Note: No guarantees on how I did Hancock. I haven't had the time to invest in him, just yet, not when Danse and MacCready are such horribly easy targets.

"Ow!" She jerked her hand back, shoving her thumb into her mouth and staring down at the connector she'd just placed. The wire hit the asphalt and was immediately picked up by Garvey, holding it with his thick gloves as if it wasn't electrified.

Ruby blinked and sighed. "Probably should connect it from the cold part," she told herself.

"That's a good idea," Garvey said. He moved to the connector and attached the wire quickly. "Man, you should've seen the burn Mama Murphy got when she tried to set up her own power, back in Quincy. She says all those chems must've saved her life, that day."

Ruby sat back on her heels and pushed herself to a stand, her eyes traveling up the wire to the generator between the houses. "I can imagine," she said, rubbing her thumb on her chest. "Don't think I was cut out to be an electrician."

"Here," Garvey said, handing her a pair of gloves. She pulled them on and thanked him. "Have you seen the bar, yet? Got it finished yesterday," he said, picking up his musket and nodding in the direction of the building. "Sturges rigged up some kind of sign for the settlers. It's... it's something. Really have to check it out."

"I don't drink," Ruby murmured, her eyes on his collar.

"All the same, ma'am," he smiled. "Most folk go to relax. Sit down and talk. That sort of thing."

Ruby sighed and scratched her head. "I don't need to relax, Preston. I just need to―" She looked up at the house. "I just need sleep."

"Knight Ruiz?"

Ruby jerked a little, involuntarily. "God, you scared the shit out of me―"

"Apologies," Danse said. He stared down at her when she turned to face him, his face thoughtful.

Garvey nodded at Danse, and walked off to resume his patrol. "Goodnight, General. Paladin. Take it easy, okay, ma'am?"

"Goodnight, Preston," she said, then looked up at Danse.

"If you are unaware that I am approaching, you must have something truly heavy on your mind," he said, gently.

"No, just..." she blinked away sleep. "Weary. Today was a long day."

"That it was," he nodded. "Garvey's patrol found bloodbugs on the west bank. It took a good deal of searching the area to find out where they'd come from."

Ruby nodded, vaguely. She stared at the connector with the new wire attached, thinking about electricity again. If she could just have five minutes to herself, she could have the place ready and find a bed to sleep in...

"You're exhausted, soldier," Danse said, his deep voice overpowering her thoughts.

"...I know." She moved toward the house, locating the other connector, and attached a wire to it. Ran the wire down to the other connector on the ground, minding her fingers even with gloves.

"If you keep up this pace, you are going to injure yourself," Danse said, watching her. "Lack of sleep and live wires do not mix well."

Ruby's hands paused for a moment―then―she snapped. Too many people telling her what she ought to be doing, what she needed to do, what they wanted her to do―

It really was too much.

"Well, I'm sorry, Danse," she snapped, "but you people seem to need someone to hold your goddamn hand around here." Her hands fixed the wire into place, roughly. "And if it's not me, then I don't know who it's going to be!"

He blinked, eyebrows raised. "I... understand that your temper is frayed," he said, shortly. "That you are experiencing difficulty. You―"

"You don't understand," she growled, moving inside of the house and looking at the ceiling. Dammit, she was going to have to do roof work―and she didn't think that was a smart idea, right now―

"You can't understand." Her hands clenched into fists.

"Perhaps if you explained, then?" he said, following her inside. "I cannot read your mind. If you need to speak, then speak."

"Speak?" she scoffed. "I could talk until my face was blue and none of these idiots would listen!" Ruby pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes and breathing out. "Danse, all I really―really!―want, is these people―and you people!―to leave me the hell alone!"

He was silent for a moment. Ruby fought the pressure in her head, the need to cry and let it out rising. Danse cleared his throat and stared at her, opening his mouth to speak.

"Ruiz," he began, sounding as gentle as he ever had, "I don't think―"

"Just go away," she mumbled, covering her eyes. "Just―let me be."

"So you can collapse into tears again?" he asked, more harshly. "Putting yourself into a disadvantaged state is not a solution. It will only cause more problems."

Ruby gasped out, hiding the sob, turning away from him. "Dammit, I just need―"

"Listen," Danse said, moving up behind her and putting a heavy hand on her shoulder. "You are hiding from a problem that you would have been able to face down, not too long ago. Why?"

