Chapter Twenty-One: Departure
My head's killing me…
Nora groaned, grimacing as she released Nate's hand to pinch the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. He stirred beside her, sighing heavily through his nose as his arms tightened their hold around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
His body was like a furnace and their combined heat was making the bed hot and sweaty, but she found herself reluctant to pull away or throw off the blankets. Instead she remained where she was, lowering her hand back beneath the covers to lightly brush her fingers over his forearm.
She felt safe and content there beside him, his warm breath gently stirring her hair as he continued to sleep.
I can't believe we went to bed in our clothes. She thought hazily, lowering her hand from his arm to where she could feel the skirts of her dress riding up her thighs. She wriggled in attempt to pull them lower, acutely aware of how her body was brushing against his and starting to have an effect.
Heh. I still got it.
He mumbled unintelligibly above her head, still lost to his dreams and she wondered if he was coming down with something.
His voice sounded deeper than usual.
I suppose if we went out though, he would either sing or laugh himself hoarse.
She idly wondered where they had gone, but the last memory she had of them being out together was a night in a karaoke bar, before he was deployed. She smiled softly, remembering the way his golden-brown eyes had shone with laughter, the rich, husky way he sang and swaggered across the room, hauling her up for a duet despite the fact that she was tone deaf.
When he had returned from the war, the sparkle in his eyes had grown dim, smothered by shadows of anguish and weariness. It was only on rare days that the old Nate would return, like a sunburst through grey clouds. It was only when Shaun had arrived that the clouds had dissipated, that he began to resemble himself again.
She recalled one early morning when she had awoken to a warm but empty bed. She had rushed towards the bedroom door, only to pause when she had heard Nate singing, his voice accompanied by Shaun's happy gurgles.
Her throat had caught, relieved tears prickling her eyes as she had opened the door and listened. It had been the first time she had heard him sing since his return from Anchorage.
Barefoot, she had padded across the hallway to where Shaun's bedroom door stood ajar, easing it open to find Nate standing by the cradle, gently rocking Shaun in one arm as the beaming baby gripped his free hand with small, chubby fists.
Stars and rockets of light had rotated slowly across the walls, lending the tender scene an almost ethereal aspect in the morning gloom. The lights had made Nate's eyes sparkle as he raised them to meet hers, a tender, genuine smile curving his lips …
I'm not giving you Shaun!
The echo of a gunshot rang in her ears, turning her blood to ice.
Her eyes snapped open, but all she could see was frosted glass, a faceless stranger holding their baby as Nate slumped back in his pod, his eyes wide with terror and anguish as they met hers.
The lights from Shaun's room were still flashing, but their shapes were indistinct.
Dead. He's dead.
Her body began to shake.
But how can he be dead if he's here?
Blinking away the hot tears and phantom image of the vault, her breath hitching painfully in her throat, she forced herself to roll over to see…
Danse?
The Paladin was fast asleep, his usually stern features softened in serene repose as lights – her lights - chased across his weathered skin, giving it a warm glow. His full lips were parted slightly as he breathed in slow, deep breaths.
She stared at him, wide eyed.
I'm in bed with Danse?
With each breath she inhaled his scent; steel, power armour grease, musk and a faint sweetness that reminded her of snack cakes. She became acutely aware of his arms still wrapped around her, holding her close.
His presence was both grounding and reassuring. As reality began to set back in, she released a long, shuddering sigh and pressed her face into his chest, the tension gradually leaving her body.
She was relieved to have him there.
Somehow when he was around, she felt safer and stronger.
The world had gone to hell, but so long as he had her back, she knew that she could face whatever it had to throw at them.
She opened her eyes and turned her head, watching as the lights chased each other across the ceiling as she listened to the steady beating of his heart, recalling the previous night's events.
I can't believe he stayed the whole night with me… The thought was enough to make her smile.
For once, waking up in the post-war world didn't seem quite so bad.
Not when he was beside her.
She closed her eyes again and snuggled closer to him, sighing contentedly as she nestled into his chest.
It was just as she had made herself comfortable that Danse began to wake up.
She heard his breath catch and the slow, steady beat of his heart quickened to a furious drumming. His entire body had tensed and she was quite certain that he was holding his breath. She suppressed a chuckle as she pictured the expression on his face.
She decided to continue feigning sleep, though she wasn't quite able to suppress a small smile.
He was so still and silent, she began to wonder whether he'd fainted from lack of oxygen when he finally exhaled, carefully removing his arms to jostle her as little as possible. His movements were slow and measured, though not slow enough.
The moment he left her side, Nora felt his absence keenly.
She resisted the urge to peek up at him as he tucked the blankets around her.
His shadow blotted out the shimmering lights overhead and she felt his fingers lightly run through her hair. The mattress sank momentarily as he leaned down on it and she felt the light scratch of his stubble against her skin, the gentle press of his lips against her temple before he withdrew, his footsteps leaving the room.
She heard the light switch click and the darkness behind her eyelids became complete.
When the curtain rustled and his footsteps had receded into the house, she sat up slowly and raised her fingers to where he had kissed her. Her skin tingled and she couldn't quite suppress the goofy grin that broke across her face.
"Bluuuueeeeee! Ya home?"
Nora winced as Piper's voice echoed through the house, followed by the slamming of the front door.
"We've brought Burke over!"
Danse's voice answered Piper's greeting from the other side of the house and Nora heard Piper gasp dramatically in response.
"Ya hear that? Tin Man's here!" Piper stage whispered. "It's just like Vadim said!"
