"I hope you know what you're doing here. You seem to trust in the good intentions of the Brotherhood a lot more than I do." Preston finally stated, moving to sit on the crumbled curb next to Nora, Dogmeat lounging at her side with his head in her lap. She watched the sky as the light was once again fading to dusk, surprised that she had slept the whole day away.
"It's not that..." She stated, looking back toward the outline of the barricade in the distance. "It's just... Danse was telling me about all this technology these guys have. Superior weapons and armor. If I'm going to find Shaun, I'm going to need all the help I can get."
"I understand, but..." Preston looked away nervously. He had intended to ask her to continue working with the Minutemen and even appoint her as General, but the thought of asking her now made him uneasy.
"Preston. What is it? You're not good at hiding when something's bothering you." He looked up to meet her eyes, his resolve faltering.
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you. I guess you know I'm one of the last of the Minutemen, but I'm not going to be enough to bring the Minutemen back from the brink." Preston started, glancing back in the direction of Corvega. "I've seen what you're able to do in a fight. The settlers at Tenpine Bluffs were singing your praises, thrilled that you told him you were rebuilding the Minutemen. He said you were compassionate with him, but also fairly direct."
Nora let out a small chuckle at the description. "I'm nothing if not direct, so that part is true at least. I'm not so sure about compassionate though."
"I am." He replied politely. "You've been helping the Minutemen on our mission from the moment you arrived, whether you realize it or not. You've gone above and beyond by volunteering to help, not just with Tenpine or back in Concord, but when you stuck around in Sanctuary. You helped us get established and began delegating responsibilities without a second thought. That's why I'm talking to you. I can't rebuild the Minutemen... but I think you can."
"What?" She replied, shock gracing her features at his statement. "Are you joking? I thought you were the leader or whatever."
"That's not who I am. I can get my men through a firefight. I can defend a perimeter against all odds, but we need someone who can bring the whole Commonwealth together in a common cause. And I think you've got it in you to be that leader." Nora watched her friend's expression as he spoke, struck once more by the profound sadness wearing at the lines of his face. She knew he had been struggling after Quincy, but hadn't realized how severe it was.
"Preston, I want to help, I do," She sighed, her thoughts racing a mile a minute in her mind. A part of her felt that if she refused his offer, she'd be sentencing him to his death. She thought of Lance Kevins, how she had ignored that same look mere weeks before his death. Had she insisted he let her help all those years ago, she wondered if things would have been different. She couldn't abandon Preston, but Shaun could still be out there. "My first priority is finding my son. I'll help with what I can, but I don't know what you'd expect me to do as a leader."
Preston looked up, an uncharacteristic twinge of hope in his eyes. "Well, it would just be offering help to whoever needs it. I know you're headed down to Diamond City, but there's numerous settlements between here and there. You can get the word out that the Minutemen are rebuilding, tell people to come to Sanctuary. You... You have a way with people Nora, a finesse that I don't. Hell, you got Marcy to help dig a well, and she doesn't agree to do anything but tend to the crops."
"I don't know about that," Nora replied, rolling her eyes at the mention of the bitter woman. "I'm still pretty sure she hates me."
"Nah, that's just how she is. She's been having a rough time since Kyle..." Preston trailed off as he realized the conversation of dead children might be insensitive. " But, just the other day she told Sturges 'I got to hand it to that Vault dweller, this place isn't awful. It's still a shit hole, but it could be worse.' Hell, that's the most positive thing I've ever heard her say."
She laughed at the description. "Well, she's not wrong. Everything is... It's all shit here."
"Maybe so, but you've done more to raise hope in the last week than I've done in all my time since joining the Minutemen." He answered, offering a hopeful smile.
"Well... I know how it feels to be the last survivor." She answered somberly.
"Yeah. I guess you do." He agreed. "Well, if you're wiling to help, I am confident you could change that for the Minutemen. We'd be lucky to have you, General."
"I'm a General?" She answered with a playful smile. "Are you trying to flatter me or play to my ego here?"
