Chapter Sixteen: Broken Roads, Broken Hearts
Deacon was staring at her, his gaze intense behind his sunglasses. Nora tried to ignore the silent warnings he was shooting her way as she left him and Burke in the road, following Danse into the dark of Ticonderoga's ground floor lobby.
It'll be fine. She tried to convince herself, scanning the room with her headlamp. Unless High Rise activates the elevator, there's absolutely no way they can reach the safe house. Plus you'll be keeping an eye on Burke and keeping Danse distracted. It'll be fine.
Danse's torch beam alighted upon the stairs. She watched as he began to climb them and found herself sweating under her power armour. Please let the door up there be closed…
A few moments later, he returned. "There's a door up there, but its sealed shut."
"So, are we good to rest here for a little bit?" Nora asked, approaching him as he stepped back onto ground level.
"For the time being." Without another word he loped past her, moving towards the empty windowpanes lining the front of the building. "We're clear." He called to Burke and Deacon. "We'll rest here until daybreak and then get back underway."
A few moments later Burke entered, peering blearily through the darkness. Trying to ignore the small stab she had felt at Danse's cold shoulder, Nora illuminated the battered red couches she had helped High Rise bring down the stairs a few months back.
"Burke, why don't you rest here?" She called, her voice distorted by the filters of her helmet.
Suppressing another yawn, Burke tramped towards her and a few moments later he had dropped his pack on the floor and thrown himself on the worn upholstery.
"Do you want anything to eat?" She asked, but he already had his eyes closed and just gave a faint shake of his head in answer. She smiled softly to herself. He had risen in the dead hours without complaint, followed all directions given as they had marched and had done his utmost to keep up, despite his evident exhaustion.
Who knows? If he keeps this up, we might be able to somehow convince Kells and Maxson he's worth keeping.
When she looked up, it was to find that Danse was already in position at the door, taking first watch. Deacon was sitting on the grimy reception counter in the centre of room, tapping his heels against the wood and watching her intently.
He was unhappy with her, that much was clear.
Sighing, she moved into an open space and opened her power armour, gingerly stepping down onto the floor. If she didn't smooth over things with Danse and Deacon soon, it was going to be a very quiet and awkward mission.
She stood on the steel boots of her power armour, hanging on to the chest plate as she eased the strap of her pack over the pauldron. When it was finally in her hands, she moved towards the desk and dropped it next to Deacon.
"Hungry?" She asked, keeping her tone as nonchalant as possible. The quiet felt as oppressive as the pre-dawn gloom and it was putting her on edge.
"Only for fast food, preferably a drive-thru so we can get underway. Make mine a brahmin burger with tato fries and a Nuka-Cola."
"How do you know what a drive-thru is - was?" She corrected herself, opening the pack and beginning to rifle through her supplies. She withdrew three cans of purified water, dropping one of them into his lap.
"Reading." He replied, shrugging his shoulders as he cracked the can open. "But seriously? We shouldn't stick around here for too long." He dropped his voice and leaned in closer. "I mean, can you imagine the look on Carrington's face when he realises we've brought them to a second safehouse after Burke breached the first? Can you?"
"If it's anything like Danse's when I wouldn't get on the vertibird, I recommend we cross the border and disappear." Nora said with a mirthless smile, glancing to where the Paladin's silhouette was watching the street beyond.
"Hey, if you need a face lift or a new identity, I know a guy who knows a guy!" Deacon grinned, brightening up.
"I'll consider it if I get hull scrubbing duty again." Nora's smile became more natural. She was relieved that they were back to their usual banter. That was one of the things she loved about Deacon. He always seemed to bounce back, no matter the situation.
"But before we discuss your future nose size and name, I think we need to talk about what we're going to be doing next." Deacon said, reaching into her pack and helping himself to a loose mutfruit. "I mean, where do you plan on crossing the river?"
Nora raised her arm to look at her Pip-Boy, turning the dial until the screen revealed a map of the area. She hadn't taken this route to Diamond City before and so little was marked this side of the river.
"There's two bridges coming up, so I suppose we'll take one of them across."
"Oh Nora, Nora, Nora! Have you learned nothing about raiders and bridges?" Deacon smirked, shaking his head. "They're like toll-trolls, living underneath them then springing out like 'Roooooaaaar! Give me all you're caps!'"
"Great. That's all we needed." Nora sighed, opening her own water and taking a swig. "With any luck, they'll get scared at the sight of the power armour and back off."
