Maxson gestured for Shiloh to follow him as they headed towards his quarters. Luckily, they didn't pass the group of knights. Lucky for them mostly, because Maxson was livid at the moment and barely able to contain it.

He motioned for her to sit at the table and he grabbed a bottle of whiskey. Shiloh drank from it immediately when he gave her a glass, "Thanks."

"You're going to need it when the numbness wears off."

"I've got to hand it to Brotherhood training. He got some good strikes on me." Maxson frowned, sitting in the chair across from her. She noticed the tension in his shoulders.

"Don't let some drunk idiot's words get to you like that."

"Idiot or not. I will protect my honor. There's enough rumors going on about me in the wasteland, no need for them to go on inside the Prydwen."

"Fair enough, but you could have just punished him."

"I broke his nose. He won't forget that."

Maxson grinned slightly, "Not what I meant." He leaned back in his seat, "I know you can take care of yourself, but I don't tolerate knights insulting my officers. Nor do I tolerate public intoxication. They will be taken care of in due time. Just as Ripson will."

Shiloh grinned around the rim of her glass, "Did you know some of the squires have feelings for you?"

Maxson squirmed in his chair, "How did you come across this information?"

"I had to do some sleuthing. Couldn't figure out why they treated me like I was a deathclaw on the airship." Maxson had no reply to that. Shiloh took another swig of her whiskey, changing the subject to give him mercy, "Ugh, how do you drink this stuff?"

"Been doing so regularly since I was sixteen. Snuck it around since I was ten. You get used to it."

"I suppose," Shiloh sighed, "Going back to what that knight said to me...there are exactly two people in the world whose opinion on me I care about: my Elder's and Proctor Ingram's."

Ignoring the tightness in his chest at her words, Maxson spoke, "Proctor Ingram?"

"Of course. I've known her for so long, almost as long as I knew Sarah. Back before the accident, she was much like Danse. The perfect soldier with stars in her eyes. But she had a big heart she didn't know what to do with. I caught her making eyes at Sarah so many times that I finally confronted her to do something about it. This world is cruel, even more so back in the Capital Wasteland. Life was too short for her to get hung up on rank and protocol if she was in love," Shiloh smiled, looking down at her glass, "I told her that it didn't matter that Sarah was the Elder. She was human too and just as capable of love and being loved."

Maxson cleared his throat, suddenly and uncharacteristically nervous, "Shiloh-"

Shiloh was looking at him now, almost listening to his words in anticipation, when they heard quick footsteps coming towards the door. She unholstered her pistol, aiming it just as the door slammed open to reveal a wheezing vertibird pilot. "You idiot," Shiloh snapped, "I could have shot you!"

"I'm sorry," the pilot flushed at seeing the two of them and took another breath, "Proctor Ingram said it was the utmost importance that I get Elder Maxson. She says she has solid information. She wouldn't tell me anything else."

Holstering the pistol again, Shiloh followed the pilot, Maxson in tow. She was a little shaky from the alcohol and the pain in her face, but she was able to climb into the vehicle with Maxson's hand helping her up. She quickly let go of his hand once she found her seat, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

Ingram was pacing back and forth across her workshop, looking deliriously tired but delighted with her findings, "I've got a location. It's in a building relatively nearby, near a broken highway overlooking the bay. There's multiple indications of a huge amount of power coming from there. I've pinged their satellite multiple times, so I'm sure we've alerted them. That means we have little time to waste here."

Maxson nodded, "The Minutemen have been waiting on intel in the Castle nearby. They're giving us an opportunity to use less resources and I believe we should take it. Otherwise this only lengthens our stay in the Commonwealth." He looked at Shiloh, "We'll gather everything we can tonight and we can have you meet Nora James at the fort by noon tomorrow."

Shiloh swallowed, overwhelmed with how quickly things were moving all of a sudden, "Of course, Elder Maxson." She would have to clean her guns and armor tonight, to make sure they were in perfect condition. Maxson was in full Elder mode now, discussing logistics with Ingram while Shiloh quietly slipped out of the workshop. She passed by multiple star paladins who looked nervous.

It would be good to see Nora again. Perhaps they would get a chance to talk before Shiloh left the Commonwealth. She couldn't say she felt any particular attachment to this place, but the people it would still hurt to never see Danse or Nora again.

Back on the Prydwen, Shiloh frowned at the combat armor she usually wore. While it wasn't damaged, it was slightly worn and a new set would take too long to modify or break-in in time for the mission. It would have to do. Her weapons were fine as they were, heavily modified and used but reliable. She double checked her ammo stash and noted that she would have to resupply before she headed to the Castle, as the Minutemen called their fort.

She wasn't sure how many Minutemen would be traveling with her, but she did know that Maxson planned on sending at least half of the Brotherhood to the location. They weren't sure what kind of firepower they would be walking into, but they were prepared for something on the level of the Institute.

Standing in Danse's old room that she supposed was now hers, she began to trace her fingers along the old books and furniture in the room. She should be sleeping, but nervousness and an unsettling feeling that she might not ever see this room again consumed her.

It wasn't the first time she'd gone head first into the unknown, but it never got easier. She thought it would be after Butch left her, not having someone next to her that she was consumed with protecting, but it wasn't. Sarah and Owyn Lyons and so many of the people she'd met in her adventures were in the back of her mind. So many lives depended on her success that she was consumed with completing her missions whether or not she survived.

