Sitting in her over 200-year-old kitchen, Rose tried to relax for the thousandth time, but to no avail. It was very late, and she was tired, but her brain didn't give her a break. It had been over two months since she woke up to find herself a widow, stuck in a time that wasn't hers, and her child, kidnapped. And, after two whole months of effort, she was only halfway through. Thanks to the help of innumerable incredible people, she had made an enormous progress, but still her son was still missing and her heart couldn't find peace for a second.

Outside, the rest of the population of Sanctuary Hills, the small settlement she had helped found on the ruins of her old neighborhood, lived peacefully. It had been weeks since the last raider attack, and Preston Garvey had arranged a complex series of security measures. Two settlers guarded the entry of the town, while Preston overlooked the whole place from a sniper's nest, built for the ocation. Everybody was safe and calm. Exept for Rose. Playing with the bottlecap of a newly opened Nuka Cola, she thought about the beautiful life she had worked for, only to find it destroyed in a second, with the blast of the nuclear bombs. Behind her, on a sidetable near the window, the radio, tuned to Diamond City Radio, played "Way back home" by Bob Crosby and the Bobcats. Indeed, nothing was as it was before, and very few things had any positive impact on her mood at this point. Sure, seeing the world slowly reconstructing itself was indeed a cause for hope, but this wasteland was nothing but the shadow of her old life.

Dogmeat barked in the night, probably responding to some other dogs in the distance. Maybe raider attack dogs... or even mutant hounds. Rose distractedly caressed the stock of her 10mm pistol, the one Nick had jokingly baptized as the Housewife's Best Friend v.2. It was terrifying how fast one grew accustomed to the constant dangers of the Commonwealth, but she knew it was for the best. In the past two months she had done many things she'd never imagined she would ever have to. But at this point, with her gun hanging from her belt, she felt prepared for anything.

At least she did while traveling. On the field, moving, constantly needing to look over her shoulder to see if there was not a supermutant suicider coming at her, she didn't have much time to think about Nate. But as soon as the door to their old house closed behind her, as soon as the radio played those songs they used to dance together... Everything seemed much darker. Much more colorless. They had spent years building a future that never came to be, interrupted forever first by the nuclear bombings, and ultimately by Kellog's bullet. But Kellog was dead now, and Rose knew what had to be done. The memories Doctor Amari had helped her dig out of his brain had pointed to the Glowing Sea, and nothing was left to do but prepare for the monstrous amounts of radiation she knew she would encounter. In her garage, right next to the kitchen door, an unpainted suit of X-01 power armor awaited; in her bedroom, a radiation suit was carefully folded and several bottles of Rad-X and RadAway packs had been prepared. And there was also Nick Valentine.

As a synth, he was inmune to radiation, and that made him a great companion for the Glowing Sea, but that was not the only reason she had. After finding him in Vault 114, kidnapped by the most cliché group of gangsters Rose had ever seen, he had offered his help in the search for Shaun and so far, complied greatly. The man was a cliché himself: private detective, tragic past, trenchcoat, fedora, .44 revolver and a anachronic, almost comical accent. But he was a wonderous hacker, a great shooter and a born gentleman, making him not only a very efficient sidekick, but great company in general. Hadn't it been for him, Rose knew she wouldn't have been able to get as far as she had.

Reflectively drinking a sip of her Nuka Cola, Rose stared out of the window and into the darkness. Travis, Diamond City Radio's host, kept telling news about good deeds across the Commonwealth, several of wich she had been involved in. Even with the pressing matter of her lost son, Rose couldn't say no to anyone who asked for help, and that had made her quest much longer and slower than she would have wanted to. But she wasn't sure she regretted it. After all, if she could do something to help people in need and didn't, what kind of example would she be for Shaun?

The knock on the door violently brought her back to reality, and she was already holding the Housewife's Best Friend when Nick's rough, nasal voice came through the wood.

-You awake there, boss?

Rose sighed in relief and put the Housewife back into its holster. Once again, she had left her nerves command her, and she worried that the Commonwealth was changing her. She hoped she could stop that. She turned to the door, but forced herself to remain seated.

-Yeah, Nick. Come in!

Valentine opened the door and closed it behind him after walking in. He greeted her with a joyless grin and touched his hat, as he walked towards the seat next to her.

-Mind if I sit? -he asked tiredly.

-Sure -she followed him with her look. He looked as bad as she felt-. What's bothering you?

