This chapter was delayed longer than I anticipated. I couldn't quite get the slow burn right between Nora and Nick. I wanted to go from 0 - 100 right away, but I also want to have Nora conflicted about still mourning the loss of Nate while also realizing that it's okay to love someone else too.
This chapter is more focused on the slow burn between the two. Therefore, the plot follows the standard interogation/questioning part of the quest. While I paraphrase most of the discussions, there won't be a lot of new information in this chapter. It's pretty much setting up things for later.
I hope you enjoy. Reviews are appreciated!
Chapter 7
It was late afternoon before Nora woke up. She was having a nightmare, she had the same one nearly every night, and in this one she felt the heavy door of the Cryo Pod swing down and trap her to the bed. Frigid air swirled around her body; she watched helplessly as her husband pounded on his cryopod window and mouthed the words "help me" as Shaun cried in his arms.
"Ah, Nora?" A muffled voice sounded through the door. "I am sorry. I need to clean room for other guests, yes?"
The voice thankfully broke through the nightmare, and Nora was shaken back into reality.
"Dammit. Shit. Yefim, I'm sorry. I got in late and I didn't realize how tired I was." Nora threw on a simple t-shirt and jeans and stuffed her vault suit, ammo, and supplies into her military rucksack.
She wrenched the door open and nearly collided into Yefim, his mop bucket, and laundered blankets.
"Sorry, Yefim. You can add another ten caps to my bill for overstaying my welcome. I plan to square up with you later tonight, anyways."
"No. No. There is no price for kindness. You saved my brother from his stupidity. I am forever in your debt. There are snack cakes for you on the counter. They are a little stale, but they are good. Eat before you go, yes. Free of charge."
"Thanks, Yefim." Nora waved goodbye before she walked into the ruined lobby. Vadim was leaning over the bar holding his head in his hands nursing a pretty wicked hangover.
After Travis and Nora rescued him from Beantown Brewery, he decided to celebrate by taste testing a new batch of his famous moonshine. Two bottles later and Vadim ended the night dancing with Scarlet on the bar. Although Nora was long passed out by then, she heard that they managed a pretty mediocre waltz.
"Ah, Nora!" Vadim cried as he noticed that she was trying to sneak away. "I have a job you would be good for. You will be a rich lady if you stick with Vadim."
"No thanks, Vadim. I think saving your ass from certain death is enough adventuring for this month."
Vadim laughed but winced as the merriment did nothing to quell his pounding headache, "Yes, you are right. Be safe out there, Nora."
She waved farewell and entered into the bright afternoon sunlight. Diamond City was humming and busy as Nora walked down the alleyway and stepped into the marketplace.
When she walked into Diamond City early that morning with Nick, the glittering floodlights and the cloudless night made the empty marketplace twinkle.
"It ain't much, but these people have been good to me." Nick remarked. "Even learned to look past the ugly bits of myself. They gave me a job, let me start a business, and let make my living in whatever way an ol' synth can."
Nora could understand his gratefulness. If it wasn't for Arturo, Nat, and Piper, she and Codsworth would've never survived her first night here. Even in the short time of living in Diamond City, The Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth was Nora's safe haven.
"Hey Blue! When am I going to get that exclusive interview from you?" Piper asked when she saw Nora walk past Publik Occurrences.
"Hey Piper." Nora smiled politely and walked on by. Nora's gratefulness evaporated like water in a radioactive desert. Piper had badgered her every day since she arrived to give an exclusive interview about her experience in Vault 111. Every day, Nora declined politely and then outright refused. Her past life was private, nor did she want the Diamond City citizens to look at her like some tragic case, or worse, as some superhuman wonder who survived the horrors of Vault Tec. No, Nora enjoyed hiding in her anonymity.
"You can't ignore me forever, Blue! I promise that it will be painless!" Then, as if inspiration had struck, Piper exclaimed "Hey, wait up!"
Nora slowed her pace and allowed the reporter to meet her by Power Noodles.
"So, you had a late night." It wasn't a question but an observation. "I heard you sauntered into town with our resident synth detective last night. D'you have any juicy information you want to spill?"
"Like what?" Nora scoffed but could feel her face grow warm in embarrassment. Why was she embarrassed, she wondered. She was asked to find the detective because he was offering a service that she needed. In fact she was only meeting Nick so he could help her look for Shaun. They had a professional relationship, nothing more.
