"Nora." Nick stated, looking up from the folder he was holding as she entered the office.
"Nick Valentine." She answered, her throat tight and nervous. "Feels like just yesterday."
"For you, maybe." He answered with a small grin. "Some of us had to take the long way to the end of the world."
"I'd say you're looking well, but I'm not usually a liar." She smarted, the familiar banter only slightly easing the empty feeling in her stomach.
"Oh? Don't like my new digs?" He joked, raising an eyebrow.
"You looked better in uniform, but this is certainly... a look."
"Yeah, you got a point kid." Nora rolled her eyes at the old nickname as Nick frowned. "I'm sure you got questions. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you haven't accused me of being an imposter yet."
"The thought crossed my mind." She admitted, regarding the toe of her boot shamefully as she shifted her stance.
"I don't blame ya. Hell, if Piper hadn't told me about..." The detective paused, moving to grab the pack of cigarettes from the desk, lighting one with ease. "Well, you know. I didn't recognize ya at first."
"Well I no longer look like, what was it you said? Oh yeah, like I was smuggling a vertibird under my dress."
Nick laughed, his gaze temporarily drawn to the stoic mercenary behind her before looking back toward his old friend. "It wasn't my finest joke."
"It was fucking terrible, Nick." She stated with a laugh, before realization hit her. "Shaun..."
"I know, doll. Take a seat." He stated, moving to help her to the chair.
"I'm not pregnant anymore Nick, you don't need to be so chivalrous." Despite the sharpness in her tone, Nick hadn't reacted in the slightest. MacCready raise an eyebrow at the exchange, but his expression remained primarily unchanged as he moved to sit down at the couch on the other side of the room.
"Old habits, I guess." He stepped back, adding. "Very old habits."
"How?" Nora asked suddenly, eyes fixated on the metal exoskeleton of Nick's hand.
Nick nodded before moving to sit against the desk next to her. "Old Nick, the one you and Nate knew, volunteered for some sort of experimental brain surgery shortly before the bombs dropped, some scientific mumbo-jumbo about mapping consciousness. Long story short, the experiment didn't go as planned, and he died during the procedure. I'm a synth, well, a discarded prototype, anyway. As best I can tell, the Institute found out about the experiment and somehow transferred Nick's consciousness into me through brain scans."
"I don't understand?" She asked, scanning his face carefully.
"I remember everything about old-Nick's life, and I remember going under for the procedure, and then when I woke up... I was laying in a pile of ruble, over a dozen decades come and gone in the blink of an eye. I found some old documents from the CIT experiment Nick underwent. Their goal was to transmit consciousnesses from one body to another. I suppose it works because all of old-Nick's memories and feelings are just as vivid as the one's I've experienced here in Diamond City. But I know it's not the same."
She nodded, lost in thought as she processed the man's story, thinking back to her first memory of her old friend.
It had been purely chance that she had even met Nick in the first place. Boston Police Department was working on a joint case with a few other agencies, including the Chicago Police Department and the FBI.
Nate had been consulted on as a defense attorney, his goal to offer potential arguments to combat the possible defenses the infamous gangster Eddie Winter could posit when the state decided to bring charges against him.
Despite her husband's usual reverence of the theory 'innocent until proven guilty', he had told her that he knew instantly that Winter was a bastard and he hated him as soon as he had been brought on as an adviser. She remembered how shocked she had been at the sudden change in Nate's usually relaxed demeanor.
It wasn't until one morning in early December, when she had burst into her husband's firm, irritated at his significant tardiness to their would-be coffee date, that she had met Detective Valentine. After she had brushed passed Nate's secretary and through his door, knowing the older woman wouldn't dare stop her, given the sight of her very pregnant stomach, she pushed open the office door she saw her husband engrossed in an argument with a sharp-dressed detective sitting across his desk.
"Valentine, I told you- Nora?" In an instant, the ire in his voice melted away into affectionate softness. "What are you doing here honey?"
"You're late." She accused, stomping across the floor, completely ignoring the detective.
"Ah, fuck. Honey..." Nate offered politely, trying to reach for her hand which she pulled away from his grasp. "I'm sorry, I lost track of time. Let me make it up to you?"
"Hell Nate, you'd think she had a fully-armed vertibird under that dress with how quickly you caved." The man joked, moving to light a cigarette and shooting Nora a smirk. "He was just reading my the riot act a few seconds ago about due process.
"That sounds about right. Nate's a sucker for all that legal red-tape." She joked, her fierce gaze matching the detective's own. "But I guarantee, the forces of Genghis Kahn pale compared to my wrath at being stood up for a date."
"Hey Valentine. Have some respect." Nate snapped, pointing toward the lit cigarette in the detective's hand. "My very pregnant wife is standing right next to you. Take that shit outside."
Nora's mouth fell open at the harshness in her husband's tone and she wondered if he was usually this direct with everyone else. Granted, watching Nate be so protective of her and their baby was certainly enthralling in its own regard, inspiring a sensation that she would definitely have to explore a bit more when they got home that night.
"Ah, my apologies. I'm not frequently in the company of pregnant ladies" Nick stood, moving toward the door with a wave. "Catch you later, kid."
At the time she hadn't expected Nick to become a family friend. Over the moths, he and Nate had spent numerous late-nights pouring over the Winter's case at their home in Sanctuary, up until Jenny's death, after which Nick had disappeared entirely. At least now she knew why.
