The Minutemen: United We Stand

Chapter 41

"All right, I will deliver my report to the Prydwen," Danse announced, throwing a bag over his shoulder. "You two take care of yourselves. Whatever my orders may be, if I don't come back, please know that I hold you all in the highest regard."

"Ah, you're a big ol' softy, ain't ya?" Hancock laughed, hugging Nora to his side as they sat on the couch together. "Don't forget the lessons we taught you, crew cut!"

"I won't," Danse said, a small smile pulling at his lips.

Nora stood up, limped to the Paladin, and threw her arms around him. "Thank you. For everything," she rasped, her voice still raw. She pulled back and patted him on the shoulder as she looked up into his eyes. "You're... You're family, Danse. Always."

"Thank you... Sister." He saluted her and left the room, a moment of sorrow flitting across his face. He patted Deacon on the shoulder as they crossed paths at the top of the stairs.

The agent, wearing a new pair of sunglasses, came into the room. "There's some company downstairs, you two okay if they come up?"

"Do we have the energy for that, Sunshine?" Hancock growled, hugging his bandaged shoulder.

"I think so," Nora chuckled, followed by coughing as she nodded at Deacon.

The agent threw her a small salute and ran back to the stairs. "Come on up!"

Nick, Piper, MacCready, and Preston came up the stairs, hesitant smiles on their faces. "Hey. It seems there's been some excitement lately..." Nick said, his voice trailing off as his eyes fell across the ghoul on the couch. "Oh... John. I'm so sorry..."

Hancock shrugged with his right shoulder, tilting his head. "It is what it is... Don't worry about it."

"God..." Piper blurted as her eyes fell on Hancock, covering her mouth before clearing her throat. "Sorry! I just... I heard, but I didn't..."

Nora gave each of them a hug and gestured to the couches. "Come on guys, sit down."

"To be honest, I wasn't sure Doctor King could save his life, let alone his arm. This is the lesser of the evils... No offense, Hancock." Preston sat down across from the ghoul, his face dark. "But this is still a heck of a lot better than what you looked like a few weeks ago."

"Yeah," the ghoul agreed, his face grim. "You sayin' it like that kinda blows, but not offended... I guess."

Nora eased herself down onto the couch next to her husband and sighed, clearing her throat as she took his hand. "He's come off the morphine and is just taking the oral painkillers, so that's good." Hit with a fit of coughing, Nora covered her mouth and shook her head.

"It seems a lot has happened since we last spoke," Nick started, taking a seat on the arm of the couch next to Nora. Piper and Deacon sat on the couch next to Preston, MacCready taking the chair at the head of the coffee table. "You wanna catch us up?"

"Not really..." Nora muttered, turning to Hancock and fighting the anxiety rising in her chest.

"Don't worry, I can dish the facts. Your voice still needs to rest," Deacon interjected, moving to the edge of his seat. "Correct me if I'm wrong at any point though."

"All right," Nora laughed, regretting the chuckle as another bout of coughing wracked her body. She pulled her hand away and spotted the flecks of blood she'd been noticing since the balcony... and wiped them on her thigh. Nick pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Nora as he set a hand on her shoulder. She smiled up at him and took it, dabbing at her mouth and finding more blood.

"Shall I start with the trip to the Institute?" Deacon asked the married couple and received a pair of nods in return. "Awesome. All righty folks, pay attention, 'cause I'm unpacking a shit ton of terrible and I won't repeat myself."