Avery
I lay down on the mattress in the middle of the room and I can't seem to get comfortable. My mind is still buzzing with fear that Hancock may just come in here and kill me like he did that man. I thought he was kind because he consoled me… I let it blind me. He didn't have to kill that man, he did it to make a point that no one is above him, I can't deal with people who are so power hungry they are willing to destroy others to get to the top. I bite my lip standing up and taking my pack with me as I left my room walking down the stairs. A few guards stared at me funny but otherwise it was pretty uneventful until I got outside again.
I walked around looking at all the pretty lights from the ruined buildings. I looked at what I thought was a subway entrance apparently here it was a bar. I walk inside curiously looking around me to see a Mr. Handy robot selling the beer while a woman is on stage singing. I sit down on a couch away from everyone and just sigh. I really don't fit in here. I stare down at the pip-boy on my arm deciding to see what it can do. I stare in surprise as it shows me all of my vitals as well having a map of the Commonwealth. Granted none of the locations were marked aside from sanctuary and a few others we passed on the way here. I think of the stuff in my pack and decide to see what all Codsworth packed for me.
I pull my pack up to my lap and open it up seeing 5 purified waters and random boxes of cram and Mac & cheese. Inside there is a small printed note.
Mum, I know you are not accustomed to this world anymore, so here are some of the things you need to know about the Commonwealth. Caps are the preferred form of currency here I have stored all the ones I could find within a small bag inside your pack. There are 500 within please use them wisely. I have also stored a few changes of clothing you never know when they may come in handy. Another warning mum, the people here aren't like they used to be, they are more like savages. If you come across a raider, you either kill them or run. Be careful Mum and stay safe. - Codsworth
"Thank you Codsworth." I mumble softly taking a deep breath as I stand ready to head out of the bar.
"Hey there beautiful can I buy you a drink?" I look up in surprise to see a large piercing blue eyes staring back at me. His skin is perfectly tanned from days spent out in the sun, he has chocolate brown stubble framing his mouth. It's the same color as the mop of hair peeking out from under his hat.
"Nate…?" I whisper staring at the stranger who looks so much like my dead husband.
"Hey doll you still there?" He questions waving a calloused hand in front of my face making my cheeks redden. He smiles staring at me with amused eyes. He reminds me so much of Nate and that smile is enough to send my heart reeling.
"I… thank you but I really should get going." I murmur making his eyes soften.
"Well the offer is open, I'll be here in town anytime, unless I get a job that is." He says gently his voice kind.
"I probably won't be coming back here, Mayor Hancock is taking me to Diamond city tomorrow." I grimace remembering the scene from earlier.
"Diamond city…? Names MacCready, I'm a hired gun, if you have the caps for it I can take you there myself." I smiled that actually sounded like a good idea. But what if I trust him and then he turns around and does the same thing John does. I swallow hard, I am not going to find Shaun unless I get there.
"I'm Avery, how much do you charge?" I question biting my lip nervously.
"250 caps and I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, Avery." he says dramatically a small smirk playing at his lips.
"Done, but we leave tonight." I warned as he grabbed me by my arm walking me to the VIP section of the bar. His hand is warm against my skin making my heart skip a beat.
"Count out the caps for me and we can head right out." I nod going for my caps that Codsworth had given me, I start sorting them out when I hear two pairs of footsteps making both MacCready and I turn to stare at the two men who had entered.
"Well look at this still operating in Gunner territory MacCready. Miss before you hire this idiot you should know he used to work for the Gunners." I stand narrowing my eyes at them, I had no idea what they meant by Gunners but if he would get me to Nick Valentine I didn't care.
"Look, I don't care who he used to work with. If he isn't with them now that's saying enough." I retorted rolling my eyes to see MacCready staring at me in surprise.
"Look here missy, we could kill you both right now, but we don't want a war with Good Neighbor. You see we don't like overstepping our boundaries, something you never learned MacCready." One with overly large sideburns says as he steps up to grab me by the collar of my shirt. I took a deep breath, I really hated being touched. I grabbed his finger from my shirt and began bending it back until he was kneeling uncomfortably on the ground whimpering for me to let him go.
"You stupid bitch." His friend roars I look up seeing him about to hit me.
"Not another move, you won't lay a hand on my employer. Why don't you and your girlfriend get out of here before we decide to end your miserable lives." MacCready hisses his rifle aimed at the others head.
"Go and if you come back, I won't be as kind." I snap making both scramble out of there.
"Come on Barnes, lets go… This isn't over MacCready!" They hiss falling all over themselves to get out of there.
"That was awesome, Oh man did you see the look on their faces?!" MacCready laughed looking back at me making me smile in return. I was happy because we handled that together without killing them. This was proof enough that he was different than Hancock.
"Also, thank you for what you said about me being with the Gunners." He murmured his smile falling from his face, his eye brows furrowing.