Now, not only did Maxson depend on her, but he was someone else in the back of her mind. Elder Maxson, who had the heart of Owyn Lyons, the tenacity of Sarah, and the sternness of the western elders who raised him up as a legend since he was a child. Elder Maxson, who beneath that was Arthur who smoked when he was stressed and couldn't stay angry with her. Arthur who smiled and grew flustered when she toyed with him. Shiloh sighed, knowing what was happening and unwilling to fully acknowledge it because these things always ended badly with her.

She grasped the map he'd given her tightly in her hands and laid down on the mattress. Holding the paper to her chest, she allowed herself to calm and gather a few hours of sleep.

She woke up when there was a tapping at her door. Checking her pip-boy, she saw that she'd slept later than she'd expected and it was already approaching nine in the morning. Since she was still dressed in her Brotherhood fatigues, she called out, "Come in."

When she was done rubbing her eyes, she turned to see Maxson standing in her doorway looking surprised at her appearance, "You're still sleeping?"

She blushed, "Time got away from me."

He paused, acknowledging the irony in that statement, and moved until he sat at the edge of her bed. She continued blushing, not expecting the Elder to sit before she could even get off the mattress. Sitting up straight, she tucked up her legs to look at him more closely.

"You've been waiting a long time for this, Sentinel. Are you prepared?"

"Yes, I already categorized my armor and weapons last night. I just need to restock on ammo, but I should be more than ready when the firefight comes."

Maxson frowned, not yet looking at her, "That's not what I meant."

Realization dawned on her and she wrapped her arms around her knees, "I have to be ready, whether I want to or not. I'm taking them down, whether it's with me or not."

Maxson grimaced, "I prefer or not."

Reaching out, Shiloh touched his arm, "I know you do, Maxson. But we have to face reality. This mission has so many unknowns."

"Don't throw yourself into harm's way." He suddenly said.

"Look, I-"

"I'm completely serious. Don't."

"I won't, Maxson."

"I don't believe you, but for my own sake I won't press you." He looked slightly angry now.

Her grip on his arm tightened, "Arthur."

At the use of his name, he looked at her, "What's your plan for the fort?"

Shiloh pulled the covers off her, approaching the table where she laid out her supplies and a write-out of her notes for the mission, "The Minutemen don't allow Brotherhood soldiers inside their settlements. Nora's already made an exception for me, so I'll meet up with her to discuss the logistics going forward from the Castle. As far as getting to the Castle, we can cut around the bay and stay close to the shore. It will make it a quicker journey as most of those locations are free of raiders and super mutants. We shouldn't be faced with much more than a nest of mirelurks-" Shiloh stopped talking immediately when she turned around and Maxson was standing right in front of her. She still had the paper in her hand and it crinkled in her tight grip.

Maxson's expression was blank when his hands came up to lightly grip her hips, nudging her closer gently. She allowed him to pull her until she was flush against him. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she could feel his doing the same.

Coming to her senses, Shiloh's eyes widened. She wondered if he was going to kiss her, with her pressed so close now. She was dizzy with the urge for him to lean towards her lips when his hands came up to her back and she realized he was hugging her. Taking a shaky breath, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his collar bone. He was so warm.

His hand moved to the back of her neck where it tangled in her hair. She realized his breath was just as shaky as hers. Fuck, she wanted to kiss him. Fuck, she was a coward because she couldn't do it. She couldn't make that step. Too many things were uncertain. How he felt, how she felt, the entire mission. So many mysterious variables. They needed to talk about this. But there was no time. He was the Elder, for Christ's sake.

She pulled back a little, looking at him. He ran the hand on the back of her neck down her jaw until his thumb ran along her collarbone. She sighed at the touch, craving the intimacy. Whatever uncertainty she felt about him, he knew for sure that she wanted him to touch her more.

He let out another deep breath, letting her go slowly. He didn't know what to say or how to explain what he just did, but it seemed he didn't need to. She gave him a smile that made him want to kiss her again, but he couldn't bring himself to, "I'll meet you on the flight deck."

Maxson left her so she could strap on her armor. She holstered her weapons and shouldered her bags, leaving her prized map and the books Cade gave her on the desk. She couldn't risk damaging them during her mission.

Haylen saluted her as she headed up to the flight desk. She placed a hand on the scribe's shoulder, smiling at her softly. She would protect Rhys with her life out there to make sure he came home to her.

The squires and scribes that wouldn't be coming with her saluted her as well and she nodded in reply. She reached the flight deck, saluting Kells, Cade, Teagan, and Quinlan directly. Most of her team was down at the airport already. They opted out of taking the vertibirds since there were so many of them and so few vehicles. The trip to the Castle would take under an hour or two anyways if they kept to the shore as planned.

The wind swept her hair, but the sky was clear as she approached the vertibirds. Maxson met her there, silently saluting her. Eyes shining, she returned it. They'd said their private goodbyes already. She climbed into the vertibird, glancing back at Maxson once more as it left the dock down towards the airport.

She stood out among the crew. Most were in power armor, though some wore the same combat armor that she did. Unlike her, they wore those clunky helmets with them, looking like proper soldiers. A star paladin nodded to her, "Ready when you are, ma'am."

Shiloh made eye contact with Proctor Ingram. The older woman gave her a rare smile. She turned back to the star paladin, making the first step of many down the beach, "Let's head out."