Piper gave Nora a smile like a cheshire cat. She was too astute for her own good. Thankfully she let Nora keep her modesty. "I'm thinking of another headline. 'Kidnapped Synth Detective Begs the Question: Is Anybody Safe?'"
"Piper, Nick wasn't kidnapped by the Institute. He was jumped by a gangster named Skinny Malone and his girlfriend…well, ex-girlfriend."
"Oh." Piper seemed disappointed and slightly abashed, "Darn it. I was hoping to get a hard hitting lead for the front page to help boost sales."
Nora could see the opening that Piper presented her. If she would give Piper an interview about Vault 111, she was sure Diamond City residents would eat it up. It was even more of a reason to not do it.
"Sorry, Piper. I'm just not ready to talk about my experiences in the Vault yet. It's still painful."
"Yet, you're going to tell Nicky."
Nora frowned at the casual way she addressed the detective. Then, as though she read her mind, Piper replied, "Oh, Nicky and I go way back. I know how he operates. I just don't know how he can persuade people to spill their inner secrets whereas I can barely get any of these folks to give me a straight quote for an opinion piece. I wonder if he uses synth mind control."
Nora gaped at her until Piper shot her a mischievous grin. "I'm kidding, Blue."
"Of course." She replied. She hated feeling foolish; normally she wasn't a gullible person, but her long nap put her at a severe disadvantage when it came to the dangers and terminology of the Commonwealth. "Hey, I have to go Piper. I'm gonna be late."
She waved goodbye to the reporter and took off down the alleyway at a fast walk. As she rounded the corner past the city's jail, Nora followed the bright red sign with the cupid's heart emblem down to Nick Valentine's office door. She grabbed the metal handle firmly and let herself step into the warm office.
Nick sat at an office desk near the back of the room. His head was wreathed with cigarette smoke as he poured over an old case file. Nora couldn't make out the writing on the file folder but she did notice that it held a paperclip picture of a man who looked remarkably similar to Nick's trench coat and fedora clad style.
"Oh, Nora!" Ellie exclaimed from the second desk that looked buried beneath boxes of papers. The brunette engulfed Nora into a tight hug. "Thank you so much for rescuing Nick. Now I know you that you didn't do this for money, but please take this." She thrusted a large container that had the words "CASH" written across the tin in black marker. "Nick and I are forever in your debt."
"Ellie, this isn't necessary. I can't accept this." Nora pleaded.
"Nonsense. You earned it. Consider it your first paid case as one of the Valentine Detective Agency's new detectives!"
"Ellie," Nick warned. His yellow eyes met Nora's and held a look of bemusement. He often had to temper Ellie's idealism. "I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself here. The woman is here first and foremost as my client." The synth snuffed out the spent cigarette butt in a nearby ashtray and rose from his desk.
"Oh, yes. You're right. I'm sorry. Here, Nora please have a seat." Ellie gestured to an empty yellow plush chair. She's all yours, Nick."
Nora flushed again at Ellie's comment. This time she admonished herself for acting like a immature teenager. Shaun was still missing, and she buried her husband a little less than a month ago. She needed to set her sights on finding her son.
Nick cleared his throat, thankfully oblivious to Nora's embarrassment, and made his way over to Ellie's desk. His tattered trench coat looked a little less dirty and his white button down shirt was ironed and pressed. Nora wondered if Ellie was simply Nick's secretary or if they shared a more domestic and comfortable relationship. Nora's face flushed red as she stuffed down her guilt and now her jealousy.
Nick pushed the boxes of paperwork to the side of the desk and took a seat in the available wooden chair. Ellie stood at his side with a pencil and a clipboard ready to dictate.
Nick pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a matchbook from his pocket and lit another cigarette, took a couple drags off it letting the smoke exhale out of his lungs and float to the ceiling before beginning. Nora felt a longing and an envy for a cigarette of her own. She quit smoking the day she found out she was pregnant, but quitting cold turkey didn't mean the cravings never surfaced.
"So, Nora. I have some questions to ask you about your son's disappearance. I need you to answer them honestly. Don't leave any detail out, no matter how small or irrelevant it may seem to you. Take your time and start from the beginning. Ellie will be taking notes as you talk so we don't forget anything."
Nick's voice was comforting. He left the ball in her court. This wasn't an interrogation, this was a informational discussion. She could reveal as much or as little information that she found necessary, and she was grateful to Nick for that.
"Well, I guess I'll start at the beginning." Nora said. Her meek and quiet voice was a stark contrast to her self assured bravado that she pulled out against Skinny Malone.
