Securing the North

Dan had stayed at Bunker Hill, thanking us profusely for helping him finish the contract. We didn't go into detail of exactly what happened, but he was simply relieved that Amelia was returned safe and sound, but Kessler had suggested that caravans would now be wary when approaching Covenant. I did pull her to one side and explained those in Covenant were suffering PTSD from synth attacks. Kessler seemed to understand the situation.

Piper paid for a room at the Dugout Inn for Haylen and Curie upon our return to Diamond City. As soon as we returned to her place, she packed her sister up to spend a night or two at a friend's place. Door locked to prevent any interruptions, we practically fucked there, right on the floor a few paces from the door. On my back, all she did was grab the base of my cock, slide it inside her, then just… rode me. No idea how long for. All I know is that she didn't stop, despite the fact she was glistening with sweat, the fact she was obviously exhausted, despite the fact she had enjoyed a number of orgasms.

We only moved as my back started to ache, Piper grabbing my hand and dragging me to her bed, again onto my back so she could simply resume what she was doing. The look in her eyes, as she gazed into mine… each kiss… my hands running up and down her body… the noises she made… I eventually had to grab and just flip her onto her back and finish again myself, as she might have been capable of going on and on, but I was beginning to ache in a certain part which was vital to both our enjoyment.

Lying back, each with a cigarette in hand, I had to ask, "Okay, what was all that about? Not complaining, definitely enjoyed every second, just call me curious."

"I wanted you to myself," she stated rather simply.

"That's the only reason?"

"Blue, what you did… how you managed to negotiate… none of us could have done that. She was fucking insane. They all were. But you still managed to bring her out alive."

"Any doubt about her being a synth?"

"Honestly, yes. But the test they have concocted, as you said, leaves too much doubt. And while I know synths do look, sound and act like us, the chances that one innocent person may be killed because their test in incorrect is one too many. Yes, we're at war with the Institute, or so it seems, but innocent people don't need to die. Enough are dying already because of what the Institute are doing. People trying to stop them don't need to add to the toll. We'll win eventually."

"You sound confident. Think it'll be led by the Minutemen?"

"Once you have the Commonwealth safe and sound, the people will rise up at your side, and the Institute won't know what hit them."

"My side?"

She glanced at me before kissing my cheek, snuggling into my side. "You are just what we needed, Blue." Falling silent for a few seconds, she did ask, "What's the plan now?"

"Graygarden. I'll worry about the Combat Zone later. If Graygarden is a settlement, then I'd rather help them, possibly have them join the Minutemen."

We met up with Haylen at the Dugout Inn the next morning, and I was surprised at the subtle jokes she made about Piper and what she did the previous evening. Piper took it in her stride, then suggested, depending on what happen, she would have my company that night. Haylen's eyes sparkled and she started to blush.

Nick was interested in joining us on the road again, Ellie having no problem greeting me with a kiss in front of all the others. "Weird for you?" Haylen asked Piper.

"No, I obviously know why she likes him."

"I'm just waiting for it to blow up in his face," Nick stated, "So Graygarden, Nate?"

"First Graygarden, as hopefully we'll have another allied settlement if they're after assistance. But having Bunker Hill allied means we now have a foothold where we can start to think about moving south of the river. And if memory serves me, Graygarden is practically west from Bunker Hill, so that means a two-pronged approach."

"Given this some thought, Blue?"

"Of course. Nick, got that map available?" Once he had it laid out, I could point out my idea. "Bunker Hill here, Graygarden is somewhere there, near the old rail line. What I'd like is possibly another settlement, or at least a base in between the two, so we're established on a broad front. After that, it gets tricky. Street fighting is difficult at the best of time, but add to that the city is in ruins, the enemy is likely dug in, we'll be clearing building to building the entire way. Means a lot of people could possibly get hurt."

"But you think it can be done?" Haylen wondered.

"Preston is currently training as we speak, but this is going to take a lot of people. He's spoken of taking back the Castle. We do that, maybe it'll draw more Minutemen out of the woodwork, those that simply drifted away after Quincy, though from what Preston said, it was all falling apart before that. Quincy was the straw that broke the camel's back. But we'll worry about all that later. Right now, let's focus on Graygarden. Message said they needed help, no information as to what yet. Everyone ready to go?"

