A/N: Usually, the paragraphs in full italics represent dreams or a memory from the past in my fic. Keep that in mind. Just sayin'.

6. A Night for Dreaming

Beth POV

Dark Paradise by Lana Del Rey

Codsworth is going to town in the kitchen making breakfast for us. He said he's making stew later tonight for dinner, and Nate is excited for it, stew being his favourite dish. I don't understand why it is, though. He had packaged stew when he was in the military all the time, it seems like he'd be tired of it by now.

Walking out of the bathroom, I come to a hot cup of coffee Codsworth had brewed for me. "Thank you," I tell our robotic butler, taking a sip of the sweet, brown nectar.

"My pleasure, mum," he responds in his programmed British accent. Nate didn't like that about him about we bought him, but I think he's warming up to it now.

Nate sits on the couch, watching the news on our television set and drinking his own coffee. "Good morning, hon." He stands, setting his mug down on the counter and gives me a kiss.

"Good morning," I reply with a smile when he lets me go. "How're you today?"

"A bit nervous for the speech later," he admits.

"Don't worry, dear. You're going to knock 'em dead at the veterans' hall tonight. You have nothing to worry about."

Codsworth floats by, moving his eyestalk to look at us as he passes. "Sounds like someone has a stinky," he comments on Shaun's cry. "Enjoy your coffee, sir—mum. I can handle this." He disappears into Shaun's room.

Nate grabs my attention again when he caresses my arm. "I was thinking about going to the park later before the ceremony. What do you say we bring Shaun and have a picnic?"

"Do you think he really needs a sibling this soon?" I laugh. "He's not even one year old yet. Maybe we should hold off on 'park visits' for a little while." He just laughs and kisses me again.

"Breaking News," the TV rather shouts out. "We have breaking news!" Moving away from each other, Nate and I both turn to the TV. "We have reports coming in. Stand by…" We look at each other, not knowing what's going on. "There has been an explosion," the anchor continues, "followed by flashes—blinding flashes. We've lost contact with our affiliate stations."

I turn to Nate. "Go get Shaun!"

"We have confirmed reports… I do repeat, confirmed reports of… nuclear detonation in New York and Pennsylvania… My God." The TV goes out. The power goes out.

Nate comes running in, Shaun in his arms. "What's going on?! What did he say?"

"Bombs were dropped in New York and Pennsylvania," I repeat the news anchor in a grave tone. "We need to get to 111!" I remember the vault that was practically built in our backyard.

"We can't get in," Nate says, his voice nearly inaudible. "I didn't sign the papers when the rep came by last week. Why didn't I sign them?" he asks himself. "I didn't think this would be happening…"

"So, there's nothing we can do?!" My voice is starting to get hysterical. Shaun starts crying again from my high pitch and volume.

"No." I can only read his lips now, his voice has given out altogether, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

BOOM! An explosion goes off. It sounds close to us, rattling the entire house Nate just stands there looking at Shaun, the tears rolling freely down his face now. I move to the window and see a cloud a few miles wide—and scarily close to Sanctuary Hills—rising from the ground. A mushroom cloud…

There's nothing we can do but die now, I think darkly. With a few threads of hope still, I grab Nate's shirt sleeve and yank him as hard as I can to the laundry room, forcing him to sit on the floor with me. A few seconds later, all the windows shatter from the blast. Shaun is now wailing, although I can't hear it due to the impact leaving me deaf. I feel the side of my face and find that my ears are bleeding profusely.

I look to my husband, sitting there as if nothing had happened—he's in shock. I can tell he got hurt, but he shows no signs of feeling the pain. Shaun starts to cry less and less until he falls still, mirroring his father. And, as if a higher power snapped their fingers to make it so, they both fall over, dead. Nate has loosened his grip on our son, and his blanketed-burrito form goes rolling across the floor. He's no longer breathing. He no longer cries. I look at my husband, and find his chest no longer shows the rise and fall as breath fills him with life.

Both my husband and son, gone. While I sit on the floor, staring at their lifeless bodies.

I can feel the radiation, seeping into my body, changing me. I look at my arms, my hands, as they shrivel and the skin starts to fall off. I scream at the top of my lungs, knowing my life will never be the same. If I'm even damned enough to live through this hell…

I jolt up, breathing very hard, a loud scream lingering in the air. I'm in the bed in my house in Diamond City. I notice a figure moving to my right. Jerking my head in that direction, I see Robert on the stairway, almost standing in my room. He looks as if he had a rude awaking, his hair a mess, his eyes tired.

"Beth?" He looks worried, his voice full of sleep. "Is everything alright?"

I think for a minute, nodding when I decide I can't trust my voice, my breathing still heavy.

"Okay… Just making sure. Haven't heard anybody scream bloody murder in a while. Kinda freaked me out—especially in the middle of the night. Bad dream?" he asks. I nod again. "Yeah… I get those sometimes." He looks down at the floor, thinking about something from the shape of his features. Looking back at me, "Well… try to get back to sleep." He turns to go back downstairs.