"The leader of the Minutemen has always held the rank of General." Preston retorted, relieved at Nora's unspoken compliance to accept the title. "You're going to have to get used to it."
"Oh I can get used to that, Garvey." Glancing a look back toward the barricade, she continued. "Maybe we just don't tell our new friends about that?"
"Agreed." He acquiesced, following her glance. "Well, the one good thing about being the last Minuteman is there's no one to argue with me when I say you're the new General. Now it's your job to make it more than an empty title."
"I'm all for helping out people in need. I won't let you down."
"I don't doubt it, but these Brotherhood guys..." He cautioned "One day, you may have to choose between them and us. I hope it never comes to that, but the Minutemen need you more than the Brotherhood ever will."
"I understand. I just..." Nora sighed, taking in the reality of their situation. "I just think they're my best bet to find Shaun."
Preston nodded silently. He wanted to say more, to convince her that she didn't have to rely on the Brotherhood to find her son, to promise her that he would do everything he could to help her, but he decided against it. As much as he wanted to reassure her that they could find Shaun together, he knew they were only two people. If they were able to rebuild the Minutemen though, she could have half the Commonwealth on her side.
They sat there in contemplative silence, both engrossed with their own thoughts in the passing minutes before Preston finally spoke.
"I almost forgot, you should have one of these flare guns. You can use it to signal for help from any nearby Minutemen." He reached for the flare gun clipped to his belt and offered it to her.
"So... you or me?" She teased, taking it gently from his hand.
"Well, for now it's just us, but I'm pretty certain the settlers at Tenpine's bluffs are going to agree to join, along with anyone else you can recruit along the way." He answered.
"Don't you need the flare gun?" Nora answered with a frown.
"I have another in my pack, along with about a dozen back in Sanctuary. Which reminds me," he pulled a list from a pocket in his coat. "Sturges is trying to set up a radio beacon for the Minutemen, to help communicate when nearby settlements need help. It'll only go so far at first, but we can set up more as the operation expands. He asked me to try and find some things for him."
She nodded, taking the list from his hands to read over it. "Tell him to check the root cellar behind the Jahani house, Codsworth should have the key. I'm pretty sure I saw a hot plate and a camera down there, along with some steel sheets. We should have everything in the settlement already."
"Really? That would be amazing! I didn't know about that root cellar." He replied excitedly, taking the list back from her. She noticed how Preston stared fondly at the writing, tracing the penmanship absentmindedly. Nora politely pretended not to notice. "This means I can head back to Sanctuary in the morning instead of scouring ruins for the last few pieces we need."
"Eager to get back to Sanctuary, huh?" She inquired, no longer ignoring the yearning in his words. Preston felt a faint blush creep into his cheeks and he quickly stuffed the list back into his pocket, clearing his throat.
"Eager to reestablish the Minutemen, certainly." He stated, moving to a stand and offering her his hand. "And getting this radio system up and working would significantly help with that. At first you'll only be able to hear the broadcast, until you can get back to Sanctuary and have Sturges take a look at that PipBoy. My radio is already set to two way communication, but for now, when we receive word of settlement in need, the message will be repeated once every hour until we can determine that the threat has been dealt with."
Nora took his hand, coming to her feet with a slight groan. "It certainly sounds like a good plan. That Sturges is something else. I'm pretty sure given enough time, he could build a car out old radio parts."
"You're probably right." Preston answered with a laugh as they began toward the barricade, Dogmeat eagerly bounding ahead after sitting quietly for so long. "We're lucky to have him on our side..."
Nora hummed in agreement, her focus on walking back to the police station without falling over as the dull ache of her wounds began to grow with each step.
"Hold on, Preston." She stated, stopping suddenly outside the barricade. "What the fuck is a cap?"
"A cap?" He questioned, his initial confusion replaced by understanding. "Oh. Bottle caps, typically from Nuka Cola or beer bottles. They're used as currency."
