucy being devoured right in front of him over and over. "They ripped her apart right in front of me. There was nothing I could do." He took a shaky breath, "I'm just glad Duncan wasn't old enough to remember that."

"You lost your wife, but you saved your son. That has to count for something, right?" She came over and sat next to him.

"Maybe," he shrugged, meeting her eyes. "I don't know anymore."

"Did you ever get the chance to tell her you weren't a soldier?" she asked hesitantly.

Mac hung his head as anguish flooded his veins. He clamped his hand down on hers in some pointless hope that it would help ease the pain in his chest. "I had plenty of chances, that doesn't mean I did anything with them, and it's the second worst regret of my life. The only thing that could possibly trumplying to my wife was not being able to save her." He ground out. "There are some days I wish we had died with her."

She put a slender finger under his chin and tilted his head to meet her gaze. "Lucy wouldn't have wanted either of you to die with her."

He slammed his eyes shut before any tears could fall. "I miss her so damn much."

"As you should." She bit her lower lip before wrapping her free arm around his shoulders. "What do you need? How can I help?"

He gave himself a mental shake. "You can tell me why you took down the Institute."

Sarah stopped short as her thought patterns went off track. Mac hadn't been around then and he had never expressed any interest in the subject before now. "What brought this on?" she asked.

"Hancock mentioned it."

She nodded, "I took down the Institute because they stole my son and were responsible for my husband's murder." It seemed easier to say after the passage of time. After she had just left the Vault even the thought of Nate's name was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Her memories of her late husband no longer tore at her when she chose to visit them. "When the bombs fell there wasn't a whole bunch of time. I went to grab Shaun but Nate already had him. We didn't know that the personnel inside the vault were going to put us in cryo. It felt like forever had passed when I woke up the first time," she chuckled depreciatingly. "It had been one hundred and fifty years, but I didn't know that yet."

"I saw them open Nate's pod across from mine. They kept trying to get Nate to let go of Shaun, I was frankly terrified that they were playing tug of war with my infant in the middle but I couldn't do much more than pound on the glass. They shot Nate, left with my son, and I went back to sleep."

"Wait, I thought you were on ice for over two hundred years?" Mac sat up a little straighter and her arm slid from his shoulders to his hips.

"I was," she felt a brief pulse of grief. Nate she could talk about, but Shaun... That was still a tangled ball of anger and grief all in one. "My son was sixty something, dying from cancer, and running the Institute. The very same people responsible for his father's death."

"Wow." There was an awkward pause as the information settled between them. "I'm not sure what to follow that up with but... Wow." Mac leaned back, supporting his weight with one arm, turning to face her a bit more.

She chuckled, "You handled it better than I did. There was a week long bender before I could even started to process that shit. Shaun being older actually made what I had to a little easier. He lived a full life sheltered from the harshness that people have to be up on the surface. He was playing mad scientist while he did it sure, but when I looked at him the only thing I could see was the people that we had lost up here." All she could remember feeling was revulsion and horror. The Institute represented everything she was grateful got left two hundred years behind her. Those people had everything they needed at their fingertips and yet refused to help anyone, claiming the effort to be not worth the trouble. "They called Nate collateral damage." She did her best to suppress the wave of rage those syllables left in her throat. "It didn't help that he treated me less like a mother and more like a walking experiment. He was the one who woke me up after it was clear they no longer needed me as aback up, in the event something happened to Shaun. There were times I thought I saw my son in his face, but mostly I just saw a monster who left his mother on ice for years, willingly." She sighed, reigning in her emotions. "I only really saw a man with apathetic eyes that was ok with kidnapping, murdering, and ruining people's lives because he deemed them 'beyond saving'."

"He was already bed ridden by the time I set the reactor to overload, I sent out an evacuation signal and gave him a quick death, cancer is a bad way to go even with decent medical equipment." She tried to pushed the feelings of guilt and shame back down. "So you're doing better than me at least." She met his eyes and smiled through the tears. "You didn't murder your child."