As three sets of footsteps made their way across the living room below, heading towards the other side of the house, Nora huffed in amusement and returned her eyes to her bedroom mirror. She had removed all traces of last night's make-up and tamed her hair back into her usual bun, ready for the journey ahead.
It was as she was buckling her clean flight suit closed that she caught sight of Nate's ring, glinting in the light of her room. She paused, considering it silently.
You wear his ring each day… Yet since you received them, I have not seen you wear your holotags more than once.
She frowned at her reflection thoughtfully, her mind drawn to the holotags that he wore so dutifully each day.
I promised him that I'd take my duties to the Brotherhood more seriously… Nothing better to represent that than wearing my own tags.
Slowly, she moved towards the hidden floor safe at the foot of her bed and crouched down, her gloved fingers deftly twisting the dial in the correct combination and pulling it open. She reached inside, sweeping aside her diminishing stash of caps.
Her fingers brushed over an all too familiar holotape.
She paused for a few long moments, studying Nate's handwriting as the words on the tape replayed in her head. Biting her lip she glanced away, her eyes catching sight of a soft blue glow.
Her fingers closed around the Brotherhood holotags, raising them from the darkness in which they had languished for months. She sucked in a deep breath as she uncurled her fist, studying the steel tags with a strange feeling of dread.
HR-214K.
A number. Not a name.
All the other Brotherhood soldiers she knew wore their tags as proudly as their uniforms. To them the holotags were a large part of their identities, something that set them apart from the wasteland scavvers and riff raff.
She couldn't help but mentally compare them to dogs who were proud of their collars.
She sighed.
Danse treasured his tags and it evidently troubled him that she didn't feel the same.
If I wear them, will they become my identity? She wondered, slowly turning them over in her hands. Will it make me more of a Brotherhood soldier than anything else?
She frowned, considering the promises she had made to Danse the night before, promises that went beyond simply wearing her holotags.
Was Deacon right all along? Am I getting in too deep?
She let the steel chain slip from the tags, watching as it coiled on the floorboards at her feet.
I promised Danse I would retire from the Minutemen and leave when he does… but that doesn't constitute a betrayal, does it?
Shaking the thoughts away, she unclasped her own chain and slipped the holotags upon it, one on each side so they flanked Nate's ring.
"They're just tags." She told her reflection as she fixed the chain back around her neck. "Nothing's changed."
She buckled her uniform closed, wearing the ring and tags on top of it.
The steel and gold shone together as she turned from the mirror and headed down the stairs.
She followed the sounds of voices into the other side of the house, where she found Danse checking over the suits of power armour with Burke beside him. The Paladin was dressed in his clean uniform and Burke was donning a 'new' coat, the stained material already damp with rain. Grogcat was curled up in the hood, glowering at her with as much regal contempt as a mangy moggy could muster.
Grogcat would go far in the Brotherhood, pulling scowls like that.
"Hey, Blue!"
Nora broke eye contact with her fluffy nemesis to find Piper and Marcus lounging on one of the sofas. Piper's muddy boots were up on the battered coffee table as she made herself at home, a box of open sugar bombs grasped in one hand. Nora was quietly certain that it had come from her cupboards.
"So! You and Tin Man over there have a… good night?" Piper asked, grabbing a handful of the sugary cereal before proffering the box towards her, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively.
"Yep." Nora nodded, taking the Sugar Bombs from Piper's hand and helping herself, not quite registering the implications of the question.
"So…" Piper continued, her lips curving in a sly smile, "does this mean we'll be seeing little Vadim or Yefima any time soon?"
Nora choked on the cereal and Danse straightened up from where he had been teaching Burke about leg actuators.
"What?" Piper asked, her grin growing even wider. "It's all Vadim's been preaching about this morning! He's been sat at Power Noodles bragging about his future godchildren and your impending marriage! He wants me to write an article about it, actually…"
"By the Creator!" Danse sighed exasperatedly. "Will that man ever learn to keep personal matters private?"
"So Vadim was telling the truth? Oh man does MacCready owe me some caps!" Piper crowed, delving into the pocket of her coat to retrieve a battered notepad and pen.
"I didn't say that!" Danse scowled, watching as the grinning reporter began to scribble something down.
"You don't need to say anything, Tin Man! Vadim's told me half the story and your face tells me the rest!"
Danse's mouth opened and closed several times, his chest puffing indignantly.
"Maybe you should focus on writing your own love story first, Piper." Nora drawled, having recovered her composure. "I mean, you and Marcus are looking pretty cosy on that couch…"
"Marcus slept in Piper's room last night, too." Burke piped up as he crossed the room to join them, Grogcat peering over his shoulder.
Nora wanted to high five the Squire, but simply offered him the Sugar Bombs instead.
"Hey! That's because I gave the couch up for Burke! Besides, I was the perfect gentleman!" Marcus insisted, sitting upright and elbowing Piper in process, making her scoot over from where she had been leaning against him.
"So was Danse!" Nora replied, her eyes sparkling as she glanced up at the approaching Paladin. She winked at him, earning a twitch of his lips in response. She found herself gazing at them for a few moments longer than necessary.
"So, when were you guys thinking of leaving?" Piper enquired, deftly changing the subject.
"As soon as we're ready to depart." Danse supplied. "Speaking of which, I still need to collect my things from the Dugout…"
"Is Grogcat coming with us?"
The adults drew in a collective breath as they turned to focus upon Burke. Nora exchanged a silent look with Danse before clearing her throat and shaking her head.