"Robert," I find my voice. He spins around. "Stay with me?" His face looks slightly surprised for some reason. "I can't be alone right now. Not after feeling… that."

"Of course," he says, walking over to me. As I scoot over in the bed giving him room, his face becomes a bit more shocked. But without saying a word, he slides in next to me.

Feeling utterly safe after waking up from the nightmare, my head moves of its own accord, much as it did in Fiddler's Green Trailer Estates. After resting my head on his bicep, Robert moves his arm above my head so I have full access to his chest. Without even fully thinking it through, I move my head there instead, curling up into a loose ball against his side, casually putting my arm over his torso.

Is this wrong? I think to myself. I used to curl up like this with Nate. Seemingly not even a year ago. But this feels so natural. Is it because I miss being embraced by a man? Or is it because… I like Robert? Halfway through the last thought, I fall into a deep, dreamless sleep, feeling completely safe and happy for once.

MacCready POV

Dark Paradise by Lana Del Rey

She wears a white gown from another era. Her wavy brown hair is halfway down her back, her hazel eyes as bright as I remember them. She's smiling. At who? I think. As if she can hear me, she answers, "I'm smiling at you, RJ." My eyes go wide in disbelief.

"This can't be real," I whisper. "She's been gone for almost four years."

"Has it been that long?" she laughs. "Doesn't feel like it. Duncan's growing up, isn't he?"

"Wish you were here to see him yourself…" I frown, "Maybe you could be with him right now while I'm down here in the Commonwealth."

"He's with good people. And you're doing everything you can to help him."

"Sometimes I wonder…" I say.

"He's in good hands. But Duncan's not the reason I'm here." I look up at her face, realizing my eyes had drifted. "I'm here for you."

"Me?" I say in an astounded tone. "Why me?"

"You need to know something, Robert. And I'm only telling you once, so listen up." She sounds like when we were kids—not taking any crap from anyone. "This woman you've been with. I can tell. I know the look in your eyes you have when you're looking at her." Her face softens. "You love her," Lucy concludes.

For once, I'm speechless. I always have a comeback—but not this time. I don't know whether I should tell her she's wrong… or just accept that she's right. Avoiding both of those options, "But I love you."

"My time is over. It's her time." Her brows knit together. "Don't waste it, Robert Joseph. You never know when it'll be too late."

I wake up with a start, finding myself lying on Beth's couch. My eyes search the room, looking for any signs that my dream was real. I come up empty, almost disappointed, although I know it couldn't have possibly been real.

As I close my eyes again, I hear a scream from upstairs. Not a normal scream, but one of utter terror. I jump off the couch and bound up the steps within seconds, finding Beth straight as a ramrod in her bed, breathing very heavy. I climb one more step toward her, trying to make sure she's not hurt. Seeing my movement, she quickly moves her head toward me, her eyes wild and scared.

"Beth?" I ask. "Is everything alright?" She looks like she's been crying in her sleep, some hair stuck to the wetness on her cheek.

She looks down for a second then nods.

"Okay… Just making sure. Haven't heard anybody scream bloody murder in a while. Kinda freaked me out—especially in the middle of the night. Bad dream?" I ask, to which she nods again. "Yeah… I get those sometimes." My eyes drift to the floor, and I think of the dream I just had. I try to think if I would consider it a nightmare or not. I look back at Beth's startled face. Guess I should let her be by herself now. "Well… try to get back to sleep." I turn for the stairs.

"Robert," I hear behind me. Turning back around, I look at her face again. It's slightly less scared now, and nowhere near as wild-eyed. "Stay with me?" she asks—surprising me. "I can't be alone right now," she continues. "Not after feeling… that." Her eyebrows pinch together.

I know how nightmares work. They leave you feeling scared, angry, alone—along with other negative emotions. I don't want her having to face these by herself, since I know them all too well. "Of course," I reply without much thought, walking toward her. As I wonder if I'm to sit on the floor, she scoots over in her bed, giving me room. This, too, surprises me. But she made her intent clear, so I wordlessly slip in next to her.

As she did back in the trailer park, she rests her head on my arm. Completely understanding she needs support, I move my arm above her head and out of the way. Without saying anything, she moves her head onto my chest, and a second later places her arm over my stomach. She easily curls up against my side, and I find that I'm pleased with this.

Is this wrong? I think to myself. I love and miss… Lucy, I force myself to think her name. But… I can't ignore this. I look at Beth's head, lying on me. Whatever kind of relationship I have with her is as easy as breathing. I start to hear a light snore from my side, and smile. I lightly place my hand on her side, feeling the pulse of life as air enters and exits her lungs. She's here now, and… I can't ignore my thoughts and… feelings for her. Actually admitting I have feelings for this woman, even to myself, is a big step. I need to tell her—but how? I think, but come up short, my fatigue overwhelming me. However, I feel immensely relieved. I look up at the ceiling, Wherever you are, Lucy… Thank you.

I fall asleep for the second time tonight. This time, happy and at peace, with Beth by my side.