Characters: Charon, Female Sole Survivor, Dogmeat, Strong, Preston Garvey, Shaun, Curie, Robert Joseph MacCready, Frank the Feral, Piper Wright, Cait, Mama Murphy, Sturges, Nick Valentine, Ronnie Shaw, Daisy, Fahrenheit, Kent Connolly, Irma, Doctor Amari, Original Character(s), Female Lone Wanderer.
Relationships: Charon/F!Sole
Tags: Ghoul, Het, Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending
Warnings: This story occurs after the main story line is complete so, yeah, spoilers ahoy :)
Summary: Nora never expected to find a ghoul in a cupboard, nor did she think he'd be such a pain in her ass. Life was never easy, but sometimes it's worth it.
A/N: So this is the second in the series I'm writing, this one centres around Nora. Drifter Girl only has a brief appearance of Nora and I really wanted to explore her story more. I saw this prompt while I was working on Edi's story and I had to write it.
A few things; if you haven't read Drifter Girl this story is tied in with it so certain parts won't make much sense, you can find on here :)
Also this will be the first story I've ever posted that I haven't finished writing yet, this will be an ongoing project which I will try to update every week.
Part Two in the Drifter Girl Verse
Injury was a common occurrence for someone like Nora. She seethed quietly to herself, gripping her arm tightly as she searched the bodies of the dead raiders. Sanctuary's guards had gotten wind of a camp not far from the town. Raiders didn't usually stray this far out of the ruins, especially not this close to the second largest, heavily fortified settlement in the Commonwealth.
Nora - being the General of the Minutemen - naturally took her trusty companion Dogmeat and went to investigate. What she found was a sad little shanty town built around a half collapsed house about fifteen minutes walk from the gates of her home. These raiders were either too cocky or incredibly stupid.
Her arm throbbed painfully. Bastards! It had to be a bloody buckshot, it's going to take hours for me to pick it all out.
She fished around in the leader's pockets, grimacing at the mess she'd made of his head. Her fingers wrapped around a piece of paper, she frowned straightening up and blowing her long blonde hair out of her face, "Maybe it's a password to a safe or something, hey 'Meat?"
The shepherd's ears perked up at his name and his tail wagged gently. He was snuffling at a cupboard door and Nora smirked crookedly at his antics. Returning her attention to the weather paper in her fingers she carefully unfolded it.
Serial Number 54968212 – Designation: Charon
This contract signifies the ownership of 54968212. 54968212 designation Charon will provide protection at all costs until death or the contract changes hands. 54968212 will follow any and all orders without question. Hereby giving signature or blood to this contract you will agree to the following terms;
Violence against 54968212 will nullify the contract.
Deliberate destruction of the contract will result in 54968212 terminating the contract holder before terminating themselves.
The contract is binding. 54968212 cannot be 'let go'. If you wish to terminate, the contract it must exchange hands.
Should 54968212 fail in their mission to provide protection the contract will be handed over to the next available officer of the United States Army. If one such person is not available a citizen of the United States of America will suffice until such time as an officer takes over the contract.
Should the contract fall into enemy hands, automatic self termination of 54968212 will occur.
By signing this contract or contributing your blood, you are binding yourself to the above terms.
Signature: General William Powell
Colonel Dexter McCowan
Grey Lockhart
Ahzrukhal
Morganna Nelson
Cutthroat
"What in the hell?" Nora muttered, staring at the blood smeared page. A small woof and light scratching broke Nora out of her stupor. "What is it 'Meat?" The dog continued to whine and scratch at the cupboard door. Nora frowned. "Back up boy." She tested the handle finding it unlocked. She carefully opened it and what she saw equally terrified her and broke her heart.
A ghoul - simply massive in size - was chained in the cupboard. His body filled the tiny space, yet his leather armour hung off him as if he hadn't been fed in months, bloodied wrists hung above him in shackles. He was on his knees, head hanging forwards as if he no longer had the strength to lift it. Tuffs of long flaming read hair hung down around his face.