Slowly, the synth put off his cigarette on the ashtray atop the counter they were leaning on. His body language revealed he was just as stressed as Rose, and she was not surprised. Just a few days earlier, Nick had finally got rid of what he called his last connection with the "original Nick", the pre-war man whose memories, personality and name he possessed. Together, they had tracked down an Eddie Winters, with whom Valentine had pending accounts, and Nick had killed him, hoping that by solving the "original Nick"'s matters he would find peace. But the sudden realization of his nemesis dead had created new, more existential issues.

-More like what isn't -Nick's eyes wandered through the room, not staying for too long on anything. A last puff of smoke left his mouth as he spoke-. You ever finished a real good book, just to wonder "what the hell do I do now"? It's... terrifying, after all this years, to look at the future and really, have no clue what's left to do. Don't misunderstand it, it's really a relief not to have to mourn a woman that's been dead for two hundred years... A woman I didn't even know myself. It's just... So many blank pages. So much time ahead. What do I do now?

Rose nodded, as she frowned and put her hand on his shoulder to confort him. She knew the feeling, the blank pages ahead and not knowing what to write on them anymore. She did have one last string to hold on to, finding Shaun and hopefully living a half normal life with her child. He didn't have that anymore. He had already reached his goal, and now he was left with all the time in the world and no ideas on how to spend it. She tried to sound less pessimistic thatn she was actually feeling, however.

-Well, I think you know as well as I do what's next- Rose smiled a half smile, and got up before finishing her sentence-. There's always another case to close. Don't you say that to me all the time? Now let me get you something to drink. Beer, or something stronger?

-Beer will do, thanks- Nick smiled a bit. However, his eyes still wondered absently his surroundings. With every word, his tone became more and more hopeless -. It's not that simple though. Unless I find something big, something to keep myself busy long enough to start living again, I might just blow the lid of my processor, for all that matters. It's... Not like anyone would miss a defective synth, huh? Old McDonough would even be happy about it, probably.

Rose opened her (pretty useless) fridge and took a Gwinnett stout. She knew that wasn't true, after all, Nick had saved McDonough's daughter years ago. But, more importantly, she knew not only a lot of people would miss him, but she would too. She frowned and used with him the same tone she had so many times used with Nate.

-Oh, that's a lie and you know it. Everyone in Diamond City respects you. In Goodneighbor too. Curie says you are a scientific marvel. Codsworth admires you, even if he doesn't say it often. And I care for you. I don't want you to think you are not important or that I would care any more about you if you were who you call the "original Nick"-she put the beer in front of him, on the counter, and touched his hand briefly, looking at him straight in the eye- you are, out of all the people in the Commonwealth, the one that has helped me the most, and I will never forget that. For me, there's no other Nick than you.

The synth blinked, looking at her in apparent surprise, and his lips slowly formed the first genuine smile she had seen from him in weeks. His head tilted slightly left and spoke in a trembling, soft voice while lowering his eyes.

-Rose, that's...- he seemed to swallow, trying to find words, and Rose briefly noticed how brightly his pupils glowed- That's very kind of you to say. Thank you, I... I apreciate it coming from you.

-Whenever, Nick- Rose smiled, looking back at the bottle, and popped the cap with her wedding ring. His smile had made her feel like maybe, just maybe, things were going to be fine- I'm here, yeah?

-Yeah...-Nick reached out for the bottle, and his hand (claw?) brushed against hers for a moment- I must say I'm really glad you found me in that Vault. Not only because, you know, I'd be dead otherwise- he chugged half the bottle, and put it back in the counter-, but because I met you.

Rose looked at Nick, surprised, and felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Quickly, she turned away to hide her face from the synth, who took the beer again and started to drink, and answered in the calmest tone she could manage. For some reason, her heart had started to beat faster than usual.

-I'm... glad too, Nick -trying not to look at him so he could not see her blush, Rose grabbed her Nuka Cola and took a long swig of it, leaning on the counter with her back turned at the detective. In the radio, "A kiss to build a dream on" started to play, and she heard the sound of Nick's bottle being put down again.

-Hey, uh... Maybe it's the beer gone up to my head, but...- the rustle of fabric behind her revealed Nick had got up from his seat- would you like to, you know... Dance?

The suddenness of the proposal made Rose turn around to look at the synth in disbelief, forgetting for a moment about everyting else. Grasping her Nuka Cola so hard her nuckles turned pale, and blushing more than before, she wondered what had just got into him, but also into her. Like a schoolgirl she found herself nervously nodding, and her heart beat madly in response to the smile Nick ansewered with. He slowly took a few hesitant steps towards her, around the kitchen counter, and the metal claw that was his right hand reached out for the bottle she still held. Rose held her breath, asking herself what the hell was wrong with her, as he slowly put her bottle down, and carefully wrapped her waist with his hands.