"Whenever you're ready, Blue."

Our little group was heading out of Diamond City ten minutes later. I always wondered if Haylen or Piper wanted a power armour suit of their own. They were not exactly plentiful but I was sure we could have found a frame and at least a few armour pieces to keep them protected. But they seemed happy enough for me to take the lead in mine. Considering I usually drew all the gunfire, I guess it kept them protected in the long run anyway.

Passing by Cambridge before we headed west, Rhys was outside and stopped us to check up on Haylen. Barely gave me the time of day, flat out glared at Nick, but Haylen was friendly as always, rather excitedly telling him what we'd been up to, though I recognised was rather brief in her descriptions. She was still Brotherhood, but I had a feeling she was feeling split loyalties having seen the good work we were doing.

Graygarden was north of Beantown Brewery, so finding it wasn't particularly difficult. When it turned out to be a farm run by robots, it might have been over two hundred years, but I remembered seeing the report on the news like it was only a few months ago. I immediately thought of Codsworth and wondered if he'd be interested in visiting.

The robots figured out why I was there rather quickly, pointing me in the direction of Supervisor White. Her voice immediately seemed familiar, based on or the actual voice of some actress from before the war. Probably the silver screen, though perhaps she starred on television. But the name didn't come to me. Personality wise, if she'd been an actual woman, I'd have naturally thought I was being hit on, though only because she wanted a favour.

"I remember seeing on the news a report about this place."

"How is that possible, darling?"

"I'm pre-war. I was cryogenically frozen for over two hundred years. Woke up a while ago."

"Well, you look good for over two hundred years old, darling."

Piper cracked up laughing. "Blue's getting hit on by a robot," she whispered to Haylen.

"It's the personality thingamajig inside," I retorted with a sideways glance, "Anyway, we're with the Minutemen and we received a message your farm needed help. What did you need?"

"It's the water, darling. Pressure is down. Radiation is up. It's nothing but toxic nowadays. It's affecting the growth of our plants, and I can't even begin to imagine what it's doing to my skin."

"Uh…"

"Just got with it, Blue," Piper whispered.

"Can you help us, darling?"

"Where do you draw your water from?"

"Most of our water comes from the old Weston plant, south of here. Such an eyesore. Yet it's only recently the water has turned so foul. Something must have gone wrong recently. Your timing is impeccable. And if you can help us, I'm sure this farm can supply your Minutemen with all the food they need."

"You can?"

"Darling, what you see here is but a fraction of what we are capable of producing."

"We'll get right on it then."

"Thank you, darling. I'm sure I can make it worth your while."

Back in my power armour, we'd walked no more than a couple of minutes when Piper and Haylen practically doubled over in laughter. Even Nick had a chuckle at my expense. I smiled behind the helmet but kept on walking, the rest falling into line behind me quickly. Curie then asked, innocently as always, why everyone was laughing, and that just led to even more laughter. I sighed but kept on walking. Considering the lives we all led, it was a moment of humour in an otherwise hard life.

Weston Water Treatment Plant was only an hour's walk away, but as we got closer, Nick's superior eye-sight certainly helped as he called me to a halt still some distance away. Crouching down, not always the easiest thing to do in power armour, he was able to point out at least half a dozen super mutants on patrol outside.

Nick didn't seem overly concerned. Haylen and Piper returned determined faces. Curie wanted to see super mutants up close, perhaps hoping to gather bits and pieces for experimentation. We needed a plan though. How many were there? And what weapons did they have? Had only dealt with super mutants a couple of times. They generally relied on intimidation and strength. They hadn't come across as particularly intelligent.

Approaching closer to the plant, ensuring we stayed low and in cover, ever so cautious, I gestured Curie to come closer. "I need you to be bait," I whispered, "Keep floating down this road and draw their attention. Want to see how many have weapons and what they have at their disposal. If the gunfire is too much, find cover. Understand?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good girl. Okay, the rest of you, we'll get closer and keep watch. Soon as Curie is safe, we get to work."

