(A/N): Trying to ease back into this whole writing thing. Not convinced this isn't awful, but we have to start somewhere. Spoilers for a game that's been out almost three years, because I'm a monster.

Nora stared down at her plate, picking unconsciously at her cuticle as she studied the suspect pieces of meat. Her stomach growled, a reminder that she hadn't eaten since breakfast, but her mind kept replaying the memory of her own face, screaming as she banged against the cryo pod door, and the thought of reaching for her cutlery made her gorge rise.

She startled when Nick spoke from across the table. "I'll admit it's been a while, but I recall this whole 'eating' thing worked a lot better when you managed to get the food from the plate to your mouth." She glanced up to find the synth's golden eyes fixed on her. "You okay?"

She flashed him a tired smile. "Yeah, sorry. Just...going off on tangents. In my head."

"You have to eat something, Nora," he said gently.

"We're not talking about this," she said. "Not – now. I can't."

Nick studied her expression before he nodded and sat back in his chair. "All right. So – tangents. Care to elaborate?"

"Well," she said, picking up her fork and pushing a lump of meat across her plate, "let's start with the obvious. What exactly is this? It's the wrong texture for brahmin and it doesn't smell like radstag, so..."

"If it's being served at the Third Rail, it's probably best not to ask."

"You're not helping my appetite," she muttered, giving the food one last poke before setting her fork down.

"Not sure there's much around here that will," Nick said. "I wouldn't know."

"Oh – I'm sorry, Nick. I keep forgetting."

"Not the angle I was going for, but still – that's an impressive feat, with a mug like mine."

Nora shook her head. "No, I mean – I think of you as a person. H-human." She faltered on the last word as her eyes met his, his irises glowing in the dim lighting of the bar. She saw him mark the fumble, rushed to smooth it over. "You're just – Nick. It's easy to forget the rest."

He offered her a wry smile. "I appreciate the thought."

She hesitated. "You...don't think of yourself that way?"

His gaze dropped to the metal skeleton of his right hand. "Hard to, when you look like this – when you've got memories of a life that's not yours hard-coded into your brain. Don't get me wrong," he said, glancing up to meet her gaze again. "I'll always be grateful the Institute didn't just wipe me before dumping me in the garbage, but everything I am today I owe to a man two hundred years dead."

She had the urge to reach across the table and lay her hand over his, but wasn't sure he'd appreciate the gesture. "How'd you do it, Nick?" she asked instead. "How'd you wake up like that and just...keep going?"

He looked at her thoughtfully, considering. "You're not gonna like the answer."

She propped her chin in her hand. "Try me."

"Time," he said. "A lot of it. Coupled with the kindness of strangers." He watched her expression dim before he sighed. "Aw hell, sweetheart, I wish I could tell you you'll wake up one morning and this brave new world of ours will suddenly make sense, but I make it a point never to lie to a lady."

"I appreciate the honesty, I suppose," she said, smiling thinly.

Nick shifted in his seat before he cleared his throat. "That's a bad habit for a lawyer to have," he said, nodding at where she was still picking at her cuticle. "I imagine that'd be one heck of a tell in the courtroom."

Nora stared at him blankly before the statement clicked into place in her mind. "Oh, no, I – didn't practice as a criminal attorney." She forced her hands to stillness before folding them in her lap. "I specialized in commercial law. Businesses, corporations – that sort of thing. Not much need for that these days."

"There will be, someday," Nick said, gaze tracking something behind her. "But we were talking about your tangents, before we got off onto one of our own."

She squeezed out a laugh. "I don't even remember. But I'm pretty sure it boiled down to this looks disgusting and there's no way I'm eating it." She pushed the plate to one side, the lip rasping against the table's peeling surface.

"That's too bad," Nick said, refocusing his attention on her. "Not only are you gonna break poor Charlie's heart –" She bit back a grin, glancing over at the robot hovering behind the bar. "– but a solid chunk of your funds just walked out the door. Be a shame to waste what's left."

Nora's features tugged into a frown before she glanced over her shoulder in time to catch the back of a familiar duster disappearing up the stairs. She turned back to the detective with a sigh. "You're still upset about that?" He only looked at her. "You vouched for him!" she said defensively.

"I vouched for his reputation," Nick corrected. "From what I hear, the kid can pick the helmet off one of our giant green friends from three hundred yards away. He's a damn fine gun to have at your back."

"But?" Nora prompted, pursing her lips.

"But what happens when the contract runs out? Shifting loyalties are part of a merc's job description. Not to mention it appeared our young friend's in some sort of trouble with the Gunners, and they're not a group you want to be on the wrong side of."

She didn't have any rebuttals, and they both knew it. She cut her gaze to the side, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I can't go up against the Institute on my own, Nick," she said, voice small.

His expression gentled. "No one was asking you to." When she wouldn't meet his eyes, he sighed and adjusted the angle of his hat with his thumb. "Piper's not gonna like this," he muttered.

"Piper has a little sister to look after," she shot back, glaring at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. "If she got hurt because she was out here trying to help me –" Her throat closed up, and she had to take several deep breaths before she could continue. "I can't – I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

The crooning of the bar's singer pooled in the silence between them.

"All right, Nora," Nick said, relenting with a sigh. "I'm not trying to make your life any harder than it already is. If you're set on this, then that's how we'll play it. I'll think of something to tell Piper, and you – go do what you have to do."

Nora bit her lip as she fought down a sudden, unexpected surge of tears. "You're too damn decent for your own good, you know that, Nick?" she said, voice wavering.

He smiled. "Don't go sharing it around – I've got a reputation to maintain."

She managed a laugh as she brushed the moisture out of her eyes, blinking rapidly and staring at the ceiling until she'd regained her composure.

"Thank you," she said, reaching over and taking his hand in hers. "For everything. I'll come find you before I'm ready to head out into the Glowing Sea."

He gave her fingers a squeeze. "I'll look forward to it."

"Never let it be said I don't know how to show a fella a good time," she said with a rueful grin.

"It'll certainly be unforgettable," Nick agreed. He canted his head toward the stairs. "You ready to get out of here?"

She shot a last glance at the mess congealing on her plate before she fixed him with a crooked smile. "Lead the way."