Right to business, as always. Danse understood a threat, even an emotional one, better than he thought. But she couldn't say―well, he wouldn't understand, he didn't have―Danse wasn't a parent, or a spouse―and her problem was Shaun―

His particular manner of speech didn't exactly make him appear sympathetic. With his way of dealing with problems... God, she'd probably get a better reaction out of Dogmeat. At least the dog didn't judge her if she needed to cry. He'd just love her.

But even a dog didn't seem that attached to her, now. Now that the world had ended.

"It's not a concern," she said, as firmly as she could. Her voice still wavered slightly, but she managed to keep herself from losing it right in front of the Paladin. "I'll deal with it in my own way. And I don't appreciate you bringing it up. It doesn't involve you."

"If it is related to your visit to the Institute," he said, disapprovingly, "then it is a concern, and it does involve me. Being a part of the Brotherhood, you should have reported it to Elder Maxson―"

"Nngh," she moaned, her chest shaking with sobs that wanted out. Tried to ignore him―and failed. Always so strict, never a moment for anything personal unless he wanted to discuss about himself―

"When you returned, you'd been gone for barely fifteen minutes," he said. "Why?"

Ruby kept her eyes closed, trying not to remember―but it didn't work. Everything came flooding back. Her trip down the elevator to find that synth in the chamber―the synth she'd thought was her goddamned son―

And she'd been made a fool of. Made into a ridiculous spectacle for Shaun. So he could judge her actions.

She was so tired of being held accountable. Of shouldering the burdens for others so they could thrive. Tired of being selfless when all she really wanted was to walk off and be alone. No one was there to hold her hand, through this mess. She'd only gotten help from Maxson because she worked for him, and their goals were the same.

Taking from her. Never giving.

"Why, Ruiz?" Danse repeated, watching her carefully.

"Because!" She wiped her nose and let the anger out. "I found my son!" she said, bitterly, opening her eyes and glaring hatefully at the Paladin. "I found him, but he was not my son!"

Danse's eyebrow twitched once. He didn't respond at all, only stared at her with a confused face. She shook her head and pushed past him, out of the house. Stomped her way down the asphalt toward the dirt path that led to the Vault, trying to hold in her tears.

She made it as far as the wooden bridge before she fell to her knees and planted her forehead on the ground, her body wracked with sobs.

"I need to talk to you," the voice came over his head. He had been tilting up his glass, having convinced the bartender to make him a special drink, but paused and turned to see what the Paladin wanted.

"Danse, hey. Sit down, I'll get you something." MacCready gestured at the chair across from him, and tossed back the shot. Shuddered and cringed. If he wasn't already part of the way drunk, that would've hurt going down.

He laughed at himself. Oh, it was gonna hurt coming out, too. Didn't drink it for the taste.

"No time. I need you to perform damage control," the man said, standing behind him. "Let's go."

"What?" MacCready laughed. "You piss off Ruby or something?" He put the shot glass down and raised an eyebrow at Danse.

"The longer you talk, the worse the problem becomes." Danse put a hand out and hauled him upright without warning.

MacCready stumbled, moving sideways to catch himself. "The hel―" he started, then rubbed his mouth. "What's goin' on?"

"Talk and walk," Danse said, in a threatening manner.

"Alright," MacCready said, more whinier than he'd intended. He cringed again.

Halfway down the street, MacCready felt the shot hitting his stomach and groaned in pain. "Godda―" he winced and held his stomach. "Man, I knew that was a bad idea!"

"I swear to―" Danse sighed, paused for a moment, then did something MacCready didn't think he'd ever do; he began the process of unsealing his power armor.

"What the?" MacCready blinked, staring up at the man as he pulled himself out of his suit and stepped down.

"Go back to the bar, civilian," Danse said, moving away from him.

"Whoa, wait!" MacCready lurched forward and followed him, holding his stomach in pain. "What―why were you so hot on me coming with, if you're just gonna tell me to go?"

Danse turned to look at him as he strode away, wearing nothing more than a skin-tight Brotherhood uniform and that cap of his, and shook his head. "In your present condition, you cannot help," he stated, and disappeared around a corner.

MacCready blinked a few times, in confusion. Something―damn, something big was going on, if Danse was letting his suit out for anyone to take. He stared up at the armor for a moment before he followed the Paladin.

