A/N: I had to remove this chapter to update it. All that changed was information about Kait's pipboy. ... I totally forgot that it's on her left arm!

But thank you to everyone reading my story and reviewing! It means a lot to me!

Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Kait slowly opened her eyes and saw the white ceiling to her pre-war room. Her eyes were so heavy and she raised her right hand to rub them. "Mmm…," she groaned, "honey?"

Danse furrowed his brow as he heard Kait speak. They were in the medical bay on the Prydwen and Kait was hooked up to three different machines. Under her gown they dressed her in, she had stitches on her waist where the hound had tore her flesh and on her left shoulder, the bullet was removed from her thigh and her arm was miraculously saved but she had to wear a cast while it recovered. The hound had broken her arm in eight different places and almost every ligament had been sprained. Her pip boy only suffered a cracked screen; the hound mainly grabbed her actual arm, and it was removed while she was hospitalized. Proctor Ingram was working currently on fixing it for her. Danse was secretly terrified when he found her near the satellite array. He feared that she had died and she nearly did. Not only had they extracted Kait out successfully, but her pinging pip boy let them know to search the area and sure enough, they found the body of Scribe Faris.

When Danse noticed Kait's eyes twitching, he rose from the seat next to her and approached her side.

"Kait," Danse began slowly as he gripped the side of the bed and slightly leaned over her.

Kait slowly opened her eyes and only managed to get them halfway. When she saw him, she smiled weakly. "Oh sweetie…" Kait carefully moved her good hand to touch his on the edge of the bed. Her eyes watered heavily when she looked back up at Nate standing next to the bed by her.

Danse hesitated when Kait grabbed ahold of his hand and he leaned back. She had also called him… sweetie? Danse knew she wasn't in her right mind. Cade had pumped her veins full of drugs just to ease the pain she was undergoing.

"Kait," Danse tried, "I'm-"

"I've missed you," hot tears spilled from her eyes and her face expressed a pain that revealed a lost love and a hurt that only her heart could feel, "So much Nathan."

Danse was taken aback. Who was Nathan?

"Where did you go?" Kait sobbed. "Please don't… please don't ever leave me again…" She let go of his hand and went to reach for her left hand but stopped mid-way. "I," she hiccuped from crying, "still have the ring. … it's not on but… but I still have it. I promise. I have yours too Nate. They're in my other pants…."

Danse took a step back. That's who she was looking for this whole time. Not some female friend. She was looking for her husband. Nate. He watched her in silence as her eyes closed again and sleep took her. Something odd turned in Danse's chest. He wasn't sure what it was but he left her side without thinking and found her clothes that had been put to the side in the room. He lifted her bloodied pants and felt the pockets but there was nothing. He quickly noticed a stitching under the right pocket however and when he ran his thumb over it, he felt two rings within. That could only be the wedding rings she was talking about. Danse stood there in silence before slowly folding her pants again and placing them back down with her other clothes.

Kait opened her eyes again and there was a man next to her that she never met before. He was average height with shaved hair and he wore Brotherhood apparel. He had his back to her as he checked her monitors.

"Who are…," Kait started saying but then she changed her question. "Where am I?"

The man quickly turned around to her, "You're awake!" He immediately composed himself, "I am Knight-Captain Cade. You are on the Prydwen."

"The Prydwen?" she echoed. "Elder Maxson's ship?"

"Yes," Cade replied. "You know, you're very lucky. If Paladin Danse hadn't come to your aid, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

Kait looked up at the metal ceiling as she rested her head down, "Danse saved me?"

Cade nodded, "He stayed by your side all night waiting for you to recover. I finally convinced him to get some rest. He's retired to his room at the moment if you wished to talk to him."

Kait remained silent. Why would Danse do that for her? Was he that stubborn? She closed her eyes and thought to herself. She was grateful however. Danse had given her another day to find Shaun. She just prayed that he wouldn't call this her favor returned. She opened her eyes and looked at Cade while she started to sit up, which his expression immediately opposed to.

"You need to rest initiate."

"I," Kait still pushed herself up, slowly, "want to walk."

"I suppose," Cade sighed, "that wouldn't hurt. Just be careful."

"Yes sir," Kait said as a thank you.

A female scribe had entered the room while Cade exited and undressed Kait from her clothes before carefully dressing her in something loose, but still covering. She had baggy pants on and a loose, grey t-shirt and the scribe had put black Brotherhood boots on her. Before the female exited, Kait stopped her.

Kait opened her mouth but hesitated on her next words. Finally, she asked, "Where is Paladin Danse's room?"

She now stood outside a thick metal door on what she assumed was the common deck of the Prydwen. She raised her right hand but hovered her knuckles right by the door. The last encounter they had wasn't the best. Would she even want to see him? She swallowed hard and didn't knock, instead she grabbed the handle and opened the door.

