ch 7 unlikely valentine
"...why does the sun go on shining?
why does the sea rush to shore?
dont they know its the end of the world, cos you dont love me anymore..."
Nora woke slowly to the sound of a radio playing somewhere outside Pipers metal shack, a pleasant dream quickly retreating from her minds eye, leaving her feeling hollow as she squeezed her eyes shut in a vain attempt to hold onto it just a little longer. A thin blanket had been tossed over her sometime in the night, and she pulled it over her face gratefully to block out the morning light filtering in from the only window in the crude shelter, somewhere above her as the sad song continued to croon in the background.
"why do the birds go on singing?
why do the stars glow above?
dont they know its the end of the world, that ended when i lost your love?
I wake up in the morning and i wonder
why everythings the same as it was
i cant understand- no i cant understand how life goes on the way it does..."
Fully conscious now, Nora felt her heart ache as the lyrics resonated with her, filling her mind with thoughts of Nate- she felt his absence now more than ever, like a gaping hole in her chest that seemed to throb like a physical wound. Tears began to well up against her closed lashes as she squeezed her eyes shut tighter and curled up in a ball on the couch to dull the ache.
"why does my heart go on beating?
why do these eyes of mine cry?
dont they know its the end of the world, that ended when you said goodbye?
why does my heart go on beating?
why do these eyes of mine cry?
dont they know its the end of the world- it ended when we said goodbye..."
"Jesus christ Travis." Nora heard Piper complain sleepily from the loft, as she too became aware of the music. "Some of us are still trying to sleep here..."
Rolling over, she pulled her pillow over her head to try and block out the noise, but it was of no use- she was awake now. And so was Nora. With a heavy sigh, Piper sat up slowly and stretched, wiping the sleep from her eyes before heaving a long yawn and peering down over the loft railing toward her guest, curled up on her worn couch below.
"Morning." Nora greeted awkwardly as the other woman climbed down the step latter to the lower tier of the crudely built shelter, going to the coat wrack beside the door, where her worn, tattered red leather coat was hung.
"Yep- another beautiful day in Diamond city..." She quipped sarcastically, slipping her arms through the sleeves of her jacket to ward off the November morning chill. Sighing, she took a moment to assess the vault dwellers demeanor, noticing the redness of her cheeks, and the watery sheen of her eyes- had she been crying? "Oh, Blue...You good?" She asked sympathetically.
Nora looked away from her as she sat up, embarrassed that she had been caught in her moment of weakness.
"Im fine." She lied, not wanting to prolong her shame as she attempted to internally shove the pain she was feeling to the back of her mind. Piper respected her need for space on the matter, accepting it for what it was and quickly changing the subject despite her concern for the vault dweller.
"Tell you what- i gotta go into the market and make a few stops- Why dont you come with, and familiarize yourself with the local?" She offered helpfully. "After that we'll head out." Nora had told her the previous night, after the interview, about her visit to the detective agency, and what Ellie had told her of Nicks disappearance while working another kidnapping case. After brief consideration, the other woman assured her that it wasnt uncommon for Nick to disappear for a while during his investigations- but that he always made it back in one piece- more or less. Nora had allowed her words to comfort her, admitting though, that she didnt have time to sit around and wait for him to return- she was going to brave the dangers of the Fens and attempt to find her way to the old park street subway station, where she hoped to learn the whereabouts of the detective for herself.
but that would have to wait- Nora was hungry, and she needed to resupply while she was near a market- hopefully she would be able to pawn some of the chems she had been given in exchange for bullets and a few bottles of water, since she was fresh out of nuka cola caps.
"Where to first?" She asked amiably, figuring that since she was awake she might as well keep busy.
Outside, Nat was already posted up on her milk crate, dutifully calling out to passing residents, expertly utilizing the current state of unrest over events to sell her sisters newspaper by playing on diamond city residents fear of the institute, and its synths...Beside her, Dogmeat sat contentedly, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth as he panted, gleaming eyes wheeling from person to person as they passed by on the dirty, plyboard catwalk that served as the cities walkway.
"haircuts here! most fashionable styles, from the upper stands!" The barber yelled up ahead, over the morning hustle and bustle of post apocalyptic life. residents were just beginning to rouse for the morning, emerging from the cramped confines of their homes to wander the market, go to work or school, or otherwise partake in the many amenities the settlement had to offer.
As they entered the market in center field, Nora looked to the spot where Kyle had been killed the night before- the guards had tried their best to clean up the mess, but somehow they had managed to miss the upturned Sox hat still laying forgotten in the dirt beside one of the stools surrounding the noodle bar. Pausing, Nora bent to retrieve it, eyeing it thoughtfully before reaching up to place it on her head in a backward position- it was as old as she was, and in a way, it represented where she came from- so if nobody else was going to claim it, she might as well...
