The Danse Dilemma

21. The Return

After talking with old real Shaun, I zipped back to the surface. I had spawned just outside the C.I.T. building which made sense, since the Institute was right underneath it. Now I just have to walk all the way back to the airport. Luckily it was early morning. I guess I had been down in the Institute all night. I took a deep breath and started walking. Without Danse... this is going to be a looooong walk.

I FINALLY MADE IT BACK-

It was late afternoon by the time I made it back to the airport, cold and exhausted. Rain was pouring down, soaking my hair and clothes. I walked through the gates with one of the Knights rushing to find Proctor Ingram to let her know I was back. I heard him before I saw him. "What do you mean you don't think-"

"Danse, we have more pressing matters to attend to. If we lost the Knight to the Institute, there is little we can do with the broken teleporter."

"We have to do something! Maxson- we need her! I need-." Maxson was just staring at me over Danse's shoulder, an unreadable expression on his face as I slowly walked towards them. Danse followed his gaze and saw me. "Y/N..." He breathed a sigh of relief and rushed towards me. I tried to pick up the pace, but I was so tired. He reached me and I basically flopped into his arms, my head on his chest as he cradled me. "Are you ok!?" He asked and I shook my head. He looked around him at the gathering Knights, Paladins and Proctors, all ready to question me on my trip. He just sent them a glare, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and held me tight against his side and shoved his way through the crowd, half leading, half dragging me with him.

We finally got back to his private room. I sat down on his bed, my head in my hands as he stands in front of me, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot. "Do... do you need to talk about it?" He asks, and I look at him, cracking a small smile.

"Please..." He nods then pulls out his desk chair so it's in front of me and sits down.

"What... happened?" I sigh and explain everything to him.

"I found my son, Shaun. He asked me to stay, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. He's Father, he is the leader of Institute. He's everything that the Brotherhood is against. I created that... he came from me." I said flatly, testing the waters. The thought that maybe the Brotherhood would consider me a traitor or a spy with this newfound information hadn't left my mind yet.

When I'm finished he sits for a moment, staring into my eyes. "I am sorry. I hoped for a better outcome for you." Is all he says. I sighed. Things were almost as bad as they had been when I had left the Vault for the first time. Things seemed to be getting worse actually.

I nod, quickly wiping at my eye and putting on a quick smile. "Thanks Danse." He hesitantly holds out his arms for me and I get up and curl up in his lap as he grabs me in a hug and I do the same to him. Sleep comes easy with him holding me.

The next morning, I make my way to the command deck. Maxson had a certain gleam in his eyes, fierce and conquering, what I had just done had been one of the Brotherhood's greatest achievements, not that I cared at this point. "I received word that Doctor Li is returning to us. How cooperative do you think she'll be?" The Elder asked, hands behind his back.

"I've convinced her that the Institute is the enemy, not the Brotherhood." I told him. My emotions were beginning to make themselves known as the impact and implications of what I had seen and learned inside the Institute soaked in.

"Well done, Knight. As soon as Doctor Li arrives, we'll interrogate her aboard the Prydwen. She's been under the Institute's influence for the last decade, and we can't afford to take any chances. Now, onto other matters. Thanks to the success of your reconnaissance efforts, it's time to advance our operations to the next phase. I want you to accompany Paladin Danse into the Glowing Sea. We have received word that there is a warehouse of intact nuclear warheads, Pre-war. Sentinel Site Prescott. Once there you are to throw a flare and a fleet of Vertibirds from Waypoint Echo will retrieve the warheads. Leave in the morning." He told me to which I responded with a curt nod before leaving.

It's finally lunchtime and Danse is waiting for me outside his room. "How was it?" He asks and I shrug with a huff.

"It's Maxson... what do you think?" I ask and he smiles a little which makes me smile. I couldn't exactly mourn Shaun. Not here at least. For one, Shaun, aka the leader of the Institute, is enemy number 1 to the Brotherhood. So feeling pity or sad that he's my son wouldn't sit well with anyone here. And 2, young synth Shaun wouldn't be allowed anywhere near the Brotherhood, never mind allowed to live! So taking him was out of the question unless I hid him. "You're aware that we are to head into the Glowing Sea in the morning?" I asked. Danse nodded. I gave him a moment to speak but he said nothing. "Okay." I said before I headed off in frustration. So here I sat with Danse at the bar on the Prydwen. He had ordered us both drinks and was paying. He was still on his first drink while I was on my third. Three guesses why.

"Y/N, you should slow down. You're gonna be sick." Danse said putting his hand on the small of my back. Everyone on the Prydwen was avoiding me after they heard that I gave birth to the head of the Institute. I looked over my shoulders to see everyone watching, but after seeing me looking, they quickly turned back to their conversations. Muttering in hushed tones to one another.

I sighed and faced forward. "Yeah... yeah you're right..." I pushed my nearly finished third drink towards Danse, who pushed it to the other side of the bar, away from me. I checked my Pip-boy. "Come on, let's get out here."

Last night Danse let me stay in his room. And tonight was no different, I fell asleep before Danse even got into bed. I wish this were all a nightmare and tomorrow I'll wake up and everything will go back to normal.

But it didn't.

And it never will.