Later that afternoon MacCready returns to the clinic with a new set of chompers. Still a bit hazy from the knockout gas they gave him, he becomes confused when he enters the room only to find Nora is no longer in her bed. He frantically looks around for anyone who might know where she has gone but then he hears the sound of someone talking from inside the clinic's bathroom. He knocks on the door and waits for a reply.

"Well be done here in a minute," a gen two responds.

MacCready waits impatiently for the two of them to come out. Before long, he can hear Nora being helped out of the tub, then dried off, and dressed before stepping out of the room. Both of their eyes light up as they look into each others eyes.

"Oh my god, Nora. You're awake," MacCready cries.

"Hello Robert," she greets with a smile. She almost didn't recognize him without his rundown clothes and goatee. She turns to the gen two. "Can you leave us to be alone for a bit please?"

"Sure thing Mother. Just be sure to take it easy."

"I understand."

The gen two steps out of the room and the two of them just stare at each other finding the room quiet and awkward.

"So how are you feeling?" He asks.

"I'm fine. How about you?"

"I've been having a few bad headaches but other than that nothing major."

"I'm glad."

They become quiet again.

"Well come on back to your bed. You must still be exhausted."

"Only a little." She walks over and sits down then pats the spot next to the bed.

He sits down beside her. "So, are you ready to tell me what was so important in your backpack that we both nearly risked life and limb for it?"

"I can't," she protests.

"Why not?"

"Because that will ruin the surprise."

"What surprise?"
She gives him a look. "Seriously? You can't ask a question like that."

"Nora, we both nearly died. I think I have the right to know."

"Please Robert. You have to trust me that it will be better to just wait."

He sighs and lowers his head, "I feel like most of my life has been nothing but waiting. Waiting for a family to give me a home, waiting to grow up, waiting to start my own family, and now..."

"Now what?" Nora pries.

He shakes his head. "I don't know. I guess I am waiting for someone to tell me. Taking the next step has never been easy for me."

"You once told me that... Lucy saw you as a solider. Did she actually say that to you or did you just assume it?"

"Well I told her I was a solider. I think she more saw me as a man who once looked out for himself trying his best to put the past behind him in an effort to become a decent father. It begs the question, which I admit I am afraid to ask, how do you see me?"

"I see..." Her eyes study him for a moment. "...a young boy, perhaps the same one who grew up in that cave, crying out for love. I am sure Lucy got a glimpse of that part of you and I am sure that is how she was able to touch you in such a deep way. You must miss her terribly and for that I am sorry."

"It's true, I miss Lucy a lot... but at some point we have to move on, don't you think?"

"I was hoping you would say that because I want what we have together to be more than friendship. What about you?"

"I... I don't know. I mean, I never thought the two of us would get this close. What about your husband? I know he's gone, but you still love him, don't you?"

"Like you said, that's the past. You're all that matters to me now."

"Really? Wow! I know I was taking a chance dumping all my feelings on the table. But now that I know how you really feel about me... it was definitely worth the risk. You know, before your injury I was thinking, for once in my life everything's going right... and I have you to thank for it. I don't think anyone in the world could ask for a greater gift than that. So thank you." He shakes his head feeling overwhelmed. "Wow, I think this is the first time in his life that I'm actually happy."

"You were not happy with Lucy?"

"I thought I was but now I realize that the bond we had, at least for me, was a paternal one. It wasn't like how it is with us. With Lucy I didn't feel like I could be honest with her and I did my best to get along with her for the sake of our son. But with you I feel like I not only can, but I want to be as honest and open with you as possible."

They look deeply into each others eyes. Their hearts ache as they beat rapidly wanting so badly to be held close together. Nora hitches herself up next to him and places her hand over the curve of his neck. Her thumb caresses his jawline gently. She is surprised by how smooth his skin is. He gives her a smile and she notices how his teeth are now full and white.

"Wow. I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you look so handsome right now," she admits.

"Is it because of my teeth?" He asks while sticking his finger up to his mouth.

"It's just... everything. I think this is the first time I am getting a complete visual of the real you. No walls, no sarcasm, just Robert Joseph MacCready."

She leans in to give him a kiss and for the slightest moment he pulls back from her. She stops to look at him and she can tell he wants to say something. She waits a few seconds to give him time to respond to her gesture. His lips quiver and he licks them to get them to stop. He then lets out a deep, long, sigh while placing his hand over hers. She moves in for a second try and this time he is more receptive. He opens his mouth slightly and her bottom lip caresses his just before her upper lip gently presses against his. They both take in a deep breath as she pulls back to readjust herself. Moving in for a third time she places more pressure against the center of his mouth and gives him a smooch. Wanting more, MacCready slips his tongue between her lips and they finally experience the taste that they have both longed for. Their hearts skip a beat as they pull each other in and slide their fingers up each others backs. They can feel so much warmth, so much lust, and so much love.

