Chapter 14

Kait and Danse reported to Elder Maxson and, like she had said earlier, they were rewarded with much praise and acknowledgment. Maxson went on about how this is a huge step forward for the Brotherhood and about how the Institute will soon be destroyed now that they had their ticket inside.

"You've been nothing but a blessing to us," Maxson praised as he approached Kait, "ever since you showed up." Kait almost took a step back but froze when Maxson placed his hands on both sides of her face. She wanted to run but was unable to think of anything to do. She felt incredibly uncomfortable and insecure as the Elder touched her with Danse right beside them, witnessing the whole scene. Kait really didn't understand why Maxson was okay to express himself to her in front of the Paladin. She assumed that it was probably because Danse would die for the man in a heartbeat.

Kait was disgusted as she looked into Maxson's dark eyes but she did very well to hide her true emotions. She could see how he wanted to lay his hands all over her and pull her against him but Danse's presence must have done something, for the Elder then removed his hands from her and spoke instead, "Take the chip to Proctor Ingram. Perhaps she can decode it and figure out how to teleport in the Institute."

Kait and Danse saluted to the man before they turned to leave. Danse halted for a moment as well when Maxson called Kait's name for her to wait. The Paladin wanted to grab Kait's arm and drag her away but he knew the Elder was done with his presence so he descended to the lower decks of the Prydwen.

Kait really wished that Danse didn't leave her but knew why he didn't stick around; Maxson would have disapproved. She turned to face the Elder and spoke unwillingly, "Is there something you need, Elder Maxson?"

Maxson closed the space between them and raised his hand to lightly caress her cheek. "When you get the chip decoded, I would like to see you. …. Tonight."

Kait turned her head away to make his hand not touch her anymore, "If there's time sir."

"I'm sure," Maxson said with his forceful voice, "that you'll find the time. I expect to see you then."

Kait really hated the Brotherhood at that moment. Why did Maxson have to favor her? She forced herself to nod to him before she made herself leave the room to go to the lower decks where Danse had disappeared to.

Danse was waiting for her and watched as she climbed down the ladder. When Kait turned around to face him, she saw that he was looking right at her. "What?"

Danse obviously wanted to accuse her of something but instead just asked, "Are you ready?"

Kait nodded but eyed him as she started to walk past him. "Relax," she eventually said. "He just touched my cheek again." She could physically see his muscles relax so then silently apologized to him as she hit him with her next words, "But he has requested me to see him tonight. … I'm going to assume he means to his room."

They stopped walking as Danse faced her, "Why?"

Kait looked at him then shrugged hard and held her volume to a reasonable level, "How am I supposed to know? I don't know why he likes me so much!"

Danse shook his head and tried so hard to hide his emotions. He would never, ever doubt Maxson. The Elder would only ever do things out of the best intentions. "It must," Danse definitely forced himself to say, "be for a good reason."

Kait scoffed. "Really?" she now shook her head from disappointment, "You know as well as I do what his 'good reasons' are."

She watched as his features formed signs of anger and she shut her mouth. "Would you," Danse spoke firmly, "Stop doubting our leader? You mock him constantly and it needs to stop now. Learn to show some respect."

Kait was taken aback by his scolding and bit back, "Respect, huh? So it's respectful when the Elder lays his hands on me right in front of you? It doesn't have to even be you! If he touches me in front of anyone, do you really find that to be respectful?"

"That's enough!" Danse ordered. Kait knew if she opened her mouth one more time on the matter then he was going to snap. The old Kait would have accepted the challenge, but the current Kait who actually found the Paladin to be a friend didn't want it to go that far. They had already fought too much in their relationship.

"I'm sorry," Kait said lowly and bowed her head a little to her superior. She could see him relax and his face said that he too was sorry for letting their conversation get that far but Kait spoke up before he could, "Let's go already. Ingram's probably impatient now."

They made it to the Proctor and she was excited to get her hands on the chip that Kait passed on to her. After about an hour of wracking her brain over a code from within the chip, Ingram finally caved in said with vast disappointment in herself. "I-I'm sorry Knight. … I can't crack this thing. The Institute has it locked tight."

Kait looked on with disbelief as Ingram handed the chip back over to Kait and excused herself to report to the Elder herself. Kait looked down at the chip and not at Danse, who now looked over at her with an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry Kait. I know how much this meant to you. Maybe we can find someone else? Or another way in?"

Kait, instead of breaking out in tears, rubbed her thumb on the chip and bit at her lip as she thought. "I think… I think I might know someone who can hack into this." When she looked up at the Paladin, he was eagerly waiting. His expression changed from curiosity to strict as he saw the apologetic smile she gave him.

