Nora was glued to Shiloh's side the entire evening. For a week now, the Brotherhood had been preparing for its journey out of the Commonwealth. All strike teams were back at the base and all they had left was to finish loading the Prydwen with supplies. Any remaining super mutant hideouts were turned over for the Minutemen to take care of. Maxson had been preoccupied for the entire week, surrounded by so many people asking questions that he barely had time to sleep, let alone talk to Shiloh.

The Sentinel was still sore from carrying so many supplies from the airport warehouses to the Prydwen. She rubbed her bruised arm as Nora handed her another glass of whiskey. Nora's closest companions were here at the Castle for the evening. She wanted them to meet Shiloh while they had a chance. Shiloh was introduced to a ragtag bunch of friendly faces, including a super mutant that reminded her of Fawkes. He kept to himself in a less crowded area of the Castle, but kept a watchful eye on Nora.

Since the Brotherhood ban still stood for the Castle, Danse was free to sit with them without his armor. The stars were beginning to come out in the evening sky as the group sat around a campfire away from the crops. A ghoul named Hancock passed around jet, but few indulged him. After a bit of pestering, Shiloh agreed to speak on the record to a reporter named Piper. The upbeat woman scribbled on her notepad as she asked questions about the Lone Wanderer's experiences in the Commonwealth. Shiloh supposed it was better that the truth got out than another set of rumors like in the Capital Wasteland.

Nora stood to walk inside, coming out with a boy holding her hand, "Shiloh, this is Shaun. He's been wanting to meet you."

The group grew quiet at the revelation. Shiloh had already talked with Nora about this. She knew the boy was a synth and that the real Shaun was Father. Still, she was surprised Nora would let her in on such a secret, but she knew that there were many things she could never tell Maxson. Nora sat in the chair next to her, Shaun in her lap. He was dressed in warm pajamas. Shiloh wondered if the boy knew he was a synth. She'd never told Harkness about his true self, knowing it would destroy the man's reality.

Shaun straightened in Nora's lap, gripping his mother's arm, "I read the Wasteland Survival Guide you helped research. There are quite a few errors."

Shiloh grimaced, "I wasn't the best research assistant, but I'll help correct it when I get home."

"Are you going home tomorrow?"

"That's the plan. I've got lots of work to do."

"Can you tell me about your adventures before you go?" Shiloh indulged him, picking a story that wouldn't frighten the boy. It felt strangely like when she told Maxson stories. Back then she had fewer to tell. She took care in the details she used, trying to prevent any scarring images. She talked through the evening to the boy, telling him about companions whose faces she could barely remember and places she would never go to again. Shaun was quiet, but focused on her. He suddenly yawned and Nora stood with him in her arms.

"Time for bed, darling."

Shaun whined, but didn't protest. He stood on his feet and gave Shiloh a shy hug. She smiled at his boldness. She didn't miss when he hugged Danse as well, and his whispered, "Goodnight." She watched as Nora led the boy inside, still smiling. As cruel as life had been to Danse, she was glad that this family was something he could have. She didn't think he would have ever had this if he stayed in the Brotherhood.

She turned to see MacCready on her other side, smoking a cigarette. He looked a little choked up at the sight. Gently, she touched his shoulder, "You'll be back with him soon."

MacCready cleared his throat, "Yeah, I know, I just miss him a lot. Won't be far behind you back to the Capital Wasteland. You're still gonna visit me in Rivet City?"

Shiloh smiled, "Of course. You're not far at all from the Citadel. I plan on visiting the purifier first, but you're my next stop."

"I'm gonna miss the Commonwealth, even if there are more bad memories here than good."

"I'll miss this," she gestured to the group of people around them, laughing and smoking like old friends, "being Sentinel means that I'm treated like the teacher rather than a comrade."

"Well if you ever want free of those stuffy Brotherhood soldiers, you know where to find me."

She leaned back in her chair, watching as Nora returned to the seat beside her. She held up her hand when Nora offered her another glass, "I've got a bit of a trip back to the airport."

"You can't stay the whole evening?"

"Wish I could, but I've got an early morning tomorrow. Maxson is itching to get back to the Citadel. Speaking of," Shiloh stood from her chair, "I've got to signal a vertibird here soon before it gets too late."

