Now we are close to the end!
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 comments that fics that are abandoned months laters receive comments of wanting to know what happens next. Here it is, I finished my handling with you all, enjoy the fic
Arthur did all tests and use of technology he had in hand to ensure the wellbeing of his daughter, the light of his eyes.
Check if she had any radiation in the way up to the airport? Done, not at all, clean.
Blood and urine test? Done, she had the most perfect health in all the zeppelin, clearly a heritage from her mother.
Some kind of anomaly? Not at all, of course she didn't have much of altered genes from the radiation…yet…he will take care for any of that happening
She was a healthy baby who for now only wanted cuddles and bottle with warm formula every…3 hours…it wasn't easy tho he wasn't sleeping well lately but he wasn't letting any nurse take care of his baby neither…
He feared that someone, some shitty person would kidnap his baby with perfect genes to sold her to some richest scientist out there who wanted to do experiments with alternatives genetics…doubt that existed tho, he was paranoid, her daughter was so special, and not only special but also valuable, the daughter of the elder of the brotherhood of steel, she will be the most easy way to manipulate him into things. He had to take care of her, her mere existence was risky, as his.
But he wouldn't let anything happen to her.
-So her exams are outstanding -said Cade to Arthur, they meet today for a report to summarize everything about the health of the most important initiate of the brotherhood- she is the most healthy baby I have ever seen-the elder smiled looking at his daughter on arms- we should take blood samples now to make comparison in a few months…and compare to other babys born in the brotherhood
-I consent –he said, although the blood samples may hurt they were a record to have In a future for any kind of complication, babys were delicate
-She has your blood type, luckily because Sentinel Nora had a rare bloodtype that only less than 10 soldiers have here in the brotherhood –it was true, when she saved those soldiers from the Deathclaw pack there was a hell of chaos to find a suitable blood type for her
-I have a question –said Maxson, grabbing his little baby hand- a weird one –Cade rise an eyebrow confused- is there any chance to know if she has…siblings?
-You mean a twin? –the elder nodded, it was a crazy question so he didn't mind much the answer- if we had some of the Sentinel…organic rest…like piss or placenta…we could try to perform some test…but by the time we already are –one week, Arya had already a week- I mean we could try.
-Nah –drop it.
Its been a week so Arthur made a decision: lets go shopping, lets go to pick up a crib. This would be the first time in a week he stays away from his baby but only a little, for a while, less than two hours he hopes, not only he wouldn't expose her to the radiation but expose her to anyone, she was safe in the Prydwen, he left the baby at cares of Cade frankly the only man he think capable to take care properly of a baby.
He gets on his power armor and go inside a ventibird with the four paladins in power armor too, this should be quick, in and out, maybe they will cause a fuss intentionally but its not like Nora didn't deserve it or cant deal with the repercussions. She choose this.
The ventibird travel to Sanctuary, but this time didn't park at the red rocket station like usual, the transport stays in the air as three men in power armor jump down to the ground, crashing on the street. The three men were Arthur and two paladins, they will protect Arthur specially when the alarms started along the settlers and they started shooting at them, of course with the power armors on it wouldn't be much of a problems.
The two paladins will follow Arthur plan -Settlers of Sanctuary Hills we are here in peace! –said one of the paladins out and loud using the speaker of his helmet.
-We are allys! –said another and the shooting stopped, but then Arthur run and run until he was in front of Noras old house of tomorrow and…crashed with all the weight of the power armor against one of the fragile walls.
Obviously, the shooting started again, but the Brotherhood soldiers wont defend themselves, just reply with alarm shooting, close to them but not hurting them, maybe shooting at their feet, after all they were right, the brotherhood soldiers were making a fuss and chaos in their home all suddenly without explaining their true reasons.
Arthur stood in front of what he was looking for, breathing out…this was the room he see from far in Noras house the time they came for a night party…never enter but see the crib and…he cannot stop thinking about this crib since then.