"Na- ni shimasho ka?" The bot asked her from behind the bar as she stood, catching her off guard.
"W-what...?" She asked, not understanding a word of what it had said.
"Just say yes- trust me. Its all he understands." Piper told her helpfully, rolling her eyes as she reached out to hand Nora a small handful of nuka cola caps.
"Yes?" Nora repeated awkwardly, watching as the bot systematically doled out and dispensed her a steaming cup of Ramen that smelled so good, it made her mouth water immediately.
Starving, Nora shoved the caps onto the counter and snatched the generous serving of noodles up, slurping the too hot meal down quickly as Piper turned away from her to address a fellow resident passing by.
"Uh- excuse me, question for you." She stammered nervously, reaching out to gently touch his shoulder to get his attention as he nearly passed her by. "Do you feel like diamond city's leadership has been responsive to your concerns? Like their really listening?" She asked as he stopped, rolling his eyes and heaving a heavy sigh before turning to face her.
"Man, i dont want to get into this again Piper- cant you just go bother someone else?" He responded rudely, not even waiting for a response before turning on his heel to continue about his business.
"Yeah, okay- thanks for stopping this time!" She called after him passive aggressively, a light blush tinging her cheeks from the embarrassment he had caused- Nora watched with interest, sipping the hot chicken bullion flavored broth contentedly as the determined reporter almost physically brushed off her sense of discouragement, before making another attempt- this time her victim was a middle aged woman sitting alone in one of the stools surrounding the noodle bar, minding her own business as she tried to enjoy her meal. Piper tapped her quickly on the shoulder, visibly bracing herself for whatever negative response might come.
"Tell me, are you worried about the possible infiltration of Diamond cities ruling elite by Synths?" She asked as the woman turned to see who had touched her.
"Yeah Piper, i am- but i aint buying your lousy newspaper." She told her bluntly. Nora winced, knowing the remark must have stung- but Piper was a trooper, and took the insult rather well.
"Oh- uh, okay...well thanks, i guess." She mumbled strangely as the woman went back to eating her noodles, brought up short by her blunt brand of honesty. Finishing her own bowl, Nora tossed it into a grime stained garbage pale beside the bar, and proceeded to follow Piper around aimlessly as she made several more floundering attempts to gauge the opinions of Diamond cities residents on the current state of political unrest. After a short while, it became painfully obvious to her that nobody was willing to give the brazen young journalist the time of day- in fact- most people seemed to be going out of their way to avoid her.
Maybe it was best that she relocated after all- not that she had much choice once her notice was up...
"Small arms- large arms! Ammunition!" Nora heard the weapons vendor call out from behind his stall in the far center of the square, reminding her that she was dangerously low on bullets. "Dont leave the security of the wall unprotected!"
"Hey- Ill catch up with you in a minute." She informed Piper as she wandered toward the stall. "I need to stock up on some supplies before we head out."
"Oh, alright- I've got to make one last stop up at the colonial tap house to talk to Wellingham, than ill come find you."
"Okie-Dokie." Nora replied, grateful for the privacy- she wasnt exactly comfortable with the idea of selling drugs in front of the overzealous reporter, so her momentary absence was convenient at best.
Seeing her approach, the eager salesman's brown eyes lit with recognition, and he gave her a welcoming smile before addressing her in a friendly manner.
"hey- your the new girl, right?" He asked with polite interest, surprising her.
New girl? Nora thought strangely, before remembering that even though she was a Boston Native, she was the one considered an outsider here.
"Yeah- i guess thats me." She answered lamely, accepting her role as newcomer even though she had grown up in the ancient city. He chuckled in response, grinning as he read the surprise in her expression.
"News travels fast around here- So, what can I do for you today miss?" Nora nodded in agreement, wryly reflecting on the truth of his statement as she reached back to unzip one of the small pouches on the side of the backpack, retrieving the rolled up baggy of assorted Chems she had earned before discreetly placing it on the counter between them.
Glancing around her anxiously, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves before asking.
"How much can i get for these?..."
. . .
. . .
Late afternoon found Nora, Piper and Dogmeat wandering through the North Eastern side of the Fens, just outside of Diamond city safe zone- and If memory served her right, the park street metro station was located inside the Boston Commons, near Frog pond, where tourists once flocked to begin the lengthy walk down the freedom trail to see the many historic landmarks that had been built throughout the city after the Revolutionary war that granted America its independence from Britain in the late eighteenth century.