"You've been spending way too much time with the Brotherhood." Deacon snorted, shaking his head. "Besides, your power armour's a mess. A few more bullets and you'll be down to a clanky frame!"
"So what would be the… train of thought you're following?" Nora asked with a small smile.
"The one that's pulling into Recon Station!" Deacon took a bite of the mutfruit before pulling a face. "Ew. That is not ripe." He threw it across the lobby and it sailed through one of the empty window panes, into the street.
Danse's head turned sharply, following the movement with his headlamp. Nora barely had time to turn and grab Deacon's wrists as he made to grab more missiles. "Hey! Get your own things to throw! I owe people caps for those!"
"Fine!" Deacon grinned cheekily, pulling his hands free and slipping down from the desk. "I'll find something better to throw! Maybe there'll be some nice mirelurk eggs down by the river."
"So long as I'm not going to be paying for them!" Nora snorted, shaking her head as Danse took a few steps outside to watch for any further movement.
When she turned back to look for Deacon, he had vanished into thin air. For a few moments she listened intently, her eyes scanning the gloom, but there was no sign of him. "Where does he even hide the stealth boys?" She murmured to herself, returning her attention to the pack with a shrug.
Now that she was back in Deacon's good graces, it was time to get back into Danse's… somehow. She was under no illusions that he would be much harder to win over and so she elected to bring out the big guns.
She crossed the lobby as he re-entered the building, a can of water in one hand and a box of snack cakes in the other. No better way to a man's heart then through his stomach, after all…
He was watching her through his visor, but he didn't speak. She could imagine the way his eyes would be narrowed and jaw set and was almost glad that she couldn't see his face beneath the helmet. She managed a sheepish smile, raising the box and can.
"I thought you might be hungry, seeing as we didn't have much of a breakfast before we left."
For a few awkward moments they stood in silence, neither of them moving.
Then Danse relaxed his posture, switching off the headlamp and removing his helmet. As he secured it to the waist of his power armour, Nora opened the can of water, handing it to him before opening the box of snack cakes.
As he helped himself to one of the cakes, Nora glanced at the world outside. The sky was beginning to lighten, the star studded indigo fading into the soft blues that heralded dawn. She could hear the soft lapping of the river across the road and when she looked towards it, her eye was drawn to a soft green glow glittering upon the black waters.
"It's a glowing abomination."
She turned to find Danse watching her again, his emotions concealed by the stony Paladin mask.
"What's it doing out there?"
"Nothing. It's stranded on an islet." He offered her his rifle in exchange for the snack cakes and she took it, raising her eye to the reflex scope and advancing out into the street for a clearer sight.
Sure enough she could see the ghoul, squatting down on a small sandbank in the centre of the river with nothing but a barrel at its back. In the glow it emitted, she could make out the warnings of toxic waste marked on the side.
What an empty existence. She thought, lowering the rifle and watching the lone ghoul in silence. Most ferals she had seen ran in packs and she couldn't help but wonder if it felt alone. I wonder who it used to be, or if any part of that person's left?
Without thinking, she slung the rifle over her shoulder and hissed, the burns flaring beneath her flight suit. Hastily she shifted the rifle into her arms and turned back, returning to where Danse was demolishing the snack cakes.
"Where's Deacon?" He asked casually, keeping his eyes fixed on the street.
"He's gone scouting, I think." Nora frowned, running a hand through her hair. "You've seen how he is, here one minute and gone the next."
"And yet you trust him." When she turned it was to find he was watching her again, his dark eyes intense.
"I do, though I'm guessing you don't?"
"I don't." He answered bluntly. "He's dishonest and delusional, always pretending to be something he isn't. Not to mention the fact that he disappeared when Burke did…"
Nora nodded, fixing her eyes on the distant glow of the ghoul.
For a time they remained in silence, just watching the world as it slowly began to fill with light and colour. Power armour clanked as Danse shifted his stance, prompting her to glance up at him.
His expression was serious and somehow sad.
"I think you and I need to speak, off the record."
Nora felt her stomach churn slightly, but she nodded, turning to face him.
"Sure, speak your mind."
"Thank you." Danse sighed. His eyes surveyed the lobby first, lingering on the snoring Squire for a few moments before he looked out at the street again. Finally, his eyes found hers and she couldn't help but notice that his lips were pulled down, nor the fact that he swallowed before he began to speak.
"I think we need to discuss the parameters of our relationship."
Nora felt her heartbeat quicken, a cold pool of dread beginning to form in the pit of her stomach. She felt like she knew where the conversation was heading, and she didn't want it to go there.
But she nodded all the same.