"He can't come with us, Burke. He'd never be allowed aboard the Prydwen."
"So what're you going to do?" He demanded, his eyes narrowing. "You're not just going to throw him out on the streets again, are you?"
"Of course not." Nora promised solemnly. "We'll make sure he's looked after, Burke. He might hate my guts –" Grogcat hissed at the appropriate moment "- but he matters to you, so he matters to me. We'll find him a home."
"Piper can look after him, right?" Burke asked hopefully, turning to look at her and Marcus.
"Burke… I'm not exactly around often enough to look after a cat." Piper began hesitantly. "I mean, I can barely look after myself, or Nat. I can't offer him a stable home, but I could look after him for a few days and maybe try to find him one…"
"We could always ask Nick and Ellie?" Nora suggested. "Ellie's always around the agency and they're both responsible peop-"
"You want to leave Grogcat with that synth?" Burke cried, turning to stare at Nora in horror. "Are you mad?"
"Burke, Nick's not like other synths –"
"It's a synth." Burke insisted, reaching back to place a protective hand on Grogcat. "What if it hands him over to the Institute for experiments? Or kills him? Or replaces him? What if it doesn't feed him because it forgets living things actually eat? Or what if it eats him?"
"Burke… Grogcat's more likely to eat Nick than the other way around." Nora sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"It's a synth!"
"He's my friend." Nora replied firmly, crossing her arms. "You don't know him –"
"I know what it is and it's a synth! I'm not handing Grogcat over to the enemy!"
Nora turned to Danse for back up only to find him glowing with pride, a smug smile curving his lips.
He caught her eye and shrugged, evidently pleased that Burke had at least taken some of the Brotherhood's teachings to heart.
With a huff she turned away from Danse's amused gaze, glancing instead towards Marcus and Piper who cringed back into the sofa.
"I think this is a discussion you guys need to have amongst yourselves…" Piper began slowly, earning a disbelieving snort from Nora.
"C'mon Piper! You always have an opinion on everything! Nick's your friend too!"
"Yeah, but I don't want my last memory of Burke to be an argument!" Piper protested, sitting up a little straighter.
Nora frowned, any further arguments dying on her lips.
Today probably is the last day we'll spend with Burke… The day's hard enough on him having to leave Grogcat behind. No need to make it worse by getting angry with him.
The thought doused the last flames of her anger.
"Fine." She conceded, turning to look at him. "But Nick and Ellie are your best bet for finding Grogcat a secure home for the time being. Just come with me to the agency and meet them properly, okay? If you still think Grogcat's going to be eaten or mistreated afterwards, we'll think of someplace else."
Burke's expression told her exactly what he thought of her plan, but he simply pursed his lips and nodded grudgingly.
"Well, we'd better leave you guys to it." Piper announced, elbowing Marcus as she rose to her feet. "We've got some preparations of our own to make. Besides, it sounds like you guys have a pretty full plate!"
"Sadly." Nora agreed, stepping forwards to pull her friend into a hug.
"Well, don't let 'em work you into the ground, Blue!" Piper told her firmly, stepping back to hold her at arm's length. She fixed her eyes on a point over Nora's shoulder and began to address Danse. "Anything happens to her Tin Man, I'll be holding you personally responsible!"
"I can assure you that I take my responsibilities to my soldiers seriously, Piper." He replied gravely, meeting her stare with his own. "Besides, Hart's more capable than you're giving her credit."
"Yup! I'm capable! If Danse says so, it must be true!" Nora grinned, shrugging off Piper's hold to step towards Marcus.
Piper just rolled her eyes and shook her head as she made her way towards Burke and Grogcat.
"Hey, make sure you don't let these two order ya around too much, okay?" She began, smiling at him warmly. "Or any of those idiots on that fancy ship for that matter!"
"That is terrible advice, Piper." Danse frowned, walking over to stand at Burke's shoulder. "It was by not following orders that he found himself on this mission in the first place!"
"Exactly!" Piper smirked, folding her arms as she tilted her head back to look up at him. "Without being a troublemaker, he'd never have come to Diamond City and made so many friends! It's much more fun than just being some Brotherhood drone, right Burke?"
"You said it, ma'am!" Burke agreed, returning the wink she gave him.
Just as Danse opened his mouth to protest, Marcus smoothly stepped up and grabbed his hand with a winning smile.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Paladin Danse." He grinned. "We should get drinks the next time you're in Diamond City!"
As Danse returned the handshake and bade Marcus a polite farewell, Nora moved next to Piper and elbowed her ribs playfully.
"Marcus is a keeper, deflecting Danse like that!" She grinned. "With skills like those he might even be able to keep you out of trouble!"
"Pffft! Shut up, Blue!"
"No Piper, I mean it!" Nora grinned. "You should clean out a sock drawer for him!"
Piper turned to face Nora when her eyes fell on the holotags flanking Nate's ring.
"Because you can talk, Blue." She smirked, reaching up to flick one of the tags with a fingernail.
Nora just chuckled in response.
"Still raining." Nora sighed, watching as Piper and Marcus hurried through the silvery drizzle. "Not the best day for travelling in power armour but at least we'll be going by vertibird. You do still have the grenade, right?" She added, glancing over her shoulder to where Danse was stood behind her.
He was gazing at her intently and she felt her heart skip a beat, a wave of warmth washing over her despite the chill breeze blowing through the open doorway.
I still can't believe that he stayed with me the whole night...
Her lips twitched in a small smile which he mimicked before stepping back and allowing her to close the door.