There was thousands of cribs in the commonwealth, he can give his daughter better, he can ask a carpenter to build a new and better one, more luxury and obviously safe but…he deserves this, Arya deserve this, she deserves anything her mother was denying them.
When Arthur saw Codsworth approaching him from the side of the hallway he took the crib and run away from the same hole in the wall he made before with the weight of the power armor, the robot chase him, slowly, actually slowly but with a flame and a circular saw in hand that looks like pretty intimidating
-Im going back! –Arthur scream in the communicator, so the ventibird began to land in the middle of the street with the 2 missing paladins shooting from above, preventing the dwellers from shooting at the ship and not taking as much damage to come back to the airport.
There was people in the street, there was chaos, there was shootings and weapons but still the ventibird landed enough for the 3 men in power armors to go inside as quickly they can avoiding the people attacking them, the paladins stopped shooting back as it wasn't necessary anymore to win more time and the ventibird rise again to leave.
-Was it worth it sir? –this show from today will give them a bad image with the minutemens that share bases with the brotherhood ones, like Hardware Town but…
Arthur look at the light blue crib with the toys he was holding with his life on his hand and…
-Yeah…-he said- its worth it
When they arrive to the Prydwen the first thing the elder did was pick up the baby from the nursery, taking the helmet of the armor off to leave a kiss on her forehead, still with the crib on hand. The nurses and Cade smile at the image, he didn't want to be away from her, dad anxiety
Arthur made that scribes examine and clean the crib, polish it from any stiches, purify it of radiation, even repair the old mobile toy in the top, now it plays a song called Baby Steps according to the scribes.
With a new mattress he put the crib with clean blankets aside from his bed near to the window, now his baby had her own place to sleep and he wouldn't fear to move sleeping and suffocate even if from both he wasn't the one that moves at night…
It was weird but he didn't hear any report, incident, or receive any kind of message about the show they put the other day on Sanctuary. Surely she knews and its aware, everybody will tell her about it but…don't want to talk to him.
Two months later, he started to receive reports of Sentinel Nora…wandering around in the Commonwealth. Saving brotherhood soldiers from dangers, walking around, escorting minutemens, helping caravans, making presence in the brotherhood bases… but nothing more, nothing related to them, her family. She will do operations, ask for the paladins, soldiers, forces, equipment…but not him…Arthur receives a letter from her. Her perfect calligraphy, absent mother or not, she was still the sentinel of this chapter and deserve the communication, their titles demand it
"Elder Maxson" not Arthur, she said in the holotape that that will be the last time she call him by that name "me and the minutemens secured the Federal Ration Stockpile, it's a location that guards a road to Nukatown, there's three buildings securing the road and specially the bunker has a LOT of supplies that will benefit the brotherhood, along with some power armors" was she trying to buy him with bases? What was she trying? "if the brotherhood is not ready to take another base right now is fine, the minutemens can secure it until you send troops to claim it, but this bunker and locations are for the brotherhood only, especially the prewar supplies down there, they will be waiting" Arthur look on a map and…of course she claimed that place, it was near one of her settlements Sunshine Tidings Co-op, he was well aware that his soldiers contributes a LOT to improving the security of the settlements, claimed or not, if there was brotherhood soldiers around there wouldn't be likely raiders, so this was the motive to give the brotherhood bases…"this base is pure and only for the progress of the brotherhood over the commonwealth territory, ad victoriam" bullshit.
This was bullshit.
He make a ball of the note, before if he received a letter from her he would treasure the piece of paper but now…He wouldn't beg her, she cant buy him with bases and supplies.
Sure buy the elders favor with another base, I mean he appreciates the supplies but that wouldn't heal the damage he was doing to both. If this was her way to stay and not stay around he didn't want it.