"As your Commanding Officer, fraternisation between us is prohibited without the Elder's blessing." Danse began, taking a deep breath and turning his eyes towards the river. "What happened at Bunker Hill was inappropriate and I can only apologise for how I acted. I was out of line."
"But I'm the one who kissed you." Nora said softly, turning her eyes to the laser rifle she was cradling in her arms. Cutler's Justice was engraved in a cursive script on the barrel and she found herself tracing over the words with her finger. "Do you regret it?"
"…It doesn't matter." Danse replied quietly. "We can't continue."
Nora licked her lips, trying to ignore the tightness in her chest. "You said it was inappropriate as my Commanding Officer, so what if-"
"Don't." Danse shook his head and she turned to look at him. "Even if you were placed under another Paladin, it still wouldn't be permitted. My position within the Brotherhood is… well, let's just say I do a lot more than the average Paladin."
"You mentioned something about the Elder's blessing?" Nora pressed, peering up at his face, her eyes searching his. "If Maxson said yes-"
"It's not a good idea." Danse sighed, shaking his head.
"Why not?!" She protested, stepping closer to him. "Danse, we're adults! You feel the same for me, don't you?"
He gazed down at her, his dark eyes sad. "I do… But it's getting in the way of our work and it's not right."
"I don't understand." Nora frowned, shaking her head. "We still make a good team, don't we?"
Danse turned his attention to the empty box in his hands, his eyes unfocused. Then he began to shred the cardboard between his mechanical fingers, letting the pieces fall into the road. It was only when he ran out of box to tear that he turned to look at her again.
"Nora, you've disobeyed my orders twice now, in front of other soldiers. I can't tolerate that kind of behaviour. We're already getting too comfortable in each other's company and I can't be seen to have favourites."
Nora took a deep breath, glancing over her shoulder to ensure that Burke was still sleeping and not eavesdropping. Then she turned to face Danse once more.
"I know I've been stepping out of line, but don't think for one moment I'm taking advantage of our relationship. Even if we didn't get along and you hated my guts, I'd have still refused to get on that vertibird. Maybe even more so."
Sighing heavily, she ran a hand through her hair. "The truth is every time I look at Burke, I think of Shaun. I know they're not the same and that Shaun… he's somewhere else. But they're around the same age and I'll be damned if I'm going to leave him to follow orders.
"How I've been acting has no bearing on our relationship, so…"
There came a loud crack and they both jumped, turning sharply to look into the street. A large, beige egg had shattered on the road a few feet away, a viscous slime pooling around the pale shards. Deacon was striding casually up the road towards them, the clouds above turning rose pink and lilac as the sun finally rose above the eastern horizon.
"Anyone want scrambled eggs for breakfast?" He grinned, raising another filthy egg in his hands.
Danse glowered at him before turning to Nora, holding out his hand for the rifle.
"We'll finish talking about this later." She said softly, handing it back to him.
Danse exhaled through his nose and shook his head a final time, the Paladin mask slipped firmly back into place. "There's nothing further to discuss, Knight."
Nora felt like a shard of ice had pierced her heart. Her eyes widened slightly and lips parted to protest, but he had turned away. She closed her mouth and nodded faintly, trying to swallow down the iron ball of tears that was rising in her throat.
It's for the best. She told herself faintly, moving back towards the steel shell of her power armour. I should be focused on saving Shaun. Protecting Burke. The suit closed around her and she released a shuddering breath.
Nate's ring burned cold against her chest and she blinked back the tears blurring her vision.
I am alone.
"We should go through here." Deacon announced, striding towards a wall of corrugated tin that formed a blockade next to Ticonderoga. Danse followed close behind him, rifle in hand whilst Burke and Nora brought up the rear.
Burke kept stealing glances up at the Knight, wondering what she was thinking. Her face was concealed by her helmet and body language was difficult to read in power armour, but her silence spoke volumes. She hadn't said a word since he had woken up, which was pretty much the quietest she had been the whole mission, save for when she was sleeping.
But even then she mumbled.
They arrived at the wall and she silently gestured for him to move ahead of her. Something's definitely up. He thought, frowning as he walked past the barricade to the other side. The shadows there were long, cast by the derelict buildings towering over them. Danse and Deacon were already a short distance ahead, marching through the blown out lobby of one of the buildings.
Burke waited until Nora was with him before following, marvelling at the dark granite the lobby had been constructed from.
As he walked, he trailed his fingertips along the smooth stone, when he noticed some graffiti on the wall. A box surrounded by lines, daubed in white paint. He paused to look at it, tilting his head. Why would someone draw something like that?
