Author's Note: When Danse has reason to be loyal to a cause, he would die for it. There are quite a few people on that list as well... Jun Long is about to be added to that list.

Chapter Eleven: Introductions, New and Old

Lieutenant Danse took careful notes during his tour of Sanctuary, trying his best to retain all the important information.

When he was introduced to Sturges, they had a brief chat over the model of power armor he was currently modding. Sturges seemed like someone he could definitely see himself getting along with in the future.

Jun Long was a nervous man, but not because of any specific reservations about Danse. He had calmed somewhat since the massacre at Quincy, but was still coping by being overly polite and considerate. Jun talked him through how to measure his own inseams so that he wouldn't violate any personal space.

When the measurements were being wrapped up Jun chuckled, nervously he considered his notes, "5' 8", that'll make you the second tallest Minuteman I've had to fit in Sanctuary. Might actually have to extend some hems instead of bringing them in."

Danse thought back to his brief interactions with passing Minutemen, and it occurred to them that barring Malcolm he had been the tallest, Preston Garvey was a close second to his own height… Nick seemed somewhere in between Malcolm's height and his own.

"Second tallest Minuteman… that is an odd distinction?"

"I've tailored a trench coat for Detective Valentine too, he's exactly 6' tall… if you don't mind me pointing this out; it's mostly pre-war ghouls, vault dweller's, and synths that manage to get, or are, that tall."

"Well, you've been informed that...I am a synth, right?"

Jun smiled, "So is Sturges, it doesn't make any difference to me. Other than when it comes to tailoring proper clothes, with synths usually being taller than the Commonwealth average height."

Danse mulled this over, "I suppose lack of nutrition or radiation wasn't exactly a factor in our...creation."

Jun nodded, "It made me think General Germaine was a synth when I first met him. Imagine my surprise when it turned out he was actually pre-war." Jun chuckled, "He's not like anyone I've ever met before, so unfailingly kind and generous. Still, I worry about him."

Danse tilted his head inquiringly, "Worry?"

"I think General Germaine is over extending himself, purposefully making himself so busy, he doesn't have to think about how much the world has changed since that war 200 years ago. Maybe he might also still be in a sort of shock? I'm fearful that the reality of it all will hit him all at once."

Danse nodded, earlier he had brushed off a statement Malcolm had made concerning this very issue 'Life throws us stuff we don't expect, do you think I expected to leave that vault and be 200 years in the future?'

Danse had been too busy wallowing in self-pity, he'd replied, 'and yet, you've been able to roll with every punch.' Danse swallowed harshly, Malcolm clearly hadn't allowed himself to actually dwell on his situation. Likely, it had been too much to process.

So, intellectually Malcolm probably fully understood the implications of being separated from his world by two centuries, but his mind was buffering his emotions from realizing the implications.

Heck, he'd even mentioned a twin brother that had moved to Bar Harbor 'three months before the bombs dropped.' but likely his brain had been thinking, 'three months ago'.

Danse shifted as Jun handed him up a coat, he put it on and it fit perfectly. "There." Jun said, "You're all set Lieutenant Danse."

Danse nodded quietly musing that Jun would be a welcomed asset in any settlement, "I appreciate it Mr. Long, I hope to do the uniform and the Minutemen proud."

Jun smiled wanly, "Keep an eye on the General… Kyle had asked Cogsworth when the General's birthday is… because he'd wanted to give him a present as a surprise… the General's birthday is tomorrow."

Danse blinked in surprise, Jun sat down in a chair on the corner, "I worry he might just realize then…"— So, Jun was indeed a valuable ally to work on cultivating a bond with in Sanctuary, his family seemed very closely tied to the General, especially concerning Kyle.

Danse nodded, "I'll keep an eye on him… how many people know?"

"I told Preston… lieutenant-general Garvey, when Kyle told me a week ago, I don't know who Preston's told… I imagine he's told Mr. MacCready… if Cogsworth hadn't already."