And it was true, the brotherhood lack of members didn't allow them to take the new base, if they take it, they can't protect it for much longer because the lack of staff will eventually be a problem. For now he didn't have to answer, if she says the minutemen will hold and respect the base for them, then so be it, its not like he had much choices anyway.
Unless…
-So Elder Maxson how its your newborn? Babys are a lot of trouble at the beginning…-the elder place a meeting with a member of the council
-Arya is eating beyond normally and for now doesn't present any illness, im grateful for the formula supplies you send for now the experience its…challenging…I was never so attentive to the colors of a poop as now –the other elder laugh in the call.
-Oh that brings me memories, I was so confused about the diapers hooks at the beginning, don't worry boy, elders usually have to take care of our sons you are completely content and understood between us –speaking of taking care Arthur had the baby on his arms making her jump a little
-Not in my experience –Arthur mumble
-You have the luck to have your mother around, most of us don't have our wives for…several reasons…
-About not having people around…
-Yes, of course, we can send squads to your chapter, truth is your brotherhood side of the map is growing marvelous, that delivery of spare parts your send us from Wilsons factory was a great asset, we have more plans to reactivate and put on use that factory lines equipment
-For guns?
-And armors specially, the Giddyup Buttercups were modeled and shaped with a technology we could use to make new power armor parts
-Sounds like a great idea, send me the details and I will talk about it with Proctor Ingram
-Love to hear it, you need those squads to patrol or set up in bases?
-Set up, but don't send me weaklings, the commonwealth has a lot of raiders nets so there's much of sporadic attacks trying to move anyone out of their place, no matter if they are minutemen, brotherhood or just citizens.
-Written, more defense than anything.
-For now, this locations don't have much value than some supplies and protect a certain road.
-Doesn't sound like an interesting acquisition –Arthur leave a caress in the babys cheek making her look at him, both pair of eyes encounter and he just smiled back
-Sentinel Nora likes to…take care of good state buildings, and we appreciate having a stable roof over our heads
-Of course, Ill send the patrols immediately with some gifts for the new member of the family
-Family? –this people reject his authority and leadership for so long until it becomes helpful for them and their projects
-The council is a small family Arthur, we are not many and those of us who are here are old, our childrens die in the fields, or our family moves away from us... the chain of command is especially small among the brotherhood
Yeah…he was right.
-And here I was thinking it was me and Arya all alone
-Not the Sentinel hu? –shit, he slip too much- don't worry, this things happened to the majority of us, we got you, you and your daughter will never be alone as long you are in the brotherhood circles
-The Sentinel is still in the brotherhood –shitshitshit he has to fix this- she is the one who wants to set on this new base
-Speaking of which, I just have to ask you this, can I borrow your magic Sentinel? She just…makes results…-yes she does- there's some problems here in my side of the map that requires special attention
-As you may know she is the general of the Minutemen also, has another connections besides the brotherhood, connections she had from before we arrived here.
-Its just small works, old tech recovery, data gathering, recognition…
-Doesn't sound like work for a Sentinel –should he do this type of talk in front of his daughter? It was almost impossible not talk about Nora, she was an important figure in the Commonwealth, she was a baby but if she gets used to hear her name….
-It is not a job at the level of my soldiers, the difficulty of these missions is well above their capabilities, but your Sentinel works magic, if she constantly makes trips to the Glowing Sea I am sure she can return from these locations where I need...information
In some other time he would say no, he wouldn't risk Noras life at all, but now they were separated and she was a soldier like any other and if an elder requested for her outstanding services…-Sure, ill ask her, remember that she is a Sentinel and doesn't have any obligation
-Of course
If she chooses to go to another state…to travel so far for these tasks that he did not know how long they were going to take her…then…she had a problem with him after all, she didn't want to travel and leave the commonwealth with him
"Sentinel Nora, your presence its requested in another chapter of the brotherhood, your service was recognized like top excellence and you are need to perform some works for the advance of the brotherhood of steel in all its horns, whenever you are ready, the pilots are already informed of the destination were they have to travel together, just ask for the ride and perform your duties not under the command of elder Maxson but under the command of the elder of that chapter, you will meet them there"
When Arthur finished writing that letter he felt…empty…
His daughter was sleeping in the desk in a basket he improvised as a bag with blankets and pillows because he wanted have her in his sight all time.