The joke fell understandably flat.

"It's alright if you're not ok with that," Mac said softly, brushing her hair back.

"I kind of have to be, no do-overs unfortunately." She sniffled, looking away.

Before Mac could even think he had wrapped her up in his arms. "I'm so sorry. You didn't... Nobody deserves that." He rocked her gently while she hid her face in his neck. No wonder she held most people at an arm's length, her situation was toxic enough without adding other people to the mix. "Murder is a strong word for what you did. Mercy sounds more like the truth."

"He still died and I pulled the trigger..." she sniffled, wiping delicately at her nose. He felt her take a deep breath and also felt the tremble that rolled her entire body. "Just as we're getting ready to leave, alarms blaring about a nuclear reactor less than 5 minutes from overloading and this kid runs up to me and calls me mom and begs me to take him with me, says he's scared." She hiccuped. "It took a long time to put everything together, but I'm pretty sure he was a synth, a copy of Shaun at ten years old. I saw him before, the Institute had placed him in Diamond City with the same agent who murdered Nate and when I first arrived at the Institute."

He pulled her closer if at all possible. "What happened to him?" He'd been to Sanctuary and there hadn't been any ten year olds.

"They teleported me out before I had a chance to do anything. Best guess, he never made it out," her voice cracked slightly at the end. "He was so close, all I had to do was reach my hand out but I... I froze, because all I could think was he had Nate's eyes without the lifetime of horrid decisions to cloud it." She shook her head. "A synth looked more like my son than my actual son did."

MacCready was floored. He planted a kiss to her temple, continuing to rock gently. "I don't have words that can say how sorry I am that all of that happened." He quickly shifted his weight off of his numb leg before settling them both back on the bed. He ran his fingers through her damp hair and held her. "Duncan he... He looks like me, so I suppose I never really had to deal with that." Mac sighed feeling wholly unprepared for comforting a wound this deep. "Yeah, I can see why that would have rattled you." He took a deep breath, he had never discussed this with anyone. "It was a lot harder after Duncan started talking. He talks like her, he thinks like Lucy did. I never saw her staring up at me but every word out of his mouth wrenched my guts for weeks." Mac exhaled shakily. "Not many people in the Capital Wasteland would tell a merc to be a better person. Guess they had that in common."

Her free hand curled into a fist in his shirt and Mac did the only thing he could, squeezing their fingers together with a toy soldier between them.

"When I lost Lucy happy memories were what kept me going. Do you have one?" Mac murmured running a hand up and down her back.

Sarah tucked her face into the side of his neck, letting him support her weight. "The first time we gave Shaun a bath. We were so nervous and Shaun was so small. It didn't matter though, he was ours and I was just so proud. Nate could tell. It was a joy to look down at what we made all ten fingers and toes. I just remember wanting to make sure we got it right, the doctors kept telling me it was going to be our only shot. There were some complications during his birth and I wasn't going to be able to have another baby." Sarah closed her eyes. "I remember watching Nate lather up the soap on Shaun and wondering how something so small could change our lives so much. Nate's hand was as big as his tummy but you could tell how ecstatic he was with a son. I felt like I had finally done something right in my life, by giving him that."

Mac kissed her temple, yeah he could understand where she was coming from.

It took some time, but they were able to pull themselves back together. She wiped at her face before planting a kiss on his cheek and releasing his hand, taking the small figurine with her walking over to the pile he could only assume was post Med-Tek clothes. "Sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen." She gestured briefly to herself.

"I'm glad you told me. I know how much it takes to trust another person after you've lost everything." Mac leaned back against the headboard, wiping his face discreetly when she turned her back.

She kneeled down searching through the pile before she came back with the small box Hancock had given her earlier.

Mac hoped his efforts to open the window a little more were not noted.