Danse mulled this over, "I should probably tell Nick too, thank you Mr. Long, for all your help."

Nick had sighed deeply, "Probably the kid's first birthday away from his twin." He steepled his fingers together, "That's probably what'll hit him hardest about it…"

Danse nodded.

Nick hummed, deep in thought… then chuckled softly to himself.

Danse raised an eyebrow, "What's so funny about that?"

Nick started slightly, "What— oh no, Danse. It's just his birthdate. It's… it struck me just now."

Danse frowned, "What about it?"

Nick leaned back in a chair, "Tomorrow is February 14th, it's Valentine's Day."

Danse sat across from Nick, "That old pre-war holiday… it celebrated romance?"

"The very same, it also makes Malcolm and Mack both Gemini's, the astrological sign that is literally a twin."

"So reminders on all sides then?"

Nick hummed again, even deeper in thought, "Has Kyle been dissuaded from giving Malcolm a gift?"

"I don't know." Danse blinked, "Do you think he should?"

"Heck, I don't know. It might be the thing that reminds him how different his birthdays will be now, how he's never gonna share another one with his twin brother," Nick blinked, then muttered, "For all we know, even seeing me and remembering my last name is Valentine, might set him off."

Danse sighed deeply, "We can't avoid the topic forever. Eventually he's got to realize… better if he does it surrounded by friends."

"I agree."

Malcolm seemed in good spirits as Kyle handed him a piece of paper with a drawing. "Awe, is this for me?"

Kyle beamed, "It's a drawing of you and me playing violins, happy birthday Mr. General, sir!"

Malcolm hugged Kyle, beaming ear to ear, "Thank you Kyle I love it! Cogsworth!"

"Yes sir?"

"Find me a frame for this, I'm putting it on the mantle!"

Malcolm set up the framed drawing on a shelf he'd installed in his house, "This is an awesome birthday present, thank you."

He gave Kyle a hug and Kyle ran back off to his parents farm, laughing happily the whole way.

Malcolm turned and saw Lieutenant Danse and Nick hovering outside, "Oh hey guys!" And then a silly grin crossed his face, and he winked at Nick, "Happy Valentine's Day, Detective."

Nick shuttered his optics and chuckled, "Oh come off it, doll." He said waving him off, "I'll have you know I'm already spoken for!"

Danse found himself blushing as Nick took up and held his right hand with his left.

Malcolm grinned, "Why Mr. Valentine!" Malcolm fanned himself with his hands and affected a southern belle accent, "The very insinuation that I would try anything, I am a happily married man."

Danse's eyes widened, "You're married." Danse asked warily, "...To who?"

MacCready suddenly appears from behind Malcolm, hair ruffled, obviously woken up by all the noise. "He's married to me."

Nick chuckled, "You work fast doll, you've only known each other for a month."

Malcolm huffed out a laugh, "We actually got married two days after we met."

MacCready ribbed Malcolm, "Waited until that long to tell me his name too."

Malcolm shrugged, "Still working on the whole 'learning how to introduce yourself' part."

Danse and Nick shared a look.

Malcolm sighed, "Don't worry about me, I know why you're checking up on me. It's fine, I'm fine. I already had my realization breakdown a month ago, now I follow the shark credo for staying alive."

"What?" Danse wondered, "Huh?" MacCready agreed.

Nick nodded and smiled, "Keep swimming."

Malcolm chuckled, "Are they not called sharks anymore, or is it just not common knowledge that they need to keep swimming in order to breathe?"

"The latter, I suspect."

MacCready shook his head, "You two and your pre-war references," he said laughing, "Maybe we should swing over by Goodneighbor and rope Connolly into this."

Malcolm clapped his hands once in excitement, "That's a great idea." His face was one of unmistakable glee, "Geeking out over comics is my jam, let's go!"

