Renee once again decided to forgo knocking on Curie's door the next day. She walked in to find Nate and Piper there. She could hear their voices from the basement, and nobody sounded particularly happy.
"I'm working as fast as I can, Monsieur."
"I understand that. But things have changed, and I need you at the Castle. We can set you up with equipment there to continue your work." Nate.
Renee stopped at the top of the steps to listen in.
"I told you, I'm not going back to the Castle. Not until I finish my research 'ere."
"Hey, listen, nobody blames you for what happened. It wasn't your fault, you know? It wasn't." The feminine voice could only be Piper.
There was a thump and Renee imagined Curie slamming her fist on the lab table. "I don't want to talk about zhat."
"It's been three months, Curie." Nate again.
"I am never going to return to the front lines, ever, and zhat is all I will say on zhe matter."
Renee walked down the steps then. She locked eyes with Curie for only a moment, seeing relief flash across the woman's face. It was quickly replaced by something kin to fear.
Piper and Nate turned to see her. "Oh, hey Renee." Piper smiled. "We were just talking with Curie."
"I can see that."
Nate shrugged off his backpack and dug around in it. "I'm glad you showed up. I've been meaning to get this to you." He handed off a small pouch that jingled when he moved it. "For helping us get that beacon."
She dropped the pouch in her own bag. "No problem."
He turned back to Curie. "Fine. But if you change your mind, I'll be in town for a while. Just consider it, please. For me, if nothing else."
Curie opened her mouth to respond but quickly snapped her jaw shut. She looked away.
Renee clenched her own jaw to keep from saying anything.
Nate and Piper began to leave. "See you around, Jones. Curie." He nodded to them each as he went upstairs.
Once the door shut and they were gone, Renee looked at Curie. "He can't force you to do anything you don't want to do. You know that, right?"
Instead, Curie took a shaky breath. "You 'ave a lot of nerve, coming back 'ere so soon after your behavior yesterday."
"I wanted to apologize."
Curie shrugged off her lab coat and rolled up her sleeve to her shoulder. She gestured to the bruise wrapping around her arm. "Zhis appeared after you left."
"I… I did that?"
Curie nodded. "You did. You hurt me. Not just…physically."
"I didn't hurt you! I mean, I didn't mean to hurt you!" Renee reached out a hand to her, but Curie flinched away. "I wasn't—I wasn't trying to hurt you! I was scared, and panicky, and I… I just…"
Curie gazed at her. Her brow knitted together and she looked far more wounded than Renee ever expected.
"Please, you have to believe me. I would never hurt you on purpose. It was an accident, I swear. It won't happen again. I promise."
She remained silent.
"Why would I hurt you, Curie? What could I gain from…" Renee felt tears pool in her eyes and she realized she had heard it all before. She remembered hearing the exact same excuses from Davey, over and over again. Every time he hit her, he apologized, promised it would never happen again, and then do it all the next night. She shook her head. "Why would I put you through what he did to me?!"
Curie's eyes widened. "What?"
"I never wanted to hurt you. You mean—You're my—I just—" She shook her head, feeling a few tears snake their way down her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I was wrong. I admit that. I was wrong to barge in here and take out my anger and fear on you. But I wasn't trying to hurt you. You have to believe me."
Curie glanced away before taking a deep breath. "I didn't realize zhat my being a Synth would be so…" She huffed, the word escaping her. "I wasn't expecting… Non. Merde." She stepped forward and gripped both of Renee's hands in hers. "You've become my friend. And you frightened me. I wanted to tell you, eventually, but I… I didn't want you to dislike me. But it would seem zhat you do."
Renee couldn't even be bothered to realize Curie was holding her hands. "I don't dislike you! I do like you!" She shook her head again. Her ponytail was starting to come undone, leaving auburn hair cascading down her shoulders. "I love working for you and I like spending time with you! That's why—That's why I can't believe I…"
"I know you weren't trying to harm me." Curie's voice was soft and she looked down. "But you did."
"What can I do to make up for this?" Renee gripped her hands tighter. "Anything. Anything at all. Just name it."
"I need time, Renee." Curie stepped away and pulled her arms back to her sides. "I think it would be best if we…put some distance between us. I would appreciate it if you still worked for me. But I think, per'aps, for a while, we should see less of each other."
Renee's chest ached. She wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand. "Anything I can say to change your mind?"
"I don't think so." Curie put her coat back on. She looked up. "So you don't hate me, zhen. Are you going to turn me into zhe security guards?"
"No. I would never." Renee tried to smile but it came across more as a grimace. "It doesn't matter to me if you're a Synth. I still barely understand what a Synth even is. I think… I was just…surprised. And scared."
"You did frighten me…" Curie murmured. She averted her gaze to her lab table.
Renee brought up a hand to gently curl her fingers around Curie's arm. Curie made to flinch away, but instead she remained still. "Does it hurt?" Renee asked.
"Not anymore. It did yesterday, a little." Curie gave a bitter chuckle. "You know, I wanted to talk to you about it. Because you're my friend. But… Knowing I could not, it…" She glanced up at Renee before looking away again.
"I wanted to talk to you too. I don't really have any friends here, except you. And Gene, I guess. Maybe Anita? And Lily? But they're at The Castle. Anyway." Renee shook her head once. "It sucks when the person you want to talk to the most, you can't." She let her hand drop to her side and she reached into her bag for the herbs. Though wilted by this point, they were still usable. "Here. You asked for these, remember?"
Curie took the bundle of flowers. "Merci." She put them on her tab table gently. "I was wondering. If you would mind somezhing a bit more…dangerous."
"As long as I'm not diving headfirst into a den of Deathclaws, I'm sure I can handle it."
"I was wondering if you could get me a Mirelurk egg. A fresh one, not like what I can find at zhe Market." Curie looked down at the table again. "I 'ave a hypothesis, but I need material."
"How many do you need?"
"One good, intact egg should be enough." She picked up a notebook and flipped through the pages until she came to the most recent. "Hm. I'll start with one."
Renee tilted her head. Though curious, she knew she couldn't look over the woman's shoulder. She'd have to build her way back up to that trust. "Any ideas where I can find some 'Lurks? I could go all the way back up to Salem but I'd really rather never go there again."
"I 'ave heard zhat Mirelurks can be found in zhe old Weston water plant." Curie tapped her chin as she thought. "Though I distinctly remember clearing zhem out with Monsieur Howard, long ago… Per'aps, start zhere and see if you find any?"
Renee closed her bag and shifted it on her shoulder. "I'll do that. I'll probably be back tomorrow."
Curie turned to face her. Her hazel eyes were soft, and she took a deep breath. "Be careful."
"I will." Renee reached to tie her hair in a ponytail again as she turned on her heel. "You can count on me."
"I know."
She stopped as she put her foot on the first step. Curie was no longer watching her and was absorbed in her work again. Renee smiled bitterly.