They'd been travelling all day by the time they arrived in Diamond City. Neither had been here before and when contrasted with other larger settlements that either MacCready had lived or visited, Diamond City was a sparkling Jewel. This city had something special, sure, it was bustling like most big settlements, but beyond that, it had a life and culture beyond anywhere else he'd visited in the Capital and Commonwealth combined. It felt safe, secure and almost - happy. This would be a great place to live, if you had the caps.
He patted his pocket, aware of the extra caps he had bought along for the trip, just enough to have a good time. He'd heard that Diamond City was somewhere you visited for special occasions, where you could partake of its culture for a brief moment. So, he had bought Lucy here, for what he considered a special occasion. He had wanted to marry her - and no matter your faith, or lack thereof - the Pastor at the All Faiths Chapel could make it happen.
"Maybe we should find somewhere to rest first," Lucy said and yawned.
"You okay Luce?" he said as he rubbed her shoulder.
"Yeah just a little tired. Why are you so eager to do this right now?"
"I think if I am gonna promise myself to you, I want to make it official, and I want someone as a witness, it just feels like the right thing to do." Hell if he knew what the 'right thing to do' was, but he knew that this, never want to leave Lucy's side, never wanting to part from her, was more than just right. He brushed the hair from her eyes and kissed her. "Let's do it, then we can celebrate."
"I think I'm only fit to fall asleep." She yawned again.
"Then we'll find a place to stay and just cuddle."
"Just cuddle, hey? I think I've heard that one before. That's what caused this." She ran a hand over her stomach as she spoke then elbowed him in the ribs.
He laughed and flinched at the same time.
They finally found the chapel, open twenty-four hours, the small sign said. The rusty iron edifice was so humble compared with the many surrounding buildings that they walked passed it twice. When they entered the chapel, MacCready's eyes went to the long wooden pews, dented, chipped and with worn spots on the seat, then traced across the room to the pulpit standing on the opposite side, it too, worn and chipped.
"Can I help you young people?" A man asked from behind them taking both by surprise.
MacCready turned "We'd like to speak with—with—"
"The Pastor?" He smiled and tucked a hand under his chin showing his collar.
"Yes, we'd like to get married," Lucy said as she folded her hand in MacCready's.
"Really now?" He squinted at them. "How old are you?"
"I'm eighteen." MacCready mumbled and looked away. "Almost eighteen."
"And I'm nineteen," Lucy added.
The man replied with deep resonant chuckle. "Well, you're at the age of consent, not that it seems to matter much around here. I am Pastor Clements. You are?"
"I'm Ma- I'm Robert. This is Lucy."
"Pretty eager for this are we, Robert?" Pastor Clements had a growing smirk on his face.
"We're going to be parents," MacCready blurted out.
The Pastor looked to Lucy directing his gaze to the baggy shirt she wore and raised his brow. "Are we now? Okay then, Robert and Lucy. Let's get you married, shall we?" He directed them to a corner of the room where the pulpit stood.
The ceremony took less than five minutes.
"That's it? We're married?" MacCready asked incredulously.
"Yes. That's it. You're now husband and wife." Pastor Clements looked to each of them with a reassuring smile.
"I thought there'd be more to it-" MacCready was hit with a sudden burst of adrenaline and a huge smile graced his face.
Pastor Clements laughed. "Oh there's more too it alright, it's just the biggest bit of it occurs after the ceremony. You're tied to each other for life."
Lucy placed her hand over her mouth and giggled, MacCready felt slightly drunk as he put an arm around her.
"Where are you kids staying?" the Pastor asked.
Lucy turned to MacCready then to the Pastor. "We don't know. Pastor, do you know where we can stay?"
"Do you have caps?"
"Plenty," MacCready replied. There were so many caps in his pocket he thought he'd be weighed down with them. Instead they made him feel lighter, confident that he could 'do the right thing'. He could take care of Lucy, he could take care of their baby.
"The Dugout Inn has decent rooms, if you do. Speak with Vadim, tell him I sent you, and that discounts for the All Faiths Chapel would be looked kindly upon by the Maker."
