The Cure For Curie (Complete!)

In the Dawn of Love

"Lydia, guard this door. Let none enter." Lilelle ordered. The vigilant warrior nodded as she took position, her steel sword at the ready.

Cosnach opened the back door into the temple and peeked inside. He nodded that it was clear as he pushed into the basement. As the three moved in, Lilelle held up her fist, halting them. She listened to the sounds upstairs. All seemed quiet, no footsteps, no voices. She waved them onward.

They crept up the stairs silently, making their way to the temple hall. She peeked around the corner, checking for the parishioners. The temple was completely empty, unnerving Lilelle. This all seemed too convenient. She pushed onward just the same, trap or not, their goal was unchanged.

"Cosnach, take position at the front door while we search the other room." She asked. As Cosnach moved toward the door, Lilelle put her hand on his, stopping him. She squeezed his hand and whispered her love for him before letting him go.

John and Lilelle rounded the corner across the grand room and stopped in front of the door. Through the crack, he could see her. She sat at a small table, brushing her black hair. It seemed so peaceful. He could almost picture himself entering the room behind her, catching her by surprise. The giggle of joy as he slipped his arms around her. The smell of her soft skin as he nuzzled into her neck. Soon, he thought.

Lilelle readied her arrow and took aim from the doorway. The dragon bone tip glowed blue as lighting arched on its edge. He trusted this woman, the dragonborn, that her aim would be true. He closed his eyes as she loosed her arrow toward the woman.

He dared to open his eyes when he heard the thunk of the bolt sink into Curie's shoulder. The electric shock of the lightning causing her to shiver and shake. She fell to the floor in a heap as bottles crashed down around her.

"Now John!" Valentine shouted from his wrist, pushing John into action.

The Sole Survivor burst into the room and ran to Curie sprawled out on the floor. He knelt down beside her and pulled the plug from the PipBoy. Gently, he rolled her over with his elbow and jammed the plug into the back of her neck.

Synthetic blood oozed around the wound as he punctured the skin with the tip of the connector. She twitched at the intrusion but remained unconscious.

"Alright, I'm in." Nick announced. "Oh boy is it a mess in here. Those priests really did a number on her."

"Is she going to be okay?" John asked, worried.

"Oh yes. She's gonna be just fine. Don't you worry about all that. I'm getting all that nasty code out now. She'll be right as rain soon. Probably won't have anymore magic though."

"I don't think she will mind once she is her old self again. Do whatever you need to bring her back."

"Gotcha." He replied as his eye nodded. "Alright, kid. Done and done."

John pulled the plug from Curie's neck and sat back on the floor, waiting. He watched as her fingers twitched and her insides beeped and whirred. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked around frantically. Her gaze finally settling on John. He held his breath as she studied his face. She reached her hand up and caressed his cheek. Pain bloomed in his face as she slapped him.

He reached his hand up to soothe the blow, his spirit withered. Curie stood up from the ground and pulled John up by the collar.

"How dare you!" She shouted. "How dare you leave me like that, with barely a word. Don't you ever do anything like that again."

He smiled as he pulled her close, squeezed her body. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing his neck, his cheeks, his lips. They swam in their long awaited embrace, holding each other. The passion between their lips stole his breath away, threatened to end him on the spot. A knock on the door halted their reunion.

"I don't mean to be that guy, but we need to think about getting out of here. Morning is coming and there is going to be a mob of pissed off people that are going to be pretty sour about their goddess being gone." Lilelle said as she motioned for the pair to exit.

"We will catch up later, yes?" Curie asked with a smirk.

"Yes indeed." John answered as he lead her from the room.

They made their way back through the sewers and out into the wilderness outside of Riften. Brynjolf and Shaun waited near the lake and the sewer's exit. Shaun bolted toward Curie before she could even get all the way out of the water.

"Mother!" He shouted as he ran to hug her. "You've come back to us?"

"Yes. I think I have." She smiled.

"Can we go home now? Back to Castle and the Commonwealth?"

"I'm not sure that's possible." John said as he put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"It might be, my love." Curie said

"We can figure this out later. Right now we need to get out of here." Lilelle warned as she mounted one of the horses.

"Can you take us to Morvunskar?" Curie asked.

"Why would you need to go there?" Lilelle looked concerned. "There's an Oblivion gate there to Sanguine's domain."

"No. There's a doorway home."