As Curie floated away, the rest of us walked forward cautiously, keeping to cover. Gunfire erupted quickly, all of us agreeing there were at least half a dozen super mutants outside the plant. But what caused all of us to fall silent was the missile that flew from the roof of the plant. Thankfully, Curie saw it coming and accelerated away, but even Nick said he could feel the heat as the missile exploded, causing a large hole to appear in the road surface.

"Fuck," I muttered. Taking the shotgun from where it was attached to my armour, I looked between my colleagues. "Nick, reckon you could get in and up to the roof without being seen?"

"I can give it a go."

Handing him the shotgun, I nodded. "Get up there, put a couple of shots into his back. We'll keep their attention until you've got him."

Wanting Nick to get in unobserved, I had my rifle in hand as I walked down the road past the plant. Gunfire erupted immediately as I turned and took a few shots at the roof. It at least forced the super mutant to turn away, but more gunfire was soon pinging off my armour. Then, somewhat bizarrely, a couple of them were running straight at me. One was armed with nothing but an enormous wooden… board, the other had a sledgehammer.

Almost smiling to myself, I raised the rifle and put a few bullets in the gut of the first, forcing him to a halt, a final bullet in his head, before doing the same to the second mutant. That just seemed to piss off the rest, and after another short burst at the mutant on the roof, I hurried into cover of the lone outbuilding.

Piper and Haylen had moved, glancing their way and gesturing. Then I heard more gunfire, looking around the other side of the building to see Curie was busy attacking one of the other mutants. The mutant on the roof obviously wouldn't want to shoot his own so couldn't fire.

Gesturing to Haylen, she took my place, telling her to keep firing at the mutant on the roof so I could move forward. Piper was somewhere off to my right in cover, but I knew I'd take most of the attention. Curie was ahead and to my left, having killed one of the mutants, so by my calculations, that left three more.

The mutants did like to yell out a bunch of stupid threats not worth repeating, and I didn't find them particularly intimidating, though perhaps I'd think differently if I wasn't in power armour. Certainly looked tough, and it did take more than a few bullets to bring them down. But I'd been wondering since first seeing one just what the hell they were. Considering all that I'd learned of the world since waking up, I wouldn't be surprised if they were the result of some sort of experiment.

Despite all the gunfire, a blast from a shotgun is a distinctive noise in itself. Hearing it, I looked just in time to see a mutant falling from the roof above. Not having to worry about being blasted from my feet by a missile, killing the rest of the mutants wasn't particularly difficult, surprised at the substandard weaponry they were using. Further proof they relied on their size, strength and fear factor, as except for the mutant up top with the launcher, the others wielded nothing but pipe weaponry.

In other words, crap.

Making sure all the mutants were dead, we made for the doors leading into the factory. Asking the others to wait, I found the ladder leading up to the roof, finding Nick still up there. Aside from the missile launcher itself, there was a pile of missiles and other ammunition for the taking. I told Nick we'd sort it all out once we'd got the plant fixed up.

It was inside, while we drained the water and worked on getting the pumps restarted that I saw mirelurks for the first time. Basically, they were enormous mutated crabs, and the first thing I wondered was if they tasted good if killed.

"Their meat is probably considered a delicacy, Blue," Piper said, "Mostly because killing mirelurks isn't easy for most people."

"So if we killed these, I could get in touch with Sanctuary and have them send people here to take the meat?"

"If that's what you wanted."

"Let's get this sorted. So what's the best way to kill a mirelurk?" Nick handed the shotgun back to me. "Ah, let it get close and start blasting. Fair enough."

"We'll help where we can, Blue."

The place was infested with mirelurks. Thankfully most of the steel walkways were in ruins. It meant walking around single file, but the mirelurks couldn't flank us, at least. Nick offered to watch our backs. No point sneaking around, letting the mirelurks come towards me. Once they were in range, they took a blast or two at the body, making sure I avoided what looked like a rather hard shell to crack.