As the distant fall sun reached its zenith, Piper was becoming increasingly anxious as they made their way deeper and deeper into Raider territory, continuing North East toward the commons, where people were known to go missing.
"Are you sure you know where your going Blue?" She asked nervously, fervently hoping the vault dweller didnt intend on continuing much further in. Nora paused, looking around to study their surroundings thoughtfully. The bombs- as well as two centuries of erosion and rot- had changed the cityscape immensely, but North East was still North East, so she remained confident in her navigational skills.
"Yep- the metro station should be just across from the Massachusetts state house on Beacon street. Just gotta take a left at Trinity tower and continue north a few blocks passed the old parking garage." She explained, hoping to put Piper's mind at ease- but from the expression on her face, Nora could tell she wasnt quite convinced.
"Alright..." She said apprehensively, falling back into step as they continued down the ruined two way street obscured by piles of crushed cinderblocks and twisted metal from the collapsed building on the corner. "We should stay low, and keep quiet though- This is Raider Territory."
Nora nodded an acknowledgment, keeping her eyes peeled and her ears open for signs of danger as they progressed toward the Trinity tower- in the distance, she could already see its bright red support beams built out of thick, sturdy steel rising upward, standing out in the washed out grey ruins surrounding it.
Not far now. She thought eagerly, impatient to find Nick Valentine- and Shaun.
. . .
"So, what happened after you escaped the vault?" Piper asked curiously, breaking the silence as they headed north, passed Trinity tower- They had managed to sneak passed the super mutant infested building, taking the left Nora had mentioned earlier and following the faded pavement littered with potholes toward the parking garage- It had been the first time Nora had seen one of the hulking green brutes, since learning of their existence in Diamond city- and it had taken less than a minute of listening to their brutish, vulgar interactions for her to hope she never encountered one up close in her lifetime.
"I went to find my home- or what was left of it anyway." She admitted, thinking back to the moment she had found Codsworth, still dutifully trimming the hedges after two centuries had passed. "I got lucky- My Husband had bought us a Handy bot after our son was born, to help with household chores and what not. It survived the blast, and even managed to make it through the aftermath with little to no damage...He didnt see who took Shaun though, so i went into Concord to see if there was anyone alive who might be able to direct me somewhere I could find help."
Piper listened intently, silently admiring the Vault dwellers courage and determination- Her home had been destroyed, and her son taken from her, but still, she had left the relative safety of the vault and her home to brave the dangers of the wasteland in order to find her missing son...
I wish my mom had loved me that much... She thought bitterly, remembering the morning she had woken to find her dad, alone in their tiny living space clutching her goodbye note. She had left him, her, and her infant daughter behind willingly, to live a new life without them to hold her back...
"I ran into a group of settlers under the protection of a man named Preston Garvey- A minuteman devoted to helping those in need." Nora explained, keeping the details to a minimum. "They were holed up on the top floor of the old museum of freedom, being cornered by some Raiders that had been following them across the commonwealth, waiting for the opportune time to attack- But, with the help of a functioning suit of power armor, I was able to help them defeat the Raiders, and escort them back home to Sanctuary where they could be safe- In return, they pointed me toward Diamond city."
"Lucky for me you showed up when you did- I'd probably still be standing out there begging ol Danny to open the door." Piper joked lightheartedly, pleased by the way Nora's features lit as her lips turned up into a smile. "So- your like, always on good behavior then, arnt you?"
Nora shrugged, smile softening as she momentarily reflected on her motivation behind what she had accomplished since leaving Sanctuary- All she had done, she had done with an ulterior motive. Whether it was information she needed or directions, it had all been done out of necessity, so that she could find Shaun, and avenge Nate's death- not out of kindness.
"Didnt really realize i had been." She admitted blandly, causing Piper to pause momentarily to absorb the comment.
"huh- so this...This is all you, not even trying, then?" She asked incredulously, green eyes narrowed in suspicion as she studied Nora's expression- and again, Nora could only shrug, not quite knowing how to respond. "You know, I appreciate that. Most folks wouldnt even bother-course, in my experience, if you want to do any real good, being nice only gets you so far. I mean, look at Diamond city! a Place ive been trying to warn of real danger, and every issue i publish, all i hear is Piper why cant you publish something nice for a change, or Piper, why cant you write about something happy? I tell you- its enough to make me wanna hang up my hat some days..." She admitted, not really knowing why- Nora was a stranger, surely she couldnt care less about her personal struggles...
"Is Diamond city really in Danger?" Nora chanced asking, hoping she wouldnt take offense. "Its not like there's Raiders at the gate or anything..."
