Sturges was not the traveling type despite his physical appearance; being holed up in his workshop was something he was much more accustomed to, making repairs and constructing things for the place he called home. Considering his aversion to weapons and violence, and the dangerous nature of the wasteland, that was probably for the best. However, he was currently en route to the Starlight Drive-in at the fringes of the controlled Concord area, and there was only one explanation for this unusual turn of events: Vera.

Yes, whenever Vera asked for something, he'd end up doing it. Perhaps it was because she rarely asked for things, and so when she did he wanted to make sure he rewarded her openness. More likely, he enjoyed seeing the happiness it brought her when her visions for the world around her came to life. They were the kind of visions only someone who had lived before the Great War could have, and they were also the kind only he with his mechanical savvy could pull off. Today's goal was bigger than most she'd brought before him, one that involved him coming all the way to this Minuteman outpost that was currently serving as a hub for trade. Even still, he hadn't hesitated to agree, because above all else, he believed in her ideas.

"There, see the giant screen?" she pointed ahead, dispelling his thoughts. "They used to play movies on there, and people would watch them from their cars. Actually, there are a couple of pretty nice remains I left for you to take a look at instead of scrapping for metal. Thought you might get some ideas for your hobby, you know?"

Sturges raised a hand to shield his eyes. Sure enough, what looked like a gigantic billboard rose from the distance. "Thoughtful as always, Ms. Vera. That's good; then you can't holler at me for workin' too hard on your to-do list because I'll have some cars to play around with during break time."

Vera turned and made a face, but it was so close to a pout it was hardly offensive. "Glad you were listening to me."

"Now Ms. Vera, you know I always listen to you," he chided, ignoring the implications of her statement. He was set to have a good day, not to relive the spat they'd had not that long ago. She'd done her part by coming to him with this idea, and he was going to do his by not pushing himself too far. In an attempt to keep the mood light, he reached over and rested a hand on top of her head. "Get a generator up and runnin' near the diner, put in some lights, turn that water filter industrial grade, and most importantly of all, piece together a jukebox with a decent selection of songs. Then, people who are stopping here along the trade route and any other travelers on the road can have not only a safe place to stay for the night but also a good time. Did I miss anything?"

She swatted his hand away, albeit playfully. "Thanks for agreeing to this. I know traveling isn't your favorite thing, but no one else could make this happen."

"Hey, I've got a pistol packin' mama and a vicious attack dog to keep me safe. It ain't the walkin' that I don't like, after all."

"I know. I would never send you anywhere dangerous, not even with me and Dogmeat." She fell silent a moment before pointing once again. "And over there you can see the diner part, can't you? That's where the fun stuff's gonna go."

Sturges squinted at the building further in the distance. The Drive-in was apparently quite a large tract of land. No wonder Ms. Vera had decided it would make an ideal commercial center! The closer they got, the more details he could make out. The guardpost on top of the screen, allowing them to see danger from a great distance away. The fields of crops along the northern edge, and the settlers bent over as they tended to the plants. The shacks for the workers lined up near the water source. It looked as if she'd even added some spare quarters on the roof of the diner along with another watchpost. All this, and she'd done it on her own. He was impressed, even if he did plan on checking everything to be sure it was structurally sound…

It was as if she could read his mind. "Don't look too closely at the stuff I tried to put together with the settlers. It isn't exactly Sturges quality work…"

"To be fair, there's only one of me and several settlements under Minuteman control. Few people are blessed with my handiwork." When she saw that he was trying to fight back a teasing smirk, she elbowed him in the side, triggering a laugh. "And honestly, the way you turned this dead spot into such a bustlin' center, you've really got a flair for infrastructure plannin', don't ya?"

"It's not rocket science…" she mumbled, suddenly embarrassed. "Just the basics, like you taught me back in Sanctuary."

He didn't try to push the point. "What'll you be up to while I'm keepin' busy?"

"Running up by Trudy's place, supplying the cabins, maybe getting a few lounge areas set up near the diner." She paused as they reached the chain-link fence surrounding the back of the screen. "This is where I'll take my leave then. Just ask the settlers, they'll show you where to find what you need. I made sure you'd have all the tools you could need when I got the place established. If you get hungry, I left a few hunks of grilled radroach and some Nuka Cola in a cooler in the kitchen. Try not to get carried away!" With a wave and a wink, she and Dogmeat turned and headed west.

Sturges shoved his hands in his pockets and began to cross that wide expanse between the screen and the diner, feeling instantly uncomfortable with the stares he was getting and wishing he still had Vera and Dogmeat at his side. The stares quickly turned into a small crowd that dropped what they were doing and approached him, finally halting his journey. "Hey, are you…that Sturges guy from up in Sanctuary?" one particularly bold woman asked, looking him over from head to toe. It was entirely unnerving.

"Yeah, that's me," he gestured to himself. "Ms. Vera sent me here with some projects in mind. Said you guys would be able to point me in the right direction?"

"Wow, I can't believe you came out here to help us! We've heard so much about you!" another man chimed in. "Ms. Vera says you fix up power suits and build generators and got all of Sanctuary shining with electric lights! She says you're the best of the best!"

It took a lot to get Sturges riled up, but he could feel his ears burning at this praise. It wasn't that his companions in Sanctuary didn't appreciate what he did, but they never made a show of it. He felt like some kind of celebrity. Ms. Vera was describing him with such high praise to others? "Ms. Vera is an optimistic woman, to be sure."

"Ain't that the truth! But without that optimism, we wouldn't have a place like this to call home. All of us were on the run from the raiders and the ghouls, just trying to live another day. But now we have a safe place to sleep at night, reliable food and water. What's more, she told us you were comin' to wire up the place with some electricity! She's a gem, ain't she?"

