AN: HI All. I just wanted to let you know that I will be going over previous chapters to spell check etc... I do it every now and then. I will also be condensing the prologue and chapter one into one thing... so the chapters will match up properly. Might be couple of days. Please review what I've done so far. I am a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl so I need reassurance that I'm flying in the right direction. This Chapter is filler to tidy up what just happened, we'll be getting into it again next one.

Chapter 26 – Let the Games begin

Former Paladin, current Major Richard Alexander Danse stood in front of her… unrepentant.

"The relay interceptor was unstable… how could you be so stupid? What would have happened if it had failed, what if I had been captured or killed and they were waiting for you…" She had lots of things to say to him and he stood to attention in front of her desk and listened to every word, his eyes boring into her. The tirade had been going on for some time and she was running out of things to say now without repeating herself. She had started with hard and fast bullet points listing every reason that him following her into the Institute was unwise… now she was just rambling.

"Seriously, of all the dumbass bullshit that you could have pulled… do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"If I may, Ma'am?" Danse replied, finally getting a word in. He didn't wait for her to affirm the request. "I love you, you fucking moron."

Max gaped up at him from her chair.

"I have never been good at this sort of thing… there are probably protocols to follow… I don't know. But this is how you told me so …" Danse shrugged.

Max could have done a number of things in response to his declaration. She chose to clamber over her desk on her hands and knees, grab hold of the collar of his jumpsuit and drag his mouth to hers. It wasn't dignified but it didn't matter. Danse wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back fervently, dragging her off the desk and pulling her to him.

Her feet dangled off the ground, so she put them to use and wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him.

They heard a discrete cough and dragged their lips away from each other to look back at the doorway to see Cait and MacCready standing there. MacCready had the decency to look apologetic, but Cait had a wide grin plastered on her face.

Danse sighed had lowered Max to the ground.

"What?" Max asked rudely.

RJ tried not to smile. "Preston needs you urgently." He said shortly.

She looked up into Danses warm chocolate eyes, ran her hand down the side of his face and smiled crookedly. She whispered 'later' and walked passed him towards her two former friends. Danse turned to watched her go.

"I swear to God, RJ, this had better be nothing less than Nuclear fucking war..." She grated at him as the two of them left the room. Cait paused in the doorway and gave Danse a grin and two thumbs up before following. He stifled his disappointment and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

Piper Wright had been writing furiously since her printing press had arrived. She had been tasked with getting the truth out there. It was what she had always wanted to do and now she had the resources to do it. And now it wasn't just her, she had a staff of researchers, full access to previously hidden information and distribution throughout the whole Commonwealth. The General herself has acquiesced to a one on one interview. MacCready had offered her one too, but Piper declined in her usual snide fashion.

She would be meeting with the Head of the Brotherhood of Steel as well, when he was in Sanctuary today for a war council. She was now right in the mud with the News, where she should be. People were flooding into Sanctuary Hills for the council and Piper pulled people aside for quotes and pumped them for information. She had met an Institute scientist who used to be a Super Mutant for Christs sake… how awesome was that?

And… AND! She was now a Captain in the Commonwealth Minutemen... a trusted advisor and community leader.

Piper had been initially intimidated by the General when she had met her. She was a personality that one did not, under any circumstances mess with. You could see it in her eyes. The hardness, the darkness and the unwavering insight.

She had told Piper that she was to resume her paper, no conjecture or rumour, but real truth with as many resources as needed at her disposal. Piper had thought that she had made the worst impression on the woman, but the general just wanted to be clear that she understood that Piper had worked with what she had and used her gut to fill in the blanks but that that would not work any more.

She had just written a piece on Synths. She had talked to several Synths including the man who seemed to be the Generals boyfriend and had to get it out there that the Institute were the enemy to everyone. Not all Synths were bad. She was happy that she could finally be taken seriously. Diamond City could kiss her arse.

It had been frightening when the Brotherhood Vertibirds had descended into the Stadium, but more frightening, had been the crazed response from the people who were once her neighbours.

She waited by the small field that had been cleared for the impending arrival of the Brotherhood contingent. She planned on talking to the Elder as soon as he alighted. Before he could be whisked away and be given time to prepare his answers. She had a responsibility to be a hard hitting, fact finding machine. Candid and honest interviews were the key. No rehearsed and carefully scripted speeches would suffice.

Piper looked to the horizon as the sound of Vertibird engines became apparent.

Two of the great airships approached Sanctuary. Piper felt the presence of the General behind her and glanced at the woman.

She was dressed in her customary tight fitting leather wear and a 10mm pistol hung from her hip. The general was never unarmed. She rested her hand on the weapon. She stood tall and yet relaxed with an air of unconscious elegance, her green eyes focused on the birds. She had a crooked smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. Piper was in awe of her, especially after everything she had learned about her during their interview.

The vertibirds touched down gracefully on the improvised landing pad and a group of soldiers disembarked swiftly. The last to exit was Elder Maxson himself, he had apparently been flying one of the machines. Piper noted it.