They left the chapel arms folded around each other. They strolled around to the Dugout Inn, where inside, Vadim had greeted them. He growled at the mention of Pastor Clements 'discounts'.
MacCready's chest puffed out as he introduced Lucy as his wife and Vadim congratulated them and joked about MacCready 'punching upwards'. He gave them a key to his 'best room', so he said.
He bought a bottle of whiskey and cigarettes for himself, and skewers of tasty meat for the both of them. He also bought sweet snacks and clean water for Lucy and they picnicked on the hotel room floor in their underwear.
"This is amazing. This room is amazing. This food is amazing," Lucy said as she licked her fingers from the skewers.
MacCready took a shot of whiskey. "No, you're amazing."
She laughed and leaned over the impromptu picnic for a kiss.
They made love like they had so many times before, with enthusiasm, eagerness and a large measure of carefree laughter. Lucy's current state of pregnancy was no hindrance to their needs. Both of them, much to their surprise, warmly welcomed the pregnancy, an accident due mainly to the fact they couldn't deny themselves each other when they should have shown restraint. The idea of being parents grew on them fast, and MacCready found himself looking forward to the event far more even than Lucy. First, when Lucy told him, he had a moment of panic. Did he have enough caps for it? Could he support all of them? Could he- protect them from all the shitty things he'd seen in the Wasteland? He wasn't sure he could. Then Lucy reminded him, that he was Mayor of a whole town of children at ten, he'd been kind, just and firm when needed. He realised then that he had already been a father once before then how hard could this be?
He kissed her stomach. "You have the tiniest of bumps, Luce." He sighed as she ran her hands through his hair.
"I'm sure it will get bigger. Much bigger. I'm glad I don't feel sick anymore, that sucked."
"Why do women get so sick?" He asked earnestly as he kissed up to her breasts then lay next to her, his hand remaining on her belly.
"Hormones I think, just a flood of them early on."
"I don't know what that is."
"Just stuff inside you that helps your body work. Hormones are like um- like biological chemicals that run through your system and do things like regulate hunger, or your mood. Like in you, for example. You eat a lot, Mac, but you don't put on weight. That's hormones affecting your metabolism."
MacCready nodded. "You remember Davey J? I shared a room with him, he ate less than me but he was pretty round. I guess his hormones didn't work." He chuckled when he remembered Davey's round smiling face.
"I remember, just a different rate of working I think." She leaned over and kissed him.
"So this baby, you reckon it's a boy or a girl?" MacCready asked as he lit another cigarette.
"I don't know. A girl, maybe," Lucy replied. "What do you want?"
He shrugged. "A boy, I guess. Either way, if it's a girl and she looks like you she'll be smart, clever and beautiful. And if she looks like me-"
"Heaven help her," Lucy laughed, pulled the cigarette from his mouth, and kissed him, softer, inviting. "Hormones affect your desire for sex too-"
"I thought you were tired?" he said in a teasing manner as she continued to kiss him. He kissed her back.
"I have my second wind. C'mon MacCready, you up for it?" Her hand tickled his belly and he responded immediately to the touch.
"You really have to ask that?"
"MacCready!" Vadim shouted as he walked open armed down to where MacCready had propped himself on the other side of the Dugout Inn bar. "What brings you here?"
"Hello, Vadim. It's been a long time." He placed an unlit cigarette in his mouth stood and held out his hand to the man on the other side.
Vadim took it and held it with a strong grip.
"Business Vadim, I'm here for a week or so and thought I would partake of your fine establishment." He lit the cigarette and shook out the match.
"Always with sarcastic words." Vadim shook his finger at him. "Where is your beautiful wife? I miss her pretty face, you never come here with her often enough for my liking. I prefer her face to yours." He gave a loud chuckle.
MacCready gave a sad smile. "I miss her face too, Vadim. I'm afraid- I'm afraid she passed away." MacCready sat down again as he put the matches back in his pocket. The last time he had been here with Lucy had been without Duncan, an anniversary trip of sorts. They had scoffed so many noodles they were almost ill. And for three nights they never left the room, to the point where Vadim had come personally up to the room to check on them.
"Oh. Oh. I am very sorry, MacCready." Vadim coughed and looked awkwardly off to the side.