Nora pulls herself away from the kiss to look at him once again. "Robert?"

"Yeah?" He replies a bit sad that she has decided to stop.

"I want to know what your idea was." She waits for him to respond but he just looks at her confused. "You know... about us going away somewhere."

It suddenly clicks. "Oh, right." They loosen their grips but keep their hands folded around one another. "So I was listening to the radio the other day, and an ad came up about a theme park. I was thinking we could do that. Once you get better that is."

"I don't think I can wait that long." She looks down at her cast. "I just want us to go somewhere where we can spend some time alone without interruptions."

He brushes his fingers through her hair. "I know sweetheart, but I am not willing to take another risk so soon after this last one. You have no idea how scared I was when I saw that courser standing over you. With that ghoul trying to maul me I thought I wasn't going to save myself in time to help you. I don't know how I did it but I blasted that fuckers brains out and got back to my feet so fast." His body begins to shiver with anxiety. "I don't want to lose you."

He lowers his head and Nora holds him against her chest. He takes in deep breaths to try to calm himself. Nora hushes him and runs her fingers along the back of his neck.

"It's okay. I'm right here." His body shivers again. "Hey, hey. Look at me."

He does as she asks. She tries to think of something to say but becomes frustrated and just huffs to herself. He leans into her and plants another long and passionate kiss on her. She moans a bit as her womanly instincts become heightened. She wishes she could just let herself go and allow him to take her right here on the hospital bed but that isn't how she wants their first time to be. It must be some place private where they can have all the time in the world to pleasure one another.

As if cued to validate her point, her doctor enters the room to catch them in the middle of their make out session. He stops in his tracks realizing he has just walked in on a very serious moment.

"Oh, I am sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt," he apologizes.

"That's alright doctor," Nora says clearing her throat as she and MacCready lean back from each other. "What do you need?"

"Oh um... this is gonna be hard for me to tell you this, especially after you just looked so happy. I regret to have to be the one to inform you that your son, Shaun, he just passed away a few minutes ago."

"Oh god," they both cry.

"I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do."

Nora's head becomes dizzy and she places her fingers against her temple. MacCready wraps his arm around her back to ensure that she doesn't fall over. After a minute of her trying to hold back her sorrow she looks over at the doctor.

"Can I see him? I want to see him."

"Of course," the doctor replies.

She stands up from the bed and MacCready grabs the bed's blanket to wrap around her shoulders. He helps her to walk as they follow the doctor up two fights of stairs and down a hallway to where Shaun's apartment is. As they step into the room they can see him laid out on his bed on the far wall. They step up beside him and Nora places her hand on his head to prove to herself that he is in fact gone and not just sleeping. She can already tell that he has a weird temperature to him. When she lifts her hand back up his head falls slightly to the side. Her stomach swells as if it is being stabbed by a thousand tiny needles.

"No," she cries as her body lurches forward.

MacCready catches her and holds her against himself. She cries into his shoulder as she grips on to him tightly. MacCready turns to the doctor.

"Did he go peacefully?" He asks.

"We made him as comfortable as we could."

Nora lifts her face from MacCready's soaked shoulder. "Did he say anything?"

"Only that he was sorry and that you are to be his successor."

"What if I don't want it?" She snaps.

"Well, if you choose to stand down then we will have a console meeting to discus and then vote on a new successor."

As she is about to say something MacCready cuts her off. "Nora look... I can admit that I am not the biggest fan of this place myself but you need to take a moment and think about your decision. Think of all the good you can accomplish with all this technology at your fingertips. Think of all the lives you could save, not only human but synth as well."

"But I am not sure I want that kind of responsibility. I don't want to be seen as a leader. I just want to live my life peacefully and happy... with you."

"Look, this doesn't have to change our plans. You have to take some time to get healed up anyway so how about we use that time to see how much effort it is really going to take to be the voice of the Institute. After a week or two if you still don't think you can do it, then we'll just walk away."

They look deep into each others eyes. Nora wipes her face then looks back over at Shaun.

"I guess it is what he wanted." She turns back to MacCready. "Alright. Let's give it a try."

"I know you can do this. You are strong, good willed, and oh so smart."

She smiles, "Thanks Robert."