Fiona, also known as Sweetpea by a privileged few, seemed to evade exhaustion like a superhero.
All of her dearest companions had taken up within Sanctuary, having built their own connecting set of town houses in the far cul-de-sac behind the main settler area. They could do nothing but watch as she bounced from one completed task to a new task; all without her smile faltering.
From dawn until dusk, she built new beds for the settlers, tended to the farm, and even managed to put a dent in the plumbing project Sturges introduced. Fiona never felt overcome with stress; she loved that feeling of a job well done and how all of her settlers and newfound family of misfits benefitted from the hard work.
"Your little lady is 'bout to run herself dry, Hancock!" Cait tossed to the mayor of Goodneighbour, a smirk on her face as she glanced at her cards.
"I doubt that. I'm always tryin' to get her to relax, take some jet… but man, she just keeps on goin'." Hancock tossed back, gazing out the window at his first lady. He loved to watch her work, letting out a whistle when she bent over. Fiona didn't hear, of course, throwing her unruly brunette hair into a bun before getting back to work.
"You're a lucky man." Mac laughed, sitting down at the table, beside the pair, and across from Curie.
"Damn straight." Hancock chuckled, reluctantly turning back to the game; Fiona was wearing those tight shorts he loved. They had no right to be on the battlefield, but damn did she look good rocking all those guns and grenades around her waist in those tiny little shorts.
"You and Miss Sweetpea have been traveling together for some time," Curie noted ", how long have you two been… ah, a romantic coupled item? I'm sorry, romance termenology is low in my memory." She laughed sheepishly, but knew her friends wouldn't judge her.
"Been together for almost a year now, the forth of next month. I gotta plan something special for her."
"Jesus, you remember when you started dating? Didn't think chems actually enchance memory." Mac shook his head with a smile, pushing his caps into the center of the table; most of the gang calling and matching.
"Hey man, she's a lady from the olden time; those pretty chicks on the Nuka Cola posters and the car billboards. Ladies like Fiona expect all that lovey dovey anniversary shit and she deserves it too. I'm just here to provide."
"You better, considerin' no one else is allowed to travel with her now. It's been forever since we kicked the shite out of some raiders!" Cait called, all in jest. Herself and Mac often went out on their own adventures.
"I have noticed this! I've been so cooped up! No one wants to explore and document science with me anymore!" Curie acted dramatic, a little ham-fisted on the delivery. Mac just chuckled; teaching Curie to sass was the best damn thing he'd done in years.
"I'll go out with you," Piper yawned, emerging from one of the bedrooms dressed in the blackest of black clothing ", but right now, I have a story to chase. See ya." As quick as she appeared she was gone, news cap pulled down low over her features.
"Hey, when you can make her feel the way I make her feel, then you can have her all ya want." Hancock took a mentat, raising non-existent eyebrows; he knew no one could burn the bond they've built over all this time.
Fiona looked back at the house, seeing her man's tricorn hat through the reflection of the window. She loved to watch the nightly poker game; serving the drinks, playing a few hands. Pool was more her game though, but it wasn't as much fun now that everyone knew her hustling tactics. She made a note to finish up and head straight to the house; Hancock had a good luck kiss coming his way.
She had long abandoned her jacket, the Commonwealth's summer nights just as hot as the day. Fiona had changed her shirt only an hour ago, and yet the muscle shirt was already starting to cling to her lower back. Fiona stood, stretching out her back before getting back to the final leg of work she decided to do tonight, when she saw her favorite silhouette swagger down the road.
"Now what would a big shot detective like you need with a dame like me?" Fiona yelled at the dark figure, an orange ember becoming clear as he walked closer. She was quick to wipe her face with a rag, not wanting to look absolutely disgusting. Nick Valentine usually only hung around when there was business to deal with, especially since she took up with John Hancock.
"Don't play coy with me. Got a noise complaint," he was within a few feet now, his smile evident ", I'm afraid I'm going to back to take you in." He spun a set of handcuffs around one of his good fingers.
"Oh, mister detective, you don't have to do that! Maybe we could think of some… other arrangement?" She wiggled her eyebrows before tossing him a full pack of cigarettes. He caught them and shoved them in his pocket before extinguishing his current smoke.