"You're as much the Nick Valentine I knew as the man you call 'Old Nick' was." She stated finally, meeting his now-yellow eyes. The relief on Nick's face was blatant, his faux-confidant demeanor melting away.
"I can't tell you how much it means to hear you say that." He admitted, watching her cautiously, as if he thought her affirmation was some sort of cruel joke.
"Did you really think I'd be anything but on your side?" She asked, placing her hand over his unexposed one. "After everything?"
"I... I wasn't sure. There's a lot of misconceptions about synths." He stated. Had she not known him better, he almost would have seemed nonchalant instead of forlorn.
"Fuck 'em." Nora answered confidant, an almost defiant hint to the statement. "They're going to have to get through me to get to you."
"There's that fire I remember from ya." Nick answered with a wide smile that quickly disappeared before he nodded. "Now, I hate to break up the reminiscing, but I believe we have a kid to find?"
After pouring her heart out to Nick about her recollection of the murder and kidnapping at the Vault, shedding more than a few tears in the process, the detective had reassured her that he had a possible lead on the bald mercenary in question.
Even though Ellie had said the child with the man, Kellogg, had been ten, but the revelation gave her hope nonetheless. For all she knew Shaun could be long dead, but something about the situation told her they were on the right track with that Kellogg character, even if he might be associated with the illustrious Institution.
Now, their biggest obstacle was just the matter of trying to get into the man's place without being caught and jailed by security. As ironic as the idea was, two former cops being effectively arrested for burglary, it wasn't an experience she'd want to entertain. Especially given her earlier display at the gates, she highly doubted that the Diamond City security forces would offer her any sort of leniency.
"Kicking it down would draw too much attention to us. C'mon doll, you know this." Nick insisted, stopping her from barging forward. "How about you go ask around at the Mayor's office to see if you can get the spare key?"
"Why would the Mayor have the spare key for a resident's house?" She asked, turning to look at Nick suspiciously.
"Hey, I'm on your side here." He answered, moving from the lock he had been trying to pick. "But McDonogue aint exactly what we'd call morally upstanding."
"Fucking politicians." Nora muttered, squinting to look at the platform in the distance.
Nick let out a small, sarcastic chuckle. "You're telling me. If you can't get McDonogue to hand over the key, try his secretary. She's not above taking a bribe. I'll stay here and try if I can't get this open."
"Delightful." She answered flatly, turning to walk back toward MacCready who was trying to stay a respectable distance back from the pair. "You any good at pickpocketing?"
The mercenary let out a small laugh. "Something like that."
She nodded and began toward the marketplace, MacCready following close behind.
Unsurprisingly, Mayor McDonogue refused to lend them the spare key, outright denying it's existence despite her attempts to appeal to his emotional sensabilites. Though, as Nick had predicted, Geneva was much more compliant, after a couple hundred caps were tossed her way, that was. Nora tried to ignored the look MacCready shot her when she dolled out the generous bribe to the woman.
"Thought you only had 150, boss." He finally stated, once they had gotten back into the lift.
She smirked, watching his composed expression. "I thought you wouldn't go less than 250, Mac."
He shrugged, looking back toward the market place as the lift got closer to ground level.
Nora felt guilty at her previous deception, noticing the contemplative look in the man's eyes. "I had to make sure you weren't going to shoot me in the back at the first chance. Figured my odds were better splitting the payment with part now and part later."
MacCready turned to her, nodding slightly at the explanation before smirking. "You're smarter than I initially gave you credit for."
"You saying you thought I was dumb?" She quipped back.
"I thought you were naive." He admitted, moving to step off the lift platform. "The Vault suit doesn't help."
"Hmm." She answered, walking ahead of him without further response.
She paced the small house, scanning the surroundings once more. Despite it's exterior, the house had been much smaller than she had expected, and there definitely didn't appear to be any sign of Kellogg or the child he'd allegedly had with him.
Frustrated at the lack of clues or indication they had even been there recently, she kicked the corner of the desk.
"Fuck." She hissed, leaning forward in pain, reaching for her foot.
"That wasn't the smartest thing you'd ever done." Nick stated, shoot MacCready an exasperated look as he stifled a laugh from the doorway.
"Shut up." Nora snapped, looking up from her leaning position before moving to kneel under the desk, focused on her new discovery. Affixed to the side of the desk was a large red button with a thick wire leading to a floor board. "Giant red button, huh?"
Nick had moved behind her, squatting to see what she was inspecting. "Should we see what it does?"
"The last time I hit a giant red button, I launched a rocket from ArcJet. Think Diamond City has a rocket under it?" She answered sarcastically, a smile filling her face.
"That was you?" MacCready asked, approaching the pair at the desk cautiously. "Maybe you shouldn't-"
"What?!" Nick interrupted, looking between MacCready and Nora's expression.
"Long story." Nora shrugged, looking back at the mercenary before quickly pressing the button without either party's input. All three jumped up, weapons in hand when the wall moved away, revealing the smaller room behind it.
Nick was the first to move forward, his hand gripped along his pistol as peaked around the wall before relaxing. "Look at this. All of a merc's favorite things..."
MacCready followed, nodding at the comment. "Can't say I disagree."
A brief search of the room yield a few provisions, but Nora didn't find anything concrete that could point them to where Kellogg might have gone. Fortunately, Nick was better adjusted to the nuisances of the Commonwealth and he picked up the cigarette box, inspecting it.