Danse sat on the bed with his back to the door. His hair was darker and spiky while the towel was wrapped around his bare shoulders. He had just taken a shower based on his appearance. He was shirtless but had pants on with no shoes.

When he heard that the door opened he turned his head in the direction of it and his eyes widened a notch when he saw who stood there. "Kait?"

Danse stood before her and her eyes fell to his well toned torso. Scars lined over his abs but Kait liked the sight. She averted her eyes quickly and closed them as she shook the bad thoughts from her mind. "Is this a bad time?"

"No," Danse answered quickly. He motioned for her to close the door and she did so without question. … for some reason. He turned his attention away and found a shirt that matched hers before sliding it over his body.

"Should you be out of bed?" Danse asked as he took a few steps to her. Kait stayed quiet and kept her eyes low as she held her place at the door.

She spoke but not to respond to his question, "I just came to thank you sir. Thank you for saving me. I… don't know why but I appreciate it." It pained her to speak her next words, "I will understand if this makes us even and you wish for me to leave now."

Danse was confused at first but quickly adjusted as he understood, "I still owe you. So you may stay, initiate." He stared hard at her and noted every second she refused to look at him. "May I ask something personal about you?"

Kait sighed audibly and slid her eyes up to find his. She didn't like where this was going, "That depends."

Danse looked into her eyes and watched her shift uncomfortably under his gaze, "Why did you lie to me?"

Kait looked up fully now and narrowed her eyes, "About what?"

"Who you're looking for." He stated plainly. He could see the worry flicker in her eyes. "Who's Nathan?"

The look in Kait's eyes turned from worry to anger. How dare he say his name? Kait turned to exit and as the door cracked open, it was shut again by Danse. He stood with one hand on the door and looked down at Kait. She was close enough to breath in his scent and she kept her eyes low again. Her head only came up to his chest.

"How do you know that name?" she muttered almost angrily.

"You called me that," Danse spoke calmly.

Kait whipped her head up and locked eyes with Danse again but backed away. Like hell she did!

Knowing that her next words were yet going to answer him, he spoke again, "You're looking for your husband. Why didn't you tell me?"

Kait open and closed her right hand. She did not want to think about her old life and definitely not be confronted with it. "You didn't need to know."

"I think I had the right to know."

Kait huffed, "And what makes you say that?"

"I'm your superior officer," he blandly stated. "You should have been honest with me from the beginning."

"No," Kait stubbornly shook her head, "no I shouldn't have. You don't need to know anything about me and I'd appreciate it if we changed the subject."

"Why won't you talk about him?" Danse interrogated. "Did he leave you? Is that why you took the wedding ring off? Why you have his?"

Kait looked at the wall. "Please stop," she whispered in a broken voice.

Danse frowned deeply, "I just need you to be honest with me. If this man broke your heart, why do you need to find him so badly?"

That did it. Tears fell and Kait so hoped that he was happy with himself. She should have stayed in bed. No, she should have never even tuned into that broadcast in the first place.

"Kait," Danse spoke with authority.

"He's dead." Kait caved. With Danse blocking the door, she couldn't leave so instead she stomped across the room and sat on his bed with a thud.

Danse hesitated. That was not the answer he was expecting to hear. He turned to face her and she was looking down, roughly rubbing her palm to her eyes to help her suppress the crying.

"I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely.

"I'm sure you are." Kait mumbled sarcastically. "Why do you even care?" she slapped the back of her right hand to her knee as she dropped it. "What does it matter if it was a friend or my husband?"

"I need," Danse tried to find the answer himself. He didn't really know why it bothered him so much either. "to know you if I'm to work with you and trust you to have my back."

"You know my name," Kait bitterly said to him, "And that is my honest name. You don't need to know a single thing more about me."

Danse shook his head and sighed heavily, "Why do you push me away, initiate? You can trust me. I mean, you trust a synth out of all things!"

Kait stood quickly and approached Danse, surprising him. She rose her hand and grabbed his shirt by his chest. "Paladin- Danse- please please just stop questioning me right now." He looked down at her in silence as she let go of his shirt then hovered it by his face. "If you want me," she pleaded, "to trust you. Then you have to give me time. Can I at least just ask for that?"

"Yes," Danse quietly spoke. Again, they were close and as he looked into her pained blue eyes, guilt twisted in his body when he saw her. There was something about her that made him not want to let her go. "I'm sorry Kaitlyn."

Kait exhaled with relief and rested her hand on his cheek now, his facial hair pricking at her fingers. "Thank you Danse." She slid her hand off his face only for him to place his hand on her good shoulder.

"I'm glad to see you okay." Danse spoke and gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "Now," he removed his hand from her, "Elder Maxson has ordered me to bring you to him when you woke. You ready?"

Kait, assuming she didn't have a choice, just shrugged half heartedly.