"Are you kidding me?" She asked incredulously, almost scoffing at the question. "There is a very real chance that the cities leadership has been infiltrated by a Synth- a Synth under the control of an organization widely known to kidnap, or murder anyone who gets in their way. I'd take raiders at the gate any day of the week over that...but getting people to actually listen to me- thats a battle in itself."
Nora felt a rush of sympathy for the woman's plight- Whether the Institute and its Synths were real or not, Piper believed, and she was actively trying to do something to help the people around her- even if they didnt appreciate it. Maybe she wasnt the best journalist, but from where Nora stood, Piper Wright was a damn good person.
"Sounds like it can get pretty exhausting." She observed, wishing she was better at connecting with people- her whole life, she had made very few friends, preferring to focus on school, work, or college in order to achieve a sense of stability she had lacked growing up, and using that as an excuse to push people away or keep them at an arms length...Until she met Nate, that was- but even then, it was effortless for them. They were two halves of the same, sarcastic, introverted whole... when one of them fell short, the other always made up for it.
Other people though? Not so much.
"No kidding- but people deserve to know the truth." Piper told Nora passionately, as if trying to convince her. "Sure it might be scary knowing whats really out there- a night doesnt go by that i dont worry that maybe tonights the night the Institute pays ol' Piper and family a visit...But its worth it, because i know the truth- and thats what protects us."
"Scared, huh?" Nora asked doubtfully, unable to keep a straight face at the notion. "Coulda fooled me."
"Hey- Im pushy, not crazy!" She informed defensively, before amending. " Honestly though, these days, im more worried for my little sister than i am myself- i dont know what id do if something ever happened to her...But, im not the only one with something to lose- thats why people deserve to know whats out there. Good or bad."
Nora nodded- if Piper was right, and the Institute was real and as dangerous as she believed, than she wasnt just risking her own safety by trying to expose them- she was risking Nat's as well.
"Im not sure i could risk my family like that- but i understand what your saying." She admitted neutrally- after all, how could you protect yourself from danger, if you dont know its there?
"Well, Im not saying its without its consequences, but in my experience, its worth it- ive seen first hand what the truth can do..." She told Nora thoughtfully, needing her to understand. "My sister and I- we grew up way out in the commonwealth, in a tiny little settlement barely big enough to call a town...Our dad was part of the local militia- keeping the raiders off our backs, and the mirelurks out of the latrine's, as he described it..."
Pipers eyes misted over and her face hardened as she recalled her past, and Nora listened carefully, curious to know more about the pretty, brazen young reporter, and the events that had molded her into the strong willed woman standing before her. She took a deep breath, blinking away the moisture that threatened to form tears before forcing herself to continue.
" Well, one day our dad turns up dead- This asshole named Mayburn claimed that raiders must have got him on watch, but i didnt buy it, so i started making inquiries. Turns out, the captain sold out- thought he wasnt getting paid enough to babysit the town, so he struck a deal with some Raiders, agreeing to leave the gates open one night to let the Raiders Sack the place for a cut of the profit. My dad had found out, and was going to turn Mayburn in, only Mayburn got him first..." Gritting her teeth, Piper swallowed hard against the lump forming in her throat as she recalled the incident.
"I wasnt about to let that bastard get away with murder, so i tried talking to the mayor- Ofcorse, He wouldnt listen, so i covered the entire town with posters. Captain Mayburn, wanted for Gross Dereliction of Duty- the mayor sure wanted to talk after that... The town threw Mayburn out on his ass, and were all dug in when a very surprised group of Raiders finally showed up."
"What did you do after that?" Nora asked curiously, once again admiring Piper's Tenacity. This time, it was her turn to shrug.
"We made due- Nat was still pretty young at the time, and mom was already out of the picture by then...Eventually i managed to save up enough to book us both passage with a caravan and then we moved up to the big city, and called it home ever since..."
"Piper, you saved those people." She informed the other woman seriously, impressed- her Father musthave been a good man, to manage to properly raise such a kind, strong willed woman by himself in this harsh new world.
"No- Those people saved themselves, because they knew the truth." She insisted fervently, expressing a sense of humility that Nora found endearing as she made her point.
Looking around, the reporters cheeks heated as she suddenly remembered where they were. Offering an apologetic smile, she averted her gaze in embarrassment as she realized she had been ranting.
"Anyway- sorry about that. I didnt mean to ramble- i just get fired up sometimes...so uh, shall we be on our way?"
lips twitching into a smirk, Nora rolled her eyes as Piper awkwardly took the lead- The parking garage was just up ahead now, and they were making decent time. Just a few more blocks to go...