It was a short trip. MacCready ducked behind a hedge and watched very carefully through the branches. Danse had knelt onto the footbridge on the path toward the Vault, his hand out and touching Ruby's back. She was curled up on herself, like she had been that day―

Aw, crap, and MacCready had missed the opportunity to help her. How could he have her back if he wasn't watching all the time? And Danse, the most awkward of awkward people in the wasteland, a man who probably wouldn't understand sympathy if it bit him on the ass of his jumpsuit, was stepping in and probably gonna make it worse. Made MacCready's efforts twice as hard, when the man was winding her up and setting her loose on Sanctuary Hills.

He couldn't really go out there and muscle his way in. Shi―shoot, the Paladin wasn't as heavy as he'd thought he'd be, but he still had the physique of a superhero. Something he'd never been able to pull off, because he was too lanky. Always had been a skinny little shi―kid, which was why he wore the heavy coat―

How could MacCready compare to a super-powered man? In or out of that armor, Danse was more impressive. His hand clenched. His brilliant personality only went so far. He was straight-up screwed, if Danse somehow muddled through this mess.

"Ruiz," Danse was saying, very calmly. "I'm sorry I upset you."

"Go away, Danse," she sobbed, hiding her face. Her words were hard to make out over the distance and the cover.

"I won't leave," the Paladin said. "My words were deliberate and I did not understand that they would wound. I have to..." he sighed. "Make amends."

Ruby muffled something out. "...understand... too much... can't―" MacCready strained to hear her, his hand on his stomach and fighting the urge to vomit. This stress on top of that shot―it was coming up or out in one way or fashion, but he needed to hear this―

The one night in over three months he decided it would be okay to have a drink. He groaned, pressing his mouth together to cover the sound.

"I know what you said," Danse told her, moving his hand from her back. "I didn't understand how... troublesome that would prove. I regret that you were made light of."

"―Shaun." MacCready pulled his hat down a little and grimaced in pain. She'd told the Paladin something about her kid? Maybe about how she'd found him in the Institute. How come she didn't tell him?

Aw, man, he'd gone and put all his troubles onto her. She couldn't tell him about the kid because he'd talked about his life to get her to stop crying. And... Danse wouldn't do that, he might be awkward but he didn't talk a whole lot unless he felt he needed to.

Freakin' strong, silent, superhero type, MacCready thought. I'm just a da―dang sidekick.

"Yes," Danse replied, and MacCready blinked. Crap, he'd missed something. "Yes, it's... it is awful. The synths are our enemy now, Ruiz, along with the Institute. You will have a second chance to―"

"I don't want a second chance," she muffled out. "I want―" she sobbed, loudly.

"What are you doing?" a gravelly voice came from behind him, quiet as could be.

MacCready jumped out of his skin, and covered his mouth. Hancock had come up behind him―how did he move so silent in those high heels of his―and was staring at him, then looked at the hedge.

"I'm about to throw up," MacCready said, muffled and whispering.

"Huh," Hancock said, shaking his head. "For a moment there, thought you were watching them two on the bridge. Big Iron having a touching conversation with the missus."

"Yeah, okay, you caught me," MacCready said. "C'mon, Hancock, cut me a break."

"Plan to swoop in once the soldier fucks it up?" the ghoul asked, amused.

"Maybe," MacCready said, spitting to the side. God, he really might throw up.

"Better go, then." Hancock waved a hand out and stared over the edge of the hedge, then lifted his arms and leaned onto it. "I'll keep an eye out."

Didn't much matter, now. Danse would know Hancock was staring at them and he would react accordingly. No matter how much Ruby appreciated Hancock being around to help keep people happy―which, according to her, was something he was excellent at―Danse and the Brotherhood didn't care for ghouls. Probably wouldn't care to have one ogling him while he was trying to get the situation under control.

MacCready sighed through his nose and dashed off to find a bush in a quieter corner.

"Ruiz," Danse said, holding up a hand and then dropping it. "What do you want?"

"I want Nate," she muffled, crying loudly.

It didn't make logical sense to him, her crying and pleading for a man who was clearly gone. It was simply not an option; nothing could bring the man back, short of some religious interference―

"Ruiz..." he said, painfully. "I don't und―"

"Man, just hug her already!" Danse's head spun on the hedges, glaring at the ghoul with the ridiculous outfit. Hancock was leaning onto the top of the hedge and smiling in that crafty way he had. "You do know how to, right? No one's that fucking awkward."