He heard Nora clanking behind him and turned to look at her.
"Hey, Nora, what do you think this is?" He asked, stepping aside so that she could see it. As he moved, his foot knocked a wooden plank from a pile of rubble and when he glanced down, his eyes widened slightly. "Hey! There's an ammo box here!"
"Shhhhh!" Nora hissed, bearing down upon him. "Not so loud!"
"Is something amiss?" Danse demanded sharply and when they glanced up it was to find him striding back towards them, Deacon darting slightly ahead with a furrowed brow.
"Nothing!" Nora insisted, stepping in front of the rubble pile. "Burke was just…"
She stared at Deacon through her visor, silently willing him to notice the railsign and grasp the situation. Fortunately, he wasn't one of the Railroad's best agents for nothing. She saw his lips thin slightly, his shoulders tense as he clocked the graffiti – and then he relaxed again.
"Oh! Hey! Is that can aluminium?" He gasped, darting behind Nora. She could hear rubble shifting as he attempted to cover the box and she found herself sweating under her power armour.
Burke was staring up at her uncertainly, his eyes wide and questioning.
Why didn't I keep quiet? Burke doesn't even know what railsigns are and now I've just drawn even more attention to it…
"What was all the fuss about?" Danse insisted as he came to a halt in front of them. He focused his attention on the Squire and Nora couldn't help but wonder whether he did so because he couldn't bring himself to look at her.
Grow up. He's made his decision and is putting the Brotherhood ahead of you, the same way Rhys did with Haylen.
She felt her throat tighten almost painfully at the thought and found that she couldn't speak.
"It's nothing, sir. I just… saw some paint on the wall." Burke said lamely, pointing at the railsign. He was looking at Nora the same way Dogmeat did when he'd stolen food from her pack.
Danse stepped past them to observe the graffiti. He was studying it intently and too long for comfort. Nora glanced towards Deacon, wondering if he thought the same.
He did.
The agent sidled up to the Paladin, peering at the mark before letting out a long whistle of appreciation. "Wow. I am blown away here! Look at those strong lines! That box! It's such a powerful design!"
Danse sighed loudly, straightening up and gesturing for Burke and Nora to approach. "If you should spot any more of these symbols, or anything similar to them, I want you to let me know."
"Why? The Brotherhood collecting pictures now?" Deacon asked, glancing up at the Paladin with a grin.
"That's classified." Danse replied frostily, already turning away. "Just keep an eye out for them." As he marched away ahead of them, Deacon turned to look at Nora, his expression serious and face pale.
Raiders were patrolling the fortified perimeter of Camp Kendall, watching the surrounding streets. Danse squared his jaw, considering the open space between the corner they were sheltering behind and the next building. Shadows were pooling thickly in the space and he didn't doubt that Burke and Deacon might be able to slip by unseen.
In their power armour, however, he and Nora were anything but stealthy. Already the raiders were peering over their walls, searching for the heavy clanking noises they had heard disturbing the morning peace only minutes before.
Many raiders in the Commonwealth were savvy enough to avoid conflict with Brotherhood soldiers, though there were always rabid dogs that seemed to enjoy the challenge.
He closed his eyes for a moment, willing away the memories of Gladius' first few days in the Commonwealth that were drowning out reality.
When he opened them again, it was to find Burke, Nora and Deacon watching him, waiting to hear his strategy. He sighed internally. He had a plan alright, but it meant placing trust in Deacon again, something he was reluctant to do.
But he could think of no other plan that would keep Burke safe.
"Deacon. I want you to escort Burke across to the other side and keep him hidden. We'll rendezvous back on the waterfront and continue along the agreed route from there."
"Sir yes sir!" Deacon stood to attention and snapped him a poor excuse of a salute before beckoning to Burke. As he gave the boy a quick rundown of instructions and tips on how to remain hidden, Danse turned to look at Nora.
It was easier when she was donning her full power armour. He could almost pretend that she was just another soldier under his command. Almost.
"We'll hold back for now and give them time to get to safety. It's highly probable that we will be spotted by the sentries when we move." He stated, readying his rifle.
"Will we engage them?"
"If they become a problem." Secretly, he hoped they would become a problem. He could do with the distraction, even if it meant wasting precious ammo on Commonwealth filth.
"Okay, we'll meet you back on the waterfront past Greentech Genetics. Capiche?" Deacon asked, breaking him from his thoughts.
"Understood."
