Part Eleven

POV - Danse

We left Diamond City when the sun was still trying to make its ascent. A thick fog had settled over the buildings, and I found myself looking around at the buildings, so carefully constructed within the perimeter of the stadium. The people of the Commonwealth being forced to hide behind these walls when there were so many buildings standing perfect and strong outside was one of the reasons that I'd joined with the Brotherhood. I had wanted nothing more than to help the people of the world… and somehow, I'd lost sight of that mission in wake of a blind hatred that had been sewn into my heart.

The light of the sun was trying to penetrate and cut through the thick fog that had engulfed the area, but I could see that it was struggling. Why was everything suddenly a metaphor to me?

My eyes slinked sideways, to Quinn who walked strong beside me. He was making idle chitchat, occasionally switching the radio of his Pipboy up so that he could sing along with one of the songs that played. His mood wasn't affected by the fog, or the daunting task that was set before us. We had to make our way to Sanctuary - Quinn wanted to pick up supplies there, and see if there was anyone amongst his allies who would be willing to stand behind me, if it came to it. I knew that he was a General within the ranks of the Minute Men – I had a feeling that he was going to use that influence now.

I didn't want to start a war. I just wanted Maxon to understand that I was still… I was still me. My memories might not have all been my own, but the ones that were mine were still true. My thoughts, my beliefs, and my desire to help the people of the Commonwealth… that hadn't changed in the reveal of my true nature. He'd been too furious at my betrayal to listen before. But maybe… just maybe, he would now.

I didn't know, but Quinn seemed positive that we would find a way. All that I could do was listen to his strong, positive voice - the man was infectious, addicting. Even as we walked away from Diamond City, my body felt flush at the memories of what we'd done there.

If nothing else good came of my exile from the Brotherhood, it was the fact that I could finally look past our work relationship and the knowledge that he was my subordinate. It would have felt dirty, like taking advantage of him before… I wouldn't have wanted anyone to think that Quinn had a relationship with me only because of the power that I held over him.

Now though? He was a Paladin. He was a strong man who had taught me more than I'd ever taught him… and I wasn't going to let anything stand in the way of the emotions that he elicited from me. I realized, in that moment, that I believed in Quinn far more than I'd believed in anything else…

Even the Brotherhood.

The recognition hit me so suddenly that I actually stopped walking. I felt dazed, stunned even. I'd never thought that something would replace the dedication and loyalty that I felt to the Brotherhood of Steel and their cause - and yet, he stood there. He stood there with the fog wrapping around him like a cloak. He stood there with a smile on his face as he stopped and turned. He stood there, and the knowledge that I would fight alongside him against any enemy was a soft, sweet warmth. It was a comfort that I hadn't known I needed.

"Fusion Core run down?"

I couldn't answer - for a moment, I stayed still, looking at his soft expression. I would follow this man to the ends of the Earth… and I would even follow him to stand against Maxon. It only took me a second to school my features back to neutral, and I shook my head.

"Apologies, Quinn. I have a lot on my mind."

His smile flashed bright at me, and he nudged me. "Don't worry about it, Danse. Hopefully things will get easier soon. Sanctuary isn't very far away." He turned his gaze to look towards the horizon, as though his sharp gaze could see it already – or maybe his words had a double meaning as well.

Sanctuary, hm.

The light of the sun flickered through those green hues, making the bright color dazzle. My heart gave another gentle squeeze, and I pulled on the helmet of my power armor. He knew how I felt – of course he knew how I felt. But still, letting those emotions play so freely on my face was an altogether new concept. I wasn't going to lie and say that it was easy… but I knew, with time, we were going to figure it all out.

And until then, I was happy to walk at his side, knowing that our paths were forever connected.

The trek to Sanctuary shouldn't have been that difficult. Somehow, it seemed like luck simply wasn't on our side.

The first radscorpion was unfortunate.

The second was some kind of horrible prelude.

When we ran into a mated pair of deathclaws, I knew that we weren't going to have a very good day. Quinn took far more damage than I would have liked, but thankfully we were well stocked on stimpaks this time. Just as thankfully, I was in a capable suit of power armor, and I could absorb most of the damage that came hurtling his way. He laughed about it – I could see the excitement fresh in his spring-green eyes. He seemed so pleased with the heat of battle, the ability to shoot his pistols, even though his own life was often in danger.

Honestly, Quinn seemed to function in a world of adrenaline and expert marksmanship. It was easy to see that he'd been an excellent soldier before his stint in cryosleep. He moved like a well-oiled machine, ready and willing to jump at the next opportunity to prove himself. I just wondered, who had been watching his back then, if not me? Because, though Quinn was a fantastic shot, it was clear that he needed someone to stand at his side.

Of course, we all needed someone to watch our backs. I just didn't realize until I'd met Quinn that it applied to everyone. Even to a Paladin. Even to me. I'd given up thoughts on that when I'd lost Cutler – it was only Quinn who was making me realize I could believe again.