"San Francisco Sunlights. Interesting brand. Won't lead us anywhere on its own, though." Nick stated, answering the question before Nora could ask. "Sunlights aren't particularly popular on this coast, not since the bombs dropped, at least."
She nodded, feeling dejected at the lack of conclusive evidence. After everything she had gone through to find Nick and get him back to Diamond City, she felt like she was just back where she had started.
"Shame you don't have a trained pup." MacCready stated, moving to grab a bottle of bourbon from the side table, unscrewing the cap and taking a small sip. "The Gunners used to train some of their dogs to track people down for miles. Hell, some of them can track a scent from here to the Capitol Wasteland."
"The Capitol? Like DC?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at the statement. "Who are the Gunners?"
"The Capitol Wasteland is what you and I used to know as DC. One of the first places hit by the bomb." Nick answered, collecting a few packs of the cigars off of the table, stuffing them into the pocket of his trenchcoat. "The Gunner's are high-end mercenaries. No job too brutal. Think Raiders with better uniforms and more violence."
Nora shot MacCready a look, remembering the pair who had confronted him back at the Third Rail who had told him to stop operating in Gunner territory. She tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow. The mercenary shifted under her gaze, but did not answer.
She turned back to Nick, still watching the younger man from the corner of her gaze. "I have a dog that might be available for a track, if we get a good starting point."
"Nora... You know how hard it is to train a dog to track." The detective answered, trying to soften the implication of his statement.
She squared her shoulders, a slight purse to her lips. "Dogmeat's good... I got pinned down in a firefight near Cambridge and he not only tracked down a friend of mine up by the old Corvega factory, but led him to the front stoop of where I ended up hours later at the old police station."
"It's worth a try, but we'll have to get a better lead on Kellogg first." Nick answered, moving toward the front door, opening it as he shot a look back toward the pair still standing inside the house. "The day's come and gone, so how about we meet back at the agency around nine in the morning? Give me a bit of time tonight to put a few feelers out and regroup?"
"Sounds good, Nick. See ya then." As soon as the door closed, she turned to face MacCready. "Anything you want to tell me, Mac?"
"Not really, boss." He answered, eyeing the provisions and bottles, looking anywhere but at her.
"Okay." She replied, moving to take some of the provisions and ammunition, stuffing it into her pack while MacCready did the same.
It wasn't long before the shelves were cleared of any valuables, along with the rest of the small home.
"Dugout Inn has beds and booze." MacCready stated once they were finished, moving to open the door, holding it for her to walk through.
"Pretty sure you snagged enough booze, but I wouldn't mind a bed. Preferably one that is in better shape than the one at Rexford."
MacCready let out a small chuckle, leading the way toward the run down bar with confidence. Once inside, he nodded at a burly man sulking by a hallway.
Nora noted the familiarity that appeared to pass between the men before reaching for her stash of caps. "How much?"
"Ten caps for one bed, fifteen for two bed." The man answered, his voice bearing a distinct Slavic accent. It was the first pronounced accent she'd encountered since waking up in the wasteland and it completely threw her off guard.
"Two beds is fine, Yefim." MacCready answered politely, nudging Nora who had continued to stare at the man in shock.
"Oh." She answered with a start, handing fifteen caps to the man who nodded quietly in response while he counted the caps carefully.
"Room 12" Yefim answered, watching MacCready carefully.
"Top floor. You remembered." The mercenary said with a nod, moving up the stairs where Nora followed quietly, thinking about the exchange.
"Top floor?" She asked once reaching the door.
MacCready nodded, moving to sit on the bed closest to the door he'd opened, shrugging his pack of his back. "Best vantage point for shooting. Harder for people to get to if they're gunning for ya."
"Smart." She answered, still trying to figure out what she could about the secretive young man. "Hope you're planning on sharing some of that bourbon you snagged."
He shot her a careful look, and she smirked. Apparently they both didn't quite trust each other yet. She moved to the opposite bed, throwing the pack down and pulling out the last of the clean Vault-suits, along with the three dirty ones.
"Scarlett can wash those for you, for a few caps." MacCready answered, pulling two ceramic mugs from his bag, along with one of the brown bottles.
"Thanks. Hell, I'd sell my PipBoy for a decent shower." She joked, relaxing as he poured the bourbon into the cups, pushing one toward her on the bedside table, almost as if a peace offering.
"A hot bath will probably cost ya closer to 20 caps." He answered, sipping from his own glass.
She nodded, reaching for the other mug. "Might be worth it. Hey, how did I get stuck with the cost of the room?"
The bourbon burned on it's way down, in a less than pleasant way, but she took another sip regardless.
He smiled slightly from where the cup was up to his lips. "I figured you already shorted me 100 caps, so it's more than fair."
"You sneaky bastard." She said with a laugh, shaking her head as he shrugged in response.
"Could say that same for you, boss."
"Yeah, yeah." She waved, finishing the small amount of liquid he had poured for her. "You good to keep watch in here for a few? I won't take long."
He nodded, moving to take off his boots and lean back against the wall.
Not more than twenty minutes later, she was cleaner than she'd been since leaving the Vault, the murky water in the bathtub a clear indication that the small basin baths she'd been taking along the way had not been doing nearly enough.