She raised an eyebrow at the explanation. "Really? Bottle caps as currency. Hell, in my time a cap was something completely different. I'm just glad Paladin Danse isn't going to shoot me in the knee."
"What?!" Preston demanded.
"It's a joke. That's..." She chuckled and began walking forward once more. "If you were going to cap someone, it meant you'd shoot them, typically in the knee."
"That's..." He paused, turning to shoot her an amused glance. "That's a bit twisted."
"Just a bit." She agreed, as he helped her up the steps.
Haylen found Rhys pacing inside the courtyard, anger rolling off of him in waves. She walked toward him, placing a gentle hand on his elbow.
"Rhys." She urged as he pulled his arm away and turned to her.
"What!" He demanded, his eyes narrowed and jaw set. "Just give me time to cool off, Haylen."
"How about we take this conversation out by the garage, big guy." She offered, pointing past the barricade. "You don't need Danse walking out here and seeing you like this."
Rhys frowned, looking toward the front of the station with apprehension before nodding and starting toward the garage on the side of the building. Haylen followed silently, shooting a cautious look at the door moments before she heard the creak of the wood as it was pushed open.
She turned back to Rhys who was now leaning against the wall next to the garage, his arms crossed as he looked toward the ground, lost deep in thought. Haylen sighed, moving to lean against the wall next to him, offering quiet support for when she knew Rhys would finally open up.
She wasn't sure how long they remained like that and briefly wondered if Rhys was going to speak at all. The sky light was beginning to fade, and if they waited much longer they would be putting themselves in danger by being out at dark.
Almost as if sensing her discomfort, Rhys finally spoke. "She doesn't look like a soldier."
"Well, neither do I." Haylen retorted instantly, paying extra attention to keep her tone even in an attempt to encourage him to express his thoughts.
"She's some scavenger, she wasn't brought up in the Brotherhood or one of it's territories." He tried again, irritation in his voice.
"Neither was Danse." Rhys shot Haylen a defeated look at her responses.
"Well..." He stopped, thinking carefully before continuing "she's stubborn and annoying."
Haylen tried to control the amused smile at the description. "Oh? Kinda sounds like someone else I know."
Rhys continued scowling toward the ground, unwilling to offer a response to the scribe's comment. She looked at him carefully before deciding to speak.
"Rhys," she stated gently, pausing as she noticed his expression soften. "Do you think the reason you don't like her might be because she's the chick who saved your ass when you were down?"
He shot her a guarded look. "If you're implying I have an issue with being saved by a woman, you of all people should know that's not the case. I sponsored your initiation-"
"That's not what I'm saying." She offered. "I think... You just don't like having anyone have to save you."
Rhys slowly look up from the spot he'd been staring at on the ground, his eyes meeting Haylen's. "Well I don't have a problem with you patching me up, doc."
"Yeah, yeah." Haylen replied, a faint blush painting her cheeks. "I'm just doing my job."
He looked away, his normally stoic expression suddenly lacking it's usual confidence. "I just. I can't believe Danse took her side like that. Not just with what happened earlier... It's how he invited her on the mission at all."
Despite his silence, Haylen didn't interject. She could tell he was working up to admitting what was really annoying him about Nora.
"I would've been fine in a couple days and gone with him," He finally continued, chewing nervously at his bottom lip. "But now, Danse is singing her praises like she's the next Arthur Maxson. He's acting like she's some sort of prodigy, talking about how adept she was in the field - on her first mission."
Haylen immediately understood. Rhys was hurt that Danse had sponsored Nora's initiation, essentially taking her under his wing for training and development instead of him.
"Maybe Danse is sweet on her." She offered, a smirk playing at her lips. Rhys let out a small laugh at the suggestion, his eyes going wide.
"Danse?" He suddenly was chuckling, his face shifting into a full smile. "That man has never been sweet on someone in his life. I don't think he's so much as entertained the thought of romance since I've known him."
