17. Night: Nora can't get to sleep. Thankfully she knows someone who can relate.
Nora watched as Hancock snored lightly. He was sprawled out on the couch in his office in Goodneighbor. One arm and one leg slung over the back of the couch, one arm resting on his stomach, and one leg propped up on the opposite arm of the couch. Nora had curled up on the opposite couch, but hadn't gotten much sleep. Kellogg's last words kept playing in her head. She watched Hancock breathe, reminding herself to do the same. How could he sleep so peacefully at a time like this?
Unable to fall back asleep Nora stood and crept out of the office, making sure to close the door as she left. The Neighborhood watch eyed her curiously as she crept down the stairs.
"I'm just getting some air," she half mumbled an excuse to the watch at the door. Nora stepped out facing the Goodneighbor gate. Nick Valentine was standing by the door smoking a cigarette.
"Couldn't sleep?" Nick asked.
"No," Nora shook her head when Nick offered her a cigarette, "when did you get here? You could have come inside."
Nick looked at his cigarette, as if studying how long he'd been smoking, "five minutes. Nah, didn't want to disturb any parties Hancock may have been having."
Nora raised an eyebrow at him, "parties?"
Nick nodded, taking a drag of his cigarette before saying, "I knew the kid growing up. Handsome fellow. Would have made a damn good assistant if he wasn't chasing every pretty thing with two legs."
Nora's stomach twisted, "oh." Was all she could utter out.
Nick immediately noticed the shift in her tone and he waved his hands in defense, "don't get me wrong! Kid did a hell of a lot of growing up since coming to Goodneighbor, done a lot of good," his hands dropped to his sides, "for a lot of people."
"Yeah." Nora nodded. Somehow she had known from the first time Hancock had shaken her hand that he was a scoundrel. He was too suave, hid behind too much false confidence, kept his real feelings close to his chest. She leaned on the wall next to Nick, and crossed her arms tightly over her chest. She couldn't believe she'd been as naive as an undergrad. All dewy-eyed, looking at Hancock like he could fix all the wrongs the world have puked up, believing in his humble, helpful words. She closed her eyes, forcing out thoughts of the kids at settlements who now recognized Hancock as a friend and would run up to him when they'd visit. She tried not to think of Hancock swinging one kid up on his shoulders while the others clung to his feet, and she ignored how her heart swelled at the thought of how maybe one day soon that might be him and Shaun. Nora groaned and threw her head back against the brick wall. How could she have been so stupid? Kids changed people. It had certainly changed her. Why would she have assumed Hancock would stick around once she found her son?
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you've only got one noggin, shouldn't you take better care of it?" Nick jokingly asked.
Nora sighed and turned her head to look at him. "I need a drink." She mumbled, ignoring the tears gathering in her eyes.
"Well alright then." Nick nodded. He dropped his cigarette and stomped it out. He offered an arm to Nora, "shall we hit the road?" Nora smiled.
The two relics walked arm in arm under the streetlights to The Third Rail. The bar was tucked under the old State house. Ham, the bouncer, gave Nick and Nora a curious look, but let them in without any trouble. Nora blinked her shock away as Nick pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit.
"Well, aren't you a gentleman?" She smiled, watching him sit adjacent to her.
"I try to be." Nick smiled, sitting back to relax a little. "Too many people these days rely on violence to solve their problems." He rested one hand on the table, keeping the other on his lap, "You only need to look around to see what that's done." Nora did look around.
Magnolia, the canary of The Third Rail, was singing a slow, honey-dripped song. Charlie, the Mr. Handy repurposed as a bartender, was cleaning a stack of sparkling glasses. A few ghouls and drifters were scattered around the rest of the club, some sat at the bar, some on the couch, others pulled people into the VIP room. Smoke from several cigars hung over the club like a nicotine cloud.
Nora frowned. She wasn't one for clubbing when she was in college. If she wasn't in class then she was either studying, at work, or with Nate, but with Nate in the military the two didn't go to clubs. Too many of Nate's fellow soldiers had been dismissed over unethical, sometimes illegal activity off base.
Nora took a deep breath. "I'm going to grab a drink." Nick stood up before she could scoot out.
"No, no, I'll get it. My treat." Nick insisted. Nora started to protest, but Nick had already walked over to Charlie.
Nora crossed her legs to get comfortable, she crossed one arm over her lap and tapped the fingers of her other hand on the table. "I can take care of myself, Nick." She smiled and thanked him as he handed her a bottle of wine and a glass. "Wine? How'd you guess?"