He watched as Deacon lowered into a crouch, Burke mimicking him. When the raider patrolling along the nearest lorry turned her back to stride up a wooden walkway, he began to move, his footsteps silent upon the broken tarmac. Burke followed, keeping pace whilst making himself as small a target as possible.
They kept to the thickest shadows, darting into the blindspots of the fortifications until they were finally out of sight, disappearing around the corner of a building.
Danse watched the raiders carefully, searching for any signs that would indicate that Deacon and the Squire had been detected. As the minutes crawled by, he became more aware of the cool silence stretching between himself and Nora and found his gaze straying more than once from the raiders to her back.
It's for the best. He told himself again sternly, mentally shaking himself as he turned to watch the sentries.
Two of the raiders had paused for conversation on one of the walkways and turned their backs towards them.
"Knight. Prepare to engage." He ordered, readying his rifle.
Nora didn't speak, but levelled Righteous Authority towards their targets.
"I'll take the one of the left, you take the one on the right."
"Yes, sir."
He began to move, Nora falling in just behind him.
At the heavy clank of the armour, the raiders turned around just in time to see the lasers. One of them crumpled down on the walkway whilst the other tumbled over the edge, landing with a heavy thud onto the concrete below.
Immediately there were panicked shouts from within the Camp and Danse quickened his step, leading the way across the open space towards Greentech Genetics. He could hear the roar of Nora's laser rifle as she lay down suppressing fire behind him. They moved behind the cover of another building and found themselves standing in front of Greentech.
Nora ejected a spent fusion cell, quickly slotting another into place. "We'd better get a move on in case they decide to follow."
"Roger that." Danse grunted, leading the way back towards the waterfront. "Just keep an eye out and make sure we're not being tailed."
They emerged from the shadows and into dusky sunlight a little ways down from Camp Kendall. Raiders were gathered near the fortifications entrance, but they did not give pursuit. Instead they remained behind their walls, shouting empty threats and insults.
Danse smiled grimly beneath his helmet as he led the way down the street, his eyes searching for Burke and Deacon amongst the rusting hulks of capsized lorries and vehicles.
The road here was in disrepair, murky green river water seeping through the balustrades and onto the broken tarmac. As he walked, his steel boots sank slightly and when he glanced down, it was to find that he was walking on a layer of silt that had gathered on the ground.
They hadn't gone far before there came a sharp whistle, prompting them to glance up. Deacon was waving to them from an alleyway, Burke standing behind him.
"So, I see subtlety went out the window." Deacon commented, raising his eyebrows behind his sunglasses. "Honestly, we leave you two alone for five minutes and you're already shooting raiders, getting shot at…"
Danse rolled his eyes, tramping on up the road. "Burke. Hart. Fall in line."
As Burke began to follow the Paladin's lead, Deacon fell in beside Nora, his brow furrowed as he peered down the road behind them. "I was saying to Burke earlier that we might want to be careful as we go here. See where all the silt banks are? Sure signs of a mirelurk infestation."
"We should be fine if we're away from the water though, right?" Nora asked wearily, casting a cursory glance over the glittering river.
"You have been travelling the Commonwealth, right?" Deacon snorted. "They don't always stay underwater. So long as there's a water source nearby, you'll find them. So just try not to cause too much of a – wait. Did you hear that?"
Nora paused mid-step, her pulse quickening at the sound of claws scuttling across the concrete. Up ahead Burke let out a shout of warning and they turned to find him backing quickly towards the derelict buildings, pointing behind an overturned lorry. Danse fell back a couple of steps, placing himself in front of Burke as the first mirelurk rushed towards them.
"Squire," the Paladin roared, bashing the butt of his rifle against the slimy shell in an attempt to drive it back. "Fall back!"
Hissing, the mirelurk lashed out with its claws, rearing up in an attempt to overwhelm him.
Ducking low, Burke made to dash towards Nora and Deacon when a second mirelurk surged from behind the lorry, driving him back up the road and past Danse. The serrated claws snapped dangerously close to his head. He spun around, breaking into a sprint, seeking any kind of shelter.
He could hear the Paladin's muffled roar as he tried to shake off the mirelurk that was pinning him down, the shots being fired from Deacon and Nora's rifles, but above all he could hear the excited squeals and clacking of the mirelurk that had found itself an easy meal.
He caught sight of a bus with a narrow doorway and charged inside, past the filthy eggs that were half buried in the silt surrounding it. He threw himself to the floor as the mirelurk shunted against the wreck, hissing in frustration when it realised that it was too big to fit inside.