"Hmm." Haylen shrugged, relieved at Rhys' change in mood. "You're right, probably not. But, she did save his life. That's worth something."
"Yeah." He agreed reluctantly, a faint smile still on his lips. "You got a point there, doc."
"You know..." She stopped momentarily, unsure if she wanted to broach the topic. "Danse's decision to sponsor her doesn't have anything to do with you. You know he thinks you're a great soldier and has the utmost respect for you."
Rhys grunted in response, looking back toward the ground. With a quick glance to the sky he pushed off the wall. "We should probably get inside, we don't need any more ferals sneaking up on us."
Danse looked up from where he was seated in the corner of the room, book in hand as Rhys and Haylen reentered the lobby. He was relieved to see that the conversation with Haylen had apparently tempered Rhys' anger. Despite the knight's tempestuous nature, Danse recognized that he was a vital part of the team, with combat skilled that near-matched his own.
However, Rhys' outburst were becoming more frequent the longer they were away from the Citadel. Given the circumstances though, he was certain the behavior would seize once the Prydwyn arrived and they were all back with the rest of the Brotherhood.
He hated to consider what sort of punishment he'd have to enact should Rhys' behavior toward Nora continue. The thought of Rhys continuing to antagonize his new initiate caused an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. He hoped that she would only report to Haylen for her missions, but part of him knew Nora would continue to try and prove herself to Rhys.
His thoughts began fixating on their conversation in the cell, when he'd offered the Brotherhood's assistance in her endeavor to locate her missing son, despite not clearing it with Maxson. The Brotherhood's primary objective was to locate the Institute, but he was certain he'd be able to convince Maxson to approve the resources to help locate her son.
The sound of the door opening interrupted his train of thought as he saw Nora hobble in, her arm draped over Preston's shoulder as he helped her across the threshold. He stood up instantly, moving to help the other man guide her to the seat.
"You guys, relax." She groaned, shooting an awkward glance up at Danse before petting Dogmeat who had once again situated himself near her feet. "I'm fine, I think I'm just exhausted."
"If it's all the same to you," Preston answered, pulling his pack off of his back. "I'd prefer to check your bandages."
"Fine." She agreed, rolling her eyes at her friend.
"Is there somewhere, uh, a little more private we can go?" Preston asked, gesturing to the open room.
"You trying to get me alone, Garvey?" She joked, scratching behind Dogmeat's ears absentmindedly. Danse could feel the blood drain from his face at the comment.
"I assure you, Scribe Haylen is more than capable of checking Initiate Hartt's wounds." He interjected, a brusqueness in his tone that he had not anticipated. Preston looked to meet the other man's eyes and nodded.
"Thank you, Paladin." Preston offered. " That seems like the best possible scenario. I wasn't sure if she was in at the moment."
Danse looked around the room, noticing her absence from the lobby. "I can locate Haylen immediately after we get her situated back in her room."
"Oh come the fuck on, Danse." She complained, glaring at him. "You're not seriously going to put me back in the jail cell, are you?"
Preston tensed at the statement, immediately looking toward Danse with an accusatory gaze. "Wait, you had her in a jail cell?!"
"I did no such thing." He countered, eyeing Preston cautiously. "Scribe Haylen made the determination to treat her there in order to afford her the most privacy."
"I mean, you did take my weapons too." Nora added, amused by the men's sudden display of hostility toward the other.
"You did what-" Preston started, anger breaking through his typically passive voice.
"That's enough, civilian." Danse retorted, shooting an irritated glance toward where she was seating. She shrugged in response, feigning innocence as she pushed up against the table, trying to get the balance to stand.
"If you guys are done trying to prove who's the alpha here, I'd really like to lay down now." She began walking toward the adjoining room, Preston scrambling to move behind her. "I'm pretty sure I saw a couch back here, at least."
Danse moved to locate Haylen, his annoyance at the disagreement with Preston growing with each passing second. He would also have to have a conversation with Nora about her attitude, but he supposed he could save that conversation for another time.
