Nick stayed at the settlement for a while. Tom made him a pipe revolver, and Nick often went with the scavenging parties or worked on guard duty. He also collected holotapes and started a journal. He recorded the day to day life of a synthetic human in what was like the oasis in an endless desert. The people of this little settlement were beyond, or even after their time. Nick thought if anyone should of been encapsulated in time it should of been someone like them. Of course not in a synth body. Hell no.

Why the institute chose to scan and upload the brain of a pre-war cop instead of the brightest scientist was beyond him.

Conversation with Nick also remained a popular dinner pastime. People seemed to have an endless supply of questions about what is was like to be a Synth and what is was like before the war. They also could never stop staring at him. Nick got used to it though.

The nickname toaster stuck, and people affectionately referred to him as such. Every time they went scavenging and saw a toaster someone pointed it out and teased him about it. Recently the favorite was joking about how it was his girlfriend.

"Hey Nicky, look! Your girlfriend!" one of Jim's uncles blurted out for the hundredth time.

"Nah it's not like that. See, we don't want to make the other ones jealous ." Nick replied.

Laughter erupted from the rest of the group. "Quiet, not too loud." John snapped.

It was best if they didn't come into contact with any unwanted company.

Speaking of unwanted company, John's brother, Ben, had tried to start his own settlement not too far away, but it had been easily raided and pillaged by raiders. Ben took his family and the other survivors and brought them to John's settlement. They were arguing with the guards as the scavenging party return.

"John! My brother, how are things? You have done well for yourselves."

"I thought I told you to never show your face around here." John replied coldly.

"John, please, aren't you happy to see your own kin?"

" I see them everyday."

"We were attacked. We have nothing. What is that...thing...anyways."

John sighed.

"That "thing" is more of a man then you'll ever be."

Chuckles and suppressed laughter came from both groups.

Ben didn't know what to say and just glared at his older brother.

"Please, we will earn our keep. Plus I will give you our ghoul." He finally said.

"You own a ghoul?" John raised an eyebrow.

"Well my wife does. She's our personal help."

"Sounds like a slave to me."

"What? No. Slave? Nah. Her pay is food and a roof over her head."

"Uh huh."

A women pulled a ghoul by her arm to in front of John.

The ghoul made eye contact with no one. She stared at her feet with her brown eyes and rubbed her arms.

"Where are her clothes?"

"Ghouls don't wear clothes." Ben replied."She looks like a corpse."

"What's her name?"

"Shelia." she answered quietly.

"We'll take the ghoul. You all can stay here until you find a better spot."

"Thanks John we won't forget this."

The group of five additional people including the ghoul entered the gates with the scavenging party. Ben glared at Nick as he walked past him. He let Nick enter first and helped the guards close the gate behind them.

"Linda? Could you give Shelia some clothes?" John asked his wife.

"Yes. Follow me darling. We will pick out something for you."

Nick smiled to himself. He never would get over this place.

Ben looked ashamed.

Linda shared their portion of the second story with Shelia.

"Soap?!" Shelia exclaimed. " I get to use real soap? Wow! And this towel is so nice!" Shelia said with genuine excitement.

Linda smiled.

"And over here is my chest full of outfits. Took years to scavenge and make. You are welcome to pick a couple."

Tears welded up in Shelia's eyes then spilled over onto her face.

"Oh you're so kind. I... I... thank you."

Shelia selected two outfits the almost perfectly resembled what she wore before the bombs were dropped.

"You were quite the charmer in your day weren't you." Linda remarked.

Shelia giggled, but then frowned. She missed it. She thought it would of been better she was born after the war or had died when the bombs fell.

"There is someone else who is pre-war. You should meet him."

"Another ghoul?"

"You'll see."

"Well if it is the robot man with yellow glowing eyes he seems nice. All of you are the nicest people I've ever met."

"You're free to stay."

"Free?" Shelia didn't dare hope.

"Yes you are a free women."

"Thank you so much!" She cried.

"Take your bath and get dressed. Dinner will be ready soon."

Shelia sat down next to Nick for the reading of the poem and was the center of attention during dinner. After dinner she and Nick sat around the fire.

"So you are pre-war?"

"Yes, I'm a bit dated."

"Well so am I silly." She giggled.

"You have a nice voice especially for a ghoul." One of the ladies collecting the dishes said.

"Thank you. Would you like any help with that?"

"No you two love birds go ahead and talk, I'm sure there is plenty to talk about."

"Where did you live before the war, Nick?"

"I didn't."

"Nick, stop it."

"I lived in Boston, worked for Boston PD after I was a beat cop in Chicago."

"Oh wow. I was a dentist. I'm from Malden."

"I'm sure you were a very good one Miss Malden."

Sheila giggled. "That's actually my last name. You know, Mr. Toaster, I was hot toast back in my day."