"I'm just gonna go and pack Grogcat's things." Burke informed them when they turned to face the room.
"Make sure you've packed your own equipment too, Squire!" Danse called, watching as the boy disappeared into the main house.
"I suppose we should make sure we're packed, too." Nora smiled, reaching up to pat his arm. "We're supposed to be setting a good example, right?"
As she stepped past him, Danse reached out with a gloved hand to catch one of her holotags between his thumb and forefinger. She paused mid-step, watching as he studied it.
"I see you've taken last night's conversation to heart." He smiled, meeting her eyes.
"I was serious, you know?" She smiled with a shrug. "I might have been drunk but… I did mean every word."
He smile grew tender, his eyes softening even as they smouldered.
"I know. I meant what I said, too."
He released the tag and drew closer to her. He hesitated a moment, glancing around to make sure they were alone before he leaned down as though to kiss her, stopping just shy of meeting her lips.
Smiling, Nora closed the distance and kissed him, resting one hand on his shoulder.
"I could get used to this." She murmured as he slowly stepped away, letting her hand trail over his chest.
"Provided we receive Elder Maxson's blessing, you might be able to."
"If he doesn't agree, we can always elope, right?"
Danse's expression dropped, crossed somewhere between horror and indignation.
"Soldier – "
"It was a joke!" Nora laughed, shaking her head as she began to head back into the house. "We're going to have to work on that humour of yours, Paladin!"
Danse rolled his eyes and smiled, watching as she strutted away.
"You're going to keep your promise, right?" Burke insisted as he trailed a few steps behind Nora. His hood was up and the front of his coat bulging where Grogcat was stashed away inside, hidden from the incessant drizzle. "If I don't like the synth, you'll find someone else?"
"Yes Burke, if you still have a problem with Nick, I'll see if someone else will take him." Nora sighed, rolling her eyes as she led him down the narrow street and into the dimly lit porch of the agency. "But honestly, Nick's the best choice! If Grogcat goes missing, Nick's got the skills to find him and Ellie is a real sweetheart!"
"Is Ellie a synth, too?" Burke frowned, opening his coat to allow Grogcat to poke his head out into the cool air.
"Nope."
"How would you know? What if she's one of those human-looking synths?" He insisted, prompting Nora to turn and frown at him, her hand gripping the door handle.
"Burke, don't be ridiculous."
"I'm not being ridiculous!" he pouted in response. "No human would knowingly work for a synth!"
"I work for him… with him, technically, we're partners." Nora replied, cocking an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to call me a synth, too?"
"No…" Burke said slowly, "but you are synth-pathetic!"
"Wow. Come up with that one all by yourself?" Nora drawled, not quite able to suppress an amused smile. "Come on, Burke. Just keep an open mind, alright?"
Burke huffed and rolled his eyes in response before following her inside.
The office was as dingy and claustrophobic as he remembered, the air still stale with tobacco smoke despite the open windows. Burke wrinkled his nose in distaste, glancing around at the cluttered filing cabinets and desks.
The only positive he had for the place was the fact that the synth wasn't currently in sight.
"Nick? Ellie? You here?" Nora called, stepping towards the front desk as she glanced around the room.
"Just a second! I'll be right with ya!" A woman's voice replied, prompting Burke to turn his head to the right and take note of an annexing corridor, covered by a heavy faded curtain.
A few moments later he heard footsteps drawing near and he watched as the curtain was brushed aside, revealing a pretty young woman in a sleeveless leather jacket and ragged pink skirt, a matching scarf coiled around her neck.
Her brown eyes widened at the sight of Nora and she grinned, hurrying towards the desk to deposit a steaming mug of coffee and sweet roll before greeting her with a hug.
"It's good to see you! Nick said you were in town but I was out when you stopped by. How have you been? Getting up to trouble, I take it?"
"You could say that." Nora smirked, stepping back and gesturing towards Burke and Grogcat. "I'd like you to meet some friends of mine, actually…"
"Burke, right?" Ellie smiled, turning to face him. "Heard all about you and your runaway cat from Nick. I'm Ellie Perkins."
She offered Burke her hand and he shook it warily, scrutinising her with his eyes.
"Are you with Nora in the Railroad?" He asked bluntly, ignoring the strangled sound Nora emitted.
"The Railroad?" Ellie's eyebrows rose as she turned to look at the Knight, who had begun laughing nervously.
"He's joking, Ellie! It was a joke!" Grinning, Nora stepped to Burke's side and wrapped one arm about his shoulders in tight hug. "Right, Squire?"
"Ma'am, if she willingly works with a synth, I don't think she'll care about you being in the-"
"Squires, right?" Nora cut across him, squeezing him a little more tightly. "Next thing you know, he'll be saying I work for the Institute!"
"Mm-hm." Ellie nodded slowly, one eyebrow raised. "Well, if you were working for the Railroad, I'd say that's a good, noble cause. But you're not and even if you were, client confidentiality, right?"
"Right! But I'm not!" Nora insisted, watching as Ellie smiled to herself and made her way behind the desk.
"Well, what can I do for you anyway?" Ellie asked as she sat down. "Nick got called away to Goodneighbor last night, so I'm afraid if you're looking for him, you're out of luck."
"New case?" Nora asked, finally releasing Burke who scowled up at her reproachfully, Grogcat mimicking his expression.
"There's been a whole spate of cases there, to be honest. A fair amount around Diamond City, too." Ellie nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "Entire caravans gone missing, people vanishing when they venture beyond the walls… I thought you'd know all about it considering the amount of Minutemen that keep getting dispatched this way?"
