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And as the three of them continued their walk with hand in hand, sunlight catching on something that finally felt like the beginning instead of the aftermath.
Shaun didn't wait long after that.
The initial shockwaves settled, the laughter faded into warm aftershocks, and Sanctuary resumed its familiar rhythm. Piper was already half-walking backward again, muttering into her notepad. Magnolia and Sarah exchanged quiet words. Preston lingered a moment longer, smiling to himself before stooping to adjust his musket and moving on.
It was Shaun who tugged at Sico's hand this time.
"Sico?" he asked, voice bright with curiosity.
Francesco looked down at him. "Yeah, buddy?"
Shaun glanced up at Nora, then back to him, eyes alight with that particular kind of excitement only children carried with the kind fueled by imagination and questions that stacked faster than answers.
"Can you take us to your office?" he asked. "At the Freemasons place?"
Francesco blinked. "My office?"
Shaun nodded eagerly. "Yeah! I wanna see where you work. And what you do. And if you have, like, a chair that spins."
Nora laughed softly. "Do you?"
Sico chuckled. "It does spin. Probably more than it should."
Shaun gasped. "I wanna see!"
He looked between them both, hopeful and unguarded. "Can Mom come too?"
Francesco didn't hesitate. "Of course she can."
Nora raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"
He squeezed her hand gently. "I'd like that."
She studied him for a moment, then smiled. "Okay."
Shaun whooped softly, bouncing on his toes. "Yes!"
Codsworth, hovering nearby, adjusted his posture with what could only be pride. "Do enjoy yourselves," he said. "And please do not forget to return in time for lunch. I am experimenting with a new variation of soup."
Shaun groaned. "Codsworth."
"It will be delightful," Codsworth insisted.
They said their goodbyes and set off toward the edge of Sanctuary where the road stretched outward, guarded by sentries who nodded respectfully as they passed.
The journey to Freemasons HQ wasn't long, but it was layered with significance.
Shaun asked questions the entire way.
"So what do you do there?"
"Do you sit in meetings all day?"
"Do you have guards?"
"Do they listen to you?"
"Do you have buttons?"
"Buttons?" Nora repeated, amused.
"Like important buttons," Shaun explained. "That you don't push unless it's serious."
Sico laughed. "There are buttons. And switches. And some of them really should never be pushed."
Shaun's eyes widened. "Cool."
The HQ rose ahead of them, fortified but lived-in. Not sterile. Not cold. It was busy with couriers moving between buildings, guards stationed at posts, engineers hauling equipment, scientists deep in conversation near terminals. It was a place in motion, not just command.
As they approached, heads turned.
Not because it was Sico.
But because of who walked with him.
Nora felt it immediately. She straightened unconsciously, shoulders squaring, old instincts rising like muscle memory. This wasn't the Institute. This wasn't a courtroom. But it was still a seat of power, and she was walking into it openly, hand in hand with the man at its center.
Sico noticed.
He leaned in slightly. "You okay?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Just… different."
He smiled. "That's allowed."
Shaun waved at a guard who stiffened in surprise, then laughed and waved back.
"Hi!" Shaun said cheerfully.
"Uh... hello, sir," the guard replied, glancing nervously at Sico.
"Relax," Sico said. "You're fine."
They moved through the corridors, Shaun's gaze darting everywhere. The walls were reinforced steel and concrete, banners of the Freemasons Republic hanging between sections. Terminals flickered with data streams. Maps glowed softly with territory markings.
"This is huge," Shaun whispered.
Nora leaned down. "Bigger than the Institute?"
Shaun thought about it. "Different."
Francesco smiled at that.
They reached his office at the end of a quieter hall. The guards stationed outside straightened instinctively.
"At ease," Sico said, opening the door.
The office was exactly as Shaun imagined and nothing like it at all.
It wasn't extravagant. No gold. No luxury.
But it was undeniably powerful.
A large desk anchored the room, its surface worn but orderly. Maps lined one wall from Sanctuary, the Commonwealth, territories marked in careful detail. A long window overlooked the HQ grounds. Shelves held binders, old books, holotapes, artifacts recovered from before the war.
And yes.
The chair spun.
Shaun gasped. "Whoa."
He darted inside, stopping just short of the desk like it was sacred ground.
"Can I sit?" he asked, reverent.
Sico glanced at Nora.
She smiled. "Go ahead."
Shaun climbed into the chair with effort, feet dangling. He placed his hands on the armrests like he'd seen adults do, trying very hard to look serious.