"You know I love doing this dance with you, but I was hoping for some help."
"Name it, Valentine. You have my full attention." Fiona lit up a smoke, taking Valentine up to the park area she had made within the cul-de-sac, combat boots thudding against the ground with each quick step.
"I've gotten this new case. Before I give you the details, I'll let you know it's some travel. You won't be in Kansas anymore." He pulled that line deep from the old Nick's memory banks. He wasn't sure why, but he felt the context was right.
"How far?"
"Four day hike to Maine. I know it's a long way to go, but-"
"But nothing, I'm in. I need to get out of the 'Wealth anyway!" Fiona laughed, sitting across from the detective under the orange and purple skies. Valentine smiled; her gusto to help, to do better… it touched his synthetic heart. In truth, Fiona never felt like she'd be able to pay Valentine back for all the work he'd done for her. Hell, he didn't charge her a single cap.
"Well, we're looking for a young lady. All I've been able to uncover is that there might be some sort of town or collection of synths out there with her. It'll be easier to distinguish once we're there to talk to the locals…" Valentine went on and Fiona listened, taking out a notepad and making notes along the way.
The gang inside noticed as soon as Valentine rolled up. Mac snorted, dealing out another hand.
"Mister suave detective seems to have your girl's full attention." He scoffed, looking at Cait with a knowing gaze.
"Shut it, man." Cait kicked him under the table, accompanied with a harsh look.
"The fuck are you talkin' about, Mac? Just what the fuck are you implying?" Hancock sighed.
"I'm just sayin'…if anyone can steal your girl, it'd be him."
"He doesn't care about her that way, I would've heard about it."
"Sure, sure. I mean… I don't think you were there when they came back to Sanctuary. You know, when the finished up with Winter."
Hancock hadn't heard about this Winter fella, or how that somehow connects Valentine and his woman in any way. He set his hand down and leaned across the table, eyeing Mac up with his harsh, black eyes.
"Spill it, or I'll spill you're guts on Fi's floor." Hancock sneered. He didn't like anyone, even his friends, talking shit about his woman or the good detective. Even when they were ragging on each other, Hancock could admit that Nick was good people and already got enough shit as it is.
"I guess this was before you two shacked up. I think after some business in Goodneighbour, but before fixing your Bobbi problem… they got real close. Nick trusted her enough and told her about this case the old Nick wasn't able to close. This Winter guy killed Nick's fiancée, just ran rampart across the old America." Mac lifted his hands, surrendering.
"Fiona just did what Fiona does," Cait jumped up, wanting to take the heat of Mac ", she wanted to help him. Went on a month and a half expedition with Valentine there. They got all the tapes and ended up wastin' the guy… some sort of ghoul shit, I don't know. I didn't ask for all the details. But they just… I dunno, acted different when they got back from that?"
Piper, Mac, and Cait were working on the small plot of land reserved for food; before the settlement had grown. It was just the seven of them, working to pass the time until the sun began to set, until they could get back to a riveting game of Blast Radius.
Piper was the first one to notice the pair, walking quite close side by side, and leisurely too. A little more relaxed than two people who had spent and almost two months away from home should be.
"Hey!" She called, waving her arms and jumping. Cait and Mac took notice and joined the waving. Fiona mirrored their actions, earning a hearty laugh from Valentine. The trio watched Fiona grab his hand and run over to them, spilling the entire story of Eddie Winter.
After two drinks, they went to one of the three lots in the cul-de-sac; the small park she was slowly but surely building. Piper and Cait watched them from the window. The conversation was silent to them. But Fiona kept fixing his tie and gently touched his face. Valentine was playing it up too; his good hand fell onto her waist, just for a moment, and then they shared a long hug. The embrace ended when he lifted her small frame off the ground and gave her a spin; her laugh could be heard all across Sanctuary.
"Jesus Christ, just bang an' get it over with." Cait snorted, smacking Piper in the arm. At this point, Mac had joined them, making obnoxious exclamations of 'ooooo!' the longer they stayed in each other's arms.
"Bang with what?" Piper asked, tilting her head at the sight through the window; and idea for a really good scoop story swirling in her mind.
