Disclaimer: I do not own Fallout! Some game dialogue has been used in this chapter for the characters backstory and development!
Note: Spellcheck is trying to 'fix' Cait's speech. So if it changed her accent, I am so sorry!
Chapter 3: Friends?
A fire was burning behind grey eyes. The man who took her child was getting closer with every spot Dogmeat sniffed out. "So who exactly are we trackin down?" Cait questioned tailing behind, taking a look through her bag. 'Shite, out already?!' She thought to herself. 'She must have some right?' Cait walked closer and eyed the other's bag. "A man named Kellogg. He... took my baby."
"So you're a parent Hu? Before or after you become an ice cube?" Cait didn't mean to be insensitive, and Nora knew that. "Before..."
"So this is a revenge mission aye? Now I'm excited!"
"Im glad one of us is."
Green eyes landed on a small pocket to the side, remembering where the stimpacks are held. "There." She whispered out loud, alerting Nora to peek over her shoulder. "You've had plenty today Cait. I'm cutting you off."
"You're not my mother." Cait hissed as she grabbed at the zipper. "Hey, how about we take a break? Here try keeping your mind off it." Nora removed her pack and handed Cait a sweet bun. "I ain't hungry!"
"Just try to relax. You're body can't take much more." Nora gently patted on a log as she sat. "I ain't tired!"
"Stop acting like a child." Nora held out a syringe of psycho. "If this is what you want, take it. I care about you Cait but if you..."
"You care about me?" Cait's expression softened as she recoiled from the chem. She stood awkwardly besides her partner and slowly took bites out of the bun. "I can manage." Cait continued between bites. Nora sighed in relief.
Sunset had started as the three sat down inside an abandoned bus for shelter. "The fuckin door won't shut." Cait hissed as she tugged at the rusted metal. "Dogmeat will warn us if something is wrong. We'll need the rest." Nora sighed as she handed Cait a small blanket before laying down, still covered in her armored jumpsuit. "What about you? Aren't you cold?" Cait asked softly. "My jumpsuit holds in my body heat. You also have more exposed skin."
"Do you mind if we talk for a moment?" (C)
"Of course, anything for you Cait."(N)
Cait couldn't look the other in the eyes as she spoke.
"Anythin Hu? I might take you up on that offer. You know, when Tommy offered you me contract I was prepared to hate your guts... I was expectin you to order me around like hired help, but so far you've been treatin me like a friend. Hell, you've been damn near nice to me. Even saying you care about me. We haven't been travelin together for too long but I've been wonderin when your going to ask for somethin in return."
Cait stopped to look over at her concerned companion. "You don't owe me anything."
"I can't believe that, I'm not a rich girl, but I will try to find a way to repay you."
"Thanks Cait, that means a lot to me."
Red spread across Cait's cheeks as she gripped the blanket. "What are friends for?"
Nora stretched as the trio walked to the entrance of Fort Hagen. "Good boy! I think Cait and I can handle it from here buddy. Get home safe." Nora gave her dog a nice scratch behind the ear before he turned his head to the other woman. "Don't look at me that way, you dirty little mole rat." She responded before Dogmeat turned toward home. "Good riddance."
"Do you not like dogs?" Nora asked curiously. "You're just lucky that one doesn't wanna eat you." Cait answered casually. "You would have stepped on that trap earlier if it wasn't for him." Nora reminded her of the mine she almost stepped on earlier that morning. "He smells." It was a poor excuse but it was true.
Synths immediately noticed the two and began to shoot. "Cait! Be careful!" Nora yelled slipping a few stimpacks into the other's bag. "Don't worry about me, I'm tougher then I look." She winked before blasting a robot's face plate clean off.
'Did she just wink at me?' Nora asked herself with a smirk before defending herself. "Alright! Let's go!"
"What's with all the sneakin around? I think we got them all." Cait whined as the two slowly turned a corner. "Kellogg is somewhere around here." Nora took a look and found a room with a few boxes and beds. "We should rest for a moment."
"Sounds good to me. Those turrets did a number on me." Cait took a stimpack and laid down on her side. Watching her companion fiddle with a first aid box. "Want me to help with that?" She ask smugly. Nora turned her head with a smile as the lock clicked, "Na, I got it. Thanks." Nora moved over to another box and picked it just as quickly. "Now you're just showin off." Cait hummed, feeling the medicine going to work on her soar shoulders. "Don't get too comfortable, we're not done here."