A sudden sound overhead made my pulse race. It was far off, but I could recognize the noise from anywhere. My eyes instantly scoured the expanse of land for anywhere that we could take cover.

"Danse…" Quinn's tone was apprehensive, and he was already running to the left. There was an expanse of broken buildings to our left, but I didn't know if we were going to make it in time. I could hear the thundering whir of Vertibirds approaching, and Maxon's earlier statement rang sharp in my head. They would shoot us – well, they would shoot at me on sight. And Quinn? Quinn wasn't going to let them get away with it.

Damn it! Even though I could feel the muscles in my legs burning from the effort, I knew that we weren't going to make it to cover in time. The first shot from the Vertibird took me in the thigh, the sound of metal clanging against bullet sharp like a whip crack in the air. "Quinn, keep running." I turned, raising my plasma rifle. My heart was pounding, and my breath felt tight in my chest.

I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to fire against my own people. Even as hesitation washed over me like a crushing wave, another burst of fire from the minigun attached to the unit came soaring down – Quinn's shout of fury spilled from behind me, and I saw the light from his pistols spinning through the air in the direction of the Vertibird's pilot.

There was no avoiding this. There was only a moment of decision – a moment of deciding. Brotherhood, or Quinn.

I raised my plasma rifle and fired.

There was no hesitation in Quinn's motions. The younger man seemed furious that the people that he had called companions were firing on us. I could tell by the way he shouted, by the decisive shots that he fired… and by the way that the minigun bullets that caught him in the shoulder didn't seem to faze him, at least for the moment. I noticed every shot though – and it was the blood that spilled from Quinn's frame that gave me the drive I needed to turn my attention in full to our attackers. When I shot, I aimed for the engine core of the Vertibird. After a few moments, my shots rang true – it spiraled in the air for a moment, and then came crashing to the ground.

Of course, the Brotherhood of Steel was equipped for just such situations – the men who poured out of the Bird were in full suits of power armor. I was suddenly made completely aware of exactly how vulnerable Quinn was, standing there with bare flesh exposed and nothing but his righteous indignation to shield him.

I took a step in front of him – he had his righteous indignation and me.

I hadn't known until this moment how I would react if put in this situation, but I knew now. I wasn't going to let anything hurt Quinn… not when he was fighting so hard just to keep me safe. The three armored suits spilled forward, and all that I could do was tell myself… these weren't my Brothers. My Brothers wouldn't attack me. They wouldn't be shouting things like synth and traitor in such hard, angry tones. No, these people didn't know me at all.

Instead, I focused on the feel of Quinn's back against my armored legs, his body moving in a quick motion to fire off shots as he ducked from behind me. Each landed perfectly, taking out a piece of armor, even going so far as to pierce a fusion core and force one of the Knights to step from their frame before it exploded. Two quick shots incapacitated them, sending their bodies prone. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized that Quinn wasn't shooting to kill.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that he was probably doing it for my sake, and I didn't even have a chance to thank him for it. Even now, when his life was at risk, Quinn was trying to spare my feelings.

Maybe there was more to it, of course. I knew that he wanted to show the Brotherhood that they needed to change, that blind hatred and fury wasn't the only answer – was that his aim?

Whatever it was, I didn't have the time to analyze the situation… because two more Knights and a Paladin spilled from the crashed bird, and I realized that we were in a little trouble.

"Synth! Throw down your weapon!" The voice stung across my senses – I knew the voice of each and every Knight and Paladin, and I knew the voice that was speaking to me with such malice.

"Throw down yours, you prick! You know him! This is Paladin Danse!" Quinn's voice was strong, angry, and I could hear the indignation in his tone.

"Paladin, you're endangering your position in the Brotherhood by standing alongside this abomination!" The response was sharp and curt, and I felt Quinn surge to stand from behind me. He aimed his pistol, but he didn't pull the trigger.

"Think for yourself – the man beside me is just as loyal to the Brotherhood as you are! You need to realize that Paladin Danse isn't the enemy." Quinn stood proud and strong as he spoke, and even I could feel the pull of his voice. The two Knights behind their commanding officer actually started to lower their weapons. Perhaps… perhaps there was hope?

"Paladin Quinn! Throw your weapon down alongside the Synth! Your crimes will be reported to Maxon, as this thing's head will be evidence of your-"

Quinn's pistol went off in a crack, and I saw a spark of metal hitting metal – he'd aimed for the chest armor, the thickest part. He hadn't aimed to wound, but to warn.

"You aren't taking Danse! Stand down! This is my last warning."

Quinn's gun was aimed true, but my eyes weren't focused on that. They were focused on the Paladin, and his fingers squeezing down on a trigger. I pushed my body forward, but it wasn't fast enough. I heard a low groan of pain escape Quinn, and then his pistol cracked off in five rapid shots.