"I would appreciate a little privacy," Danse called, threateningly.

"Yeah, alright," Hancock said, removing himself from the hedge. "You don't hug her, though―I'll come down and do it." He wandered off, and Danse made sure he was gone before he returned his attention to Ruiz.

She'd stopped crying, at least. He moved forward by a foot's length, moving his head to the side to see why. He'd been about to screw it up, he was sure, and now... now it was different. Better, perhaps.

"You... took off your armor," she said, blinking away tears.

"Well... yes."

"Why?"

Danse stopped for a moment. Why had he? ...He supposed it was better to comfort someone when there wasn't a wall of metal between them. Scribe Haylen hadn't had that benefit, and whatever he had done had helped her; he supposed he must have unconsciously thought it was better to be without the suit entirely. Ruiz was a lot more upset than Haylen had been.

He opened his mouth and closed it, unsure how to portray the caution without sounding... well, sounding like the soldier he was, but also shoving his foot into his mouth and swallowing it whole.

"Danse?" she said, putting her hand out and pushing herself up, a little.

"I suppose I felt it was correct to do," he said, in a rush.

Ruiz breathed in and out, deeply. "I suppose," she said, moving up onto her behind and rubbing her forearms. She stared at him for a moment. "You look different."

"It's amazing what difference power armor can provide." He nodded to her. "You, yourself, look pretty amazing in your suit―"

His face felt hot, all of a sudden, and he cleared his throat. Looked away into the darkness that had fallen, and tried not to think. Swallowed a lump in his throat that he was almost certain was his foot.

"...Danse," Ruiz said, looking down at the ground. "I... I need someone to talk to. Not a boss, or a hired gun, or―" she sighed and covered her face, shuddering a little.

"Am I to understand that I do not qualify for that position?" he asked, then bit his tongue. It was all he could do not to let himself fall to ignorant ways. Like the Gunner and his flippant manner.

"I don't know." Ruiz wiped her face and closed her eyes. "Nate's... gone. I can't wish him back, I know that. And..." she stifled a rolling motion, curling her fingers up near her eyes. "No matter what happened with Shaun, I can't go back―"

"It helps you understand why it's so important that we deter the synthetic threat," Danse said, firmly. "Even if Shaun acted like he did, you said it yourself... he was not your son."

"I... I guess not."

"You cannot guess if you've already made the statement," Danse said, adjusting his position. After spending so long in the armor, his legs were unused to maintaining a kneeling position. "In this case―when you have so many people who listen to your words, you must not make mistakes. And if you have..." He rubbed his knee, switching sides carefully. "Then you make that mistake into a truth. Shaun is no longer your son. He is the enemy, now. Taken from you or not, he is not who he could have been, and you must treat him as he is."

"Is it so wrong to wish that he could have stayed with me?" she asked, her voice small and broken.

"Of course not." Danse managed a brief smile. "Children belong with their family, not with the Institute, not with―people such as that man Kellogg."

"Kellogg..." Ruiz sighed. "I feel terrible for that."

Danse raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What for?"

"Because," Ruiz said, crossing her legs and staring up at the sky. "He was set up to take that fall. Shaun must have let me out of the Vault. He knew I was going to come for him, one day. And he made Kellogg keep the synth child that looked like Shaun, so he would have that memory―" she paused.

"And so you would find it," Danse said, nodding. "The man who is not your son has a high estimation of your ability and intelligence."

Ruiz sniffed and coughed, fighting back more tears. "I ought not to have killed Kellogg."

"It was unavoidable," Danse replied.

"I know. But..." she turned to look at him with red-rimmed eyes. "It wasn't his fault, at all... and he lived such an awful life, too."

"I don't doubt," Danse replied. His knee began to ache, pressing into the wooden boards. "Listen, Ruiz," he said, strained.

"What?" she asked, staring back up at the sky.

"I don't want to be a cad," he answered, "but I am uncomfortable being outside of my armor for longer than is needed."

"Go on, then," she said, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I'm... I'm okay, now."

He nodded. "Thank you, Ruiz." Stood up and brushed off his knees.

"No," she murmured, her eyes lit up with the stars above as they reflected back out into the cosmos, "thank you, Danse. For talking to me."

Danse fought a smile as he returned to his suit. Perhaps he did qualify, after all.