"So," Hancock leaned back, reverting to his relaxed demeanor ", Fi helped the detective shut a huge chapter in his life… and they shared a moment after? That ain't shit, Mac. I thought I was about to hear some dirty details." The ghoul was laughing, holding his stomach as wave after wave of chuckles escaped him.
"I dunno, man. They're always doing the Detective and Foxy Minx routine." Mac shrugged, leaning back in his chair.
"Shit, they always joke like that. They still do now and I ain't worried. If I ain't worried, no one else should be sticking their nose in it." Hancock shrugged as well.
"Sounds very intimate to me. Mister Valentine and Miss Sweetpea share a bond, by helping Mister Valentine do something he could not do on his own. There is many books behind the chemicals of love. It would be normal for Fiona to have conflicting feelings-" Curie was about to go on one of her signature letures, but Hancock held up a hand.
His left hand to be exact; and upon his ring finger was a golden band.
"Fi gave this to me two months ago. This was Nate's ring and she gave it to me. Fi has eyes for me and only me. I only have eyes for her. We're as solid as a pack of Deathclaws! I'm glad she has Valentine, they're good friends." Hancock laughed it all off, looking at the ring with kind eyes.
"Wait, ya got married?" Cait gasped, leaning across the table, appalled she wasn't invited to what would have been the most kick ass party in the Commonwealth.
"Well, we... uh, we never actually had a ceremony or anything."
"Honey, I'm home!" Fiona called out as she walked through the door, eyes only on Hancock. The ghoul looked at the gang, giving them a smirk that said 'I told you so', and then stood and opened his arms. The small girl laughed and jumped right onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist.
Valentine smiled at the sight, lighting up another cigarette despite having one just a few moments ago; whatever, not like he could get cancer.
"And the elusive detective comes back from the golden throne of Diamond City. Too good for us?" Hancock held Fiona up by her thighs, but she was light enough and strong enough to support herself; so he let his hands roam, putting on a show to let them all know who she loved most.
"Hmm, that's a whole new can of worms, Hancock. But I've come to let your lady know about a new case up in Maine." Valentine's loveable accent seemed a little thicker in the moment.
"Jesus, Maine? Isn't that five days of walkin'?"
"Four," Fiona corrected ", and that's one way. But Valentine asked for my help, so we're going to help! I figured we could head out in the morning?" She finally dropped herself back on the floor, standing just over a foot shorter than him.
Hancock placed his hands on her creamy shoulders, the sweat pooling there not bothering his tattered skin. When his eyes fell to his ring, a brilliant idea popped into his head.
"You know I'd love to storm this entire burned land and spread our wacky antics until they're telling stories about us in every corner of the world," he kissed her forehead for emphasis ", but this is Valentine's case. He's way smarter when it comes to that detective shit. Why don't you two head out together?"
Fiona looked surprised, taking a step back from Hancock and squared herself up.
"It's just… a long time to be apart. We've practically spent every day together since we started traveling. Valentine thinks we'll be putting in a month or so of work. Plus, I'll be worried about you diving into my chems. Maybe the three of us could all go?" She prodded at his chest with a boney finger, a soft smile hidden under her rough, sun kissed skin.
"Baby, baby, just listen! I don't want to split or anything. Valentine is a solid detective, he'll do the work faster than if I go. Plus, three folks will draw some serious attention from folks we don't want attention from. Go solve the case, get the bad guy, and then you'll come back home to me." Hancock made his case, but before Fiona could contest, he held up a finger and looked straight into those bright yellow eyes.
"On the condition… that she's home before or on the forth of," He paused, grabbing Fiona's arm to look at the PipBoy's calendar ", August. The forth of August! Deal?" He held out his left hand, an oddity for all those who wanted to get themselves cut on Valentine's metal hand.
The detective nodded, shaking Hancock's hand. They may have their own set of justice based morals, but they were both men of their word.
"Alright! Sweetpea and Valentine are on the case." She smiled at Valentine and he smiled back. Fiona was excited to get back out there with her first partner and her second favorite companion.
Hancock swept her off her feet, Fiona laughing and slapping at his chest.
"Feel free to play for me, Valentine. I got one last night with my favorite lady."