"Well..." Nick was glad he couldn't blush. "I'm sure you still are."

"Fuck her already!" A male settler shouted from the balcony.

The two sat in silence for a while. Shelia eventually leaned on Nick's shoulder. She listened to the hum in his chest and the whirling of his servos. It was kinda strange to Shelia that there was no rhythmic breathing or heartbeat but eventually she curled up and fell sleep.

Nick didn't need to sleep and could sit for ever like an inanimate object, and of course his arm didn't fall sleep.

He sat staring into the dwindling fire and listened to Shelia's deep breaths.

Nick was back at the rubble pile, except he was yelling at someone, in sheer anger and confusion. Yelling-no, not at someone. Something. Something that was claiming to be his brother.

"Nick?" Shelia's voice brought him back to the settlement and the campfire.

"Do synths dream?" She asked.

"I'm not sure." Nick said. " Go back to sleep."

At sunrise Sheila woke up in the second story on a stack of sleeping bags. Nick had already left with the scavenging party.

They returned at midday.

"Nick! I was worried." Shelia said running up to him.

"I can take care of myself Shelia. Hey doll I want to show you something."

"Alright?"

"Follow me."

Nick lead Shelia down the block into what had been a restaurant. The red and white seats were faded and ripped, the red counters were scratched and torn and the walls were basically gone.

"Nick..."

"Nick took Shelia's hand and guided her up the stairs. The upstairs dining area was faded and looted but mostly intact. Candles at one table were lit and funnel cakes sat on silvery dinner plates.

"Oh Nick! How did you know?" She exclaimed.

"Well this detective knows a romantic when he sees one." He laughed.

"Nick," Shelia's tone was chiding. "It's wonderful. You're wonderful."

Nick turned on the radio and tuned into Diamond City Radio.

"I've never heard that before." She said.

"New channel." Nick replied.

Shelia giggled and put her arms on Nick's shoulders.

"Do you remember what it looked like before all this? Shelia asked.

"Pretty much."

"My favorite part was the snow, and building snowmen."

Nick felt a pain sensation in his chest as a memory flashed through his mind. Jenny also loved the snow.

Nick put his hands on Shelia's waist and the two swayed to the song 'I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire'.

Shelia leaned in and was inches from Nick's face.

"You know you beautiful dame-"

Shelia kissed him.

"You could definitely do better-"

"What? Oh. Stop it silly just enjoy the moment."

The sound of gunfire erupted near the settlement.

"Stay here." Nick told Shelia.

"But Nick!"

"Stay here and take cover." Nick pulled Shelia behind the counter. He drew his revolver and jumped down the stairs to join the fight.

"Raiders at the gate!" Nick heard John shout.

Nick used the corner of the building as cover and took out two raiders with two shots. Things got complicated when a couple of super mutants joined the fight. Mongrel dogs were already in the area, charging into the fray. They grabbed a raider and started dragging him away. His blood curling screams filled the air as he was chewed on and chunks of flesh were ripped off his bones. A puddle of blood formed and trickled past Nick's feet.

The raiders become so preoccupied fighting the super mutants and feral dogs that the settlers were able to close the gate and shoot down on their adversaries from the safety of the second story.

It had become a pattern in the wasteland. If there was a fight, suddenly everyone was in it.

Nick spotted Shelia running up the road to him.

Although she was trying to be stealthy, a mongrel also spotted her and charged. Shelia pulled out a piece of pipe that she found and swung it with everything she had. Nick heard the crunch as the wild dog's skull was smashed in and it hit the ground. It skidded past her feet and stopped in a heap.

The other wild dogs all ran towards her. Her powerful swings hit their target each time but there were to many of them. Nick spend the rest of his ammo in the revolver taking out each target with precision.He reloaded it with the speed and muscle memory of a Chicago cop.

They took out most of the pack before the others ran off. Nick grabbed Shelia and pulled her into the building next to them. By this time the super mutants had finished off the raiders they started to chase Nick and Shelia. He hurriedly guided her into the basement and barricaded the door.

Shelia collapsed on the floor. She suffered from many bites to her legs and forearms.

"You're wounded."

"I'm fine."

"Nick shook his head and pulled a stimpak out of his pocket and plunged the needle into Shelia's arm.

"You have a stimpak?"

"I don't need them but you never know."

"Thanks."

"No problem sweetheart."

The super mutants couldn't figure out where they had went and soon lost interest.

Once Nick was sure the area was clear he carried Shelia back to the settlement.

Once inside the gates he was greeted by all the settlers.

"We'll look at that, still got it don't you copper." John said.

"Shelia! Thank God you're okay! Thank you so much Nick." Linda said.

She took Shelia from Nick's arms and carried her to the second story.

John slapped Ben on the arm and said, "See what did I tell you."