His heart hammering wildly in his chest, Burke crawled further inside, keeping his eye on the claws that swiped the air uselessly in the doorway. The bus rocked slightly as it tried to force its way inside, but he was safe enough. For now.
Panting, Burke began to rise to his feet when he heard the first crack.
The mirelurk drew back from the doorway as Burke retreated further along the aisle, his mouth turning dry. He heard more cracking sounds, followed by small mewls and squeals. His back pressed against the wall as the first hatchling scuttled aboard.
Laser shots roared outside and he could see the scarlet light reflecting on the slime that coated the creatures' fleshy shell. It turned to face him, rearing up slightly on its legs.
Burke licked his lips, standing taller. I can handle this. It's small enough to squish under my boot.
The hatchling charged at him, scuttling across the floor. When it came within range, Burke raised his foot and stamped down as hard as he could. The creature made an awful hissing sound, legs scrabbling furiously as it tried to escape. His face twisting in revulsion, Burke kicked out and sent the creature flying down the bus.
He heard the heavy clank of power armour rapidly approaching, the bus vibrating with every step. The adult mirelurk screeched angrily and when he looked out the window, it was in time to see the Paladin and Knight opening fire upon it. Over the dull roar of the lasers, he didn't hear the hatchlings until it was too late.
He felt a sharp pain in his leg and cried out, kicking violently as he turned his gaze to discover a hatchling tearing at his jeans with its claws. He threw the creature off, but there were more swarming towards him, too many for his panicked mind to count.
The bus jolted as the Knight or Paladin – he couldn't tell which - tried to force their way inside through the narrow opening. He could faintly hear their muffled shouting over the dull roaring in his ears and felt the bus tremble as the armour jarred repeatedly against it.
His back was against the wall again, the hatchlings closing in with their claws outstretched when a shadow vaulted inside through one of the empty window frames. He saw bright flashes as a pistol fired, felt the thick, viscous slime of mirelurk blood spatter his clothes.
Silence seemed to fall all at once. His chest heaving, Burke stared as Deacon straightened up, a smile breaking across the man's face. "I hope you like crabsticks buddy, because I just made a whole bunch of them for you!"
"Just scratches, nothing serious." Nora sighed in relief, sitting back on the concrete and running her hands through her hair. "Still, as soon as we get to Diamond City, we're heading straight to Doctor Sun so he can get a look at you. The last thing we want is for your leg to get infected."
Behind her, Danse's posture relaxed slightly, a muffled sigh escaping his helmet. "We should get underway again as soon as the Squire's ready to proceed." He said, his head turning as he looked up and down the road.
"I'm ready to go now." Burke insisted, rising from the bench he had been sitting on and pulling the straps of his pack higher on his shoulders. The last thing he wanted to do was remain within sight of the river for any longer than necessary.
"Are you sure?" Deacon asked, his eyebrows rising behind his sunglasses. "It's okay if you want to catch your breath -"
"I just want to go." Burke insisted, trying to ignore the green blood staining his clothes.
"Very well." Danse agreed, readying his rifle. "Hart, suit up and get ready to move… and Deacon. Thank you for your assistance."
"Yeah. Sure thing." Deacon nodded, watching as the Paladin turned on his heel to march up the street once more, Burke following behind him. As Nora pulled herself back into her battered power armour, the agent moved to her side with a smug smile on his face. "I wish I could have seen his face under that helmet. It must have killed him to say that!"
Danse didn't like the look of the bridge one bit and not just because of the raider infested barge that was caught between the two sides. Concrete barricades offered potential cover for hostiles and he could see gaping holes in its surface. Big enough for himself or Nora to slip through, never mind Burke or Deacon.
But still, it was the only way they had across and the most direct route towards Diamond City.
We'll just have to take extra care as we cross here. That's all. He thought, his eyes drawn to the rushing green river below. His grasp tightened on his rifle as he suppressed a shudder.
Then Nora was striding past him, narrowly avoiding stepping through a rotting set of planks that covered another hole.
"Slow down, soldier. Metal and water don't mix." He called, following her towards the first concrete block. "If you don't watch your footing, you'll fall!"
Nora turned her head slightly, visor glinting in the sunlight as she looked at him, but she didn't speak. Instead, she gestured for Deacon and Burke to approach.
"Know anything about the barge, Deacs?" She asked, turning to look at the trapped vessel and cargo decks. She could just about see figures prowling around below, most of them congregated around a cooking fire whilst others patrolled up and down.