MacCready sensed Vadim's discomfort about the revelation and sought to put him at ease. He often felt having others feel sorry for him about Lucy's death put him too close to the actual event, so it wasn't something he actively sought. "I'll have a whiskey thanks – a bottle if you have one."
"Of course, of course." He bought out a bottle and glass and placed it on the bar.
"Old Appalachia? The good stuff? Well I guess I got the caps for that." It was going to cost a small fortune. He could be a cheap bastard like he always was or put out for the caps, and knowing that the spirit was offered out of a memory for his Lucy made the decision to part with the caps easier. MacCready put his hands in his pocket to pay.
Vadim put up his hands. "No, no. No caps. This one. On the house. For your beautiful Lucy."
He gave a melancholic smile. "Thank you, Vadim. That's very- err kind." He uncapped the bottle; the strong alcohol scent drifted across and hit his senses like a welcome kiss. He poured a liberal amount into the glass and held it up towards Vadim. "To Lucy." He downed the glass in one, the liquid always burned, no matter the superiority of the drink.
Vadim nodded and walked back down to the other end of the bar to serve another patron as MacCready sat quietly and poured another glass. He'd missed Molly and Valentine that morning, by how long he wasn't sure. The smell of peppermint tea and that light floral scent hit him when he entered Homeplate. The smell of her permeated the place. He'd closed his eyes and called her name only to find the place empty. He felt a pang of loneliness, measured only with a small sense of relief that at least he'd have time to collect his thoughts. Caps sat on the bar and a short note, in Valentines hand, said 'don't spend it all on whiskey, Jackass.'
He'd fished out several bottles he'd bought from the boathouse, placed them behind the bar and had set to work immediately. When he was done, six hours had passed and he'd had one cigarette. It was good to think on something else; he had a few more days under his belt to figure out what he would say to Molly.
Vadim returned to his end of the bar. "So, this business, MacCready, what is it? What brings you here?"
He stubbed the cigarette in an ashtray. "Do you know Molly Gould?"
Vadim's eyes widened. "Yes! The lovely General Molly. I saw her three, four weeks ago; she was having a drink with that- reporter and the synth detective, Mr Valentine."
"I'm working for her. Doing bits and pieces." He stretched his neck from side to side.
"Ahh yes, good. So, where are you staying? I give you my best room."
MacCready laughed at the memory of Vadim's idea of 'best room'. He'd given him and Lucy his 'best room' and it had taken years before MacCready knew that was a lie. "The General bought a place around the corner. 'Homeplate' they call it."
"That place? The warehouse? It's a mess. Why would she buy that?"
MacCready shrugged his shoulders. "Needed a place here I guess. She's done quite a bit to it. Almost too good for the Wasteland. She's good at that kind of thing. I'm just polishing up the workshop for her." His voice carried a hint of pride in what the Good General had done, not just here either.
Vadim nodded. "It needed a lot of work." He paused. "Mmmm, shame really."
"Shame? How?" He took another sip of his whiskey.
Vadim looked around and then leaned across the bar. "She has a really nice ass. I was hoping- well, you know."
MacCready tried to hide a laugh with a cough. He could hardly be surprised that he would have been the only one to notice Molly's ass. The woman had an hourglass figure and a generous, yet well-proportioned behind, it was hard not to notice, especially from certain angles. "Right. Okay. That's uh-"
"Hey, you work for her, she wears a wedding ring, but ahh- I never see her husband." Vadim waggled his finger.
MacCready pulled out another cigarette. "Ahh, well, you see, he's dead."
"Oh, really? Damn. So- she's all alone?" Vadim's hands came together in a prayer and he tapped his chin with the tip.
MacCready felt a pang of jealousy but couldn't help but humor the man. It felt cruel to crush his ambitions towards Molly, even though he knew that would be the outcome. He may no longer have been sharing Molly's bed, but he knew the type of man she would be interested in, and unfortunately, for Vadim, he wasn't that kind of man.
"Yeah, but I mean, he's been gone eight months." He was sure it was much longer than that, but for the General, only that amount of time had passed.
"You know she saved my ass? Her beautiful ass saved my ugly ass. I like her very much."
