This one will be a long fic with a lot of chapters, I already write the concepts. Since I don't play as Nora in Fallout 4 because Nate for me is the real protagonist the personalities and ideas are pretty fanbased from another fanfics I read
If you are very very very delighted with one fic and want a continuation I didn't write or post you can donate me at least $5 bucks, most of this fics have next chapters I don't finish because lack of motivation but hey a $5 is a $5, I see a few reviews and coments that fics that are abandoned months laters receive coments of wanting to know what happends next. Here it is, I finished my handling with you all, enjoy the fic
Even as a elder Maxson would never try to be in the middle of a medical situation. Not even for Nora.
But he made his way to at least see her from far and it break his heart. It was easy for everyone to think she was unbreakeable but no one is, and despite how confident he was in her habilities…he will never stop worrying when she goes outside.
-The bufout is the only thing that keeps her heart working now–said Knight Cade walking near the other nurses that were giving her a transfusion, she lost many blood from the injury on the head.
-If she pass on pain we may loose her, should we give her some med-x? –said another knight, all a team was working over the sentinel.
-Isolated only, leave the chest out, we need to undress her to check on some other injuries, if the legs looks like this with the boots I don't want to imagine the hips.
Arthur overheard from far. It was bad. He cant stop the anguish hole in his chest from growing.
The surgery will take hours and hours before a human being came out, she looked the same: motionless with the head half open but everybody swear to him that she was alive and he had to believe or explode.
-Elder you can go, once the paladins arrive they will report you what happened, we cannot loose a second here –said Knight Cade who just went out to take off his gloves and look for something in his drawers, something that very like looked like a drill and some nails-I can assure you if she survive we can save her legs. Unlike Proctor Ingram.
Maxson spine tremble and he nearly vomit at imagine Nora like that.
-She isn't conscious but still alive right?
-Our main goal is to close her head, you don't know how really close you are from a human brain until you see it, its already desinfected and higyenized
-I see her eyes open and her lids move –the knight stopped for a moment and looked at him.
-I can assure you that she is not feeling any pain now, she has nerveous responses yes but not full asleep…she is conscious, we have to keep her awake or we fear that she will enter in coma, this is a very traumatic surgery
-If she is awake and with senses of course its traumatic! –said Arthur, hours have passed since they started and she was still with the head open.
-We believe that if she falls asleep we may loose her, its preffered than we introduce the coma than she enters herself, if we control the doses once the surgery is done we can manage in some time when the recovery is well going to even wake her up from the induced coma.
-How much time? –the possibility of loosing her in a coma make his heart ache but it was better than loose all hope now.
-3 weeks, minimum –the expression in his face change totally.
-That's a lot –why does this wonderful woman always scape from his hands.
–we preffer the cuts on her legs and head to recover without interruptions, if we manage well the recovery we may wake her up when it seems appropriate –the knight see the face of horror of the elder and tries to compensate a bit- do not worry elder im sure other soldiers can match her efficiency too
-Its not about that! –nononono she wasn't a machine or a tool it hadn't anything to do with replacing her
-The sentinel does an incredible amount of job that other soldiers will try to adchieve in her leave for all her sacrifices without a doubt –Maxson raise a hand and cut the conversation, covering his face and sighting.
-Will she rest if we induce her a coma?
-Our intention is that shell wake up to start training with the leg bones fixed when we control the doses for the awakening –that was a relief, she will wake up and everything will be fine, no hash recovery, no pain, everything will be a bad dream.
That's okay
-Alright, do it.
-To reassure you sir I can say something? –the elder looked at him with a very heavy weight over his shoulders –we are now 100% sure that she isn't a synth at least
Arthur looked at him disgusted, and pushed him with a hand in the chest before going out the room.
-Terrible lack of taste for good jokes, knight
He first make a reunion with the patrol squad and heard their version of how the things happened. They all were scared, overexcited and with minor scratches, one had a broken arm only but it was already fixed with an arm cast. Arthur called an scribe to take notes and write a report of the experiences and stories from them.
When the paladins arrived they weren't surprised that the elder itself received them to scold them to the command deck, the same scribe that was elaborating the reports was there, no one will change their version of the story after or make a appropriate change in the lines…
Truth is it was Noras fault, she knew or at least imagine how dangerous this mission was based on her experience and still trowed them all in the shack, Arthur wondered what the hell was she thinking, that something something would come and save them? To save them off troubles? That idea of getting inside a close cave with almost no vision when a family of Deathclaws was around…was so stupid… It was a miracle that no one died, and no matter how much it hurted and if for some moment he wished to find someone guilty…he cant. He had to be fair to both teams. Yes, apparently she needed to be the bait and executed the role but…it was her responsibility due the lack of options at being so cornered.