"Holy fuck!" Nora breathed, she was rooted to her place in shock. The room was silent save for the quiet breathing of herself and the ghoul signalling - somehow amazingly - he was still clinging to life. Dogmeat whined and snuffled gently at the ghoul's face. Nora's wound throbbed painfully again and she hissed between gritted teeth. The ghoul's head slowly rose up and milky blue eyes blinked blearily at her.
Charon took in the sight before him. A woman, tall and blonde with bright hazel eyes stared at him with a look of absolute shock. A German shepherd stood to her right wagging its tail. Charon blinked slowly. He noted the woman's injured left arm, blood trailing down her forearm to a hand that loosely held -
His curse. A drop of blood slid from her palm, Charon watched the droplet fall, as if in slow motion, onto the piece of paper, sealing his fate again, vaguely he hoped this one would be better than the last.
"For good -" He croaked, his voice hoarse from disuse. "For good or ill -" Black spots danced in his vision. "I serve you."
The ghoul's head slumped forwards and Nora stared. "What just happened?"
Dogmeat tilted his head and whined.
"We've gotta get him back to Sanctuary." Nora stuffed the paper in one of her many pockets and cautiously approached the unconscious ghoul. She inspected the shackles wincing at the amount of dried blood caked around them. "Jesus, these bastards really did a number on you big guy." Nora fished out a screwdriver from her back pocket, pulling a bobby pin out of her hair she unlocked both shackles.
The ghoul slumped forwards knocking her backwards onto her ass. Dogmeat yelped and scrabbled out of the way. Her head hit the ground and she swore viciously as her vision blurred. Nora sighed looking down at the man covering the lower half of her body. "At least you didn't hit your head, not sure you'd survive it in your state." She grunted wiggling out from underneath his massive body. She bent forwards and ducked under one of his arms. Heaving she attempted to life him so she could drag him back to Sanctuary. She got two steps before her legs gave out, she landed on her knees hissing in pain. "Goddamnit!" She placed the ghoul gently on the floor. "You're pretty fuckin' heavy big guy."
Dogmeat pawed a mattress in the corner. Nora looked over at his distractedly. He whined and pawed it again.
"Yeah I know I should've gotten more sleep, but now's not really the time, boy."
Dogmeat huffed loudly, as if sighing at her. He grabbed the mattress between his teeth and dragged it towards her. He dropped it and whined again.
Nora's mind caught up, "Use the mattress to drag him?"
Dogmeat woofed loudly, his tail thumping the dusty wooden floor.
"You're a damn genius! What would I do without you, huh?"
Dogmeat's tail thumped louder, sending small clouds of dust up into the humid air.
Nora chuckled, "Dogs were not this smart before the world went to hell."
His tongue looked out of his mouth, eyes sparkling. She loaded the ghoul onto the mattress fixing him in place with some rope. Looping it around her shoulders she began the short journey back to town.
It took Nora the better part of an hour to drag the unconscious man back to Sanctuary. The gates came into view and she just about wept in relief. Dogmeat careened off barking loudly to get the attention of anyone who would listen. Preston strode quickly towards her.
"General? What the hell happened?"
Nora grit her teeth slowly putting one foot in front of the other, "Found - him - chained in a - cupboard - raiders -" she panted.
Preston hurriedly took the rope from her, "Shit he's heavy."
Nora leant onto her knees attempting to catch her breath, "No -" she coughed, "no shit."
"Mom! Are you ok?" A lanky young boy ran with bright blonde hair and crystal blue eyes ran up to her.
Nora grinned at her son, "Hey Shaun! Yeah I'm fine, just a little tired."
Preston smiled fondly at the boy, "Shaun, go and find Aunt Curie and tell her to meet us at your house. Get Strong down here to give us a hand."
"No problem Uncle Preston, I'm on it." The boy raced off.
Nora chuckled, shaking her head, "He's getting tall isn't he?"
Preston grinned, "Takes after his mother."
Nora smiled as Shaun reappeared, running down the hill towards them, "Aunt Curie's setting up her equipment, Uncle Strong is -"
"Humans need Strong?"
"-here." Shaun finished.
"Strong would you take him to my house and give him to Curie please?"