He sighted and close the paper in two, trying to suppress the urge to cry.
She did perform that mission…and the next one…and the following one…and the ones other elders ask in another states…but she will always return to the Commonwealth, she will always come back to the Minutemens
Nora would arrive at the airport and leave in the ventibird to disappear for weeks, but always come back, come back and was see again wandering the commonwealth in someone's company according to his sources. Of course he receives the feedback from the others elders she was there performing orders and…exploring….wandering the new territory…its true, she never see other parts of this new radiated world
Arthur didn't want to meet her, didn't want to cross paths, didn't want to see her face.
But one day, 3 months later, in this regime where elders of other chapters of the brotherhood would require her services, she appeared in the airport with…the supermutant, the supermutant Strong…of course that cause a fuzz, the pilot of the ventibird didn't want to let that beast go inside the flying machine to kill them both during the flight. It was a mess, Nora was screaming, the pilot was screaming back, other brotherhood soldiers were against the supermutant presence in the airport and were screaming at her, it was a complete scandal. Even if he didn't want to his presence was required for obvious reasons, she had the authority and the title but the soldiers were pretty against it because of their beliefs and truth is they were right, Nora was the weird one who fraternized with externals, this was a problem caused by her.
So with all the pain in the word he let his daughter at the care of the nurses unsure of how long it will take him and go down to the airport, the fight could be heard even in the ventibird port that moved all of them up to the Prydwen, but he wouldn't go faster, he was mentalizing to see…Nora again…after a long time…at first he wished to never see her again, but then making that thought something rational it was stupid, completely stupid, she had an important title he cant just withdraw from her, her only name and presence was important, her work was important…so they will cross paths eventually again…and behind a multitude of people fighting back there she was.
Imposing and authoritative defending her point of view and actions in front of a crew of annoyed soldiers, the supermutant behind, apparently calm, of course he couldn't read the beast mind to tell but she always told him how he was well trained.
She was much chubbier than the last time he saw her, and her breast were much bigger in the black suit, clearly a side effect of the pregnancy, could she still be in lactancy? After all it didn't pass a year yet…
-Soldiers whats going on!? –he appeared in front of the group in discord, Nora froze at seeing him, he understand, he wasn't ready to see her either, but he swallow his guts preparing for this moment because he was needed.
-She cant force us to travel with this abomination! –said one of the ventibirds pilots, of course they were all against it, if it pass with one it will pass with all the others no matter who is against it or not.
-Im travelling under other direct elder command! And this –she pointed at Strong- its part of my equipment!
Arthur look at the supermutant dead in the eye, he didn't have good history with this beasts.
-Sentinel you can understand very well why this is against the rules –said Arthur to her, keeping the compusture, even slightly nervous about the supermutant companion.
-Im doing missions off my normal field, in territorys far more dangerous than the commonwealth –she spit at the ground and then point a finger at the pilot chest- do you know what a Cazador is?
-Sit on a dick Nora –reply the pilot, surprising Arthur for his bravery, same with the other soldiers around- im not smelling swamp all the way down to the next brotherhood base
-You are winning a ticket for purple eye island buddy –she said and Arthur decided to step between them.
-This is unnecessary –said the elder to both, Nora step back at having Arthur so close, swallowing saliva
-This is a terrible lack of respect for any of her brothers –said the pilot- you cannot let this abomination near to any brotherhood base!
Arthur look at Strong, quiet, just looking at the situation.