Getting inside was the initial problem, that no one stopped her was the first error but…she was a sentinel…no one can go against her…
She was paying her own mistakes.
Arthur dismissed everyone. No one was in trouble, no one will be punished, this wasn't nobodys fault but the sentinel…In fact he had to congrats all of them for their achievements at defeating one Deathclaw and scaring away two. Hell had to make paperwork for all those fuckers and Nora was…in a bed…unconscious…for who knows how long…
It hurt him but it was part of his obligations and he cant run away from it, it hurt a lot that she was the one that put herself in this place and he cant…do anything about it just continue as the elder would do, congrat the paladins for saving the patrol squad life from a family of intelligent Deathclaws…he cant do anything for her, if it was a bad movement or if there was someone to blame for not protecting her enough but…she was the sentinel…she is under no one command or protection, if she was reckless is nobodys fault.
As an elder, he was obligued to not interfere. Just wish for a good recovery.
She was there but the Prydwen felt empty without the hope of seeing her walking around coming back from a job.
Before they induced her into a coma Arthur asked to be present, to hold her hand until her eyes closed by their own so shell be able to rest knowing that he was around, althought that may be too complicate to process for her in this state.
He almost cried in front of the knight and the nurses but he swallow his pride and tears saying to himself that this wasn't a goodbye, shell come back.
With all the expectations the elder have on the recovery of the sentinel…Knight Cade and his team of nursering couldn't fail so they were doing the best as possible to fix her legs and the cuts for the surgery
Now nails and screws jointed the pieces of broken bones but it was okay, a standard procedure, broken bones were the speciality of the brotherhood, half of the soldiers have this type of surgery inside, the big problem wasn't the bones or the jointures but the healing of the cuts, very large and ugly cuts all around the leg, in the worst case it can get infected and do that ugly fluorescent green pasta that smells horrible and starts eating the flesh around…even the bones! So the cicatrization was slow and hard to archive, but everyone have faith on how things were developing after all the was more healthy and sane than the rest of the crew, less exposure to radiation in the childhood.
The opening in her head…the big crack on her scalp…well that did need a lot of stiches and changes of plans, it wasn't recovering well until a special type of string wasn't being repeled and allow the skin to close properly, reading this progress on the reports was such a relief for Arthur, he let himself take air and breathe it out everytime he reread a news for the fifth time or more.
The teeths were something easy to replace and repair, but reality is that it wasn't common to have a teeth procedure this days, once you lost it even the people with money didn't do much about it but Arthur knew that she would be crushed to have her perfect smile ruined so he pocketed the dentist work himself…not exactly as a gift but…certainly it wasn't going to be a procedure that the brotherhood will cover since it wasn't considered important, mostly stetic, and weird.
The bruises and scratches will go away eventually, that was the least of his worries.
Now she only have to cure properly and wake up when… she was told…
4 weeks even passed and when it was time…she didn't wake up. Arthur was there to see her eyes open and her conscious regain back…but she didn't, now he did cry unable to stop himself and regain the composture in front of his soldiers, they were all stranged by this behavior in their stoic elder, the man tried to stop the tears to not be ashamed in front of everyone but he cant, they keep going and going down and…even his breath accelerated so much that he felt like needing medical attention.
A couple of nurses and even Knight Cade went to his side and try to stabilize him, that maybe today she wouldn't wake up but they were going to keep trying different doses, that this was a coma not permanent death, that she may even wake up…nobody could understood why the elder was reacting like this over the sentinel who was always absent and off duty…But he took a good moments to stop crying and recompose, he didn't say anything, not a clue to anybody, just cried when the news were told the episode definitely let the team confused.
Arthur went to his quarters and cancel all his dates for the week, he needed the time alone.
Week 5. At least that's what he thought until an unexpected visitor came all the way from Sanctuary Hills to talk to him.
Preston Garvey in the doors of the Brotherhood of Steel looking for elder Maxson, at first the knight guards of the boston airport didn't take him seriously, until he said he was the second man in command besides sentinel Nora of the minutemens and…decided to elevate the request somehow higher…in the sky…when the response was positive they help the man to elevate to the skys and scold him where Maxson was waiting for him in the command deck.