"Who?" Danse demanded.

"A guy I know…," Kait said slowly. She almost laughed nervously, "He's in the Railroad-"

"No." Danse said immediately.

Kait wasn't in the mood to play games, "Then you tell me who can do this." When Danse didn't have a clue, she continued, "I'll be back tonight hopefully."

Danse remained silent but as if he was deciding how he would say his next words, "Do you really expect us to just let you walk out of here? With the one thing we have to get us into the Institute?"

Kait looked betrayed, "What are you-"

"Kait," Danse said with a scary tone, "You've made it painfully clear that when you find your way in, you're going to run. Now you have it. We can't let you leave with that Courser Chip. You'll just have to wait until the Brotherhood can find a way."

"What?" Kait spoke quickly, "No! I promise I'll come back, Danse! You can't expect me to just sit around on my ass, locked up here on this ship all day! If I know someone who can hack this, then I'm going whether you say I can or can't!"

"You can't expect me to believe your word," Danse said coldly. "You've lied plenty of times before."

Kait started to get hot with anger, "I'm not lying this time."

"Then let me come with you." Danse said more as an order rather than asking for permission.

Kait shook her head, "No way! You really expect me to take you to where the Railroad base is? Are you insane? They'd fire on us in a heartbeat!"

"You," Danse was raising his voice and pointed at her with an accusing finger, "should be telling us where their hideout is anyways! It's obvious that your loyalties aren't fully with us and you will not set a foot off this ship until the Brotherhood takes care of the situation! That is an order Knight!"

Kait took a few steps away from the Paladin. Not even Danse was going to stop her from getting to her son. "What if," she tried everything in her power to remain calm, "I gave you a reason to trust that I'll come back?"

Danse watched her put the Courser Chip in her bag, "There is nothing." His eyes suddenly widened a bit and the anger he was feeling towards her started gradually draining away as he watched her actions, "Kait… no. Stop."

Kait removed Nate's wedding ring from around her neck but kept it on the chain. She walked up to Danse but he tried to back away. He didn't want that burden on him. Kait snatched Danse's hand as he stepped away from her and placed Nate's ring in his hand, forcing the Paladin to close his fingers over it.

"Now you know," Kait looked up into Danse's brown eyes with determination burning in hers blue ones, "that I'll be back. But I swear, you better not lose this ring or I will hunt you down."

Danse believed her but he didn't like the situation at all.

"I'll be back tonight," Kait promised and took her leave.

Just as she thought, Tinker Tom hacked into the Courser Chip as if it were just as simple as logging into your own email. There, he found out how the chip teleported the Coursers back and forth between the Institute and the Commonwealth and he made instructions on how to build a machine that would do the same thing. Kait thanked him a thousand times over and Desdemona tried with all her power to make Kait stay but the Knight knew that she had to return to Danse. She really did plan on keeping her word to him. Besides, he had Nate's ring.

Before she left, Desdemona stopped Kait and informed her that Deacon had already been there. Kait felt an overwhelming amount of joy when Des gave her her word that she'd help out the survivor and her son.

"Thank you so much Desdemona," Kait said with the widest smile she could, "It means the world to me."

Kait made it back to the he Prydwen by nightfall just as she promised. She found Danse standing in the power armor hanger talking with Ingram. When she walked up to the Paladin, Danse wanted to be surprised to see her but he knew she'd be back and he gave her Nate's ring back. When he asked if she was successful, she happily waved the instructions back and forth before putting them in her bag with the chip.

Before they got to work, Kait knew she had to see Maxson and, even if she despised doing so, she knew it'd be better to get it over with.

Kait pushed open the door to Maxson's room and saw him seated at the table reading over a report.

"Kait?" The Elder looked over at her when she entered. He now rose out of his seat, "I didn't know you were back. I was informed that you left. I have to say, I'm surprised to see you return."

Or you'd hunt me down, right? Kait said to herself. Instead she just bowed her head respectfully, "I'm a member of the Brotherhood just as anyone else here. It was my duty to return. And now," she couldn't help but smile, "We have the instructions on how to get inside the Institute."

Maxson's eyes lit up, "Really? That's amazing news Knight!" He laughed and stepped towards her, "You never cease to amaze me Kaitlyn." Kait's smile dropped when he started getting touchy again. Maxson slowly tucked some of her black hair behind her ear, "The Brotherhood would probably still be at square one if you weren't here. You've been such a help to us that I don't know of another way we can thank you."

Kait looked down but because she didn't want to see him anymore, "You don't have to do anything Elder Maxson. I've just done what I can to help."

"And I love that about you," Maxson said in a low voice. He was closer to her now and Kait started to slowly shimmy towards the exit because of it. When she took one step, her back was suddenly shoved against the wall and she couldn't breath as Maxson had his lips on hers.