MacCready took a long drawl on the cigarette. So do I Vadim, so do I, but he said nothing.
"Do me a favor, MacCready."
"Sure." He tipped the ash off the end of his cigarette and tried to sound casual.
"Put in a good word for me, okay? I have more of the good stuff here, you know if- if anything comes to fruition."
"I can't promise anything, Vadim." The reality was he didn't want to make a promise he knew he couldn't keep, no amount of old Appalachia could to that.
He took another drink and put the cap on the bottle before tucking it under his arm, saying his goodbyes and heading back to Homeplate. He checked the locks several times before sticking the bottle on top of the bar in the living area. No need to pack it away, he'd be drinking it for the next night or two.
He walked upstairs to the loft bedroom and looked at the bed. The covers were slightly tousled, half made and there was an imprint where she had obviously sat on the side. An upturned bucket sat in the corner with a small stool. He couldn't sleep here. He imagined Molly's face if she came back to find the sheets stained black from his grime and he wasn't of the mood to wash.
He went to the workshop and rummaged around for the sleeping bag he'd seen earlier and set it up in the living area. He undressed down to underwear and socks and tucked himself in the sleeping bag. A comic and a cigarette within easy reach. Being here, in Diamond City, a safe place with locks on the door meant this might be a peaceful nights rest without the worry of being murdered in his sleep.
"Ahh, Grognak. You got all the moves." He picked up a copy and started reading.
He was convinced now that it was a good thing, to have missed her. He'd been too cloudy in the head to articulate what he might actually say to her, where the road was quiet and straight, his thoughts had been a jumble of professions and explanations. A week without her - or longer - might be enough time to quell and straighten those thoughts out.
"Just a little longer, Luce."
"He needs a feed, Mac."
He reluctantly handed the gurgling Duncan back to her and watched as she guided him to her breast.
"Wow. You're a natural." He stared as Lucy's hand gently stroked Duncan's head. He'd seen other women feed their babies, but had paid scant attention to the process. Here though, watching his wife and child was fascinating and he just couldn't look away.
Lucy smiled and moved her hand to stroke MacCready's chin. "It's almost as if I've been looking after babies all my life." She wore a smirk across her face.
"MacCready, can I have a word?" MacCready hadn't even noticed Red entering the room, he was too engrossed in Duncan and the soft noises his newborn son had been making whilst suckling. Red had been the only one they trusted to care for Lucy and to deliver Duncan. They had travelled from Megaton to Big Town especially, knowing that a former Little Lamplighter like Red was capable and trustworthy.
"Yeah sure." He followed her outside and shut the door behind him.
"How long?" Red's nostrils flared as she asked the question.
"How long what?" MacCready's brows knitted together in confusion.
"How long have you been a damn Gunner, MacCready?"
MacCready's tongue danced in his mouth. He was annoyed she bought it up now, of all times. However, he'd wondered how long it would be for someone like Red to catch on. "Shit. A while. What of it?"
Red put her hands on her hips and paced. "I can't believe this. How long exactly?"
"Since I left here. Two years give or take a few months." His hands briefly clenched together. He hadn't told anyone he knew he was a Gunner, just in case it got back to Lucy.
"And what does Lucy think?"
"Hummph." His hands clenched together again, but this time they stayed clenched. "She doesn't know." He's tried damn hard to keep it quiet, keep Lucy away from the knowledge of what he did. There had been so many times he had wanted to confide, to tell her about the things that had happened whilst on a job, how things had begun to affect him, and not in a good way. If Lucy did know, she was good at keeping a secret about it as much as he was. This really wasn't Red's business and he was tempted to walk away from the conversation.
"How the hell have you kept that quiet?"
"Easy. Every other soldier and merc dresses the same. She thinks I'm a soldier, that's it. That I run with a regiment and I get paid well for it. I get to come home regularly and I know no one in the Gunners knows anything about my private life."
Red sighed. "Mac, you have a family now. The Gunners- shit, the Gunners- I've had them come here when their own surgeons have stuffed up. These men and women are-" She rubbed her brow. "They're animals, Mac. You're not like that."