"It's the U.S.S. Riptide, the best raider party boat this side of the Commonwealth, second only to the Libertalia!" Deacon announced brightly. "But if you don't feel like taking a cruise, it's a pretty easy spot to sneak past… when you're not in power armour, anyway."
"Do you think you could get Burke to the other side without being seen?" Nora pressed, glancing down at him.
"Your wish is my command!" Deacon smiled, nodding his head.
Danse bit back the urge to argue. He was loathe to let Burke out of his sight again and, despite Deacon's watching over the Squire and rescuing him from the mirelurks, he still just couldn't bring himself to trust the man.
But he kept his own counsel, grunting his agreement when Nora suggested that they watch and provide covering fire if it became necessary.
As before, Deacon led Burke from cover to cover, both of them keeping themselves as small as possible. Once, Deacon grabbed Burke's arm and hauled him away from some loose planks, but in no time at all they had reached the cabin trapped between the two sides of the bridge and were gone from sight.
Nora and Danse watched and waited in silence for a few minutes, but when time had crept by and the raiders had yet to sound an alarm, Danse signalled for them to move.
The clanking of the power armour was loud, but it wasn't until they were making their way across the rickety staircase that the raiders finally took notice. He had sent Nora across first and had Cutler's Justice trained upon their backs, so when the first raider began to turn towards them, he opened fire.
Immediately they started to scramble like rats aboard a sinking ship, some falling into the river whilst others dashed for cover.
"Danse! Move it!" Nora shouted when she reached the other side. As she lay down suppressing fire, he rushed across the stairs and down to the other side, ignoring the way the wood groaned underfoot. He could see Deacon and Burke on the street beyond, watching from the shadows of a building.
A few bullets struck the bridge, but were completely off target. "Hart! Keep moving!" He ordered, raising his own rifle and taking aim at a raider who had taken cover behind a crate. He heard Nora clanking behind him and, satisfied that she was almost to safety, he fired, driving the raider back.
Together, they moved quickly along the bridge, the raiders howling abuse after them. Danse kept his eye on them, ready to shoot when something gave beneath his foot.
There was a sickening sense of weightlessness, the world blurring as his ears filled with white noise. He heard Nora scream, but she sounded far away and all he could see was the murky water below.
Then he was submerged.
"DANSE!" Nora screamed, staring at the silvery stream of bubbles that marked where he had fallen. Her stomach dropped, her mind blank with fear. She could hear cheers and laughter from the raiders and a shrill scream from Burke.
I have to get to him.
She found herself sprinting across the bridge, heedless of the gaping holes that would lead her to the same fate. If his suit was fully sealed, he would have a small supply of oxygen available. But it had taken damage from the mirelurks, then even one crack in his armour would prove disastrous.
She shoved terrifying images from her mind as she reached the end of the bridge and vaulted over the wall down to the river's edge, Righteous Authority bouncing on her shoulder.
With a hiss, her power armour opened and she stumbled out of it, ignoring the pain that flared up her leg. She waded into the river, the water up to her hips, her eyes searching for any sign of disturbance that might reveal Danse's location.
The water was cold, but it burned her skin when it splashed her face. "DANSE! DANSE WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"Nora! Stop! You'll make yourself sick!" Deacon shouted from the shore, though when she made no effort to turn or even acknowledge him, he cursed and gestured for Burke to stay put. He waded in up to his calves when Nora stilled. Then she was darting to a spot under the bridge.
The helmet of Danse's power armour broke the surface and as he emerged, the water poured down the steel in rivers. Deacon retreated back to shore, silently cursing the Paladin for not having surfaced a few moments earlier to spare him wet shoes and trousers whilst Nora followed Danse.
"Oh God- are you okay?! Did water get into your suit?!"
"No. I'm fine." Danse's voice was tight and strained, the mechanical hands of his armour flexing open and closed. He turned on the spot, looking at the water. "Have you seen my rifle?"
Nora shook her head, doubling over slightly and taking in deep, shaky breaths.
"Did it fall on the bridge?!" He demanded more forcefully, striding to where Burke and Deacon were standing.
"From what I saw, you were holding it like a baby the whole time you fell." Deacon shrugged, not quite able to hide his smirk at the sight of water sloshing in the torso of his suit. "Did you catch any fish or mirelurks when you were down there?"
Burke shot him a reproachful look on the Paladin's behalf. "I can run up and take a look, sir."
"Absolutely not, Squire. The raiders could be bearing down on us as we speak. Though if Deacon wouldn't mind making himself useful…"
They heard a whirring and clank as Nora pulled herself back inside her own power armour. "If we're going to look, let's be fast."