We had to stop at four stations along the way to drain the water before we could get the pumps working. Each time we drained further, more mirelurks appeared. Again, no point trying to sneak by them, asking the others to take pot shots at them so they'd be drawn in my direction. Once they were close enough, a couple of blasts at their face usually did the trick. One or two managed to scratch my armour but they were never going to actually get through the thick steel.

Working our way down into the bowels of the plant, when we finally had drained away most of the water, flicking the switch to get the pump working was actually quite easy. Hearing the old machinery start up without so much as a hiccup was a surprise, Nick reading over some old dials to suggest that water should be flowing to surrounding settlements, so that was something, at least.

Before leaving, I had us all head to the roof to collect the supplies left up there. I could carry the missile launcher without a problem, and though thankful for a few missiles, we needed more than a couple of duffle bags to carry them around. Cartridges of ammunition joined them, carefully lowering it all to the ground before I stepped back into my armour and we began the short walk back to Graygarden.

Piper later joked that if Supervisor White had been a flesh and blood woman, I would have been spending the night there in lieu of payment for completing the job. But with a job done right, and clean water now flowing into the settlement, I offered the farm the protection of the Minutemen, White assured us that food would soon be growing at a rapid rate and that shipments could start being sent out as soon as the first crop was ready.

"Would you like us to provide protection?" I wondered.

"We've generally been left alone by raiders, darling, but I would assume the more crops we start to grow, the more attention we might receive. And our luck won't last forever."

"I'll have a small squad of Minutemen sent here as soon as possible. I'll make sure they're rotated through constantly so you get used to different people."

"Thank you, darling." She then gestured with one of her arms. "Would you care for some fresh mutfruit to take with you?"

Those of us capable of eating definitely took a couple and, with a last round of farewells, and more profuse thanks, we headed back to the main road heading north and south. Before we moved on, I knew I'd need to get in touch with Sanctuary as I needed to get rid of some of the supplies. Then Piper suggested why don't we all just head north, take stock of our situation, then decide on what to do next. It was a good idea, but we would never make it back to Sanctuary.

There was a house across the old railroad. Looked abandoned, and if memory served me correctly, it likely belonged to the man and family from which the farm took its name. The door was open as always, walking inside to find two hundred years of wear and tear, but it was in better shape than I expected. Finding a couple of rooms upstairs with beds, that was our accommodation sorted for the evening.

The radio was still in working condition, able to get Diamond City Radio playing. The couch and chairs were relatively clean, so our little group could sit back and relax. There was no power, but we found some candles to provide some light, and it was a rather comfortable night, sipping at some whiskey, tunes on the radio, some polite conversation, mostly discussing what loomed on the horizon for us.

Aware that we had to leave early, Nick said he would stay up with Curie, allowing Piper, Haylen and I to get some shut eye. We ended up sharing the same double bed together, but clothing remained on as we needed to get some sleep, but that didn't stop us talking quietly for a little longer before drifting off.

Leaving not long after sunrise the next morning, we took the offer of some more fruit before starting our walk north. We kept on walking until the Red Rocket came into view, making better time than I anticipated, I guess all of us eager to make it back to Sanctuary. Preston was there to meet us at the checkpoint now set up on near side of the bridge.

Once I was out of power armour, I showed him and some others what we'd recently gathered. The missile launcher and missiles would be kept for when we eventually made the move to take back the Castle. Preston wasn't around when the Castle had been taken, but it must have been something big to force the Minutemen to abandon it.

Gathering around the map, I put a couple of other pieces in place to show the expansion of our influence and our borders. Preston wasn't aware of everything, so I did need to explain.

"Covenant is with us but… it's awkward. Long story, Preston, and not one I particularly want to share in great detail. But Covenant do accept assistance, but it's Bunker Hill that is the major gain."

"You got Kessler to agree?"

"You know her?"

"Yeah. Never met her, but I knew she blamed us for all their problems." He paused before shrugging. "Guess I can't really blame her. Our collapse certainly left major settlements like Bunker Hill exposed."

Trailing a finger between Graygarden and Bunker Hill, I continued. "I'd like to at least have a base somewhere here in Cambridge. It's a big gap there that raiders and whoever else could still move through. There are two option that come to mind. You've got a cathedral here, and a hospital here."