By the time she had made it back up to the room, MacCready was napping on the bed. She quietly moved to her own bed, pulling her half-dried hair back as she reached for the brown bottle on the side table that was noticeably lighter than before.
The noise from her PipBoy jostled MacCready awake as she toggled with the frequencies.
"Sorry." She offered softly, turning the device back to sleep. "I thought it was on silent."
"S'Okay." He replied, removing his hat and placing it on the side table. "I was just taking a minute."
"Resting your eyes?" Her amused tone drew her companion's own smirk.
"Something like that." After running his hand through his hair, he frowned, looking at his fingers.
"If you want to clean up or wash your clothes, Scarlett said she could have them ready by morning." Nora stated, half hoping he'd take her up on the offer.
MacCready nodded, moving to grab the small leather pouch from his pocket.
"Take it easy on that stuff, boss." He mumbled, pointing toward the bottle before exiting the room.
Once she was sure she was alone, she pulled out the holotape Codsworth had given her when she first got home.
She hadn't listened to it since the first night, but in the quiet of the hotel room, she felt relatively safe. She entered it into the PipBoy and pressed play, allowing the sounds of her past to dance around the room.
The first play through she stared straight ahead at the wall, willing herself to picture Nate's face and Shaun's chubby cheeks as they had recorded the tape. The second time she pressed play, she could feel the hot tears rolling down her face, but made no other sounds. She closed her eyes, allowing the tears to flow freely, hitting play repeatedly until she was certain that MacCready would be returning soon. Carefully, she removed the holotape, placing it back into the zippered pocket on her bag, and quickly wiped at her cheeks and eyes before taking another sip of the bitter liquor.
After a few minutes she heard the door open and the heavy thud of boots across the floor, MacCready flopping onto the bed opposite her.
"You didn't have to do that." He stated, an unfamiliar strain in his voice. She looked up, blinking her swollen eye to gauge his expression.
"Don't worry about it." The ceramic mug felt heavy in her hands, but she couldn't convince herself to put it down, instead bringing it toward her mouth once more. The warmth it left in her stomach was comforting after the emotionally draining day she'd endured. "Besides. Like you said, I already swindled you out of a decent amount of caps."
"I'm sorry about your son, Nora." MacCready stated suddenly as she jerked her head up. It was strange hearing him say her name, but she saw his own desolate sadness and just nodded, not able to formulate an answer. Her companion continued. "I know it's hard being away from him."
Nora watched as her companion's tone changed and it an instant he looked just like a terrified teenager, no longer the fearless mercenary she had met the previous night. "You...?"
"Yeah..." MacCready suddenly composed his expression shrugging. "It's for the best. He's safer where he's at."
"What do you mean?" She pressed, wanting to know more about the her new associate.
"It just is. And I don't want to hear any judgment -" MacCready snapped at her, clenching his fist at his side.
"Hey, hey, Mac." She reassured, moving to sit next to him on the bed and gently place her hand on his forearm. "I believe you. I heard how those guys were threatening you at the Rail and what you said about the Gunners. So if you say it's safer for him where he is, I believe you."
MacCready nodded, looking at his own mug on the side table as she pulled her hand back. "Those two assh... those two idiots you saw me talking to at the Third Rail, Winlock and Barnes. They're with the Gunners, one of biggest gangs in the Commonwealth. Got a rep for being crazy... you know, so tightly wound, you'd think they were a cult or something. Stuck with them for a while cause the money was good, but I never fit in. That's why I made a clean break and started flying solo."
"Sounds like a good thing you got out when you did." Nora offered sympathetically.
"I thought so, at the time. But they've been hounding me for months and it's been driving off clients. No one wants to touch me once they learn I used to run with the Gunners. And I figured if I could get enough caps together, maybe I could buy them out." He shrugged, moving to refill his mug much more liberally this time. "That way I wouldn't have to worry about them coming after me."
"They don't seem the type to give in that easily. If you try to pay them off I'm damn certain they'd come back for more eventually. Had a few gangs like that back before the war... It's always ends bloody."
"Exactly. They always have a small army of Gunners with them at all time... I don't stand a chance against them." MacCready murmured, fingers tracing the cracked exterior of the mug.
"Well, fortunately for you, you're talking to the new General of the Minutemen." She stated proudly. "Granted, it's only a few of us at the moment, but we're rebuilding and I'm confidant we'll have more people joining our ranks."
He shot her a look of amusement at her statement. "How the fu- heck did you swing that?"
Nora let out a small laugh with a shrug. "The position was vacant and I foolishly agreed to the nomination."
"I appreciate that, but I don't think a group of settlers with pipe-pistols are gonna be able to outdo the Gunners. They'd be massacred." His voice was sad, and Nora frowned, determined to help him regardless.
"You're right, it'd be a suicide mission for them. But, with the right tools, you and me could probably take them." She offered. MacCready looked up at her, surprised at the genuine tone in her proposition.
"Are you... Are you sure? What about your kid?" He asked, the thought of leaving another child without his mother made him uneasy.
"Valentine said he's tracking down leads. Until then, I can help you out. I have an old set of Power Armor and a Minigun up near where we're headed. That enough firepower to take out their little group?" MacCready laughed, a full happy laugh at the declaration.
"That, uh, yeah, that would probably do the trick... Thank you. I know you don't know me from Atom, but..."