-The last time I hang up on a ventibird I was trow into a pit of centaurs and trogs! Im not risking any human –holy shit that is savage, Arthur look at Nora impressed- Its not going to be any different now –he knew, every mission was worse than the last. She looks very angered about it
-The sentinel has a point –and she has not gonna lie- the Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion its extremely delicate, better not go with any brother of us –Nora was actually surprised that the elder defend her, but didn't expect any less, after all this were his assigments for her.
-You cant be serious –said the pilot- im not enclosing myself with this monster 4 days travelling, off my limits
-Very well –said Arthur, he cant force the pilot in this weird and non common situation, it wouldn't be appropriate- any pilot who wants to pick Sentinel Nora and this superhuman specimen to their destination will receive a promotion! –he announced out and loud for the rest of the croud around them in the port, if they are gonna watch better make them aware too
-Are you joking!? All for her!? –Nora punch hard the pilot in the eye, making him walk back in surprise, making Arthur move out the fight, the pilot scream in pain
-Remember who you are talking asshole! –was Nora defending herself and her Sentinel title or him? He was the elder after all
It was true, promoting a pilot means losing a pilot, moving them off scenary means taking them out of the air and it wasn't easy to find a suitable one, many does the pilot training but not all finish it the qualifications are high and you need to have certain skills to keep the job and basically don't die crashing
Still, it was a command from others elders but was this necessary?
-Do they provide you power armors there? –he asked to Nora, who pause a minute to look at him in the eyes.
-Yeah…
Both stare into the others eyes, until a pilot walk towards him and caught his attention.
-Ill take them there- said the pilot.
-Good, take them, bring them here and when you arrive you will receive you promotion.
-Ad Victoriam Elder Maxson –said the pilot moving to Noras side.
-Now stop getting in trouble and came back safe and sound –he mumble walking past her, Nora look at the floor and after a while she, Strong and the pilot get inside the ventibird.
Cool, he sacrificed a good pilot because of her weird methods, I suppose that's better than she getting feeded to a bunch of centaurs…
Supermutants have good relationships with centaurs right? Maybe he should warn the other elder about this, they know about Noras eccentricities after all…
Arthur go up to the Prydwen and retire his baby from the nursery, his baby has 6 months now, its been almost a year since the last time he sees Nora…she looks so different…clearly effects of the pregnancy, he would like to see this changes at her side and enjoy them but...she decided to stay away…He press his chin against his baby and leave a kiss in her forehead, walking in circles to make her giggle. If Noras was around, shell eventually know her mother…
He sat on the divans and look at the big window of the command deck, caressing his baby back.
Nora look beautiful, but despite the nostalgia for the feelings they had together once now he looks at her like he once think when she was only the sentinel, as a pretty and capable soldier, a great asset and a dangerous person. He hopes this feelings stays like this over time, apart, away, not caring much.
He cares but only for the nostalgia…now…it isn't worth it, he had more important things, a thing that needs a change of diapers.
So she keep doing this missions for another chapters, changing partners by time to time for different reasons and uses, taking more and more time between missions as he read on the descriptions they become more…dangerous, more than once he thought on not assigning her at all, refusing, loosing the paper, forgetting and assuming the fault but…no…and she keeps accepting these missions, taking them, performing and coming back for more…The elders told him something about she exploring the world, since they knew her background, part of it.
4 years passed until one day, coming out from his quarters he found Nora in front of his door leaving a box in the floor. It was the first time in years he sees her inside the Prydwen. She froze, and look at him, clearly nervous. Arthur inspected her from head to toes until she spoke first.
-Im leaving this delivery here…elder…-she said with a low voice, not wanting to face him.
-Neither of us need anything from you –he just said, paying attention to all her movements.
-Im just delivering, now excuse me elder
Nora quickly turned her back on him and practically ran out of the hall. Arthur pick up the box and went into her room again, placed it on the table and opened it to find inside a bunch of old cardboard kid books written in mayus, books with toys, books with glitter, books with old plushies…Stupid, his daughter is five and learn to read the last year already, she doesn't need this, she would know if she was present but still…this presents were…for Arya…not for him…this were her stuff to reject if she didn't like them…this wasn't his gift, this was from her mother, and he never do that conversation with her, as it was very common single parenthood in the brotherhood for several reasons, he never talks about the mother possibility.