Danse huffed out a disbelieving breath, but still allowed himself to get swept up in Malcolm's enthusiasm.

Hancock was a gracious host, having them all up in his estate house. Danse had to try very hard to not cringe whenever the ghoul huffed jet, or talked to him directly. He had less problems with Kent Connolly, who was polite, and actively making himself as small as possible where he sat.

As it turned out, Nick and Hancock were old friends, so it would probably prudent for Danse to attempt to put up with him.

Hancock took a huff of jet, "So Nicky's day is your birthday?"

Nick rolled his eyes, "You know very well that Valentine's Day wasn't named after me."

Kent, for his part seemed slightly uncomfortable with the amount of people in the room, but he seemed content to sit near Malcolm. "So, that h-help give you t-the idea f-for your sword's n-name?"

"What can I say, I'm a huge dork."

Malcolm, of course, had brought his violin, and was taking requests. Which amused Nick.

"It's your birthday doll," he'd chuffed, "and still you gotta be the one giving us stuff."

Malcolm grinned slyly, "It's like you don't know me at all Nick, this is a great way to spend my birthday."

Kent laughed, "It's been a l-long time s-since I heard a m-musical instrum-ment l-live and in p-person. Y-you'd be a real h-hit down in t-the T-third Rail B-bar."

Malcolm blushed, "Other than Sanctuary, this is the only group I've played in front of. Again, I was super shy before the bombs dropped."

MacCready laughed, "You'd never know it now."

Malcolm shrugged, "It's true though, Machiavelli was always the more outgoing one."

Hancock tilted his head, "Mack-e-a who now?"

"My twin brother, Machiavelli Germaine."

"There were two of you?!" Hancock coughed, "I mean Sunshine, I cannot even imagine— sometimes when I hear the rumors about your exploits, I had wondered if they could all be the same guy. What with you being the General of the Minutemen, a Detective, and the Silver Shroud—"

Kent leaned in, "What on e-earth did you c-cut in that j-jet?"

Hancock barreled on, ignoring Kent, "Then there was that rumor of a vault dweller up in Far Harbor, and I—"

Malcolm visibly paled, "Far Harbor?!"

Hancock snorts, "Yeah, and from the descriptions, I thought it was you! But, I was like, ain't no way he's doing all this stuff here 'nd got time to swing by Far Harbor!"

"The… description, sounded like me?"

"Yeah. Big, tall, vault dweller...but apparently vault 112, so there's that."

"Did… he have any identifying markings, say for example, a tattoo."

Hancock considered, "Hey Fahrenheit, what'd that trader from Far Harbor say again?"

Fahrenheit leaned in, "Something about a weird drawing on the inside of his right wrist."

Malcolm was shaking now, as he removed his Pip Boy. On the inside of his left wrist was a simple stylized line drawing.

"Me and Machiavelli have matching tattoos on opposite wrists."

Hancock squinted at the tattoo , "What's that even supposed to be?"

Malcolm showed the tattoo to Nick, "It's a stylized line drawing, supposed to look like a martini glass with a garnish."

Nick observed the tattoo, "It does, so you think this mysterious vault dweller from Far Harbor might be Mack?"

Malcolm shifted uneasily, "It… the odds against that are astronomical."

Hancock nodded, "Well, last I heard he was headed for Sanctuary, that's what clinched it for me; in thinking it was you I mean."

Malcolm blinked, "He… must be looking for me. Maybe he heard rumors about all the stuff I was doing— this is insane."

Malcolm looked at MacCready, "He might be alive Robert, my brother might be alive."

MacCready wrapped Malcolm in his arms best he could, "Well, if there's anything I've learned about you Germaine's it is, that you're survivors."

Hancock chuckled, "I'll drink to that!"

Malcolm nodded faintly, "I gotta tell the people at Sanctuary."

-chapter end-

Author's Note: Ohhh now it gets complicated. Vault 112's Sole Survivor is on his way to Sanctuary!