"Oh shut up, Mac. Pretty sure saving me from those assholes in Goodneighbor makes us even." She waved the concern away, moving back toward her bed. "That being said, I think it's about time I got some rest. You too."
"Yeah, yeah." He grumbled but complied, but only after pushing a chair in front of the door handle to the room to block any unwanted visitors.
It was nearly morning by the time Nora woke up, jostled awake by yet another familiar nightmare. As she laid in bed, curled in on herself she went over the game plan in her head.
Stop by a few of the locations for Haylen, clear out the old library for Daisy, drop off the tech at the station, and then head up toward Sanctuary.
A faint grunting from MacCready's bed drew her attention and she moved carefully to approach where he laid pressed against the wall on the side of to the mattress. It was apparent that he was having a night terror, his face streaked with sweat and fear.
Nora moved to get a piece of cloth from her bag, wetting it quickly with a bottle of water, and returning to sit on the side of the mattress. She gently wiped his forehead, whispering to him.
"Mac, you're okay. You're safe. You're in Diamond City. You're okay."
MacCready relaxed, his eyes opening a few minutes later, still glazed with sleep and confusion. Nora continued wiping sweat from his face for a few moments longer before moving to stand.
"Go back to bed, we don't have to be up for a few hours yet." She offered, but the mercenary was already moving to sit, wiping his face absentmindedly with his hand, before blinking his surroundings into clarity.
"Why... Why did you do that?" He asked, his tone harsh and accusatory as she suddenly felt sheepish for the actions.
"Mac... That's what mothers do. I know it's not the same, but... The instinct is still there, I guess. Sorry if it made you uncomfortable." She moved to put the PipBoy back on her arm from where it was resting by her pillow.
"I wouldn't know." He stated quietly, moving to stand, stretching before moving to repack his bag.
Nora didn't answer, but she did watch him a moment longer, another piece of the MacCready puzzle fitting itself easily into with what she already knew about him. She wondered fleetingly if there was anyone the horrors of the wasteland didn't haunt at night.
She could feel her thoughts going back to Danse, the tortured look he carried when he talked about his lost team and how eager he was to help her. In that instant she knew he had to have nightmares as well, but wondered how severe they were.
Given her own survivors guilt, she imagined the man's internal torture was quite deep. The thought inspired an unexpected sadness in her chest as she moved to reclaim her own items, placing them carefully back into the bag.
"Takahashi's is the best breakfast at this hour, if you're interested." MacCready stated and Nora nodded, scanning the room once more for any forgotten items before turning to follow her companion out the door. As soon as they exited, they saw the pile of clean clothes outside, and moved to replace them into the bag.
"I gotta tell you, the times in my life when I ate noodles for breakfast I was not doing well for myself." She muttered, following him around the market place, her eyes bleary. MacCready shot her a look she was too tired to try and interpret.
"Hey. How about I introduce you to my confidential informant? Takahashi, thank you for meeting me here." The friendly female voice drew her attention to the noodle bar.
She immediately recognized that it was Piper, accompanied by what she could only describe as a miniature version of the enthusiastic reporter.
"Fuck." Nora whispered under her breath as the other woman caught sight of her approaching.
"Blue! How could you? The jig is up. Takahashi told me everything. Web of lies, gone. I mean, I bet your name's not even Blue, is it?" The woman joked, pulling her into a hug before nodding to the girl next to her. "Looks like Nat and I had that same idea as you two."
"Everyone knows Takahashi's is the only place to get a decent breakfast around here." MacCready responded, moving to a bar stool, the three women following suit. "Haven't been to Diamond City in years, but I'll tell you... nothing's changed."
Nora repressed a smirk tugging at her lips at the comment. "Well after 210 years, I gotta say, it looks a little different."
Piper smiled at her comment, pulling out her notebook. "Is that an official statement, General Smith?"
"Piper..." Nora groaned, shooting the woman a withering glance.
"I'm kidding, Blue!" She answered, raising her hands in feigned innocence.
"Mhmm." Nora answered, watching Natalie swing her legs back and forth on the stool. "She looks just like you. Sure she's not yours?"
Piper rolled her eyes before turning toward Takahashi to order, a faint blush on her cheeks.
The group ate their noodles, MacCready silently listening to the exchange between Piper and Nora with curiousity.
Piper filled them in on the date she had gone on with Danny Sullivan, questioning Nora about her time in Goodneighbor and the search for Shaun. Nora answered with vague details, but was eager to regale Nat with a slightly embellished story about how she faced off against a Deathclaw and saved the Minutemen from Raiders.
By the time nine in the morning had rolled around, the group split their separate ways.
Piper and Nat waved them away, excited to start selling their new issue, featuring Nora's own testimony, while MacCready led the way to the detective agency.
Despite the brief search for leads the previous night, Nick hadn't been able to locate any definitive information on Kellogg. Nora and MacCready had bid him farewell, promising to return in a week with Dogmeat, assuming he would be able to collect some better information by then.
The trip to Boston Library had taken a day in itself, Raiders and ghouls halting their anticipated progress. Fortunately, they were able to hole up in an old Slocum Joe's, taking four hour shifts to sleep and eat before dawn came and they would continue their trek to the library.
The Boston Library alone had taken several hours to clear. With only the two of them, they had to work primarily on the basis of stealth to pick off the mutants, which became truly dangerous when the Protectron's decided to wake up and join the fight. Despite the barriers, by the time the sun was beginning to set, they had holed up in a secure room at the Library, eating cold Cram and potato crisps along with the vodka they'd found in the back of the librarian's desk.