Sarah seated herself in the chair next to the bed placing the toy soldier on a table within arms reach. "Have you got a spare cigarette?" she asked while taking small buds in her fingers and grinding the material back into the box.

"Should be in my jacket, the green one. It's behind you." She twisted to reach the pockets and Mac was privately reminded of her lack of pants and bra, apparently. He was somewhat relieved she was no longer in his lap as a bolt of arousal skittered through his spine. He watched as she procured his knife from the same pocket and split the cigarette down the middle. She dumped the tobacco and pulled off the filter before placing the green powder on the center of the paper. He was momentarily struck by the differences between her hands and Lucy's. Sarah had callouses and scars on her hands. Lucy's had been smooth and soft. Sarah was a fighter, Lucy wasn't. Lucy was gone and Sarah was here and they were both just so beautiful.

She rolled the paper before bringing it to her lips. He watched her tongue wet the surface of the paper before she pressed the severed ends back together. She blew delicately on the moist areas before procuring a lighter. "Want to give this a second try?"

Mac sat up, scooting forward on the mattress before folding his legs underneath himself. "Normally I'd say no, but after the day we've had I'll give it another shot."

She rolled the flint on the lighter and cast light on her face as she lit the tip pulling shallowly until she had a good and even burn going. "Oh that is so nice, I swear I thought I would never feel that again." She passed the joint to him.

"What did you use it for, you know, back then?" Mac pulled hesitantly. The last time he treated it like a cigarette and spent the next four minutes heaving up his lungs. He wasn't keen on experiencing that again.

Sarah laughed, "Help me finish it and find out?" He tried to pull a light hit, but still ended up spluttering.

Sarah braced what little of her emotions that hadn't already been chewed up and spit out during their conversation. "Here." She moved over and kneeled across from him on the floor. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," he whispered like he was almost timid about the answer, even to himself.

She reached for his knee, folding his leg out from underneath his rear, following suit with his other leg. She ended up kneeling in the cradle of his body, his soft lips within reach of her own. "Close your eyes." She seriously would not be able to pull this off if he was looking.

The tip of the joint flared orange as she pulled and he slid his baby blues closed. She leaned forward and up just a smidge hesitantly touching her lips to his.

Surprise colored his cheeks and he gasped at the contact.

Sarah took the opportunity to seal their lips together and pushed him a hit. Mac got with the program and took what she offered his hands finding home in her hair. The kiss stayed sweet and chaste while hands chased goosebumps across their skin. When she released him and sat back on her legs, Mac exhaled the smoke, not a cough in sight.

He nonchalantly pushed the window open a bit more.

Sarah bounced her vision between Mac and the windowsill. "Would you like to volunteer the information or am I going to have to ask? Which is totally me asking in case you were wondering." She leaned casually into his body, her arm draped across thigh and circled his hips.

He laughed, some smoke curling from his lips. She wanted to hear that over and over, hell she wanted to curl up in it and take a freaking nap.

"Fair enough, but no laughing or repeating." He lit the lantern next to the figurine on the table and Sarah glanced out the window to the setting sun. "What's the worst thing you can think of while growing up in a cave?"

He passed the joint and she blinked, "That is a very open ended question."

"It was the smells, they lingered for days." He nudged the window a bit more.

Sarah laughed feeling warm and happy all the way down to her toes. "God are you as tired as me?" They had been pushing themselves for far too long, her bone aches ached at this point. She stood walking over to the bookcase and procuring an ashtray placing it over the joint, it would go out within moments and stretched before laying down on the bed. God they even had pillows, nice ones too.

Mac was holding very still on the other side of the mattress. Her display left him reeling. Well, at least he knew there were panties now and definitively no bra. He wasn't sure if that was worse or better.

Sarah closed her eyes, settling into the bed. She was on her side, arm slipping below the pillow to brace her head. She reached behind her and wrapped his arm around hers curling into herself and pulling her merc closer. It took a few adjustments but it ended with him curled up behind her, touching from shoulder to toe. He stayed somewhat stiff but after a few moments Mac finally melted around her.