"I am in charge now," he declared.
Sico laughed. "Please don't declare war."
Shaun grinned. "I won't."
He spun the chair gently. "Maybe."
Nora wandered the room slowly, fingers trailing over the spines of books, the edges of maps. She stopped by the window, looking out over the people moving below.
"This is where you carry everything," she said quietly. "I can see it."
He came to stand beside her. "Some days it feels like it carries me."
She looked at him, really looked at him, in this space that represented so much responsibility and weight.
"You don't let it change you," she said.
"I try not to."
Shaun interrupted them, holding up a notepad he'd found. "What's this?"
Sico crouched beside him. "That's a report. About settlements. How they're doing. What they need."
Shaun frowned thoughtfully. "So you help people?"
"Yes."
Shaun nodded firmly. "That's good."
He paused. "Is that why people listen to you?"
"Sometimes," Sico said. "Sometimes they listen because they trust me. Sometimes because they're scared. Sometimes because they don't have another choice."
Shaun considered this. "I'd listen because you're nice."
Sico swallowed.
Nora reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder.
They stayed there longer than planned.
Shaun asked about everything with why the maps had colors, what the radios were for, why some papers had stamps and others didn't. Sico answered every question honestly, never simplifying too much, never hiding the reality but always shaping it in a way a child could understand.
Eventually, Shaun climbed down from the chair, satisfied.
"This is cool," he said. "I like your office."
Sico smiled. "You're welcome anytime."
Shaun beamed. "Really?"
"Really."
Nora took one last look around before turning to him. "Thank you. For sharing this."
He nodded. "Thank you for being here."
They left the office together, the door closing softly behind them.
The walk back from Freemasons HQ felt different from the walk there.
Not lighter exactly, because nothing about the world they lived in was ever truly light but warmer, steadier. Like something fragile had been acknowledged and, instead of breaking, had been gently reinforced.
Shaun skipped most of the way.
He hopped from cracked slab to cracked slab, narrating his own adventure under his breath, occasionally spinning around to make sure they were still behind him.
"Don't fall," Nora called.
"I won't!" he replied confidently, immediately wobbling before catching himself and laughing.
Sico smiled, the expression settling into his face with an ease that surprised him. It wasn't forced. It wasn't something he had to remember how to do. It just… happened.
Nora noticed.
She always noticed.
"You're smiling a lot," she said lightly.
"Am I?"
"Yes," she replied. "Like someone who just survived something big without realizing it."
He exhaled softly. "That accurate?"
She bumped her shoulder against his. "Pretty much."
As Sanctuary came back into view, the familiar outlines of salvaged homes and reinforced walls welcoming them back, Shaun slowed just enough to walk between them, reaching up to take each of their hands again.
Neither of them commented on it.
They didn't need to.
The house looked the same as it always had with patched siding, reinforced windows, a wind chime made from scrap metal clinking gently in the breeze, but something about it felt fuller now. Like the walls had overheard something important and were still holding onto the echo.
The front door creaked open.
The smell hit them immediately.
Something warm. Savory. Herbaceous. Comforting in that way only food made by someone who cared could be.
"Oh no," Shaun said suspiciously.
Codsworth hovered into view from the kitchen, optics glowing with unmistakable pride.
"Welcome home!" he announced. "Lunch is prepared and awaiting your arrival precisely as scheduled."
Nora glanced at the clock. "We didn't give you a schedule."
"I estimated," Codsworth replied. "With remarkable accuracy, if I do say so myself."
Shaun leaned closer to Sico. "Is it soup?"
"It is soup," Codsworth said, affronted. "A most advanced soup."
Nora laughed. "What kind?"
Codsworth puffed up. "A carefully balanced blend of salvaged vegetables, preserved protein, herbs cultivated from Sanctuary soil, and a touch of inspiration."
"That last part worries me," Sico murmured.
"You wound me, sir."
Despite the skepticism, they sat.
Codsworth had already laid everything out with bowls steaming gently, bread arranged neatly on a plate, utensils polished far beyond necessity. He hovered back and forth, fussing like a proud parent watching a recital.
Shaun stared into his bowl.
"It smells… different," he said.
"Different is the beginning of discovery," Codsworth replied.
Nora took a tentative spoonful.
Then another.
Her eyebrows lifted.
"…Codsworth."
"Yes, Miss?"
"This is actually… really good."
Shaun looked betrayed. "Really?"
Sico tried it next.
He paused.
"Okay," he admitted. "I didn't expect that."