"Good places to get medical supplies, if it hasn't been completely ransacked," Haylen added.

"Already thinking that but that's a good point." I looked at Preston. "How is Mystic Pines coming along?"

"We should have settlers in place by the end of the month."

"Good. And I want patrols through Lexington as soon as the settlers are in place. The area is clear for now, but we don't want anyone or anything getting ideas." Gesturing east, I added, "So east from Covenant, we have a lot of land here that is possibly being used for farming. One thing I'd like our scouts to do going forward is make contact with any farms or settlements that might be willing to work with us. We've visited Vault 75 here, but I think clearing Malden will be a good idea to ensure supply lines are secure."

"And south?" Preston asked.

"First, Tenpines Bluff here, Covenant far to the south here. Starlight is here to watch the only real road heading east-west, but those old tracks could be perfect for groups to use to get about. Bedford Station is here. Heard rumours it's full of ghouls. Send a large contingent there, those that have undergone some training and would feel confident in the face of the enemy."

Preston looked away in thought. "I can think of half a dozen ready to head out immediately."

"Good. Put them on rotation between our two new settlements, Mystic and Graygarden."

"How long are you staying?"

I glanced at my colleagues before replying. "We'll probably head south tomorrow. Might be time to start exploring the ruins."

"Scouts have started getting relay towers started, so it's possible the signal will now cross towards Diamond City."

"Good. I'll keep it tuned for any news."

We discussed the situation at the other farms before we retired for the evening. It was as night was fading that I stood outside my old house, deep in thought, mostly of memories from two centuries ago. Piper joined at my side, wrapping an arm around my waist. "You're thinking, Blue."

"We've rebuilt it, best as we can anyway. I'm just wondering… leaving it empty seems a little pointless, right? My wife is buried in the backyard. No point keeping this a mausoleum to a life lost. Besides, I'm not sure where my future lies. Is it here? Diamond City? Somewhere else? But there seems little sense in not using it, making it a home for people."

Taking her hand, we walked inside. Sturges and others had managed to hook up some lights in most of the houses, and they'd managed to provide a few bulbs for my house. While there were signs of decay, like every other house, Codsworth had managed to keep the place somewhat clean over the centuries. The old bedroom still had the bed and I'd made the bed no long after waking up. The fridge was even working, where we kept a few things cold.

"You miss her?"

"I'll always miss her, Piper. But the pain of losing her has almost disappeared. Keeping busy has helped. And I've made some new friends along the way, which has helped."

"Anyone you think you could be more than friends with?"

I gently pulled her in front of me so she could see my eyes. "Piper, I think it's obvious the attraction and affection we share. But the women I intended…" I trailed off and sighed. "There's no way I can think of putting the words properly, so I'll be blunt and hope you understand. I enjoy your company, whether it be on the road or in the bedroom. Hope it continues for many years to come. But part of me doesn't want to settle down again, and I don't think I'll have the chance. What we're doing here with the Minutemen…"

"Blue, all I want is to be part of your life. You want to share your life with others, I'm not going to complain."

"You sure?"

The smile was immediate and broad. "We've been honest with each other from the start, have we not? Blue, what you've already done for so many people... what we've seen and done already… I want to be part of whatever comes, and I don't care for a second if I'm not the only one by your side. Can't do it to Haylen anyway. She's far too cute."

"She's not the only one."

"I know, Blue, and I don't care. What I do hope is that perhaps you do eventually make your home in Diamond City, though if you make it somewhere else that's safe, warm and dry, then maybe I'll have reason to leave those green walls."

"Okay."

We sealed the agreement with a kiss before heading back outside to join the others. Sanctuary was quite the busy little settlement now. Nearly any large, clear patch of land was now being used to grow crops. The engineers had managed to get some very basic irrigation going but it was nothing like it was pre-war. I doubted that it would be a long time before civilisation got near those levels. I'd be long dead by that time, and that's if it ever happened.