Sarah sighed in utter contentment.

MacCready pulled her a little closer, letting his nose and chin nuzzle into the back of her neck. He shifted a little behind her as his collar wrapped firmly around his throat, usually he didn't sleep with his jackets off and without the scarf to keep his shirt in place it felt like he was slowly getting choked. He made an almost pathetic little whine before propping himself up on one arm and reaching for the hem of his mostly white t-shirt. He was so tired after the past few days that it took a monumental effort to struggle out of the cotton before flinging it in the opposite direction of the lantern. He laid back down curling his arm around her waist to pull her snugly against him again while settling a leg between her own. "Sweet dreams, beautiful."

"You too," He squeezed her hand as she drifted off into sleep.

When his eyes opened he glanced irritatedly at the slightly open window. Goodneighbor below was obviously getting into the full swing of their evening. He heard some shouting and a bottle shattering. He closed his eyes again, hoping the noises would just stop, he was so damn comfy. His eyes had just started to drift closed when someone below yelled. He huffed before lifting the arm closest to the window. He could almost reach it from here.

He shifted towards the sill trying to avoid having to get out of bed, leaning a little more on Sarah, hoping she'd manage to sleep through this, he was surprised she wasn't awake already. His fingers brushed the wood as he tried to get enough leverage to close to darn thing. He wasn't expecting Sarah to whine unhappily at being jostled and rub her ass up against him. Mac moaned as the window slammed shut and his hips rolled against her cheeks.

Sarah was a blur of movement and before he had much of a chance to do anything his wrists were pinned above his head and she had his hips fixed to the bed with her own. "Oh god," he hissed, his back arching in as heat lanced through his cock which of course put more pressure on their hips. He hadn't been this turned on in years.

"Mac?"

Her voice was thick with sleep and heavy with confusion, not that his dick was aware or cared that she was somewhat misinformed about the entire situation. Mac tried to reign himself back in. She shifted her grip on his wrists into one hand, bringing her free one to her face to clear the sleep from her eyes. He was hard and aching for her, he could feel the heat coming off of her. "JesusChrist," he panted. He attempted to sit up but her grip on his wrists were firm and hell if that didn't send a fizzle of lust down his spine.

She went rigid as awareness set in. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry," she started scrambling off his body and released his wrists flushing with embarrassment. As soon as his arms were free he curled them around her, his reaction wasn't something he'd had time to think about. She felt so good in his arms.

Sarah glanced down at him with confusion on her face but hope in her eyes.

He sat up as much as he could bracing himself on one arm now that she stopped trying to climb off oh him. He pushed her hair out of her face, his fingers caressing her cheek. "Is... Is this ok?" he asked almost hesitantly.

Sarah smiled as she reached out, her affection as cautious as his own. Her hands slid over his shoulders marveling at the feel of his skin underneath her fingers. Emboldened at his lack of protests she wound her other hand into the hair on the back of his head before using it to tilt his head back. "Please tell me I get to kiss you now," she whispered her face inches from his.

Mac's lips fell open and he nodded his eyes slamming shut when their lips met. Oh, he was so soft. The kiss was sweet, despite their compromising positions. A gentle meeting of lips that shocked them both down to their very cores. Mac's arms tightened around her as she draped herself back over him and rolled her hips against his encouraging the friction between them.

He nipped at her lower lip asking nicely to be let in. Sarah shivered as she opened for him, their kiss sliding from sweet to damn near desperate in moments. She felt his hand anchor onto her hip holding her against him and she was pretty sure there might be bruises once the sun rose but hell if she cared she was kissing Mac and that was all that mattered.

His warm fingers wiggled their way underneath the shirt she was still wearing, her skin broke out in goosebumps when his thumb traced the bottom of her breast, nipple pebbling at her arousal. She whined into their kiss angling her back to get his hand where she wanted it, "Touch me."