Finally, he thought, the praise was where it belonged, and he could get behind that whole-heartedly. "She is. She is." No one in this world shone as brightly as she did, even with the pain he knew she carried. At that, he cracked his knuckles. "So, let's show her that her optimism isn't misplaced, right? Let's give her the Starlight Diner she's imagining."

"Yeah!"

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Vera scurried around the property the entire day, distributing goods to the households and adding some cosmetic touches. Each time she walked outside, she was greeted with the sight of every resident hard at work, from those preparing a big meal in the kitchen to those holding up fixtures and passing tools to Sturges. The water filter had already been upgraded by the time she got back from Trudy's, quadrupling its output. What a wonderful thing for the people on the road stopping by! She'd have to heighten security, but it was worth it.

At last, she grabbed some boards and walked over to the diner, intent on sectioning off some booths. Most of the crowd had left to do their normal duties, leaving just Sturges and the jukebox and the purr of a new generator. "Hey there, stranger," she grinned, leaning her boards against the roof supports. "I see you fit right in."

The handyman looked up from his work and returned the grin. He'd managed to get his face streaked with oil somewhere along the line, but she realized the look suited him. "You're gonna be mad, Ms. Vera, but I haven't stopped to look at cars all day. Once I test this jukebox out, I think everything will be done." Sturges dusted his coveralls off. "I think you should be the one to do the honors of picking the first song."

She raised an eyebrow. "Why me? You're the one who built it."

"But you're the one who inspired it."

He looked at her so earnestly that she could feel her face redden. "I think you've been listening to those settlers too much."

"They're grateful to you, and any fool can see how deep that loyalty runs. Now, go pick a song, won't ya?"

There was little point in arguing, so she shook her head and came to stand before the machine. Even without the music, the colorful lights it produced created a happy atmosphere around it. It was as if by some magic she and Sturges were whisked away to one of those diners from her past. Ah, she knew just the song… Making her selection, she watched in fascination as the arm inside the machine reached for her holotape and secured it in the player.

Bomb, the atom bomb, the atom…

As soon as the first notes sounded, she got a huge, brilliant grin that stretched from ear to ear. Without even thinking, she began to bob in time, snapping her fingers along with the rhythm. Suddenly, it was as if Sturges was seeing her for the first time, the woman that had always existed behind the layers of pain and discipline. The first lines of the song somehow hit him right in the gut.

Got a doll baby, I love her so,
Nothing else like her anywhere you go.
Man she's anything but calm,
A regular pint-sized atom bomb!

Vera noticed him gawking, and her grin turned to a scowl. "What, haven't you ever seen a girl dance before?"

"I…well…" he stuttered, trying to swallow but not having luck seeing as his mouth had gone dry. It was everything, all hitting him like that atom bomb. The way the people adored her, the amazing things she'd accomplished in such a short time, realizing she was out of her armor for once and wearing a simple flannel shirt with jeans, the way she'd been radiating joy. "A girl, yes. You, no. I like it."

Her scowl softened. "You know, you could join me. Jitterbugging is not that hard."

"Ah, well, I've got two left feet, as they say. All the space in my brain is taken up with mechanical stuff, not much room for learnin' how to dance…" He scratched his head and looked away.

"Oh get over here and at least nod your head in time or something. I don't want to do it alone!" She reached out and grabbed his hands in hers, but despite how much bigger he was, he was so off-balance that he didn't take much effort to move. "Come on, I'll show you real slow."

So she illustrated at half-speed as the song kept rolling. He stared at her feet so intently she thought he might burn a hole through her boots as he stumbled to imitate in reverse. Vera had never seen him so red, definitely from embarrassment more than exertion, but as she'd guessed, he didn't give up. He never did say 'no' when she asked him for something. When that thought hit her, she felt her heart skip a beat. He really would do anything for her…

Meanwhile, between the pattern of the steps, pieces of the song would jump out and slap him upside the head. It was her. It was all her.

Atom bomb baby, boy she can start
One of those chain reactions in my heart.

Atom bomb baby, sweet as a plum,
Carries more whallop than uranium.

She's just the way I want her to be,
A million times hotter than TNT.

Before they knew what was happening, the song was over and a round of applause took its place. The pair looked up, startled by the audience they hadn't noticed forming, and then promptly wished for the ground to swallow them. Their world in the glow of the juke box was not theirs alone after all. But that wasn't the end of the torment for Vera.

The mechanism in the juke box automatically reached for the next track, and as soon as the soaring horn lines reached her ear, she realized with horror what was coming. No, not here, not with everyone watching! Sturges followed her frantic movements in confusion as she threw herself at the machine to stop the track from playing. She hit the 'stop' button particularly hard. "It works!" she declared to the settlers gathered around. "There you have it, our work here is done! I mean, Sturges's work here is done! So, how's dinner coming? We'll have to head back to Sanctuary soon…"

"It's ready to go! Come on, let's send the both of you off with a proper celebration!" Both Vera and Sturges found themselves suddenly escorted over to the counter and pulled apart from each other, both very confused about what had just transpired, and casting apologetic glances at one another.

What's more, Sturges ran the line of music through his head, ignoring the friendly chatter of his hosts, desperately trying to recall which song that was that had Ms. Vera in a panic. Hopefully he could sneak away before they left so he could look it up, then move it so it wasn't directly after 'Atom Bomb Baby'. She'd been so happy during that number, whatever it was that came after shouldn't cast a shadow over something so beautiful.

As for the rest of the feelings, that he'd have to deal with later.