Maxsons eyes trained on the General and he strode confidently towards her. He nodded his head formally and then took her hand familiarly before touching it to his lips and complimenting the General. Piper narrowed her eyes and watched more closely.

She had initially wanted to pounce on him and bombard him with questions, but the look in his eye when he had the Minutemen leader in his sights gave her pause.

Oh… this was too good.

They walked side by side up the hill to the vault. They were far apart enough for propriety but close enough for comfortable conversation.

"This is an impressive settlement, General. I have meant to compliment you on it during our previous encounters here." Maxson said, his piercing eyes taking in the walls, gates, defences, guards …everything.

"Thank you Elder, we do try our best." Max replied conversationally, "Though the gates and walls don't do much when the enemy can teleport right through them… Have you had any encounters with the institute yet?"

"Arthur is fine, Max. I think we're past addressing each other by our titles." Maxson gave an infinitesimal smile. "and no, they haven't made an attack on us as yet"

"Can I call you, Artie? " Max grinned, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"No, you can't" He countered.

"What about A-Dogg?" She chortled.

He gave her a hard stare. "Actually, call me Elder."

Max laughed.

She cast a long look in his direction, her expression becoming serious.

"I have something to tell you… and you won't like it." She told him warily.

He looked sharply at her.

"Danse is one of my senior staff. He will need to be present during these talks."

Maxson stopped dead in his tracks, his brows drawing together in sudden anger.

"You can't be serious... Absolutely not." Maxson growled "Every man and woman I have with me was told that it was dead… You will have me look a fool."

"Arthur, He's a good leader and a great tactician. He has a wealth of knowledge on the Commonwealth and he has the loyalty of the Minutemen. He's a vital part of our community now."

"I spared it for you and only you." Maxson ground out, trying to contain his anger. "How can you throw this in my face?… now of all times, when I have my officers here."

He glanced down the hill towards the group of Brotherhood staff, everyone had stopped to watch the two suddenly arguing, but not hearing what they were saying. "You'll make me seem feebleminded, a liar, I should never have compromised the Brotherhood codex for you." His teeth were grinding together in an effort not to shout at her

Max stepped towards him and touched his face with her soft hand, turning his furious eyes to hers.

"OK… OK Arthur… I'm sorry. I won't embarrass you." She had anticipated it, but she had hoped to be able to have Danse with her. "Let me go ahead. You won't have to see him. But one of the ideas I wanted to put out there was his…"

Maxson drew a long deep breath. "I know it is your friend but can you honestly blame me in this?"

"No… I'm sorry." She turned and shouted down the hill. "PRESTON!"

Preston was at her side in a moment, his footfalls kicking up dust.

"Please escort the Elder to the common area. I will meet you there shortly. I have something to attend to." She ordered, before ploughing ahead of them mounting the elevator platform and descending into the vault.

She found Danse sitting at the desk in the office. He looked up at her as she entered reading her expression as he did so.

"He didn't go for it, did he." Danse sighed. "It's OK, I didn't think he would."

"You won't be a part of the meeting but you will be kept up to date I swear." She spoke in a rush, not wanting to be away for too long. "and you are instrumental in the planning and execution in whatever happens. But I can't undermine him."

"Of course not." Danse agreed. "You'd better get back to them."

She nodded and turned to leave, but turned back and hurried to him, placing an ardent kiss on his lips. "I love you." She said quickly before heading out the door to the common area. Danse smiled as he watched her go. How did he get so lucky?

Max hurried into the common room where the Minutemen and Brotherhood were milling around. Max was surprised to see Maxson speaking to Nick in a civilized fashion, how had that come about?

They had set up the place in boardroom fashion. Max took the seat at the head of the table and waited for everyone to realise that she was there. Maxson saw her first and took the seat next to her rather than sit at the opposite end of the table as was customary.

"Everyone, Sit" Maxson ordered stridently over the din.

The Brotherhood contingent moved quickly to take their places and most of the Minutemen did as well. RJ leaned by the door to finish his cigarette and Cait casually sauntered over to the table in her own sweet time casting a flirty wink at one of the Brotherhood men. Max grinned at her.

"We'll start with introductions and then we'll get down to the first 'official' council of the Brotherhood Minuteman Coalition… we need to think of a snappier title than that, though." Max looked down at Maxson, "So, who did you bring with you?"

Maxson introduced this people, Max looked at each of them as he did so, gauging whom she could work with and whom she would ignore. Ingram… Cade… Kells… Neriah. Yes. Quinlan… Teagan. No. There were also three Paladins. Brandis, Hudson and MacNamara.

She in turn introduced her team. All of the Brotherhood contingent looked hard at Haylen when her name was called. She looked back at them boldly and scooted closer to Sturges. Max could see Maxson doing the exact same thing she had done, sizing up her crew.

"Right, now that's over with and we're all friends, Let's get down to this." Max announced.

"We have a plan."