The next morning, gathered around the table with Sturges and Preston as usual, I had a sudden moment of inspiration. Grabbing the missile launcher, I grabbed Sturges and walked him towards my power armour. "Right, this is the idea I've just had. I want to take this missile launcher with me. Can you build an attachment so it can rest on my shoulder at all times, and build a mechanism where I can hold a few missiles in addition to those already loaded?"

Sturges answered within a couple of minutes that it would be possible but it would take a couple of days for him to put together plans, build it, then test it. I said that was absolutely fine. That left me time to look over the recruits. I'd discussed with Preston a training plan for those who were serious about serving full-time. I knew I couldn't put together the same training regime I'd endured. The diet wasn't good enough. But they needed to be trained in the basics of being a soldier. They needed discipline. Loyalty. The ability to shoot a gun and generally not missing their target.

It was while watching the recruits be put through their paces that I changed my idea. Boston south of the river could wait for the moment. Watching the training had me thinking of the training yard further east. I knew there was an armoury there, and unless someone had managed to break into it, I knew it was going to be an absolute treasure trove of goodies we could use. And considering the steps the Minutemen might be about to take, ensuring we had good weaponry was a must.

Discussing the idea with Preston, he thought it was a good idea, then wondered if retaking the Castle soon would be feasible. Looking at the map, the Castle was a distance from both Diamond City and Bunker Hill, and I was worried about keeping it supplied.

"There's an armoury there. Should still be stocked."

I looked at the map. "Okay, coming through east is just a bad idea. We simply don't know what is south over the river. I'm aware Goodneighbor is there, but that's about it. However, Diamond City is possible. We head south until we arrive here, the old railroad. There was a rationing site there, likely long abandoned by now. There's an old expressway we can follow. There's another highway heading north-south. East of that is the old Gwinnett Brewery." I met his eyes and smirked. "Might be able to get the old brewery up and running, keep our boys and girls plied with booze, at least. When do you think they'd be ready?"

"A few more weeks yet. And I'm sure you'd like more numbers."

"True. But if we take back the Castle, surely Minutemen will appear from out of hiding. I don't blame them for melting away after everything."

"It fell apart before Quincy. That was just the final nail. But if there are some old hands still out there willing to pick up a weapon again."

"What we're going to need is some sort of official mission statement, a list of ideals that we will strive for. Every man and woman in uniform will sign it and will endeavour to not only meet but exceed those ideals. I hated officialdom as much as the next soldier, but I can see the reason behind it. The rule of law must apply to both civilian and military."

Preston met my eyes. "You thinking of some sort of governance?"

"Why not? You talk about rebuilding the Commonwealth. What we're going to need is at least some sort of government. At the moment, apart from Diamond City, which does have a mayor, it seems anarchy reigns. People need leadership. Maybe the Minutemen offer it, taking charge temporarily, then hand over to a civilian government once peace is assured and things are looking better."

He grinned. "You do a lot of thinking walking about, don't you?"

"Hard not to. But I remember the failings before the bombs. Our government made some awful decisions from time to time. Guess it will help that our sole focus will be the Commonwealth. Might be a little easier for whoever is in charge."

"What about the Minutemen?"

"I would suggest we become a professional army once a civilian administration is in place. Diamond City had a security force. I would suggest that be expanded, while any professional army starts focusing on external threats, while also helping maintain order inside the Commonwealth." I cleared my throat. "I'm just spitballing here, Preston. Just throwing out whatever is on my mind and wondering if it might work. But first, the training yard here. Then we'll see what happens after that."

Piper had heard much of what I had to suggest and I think it put her in a rather good mood. Or that's what I thought that night when she took me by the hand into my old house and bedroom, to find the bed with new sheets, candles on dotted around the room to provide light, shutting the door and removing her shirt and trousers without a word. All I could do was smile to start.

"So…" I said.

She perched herself on my lap, knee to either side of me, my hands immediately caressing her back as she kissed me. Always enjoyed the feeling of her skin at my fingertips. Made out for a little while before she leaned back just enough to meet my eyes. "Just who the Commonwealth needed," she whispered.

"Just one man, Piper."

