Sitting in one of the dusty sofas of the Third Rail with her legs crossed, Rose cleaned her glasses with the last clean bit of her T-shirt. The bar was noisy even though it wasn't very full, and Magnolia's voice filled all the gaps left between the conversations and the jingle of the glasses. The gunshot wound in her right arm stung under the bandages, and her hand was shaky and weak. Two weeks had passed since she visited the institute, and she had spent most of her time traveling between the different settlements she had started across the Commonwealth, helping them build stronger defenses in an effort to keep herself busy. It had worked, and even though she was insanely tired, she had been able to keep her mind cool enough to think without panicking. Now more than ever, she was grateful to her friends and allies, as they had supported her through these rough weeks. Piper, Preston, Codsworth and Nick had really made her feel there was still something worth fighting for.

As she fixed the bandage in her arm, Nick Valentine walked back to her from the bar. He was holding two bottles of beer, and put one in the table in front of her before sitting besides her.

-You look like you've seen a deathclaw hiding under the floorboards-he said as he popped his bottle open-. Where's your mind at?

-Huh? Oh,-she looked up, slowly processing his words. Then, she smiled- hey. I was just...

-Thinking, I know- he took a short swig of his beer and continued-, every time you're lost in thought you scare the life out of me, staring at something right behind me all startled- he comically lifted his eyebrows and looked at some point over her shoulder with wide, horrified eyes.

Rose chuckled and grabbed the bottle he'd brought her. Sitting back in the couch, she started absently passing it from one hand to the other, and sighed.

-Sorry about that. I've really been thinking, though...-she muttered- about the Institute, you know?

From the corner of her eye, Rose saw Nick paralize, the bottle suspended mid-air in front of his lips. A couple of silent seconds followed as he lowered it.

-...Yeah?

-Yep -she whispered, taking a long breath and putting her feet up up, wrapping her arms around her knees-, and I came to a conclussion. The Institute has to go.

Rose spun her unopened beer with her hand, placing it before her eyes, absently. She continued.

-They are only trying to do the right thing. Shaun's trying, -she said, struggling to keep her voice from breaking- but so am I. And the kind of world they are trying to create, well...

She sighed.

-I don't think I want to live in a world like that- Rose lowered the bottle, and stared at the smudgy wall behind the stage.-, based on denying rights to their own sentient creations, and trampling the progress the people in the Commonwealth has made on their own -she frowned, her anger briefly surfacing- At this point, I am no longer a mother. I am the General of the Minutemen... and as such, I must protect the people of the Commonwealth until my dying breath.

When she looked at Nick, the relief in his face made smile. As she watched him carefully pick his words, Rose's brain stopped pounding , and she felt grateful towards him for it. She hadn't thought about him as a private detective in months, deeply needed of his emotional support, and the word "friend" grew less and less appropriate to describe her feelings every second.

His lips curled in a half smile, and as he started to speak, his hand settled on her injured arm, ever so softly.

-I knew you'd make the right choice- his vague smile faded-. I'm really sorry the circumstances have become so extreme.

-Yeah...-Rose closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with her free hand. The magnitude of her mission suddently shrouded her, and she sighed- Dammit, Nick. This is gonna be hard, and dangerous. Really fucking dangerous.

-It is. But if there's someone who can do it -the synth's hand soflty trailed down to her wrist, and she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks-, that's you, doll.

Suddently flustered, Rose looked down to escape Nick's gaze, her heart pounding so hard she feared he would hear it. It had been months since she'd felt that way, so astounded by every little detail, the glow of Nick's eyes, his pleasant smell of tobacco and rust... However, this time, she felt something else, something new: hope. Nothing stopped her now. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance?

She looked up. The synth was still smiling at her, looking at her with that same expression he had back in Sanctuary. Rose wet her lips, her cheeks burning.

-Nick, there's something else I want to talk about- she managed to mumble. His smile waned slightly as he nodded, encouraging her to speak. Rose swallowed and continued. -Listen, what happened back in Sanctuary... -the detective opened his mouth to say something, probably yet another apology, but she stopped him with a gesture of her hand. - I was so confused, Nick, everything was so strange... My family was gone, the world was nothing like I remembered. I was scared, terrified. I hoped it was all a bad dream, I prayed for it. Even though every morning I woke up to find the world just as devastated as I left it, I kept hoping. But it wasn't the good kind of hope, it was just that desperate, painful desire one keeps deep inside, even knowing that the truth is different. When you kissed me I felt so guilty, because if I had feelings for you, I would be accepting that my world was gone. -she stopped and breathed deeply. Nick's hand rested on her wrist, and his eyes were fixed on hers, his eyebrows slightly lifted, his lips barely parted.

Rose slowly lowered her feet to the ground, and put the still unopened bottle on the table. Her heart was still pounding, but all doubt had faded. She turned to the synth and covered his hand with hers.

-But this is my reality now. There's no use in hoping everything will return to normal, that's not gonna happen. I have to rebuild my life as I've been trying to rebuild the world if I want to ever be happy again. So, Nick, I don't know if you still feel that way but hear me. -she swallowed- I'm in love with you.

There, she'd said it. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, and her hands were shaking. Or was that Nick's hand? She slowly interlocked her fingers with his, and confirmed her impression. His hands were shaking. Rose looked up to the synth, to find him astounded. After a couple of seconds, he outlined a cautious smile and exhaled a ligh puff of steam. He released his hand from her grip and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him until his lips almost grazed hers. Rose felt the blood rush to her face again, overwhelmed by his scent and the warmth of his embrace. His metal hand felt so cold against her flushed cheek, she couldn't hold back a soft moan.

-Oh, doll...-he muttered, the steam of his breath fogging her glasses. -I've been in love with you ever since I met you. No ammount of time is gonna change that.

He leaned to press his lips against hers, and the world dissapeared around them. Rose returned his embrace with shaky arms, feeling the maddening roughness of his mouth on hers. She bit his lip, and he playfully nipped back at her. Then, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and gently pulled it, as he kissed hungrily in response to the moan she let out. Their tongues brushed, and Rose's heart melted when she heard Nick groan softly. She didn't know for how long that sweet, deep kiss lasted, but as they finally separated, she barely noticed the bar was emptier.

Breathing fast and shallow, feeling the arousal burn her, Rose whispered, leaning into Nick's ear:

-Do you want to come back to the hotel with me?