He nibbled his way down her neck, sucking lightly on her exposed collarbones. She tasted divine, his tongue was practically buzzing on her skin. "Where beautiful?"

"Get me out of this shirt for starters," she mumbled against his ear. He pulled the cotton over her head careful to make sure it didn't catch in her hair. His eyes fell to her breasts bouncing slightly as she panted and wiggled against him. "Is it ok if I touch you here?" His thumbs took another a pass at the underside of her breast.

Sarah whimpered into their embrace, "You can touch any part of me." His eyes sparkled with mischief as he captured a nipple rolling it between his fingers. "I want your mouth on my breasts." Tongue and teeth replaced his fingers, suckling gently. She gasped pulling him close, keeping him on her. "I want your hands and cock between my thighs." She felt his fingers fiddling with the elastic on the last piece of clothing she was wearing as he moved his mouth to her other breast nipping with just enough pressure to wind her up even more. His fingers dipped below her underwear palming her sex using the heel of his hand to rub her just right. "I want to get down on my knees and suck you off." He groaned against her skin and his hips thrust against hers creating the most delicious tension between them. She used the fingers still wrapped in his hair to force his eyes to her own and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "I want to watch you come."

Mac bit back a curse. She was fucking gorgeous perched on top of him like this, she was also successfully hitting every button he had and maybe a few new ones. He wasn't even naked and he was more keyed up than he had ever been in his life.

Sarah pulled his lips back to hers before whispering gently, "I just want you, all of you dammit."

He needed to get his mouth between her legs or this was not going to last nearly as long as he wanted.

She could feel him hot and hard against her and she shivered. He was big, longer than others she had before, but he was thick too. God she wanted him inside her, he was going to feel amazing. She slid her hand underneath his belt and zipper of his pants following the trail of wiry hair until she wrapped her fingers around the base of him and stroked. "I knew you went commando."

"Fu... Ughn," Mac moaned, his entire body lighting up a knife's edge from orgasm. "Sarah..." She rubbed her thumb into the pre-come leaking from his dick and he lost his train of thought. "Christ that feels good..." He grabbed her arm, halting her movements. She looked up concern written all over her face. He kissed her hand, the same one that moments before almost had him coming in his pants. "Don't worry, we're not done here." He moved out from underneath her to the edge of the bed, untying his boots and pulling them from his feet.

He stood up, when Sarah heard the click of his belt coming undone her toes curled into the mattress beneath her. She found herself nibbling her own lips in anticipation of prickly hairs sliding against her, feeling his skin on hers. She got back up on her knees, and ran a hand down his shoulders, watching his skin pebble in reaction to her touch. Mac looked down at her smiling fondly. He made quite the pretty picture. His back was glowing in the moonlight, his arms draped against his sides. She placed her hands on his hips, turning him to face her. She slid one hand up his torso, his muscles twitching under her fingers. His eyes were so blue and they looked hazy and low lidded. He'd gotten as far the zipper and she could see the obvious bulge underneath, his belt was dangling off to the side leading to pants open just enough to get a peek inside. She licked her abused lips, "So I mentioned that whole sucking you off bit right? I'd like to check out the view." She unbuckled the belts of ammo across his thigh perhaps letting her hands linger longer and higher than they should have.

Mac blushed and pushed her shoulder lightly, "Maybe next time."

Sarah let herself fall back on the bed pouting.

That was until Mac lost the pants and crawled back up the bed towards her. He settled on his side across from her propped up on one elbow. His hand reached out and fingers fiddled with her hair, looking at her as if she something precious. She flushed a little, he was being so sweet and she was fighting every urge she had not to spy a look at his cock. She mentally shook herself trying to pull head out of the gutter. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hi." Mac pulled her closer, kissing her slowly. It was a mesh of lips and tongue that left her feeling a breathless and very very cherished. Her cheeks were tinged pink when he pulled away. "Are you sure?"