She made her goodbyes with the group, shaking hands and receiving a grateful hug from Piper. Tugging on MacCready's sleeve, she once again promised to visit him in Rivet City and he promised her a drink with his first paycheck as a guard. Danse once again offered her a handshake and she laughed, grabbing him into a hug. He hugged back, more receptive than the first time she'd done this. She felt a tightness in her chest, finally speaking, "I'm so happy for you. You're going to be such a great father."

Danse gave her a genuine smile, looking down at her, "Until we meet again, my friend."

Nora wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the Castle's gate. Shiloh quickly wiped away the tears that threatened to fall. Nora stood back as she let off a vertibird signal. It would be fifteen minutes by flight for the vertibird to arrive.

The women stood on the beach, listening to the buzz of faraway stingwings. Nora smiled suddenly, "Alright I can't stand it anymore. Tell me what's going on with you two before I go insane."

Shiloh blushed, wishing she could blame it on the campfire's warmth. But she didn't lie, "A lot is going on between us."

She must have looked worried, because Nora sobered a little, "Life is short in this world, but don't make any decisions you're not ready for."

"I like him, Nora," she whispered, sounding sad even to herself.

"He likes you," Nora comforted her again, "When it happened for me and Danse, we just knew. We both just knew." Shiloh turned to look her in the eyes, "It's scary, but that's how it always is. He's only been Elder for six years. You both have a long road ahead of you." They saw the vertibird come into view and Nora pulled her in for a tight hug, "Be brave. Be the hero they want you to be. I know you will."

Shiloh was at a loss for words. She gripped Nora tightly, "Thank you."

Nora gave her a winning smile. The kind of smile that made the Commonwealth fall in love with her, "Remember us on your adventures."

"I will," Shiloh promised, filled with emotion as the vertibird landed. She climbed in, watching the Castle and all the people in it until they grew too small to see.

When the vertibird landed, Shiloh shakily climbed onto the Prydwen's flight deck. "Are you alright, Sentinel?" A knight approached, worried.

"Yes, yes," she waved him off, "I've just had too much to drink and not enough food. I'll be alright." She managed to reach the mess hall without stumbling, sitting in a chair with a bowl of mutfruit. She picked at the food, popping one berry into her mouth as she slumped in the seat. She didn't look up until Teagan sat across from her. He gave her a lopsided grin when she said, "Who let you out of your cage?'

"Gotta stretch my legs sometime, kid. You alright there?"

"I had too much to drink on an empty stomach."

"That hard to say goodbye, huh?'

"Yeah, it always is."

Teagan took a sip from his bourbon, "Can't wait to be back, though. I've got a hell of a task coming up with all that merchandise I gotta move."

"Yeah I don't envy you, Teagan." Shiloh nodded in greeting when two knights entered the room to sit with them. Teagan seemed to know them as he entered into a conversation with one about warehouse logistics. Shiloh made her move to leave, feeling a little better now. She was still a little tipsy, but it was overshadowed by the strong emotional feelings overwhelming her.

She suddenly, fiercely, wanted to see Maxson. She wanted him to hold her again. She'd been rejecting comfort for so long that the minute she got it again she was hooked. And it wasn't just that, she wanted Maxson for him. He was so warm and distracting. She wanted to make him smile again.

To her luck, he was definitely preoccupied. He stood on the command deck surrounded by soldiers from every branch of the Brotherhood. She stood in the back of the room, just content with watching him as he answered their rapid-fire questions. She grinned, biting her lip to keep from giggling when he briefly looked at her. He gave her a confused glance before a nervous scribe grabbed his attention once more. She slipped out of the room, heading down to her quarters.

Not bothering to dress in night clothes, she stripped off her casual attire and slipped into the bed in only her underwear. She sighed, rubbing her face before she allowed sleep to take her.

-0-

There must be something wrong with her. She was sitting with a group of scribes at a table near the airport warehouses. They were chattering among themselves and enjoying their lunch while she was leaning on the railings and looking out at the bay.

Only, she wasn't really looking at the bay. She was daydreaming about Maxson. Now that her mind wasn't preoccupied with missions or trying to investigate her own kidnapping, she was able to sit back and just let her mind wonder. And boy was her mind wandering. She'd never considered herself the type to have such thoughts, but here she was.