"I'm not sure what the Gunners are, but if you left them it had to be for a good reason. So I can't judge you for your past. I can only judge you by your actions, you let those men walk away with their lives. You could have killed them right then and there but you didn't. You gave them a warning. That makes you good in my book." I remarked making him stare at me with those big blue eyes again.
"The Gunners are a really tightly knit mercenary group, so tightly knit you'd think it was a cult or something… I only stuck with them cause the caps were good, I didn't really fit in so I ended up flying solo." He sighs before coming to stand in front of me.
"You have a lot of morals still don't you? You seem so innocent compared to the rest of the scum in this place. I will risk my life to protect that innocence." He says running his knuckles down my cheek. I can feel my face flush, as I stare into his eyes unable to look away. Our eyes stay locked and it's as though a mask is being lifted and I can only stare frozen as I see the pure pain deep in those blue eyes.
I have to wonder if that pain is like my own? Then just like that spell has been broken, he looks away first walking past me and I feel like I can breathe again. I turn around seeing him going over to the caps I laid out only taking 200 of them before pouring the rest into their bag and putting it back into my pack. He looked over at me offering me the pack with a small smile. I took it shrugging it over my shoulders, together we walked out of the third rail heading for the exit of Good Neighbor.
"Its gonna be great getting back out there instead of drinking myself blind here." MacCready says stretching his arms over his head.
"How long has it been since you've been back there?" I say nodding my head toward the door. "Months maybe, those assh- idiots back there are the reason I haven't had any business. People won't touch me once they hear that I used to run with the Gunners." MacCready mutters before freezing in his place.
"Hey, Hancock. How's the coolest ghoul in the Commonwealth?" I swallow hard at John's name leaving his lips, I look over to see him leaning against wall right next to the exit. His black eyes slide over to me and I can't help but shiver.
"Hey MacCready… Avery? I went to your room and you were gone already. You planned to leave without saying anything?" I'm not sure if it's a question or a statement but I nod anyway making MacCready stare between us curiously.
"I offered to take her to Diamond City with me since I was on my way already." MacCready lies through his teeth staring at John seriously.
"Is that so… Good luck finding your son Avery. I do hope you'll come back soon to see me." He whispers stepping forward wrapping his arms around me tightly. I feel my eyes burning as I wrap my arms around him too.
"Thank you John, I will come by to see you again one day." He pulls away smiling softly before looking at MacCready.
"Protect her with your life… please." MacCready only nods, his face has gone completely serious.
"Let's go." He says taking me by my arm and walking me out of Good Neighbor leaving Hancock behind us.
"Well here we are Diamond City the green jewel of the Commonwealth." MacCready says softly, I blink up at him as he takes my hand in his wrapping it around his forearm.
"Stay close okay?" I nod as MacCready leads me down the stairs into the city.
"There's a lot of stuff you can do here, but you said you were looking for Nicky so let's go there first." He says and I only nod in agreement as he leads me down an alleyway with a bright neon sign reading Valentines Detective agency. I hold on to him a little tighter as we reach the door. I swallow hard reaching with trembling hands for the doorknob. I feel MacCreadys hand lead mine to the doorknob using both of our hands to open the door.
We walk in together to see a woman standing holding a few ties in her hand. "His ties… oh Nick…" She murmurs sadly. I pull away from MacCready stepping forward.
"Is everything alright?" I urged as a woman in tears turned to face me.
"Another stray coming in from the rain, afraid you are a bit too late…office is closed." She sobs placing a hand over her mouth.
"Please I know you must be busy but I won't take much of your time miss, it's really important." I whisper with pleading eyes as she takes a breath calming down.
"You're right im sorry, I didn't mean to be rude….it's just the detective. He's gone missing." I clench my fist at my side as MacCready places a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"He disappeared working on a case. Skinny Malone's gang had kidnapped a young woman. He tracked them down to their hide out in Park street station. There's an old Vault down there they use as a base. I told Nick he was walking into a trap, but he just smiled and walked out the door like he always does." she chuckled sadly.
"I'll find him, you have my word." I promised her before looking at MacCready who slowly slipped his hand off my shoulder.
"Come on." I said walking past him out the door. MacCready stops me just as we get outside.
"Avery, there is something I should tell you. If we are going after Nick, you are going to have to kill someone…. can you do that? I've seen you fight but I don't know if you have it in you to take a life…" He reasons biting his lip I assume in a hope to not offend me.
"I don't enjoy murdering someone for no reason, if they try to kill me or hurt me I will end someone that includes if I need to kill in order to find Nick Valentine then I will do it. I'm no stranger to killing but that doesn't mean I enjoy it." I mutter realizing all of my morals will be destroyed in this place.
"Then let's go find Nicky shall we?" He says with a small smile.