-Mister Maxson, I guess sooner or later we were going to formally meet
-State your reasons civilian, the only reason the Brotherhood of Steel gave you this conference is because you summoned the name of the only Sentinel on this chapter
-Not a man of good manners doesn't? –mumble Garvey taking a notebook out his pocket and handling it to Maxson, the elder looked at the little object with distrust- don't worry, Nora warned me about this, you don't have to act all thought with me –Arthur went of a stair and pick up the notebook-it doesn't bite.
-What is this? –he looking at the pages with text.
-Don't you recognize your sentinel handwriting? –the proper answer was no he didn't recognize it since all the reports and communications were via terminals but he cant expose himself like that.
-I mean whats with the content? Why you needed to deliver it to me? –he would examine it later, the scribes has records of Nora handwriting to check on the validity of the notebook.
-It's a backup plan –Arthur raised an eyebrow, and Preston sight turned down and dark –The general hasn't reported in more than a month, she asked me to deliver this to you if anything happened to her…its normal…to be absent but im following her orders now, I hope she is okay
-She is –Arthur said without hesitation going a step down, closing the notebook, Preston raise his head to look at him, looking stranged.
-Did she contact only the Brotherhood of Steel and not the Minutements? That couldn't be –Arthur lip shaked for a second and he went down at his level, offering his hand, she may need this, maybe is someone close to her went to visit…
That didn't have any logic but the man also have the right to knew, he was her friend and also officer somehow, it didn't matter in which side
-Wanna see?
As weird as it was seeing elder Maxson walking besides a non brotherhood no one would dare to ask, less the nurses and personal around Noras room. They prepared both to enter to her room and…there she was.
A sleeping beauty.
-Oh Nora…-said Preston going a bit further than Maxson liked but still only looking, taking no more than a close look-she isn't okay
-She is recovering…-Maxson hugged herself, he didn't have the nuts to hold her hand- but we haven't be able to wake her up from the induced coma.
Shit that didn't sound good to Preston, absolutely negligence
-Welp she is going to take a lot of secrets to the other side… -something in that answer bother Arthur but at the same time give him curiosity.
-She isn't going to die and what do you mean?
-Have any of you access her pip-boy? Everything is saved in there –what the hell with this guy, it was saying nonsense!
-What? No! she isn't dead none of us is going to scrub on her things! We are at the waiting
-Alright –Preston said crossing his arms looking at her close eyes.
-What do you mean with alright? Secrets like what? –oh nonononono he enters nows in dangerous territory he wasn't sure if he wanted to know her secrets without her awake to defend her honor…
-Do you know she has an entire vault for herself? The vault where her husband Nates body is frozen? Even Paladin Danse knew that –wow no, that was a big hit of information, at seeing Maxson perplex face he knew he messed up-oh damn you didn't knew, well I don't know the passwords or anything, that's on her mind only…
-But what if she dies? Even for the minutemen a vault would be a great asset, it doesn't have sense that you don't have the access.
-That's why the backup plan –Garvey pointed at the notebook in Arthurs hands and open it –its between pages 40 and 50…let me see…-both looked at the tip of the pages were a ridiculous nice numbers were written in color gold-here there is, it basically says to ask the brotherhood to look for the body of the sentinel and once they recover it, give it to the minutemen, so they can take it to Goodneibord and the Memory Dean to recover all important data…she says something even about a fund to pay Nick Valentine for his services in the past and if he decides to help on this one
Arthur didn't understand, why taking so much bothers…
-Is this –he pointed at the notebook, it says that Valentine will do the research in her mind, that he did it before and he will perform a good job getting all the necessary information for certains items dedicated in a chapter exclusive for him and this process-is this an holographic testament or something?
-No –Preston clasped his hands-is a backup plan
-But she talks about being dead here!
-Only on this pages, not all the notebook is about what she wants to give to others…pages 60-70 are about Hardware Town and how she wishes the relationship of the Minutemens and the Brotherhood to continue if she is not around, like an…statement…that actually seems urgent to revisit –both looked for that pages, when they reached it looked like and old pre-war legal document, very tidy and polished –she put a lot of effort in this one, I say that nobody will understand it since the law of the old America isn't running right now but…she laught and say it was only a style of writing, to communicate things
Arthur place a hand over the pages, oh his lettered lawyer sentinel…he slurp saliva and looked at her. Still in coma, still sleeping.
-This is only a backup plan if she goes missing or dies only?