"I … uh. I lived in Sanctuary Hills. It was a little community north of Concord. My husband, Nate, (his name tasted like battery acid on her tongue) my son Shaun, and I were granted early access to Vault 111 because my husband served in the United States Army."
"Wait," Nick interjected, "United States? You're talking about Pre-War? Jesus!"
Ellie looked confused but kept scribbling notes on a legal pad. Nick, on the other hand, looked amazed.
Nora continued while trying to pretend that Nick's hypnotic yellow eyes were not appraising her like some museum curiosity.
"Um…so when the air raid sirens went off, my husband grabbed our baby and we ran to Vault 111. I watched the bomb detonate over Boston right before we were lowered into the Vault."
The panic and confusion echoed through her veins as though their memory had been burned there. Nate's hand grabbed hers as they both prepared themselves to meet the end while waiting for the elevator to descend. The memory was so vivid that she thought she felt Nate's warm, calloused hand on hers only to realize that Nick's pale synthetic hand was closed around hers. Nick had pulled the wooden chair so that he was now sitting directly in front of Nora. They were so close that their knees touched.
Nora closed her eyes. Perhaps this would be easier if she just blurted out the rest of the story quickly. Unfortunately, the interior of the Vault swam in front of her eyes as clear as the day they had arrived. Her voice was empty and almost void of emotion. She felt as numb and cold as she did when the cryo pod froze her.
"Despite the chaos outside, everyone inside the Vault was orderly and calm. They gave us these jumpsuits to put on and then guided us to a 'decontamination' chamber. They said we would get need to get decontaminated before we were allowed to go further into the Vault. I sensed that something was off, but did what I was told and got into the machine. My husband — the soldier, the one who was use to taking orders — protested and was threatened and then pushed into his pod with Shaun. I should've fought back against them. I should've taken Shaun so …"
Nora's voice died on her lips. She would give anything to go back in time and re-do that moment so that Nate would've lived instead.
"It's okay It's not your fault," Nick reassured her. His hands, both synthetic and metal, gently pulled her hands into his. He was overly careful with his metal hand, but the cool and rough texture of the joints felt strangely reassuring. "Vault Tec is infamous for their unethical social experiments. I've come across a couple Vaults myself, not counting the one that you saved me from. It's amazing that you escaped."
Nora opened her eyes; Nick held her gaze hypnotically and Nora couldn't help but wonder if Piper's joke about synth mind control held more truth than she knew because she somehow found the strength to continue on with her story.
"When they closed me in, I felt cold air surround me and I felt that I would never get warm again. I don't remember anything during the time that I was frozen. I didn't know how much time had passed until I made it out. I wasn't conscious to anything except the unbearable cold. The first thing that I remember was hearing the Vault alarm system go off and watched three people open open the pods. I couldn't open my door, but I watched as … "
Nora stopped. She hugged her arms around herself as she felt the cold sink through her t-shirt and jeans. She sat there and rocked herself for a moment until a warm hand gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"It's okay, doll. Take all the time you need."
"The — the people opened my husband's machine, and they took Shaun away from him. Shaun was crying and my husband fought them. Then one of them shot Nate in the head. I watched as his brain painted the seat red. Then the man came up to my machine. His cold eyes bore into mine and he sneered, "At least we have the spare'."
They must've reactivated the cryostasis because when my machine finally opened, my husband's body was already partially decomposed. Everyone else in the Vault's other cryostats machines were already dead. Besides a handful of mutated cockroaches, I was the only one left in the Vault. Everyone else had either died as part of the failed cryostats experiment or were the victims of a mutiny that happened while everyone was on ice."
Nick leaned back in his seat deep in thought.
"So three people break into a Vault to steal an infant child? That doesn't make sense. How did they know you were there? I never knew Vault 111 existed until now and I've done research on all of the Commonwealth vaults in Boston. Did these people have any distinguishing features. What did they sound like? Did they use names? What types of clothing were they wearing?"
"Um, two of them were wearing doctors scrubs, no wait, they were wearing blue hazmat suits. The third one, the man who killed my husband, had a bald head and a large scar across his eye. He wore camouflage clothes and a large armored chest plate, but none of his clothing was military issued."
Nick's eyes lit up at the mention of a scar. "Does the name Kellogg ring a bell to you?"
"No, not really."