"I figured we could hit Barnes and Winlock, then still get back to Nick by the end of the week. What do you think?" Nora stated, glaring down at her serving of the potted meat.
"Are you sure? I know you said you'd help out, but..." He fiddled with the cap of the vodka bottle. "It's a lot to ask."
"Shut up. They sound like assholes, I've heard about some of the shit they do, and I'm more than happy to help." She insisted, thinking of the Raider's back at Corvega.
He nodded, forcing himself to look at anything other than his new companion before continuing. "They ran me out of the Capitol, after I left. I can't... I can't go back until they're gone."
"And that's where your kid is?" She asked, despite already being confidant she knew the answer.
"Yeah, Duncan." He paused, he hadn't told anyone other than Daisy his son's name, but something about her convinced him he could trust her. "He's staying with a family friend. Heh. The friend, he's actually a former Vaultie like you, but he's good people."
Nora nodded, contemplative as she considered his words. "Good. Then there's no question, we hit the Mass Pike Interchange then head back to Nick in Diamond City. I actually think I saw another set of armor by one of the settlements."
"Oh hell no." MacCready stated suddenly, not realizing his previous slip until a few seconds later. "Heck no."
She shot an eyebrow in his direction. "Listen kid, if I have to squeeze myself into Power Armor after being frozen in a tiny metal pod for over two hundred years, you can manage for a couple days."
"Only for this. I'm leaving it on the side of the road after we take care of those bas-jerks." MacCready agreed, ignoring the amused look on his friend's face before settling into the bedroll next to him. "You better make sure nothing stabs me in my sleep."
"Scout's honor." Nora quipped back and despite the antiquated reference, MacCready knew with certainty that she had his back.
It had taken another day and a half until they reached Cambridge, both emotionally and physically exhausted as they collapsed on the stairs at the police station.
Fortunately, neither one was willing to talk about the incident at Kendall Hospital upon seeing the maternity ward the previous night. Nora had thought she was going to faint when she discovered the tiny skeleton situated in the crib, running from the room before throwing up in a corner. MacCready had known better than to comment, his own tears beginning their escape at the tragic scene.
As soon as they collapsed in front of the police station, Nora began to laugh, the sound echoing around the courtyard, MacCready following shortly after.
"I can't believe you convinced that mutie that you were his mother." MacCready gasped, moving to pull the pack of cigarettes from his back pocket.
"Hey!" She snapped, grabbing the pack from his hands. "You needed a distraction, and no offense, but I'm pretty sure I can outrun you."
"Only because you keep making me carry this fu-freaking junk in my bag." He reached for the cigarette pack, yanking it from her hands before removing one. "Seriously? What do you need all the cans for."
"I've told you, at least three times already. I need to fix a few things in my armor, the cans are free materials." She asked, leaning back on her arms to look at the sky. "You have any thing good left?"
MacCready grunted, placing a full bottle of whiskey between them, which she took eagerly.
"Y'Know. I never looked at the stars before the war, not for long at least." She stated, bringing the bottle to her lips.
"I didn't see a lot of them growing up." He answered, reaching for the bottle in her hands. "I was the Mayor of a town in the Capitol wasteland."
"You're kidding. You're basically a kid." She demanded, watching as he uncapped the bottle.
"I was a kid then, too." He stated. "It was a town of kids and only kids."
Nora turned to stare at him, suddenly very interested in his childhood. "You're shitting me, right?"
"Mmm. Nope. It was called Little Lamplight. A whole place for kids who's parents didn't want them or couldn't keep them. Whatever." MacCready waved the comment away, like it was nothing serious and not horribly sad. "Didn't matter as long as you were under sixteen, you could live there.
"Jesus, Mac. I'm... I'm sorry." Nora leaned forward, wrapping her arm around the younger man, rubbing his shoulder in a warm, maternal manner. "It sounds like you did well for yourself though. Becoming mayor? That's quite an achievement. You should be proud."
MacCready smiled, nodding at the compliment before mumbling "No one's ever been proud of me before."
She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze when the sound of a door opening behind them drew her attention, the familiar figure coming into view.
"Paladin Danse." She offered with a small smile, turning toward MacCready as she moved to stand, extending a hand to her friend whose hand was still gripping the bottle.
"Initiate Hartt." Danse answered, a slight tone of surprise marking the words as his eyes darted between herself and MacCready before offering a curt not. "Glad to see you're well."
"Damn Danse, all these formalities after everything we've been though? I'm hurt." She joked, shooting him a full smile. "Now, are you going to let me and my friend in or are we supposed to sleep outside?"
"I, uh, Nora. Yes, come in." Danse rushed awkwardly, shooting MacCready a curious glance before holding the door open for them.
MacCready grinned smugly at the statement, partly due to the warmth of the alcohol in his empty stomach and in part because his new friend had just cut a Brotherhood Paladin down to a normal person with nothing more than a friendly smile. Nora led the way, her hand guiding MacCready's shoulders toward the door as they entered the station.
"Where's Haylen?" Nora asked, peaking in the rooms surrounding the lobby.
"Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys went on a recon mission to Cambridge Polymer Labs." Danse answered, eyeing MacCready as he inspected the terminal in the corner.