-Theres some pages where she talks about a method to access a big deposit of caps if for some reason she is unable to localize…im the only one who knows about this notebook and this is the only copy that exist
-She is not dead and im not planning on letting her die –Arthur bite his lip on frustration and give the notebook back to Preston, but he wouldn't pick it.
-Are you sure elder? Doesn't look like any of us have much control to decide this –Maxson didn't want the notebook, his pride didn't let him process that he could loose her for some reason.
-She will wake up –he said using all the confidence hes been telling himself to have over this month.
-Just read the notebook, it has some interesting thoughts of Nora, reading it made me know her a bit more -he pushed the book away at the elder again- do I expect her to communicate with us or…someone will tell us about her state?
-The Brotherhood of Steel will keep in touch…ifs that's the sentinel wish.
-Page 13 –he mumble and turn his hat down a moment- see you soon General, well be waiting for you at the castle –the woman was still indeed, sleeping- shall we go elder? Let her rest
Arthur hands tremble with the notebook on his hands, unsure if return it or keep it
-One last thing –Arthur stopped him on the way to the door –theres some…secret or anything I shouldn't read here? To respect her privacy
Preston shake his head in denial, making Arthur sight in relief. Okay, he will read it.
Sneaking into her secrets was overstepping into her privacy like she wasn't there anymore and he feared that thought with his whole soul.
-The general is too smart for that, there's some pages that's explain how to access that…information that frankly I don't know what she hides but…most of them are post mortem, or in case of dissaparence, since she is here…I don't think that's necessary –Arthur nodded and went off the nursery with him, taking a quick look at her before leaving.
She will wake up and this book wouldn't be necessary at all. If she wanted to tell him any secret, its going to be in person.
-Where are you heading sir? Let me offer you a ride on a ventibird.
-Alright, thanks elder
-No problem, Sentinel Nora would do it for you.
-As she does for everyone
Arthur read and reread that notebook over and over after some scribes tell him that the handwrited coincided with the one that Nora provided on the medical tests. It was like…hearing her talk…damn this was written before the problem with the ship in the south because she had big backup plans for that place, too bad they can't be performed because the project didn't go as planned.
There was some essays…some rules, wishes, proclamations, speeches…for the minutemens and the Brotherhood for separated, she take her roles for both very seriously and that break Arthur heart…she was such a dedicated and attentive person…
It wasn't written like a diary, less written for him, it literally was an essay for the people. Directions and commands she believed it would work with the possibilities she had to make everyone's life better.
Preston was right, it help him to better understand her in ways his heart wasn't ready to know. She was perfect, everything a man should have and want, everything a man in his exact position needed, everything that all the people in the commonwealth needed from a person with power to change things
It was late in the night when someone knocked loud and quick at this door, he didn't know what kind of emergency will pull up the elder out of bed but…
-The sentinel is awake!
His heart dropped and his knees almost fail him, he could go out in underwear to see her beloved Noras eyes for the first time in so long but…he put on some slippers and his jacket, to keep composture in front of the other soldiers, besides being a man in love he was the elder.
Walking there he decided he didn't care anymore, he wasn't going to hide, not for him or for her, he cant after so long wishing to see her sane and sound, so close and so far in the zeppelin.
At getting inside the nursery she see him first, the nurses were performing an eye exam and her eyes catched from the distance the thing she wished to see more. Arthur also see her all exited and happy, but the fact that she was being revised by a nurse make him wait a little, her health first, her well being first…when the nurse step back from the eye exam with the light he enter the room and hug her while still being sitted in the gurney, her after seven weeks long nails dug in the coat and he felt it but it didn't care, and he didn't care that everyone was watching this was innapropiate behavior but he didn't care
-I never loose the hope that you will wake up one day –her face hide in his warm neck enjoying the hug, it was necessary for her to reload energy, her whole body felt heavy and in pain but this was such a relief.
-I wanted to see you –oh god her voice right now sounded magical
-Soldiers please give us a few moments…ill came out when im done here… -despite everyone surprise for the fraternizing display of affection all of them obey the command, Arthur placed a hand on the sentinels face and separate for a moment, using the other to tangle their hands.
A quick check, her eyes looked fine and gorgeous, her skin was a bit grease and her hair a bit messed up but…she was okay…Arthur kissed his nose for a second they both enjoyed.
-What did I miss? –she asked and he almost wanted to asfixiate her with the pillow.
-You are in so much trouble sentinel…-he said before sealing their lips with a chap and simple kiss.
Arthur chest feeled warm like he hand feel it in weeks, he was in his element right now.
He wanted her around.