"Kellogg came through here about five months or so with a young boy. They stayed for two weeks and then disappeared. Nobody has seen either of them since. Now, I'm not saying that Kellogg is our man for sure but if we assume that some time passed since your husband was murdered and when you were finally released from cryostats, then it could be more than just a coincidence that Kellogg had a six year old kid with him."
"He could have a son, Nick." Ellie interjected.
"No, it's not likely. His poisonous personality and questionable employment aside, he isn't fit for domestic life and he sure as hell wouldn't be the one to win the "Single Father of the Year" award." Nick replied, "Besides, I've been in this city for over fifty year now. I've watched most of its citizens grow up. Kellogg is a drifter. He isn't a man who would settle down with a family. I think we need to sleep on this one and reconvene tomorrow. We can check out his house here in Diamond City and see if there are any clues that he left behind."
Ellie put her notes into an empty file folder and placed it on Nick's desk. "Well, if you don't mind Nick, I'm going to head out. Nora, I'm sorry for all of your troubles. I can't imagine the pain you're feeling. Just hang in there. Nick will do anything he can to help."
"Thanks Ellie," Nora replied. The woman patted Nora's shoulders and grabbed a small purse from a nearby file cabinet. "Good night, you two."
Once Ellie had cleared out an uncomfortable silence settled over the two. Nick was the first to break it.
"Thank you for sharing all of this with me. I know that couldn't have been easy to relive all of that."
He placed a warm, pale hand over hers and gave it a gentle, comforting squeeze. "If you don't have anywhere else to be, how would you like to unwind with a drink. You probably need it after all of this."
"I'd like that very much, Nick." Nora replied. "Although, I'd rather not go to the Dugout Inn. I spend enough time there as it is. I'm afraid that if I go back, Vadim will try to sucker me into another one of his get rich quick schemes."
"Not a problem, doll. I have some nice aged bourbon that I've been saving for a rainy day.
Nick returned from the back room with two chipped ceramic coffee cups and a brown corked bottle. He uncorked the liquor and poured three fingers full into each of their mugs before setting the bottle on the desk between them.
"I'm sorry that I don't have anything better. It's pretty sacrilegious to drink such fine alcohol out of coffee mugs, but sometimes you got to make due." Nick grinned and toasted to her before taking a sip.
Although his body couldn't metabolize alcohol, he thankfully possessed rudimentary tastebuds and could indulge in the occasional drink or the more frequent cigarette. It was one of the small favors the Institute gave him, and he'd forever be grateful for that.
Nora took a sip as well and let the caramel liquor warm her up. "So Nick, how did you get ahold of such fine alcohol?" Even with her travels with Codsworth, most of the alcohol that Nora had found was either poor quality swill or spoiled after 200 years of improper storage.
Nick looked pensively into his drink before speaking, "Oh, I did a little favor for this rich-to-do caravaner when I first started out. He suspected that one of his guards had stolen money from him while they were camped down by the East Massachusetts Turnpike. I did some snooping around and discovered that the thief was actually a ghoul by the name of Sunny who was stealing money to help support a crippling addiction to Day Tripper. He was relieved that he didn't have to fire one of his best caravan guards, but he was still a little light on caps from the robbery so I bartered with him. I've just never had anyone to share it with until now."
"You have Ellie." Nora pointed out, cringing again at the irrational jealousy that sparked in her veins.
"Ellie? Oh, no. We have a great working relationship. Sometimes I think that she wants more out of our relationship, but I could never pursue her. She's a nice woman who doesn't need to pine after this ugly mug."
"Don't sell yourself short, Nick." Nora chuckled, more out of relief than anything. "There are plenty of women in the wasteland who would be lucky to have a man like you."
A pregnant silence filled the room and Nora full on blushed in embarrassment. "Look, I'm sorry. That was forward. I —"
"It's okay, doll. I — well uh, thanks for the compliment I guess." Nick stammered. He suddenly took great interest in fixing his tie and soothing down the lapels on his trench coat.
"Relationships are messy when you're in my line of work." Nick continued once he regained his composure. "I have far too many enemies who would like to hurt people who were close to me. Plus, I'm a synth and I'm not even one of the latest models. Ellie could do far better than my outdated husk."
There was a bitterness there in Nick's voice. A bitterness that was tinged in regret and melancholy.
"Speaking of that," Nora interjected trying to change the subject away from Ellie, "You never explained to me what a synth actually is."