"I've been busy with the Brotherhood." Nora frowned, folding her arms. "Sounds like I'm way overdue to check in with the Castle…"
"Well, if you need to get going I can take a message for you?" Ellie offered, picking up a pencil. "Or did you come to help out with some of the cases?"
"Neither, actually…" Nora began, brushing a hand through her hair. "I came to ask for a pretty big favour."
"Oh? What is it?" Ellie enquired, tilting her head as she glanced between them.
"I don't know if I trust her, ma'am." Burke muttered, narrowing his eyes in a suspicious glare. "She's being too helpful."
Nora sighed heavily and turned to face him.
"Let's see if Grogcat trusts her first, alright?"
As Burke muttered darkly under his breath, Nora turned back to Ellie with an apologetic smile.
"I was hoping that you and Nick would help me out by babysitting Burke's cat for a while? Just until I can arrange a new home for him."
As she spoke, Burke reluctantly began to unzip his coat. Almost as soon as he had the wiggle-room, Grogcat scrambled up onto Burke's shoulder and took a swipe at Nora, spitting as though it was her fault Burke made him ride in the coat as opposed to the hood.
"He's a lot sweeter than he's acting right now!" Nora insisted as she stepped back a safe distance, watching with a fake smile as the cat began to wriggle his rear, flattening his ears and emitting a near-demonic growl. "He's… just a little excited."
"He also hates Nora." Burke sighed, stepping towards the desk as he reached up to remove Grogcat from his shoulder. As soon as he was cradled in Burke's arm, Grogcat's ears pricked up and his golden eyes changed from narrow, molten slits into wide pools of warm sunbeams that instantly won Ellie over.
"Aww he's a cute little guy!" Ellie smiled, lightly scratching Grogcat's chin. The animal began to purr loudly as she glanced back up at Nora. "Any idea on how long a while's going to be?"
"Not exactly, but hopefully no longer than a couple of weeks." Nora shrugged from across the room. "I should have some time to sort it out while Ingram fixes my armour… if Kells doesn't having me scrubbing the hull again." She added with a long-suffering sigh.
"Well, I can't see Nick having any issues with it." Ellie smiled, watching as Grogcat extricated himself from Burke's hold to stand on the desk, his tail high in the air like a broken flagpole. "He is house trained, right?"
Nora glanced at Burke who nodded, trailing his fingers along the cat's back.
The boy was beginning to look less sullen and more heartbroken by the second, particularly when Grogcat made the move to step onto Ellie's shoulder and sit there.
"He likes to eat dogfood and power noodles, but he'll eat anything that's edible." Burke began, reluctantly shrugging the small bag of Grogcat's supplies from his shoulders. "He doesn't like being on his own and likes to sit on your shoulders and be hugged. I've packed some string in here that he likes to chase and his food bowl, too."
As he set the bag down on the table, Burke sniffed and turned to walk to Nora's side, his eyes beginning to glitter in the dim light.
"Dogfood, cuddles and playtime. Got it." Ellie smiled at Burke warmly and gave him a reassuring nod.
Grogcat hopped down onto the desk again, moving to the edge and meowing at Burke, reaching out to him with a paw.
"Goodbye, Grogcat." Burke croaked, stepping forwards to plant a kiss on his head. "I'll miss you."
When the cat tried to climb onto his shoulder again, he gave him a watery smile and gently pushed him back onto the desk.
As he bade his cat farewell, Nora quickly moved to close the windows, determined that they wouldn't be pursued.
"Thanks for doing this, Ellie." She said gratefully when she was certain Grogcat would have no means to follow them. "I'll get him out of your hair as soon as possible."
"Ah it's nothing!" Ellie smiled, waving a hand dismissively. "The agency wouldn't even still be around if it wasn't for you! We'll take care of Grogcat and you take care of yourself, okay?"
Nora nodded and smiled before gently patting Burke's shoulder.
"Come on then, Squire. He's in good hands."
Burke sniffed again, gave Grogcat a final scratch behind his ears and stepped back, turning away and drawing up his hood as he moved towards the door.
"Bye Ellie!" Nora called over her shoulder, following at Burke's heels.
"Take care you two! Try and stay out of trouble!" Ellie smiled, waving at her.
Grogcat hopped down from the desk and charged towards the door, prompting Nora to close it quickly before he could escape. He let out a long, miserable yowl from the other side of the door, drowning out the sound of his claws raking against the wood.
"I'm proud of you, Burke." She said gently as she moved to his side, leading the way back towards the market. "You made the right choice, you know? Ellie will take good care of him."
"Yeah…" Burke sighed miserably, his head bowed and face concealed within the depths of his hood.
"He'll be fine. I'll make sure to find him a good home." She promised, but he merely hunched his shoulders and didn't respond.
The streets were largely deserted and when they emerged into the market, it was quiet. Billowing clouds of steam were streaming from beneath the tarps of Power Noodles as Takahashi prepped for the lunchtime rush, the counters devoid of customers. The other vendors seemed to be doing little better.
Only Arturo seemed busy, scrutinising a filthy laser rifle whilst a haggard looking woman looked on.
What's someone like that doing with a laser rifle?
Ignoring the rain, she turned towards Commonwealth Weaponry and ducked inside, Burke following behind her.
"No, I can't give you any more than twenty-five caps for this." Arturo frowned, shaking his head as he set the rifle down.
"Oh come on! It's one of them fancy laser weapons, ain't it? I'm not handing you some pipe rifle!" The woman fumed, gesturing at the weapon.