She reached out tracing his lower lip with her thumb before curling her pointer finger under his chin bringing his lips back to her. She kissed him once. "I'm sure."

He rolled them over and fell into the cradle of her hips with a grateful sigh. She echoed the sentiment basking in the simple slide of skin on skin. The head of his cock drug against her sex wetly, her slick soaking through the fabric on her hips. Sarah tilted her head backwards at the sensation. Mac smirked, she was practically purring in his arms. He rocked himself against her one more time before sitting up on his knees. "Soon."

His hands were on her hips as he planted kisses along her breasts, little butterfly nips on her stomach, paying special attention to the stretch marks she was kind of insecure about. She shivered when his hands caught on her underwear and pulled them slowly down her legs, fingertips teasing her with touch the whole way. Once the cloth was removed he was kneeling at the edge of the bed. He grabbed her ankle, tilted her leg up and to the side exposing her sex to him. She found herself breathing a bit more heavily than before as her eyes slid shut in anticipation.

Sarah dug her fingers into the mattress when she felt his breath on her and whimpered when he parted her with his fingers. "You're so beautiful." He placed a gentle kiss on her thigh, easing ever closer to where he knew she wanted him. She couldn't hold back the plea dripping from her lips and finally he tongued her clit and teased a finger into in her, his cock jumping in envy at the heat and slick. "You're so wet." His tongue curled around her, massaging gently. "Tell me what you like." He whispered against her skin. She shuddered under his touch, his voice was doing things to her that she couldn't describe. Sarah moaned surrendering to the pleasure, he couldn't really expect her to think through the fog of bliss he was quite happily tending to. Her hips canted towards his touch, she should have felt embarrassed at the blatant display of need but all she could do was beg with her body to get closer, "Mac. . ."

He chose that moment to pull his hand back and return with two fingers. She cried out pushing her hips against his face and letting out a grunt of frustration when his free hand splayed across her stomach holding her in place. He chuckled and the vibrations against her softest parts wrenched a gasp from her. Her walls fluttered around him and her slick coated his fingers. Jesus she was tight, just two fingers and he already felt like she was strangling him. He crooked his fingers delighting in the warm feel of her and looking for...

Sarah's muscled clamped down and the noise she made left his hair standing on end. Oh, he needed to do that again."I'm going to make you feel so good." He slid in a third while his lips and tongue worshipped her clit. She hissed as she adjusted to the intrusion, he slowly fucked her with his fingers, giving her body time. "I can't wait till I get inside you. Help me get you ready beautiful. What's going to make you come for me?" She relaxed enough that he felt comfy giving her a faster pace, skimming the spot inside that made her see stars.

"Keep... talking," she wheezed from behind clenched teeth. Her eyes were screwed shut and her hands were curled into the sheets on the bed.

He smirked up at her, making sure her eyes met his, before he dipped his mouth back to her tonguing her clit. She went rigid in his grasp and her legs were starting to tremble. He pulled away with a slight pop, ignoring her pained expression. "Wouldn't you rather have my mouth somewhere else?" Her inner walls clamped down around him.

Her hands abandoned the sheets and tangled in his hair pushing him right where she wanted him. He hummed happily before crooking his fingers and suckling her clit.

"Oh shit," Sarah whispered. She was swimming in sensation and tension, the only thing keeping her grounded was his hand on her stomach. She hadn't felt this for so long, it was almost too much and it felt like Mac was taking her apart and if she held on for just a few minutes longer she could trust him to put her back together again. She opened her mouth to plead, beg, whatever he wanted but a pathetic whimper came out instead. Her heels dug into his back as her hips moved without permission.

"That's it beautiful, give it to me."