"Mm? I'm ready whenever you are." (C)
Nora was about to say something before the intercom clicked on. "Well if it isn't my old friend, the frozen T.V. dinner."
"Shit! He knows we're here." Nora loaded her gun and motioned Cait to follow. "At least we don't have to sneak around anymore."
"Where's me baby Kellogg!" Nora lifted her shotgun to his head, and the man didn't even flinch. "He's not a baby anymore, and I don't have him. He's with the Institute now."
"The Institute? Where can I find them!" Nora demanded. "You don't find the Institute, the Institute finds you." Kellogg smiled before his body vanished. "Shite, Nora he's got a stealth boy!" Cait warned as she took a shot past Nora's head. A small blood splat formed, giving the woman an advantage. She took the shot. 'Thank you Cait.'
The quiet walk to Diamond City made Cait uneasy. She didn't know what to say, and how Nora would react to it. Not even a chem could make her feel confident in this situation. "Um..." Cait started but any words she thought of vanished. "You alright?" Nora noticed Cait wasn't feeling quite herself. "Y-ya, just a bit... shook."
Those words confused the Survivor, but she wanted to help any way she could. "Need a psycho?" She asked. "Hu? No... maybe later. How are you? We haven't really talked sense the fight, and why are you carrying that nasty hunk of metal?"
"You mean this?" She pulled out the brain chip thing she ripped from Kellogg's head. "Ya that! It's gross."
"I don't know, it's robotic so I thought it could be useful." (N)
"Well it's weird... just tell me how you are and put that thing away." (C)
Nora chuckled as she hid the ungodly sight. "Honestly Cait I'd rather not think about it. I still feel like a new mother, but I fucked up big time." She held back tears as she continued to walk. Cait grabbed Nora's arm but quickly let go. "Can I talk to you for a moment? I have somethin important to say."
Nora smiled with whatever strength she had left, "Of course, what's on your mind?"
Cait took a deep breath before speaking, "We've been on the road for a while now, and you've been stickin by me. You know, watchin me back and makin sure I don't do anythin stupid. I think it's time to tell you a little bit about who you're travelin with. There's no reason for us to keep actin like we're strangers." Cait tried to lift the mood. "It would be nice to know more about you." Nora relaxed into the conversation.
Cait scoffed, "You're sayin that now, but when you hear me story... you might regret it." Cait looked toward the ground and kicked the dirt. "It all starts with the two wastes of humanity I suppose you could call me parents..." They began to walk slowly as Cait spilled her life's story. Occasionally Nora would stop walking and answer accordingly. Cait was about done when they hit the wall of Diamond City. "So there you are. The entire flawed package known as Cait, stripped bare for your perusal." The red head looked up towards the sky, scared to hear her companion's reaction. She was shocked when a hand softly touched her cheek, leaving a lingering warm sensation. "I'm proud of you." Nora answered, sweetly smiling at the shocked green eyes. "You're proud of me? I never expected..."
"I didn't realized how ruff you had it" Nora gently moved closer as Cait moved backwards, until her back leaned against the wall. A hand slid around her waist, making her head spin. "Nora?" She mumbled softly. Brown and red locks twisted together as Nora pulled Cait into a warm embrace. head on the other's shoulder, taking short breaths. She was crying, and the Irish woman had no idea what to do. "Nothin is lost Darlin, we'll get through this." A soft chuckle lingered in Cait's ear, well after they parted. "Thank you Cait."
"Happy to help, but next time warn me before you go smotherin me."(C)
"Sorry... I just needed a bit of human contact." (N)
"Not a problem, I was just surprised." Cait turned to hide her embarrassing blush. Good thing it was getting dark. She didn't want the city guards thinking she was weak.
"Oh! Speak of the Devil! It's good to see you Blue!" Piper called as she watched the two women enter Nick's office. "Mind introducin me to your..." Cait looked over at Nick with a scoff, "Friends."
"I can see you're not too keen on synths. Can't say that I blame you." Nick reacted accordingly.
"Cait, this is Piper. She a reporter for Public Occurrences, and this is Diamond City's Detective Nick Valentine." (Nora)
"Nice to meet you Cait. Thank you for keeping an eye on Blue for me." Piper smiled.
Cait had Nora on her mind, 'She isn't into me. How could she be? I need a distraction...' she thought to herself, taking another look at the reporter. "I didn't know Diamond City could be so pretty." Cait gave a flirty smile, and to her relief Piper didn't seem interested. However, she didn't realize her comment made a certain woman twinge with jealousy.