"No, but you are handing me a broken rifle." Arturo replied, tapping the barrel. "I can still feel the water sloshing around inside. This is going to take time and materials to repair, not to mention it's going to take a lot of scrubbing just to get rid of the algae."
"Unbelievable! I had to run through a mirelurk nest to get this!" The woman snapped, snatching the weapon from the counter.
"Sorry my friend, but twenty five's as much as I'm willing to pay."
"Where did you get that?" Nora interrupted, pointing towards the rifle.
The woman pursed her lips, taking in the Brotherhood insignia on Nora's uniform.
"I found it by the river. Didn't steal it or nothing." She replied warily, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What you've got there," Nora gestured at the rifle, "is a Brotherhood of Steel laser rifle. It belongs to a friend of mine and I'd appreciate it if you'd give it back."
"I ain't giving it to nobody!" The woman snapped, bristling beneath her faded anorak. "I scavved it fair and square! You're just another Brotherhood asshole trying to strong-arm decent folk out of anything that catches your eye!"
"Not true." Nora replied, keeping her voice calm and level. "The rifle is called 'Cutler's Justice'. You'll find it inscribed on the barrel."
"You could've just seen that just now!" The woman scowled furiously. "Unless you're gonna pay me for this rifle, you can get out of my face!"
Nora heaved a sigh before turning her charm up to the max.
Danse couldn't quite suppress a small smile as he made his way through the drizzle, heading back towards the Dugout Inn. His uniform was clean, his power armour ready to go, Burke was safe and Nora…
Slow down, soldier. He warned himself sternly. There's still a very real chance that Arthur will deny it. She has yet to be properly initiated into the Brotherhood, she's the Minutemen General, and she's your subordinate…
The stern, disparaging voice he had listened to for so long began to fade as he recalled waking to find her in his arms, nestled against him. She had felt warm, her presence comforting and lending him a sense of peace he had never known.
She was strong, honest and indomitable. She was an excellent soldier and a loyal friend…
He would be lying if he said that he hadn't fantasised about them being more, but the fact that she wanted to be, in spite of the rules and the way he had made a complete ass of himself…
I don't know why she'd want to be with me but… I'm glad she does.
The Brotherhood had given his life purpose. It had provided him with all he needed, turned him from a scavver into soldier. He had never imagined that he would want for more, but now…
I can't lose her. He thought to himself as he entered the shelter of the Dugout's porch. But I promised I would speak to Arthur about it. What if he forbids it, or assigns her a new sponsor?
He shook his head and inhaled a deep breath before opening the door.
Almost immediately he made eye contact with Vadim.
He was standing behind the bar, positioned so that he had a clear view of any and all customers who entered… though Danse was more than certain that he had been waiting for him specifically.
He was proven right when Vadim let out a dirty cackle at the sight of him.
"Ahhh! Dan you DOG!" He cried, slamming the glass he was holding down onto the counter. "Here you are, slinking back in like you didn't just spend the night with a beautiful lady! Come! You must tell Vadim all about it!"
"No." Danse replied bluntly, ignoring the way he could already feel his ears beginning to burn. He marched into the bar area with a rigid back, mentally prepping himself for whatever Vadim had planned this time.
"Ah! This man! He is so modest!" Vadim crowed, splaying his hands on the bar as he leaned forwards with a wide grin. "But there is no need for modesty here, Dan! You come and tell Vadim all about it! I'm certain you made Nora happy, eh?"
Danse pulled his most disparaging scowl, a look that would stop even the most insubordinate of soldiers in their tracks.
Unfortunately Vadim was immune.
"Did you overdo it? You don't seem too happy…"
"It's none of your business, Vadim!" He sighed in exasperation, striding past a smirking Yefim as he made his way into the guest wing.
"Hey! Everybody's business is Vadim's business!" Vadim said indignantly, leaving the bar to follow him. "I need to know whether you will be moving in with Nora or requiring room!"
Danse rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he marched to his room, clutching the key in his hand.
"Fine! You don't need to say anything anyway." Vadim shrugged, folding his arms and leaning against the peeling wall as Danse began unlocking the door. "Your face and change of clothes tell me everything I need to know!"
Danse huffed, stepping into his room and shutting the door behind him.
"You can scowl all you want, but your eyes are happy!" Vadim yelled from the hallway, resulting in some other patron opening their door to yell at him.
Danse sighed, running a hand through his hair as he moved towards his pack, an amused smile curving his lips as Vadim began to yell back.
Danse entered Home Plate through the second door, his duffle bag slung over his shoulder and laser pistol holstered at his hip. It didn't have the firepower of Cutler's Justice and he was only grateful that he was unlikely to have much cause to use it.
They wouldn't need to go far beyond the city limits to flag down a vertibird with the signal grenade.
Burke was slouched on one of the couches, his pack bulging at his feet. He was twirling the charm bracelet about his wrist, his gaze distant. He only snapped back into reality when Danse dropped his bag on the opposite couch, glancing around the room.
The kitchen and rooms beyond were dark, the lights having been switched off. The house was quiet for the first time since they had arrived and Nora was nowhere in sight.
"Do you know where the Knight's gone, Squire?" He asked, switching back to formalities in preparation of their return to the Prydwen.
"She's still at the gun store, I think." Burke shrugged, sitting up a little straighter. "She told me to go ahead and make sure I was packed."
Surely she could have waited until we were back aboard the Prydwen to resupply? Danse thought to himself, nodding his acknowledgement as he moved towards his power armour, sweeping his pack up once more.
