8. Scream: Nora's feeling under the weather, good thing Hancock supports her.
"Thank you so much for taking care of those raiders." The young woman clasped Nora's hands with her own. "I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't shown up."
Nora smiled, "You're protected by the Minutemen, and whenever you need help, we'll be there." Hancock loved that smile. Nora knew just how to calm anyone down. Hancock was sure she'd one day tame a super mutant with that smile.
"Thank you." The woman bowed her head as she turned to walk away.
Nora limped over to Hancock, who stood a respectful distance away. "Ready to head out?" She asked.
"Ready when you are." He pushed himself off one of the settlement huts and fell in line beside Nora. It was unseasonably hot, according to Nora, for early March. Sometimes he really, truly forgot she was from a different time. The heat got to Hancock as they followed the train tracks south, he took his frock off and tied it around his waist. Nora stopped beside him to do the same with her duster, she also took her gloves off and shoved them in her bag before limping along beside him. The farther they went, the slower Nora dawdled along. By the time the sun was at its peak, Hancock was out pacing Nora.
"Okay, babes, what happened?" Hancock stopped in front of Nora.
Nora looked up weakly at Hancock, "I don't feel so hot." Beads of sweat collected on her forehead and Hancock wondered how long she had been pushing herself in silence. His stomach churned. How hadn't he noticed?
"Babes," he stepped closer, but Nora held her hands up. She swayed on her feet but Hancock caught her before she could fall. Her entire body felt hot. Her breath was so weak he could barely feel it on the exposed part of his neck. "Nora?" He shouted with a start. "Babes? What happened?"
"We need to get to Dr. Sun." Nora gasped out, her hands gripped his shirt, knuckles turning white. "In Diamond City."
"Uh, don't know if you've forgotten, but this ugly mug ain't welcome in Diamond City." Hancock said. How the hell was he supposed to get her in to Diamond City? Hancock was about to suggest they go to Dr. Amari when Nora began to lean more on him. She was becoming dead weight.
"Damn," she hissed through gritted teeth, "My leg. Hancock," he looked down at her. She looked up at him, she was holding back tears of pain, her arms were starting to shake, and her face was looking pale. She was panicking. Hancock started to panic.
"Alright, hold on." Hancock stood her up and turned around, "hop on."
"Now's not the time for piggyback rides," Nora laid a hand on his back to hold herself up.
"Babes, this will be much faster than me dragging you. Now get on." Hancock insisted. "Worse comes to worse, she'll fall unconscious and I could just carry her then." He thought to himself. Thankfully it didn't come to that as Nora shakily wrapped her arms around his neck. Hancock wrapped his arms around her legs before she could have second thoughts and hoisted her up on his back. "Hang on." He muttered under his breath as he took off toward the Green Jewel. Nora's breathing became labored as Hancock ran. He could feel her body temperature rise through their shirts and Hancock had to stop his mind from wandering to how only a layer of clothes separated their bodies. He forced himself on autopilot, his feet hitting the ground hard as he pushed himself farther. "Ignore how hot she is, ignore how sweaty she is, ignore her tremors," he told himself as he kept running.
By some grace from above they didn't cross paths with a single sole, however, as he neared the ancient stadium Hancock wished they had at least come across a traveling medic. He rounded a corner but quickly had to backpedal as a machine gun targeted him.
"Hancock?" Hancock's blood ran cold. He checked his surroundings before gently letting Nora down off his back. He turned to face her. She was leaning back lazily, unable to hold her head up on her own. "Hancock?" She could barely keep her eyes open.
"I'm here." Hancock kneeled down beside her. He ignored his own heart palpitations as she said his name repeatedly.
"Hancock, Hancock, Hancock." Nora raised her hand weakly. Hancock went to grab it, but she kept raising it and cupped his face. He thought back to their meeting on the bridge when she held his face. A moment of feverish clarity hardened Nora's face. "Hide." She hissed through her teeth.
"What?" Hancock asked.
Nora pulled out her emergency pistol. "Hide." She brushed her thumb over what remained of his lips. Hancock held the hand that was on his face and stood up. He stretched his arm as far as it would go just to hold onto her. He ran down a block and hide behind the corner of a derelict building. Nora fired her gun into the air.
Hancock watched as Diamond City guard came running around the corner, guns drawn, ready for a fight.
"It's the General of the Minutemen." One said. Two of the guards picked Nora up while a third kept watch.
Later they'd both be grateful Hancock didn't have to hear Nora's pained screams.