Shaun squinted at both of them, then dipped his spoon in cautiously. He tasted it.
His eyes widened.
"Oh," he said. "Oh! This is good!"
Codsworth straightened. "Validation achieved."
Lunch settled into a comfortable rhythm.
They ate slowly, talking about nothing urgent. Shaun talked about the spinning chair again. Nora teased Sico about how serious he'd looked explaining settlement reports to a seven-year-old. Sico countered by pointing out how she'd unconsciously gone into tactical analysis mode when she saw the HQ layout.
"I can't turn it off," she said defensively.
"I noticed," he replied fondly.
Shaun kicked his feet under the table, humming.
Halfway through the meal, Sico glanced at him, watching the way he ate with single-minded focus before speaking.
"Hey, buddy?"
Shaun looked up. "Yeah?"
"What do you want to do when you grow up?"
The question wasn't loaded.
Not asked with expectation or pressure.
Just curiosity.
Shaun froze mid-bite.
The spoon hovered in the air.
He frowned, eyes drifting unfocused as he chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. He set the spoon down carefully like this deserved both hands.
"I don't know," he said slowly.
Nora didn't interrupt.
Neither did Francesco.
Shaun leaned back in his chair, gaze fixed on the ceiling.
"…I think," he continued after a moment, "I want to make things."
Sico smiled. "Yeah?"
Shaun nodded. "Like Uncle Mel."
Nora's eyes softened immediately.
"He builds stuff," Shaun said earnestly. "Smart stuff. Important stuff."
He hesitated, then added, quieter but no less certain, "Like weapons. Or machines. Or tools."
Nora tensed just a little, but didn't stop him.
Shaun looked between them.
"Not bad weapons," he clarified quickly. "Just… things that help. Like stuff that keeps people safe."
He looked at Nora. "So you don't have to do everything by yourself."
Then at Sico.
"So you don't have to either."
The room went still.
Not silent with Codsworth hummed faintly, the generator outside thrummed steadily but emotionally still, like something had settled into place.
Nora blinked hard.
Sico felt the weight of the moment press into his chest, not heavy, but profound.
"That's… a really good reason," Sico said gently.
Shaun shrugged, suddenly shy. "Uncle Mel says building stuff means you leave something behind. Like… proof you were here."
Nora reached across the table and covered Shaun's hand with hers. "You don't have to decide everything now."
"I know," Shaun said. "I just think it'd be cool."
Sico nodded. "It would."
Codsworth hovered closer, optics dimmed slightly. "Master Shaun has demonstrated remarkable aptitude for curiosity and creativity. These are most promising indicators."
Shaun beamed. "See?"
They finished lunch slowly.
Afterward, Shaun helped clear the table with carefully, earnestly, like this was an important responsibility. Codsworth supervised closely, offering far too many instructions.
When it was done, Shaun yawned.
Nora noticed immediately. "You tired?"
Shaun shook his head automatically.
Then yawned again.
"…Maybe a little."
She smiled. "How about you rest for a bit?"
"Okay," he said, already halfway convinced.
She walked him to his room, tucking him in gently. Sico lingered by the doorway, watching quietly as she smoothed Shaun's hair back and kissed his forehead.
"Love you," she whispered.
"Love you too," Shaun murmured, already drifting.
When she stepped back out, closing the door softly behind her, she leaned against the wall for a moment.
Sico waited.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
She nodded. "Yeah."
Then shook her head.
"No," she corrected. "I'm… overwhelmed."
He stepped closer but didn't touch her yet. "Good overwhelmed or bad overwhelmed?"
She huffed a quiet laugh. "Good. Terrifying. Hopeful. All of it."
He reached out then, resting his hands lightly on her arms.
"You don't have to hold it together right now," he said.
She exhaled, finally letting the tension drop.
"I know," she replied. "I just… didn't think I'd ever get this."
"This?" he asked.
She gestured vaguely around them. "A future that doesn't feel like survival."
He smiled softly. "We'll figure it out. Together."
She looked at him, eyes searching.
Then nodded.
"Together," she agreed.
Then night settled over Sanctuary slowly, the way it always did without ceremony, without permission.
Lights flicked on one by one in nearby homes. Guards changed shifts with murmured greetings. Somewhere down the street, a radio crackled to life with low music and static. The world outside kept turning, threats still waiting beyond the perimeter, wars still unresolved, plans still unfinished.
But inside Nora's house, the pace softened.