The Brotherhood was cheekily considered an army running on testosterone and buffout by outsiders, but that wasn't exactly a lie. They trained their men hard, and Maxson was no exception. While most men wore power armor or thick scribe uniforms, Maxson was one of the few who wore Brotherhood fatigues. She'd seen him without his jacket more than once and each time it was hard not to look.

She couldn't imagine the trials he went through to put fifty pounds of muscle on his once lanky frame. He was taller than her and already proved he could carry her. She already admitted to herself that she kind of liked it when he ordered her around. She desperately wanted to know if he was the type to show off his strength in other ways.

She also wanted to know more about under his jacket. Just seeing him without the signature item was a privilege in the Brotherhood. Shiloh didn't miss the gossip told about the rare times he was seen working out in the Citadel without a shirt on. No such things happened on the Prydwen, but Shiloh let her imagination keep running wild.

She sighed, leaning further on the railing. The other scribes left, leaving her alone now. She pressed her thighs closer together, realising that her imagination was affecting her physically. She couldn't help it. He'd kissed her back, after all. She was going insane with nothing else to distract her.

If only she hadn't decided to kiss him hours after surviving a traumatic event. If she had been in a better frame of mind, she would have pulled him to her bed. Now she was stuck here, hot and bothered in the afternoon sun while the object of her attentions was still surrounded by a bunch of needy soldiers.

Shiloh frowned, wishing she could just pull him away. She almost laughed out loud at that. Imagine her actually marching up to the command deck and pulling the Elder away from his crew. She couldn't imagine the embarrassment she would cause them both if she did that. Still...the thought was tempting. She really wanted to run her fingers down his muscled arms again and feel his beard all over her bare skin. She'd always liked beards and his was long enough to feel rough without the burn. She sighed out loud again, suddenly noticing a presence beside her.

She must really be going insane to not have noticed Ingram walking up next to her. The older woman grinned. Shiloh didn't like it one bit. "Look at you."

"Look at me what?"

"Never thought I'd see you pining."

"I'm not pining," Shiloh fiercely denied, stiffening in defense.

"Relax, relax." Ingram was still grinning, "I won't tell the Elder you were daydreaming about him like a lovestruck teenager."

"Oh my god, Ingram." Shiloh hid her face in her hands and Ingram finally burst out laughing.

She sat at the bench in her power armor frame, wiping the sweat from her brow, "What are you doing just sitting out here in the sun?"

Shiloh removed her hands from her face, but shot Ingram a glare, "Pining."

Ingram hadn't been expecting that. She let out a surprised laugh, "How the tables have turned, kid."

She suddenly stared at her fingernails, "You don't think I'm some kind of creep?"

Ingram blinked, sipping her water, "What? For thinking about a man as a man? I have to admit that I don't see the appeal but hey, whatever floats your airship."

The younger woman blushed, "He's just...so young."

"So are you, kid. He's technically the same age as you now. Besides, nobody in the entire Brotherhood looks at that man and sees a kid. So neither should you."

"Of course not! I'm just a little disoriented from the time differences and seeing him so- so-"

"So gorgeous?"

"Ingram!" Shiloh paled when Ingram burst out laughing again.

"I'm just giving you shit, kiddo. You owe me this after you harassed me about Sarah."

"I suppose so." Shiloh pouted, desperate to change the subject. Her body was hot from both her fantasizing then her subsequent embarrassment, "Are you ready to head back?"

"I think so. Can't say I've grown attached to the Commonwealth. So long as my hard work comes back with me I'm alright. I've got a lot of projects ahead of me in the Citadel. We should be ready by midnight. I don't think Maxson wants to wait even another day."

"I can't blame him. Two years away from the Citadel. That place was practically all he knew for most of his life. It's home, even if he wasn't born there."

"It's home for a lot of us. The place has changed quite a bit, you'll be pleased to see. One of Maxson's first undertakings was improving the home base. He wanted to really solidify the Brotherhood presence in the Capital." She took Shiloh's hand, squeezing it gently, "It's going to be a home for you too, whether you want that or not."

Shiloh smiled, "Of course I want that, Ingram. I might be in and out, traveling all over the place, but I'll always come back."

"Glad to hear that. Now," she stood from the table, "get up and help me pack up this equipment. Maxson can wait until you find a moment to drag him away from his duties." She grinned cheekily when Shiloh glowered at her, but the younger woman did as she asked and followed her to the warehouses.