The Paladin fell dead to the ground, his armor's helmet in ruins and his face a wash of so much meat where the bullets had hit home.

Quinn's body buckled and he started to fall forward, blood staining the corner of his mouth, and painting an angry stain across his torso.

I managed to catch him, my laser rifle swinging up to shoot at the two Knight's as I did. They surged forward, prompted by Quinn's shots. Whatever sway he might have held over them had crumbled when he had, and I knew that we were in trouble.

In the distance, I could hear the sound of another Vertibird approaching. I moved so that Quinn's body was behind mine. He was still attempting to fire his pistol, even though I could see his face going pale and his mouth set in a line of pain. My rifle fired, and one of the Knight's screamed in pain – this… this wasn't what I wanted. This war, this hatred?

Was this the fruits of the Brotherhood's labor, after all?

The sound of a minigun let me know that the second Bird had arrived – and I knew that I didn't have enough ammo or arsenal to take it down. All that I could do was tuck Quinn's body into my arms, using the large frame of my power armor to shield him. I could do that and whisper, "I love you, Quinn." If I spoke last words, I wanted them to be that sweet truth.

It took me a second to realize that the second Vertibird wasn't firing on us – instead, the minigun's bullets were showering down against the Knights still in a suit. I held Quinn against my chest, and watched as the power armor exploded in a wash of hot metal and flame. My eyes shifted upward – if the other Bird wanted to fire down on us, I wasn't going to be able to stop them. Instead, I moved to shelter Quinn further, my fingers diving into his pocket to find a stimpak. He let out a gasp of pain, his green eyes flicking up to me as the needle shoved home in his thigh.

"What… happened?"

I heard the Bird land, and a familiar voice called out to me. "Danse! Quinn! Thank God!" Rhys – I hadn't known how he would react to the news of… what I was… but there was fear, pain, and fury in his voice. I wasn't sure if any of it was directed at me though. "Maxon sent us out to scope out Sanctuary. I think he was hunting you." Rhys spilled around the smoking wreckage of the former Knights. "Danse… thank God. Danse…" His face was pained, and there was a part of me that felt instantly anxious. Something was clearly very wrong.

"What is it, soldier?" I fell instantly back into the role that I'd had with Rhys for so long. I was his superior – I was the one that he could rely on when he needed strength. Clearly, he needed that now. His eyes were bagged, and there was a cut fresh on his brow.

"It's Haylen, Danse. Paladin, sir…" He stumbled over his own words, and my breath caught in my chest. "Maxon sent her on a fucking suicide mission – I don't… I don't think…" I could see the fear, the pain, and the regret in his gaze. Rhys had followed in my footsteps, perhaps to a fault. Though I knew he'd felt strongly for Haylen, he'd stopped the romance from developing before it had really had a chance to start. I'd been there, at the Police Station – soft voices carrying through the empty building. Haylen had taken it all in stride, but I knew that it had wounded her.

I just didn't realize that it had affected Rhys so strongly until now. He leaned down, his fingers fiddling for a moment. Another stimpak was in his hand, and I saw the flash of the needle before it crammed into Quinn's thigh.

"Fuck, you've been waiting to stab me since we met, haven't you?" Quinn's voice was soft, sarcastic, but I could hear the concern laced in his words. He'd been awake and aware to hear about Haylen's situation. "Do you know where he sent her?"

"Some super mutant den – said it was to collect an artifact. He said that it wasn't active, but Danse, I know it was. They were swarming when we flew past."

I could feel the blood draining slowly from my face – I had to throw my power armor helmet to the ground. "How long ago was this?"

My mind thought back to Haylen, to her panicked eyes and her warm concern when she'd found out that Maxon was coming after me. She'd always stood beside me, she'd never wavered from standing strong beside me. I knew, even before, that she'd thought I deserved a rank even higher than Paladin. It was her unwavering faith in me that had gotten her into this trouble – I knew it. Maxon had never sent someone on a suicide mission before; Scribes were not sent out on their own. I knew her, though. I knew that she would have done it, without question, because I had taught her that the Brotherhood came before all things.

I didn't want to think that it was my actions that had led her to this… but I knew… somewhere, I knew that it was true. I knew that it was my blind trust in the Brotherhood that had led my squad to their own belief in return.

"This morning. Danse, we couldn't get in there, but maybe—"

Quinn's voice was spilling out, strong, passionate. "We need to go, now. Give us the location – we might still be able to find her in time."

I loved him in that moment, more than I had before. I loved him because he cared, because his eyes were wide, full of fury and panic. And I loved him because I knew, if Arthur Maxon had sent Haylen to her death for helping me… Quinn was going to help me take the bastard down. This wasn't the Brotherhood as I knew it – it wasn't the Brotherhood that any of us had signed up for.

It was time to stand up and make a change.