Caps & Mutfruit

A constant thruming noise was beginning to annoy me. I could hear the hydrolics of the power armor as each one passed where I was. I was terrified to open my eyes and find that I was at a Gunner compound.

But a familiar calloused hand that was in mine brought me some comfort, and with that, just enough courage to open my eyes.

Macready sat next to me in an obviously uncomfortable position. His head was laid on the bed while he slept softly, his long red-brown hair ruffled from being out of his hat which sat on my legs, dark circles under his eyes made me more than aware that he must have been awake for days after whatever happened at the Interchange after I passed out.

The last thing I remembered was being pulled onto his chest and his arms wrapping tightly around me, begging me to stay. And I tried as hard as I could.

My subtle shifting was just enough to make Macready stir and open his blue eyes. As soon as his met mine he sat up with a look of shock.

"Ally," his voice broke as he said my name, "I thought I'd lost you."

He gingerly put his face against my hand, the stubble on his chin scratching my finger tips as I moved them against his cheek.

"Me too," I whispered.

Our tender moment was interrupted by a man in a Brotherhood of Steel uniform, "And she is awake."

I could only assume the man was a doctor but the BOS uniform threw me and I tried to back away from him with the little strength I had.

"Shh," Macready held me still, "I don't trust them much either, but Nate does and that is good enough for me."

"I'm Knight-Captain Cade, I serve as the doctor on this big flying flotilla. I'm actually impressed with myself that I was able to save you," he boasted.

"It helped that Nate got everyone to donate blood for how many transfusions she needed," Macready happily knocked him down a peg or two.

"Yes, well, let me see that arm of yours," he stepped to the right side of the bed and used gentle hands to turn my arm as he unraveled my bandages to inspect my wrist.

Macready noticed I wasn't wincing at any of the movements, "How many drugs do you have her on doc? I'd be screaming bloody murder."

"None," Cade said bluntly.

I looked to Macready for some answer but by the horrified look on his face I could tell I wasn't going to get one.

"Miss Winlock," I couldn't help but cringe at the name, "You are probably never going to be able to use this hand again," Cade continued his extreme matter of fact attitude, "There are devices that Proctor Ingram can outfit you with, but I don't know how Elder Maxson would feel about our resources being used on a civilian."

Cade continued until the bandages were changed and said a quick goodbye before leaving Macready and I alone in the sick bay of the Prydwen.

Macready helped me to sit up by stealing some pillows off of the empty beds. I held my hand up in front of me. The only thing keeping it straight was the splint inside the wrappings.

"If Maxson is going to be an asshole about helping you then I bet Curie and Sturges can come up with something," Macready gripped my good hand tighter, "Maybe even those Atom Cat guys, if I do enough favors for them."

I shook my head, "I can figure it out on my own."

"Alice you don't have to do it alone anymore. Hell you haven't had to do it alone for months. When are you going to understand that?" his voice sounded sad as he spoke.

I had nothing to say to him, nothing that would make either of us feel better about the situation that I had put us in.

--------

Although things had a slight awkwardness between us and it would take some time for us to adjust, Macready stayed with me on the Prydwen for my entire stay. He helped me brush my hair and change when I needed to. Getting used to only having my left hand was difficult, so there were times he even had to feed me. I felt useless.

Heavy boots walking on the metal floor towards us interrupted our morning routine. Elder Maxson entered the sick bay and stood at attention at the end of my bed. Nate was with him but much more relaxed and even rolled his eyes behind the Elder's back. Once Maxson relaxed from his position his stature was still very rigid.

"Miss Winlock" he addressed me and again I cringed at the name, "Knight-Captain Cade has informed me that you have completely lost the use of your right hand, and Proctor Ingram has assured me that she has a prototype that she would like to test for our soldiers that are in that same position. That is the only reason I am allowing you to be the first to use this new design, but you must be willing to report back to us with any progress. Understood?"
I nodded my head, "Yes sir."

"That being said," he continued, "there is always room in our ranks for trained soldiers. Nate has told me your story and I am willing to over look that since he assured to me about your loyalty to the Commonwealth and her needs. Should you accept my offer you would be promoted to Knight."

It didn't even take me half a second to decide, "Nope. My place is helping the Minutemen."

Elder Maxson looked disappointed, "That is unfortunate, but still a noble cause. As long as you are fighting for the Commonwealth then we are on the same side."

He walked out of the room, his heavy footsteps following him.

Nate stepped closer, "Come on, I need to introduce you to Proctor Ingram."

I had never seen so much power armor in one place before. Young Squires scurried around grabbing tools or peices for their Knights while they worked on their armor. Everything was much more organized than the Gunners could have ever hoped to be. Everyone had a purpose and a place.

"Knight," a woman in a power armor frame greeted Nate.

"Proctor Ingram, I'd like you to meet your newest test subject."

I instinctively stepped back from the center of attention, but Proctor Ingram's condition caught my attention. She wasn't just walking around in power armor, she was using the power armor to walk. Her legs had been amputated at the knees.

"Great, let's get her arm strapped in," she waved for me to come forward and Macready gave me a small push forward.

I sat down in the chair in front of me and several Scribes came forward to take measurements of my arm before they pulled out a crazy contraption.

A leather belt wrapped my shoulder like armor while several steel bars ran down to my elbow, where actuators allowed me to move my arm up and down. Once the bars were down to my wrist they ran into a strange bracelet that was pulled tight.

"Now this part is gonna hurt a little," Proctor Ingram said.

"I'm sorry wha-," was all I could get out before she clamped another bracket around the bracelet and I felt hundreds of needles going into my wrist. I let out a scream and Macready gasp before he kneeled down next to me.

"Can you feel your hand?" Ingram's lack of bedside manner annoyed me, but she was right.

"Yea, I think so," I tried to wiggle one of my fingers and it kinda moved, not fast, but there was potential.

Proctor Ingram gave me the care instructions and demanded that I report back to her at the Prydwen weekly.

As crazy as the Brotherhood can be, their Vertibirds were amazing. I loved the view over everything as we flew back to Sanctuary. Macready on the other hand looked a little green.

Landing in Sanctuary felt like coming home after a long goodbye.

I could see the animosity in some of the settlers eyes, not sure if they could trust me; but I couldn't blame them. They only knew a portion of the story. I knew in time I would be able to steady their nerves and they would trust me again.