Kait squeezed her eyes shut and could feel the Elder's hands sliding up her waist to hold her still as he greedily forced his lustful lips on hers.

"Maxs-" Kait tried to say when he broke away for a second but was cut off when he kissed her again. In seconds, Kait was infuriated now. She pressed her hands on his chest and shoved him away as hard as she could, succeeding in the action.

When Maxson looked confused by her refusal, she spoke with deep detest, "Don't you ever lay your hands on me again Maxson! I'm not interested in you and I don't give a shit if you're the Elder! Don't you ever fucking touch me again!"

Maxson's features turned hard, "Well, that is a shame then. I really did see something in you." His voice started turning more and more fierce as he spoke, "It's unfortunate that things had to end this way and I know that once we've given you what you want, you plan on deserting us. Seeing as the only options here are death or imprisonment, the Brotherhood will lock you up instead. I don't want to see a pretty face such as yours killed after all you've done for us." Maxson suddenly held up the instructions and the Courser Chip needed to enter the Institute and Kait's heart dropped. Her eyes were wide and her knees started to feel weak. What a sneaky move, Maxson.

"You've done your part." Maxson said. "The Brotherhood will take it from here. You are dismissed Knight."

Kait saw red. She tried to sprint at Elder Maxson but the door to his room suddenly burst open and two people stepped in. They grabbed Kait by her arms and started dragging her out of the Elder's room while he now turned his back to them.

"No!" Kait screamed and struggled. She couldn't believe that this fucking tyrant was taking her son away from her and she was losing it. "You can't do this to me!"

From down the way, her screams were heard echoing through the halls and Danse sprinted to the situation as soon as he heard her. His eyes widened when he saw handcuffs being put on her and the two other Brotherhood members detaining her with ease.

"What's going on here?!" Danse demanded.

"Paladin Danse." Maxson said from his room without looking at him. "Prepare one of the cells in the airport for the Knight. She's to remain there until she calms down."

Danse couldn't be more shocked by the Elder's words. He looked at Kait as she sobbed and kept her head low. His heart broke when he answered, "Yes Elder Maxson."

Danse had prepared a cell as instructed and held the door open as the two initiates dragged Kait with them. As they reached the cell, one of them took the cuffs off of her as the other pushed her into the room while Danse then shut the door and locked it behind her.

Danse dismissed the other two and looked through the bars of the door at Kait who was on her knees with her back to him. Her body wouldn't stop shaking and she didn't stop crying ever since Maxson took her only way into the Institute away from her.

When he started walking away, he heard her lungs explode as she screamed as loud as she could. Danse found himself ceasing to walk as he looked down. He couldn't feel any more pathetic. He spoke to her as he was still by her door, "You should have just kept your loyalty with us and none of this would have happened Kait."

Kait looked at the stone wall in front of her as she yelled, "Have I not kept my loyalty with you guys?! I've helped you guys so many fucking times and all I've ever asked in return was one- ONE fucking favor!" She looked back and saw Danse standing on the other side of the door and rose to her feet to face him. "How could the Brotherhood do this to me?! This was supposed to be for me! As soon as I got what…," Kait thought of how she would never see Shaun now because of Maxson and her stomach tightened as she sobbed even harder.

Danse was breaking at the sight of Kait suffering and he tried to help, "Just tell me what your friend looks like and I promise that we'll get her out for you. You have my word."

"It's my son." Kait finally said almost inaudibly.

Danse's eyes widened and he was nearly speechless. "W-What?"

Kait body was almost convulsing as she couldn't calm down. "H-his name is Shaun….. he was stolen… from me when he was just a baby.." Kait collapsed to her knees and covered her face with her hands as she curled up in front of the Paladin. "N-Nathan was.. he tried to protect o-our baby boy and they," she gagged a little, "They killed him…. They stole my child from me…!" Kait slid her hands in her hair now and almost pulled her hair out from how tight she gripped it, "You fucking tyrants just stole from me the only thing that would let me see my boy again!"

Danse couldn't possibly think of anything to say that would even remotely make the situation any better. He watched as Kait was finally broken in front of him and his heart was so twisted in guilt, sympathy, and pain that he couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm so sorry…," Kait sobbed to herself. "Please forgive me Shaun…. Mommy tried… I'm so sorry…"

Danse couldn't be there anymore. He finally made himself walk away from her. As he walked down the long hallway, Kait's cried echoed off the walls and were the only thing Danse could hear. He closed his eyes and tried to block it out of his head but he couldn't. He tightened his hand into a fist as he exited the area. He had to be very careful with what he did next.