Never said she was dead or anything, just never brought the possibility and didn't know how she will react. Her classmates, other kids from another soldiers in the brotherhood sometimes had both parents and sometimes not, they should talk together about a mom and a dad, separately or not, she surely knows about the possibility of a mom but never ask him either. No one talk about it with her because she was so young yet and always so close to him but…Arya just didn't, never asked. So…this may be…the first moment…
He leave the box on her bed, when she saw it looking at her side of the apartment quickly inspected the insides of the box and take out the books inspecting them.
-Are these for me? –ask the little girl.
-Yeah –Arthur said- your mother came and leave the box here for you –that words felt dry jumping on his tongue.
-Do I have a mom? –the little girl ask with surprise.
-All kids have one –this was their briefly educational moment- yours is a Sentinel
-A Sentinel?
-Yes, she is always working and isn't around, but does her best for the brotherhood of steel, you will learn that soon
-Can I keep the books? –Arya started to take out the books to place it all in bed and grab one that have a lettering in…italics. Arthur saw that and his heart become smaller.
-If you want them, they are all yours.
Arya smiled. He couldn't.
When Arya turned six, she started to make questions.
-Is my mother Sentinel Nora? –shit.
-Yeah, why do you ask?
-We see in class the ranks of brotherhood soldiers
-Yeah, to learn to respect mannerism and how to behave to your superiors
-We learn the names of some people here in this chapter
Oh yeah?
-That's sounds too advanced for kids who doesn't know how to do divisions yet –Arya knew how to read, she must ask to a scribe and investigate about the sentinel of this chapter surely.
-Is my mother surname Maxson?
-No, we are not married, she does indeed have a surname but barely use it
-How can you make me if you were not married? –that was the little girl moment he loved it.
-I cant make you alone neither, you need two people to make a baby but its not obligatory to be married or even being in love to make one
-You were in love with her?
A long silence, he smile awkwardly an reply.
-Yeah, both were- supposly- but love sometimes fade and disappear
-Whys that? –the little girl asked and Arthur just open his arms, she went inside and hug him.
-Some loves last forever and some others not…life is like that…the love I feel for you will never fade but the love between a mom and a dad can…and that's normal
-I will love dad forever!
Well her grandmother should take notes on that.
Nora was around the airport, just the airport, sometimes, a few episodes, Arya will catch on the news try to see her but…she was a small kid, a very small kid with no power, she cant go down the airport without his dad and the times he ask the man about it…he always says he was too bussy and they will figure out later. After the third time she loose the chance to see her mother in person she learn that Arthur didn't want to both go down there…when she was around…
And stop trying, she was six after all, and the precious treasure of all brotherhood soldiers, no one will go against the elder and less try to reunite her with the mother that abandoned her, despite her rank, it was an untold duty to keep Arya away from Nora. The Sentinel wont try, and if Arya tries, they all have to try to diffuse…the idea…make her lost interest…Untold true because everyone was aware of how that child came to the world and the mess between both parents. And better not get too involved in that mess between such important figures.
But after some months, Nora didn't come back to the airport, she went away on a mission to another chapter with Strong, Cait, Longfellow and Meatball like…six months ago…and never came back, when he ask the others elders about it…they said something about like it was the Lone Wanderer over again. That she was busy doing missions for them now, accepting them by her own and not by being requested
And a year later than that. Preston Garvey appeared in front of the airport, as he was authorized to pass directly, Arthur received him after he was informed of his arrival.
-Please, General, sit down, do you want some tea?
-Thank you elder, you may need something stronger than that…-the minutemen made a pause and started playing with his fingers- there's something I need to confess about your child.