Feeling the beat of her heart in her ears, Rose put her hands near Nick's shoulders, and followed the synth's lead. "What is this I'm feeling?" she asked herself. More than butterflies, she felt like a nestful of radroaches was crawling in her stomach. Nick's touch on her body burnt, and he would't stop looking at her straight in the eye, until she felt unable to hold his stare. Rose leaned her head on his shoulder, and inhaled a scent of old books, unburnt tobacco and rust. As they quietly swayed around the room, the detective's left hand abandoned her waist to caress her hair, tied into a loose bun- a bun that under his fingers unrolled and released her long, wavy, black hair over her shoulders. -Oh, goodness- her mind mumbled, and her hands gripped shakily on his trenchcoat-. How can I really just have noticed how much this man maddens me...?

Slowly, Nick pulled Rose apart just enough to be able to look at her face, and stared deep into her eyes for several seconds. Sweetly, more sweetly than she ever imagined was posible, he whispered her name:

-Rose...

The song had ended, but none of them really cared. Rose's hands clenched into nervous fists when he leaned towards her. His rough lips pressed against her cheek, almost touching the edge of her mouth, and she couldn't stop a soft moan from leaving her throat. He moved his face until their noses touched, and his hand gently moved to caress her neck.

But before the synth could kiss her again, she flinched, noticing what she was doing. Had she forgotten, in her hormone fueled delirium, about the man whose love had been enough for her for five years of marriage? The man whose frozen corpse lied deep in Vault 111, as a testimony of her previous life destroyed? A cold invisible hand clenched her throat while the horrible realization reached her, and her eyes opened in horror. Nate was dead, Shaun was missing, and there she was, in the arms of the first man who proved chivalrous enough to hold the door for her, about to kiss the detective who had offered to help her find her son.

Disgusted with herself, Rose pushed Nick away, but as soon as his hands let her go she regretted it. He looked at her, confused and hurt. She could see the shame in his eyes, probably as much as she felt about her own actions, and it broke her heart. She took a step back, an then another and another until her back bumped against the kitchen counter, as her eyes flooded with tears of confusion.

-Oh, shit, Nick, I'm so sorry-she covered her mouth with both her hands, and shook her head. Tears started rolling down her cheeks- I'm so, so sorry...!

Worriedly, Nick rushed towards her, but he didn't seem to dare to touch her. The yellow glow of his eyes seemed distorted through the tears, but she could have sworn she had never seen so much regret in his face.

-Rose, please don't say that. It's... It was my fault, 'mkay?- he struggled to find words for a moment, and his hand reached out to touch her arm, only to stop mid-air - I... I jumped into the pool without checking if there was water in it... Just... Forget all of this ever happened.

Nick lowered his eyes, looking defeated, and Rose madly wished she could stop all that from ever happening. But she was as confused as he was heartbroken.

-Nick, please, I just-

-No, please. Don't say anything else. Let's just...-he looked at her, looking for words, opened his mouth and closed it again when he couldn't find them. Then, he sighed- Everything is alright between us, yeah? But forget I ever... did... what I did. I will do the same. But nothing changes between us, alright?

-I... -Rose looked at the synth and lowered her eyes. She lifted her glasses and wiped away the tears, but they just kept rolling- I guess that's fine... Nothing happened here.

Desperately but hopelessly, Rose tried to find something to say, but nothing occured to her as Nick nodded, with that heartbreaking defeated look in his eyes, turned around and left the house.

She wanted to crawl back into his arms and kiss him, but she also wanted to just wake up of this apocalyptic nightmare, to find out she still was a housewife in october, 2077, that her husband was right next to her in bed instead of dead in a cryogenic pod, and her son was quietly sleeping in the other room instead of kidnapped, and that that mechanical Humprey Bogart was just a dream she was already starting to forget.

Without any strenght left, Rose walked slowly to her bedroom, leaving the bottles in the counter. She didn't feel like fixing anything right now. Without even bothering to take off her boots she let herself fall on the bed, and sobbed as quietly as she could as she curled into a ball and wished to wake up. Right before she fell asleep, many hours later and out of tears already, she wondered what was Nick doing.

In her living room, the radio cried "It's the end of the world".