As he began affixing it to the back of his armour, he saw movement in the corner of his eye and glanced over his shoulder to find Burke standing just feet away, watching him with an anxious expression.
"Is something wrong, Burke?"
"It's just… What do you think's going to happen when we're aboard the Prydwen?" He asked quietly, still twirling the bracelet about his wrist. "I mean… I'm in a lot of trouble, aren't I? They're going to want to send me away and…" his voice cracked and his eyes darted away. "I'm going to be on my own again."
"Burke, you're a member of the Brotherhood." Danse began, turning to face him. "I won't deny that you may face disciplinary action for your misbehaviour, but the Brotherhood is your family and we take care of our own."
Burke just shook his head, refusing to meet his gaze.
"That's not what it felt like…" he said hoarsely. "It didn't feel like anyone cared… not until I was out here with you and Nora… I don't want to go back."
Danse found himself at a loss for words as Burke began to shake with silent sobs, turning his back on him.
He stepped forwards and grasped the boy's shoulder.
"Everything will be fine, Burke. We're here for you." He promised, turning him around. "I'll speak to Lancer-Captain Kells and Elder Maxson on your behalf, see if anything can be arranged… I promise you, whatever happens, you're not alone."
For a few moments Burke stared up at him, his eyes misting with tears.
Then he stepped closer and locked his arms around the bewildered Paladin, hiding his face as he cried in earnest.
"…It'll be alright, son." Danse said gently, patting his back. "You'll be okay."
"Sorry I'm late!" Nora called as she re-entered the house, carrying a wrapped bundle under one arm. "Got caught up talking shop with Arturo."
She wasn't too surprised to find Danse already donning his power armour, his hood pulled up over his hair. Burke rose from where he had been slouched on one of the couches, retrieving his pack from the floor and pulling it over his shoulders.
"What did you need from Commonwealth Weaponry, soldier?" Danse frowned, watching as she approached. "You seem to have plenty of ammo and fusion cores in your pack."
"I didn't need anything." Nora smiled smugly, coming to a halt in front of him and presenting the bundle in her arms. "Here. Early birthday present for you!"
Danse raised an eyebrow as he accepted the bundle, regarding it curiously. Nora's smile widened as she folded her arms at her back, waiting for him to open it. He peeled back the cloth and his breath caught, eyes widening as he took in the sight of a laser rifle.
His laser rifle.
"Where did you… I thought I lost this in the river?" He asked incredulously, letting the cloth fall away to cast a critical eye over the firearm.
"You did." She nodded, watching as he turned it over. "But I have my ways… The only thing is that it won't fire. Arturo said it'd take a few days and 130 caps for him to fix it, but as we'll probably be stuck aboard the Prydwen for a while, I thought that you'd probably want to fix it in your own time."
"Thank you, soldier." He grinned, his eyes shining as they met hers. "This really means a lot to me."
"Don't mention it!" Nora shrugged, her cheeks flushing with colour as she made her way over to her own power armour. "Least I could do after dragging you all the way out here."
Once she was in her armour, she took a few experimental steps and grimaced.
"Ugh. It sounds like half the plating will fall off if I stamp too hard… If I can stamp." She added irritably, scowling at the left leg. "Damn leg actuator's still playing up."
"Good thing we'll be flying rather than walking, then." Danse commented, slinging Cutler's Justice back over his shoulder before turning towards Burke. "You ready to depart, Squire?"
Burke nodded, looking resigned.
"Ready, sir."
"Then let's move out."
They walked in silence and single file, Danse taking point and Nora at the rear. Diamond City remained quiet as they clanked through the marketplace towards the metal catwalk and entrance. The rain had grown heavier, chasing away the last customers and the vendors saw little point in decrying their wares to empty streets.
The only sound was ceaseless patter of the rain and the booming tread of power armour.
The eerie quiet persisted as they passed into the security area at Diamond City's entrance. The tinny music of Diamond City radio played from Danny Sullivan's booth as he pored over a number of reports on his desk with a frown, paying them little heed as they passed.
Guards were manning every fortification around the entrance, more patrolling in pairs and trios around the perimeter. They hadn't taken three steps from the broken turnstiles before one of the guards abandoned his post to jog towards them.
"Hey! Today might not be the best day for you to set off travelling." He warned, slowing to a stop before them with a rifle cradled in his hands. "There's been a lot of gunfire out in the ruins this morning and what with all the greenskins marching around you'd be better off staying in the city.
"Especially when you've got a kid with ya." He added, looking pointedly at Burke.
"We appreciate the warning, but we won't be going far." Danse replied, inclining his head in acknowledgement.
"Well, I can't stop you from leaving." The guard sighed, shifting on his feet. "Just remember though while you two might have power armour, that kid's just wearing a coat, so you'd better watch yourselves out there."
"Thanks for your concern." Nora smiled at him as Danse set off once more. "We'll be careful."
As they walked, they passed by the remains of bullet-eaten statue. Burke's eyes lingered on the tormented green metal, unable to suppress a shiver that ran along his spine.
Anxiety and dread were beginning to pool in his stomach. It had been easy to forget the world beyond the Wall inside Diamond City, surrounded by friends and distractions. Now that he was outside of that sanctuary, the horrors and near-misses he had endured began to return sevenfold.
I can't believe I ever thought I could make it on my own out here…
The guards watched as they passed beneath a wooden walkway, following the road beyond that would lead them straight out of the city ruins.