After Shaun was asleep and the quiet returned, Nora and Sico lingered in the living room longer than either of them meant to. Neither rushed to fill the silence. Neither felt the need to justify staying.
Eventually, Nora spoke, her voice low.
"You can stay in my room tonight," she said again, not as a question this time, but an invitation she was no longer afraid would be refused.
Sico looked at her, really looked at her that
tired, steady, open in a way she rarely allowed herself to be.
"I'd like that," he said.
The walk down the hallway felt intimate in a way that surprised them both. No grand gestures. No dramatic weight. Just bare feet on old wood, shoulders brushing occasionally, a shared understanding humming quietly between them.
They changed in silence, comfortable and respectful, the kind of silence that didn't press or demand. When they finally lay down, it was the same as the night before it close, but unhurried. Her head against his chest. His arm around her, protective without possession.
Nora listened to his breathing slow.
Sico listened to the subtle shifts of tension leaving her body.
Outside, the Commonwealth waited.
Inside, rest finally came.
Morning arrived gently.
Sunlight filtered through thin curtains, painting soft lines across the bed. Birds chirped somewhere beyond the walls. The faint clatter of Codsworth moving through the kitchen drifted down the hallway, already deep into his routine.
Francesco woke first this time.
For a moment, he didn't move.
Nora was curled toward him, one arm draped loosely across his torso, her face relaxed in sleep. Without the weight of command or calculation etched into her expression, she looked younger or softer. Peaceful in a way that felt rare and almost sacred.
He smiled.
Not the sharp, confident smile he wore in public. Not the controlled one he used in negotiations.
Just… happiness.
He brushed his thumb lightly against her arm, barely enough to register.
She stirred.
Her eyes opened slowly, unfocused at first, then finding him.
For a heartbeat, she simply looked at him.
Then she smiled.
"Morning," she murmured, voice thick with sleep.
"Morning," he replied softly.
She shifted slightly, adjusting until she was more comfortable against him. "You didn't disappear," she said, half-teasing, half-checking.
"Not planning to," he said.
"Good."
They stayed like that for a few minutes longer, neither rushing to get up, both aware of the quiet luxury of the moment.
Eventually, the smell of something warm and unmistakably Codsworth-inspired reached them.
Nora groaned. "He's already cooking."
"He never stopped," Sico said dryly.
She laughed softly, then sighed. "We should get up before he comes in to announce breakfast."
Almost on cue, Codsworth's voice echoed faintly down the hall.
"Good morning! Breakfast preparations are proceeding at an excellent pace!"
Nora buried her face briefly against Sico's chest. "Too late."
They got dressed and stepped into the kitchen together.
Shaun was already at the table, swinging his legs and watching Codsworth with fascination as the robot fussed over plates and bowls.
"Mom!" Shaun brightened when he saw her. Then his grin widened when he noticed Francesco. "Sico!"
"Hey, buddy," Sico said.
Breakfast was simple with eggs, bread, something Codsworth referred to as "nutritionally optimized spread" that everyone pretended was normal. They ate together easily, conversation drifting between small things.
Halfway through, Sico glanced at Nora, his expression shifting slightly more serious.
"Hey," he said. "Can I ask you something?"
She nodded. "Of course."
"Shouldn't you be back at the Institute by now?" he asked gently. "With the war still going on… I know how much pressure there is."
Nora didn't bristle.
She didn't immediately launch into justification or defense.
She just took a sip of her drink, then set it down.
"I thought about that," she said calmly. "A lot."
Shaun glanced between them, curious but not alarmed.
"I already delegated," Nora continued. "Allie Filmore has the reins for now. She's capable. She knows the systems, the people. If something critical happens, they'll contact me immediately."
Sico studied her. "You're sure?"
She nodded. "For the first time in a long while… yes."
She looked at Shaun, watching him eat, then back at Sico.
"I've spent so long telling myself I didn't get to want things," she said quietly. "That duty came first. Always. And maybe that was true for a while."
She paused.
"But I don't want to miss this," she added. "Not you. Not him."
Something warm settled in Sico's chest.
He smiled softly. "I'm glad you're here."
She smiled back, then tilted her head slightly. "What about you?"
He raised a brow. "What about me?"
She gestured vaguely. "The Freemasons Republic. You're the President. Don't you have… mountains of paperwork? Meetings? Crises waiting for you?"
He chuckled. "Always."
"So shouldn't you be there?" she asked.
He leaned back slightly, folding his arms comfortably. "They'll survive a delay."
Nora studied him. "You're serious."