Danse didn't respond, but clanked his way back up to street level, moving onto the bridge once more, Nora following hot on his heels with her rifle primed for shooting. As it happened, some of the raiders had been making their way across the bridge towards them, though under Righteous Authority's fire, they beat a hasty retreat back towards their barge.
Danse scanned the bridge, his heart sinking. There was no sign of his rifle anywhere. He hadn't brought a spare with him, either. He hadn't had the time to purchase and mod a new one since returning aboard the Prydwen, having gifted Nora with Righteous Authority.
Could this day get any worse? He wondered, his mechanical hands clenching into fists.
"We'll get you a new one when we get to Diamond City." Nora said quietly, moving into his peripheral vision.
He sighed heavily and turned his back to the bridge, moving towards the road ahead. "Let's move out."
If Danse's pride was hurt, he did an excellent job of covering it up, striding down the road with as much dignity as a man could when his power armour had green ribbons of weed and algae coating the steel. Not to mention the wet footprints he was leaving in the road.
Deacon seemed to be loving every second of it, chuckling to himself and shaking his head. Nora didn't doubt that this was going to be one of his favourite stories to tell for a long time coming. Undoubtedly, he'd make it either a lot funnier or more exciting than it actually was. She didn't mind though, because however he would tell it, the story didn't have a tragic ending.
Her nerves were still on end when the Wall finally came into view.
Burke was peering up at it curiously, reading the signs they passed that pointed them towards Diamond City's entrance.
"Is Diamond City in there?" He asked, pointing at the monstrous brick structure.
"Yup! The Great Green Jewel herself is just beyond those walls-"
"Hey! Lance! Is that you?" Deacon was cut off mid-speech by a rough voice and when they looked up, it was to see two members of Diamond City security approaching them, swatters at their backs and guns in hand, though the weapons were lowered.
"Ah shit…" Deacon sighed as his companions turned to look at him. "Just play along and be cool, alright?" He whispered, before moving ahead of them and throwing his arms wide open in greeting. "Heeeeey Frankie you old dog! How's it going, huh?"
"Shit." Frankie replied, though he was smiling. "How about you? It's been months since we last heard from you… er… you're not joining the Brotherhood, are ya?" He added, gesturing towards Danse and Nora.
"What? Nah. These are friends of mine. You should know Nora already, she lives in Diamond City market at Home Plate, remember?" 'Lance' grinned, jabbing his thumb in Nora's direction.
Frankie and his fellow guard nodded to her in greeting as she removed her helmet to give them a weary smile.
"This guy is Danse. He's a Paladin in the Brotherhood… or should I say he's my Pal-adin!" Deacon grinned, ignoring the vexed sigh Danse made beneath his helmet.
"What business does a Pal-whatever have in Diamond City?" Frankie frowned. "He better just be looking to trade…"
"Actually he's on shore leave, came here to eat power noodles and shack up with a certain fellow soldier…"
"Deac- I mean… Lance!" Nora could feel her cheeks beginning to redden, not to mention an uncomfortable knot in her stomach as she recalled her earlier conversation with the Paladin.
"Ah I'm kidding. The guy's got a swatter up his ass." Deacon grinned, ignoring Nora's mortified expression and Danse's shadow that seemed to loom menacingly at his back. "He's actually here so his nephew can see the Great Green Jewel for himself!" He said, gesturing towards Burke who simply wore a bewildered expression as he listened to the exchange.
"I see." Frankie nodded, reaching up to scratch his stubbly chin. "Well, you'd all better get inside the Wall if you know what's good for ya. Mutants have been testing our defences all week. Enjoy your stay in Diamond City – but no funny business!" He added, looking pointedly at Danse.
"As for you, Lance, you better get inside and beg the Captain to give you your job back seeing as you've already got the uniform. It'll be good to have you back."
"Yeah, I'll get right on it. See you around Frankie and… new guy?"
As the guards continued on their patrol, Deacon finally turned to look at his companions, grinning cheekily.
"Well? What are you all standing around like brahmin for? Diamond City awaits!"
A/N: This chapter. This chapter. I'm so sorry it's horrendously late. I was ill to begin with and then when I finally felt better, I had writers block. Which made no sense as I had the chapter plan sitting in front of me, but the right words would just not come! ;=.= Still, I'm really excited to do the next couple of chapters as I've been planning them for ages!
HUGE thank you to Mr Ninja Pineapple- you must have beta'd this at least 7 times. Thank you!
I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thanks again for your patience and sticking with the story!