I'd be lying if I said that being back at the Castle wasn't comforting, because it was. Honestly, since coming to the Commonwealth the confines of the cold, stone walls had been the only place that had felt, well, safe. Sanctuary had been a good refuge, for a while, but the ghost of the past was too present. How could I sleep, when the shadow of my baby lay in the next room?

I hadn't spoken to anyone much since our arrival. I didn't want to lie and I didn't want to tell the truth - I didn't need sympathy. I regretted my admission to Hancock, but in a way it had been necessary. I had tested the water, and discovered what I should have already known; that there was no room for weakness in the Commonwealth and definitely no room for a lapse of the General.

I had no purpose, but I wasn't about to roll over and die. The least I could do was keep on living, keep the Minutemen alive, and just maybe I could prevent more tragedy. Just maybe I could save someone from feeling how I had felt, when I'd turned my back on my only son and set the ground alight. I hadn't made that decision for me; I'd made it for them, the people of the Commonwealth, the Minutemen, the Railroad... And now I didn't live for me, no, now I lived for them - a tool, a willing resource...

A light knock came from my door. I rarely closed it, normally seeking the company of my friends and Minutemen, but tonight I'd made an exception. No one had disturbed me thus far, probably fearing that I would lash out or latch onto whoever was the first to peek inside. There was only one who would knock, and who I knew intimately enough to let inside.

"Come in, Nick." I said, my voice hoarse from lack of use.

The old synth slid open the aged wood, closing it neatly behind him, before taking a seat at my table. He chose the chair opposite me, meeting my gaze with sad, inhuman eyes.

"You've accomplished a lot kid, more than you know. Families will finally be able to sleep easy; neighbours will come to trust one another again." He slid a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it with a steady, robotic hand. "Doing what's right isn't easy – but you know that."

I knew it now - but I wished I'd known it sooner.

"My journey... is over, Nick." I swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to cry or break down or rant. "But there's more I can do... I know that. I've won the battle, but not the war."

He smiled, and it was a smile that comforted me. He'd always had that affect on me, Nick, he'd always been able to sooth me in times of panic and stress, with a simple gesture or quiet word.

"Now there's an old world phrase you don't hear too much anymore." He chuckled. "But you're right; the Commonwealth is far from perfect."

I nodded. He agreeing meant something to me, more than he knew. It solidified my thoughts, helping them to form into action.

"I'll start at the centre, and work my way out." I said, thinking as I did so, the skeleton of a plan forming within my frazzled mind.

"The centre? You mean Diamond City?" he asked, raising one sceptical brow.

"Exactly." I replied, with almost a smile. "The Institute is gone and opinions need to change. Before I can start helping, really helping, I need to reform Diamond city. Travellers pass through there every day, it's the hub, and the centre... it sets the tone for the whole Commonwealth."

"So..." Began Nick, as clever as ever. "You're going to attempt to open their minds to the idea of synths." It wasn't a question, he already knew where my mind was headed.

I smiled, this time it was natural and genuine. "You really are a detective, aren't you?"

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Look Nora, this might come across as well... harsh, but just because you took down the Institute, it doesn't mean nothings impossible. Look at me, a trusted Diamond City synth, and still not one of them. Opinions don't change overnight. Don't get me wrong though, IF anyone can do it - it's you - I'm just not sure it can be done."

He had a point and he was right to be cautious, but I had nothing left to lose. There were no risks for me, only rewards.

"I'm a 200-and-something-year-old woman sat opposite a synth, in a castle..." I stood up, eying my collection of weaponry on the nearby wall. "Anything's possible."

Thanks for the reviews and feedback - I really appreciate it!

As for connecting this story to the world of FO3 or NV I'm not sure that I could fit it in, as I have a lot planned out for this universe, but never say never!

Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading, and there should be another update before the end of the week. :)