She had heard enough rumors about the Institute by now that Nora could probably compose a pretty decent guess, but she also wanted a clear explanation that would hopefully level the playing field.
"Ah, yes. That was a purposeful deception on my part." Nick grinned and topped off both of their glasses with more liquor. "When you look as rough as I do, you get use to people staring. Not many people care enough to sit down with a synth and get to know him as though he was another person. You're the first person in over ten years who has cared enough to talk with me like I was an equal and not just a modified Mister Handy. So, thank you for that."
Nora flushed at the compliment and took another drink. If she was confronted by the sudden color in her cheeks, she could always blame it on the alcohol.
If Nick picked up on her sudden bashfulness, he didn't let on. "If you're interested, I'll tell you as much as I know. Consider it a fair trade for being forced to air your dirty laundry."
"That sounds like a wonderful trade-off." Nora replied. The alcohol was helping her relax; the painful memories of the Vault seemed like a long forgotten nightmare.
Nora and Nick talked for nearly five hours. First Nick talked about the history of synths — from what he could remember during his creation by the Institute — and then reminisced about the people who took him in while he was still trying to come to terms with the memories of the real Nick Valentine. Then Nick shared with her how he made it to Diamond City and worked as the town's handyman until he was tasked with rescuing the mayor's daughter. Eventually, the detective persona came naturally to him. Nick the synth and Nick Valentine the Pre-War cop melded together to create the Nick Valentine of today.
They settled into a comfortable silence once Nick finished his story. The soft pattering of rain could be heard on the tin roof and for a moment Nora forgot that she was 212 years out of her time. Nora loved to watch the rain fall from her living room window back in Sanctuary. The rain was cleansing and she would breathe in the cool, refreshing air when the windows were left open.
Nick cleared his throat once more which broke Nora out of her daydream. "Well, it looks like I've kept you for a bit too long. I don't need to sleep, but sometimes I forget that you humans do. Plus, we got in pretty late this morning. No sense in burning the candle at both ends two nights in a row. Allow me to walk you back to the Dugout Inn. Diamond City is pretty safe but you can never be too careful what with the Institute and their boogymen lurking in the shadows."
"Thank you, Nick." Nora replied with a chuckle. The bourbon was making her feel chipper and merry. "You're quite the gentleman."
Nick's smile reminded her of the movie posters with the All-American-Boy archetype as the lead. It was a genuine and kind smile that hid no ulterior motives or pretenses. His smile reminded her so much of Nate.
Nick led her out the door and offered her his arm like a true gentleman. They walked arm in arm across the empty marketplace and ducked under the awnings by the Science Center. The walk was short, but Nora felt content and at peace for the first time since Nate's death.
"Thanks for everything Nick." Nora said, breaking the silence between them. Her voice wavered with nerves. "You're the first person that I've told about Nate since his funeral. I'm sorry for … you know … disconnecting there for a bit. The memories are still fresh, and I have a hard time not getting sucked into that nightmare again."
"Nora, you've been through a helluva lot more than most people. Having some flashbacks like that is only natural. I'm here if you ever need to talk to someone who understands. I've — well — Nick's had his own share of trauma."
Nora nodded in understanding. She was still getting use to the idea that the man standing in front of her was more or less an echo of the Pre-War Nick Valentine.
"I feel that in this new world that I've been thrown into, emotions are a weakness. Death and hardship is so common when you are forced to eek out a meager survival in this wasteland. I'm just not use to that. So, thanks for not thinking that I was being weak."
Nick's yellow eyes seemed to smolder when he looked at her. "Don't ever be sorry for your emotions, doll. Your empathy is an incredibly rare trait. Too many people become hardened by the wasteland and forget that emotions are not a sign of weakness, they are a sign of strength and a sign of your humanity."
He was close enough to her that she could hear the whirling of his cooling fans and she could hear the soft, steady thumping of his artificial heartbeat.
She smiled shyly, "So I'll see you tomorrow … and we'll do some investigating in Kellogg's house?"
"I'll be there. You just stop by whenever you are ready." Nick's synthetic hand gently tucked a loose strand of damp chocolate colored hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, doll. Sleep well."
Nick Valentine tucked himself into his trench coat and tilted his fedora to protect himself from the rain. His coat fluttered around his legs as he disappeared into the darkness and Nora's fingers ghosted over where Nick had touched her.
The coolness from the rain did nothing to quench the fire she felt. However, Nate's face and her guilt over feeling something for a man other than her late husband washed over her like a cold wave.