"Oh? Is that happening?" She asked, shrugging off her pack into one of the rooms. MacCready was immediately aware of her comfort at the station, of which he was not a particular fan.
When Danse offered a small chuckle, MacCready almost passed out from shock at the sound. "They do seem to be getting along even better than before."
"Ooo, that's saying something." Nora answered, moving to push herself into a leaning position against the counter next to Danse. "What does the Brotherhood call it when two of their charges make a baby brotherhood soldier?"
"Squires." Danse answered, amusement evident in his voice. MacCready watched from the desk by the terminal, taking in the conversation like it was premium entertainment. The sound of Nora's laugh echoing around the station enveloped them both, each sporting a content smile at the sound.
"You're serious?" She asked, grabbing Danse's forearm in the process. MacCreasy noticed that she held her hand there longer than one typically might before pulling away, at least in the wasteland, as well as the rush of blood to the paladin's face, painting his cheeks a faint pink.
"It... It's not uncommon. Squires are children born to Brotherhood soldiers who reside in designated quarters or with their parents." He retorted.
"Like military brats living on base." She stated with a quick nod.
"I- I suppose so." Danse answered, watching her expression. "Did Haylen? Uh, your compensation?"
"Oh my God! Yes. Righteous is gorgeous. I almost couldn't accept-" Nora gushed her tone slightly nervous despite her relaxed posture. MacCready watched the exchange with eager eyes, absolutely flummoxed at the familiarity between the two.
"Is it... not adequate?" Danse asked, a nervous feeling growing in his stomach.
"It's amazing, Danse. It's just quite a bit more compensation than I was anticipating for one mission. " She reassured, once again bringing her hand to offer a gentle squeeze to the other man's arm.
"You saved my life." He answered matter-of-factly, looking over to MacCready who was clearly still listening. Nora nodded, moving to stand once more.
"Thank you. I love it, the calibration is amazing." Danse visibly relaxed at the compliment, a faint smile peaking out from his usually stoic expression. "Well, I hate to say it, but this is only a short visit. I was gonna drop some tech off for Haylen before heading out." She stated, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Did you get the radio working?"
"Not yet. Scribe Haylen is in need of a specialized circuit-board to fix a damaged component of the transmitter." He retorted, watching as she moved toward the doorway of the adjoining room.
"I have a military-grade circuit board - Please don't ask how I got it." she retorted, walking over to pull out the device along with the other pieces of tech from her bag. "Would this work?"
"That... That is more than adequate." Danse stated, regarding her with an expression of wonder. "Thank you. It seems you have a tendency to stop by at the most opportune of times."
She offered a small smile before Danse composed himself, his face suddenly stoic and reserved. "The Brotherhood of Steel owes you significant gratitude for your contributions to our continued success."
"I'm always happy to help you, Danse." She answered, heading toward a room leading from the lobby as the paladin approached the front doors. The emphasis on 'you' was not lost on Danse who nodded quickly before leaving the room. Nor was it lost on MacCready, who followed her into the room she had claimed, remaining quiet until he was sure the paladin was out of ear-shot.
"The Brotherhood of Steel, huh? Or is this really about that pretty-boy soldier back there?" He asked calmly, moving to the couch opposite the bed in the room.
"What?" She asked harshly, suddenly looking up to meet his eyes, as if she forgot he had been with her, before hardening her expression. "If the Institute is really involved with Shaun's disappearance, the Brotherhood, with their advanced weaponry, is my best bet at finding him."
"Okay, boss." MacCready answered, the coldness of her tone stunting any potential teasing or questions as he settled into his bedroll. "You got first watch?"
"Yeah." She stated, any sense of emotion devoid in her tone as she moved toward the doorway. "I'll wake you in a few hours."
For once MacCready missed the 'kid' nickname she was prone to using as she left the room, and he turned to his side falling asleep almost instantly.
Nora found Danse standing in the courtyard, his rifle at the ready, scanning the horizon. She was irritated at MacCready's earlier implication, but couldn't keep herself from seeking out the man.
"Paladin Danse." She stated, moving toward the figure, who shot her a brief look before scanning the barricade once more. "How come you don't have a helmet?"
He paused, his stance rigid as he turned to face her. "It got damaged a while back, and due to the lack of crystal components in our scavenging missions, I'm unable to restore it properly."
She nodded, moving to sit, bringing the now half-empty bottle of whiskey to her lips before extending her arm to the paladin. "I was never a big fan of Power Armor."
"No?" He answered, turning toward her, shooting a cautious glance toward the barrier before exiting his armor. He moved to take a seat next to her on the steps. "It's tactically advantageous in battle, there's nothing comparable I've seen thus far in my travels."
Danse reached for the bottle, taking a healthy swig before passing it back. Nora nodded, her eyes fixed on something imperceptible in the distance. "I told you about the cryopod... It was so cold and metallic. It's just... Claustrophobic. I tried to use Power Armor before..."
"Back when you helped the Minutemen in Concord, correct?" He interjected with a small smirk.
"Yeah. I was perfectly fine during the battle, but halfway to our destination... I just flipped out. The sudden coldness of the metal, the confined space, I thought I was back in the Vault. It felt so, I don't know. Too much like it was before... " She shrugged, surprised at the ease in which she confessed her insecurities to the paladin. She tried to focus on counting the stones of the courtyard, her anxiety urging her to reach forward and retie her boot.