MacCready dug a heal into the floor. He knew what these assholes were like. How many fights he had recently gotten himself into was evidence of that. Explaining bruises on the body was easy, but a black eye he'd received barely more than two months prior had required some thought on plausible explanations. The task was become a drain on him. "I know. I know."
"Well what are you going to do?"
"I don't know." He folded his arms across his chest. "What am I supposed to do? I don't fucking know."
"Well, I know what I would do. Look, there's a homestead about five miles down the road. It's new. There's a number of settlers there now. They have families. Young families. They'd welcome you, Lucy and Duncan."
"Shit, Red. I'm not a fucking farmer."
Red shook her head. "You'd rather be someone hired to kill no questions asked? You'd rather that Duncan grow up with the idea that these assholes you work for are in anyway acceptable? That one day they'll wake up and you're dead? Or worse that some asshole will come looking for them for some petty revenge? Really? You'd do that?"
His mouth closed tightly and he didn't answer. The thought of never returning had occurred to him numerous times. Every mission he scouted for reasons to hold back, to be the sniper in the woods, to not get too close to the action. Since Lucy told him about her pregnancy, he'd doubled up on efforts to get cushier jobs.
Red punched him in the shoulder. "Really? Answer me, Mac."
"No. Fuck no, of course not. I just- I don't know what to do. I'm not a farmer." Since he'd been here, he'd been good at one thing, shooting and killing. That's all they drummed into you in the Gunners, and he was beginning to believe that was all he could ever do. He tried to keep his voice low given Lucy was in the next room.
"You can shoot, right? Settlements always need hunters or people to provide some sort of protection. You can keep watch. Give something back to the settlement. Hell, Mac, you were fucking Mayor for god's sake. You don't think that might give you some skills amongst other settlers? We had a community there in Little Lamplight. What kind of community can the Gunners offer you, Lucy, and Duncan?"
"I don't want to have to think about this right now." He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand.
"No, this is the perfect time to think about it. Your wife just went through twenty hours of labor. She's exhausted. You have a son. A beautiful boy. Now- this is a good time, Mac." Red went over to a drawer, pulled out a pencil and paper, and began scribbling. She came back and handed it to him.
"What's this?"
"Lucy's gonna need care for the next few days, so you have time to do this. Take this note. Speak with Stephanie and Abdul, they are good people. Tell them I sent you. The settlement is five miles north-west up past the Ramsgate Motor Inn. Do yourself a favor, do the right thing by Lucy and Duncan," she said softly.
He folded the note and put it in his pocket. "Can I go back to my wife and child now?"
She nodded. "Mac, just- remember who you were." She threw her arms up in the air and left him.
When he entered the room, Duncan was sleeping in Lucy's arms. He stood for a moment and stared at them. They deserved everything, every happiness, all the joy, and he wanted to be the one to make sure they damn well got it. Red was right, he couldn't give them a future if he remained in the Gunners. He couldn't remain loyal to his family if he continued this lie.
"What was that about, Mac? I thought I heard raised voices. Is Red okay?"
"Just the radio, Luce." He sat next to her on the bed and smiled down at Duncan. "Look what we made. He's beautiful."
"Yeah, he is." Lucy leaned down and kissed Duncan's forehead.
"Luce, tomorrow, I thought I'd go down to a new settlement, down the road a bit. They're looking for new settlers to help on the place." He concluded that if he made it sound like it was his idea, even though it was Red's, it might make it easier for him and might sound more plausible when he broached it with Lucy. "I was thinking maybe- we could go live there. Apparently, there's other families there. Be good for Duncan. Be good for you."
"Mac, that's a great idea. But, you? A farmer? Shouldn't you stay with your regiment?"
He shrugged. "The regiment is flexible. Plus I can do other stuff beside grow crops. I could hunt, provide security. I don't have to get my hands dirty."
She laughed. "Your hands are always dirty."
"Yeah, true. But it's a different kind of dirt." He leaned forward and kissed Duncan's cheek then leaned in to kiss Lucy.
Tomorrow he'd go down to the homestead and then, he'd have to tell the Gunners he'd be leaving them. One of these was going to be much harder than the other.