"Completely," he said. "The paperwork will still be there tomorrow. And the day after that."
He looked at her more intently. "But this?" He nodded toward the table, toward Shaun, toward her. "This is new. And I don't want to rush past it."
Shaun looked up. "Are you staying?"
Sico smiled at him. "Yeah. I am."
Shaun grinned and went back to eating.
Nora exhaled, something easing visibly in her shoulders. "You don't know how strange it feels to hear that."
"Good strange or bad strange?"
"Good," she said softly. "Scary-good."
He reached across the table and took her hand again, thumb brushing against her knuckles. "We're allowed to take this moment."
She squeezed his hand. "I'm starting to believe that."
Breakfast ended slowly, deliberately unhurried.
Afterward, Shaun dragged them both into the living room to play that insisting Sico sit on the floor to build something out of salvaged parts while Nora pretended not to be impressed. Laughter came easier than either of them expected.
The knock on the door cut cleanly through the easy laughter in the living room.
It wasn't loud or urgent that just firm, deliberate. The kind of knock that assumed it would be answered.
Nora glanced toward the hallway first, instinct sharpening for half a second before she relaxed again. Sanctuary. Morning. No alarms. No gunfire.
Codsworth, already hovering nearby with a tray of salvaged parts Shaun had abandoned mid-construction, turned at once.
"Oh! I shall attend to that," he announced cheerfully, gliding toward the front door.
Sico barely had time to shift from his spot on the floor on one knee down, hands full of mismatched gears before the door opened.
And then.
"Well I'll be damned."
That voice carried.
Nora froze.
Sico looked up.
Shaun popped his head up from behind the coffee table like a startled mole.
Codsworth hovered back slightly to allow a crowd to fill the doorway.
Preston Garvey stood front and center, hat tilted back, eyebrows raised so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline. Beside him was Hancock, leaning casually against the doorframe with a crooked grin already spreading across his face, a bottle dangling loosely from two skeletal fingers.
Behind them, the rest of them filled the porch and spilled into the entryway in layers of familiar chaos.
MacCready, arms crossed, smirk locked and loaded.
Sarah Lyons, eyes wide for half a heartbeat before softening into something warm.
Piper Wright, already scribbling furiously in her notepad even as she walked.
Curie, hands clasped in front of her chest, beaming like she'd just discovered a new element.
Mel, carrying a small crate of tools under one arm out of habit more than necessity.
Sturges, awkwardly holding a six-pack in one hand and a bottle of milk in the other, looking like he wasn't sure which one he was more embarrassed about.
Robert and Jenny flanked the group, Jenny waving enthusiastically while Robert nodded approvingly.
Albert lingered near the back, expression unreadable but eyes sharp with curiosity.
And tucked carefully between Piper and Curie was another crate, as this one unmistakably full of beer.
Codsworth tilted slightly, optics flickering as he took them all in.
"…Good morning," he said politely. "Might I inquire as to the nature of this… gathering?"
Hancock grinned wider. "Celebration."
Preston coughed. "Uh... surprise visit."
MacCready added, "Social experiment."
Piper beamed. "Intervention."
Codsworth paused. "…I see."
From the living room, Nora stood slowly.
Sico followed, brushing dust from his hands.
They reached the doorway just as Shaun squeezed between Sico and Nora, peeking around them.
The room went very quiet.
Not awkward quiet.
Charged quiet.
Every pair of eyes locked onto them.
Together.
Standing close.
No pretense. No distance.
Sico felt it like a wave.
Nora felt it like gravity.
Hancock broke first.
"Well," he drawled, lifting his bottle slightly, "about damn time."
Nora blinked. "What?"
Sico squinted. "Why—" He gestured vaguely at the beer. "Why the hell are you bringing alcohol to our house in the morning?"
Sturges winced. "I said that might be weird."
Piper stepped forward, notepad finally lowering, grin bright and unapologetic.
"Oh relax," she said. "It's a celebration."
Nora crossed her arms. "Of what?"
Piper pointed between them. "You two."
There it was.
MacCready let out a low whistle. "Called it."
Sarah smiled, slow and genuine. "We all did."
Preston rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean… maybe not exactly when. But yeah."
Curie clasped her hands tighter. "It is very obvious when two people care deeply for one another," she said brightly. "Your heart rates increase in proximity. Your body language aligns. You mirror each other unconsciously."
Hancock chuckled. "She's sayin' you've been making eyes at each other for months."
Nora opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Then laughed that soft, incredulous, a little embarrassed.