Burke watched their surroundings with a wary eye, his sense of unease growing.
Everything was so still and the power armour was too loud. He couldn't quite shake the feeling that they were being watched by more than the security guards behind them.
Yet it was only as they neared the city limits that they heard the first sounds of a disturbance.
The staccato of gunfire echoed along the empty streets, punctuated by shouts and piercing screams.
"What's happening?" Burke asked, his heart leaping into his throat.
"It's coming from Hardware Town." Nora frowned, blinking against the rain. "I cleaned that place out a while ago, but I guess new raiders moved in."
"We should keep moving." Danse insisted, glancing back towards them. "Don't engage hostiles unless absolutely necessary. Our first priority is calling a vertibird and returning Burke to the Prydwen. Understood?"
"Perfectly." Nora agreed with a nod. "We shouldn't come into contact with them anyway, so long as we follow this road. It's a ways down the street and it sounds like they have their hands full as it is."
"Just make sure to keep an eye out." Danse ordered, before glancing down at Burke. "Stay close, Squire."
Burke nodded beneath his hood, swallowing nervously.
They continued along the road, tense and alert. The closer they drew to the edge of the ruins and the open space beyond, the louder the sounds of fighting became. Gunfire, shattering glass, the roar of flames and…
"I'M GONNA FEAST ON YOUR FLESH, HUMANS!"
"Mutants!" Danse hissed, the word dripping with loathing.
He halted just before the last street, signalling for them to stop.
A trumpeting howl momentarily drowned out the other sounds and Burke felt the blood freeze in his veins, the air suddenly trapped in his lungs. The roar of blood in his ears drowned out the words of his guardians as his body began to shake.
Memories of grotesque green muscles, yellow teeth and claws, bloody maws opening wide to engulf him…
A metal hand was grasping his shoulder from behind, snapping him back into the present.
"Come on, Burke. We need to keep moving while they're distracted!" Nora insisted, pushing him after the advancing Paladin.
His feet felt clumsy beneath him as he obeyed, forcing himself to press on.
When Danse reached the corner, he ordered Burke to stay directly behind him whilst he faced the road. Although the power armour shielded him from the sight of the fighting, Burke could still see the glow of fire and hear the terrified screams of the raiders accompanying the triumphant bellows of the mutants.
The one silver lining was that the noise, horrifying though it was, concealed the booming tread of the power armour and allowed them to slip by unnoticed.
"Hart, watch our six. Make sure we aren't being tailed." Danse ordered once they were safely out of sight.
"Yes, sir." Nora nodded curtly, her eyes already monitoring the street behind them.
"Squire, stay close and alert. We'll be out of here soon."
"Yes, sir." Burke nodded anxiously, more eager than ever to put some distance between himself and the mutants.
"Follow me." Danse began to move, leading the way along the road and out into the wilderness once more.
The rain was falling heavier beyond the city limits, driven by the winds without the protective buffer of the building to tame it. Water was running in streams down the broken road as Danse led the way uphill.
There were places where the tarmac had broken, forming small craters in the road that were fast becoming rippling pools. Burke noticed a small pond and rotten jetty to the left of the road and instinctively gave it a wide berth, his most recent run in with mirelurks jumping to the forefront of his mind.
He found himself turning this way and that, his eyes seeking out any potential dangers, taking up all of his focus.
His foot caught on something and he gasped, pitching forwards onto the sodden ground.
"Whoah! Are you alright Burke?"
A few seconds later Nora was pulling him upright, gripping his backpack with metal fingers.
He nodded with a grimace, looking at where he had bloodied his hands before glaring at the railroad tracks beneath his feet. His knees were stinging from where he had landed on them, the jeans slightly torn and scuffed.
"I'm fine, just tripped." He muttered, balling his hands into fists as the Paladin turned to look at them with a frown. "It's noth-"
A roar echoed in the wilderness.
Danse's head snapped in the direction of the sound, his stance suddenly rigid and tense.
"Is that… what I think I just heard?"
Burke turned towards Nora, unsettled by her tone of voice. Her face was growing paler by the second, her eyes impossibly wide as the roar echoed again, this time accompanied by a loud, heavy booming.
"Fall back." Danse's voice was urgent but quiet. "We have to fall back into the city. We won't have a chance out here."
Burke felt Nora pull on his backpack, dragging him backwards as his eyes scanned the horizon. At first, all he could through the silvery rain was the road inclining steeply ahead, flanked by the hazy shadows of trees and the ruins of a pre-war house near the summit.
A shadowy form began to loom over the crest of the hill, advancing down the road towards them. With each echoing step it grew bigger, impossibly bigger until it dwarfed the house beside it.
Burke couldn't move or breathe, only stare at the giant at the top of the hill.
Nora yanked sharply at his backpack, causing him to stumble and inadvertently snapping a buckle.
Then he was running, running back towards the mutant infested ruins, Nora still grasping his backpack and dragging him when he faltered, the Paladin flanking his other side.
Somewhere behind them the giant roared, much louder than before and Burke knew they had been spotted.
The world was a blur of grey rain and noise. The ground was shaking beneath his feet, though whether it was from the power armour or the monster giving chase behind them, he wasn't sure.
Is it giving chase?
He turned his head to see, only to catch sight of a boulder hurtling through the air straight towards them. He didn't have time to scream.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys- I hit a rough patch irl, but I'm over it now! Thank you so much for reading and especially reviewing- it's really helped with the slump & means a lot! C:
( Guest: Noted about the military times! Thanks for the tip!)