Danse nodded silently, looking at the bottle before taking another quick sip. "I'm glad you're well, despite your lack of suitable armor."
"Mac has been doing a good job of covering my ass." She stated, scooting herself closer to grab the bottle from his hands. "You were really worried?"
"All soldiers in my charge are under my protection, therefore it is my responsibility to be concerned for your safety during the course of your missions." Nora could feel herself roll her eyes at the response, before Danse continued. "I will admit, I had additional concern for your safety... Given that you did not train under me, of course."
"Of course." She repeated dryly, watching the stars twinkle against the dark blue of the night sky.
"Mac?" Danse asked, toying with the bottle cap between his fingers.
"He's a good kid. Needs a bit of direction, but I trust him." She offered, picking up the whiskey from the step where Danse had left it.
"Are you quite certain of his dependability?" The voice was cold, almost harsh, in it's inquiry. Despite herself, she could feel her protective nature began to flare in her chest, turning her entire body to face the paladin.
"Considering I was so drunk I didn't know what two plus two was just a few nights ago and Mac saved me from being raped by two scumbags in a sketchy bar? Not only getting back to my room safely but going so far as to sleep outside my door to make sure I was safe? Yeah, I think I can trust him." She snapped, anger rolling off her in waves as she moved to stand. Danse reeled back, watching her change in demeanor as she stepped away from him and Nora kicked herself for blurting everything out.
Great job, now Danse know about that. There's no way the Brotherhood wants an irresponsible drunk soldier in their ranks.
Danse could feel himself blink, processing the words that she had just offered. A sudden heat of anger began to bloom in his chest encroaching up toward his neck. "I'm sorry, what did you say Initiate?" The words were grated out, over clenched teeth.
Nora glanced back at him, half eager for an argument, if only as an outlet for the building anger she'd been battling at the harsh reality of her new world. "I said, Mac saved me from being raped and probably murdered at no expense to himself, so I trust him implicitly." The words were harsh and cold, a rare show of the rage she normally was so good at keeping under wraps.
"Who-Who tried to take advantage of you?" Danse demanded, anger radiating from his very stance as he moved to stand as well. "The Brotherhood protects... The Brotherhood takes a threat against it's soldiers very seriously."
"I... I don't know." She admitted, deflating slightly at the confession, shaking her head at her sudden tempestuous moods. "But, they were taken care of. It's okay-"
"It's not okay!" Danse snapped, grabbing her shoulders and meeting her eyes. "It's... It's not okay."
Nora could feel herself softening, pulling Danse into an awkward hug as the man stilled, before releasing him quickly. Even though she knew physical contact wasn't common in the wasteland, it still surprised her how adverse people were to it. "It's okay, Danse. I was stupid and made a mistake. Mac saved my ass, and now I know not to drink in Goodneighbor-"
"Goodneighbor?" He demanded as she moved to sit back on the stoop once more, taking a full swig before closing her eyes and leaning back on her hands, rested against the cool concrete.
"Danse. It's fine. The people responsible... The mayor took care of them. They're no longer roaming the city, okay?" She knew her explanation was manipulative in it's nature, skimming over the fact that she was pretty sure that the creeps were probably dead in a pile of ruble by now. However, Danse seemed to relaxed at her explanation, moving to sit next to her.
"I know... It's not not your fault that this happened, but... " Danse paused, nervously reaching for her hand that laid resting on the step. "I believe you said this was an expression of friendship before the war?"
She nodded, as slight heat encroaching upon her cheeks. "It... It can be."
"Please remain vigilant in these situations, in the future..." Danse offered softly, as Nora instinctively wrapped her fingers between his. She had expected Danse to recoil, brush off the contact as inappropriate or unprofessional, but he gently squeezed her hand before relaxing his arm in response. In the back of her mind, her thoughts were screaming at her, demanding an explanation for the sudden display of affection toward him. Whether it was the whiskey dulling her thoughts or her innate need for comfort, she ignored the guilty feeling pooling in her chest.
"I will, Danse. I promise." She offered, meeting his eyes. Danse watched her gentle expression, hands still interlocked as he offered her a relaxed smile. She caught herself staring at their interlocked fingers, all feelings of guilt or Nate pushed away, the whiskey doing a fair job of keeping reality at bay.
They stayed with their hands interlocked for a good long while, their eyes transfixed on the glimmering stars above, passing the bottle back and forth with their opposite hands, neither one willing to break contact. At the sound of steps outside the barrier, the pair jumped up, Danse moving toward his armor, releasing her hand as she moved to bring her pistol forward at the intrusion.
"Knight Rhys." Danse offered, relief evident as the two passed under the barricade, their armor stained with fresh blood and their faces exhausted. Haylen had her arm wrapped around the knight's waist, shouldering the majority of his weight as they made their way silent up the stairs.
Haylen nodded in their direction before proceeding through the doors, half dragging Rhys in the process.
"I should check on Mac." Nora blurted, rushing to follow the pair into the station as she refused to meet Danse's inquisitive glance.
"Understood, Initiate." Danse replied, any hint of vulnerability gone with the reemergence of their squad mates as he turned back toward the barricade. Despite his desire to address the contact, he watched from corner of his gaze as Nora moved inside, her own muddled thoughts trying to organize themselves desperately at the strangely-intimate moment they had shared.