Deacon was still somewhat in shock as he started following Nora. He still couldn't believe he had let the raider slip up on him like that. Even with her in stealth, he should still have been aware that something wasn't right. He and Nora both had PTSD-levels of hypervigilance, after all, and what good was PTSD without that particular superpower?
He was sure he had a couple of cracked, if not outright broken, ribs, and damned if she hadn't knocked the breath out of him. Then of course, he got a lung full of human ash thanks to that monster of a death machine that Nora lugged around with her. Not that he wasn't grateful...that death machine had saved his life. Again. Still, accidentally inhaling the ashes of his enemies wasn't exactly one of his favorite activities. That one might actually be the one to make him quit smoking.
He was starting to have a little trouble keeping up with Nora; she hadn't seemed to notice yet, but he was already breaking out into a cold sweat and getting out of breath far too easily. She wouldn't leave him voluntarily, so he was already planning for the eventuality that he might have to bug out first chance he got. The Railroad could get along without him; he KNEW the Commonwealth would do just fine. But without her? No. In just the short time he had known her, she had done so much good for so many people. She never hesitated to jump in to help people, whether they be human or synth. And that was the thing. She considered them all PEOPLE. She didn't differentiate. He hated for her that she wound up being a big ol' science experiment 200 years ago. But he was glad for them. She gave him hope, and hope was something he thought he'd thrown out the window long ago.
"You OK?"
"Say what, boss?"
"Are you OK?"
When she spoke again, he realized she was pushing a bottle of purified water into his hand. They had stopped underneath a rock outcropping to rest.
"I'm OK."
The look she gave him told him she didn't believe him, but she wasn't going to challenge him on it just yet.
"So where...where exactly are we going?"
"There's a bunker where we'll be safe until we can regroup. Paladin Danse is..."
"You seriously think a Brotherhood soldier is going to grant me safe haven?"
"FORMER Brotherhood." she emphasized. "He's...it's a long story. But yes. He will."
"If you say so."
"I do." She took another drink from her own water, then looked at him pointedly. "Do you feel up to heading on?"
Damn it. She had noticed.
"I'll make it." he insisted.
"If you say so."
"I do."
He managed a grin, and she smirked as she realized he'd used her own words against her.