"You all just… decided to show up?"
Piper shrugged. "Word travels fast in Sanctuary."
"Also," Jenny added cheerfully, "Codsworth doesn't exactly whisper."
Codsworth straightened. "I beg your pardon! I merely expressed enthusiasm for recent developments in household morale."
Shaun looked up at the group, eyes wide.
"Why do you have milk?" he asked suddenly, pointing at Sturges.
Sturges brightened immediately. "For you, little man. Celebration's for everyone."
Shaun beamed. "Oh!"
Mel stepped forward then, gaze flicking from Nora to Sico with quiet understanding. He didn't smile big. He didn't tease.
He just nodded.
"About time you stopped dancing around it," he said calmly.
Sico exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "Unbelievable."
Hancock leaned in conspiratorially. "C'mon, Prez. You've stared down super mutant hordes and Brotherhood airships. You telling me this scares you?"
Sico shot him a look. "Yes."
Laughter rippled through the group.
Nora shook her head, then stepped forward, one hand resting lightly against Sico's arm.
"Alright," she said, voice steady but warm. "Before this turns into… whatever this is becoming, yes. We're together."
Jenny then shout.
"I KNEW IT."
MacCready pumped a fist. "Pay up, Preston."
Preston groaned. "I told you I didn't agree to that! Beside I already knew since yesterday!"
Sarah stepped closer, eyes shining. "I'm happy for you."
Nora met her gaze. "Thank you."
Hancock lifted his bottle. "To finally admitting what everyone else could see."
Curie nodded enthusiastically. "To emotional honesty!"
Sturges raised the milk awkwardly. "To… uh. Family?"
Shaun raised both hands. "I get milk!"
Sico couldn't help it.
He laughed.
Not guarded. Not restrained.
Real.
"Alright," he said, holding up a hand. "One beer. That's it. It's still morning."
Hancock smirked. "That's what brunch is for."
They moved inside, the house filling with noise, voices overlapping, boots scraping, bottles clinking. Codsworth fluttered anxiously but didn't protest as Hancock claimed a chair and MacCready leaned against the wall like he owned it.
Shaun sat proudly at the table with his milk, listening intently as if this was all very important business.
Piper perched on the arm of the couch, notebook already replaced with a fresh one. "So," she said lightly, "how long exactly?"
Nora shot her a look. "No article."
Piper held up her hands. "Off the record. Mostly."
Sico sat beside Nora, shoulders brushing. "Long enough."
Sarah smiled knowingly. "That tracks."
Mel glanced around the room. "You feel different," he said to Nora. "Lighter."
She considered that. "I feel… present."
He nodded. "Good."
Curie leaned closer to Shaun. "And how do you feel about all of this?"
Shaun thought about it seriously. "I like it."
"Why?" Curie asked gently.
Shaun smiled. "Because Mom smiles more."
Nora swallowed.
Sico reached for her hand.
Hancock cleared his throat dramatically. "Alright, I'm gettin' sentimental. Someone drink something before I start monologuin'."
MacCready snorted. "Please don't."
They stayed longer than planned.
Of course they did.
Stories were told. Teasing escalated. Hancock recounted three separate times he was "absolutely sure" Sico was going to make a move and didn't. MacCready added two more.
Piper tried to sneak one photo. Nora caught her. Piper pretended it was an accident.
Shaun showed Mel the half-built contraption from earlier, proudly explaining what each piece "might" do someday. Mel listened like it was the most important briefing of his life.
Eventually, as the morning slid toward afternoon, the group thinned.
Preston was the last to linger, adjusting his hat as he stood near the door.
"You know," he said quietly to Sico, "the people… they're gonna like this."
Sico frowned. "Like what?"
"This," Preston gestured gently toward the room, toward Nora laughing softly as Curie explained something with animated hand gestures, toward Shaun curled up on the couch. "Seeing their leaders… human."
Sico nodded slowly. "Good."
Preston smiled. "Yeah. Real good."
When the door finally closed and quiet returned as Nora leaned back against the wall and exhaled.
"Well," she said. "That escalated."
Sico laughed, stepping closer. "Worth it."
She looked at him, eyes warm, tired, full.
"Yeah," she said softly. "It really was."
Outside, Sanctuary carried on while inside, something had been named. And that made all the difference.
______________________________________________
• Name: Sico
• Stats :
S: 8,44
P: 7,44
E: 8,44
C: 8,44
I: 9,44
A: 7,45
L: 7
• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills
• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.
• Active Quest:-