"Preston give ghoul to Strong." Preston ducked out from under the rope and Strong picked up the ghoul, mattress and all, and started off towards Nora's house.
Nora turned to Preston, "Thanks Colonel, I'll come and give you the rundown later."
Preston saluted her and Nora grinned, "Yes General!" There was a brief pause, "And Nora?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad you're back in one piece."
She gave him a jaunty salute that reminded Preston of Hancock. "Thanks."
Nora headed quickly to her house, Strong was just squeezing his way back through her door.
"Human do good. Human is kind." He pat her roughly on the head.
"Thanks Strong."
Shaun giggled from his place at the workbench. Nora rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at the boy. He returned the gesture as she headed inside.
"Curie?"
"In here."
Nora ducked into her room. The ghoul was laid out on the bed, shirt removed and IVs already attached to his arm.
"How bad is it?"
"It is not good Nora. He is very badly dehydrated, starved, and I believe his shoulder is dislocated. Possible broken fingers on his left hand and possible fractured ribs. From what I can see he has no internal bleeding which would be our main worry, thankfully I do not have to open him up. The rest of his wound are surface cuts and bruises, some of the wounds are infected. It is surprising he has survived this long, he must be very stubborn."
Nora's face was grave as she looked over the injured ghoul, "Can you save him?"
"There is a very high chance of his survival, we have many supplies. However, I will need radiated water."
Nora leaned out of her window calling out to a passing settler, the man hurried off for buckets.
"Once I have his stabilised I will need to look at your arm."
Nora waved a dismissive hand, "Do what you can for our new friend here. We can worry about me later."
Curie looked at her disapprovingly, but didn't comment on her flippant attitude towards her own health, "Go and clean up General, you look dead on your feet."
"Roger that Doc." Nora dragged herself into the bathroom, then cursed loudly remembering plumbing didn't work like it did 200 years ago. She slowly made her way outside to pump some water and heat it over the fire.
"Need some help doll?"
She looked up to see Nick Valentine standing over her, eyebrow arched high on his synthetic face. "Thanks Nick."
"How're you feeling?" He asked as he lifted another bucket of water over the fire.
"Like hell. Worried, confused, and really bloody tired."
"What's eatin' at ya?" He muttered, lips around a cigarette. Yellow irises found hers as he handed it to her.
"I found this with the leader of that raider gang." She slipped the piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to him. Nick squinted through the smoke coming from his own cigarette. Nora wondered fleetingly if that was a human trait left over from the original Nick.
The human Nick, she corrected herself mentally, both of them were one of a kind.
"What do you make of that?" She asked.
Nick looked up from the piece of paper, "It looks like an old military contract from your time, but why would a raider keep it? It would be worthless now."
Nora fidgeted, "Unless the person who the contract commands is still alive. I think it's the ghoul's, he woke up briefly when I found him. He said; "For good or ill, I serve you." I didn't sign it though, so I don't know why he said that, but I'm pretty sure he's Charon and this insane piece of paper is his contract."
"That would make sense. That raider wouldn't have had this if it didn't mean anything."
"If that's true and this is his," she gestured to the piece of paper in Nick's hand, "then he's some kind of bodyguard slave."
"And you killed his master."
Nora sighed heavily, "I didn't sign it, so I don't own him thank God. I don't know how to help him though, that contract seems to be completely binding, there's no way for the poor man to be set free.
Nick inspected the paper again, "It seems that you do."
"What?!"
"It says 'or blood'. There's fresh blood on this page." He held it up and sure enough a single drop of blood was blotting out the name 'Cutthroat'.
Nora covered her mouth with a hand and let out a squeak. "Oh my God! Nick what have I done?! I own another person!" She began to pace back and forth. "I shouldn't have looked in that cupboard." She growled.
Nick caught her arm, bringing her into a hug, "You don't mean that doll." He murmured into her hair.
She sighed heavily breathing in the familiar smell of motor oil and coolant, "No I don't."
"Come on. You can have a bath and rest and deal with all this in the morning."
Nora smiled gratefully, her extended family was the best.