"Anything," she crooned. The tension was too tight, it was just to much. She thrashed, grateful when he kept her steady. Sarah whined as tremors shook her hands and shoulders, down to her very soul and her lips followed suit. "Mac yes baby please."

He sealed his lips around her clit.

She arched her back calling his name as her body descended into pleasure, too immersed to even bother muffling the noises that fell from her lips. Mac kept rolling his fingers inside her, keeping the high going as long as he could.

She hissed gripping his wrist and slowing his movements, her body was reeling. Once she managed to center herself she peeled her eye lids open to be met with a very smug MacCready between her thighs, his chin wet with proof of her pleasure, just radiating masculine satisfaction.

He brought his fingers to his mouth licking her slick from his digits. "You're fucking gorgeous when you come."

Heat licked lazily along her arms and back as he prowled up her body. When their lips met she could taste herself on his lips and tongue. Mac let his cock slide against her, teasing himself and swallowing her moans. He dipped his head catching nipple between his lips and rolling it underneath his tongue. He took himself in hand, lining up with her entrance.

"Last chance," he whispered.

He felt her leg wrap around his hip as she pulled him closer, the head of him sinking into her warm and wet grasp. "I need to feel you," was her breathless answer.

Mac pushed his hips into hers, a slow slide into the best feeling he had ever had in his life. He watched her face, making sure to watch for any signs of pain which was frankly taking almost all of his concentration because she was so tight and warm. He couldn't stop the groan of relief as he seated himself inside her to the hilt. Pleasure lit him up from the inside out, shooting across his limbs, snatching his lower lip between his teeth. "Fuck, Sarah," he moaned.

She giggled breathily beneath him. "Yes, fuck Sarah."

He chuckled and she gasped at the sensations skittering across her skin. He kissed her temple, "You ok?"

She nodded, leaning up to his lips. They kissed giving her time to adjust, the subtle play of their lips and tongues sending sparks through their bodies. Her arms were around his shoulders when she gave her first experimental roll of her hips. Mac took the skin on her neck between his teeth to drown out the ridiculously loud sound that almost burst from his throat. Sarah gasped at the little bite of pain, shifting her hands to his hips. "Move Mac, please."

His first few thrusts were slow and controlled, as much for his sake as hers. The stretch and burn of him setting off bursts of pleasure beneath her skin and she whined into his shoulder, begging wordlessly for more. She relished feeling so full, so complete and ecstasy looked amazing on Mac leaving her desperate for more, more of this and more of him.

Mac reeled when he felt her muscles clamp down on his already aching cock, the coil of tension at his spine ratcheting further. "I've wanted this for so long," he whispered. She felt a hand clench onto the back of her shoulder, using the leverage to thrust himself back inside her, the slick noises from their joining were driving him up the wall. He was so wound up he could feel his fricking pulse in his cock. Sarah's body surged up to meet his own, claiming his lips, running her hand down his neck. "You feel so good," he whimpered. He bottomed out inside her and Sarah ground her hips into his own, a deep satisfied moan flowing from her lips at the direct contact with her clit. He brought his hand to her leg, canting it higher on his hips opening her further to him. The new angle proved to be deeper letting him brush up against the spot inside her.

She keened, her pitch rising. "Mac, godplease. You feel amazing, yes!"

His hips snapped into hers with more force, his speed increasing dictated by the fire rolling through him, he had to get deeper, harder. He wanted everything her body had to offer. He lost himself in the silky grip on his cock, ecstasy jetting through him like psycho. "You're so fucking beautiful." A particularly brutal thrust had her wrapped around him just right, "And you are all mine." Possession flared in his blood like wildfire, driving his hips faster as his lips mapped her skin, greed drove him to suck her nipples watching them pebble further with an almost gut wrenching wave of desire. He could feel his end coming too soon and if the way she was whimpering meant anything he wouldn't last, he pulled back with a curse.

"No, come back," she cried.