"Sometimes that's all it takes." She kissed me softly again before she added quietly, "And you're just what I needed." Waiting for her to elaborate, her fingers found my face, running down my cheek. "You've seen what the Commonwealth has had to throw at us. The reason I started the paper was to shine a light on the injustice of everything. Now you're here providing it, in one form or another. What I'm going to do going forward is make sure everyone knows what you're doing."

"So you're a believer?"

"I am in you, Blue."

Rolling her onto her back, I undressed before I did exactly what she wanted from me, and I did what I always enjoyed doing to her. Hearing her moan my name as my mouth was busy between her legs always made me grin. It was perhaps the only time she called me 'Nate' instead of 'Blue'. I took my time, something she always enjoyed, though as soon as I made her cum, she suggested she had dragged me into the bedroom for something else that we both wanted perhaps a little bit more.

Inside her once again rather quickly, it was perhaps rather slow and tender, at least to start with. Her hands never left my body. Our mouths only parted when we needed to breathe or whisper something to one another. Her eyes were full of desire, lust, and another emotion I'd seen slowly creep into her gaze with each passing time we made love.

Didn't last too long that first time, turned on far more than even I realised. That just gave her an excuse to change position into something we liked a little more, and watching Miss Wright ride me by candlelight would definitely live long in the memory. She teased herself at times, riding me faster and faster, almost climaxing, before slowing down, returning a cheeky grin.

"You're going to pass out, cry, or both when it hits," I chuckled.

"I know, but it'll be worth it."

She did it a couple more times before she finally couldn't hold back, almost slamming herself down on my cock while also grinding herself to orgasm. Once it hit, the cry she released would have been heard across Sanctuary, following by a long list of impressive expletives, before she just needed to rest on my chest, feeling her breathing deeply, starting to giggle a few seconds later.

"Holy shit…"

"Well, that's enough to put a smile on a man's face then send him to sleep."

"Need to cum again?"

"Well, yeah…"

She lifted her head and grinned. "Well, just grab my arse firmly and fuck me then." I raised my eyebrows in slight surprise, the grin simply broadening. "Oh please, like you don't know I love it when you fuck me like that."

So I did as she asked, came again a few minutes later, and we both lay back in silence, breathing deeply. Caressing her back, all she did was snuggle against me, before she did finally get up, disappearing for a minute and returning with some water. Sitting back against the headboard, we enjoyed a post-coitus cigarette and a drink of water.

"Yep, definitely made the right choice," she said. I looked at her, perplexed as she took a drag on her cigarette. Looking at me, she simply grinned. "About you, Blue. Right choice. Definitely."

"The sex helped make up your mind, did it?"

"Well, my mind was made up beforehand. But what you do to me sometimes…"

She cuddled into me once we'd finished our cigarette. "Sex and then a smoke afterwards. Can't beat it."

"With the wife, Blue?"

"Every damned time." I gave her a squeeze. "You're okay talking about her?"

"You have a history, Blue. Much as I do. But while I've had the occasional lover and relationship, you were married, and if not for the bombs, no doubt would have enjoyed life with her. And the reason I can mention her is that you never compare us. In fact, Haylen suggests you rarely talk about anyone else when together."

"Well, I'm with you at the moment, so my attention is all about you. My wife was unique, as much as you are. Perhaps a subtle reminder here and there regarding personality, but that's about it."

"All I know is why she married you, Blue."

"She made me want to be a better man. Now I have the company of other women who keep that idea going." I paused before adding, "I know I haven't always lived up to…"

Piper squeezed me tightly immediately. "You've only done what needed doing, Blue."

"Trying to do the right thing. Just wonder if I cross the line sometimes."

"If you mean with what you do the occasional raider, then no. Absolutely no."

I kissed her forehead. "Thanks."

Snuggling into my side, I couldn't help grin at how comfortable I'd felt with her from the first time we'd been intimate. I had that feeling with one or two other lovers, but Piper… I really liked her. She was a reminder, at times, but I didn't like her because of that. Intelligent. Beautiful. And she had a heart. What wasn't there to like?

She was asleep before me like usual. Kissing her forehead again, I made her a quiet promise, one she probably wouldn't have heard, as I rarely made such statements, before I settled down and drifted off myself.