Danse helped her up the ladder leading to the upper deck. Once there, she saw a Knight standing guard in power armor and a scribe fixing a panel on the wall with a blowtorch. When she turned around, Kait saw an open room with red couches on each side and all windows at the far end revealing a perfect sight of the Commonwealth. For a wasteland, it was a pretty breathtaking sight. In the center of the room was a man with his hair shaved on both sides but not the top. Fur lined the collar of his brown coat and even for its thickness, you could tell there was a strong man underneath.

"Elder Maxson." Danse spoke up as he put his fist over his heart.

Maxson turned to face him with his head first before turning the rest of his body to face the two. When Kait saw his face, the first thing she noticed was the deep scar on his cheek. And then of course his well kept beard. But if she thought Danse had strong eyes, she was wrong now that she saw Maxon.

"Ah," Maxon spoke with a deep voice but not quite as deep as Danse's, "You must be the new recruit. Kaitlyn, am I right?"

Kait nodded. She mentally kicked herself after the next words that came out of her mouth, "And you're Maxson. You're like, a God or something to the Brotherhood, right?"

Kait closed her eyes for a few seconds. She could just feel Danse's eyes boring a hole through her. "I-I'm sorry sir, I-"

To both Danse's and Kait's surprise, Maxson chuckled lightly. He shook his head, "I wouldn't say that. But I do have to be a role model." He looked into Kait's blue eyes and his smile widened. Something in her didn't really like that smile. "I hope I can leave a good impression on you."

Kait feigned the best smile she could, "I don't see why you wouldn't. I mean, you already have a sweet coat. That's enough to look up to."

Maxson actually laughed again, "Why thank you." Danse couldn't help but notice that the Elder only kept his eyes on Kait. "Paladin Danse told me you're a skilled fighter already. He didn't mention that you had a charming sense of humor."

"My jokes can be lost on some," Kait half shrugged.

"It's unfortunate," Maxson changed the subject, "that you and Danse became separated by a raider attack while searching for our fallen brothers and sisters."

A raider attack? Kait thought with sarcasm, is that what he told him? That's nice. She wasn't mad at Danse though. It was better that Maxson believed that lie rather than know the truth.

"But it's a blessing," Maxson was still talking, "that he managed to find you in time. I look forward to seeing you on the field, soldier. But he has discussed your situation with me. Of course, if you would stand with us, the Brotherhood would gladly help you find your friend."

Kait was surprised that Danse had actually already mentioned her situation to Maxson and was grateful for it. "Of course sir," she saluted just as Danse had showed her when she first joined the Brotherhood. "It would mean the world to me."

Maxson had finally dismissed the two after about another half hour of talking. He asked her how she liked the Prydwen, which she told him was impressive. Maxson seemed to have liked her answer, but then again, he seemed to have liked everything she had to say.

Kait was by herself, sitting at a corner table in the bar/ kitchen area. Her pip boy was returned to her and she temporarily had to wear it on her right arm while the left was recovering. She was drawing but this time, she didn't have that asshole Rhys to ruin it again for her. The ship was quiet save for the humming engine. It was late and most of the members were asleep. Light footsteps approached her and Kait looked up to see Danse as he pulled a chair up to the opposite end of the table from her.

"I'm sorry," Kait said before he could, "for goofing off." She was talking about how she was drawing. When he was still quiet, she sighed but darkened in a line on the drawing, "I'm sorry about how I spoke to the Elder. I'm sure I embarrassed you."

"Kind of," Danse finally said but he wasn't mad.

"Does," Kait began as she looked up at him, "He act that casual around everyone?"

Danse shook his head as he was leaned back in the chair, "I've never seen him that casual around anyone."

"I must be special," Kait joked.

"He just met you," Danse spoke as if he didn't understand.

"Are you jealous?" Kait smirked at him. Before he responded, she returned to her picture, grateful that she was right handed, "I'm kidding Danse."

Danse, glad that she wasn't looking, awkwardly scratched his cheek. He hadn't expected her to say that. Instead, he changed the subject, "What are you drawing?"

Kait was quiet for a minute before she put her signature in the bottom corner. She stood from the table with the paper in her hand. As she stepped by him, she held the picture out to him. "For you."

Danse looked at her with some surprise before he grabbed the paper. When he did, she left the room to return to the medic bay for Cade to inspect her before she called it quits for the night.

Danse looked at the picture and didn't realize how truly well Kait could draw. Almost like a photograph, she had drawn the view she had witnessed once first emerging to the upper deck of the Prydwen. It was the room with the beautiful view that Maxson always stood in just minus the Elder. Through the windows, she even put small details of the Commonwealth outside. Danse smiled as he looked at it before retiring for the night himself though he made sure to put the picture in a safe place in his room before he caught some shut-eye.