"Well, it looks like you might have irritated the wound when your dog knocked you to the floor, but other than that everything looks like it's healing as it should." Haylen announced as she finished bandaging up the burn on Nora's shoulder.
"Thank god for pharmacology, huh?" She muttered, moving to lay back down on the couch. "Can I ask you a question, Haylen?"
The woman paused from collecting the used bandages and met her eyes. "Of course, Initiate Hartt."
"Nora. Please just call me Nora." She replied, actively trying not to roll her eyes.
"Nora. Of course. What's on your mind?" Haylen correct, offering a friendly smile.
"It's about Rhys."
Haylen sighed, moving to sit on the arm of the couch. " Try not to take it personally... The attitude comes from being jammed through the wringer for the last few months. And... Rhys bleeds Brotherhood. It's all he cares about. It's his family, hell, it's his whole life."
"Oh?" Nora answered, scanning the scribe's face before pressing the topic further. "That can't be true... I'm pretty sure I sensed something between the two of you?"
Haylen stood suddenly, moving to the door with a crimson flush across her cheeks. "That's none of your business... ma'am."
Nora watched dejectedly as the scribe discarded the bandages and exited the room.
"Paladin, sir." Nora heard Haylen address Danse from right outside the doorway, and looked up as he entered the room.
Nora raised an eyebrow at him but didn't say anything initially, watching as Danse settled into the chair next to the bed before speaking. "I think I pissed off Haylen, so now they both hate me. So that's something."
Danse smirked at the comment, nearly imperceptible in the light of the waning lantern. "How did you manage to do that?"
"I asked if she was with Rhys, you know. Romantically." She answered plainly, darting a glance toward the door. "It didn't go over well."
"No" He chuckled lightly. "I suppose not, given the shade of red on her cheeks. I... try not to get involved in my team's personal affairs."
Nora snorted, looking at Danse with incredulity. "You're kidding... right?"
Danse furrowed his brow in response, opening his mouth to speak before she continued. "You literally had me cornered in a jail cell demanding answers just this morning."
"That's not the same thing." He rebutted, defensively. "I had to ensure the safety of my team and -"
"I get it, Danse. I'm just giving you a hard time." She laughed, squeezing his hand briefly. He could feel himself tense at the motion and looked down to where her hand had been. Noticing his reaction, she asked "What, you guys don't do that anymore?"
"No, it's not customary to be so..." He paused, clearing his throat and frowning. "Not in the Brotherhood, at least. I'm aware that others outside of our ranks are better at... such a display."
"Sorry," she replied awkwardly looking down toward a hole in the couch. "I didn't mean anything by it."
"Of course, I understand." He nodded and moved to stand. "Where did your, uh, friend go?"
"Oh, Preston went to head back to Sanctuary a little bit ago. I asked him to take Dogmeat with him too, so..." She frowned looking back down into her hands, realizing that without the dog she felt very much alone.
"Why?"
"I... I think Preston needs him right now. For a little while, at least." She shrugged, her eyes suddenly feeling very warm.
"That was... very generous of you, Nora." Danse answered, surprised that she was willing to part with the animal given their evident closeness.
"Eh, Dogmeat will make his way back to me when he's ready." She replied, her voice much gentler than it had been. "Besides, we've been lucky so far, save for the Raider who tried to push him off a building, but... I can't put him in danger like that."
Danse nodded, understanding what she was really saying. "You can't lose anyone else."
She looked up, tears still prickling at the corner of her eyes as she pressed her lips together. With a forced cough she stated. "I... I should get to bed. And Danse?"
"Yes?" He watched her expression, realizing she was trying to preserve her dignity from the tears begging to break free.
"Thank you."
He nodded and turned toward the door. "Get some rest. I'll check on you in the morning."
Nora watched as Danse retreated, the sound of his steps fading in the quiet of the lobby. She moved to settle into a slightly less uncomfortable position on the couch and drifted to sleep, overcome with exhaustion.