He shifted to his knees dropping his lips to her again. She yelped at the contact before snapping her hips up to his more than willing lips. "Not yet," he whispered against her skin. "I want to make you sing."

She whimpered and he was fairly sure it was for mercy. He had a wicked grin as he set back to his task.

"One more," he punctuated with three fingers sliding home. Sarah's hand clamped down on his shoulders lost in the throes of another orgasm. She shook around him, her body vibrating in time with the flex of her muscles. Before he had the chance to even react her hand wound itself around the back of his neck and into his hair. She yanked him up to her level and smothered him with a kiss. He felt his center of gravity shift as she rolled them, landing with her nipples tinkling through the sparse hairs on his chest as her legs locked around his hips and she dropped down on him, her teeth digging into his bottom lip. Mac's arms snapped around her curves, "Mmm god holy fuck yes." He dug his heels into the bed and anchored himself on her waist with his arm as he lost control, his hips slapping into her own driven by the flares of heat over his skin.

Sarah smirked as she felt him begin to come undone beneath her. Sarah shifted her weight, sitting up and marveling down at the picture below her. He sported a sheen of sweat, making him glow in the lower light of the evening. His muscles clenched in rhythm with her hips. Mac's arm were strung tight, showing off all that was gorgeous about him. The slap of skin on skin was becoming more than indecent and she felt powerful and beautiful staring at his blue eyes. She accepted him with a satisfied warmth that curled into her toes, she was just worked over enough that his attentions were not unwanted or overwhelming. She was blissed out and more than happy to make sure that Mac enjoyed himself. She clenched down on him delighting in the strangled moan that followed.

She leaned down feeling every muscle in his body start to tense. She ran her hands along his cheek and jaw, settling on swiping her finger across his lips. Mac's eyes came open, staring into hers before pulling her digit into his mouth and swirling his tongue around her finger. She pulled her hand back with one final nip from Mac. She nibbled on his ear before rocking into him feeling his fingers cinch on her skin. He was harder than steel but softer than silk inside her, his tortured expressions only burrowed her affections for him further. He whimpered against her throat, "I can't... Nnng... I'm going to come." Sarah hmmed against his ear, leaning back to get a good look at him, before taking his lips against her own.

"I know." She made sure her eyes were glued to his face. "I want to watch."

His hands wrapped around her hair tensing but never pushing as his body went into overdrive spilling into her cunt as her tongue coaxed shivers from his spine. She didn't flinch from him, flexing lovingly on his cock, on each spill his body gave. He moaned brokenly as his hips rocked towards hers. She nuzzled his cheek with her chin, fingers stroking gently against him. She felt more than heard him sigh as the muscles in his body began to relax and unwind. He pulled her back to his lips before kissing the living daylights out of her.

"I love you," he whispered once they parted.

She chuckled, "I love you more."

He tucked her into his side his fingers dancing along her skin leaving goosebumps in his wake. She threw a leg over his before snuggling into his arms surrounded by the smell of sex and his scent. Mac grumbled incoherently before burrowing further into her warmth.

"Couldn't hear you handsome," Sarah mumbled, enjoying the afterglow.

"Said we shouldn't take anymore risks."

Sarah cocked her head to the side, a lazy confusion coloring her features. "I don't follow."

Mac chuckled before dropping a hand to her soaked nethers and stroking gently. "That felt amazing, but more kids isn't something I'm after."

"You don't have to worry about that with me."

Mac wasn't quite sure what the appropriate response was to that, he opted for pulling her closer and letting his eyelids fall shut.

They slept.

Hancock made his way down to the Third Rail hoping to see the fruition of his rather elaborate efforts. They were tucked into a corner in the VIP room sharing a couch. Her legs were draped over MacCready's lap, shoes missing and toes wiggling in the breeze. She whispered something in his ear and the merc blushed profusely before pulling the vaultie into his lap and wrangling a kiss from the her lips.

Hancock smirked. Mayor and matchmaker all rolled into one.