"You're a relic like me." Nick shrugged, "all that other stuff taste like it's been sitting in the sewers since the bombs dropped. Thankfully, wine gets better with age. Figured it was my safest bet."
Nora laughed and poured herself a glass. It was nice to drink from a glass and not the bottle. "I'll drink to that."
The two sat and chatted about everything that had changed. "I'll admit," Nora said, after her third glass, "I never went to Fenway park." The two had moved to the couch behind their table. Nora sat with her legs pulled under her, glass held tenderly by her chest. Nick sat with one ankle resting on the opposite knee, lounging as he kept his glowing eyes trained on Nora.
"What?!" Nick leaned back, he eyed her over, "what kind of Bostionian didn't go to one game?" He took a drag of his fourth cigarette.
"I moved to Boston when I was in high school," Nora said, "I was more concerned with high school games, then I was too focused on college, and then I had Nate and Shaun," Nora laughed as Nick appeared to become more agitated, bouncing his leg and looking ready to burst. "I was just never into sports that much!" She defended herself.
"It's the principle of the matter, doll." Nick slammed one hand onto the other to make his point.
Nora laughed, "Did YOU go to any games?"
"After every big case." Nick sat back smugly. "Hell, I nearly proposed to my fiancé at Fenway." Nick's mood shifted, "well, the original Nick Valentine nearly did, anyways."
"Nick," Nora leaned forward and laid one of her hands on his knee. "It's okay to think you're the same."
Nick shook his head, "It ain't right. I'm not him."
Nora frowned, she turned and gently laid her glass down on a side table. Turning back around she scooted over until she was next to Nick, "You have his memories. You share your morals and compassion. Sure you're not organic, but," she moved her hand to grab his more skeletal hand, he didn't pull away, "You're as Nick as pre-war Nick was. Like you said. All the important bits are there, minus a few red blood cells." Nick chuckled, his skeletal hand twitched as he closed it around hers.
"Thank you, Nora." He looked up at her, "if this old robot could cry he would."
Nora smiled. "Aw, going soft on me, Valentine?" She teased.
"Not a chance." Nick smirked. Nora laughed and moved back to her corner of the couch. She watched Nick finish his cigarette over the rim of her glass.
"Nick?" His yellow eyes flickered over to her. "You sure you're okay with Dr. Amari doing this?" She took a sip of wine, hoping she wouldn't have to explain herself.
"Sure, sure." Nick nodded, Nora nodded in return. She wandered over to Charlie and bought another bottle of wine. Magnolia had recently finished her shift and was sitting at the bar.
"Thought you would have wandered down here with Mayor Hancock." Magnolia glanced at Nora out of the side of her eyes.
"He's asleep. I couldn't get there." Nora answered.
Magnolia hummed and pursed her lips, "Nicky's good company though, isn't he?"
"Yeah. He is." Nora wasn't sure what the sultry singer wanted from her, but she was hoping the conversation was over.
"Too bad he's all hung up on some ex-fiancé of his." Magnolia tipped her drink back, "I've heard some of the more human synths have all the necessary parts."
"Thanks, Charlie." Nora quickly snatched the wine bottle from Charlie.
"Grabsies." Charlie grumbled as he swiped Nora's tossed caps into a drawer.
Most of the patrons had either passed out from their highs, or were drinking their memories away in silence as the night had gone on.
Nora plopped back down on the couch. She was starting to feel tired, but was enjoying her conversation with Nick too much to call it a night. She rubbed her forehead as she poured another glass.
After a beat of silence Nick spoke up, "I agreed to help you find your son, this is just another step to take."
Nora chewed on her lip, "Thank you, Nick."
He shrugged, "Haven't done it yet, doll, but it's no problem."
"Not just that." Nora shook her head, "thank you for helping me with everything." Nick raised a brow at her. "Thanks for talking to me tonight. For helping me in this wild goose chase. For making this world worth saving. or buying me a bottle, which I will pay you back for."
Nick smiled, "Didn't think a heap of trash like myself was worth saving, let alone being worth the world."
"Nicky, please." Nora tossed back her glass, "You've done a lot of good. You offer help to people who throw it back in your face. You don't take shit from anyone!"
Nick smiled, "I think you and Jenny would have gotten along."
Nora smiled, "You and Nate would have." She hadn't thought of Nate for a week, but just the mention of him made the butterflies in her stomach flutter.
"If I could, I'd drink to that." Nick joked.
"I can!" Nora poured herself another glass and cheered it with Nick's cigarette. The two relics laughed.