The Cure For Curie (Complete!)

Sanctuary

The ride to Morvunskar was rough. They rode the horses hard and only rested when it was too dark to ride. Lilelle worried what the aftermath in Riften was going to be like, but she tried to brush it from her mind. She was focused only on getting this family back home safely.

Curie had explained that they could rework the Oblivion gate to send them back to the proper time period. Since the three already existed there, they would need to go back after Curie had locked themselves inside Vault 81. She had explained that that was the only way they would be able to exist in their world again.

None of it made sense to the Dragonborn but she didn't care. If they believed that this would work, she would have to trust them. She hoped that the old ruins would still be clear of mages from her last visit. She couldn't wait for this whole ordeal to be over.

It would be months of diplomatic talks to smooth over the events in Riften. She smiled at the thought. Such a boring affair, a beautifully, dreadfully boring affair. Lilelle almost couldn't wait to be surrounded by such mundane posturing. She finished her daydreaming as the came to a halt in front of the old fort.

"Well, no one is throwing fireballs at us. That's promising." Cosnach joked.

"Or ice." Lilelle added with a smile. "Let's head in."

Cosnach and Brynjolf took positions outside of the front gate to make sure the group was not disturbed. Lydia, armed with a hunting bow, moved to climb up to the tower. Lilelle lead the little family through the main entrance.

"This way. It's not far." She said as she held the door.

She lead them through the corridors, her bow at the ready. They stepped over corpses, and skirted shimmering piles of ash as they made their way deeper into the ruins.

"Friends of yours?" John asked as he hopped over a black robed figure.

"You could say that." Lilelle replied. "Come, it's just up these stairs."

She pointed up the tall staircase, and up to the gate at its peak. The glowing blue portal hummed with life and John could hear a lute playing in the distance. As they climbed the steps he could see revelers inside the portal, drinking and dancing. A monster of a man seemed to be hosting one the oddest parties he had ever seen.

"Sanguine." Lilelle answered his unspoken question. "He's a real hoot, that's for sure."

"You know this creature?" Curie asked.

"Oh yes, met him at a tavern once. Had me betrothed to a hagraven. Good night." She smiled at the memory.

"Hagraven?" John asked.

"It's a long story." She turned to Curie.  "So you can make this thing take you home?"

"Not me. John can."

"What do you mean?" John asked.

"Diagnostics have shown me some amazing things. My readings prove without a doubt, that you have the necessary power to accomplish the task."

"But. How?" He asked incredulous. "I can barely control my power now. How am I supposed to make this portal take us back to the Commonwealth."

"Trust yourself." She smiled as she put her hand to his cheek. "Focus your mind, picture where you want to go. Say it over and over in your thoughts and the magic you hold will accomplish the rest."

"You're sure?" He asked, his voice shaking.

"Yes."

John took a deep breath to steel himself for the task. He was worried what would happen if he used his power. He didn't want to hurt anyone, he just wanted to go home. It had been far to long.

He had been trapped inside his own body for centuries as a feral ghoul. Watching Curie spiral into her crippling depression inside the vault. Wanting to hold her, comfort her, but unable to do anything. His primal instincts controlling his body, as his mind was left tortured.

He had been locked in that cage as the priests came in. Their good intentions quickly twisted by corruption and greed. The experiments they had performed to her and to him, to wake their sleeping goddess.

Then the poison kiss of death had turned him off to the world for an untold amount of time. Ripped from the embrace of death by the necromancers and thrust into the world of the living once more. Uncaged and undead, he rose from the grave with magic he couldn't even begin to understand. He could at least admit that without those evil sorcerers, he would have never been reunited with Curie. They served their purpose.

After all this time apart, he just wanted to enjoy her. Wanted to hold her, lay with her for days. He worried about going back to the Commonwealth. What kind of state would it be in? Had it finally found peace or would he be throwing them back into war and death? He couldn't take anymore fighting.

They didn't belong here, though. They were from a different time, a different place. Curie's new found lucidity would have trouble adjusting to the vast differences here. They would be happier at home, back with their friends. He couldn't wait to see Preston or Piper or Danse. He knew Shaun was looking forward to seeing Dogmeat again.

Another deep breath, he said to himself. He focused now. He forced out all other thoughts and kept just one dangling in his mind. Sanctuary. He wanted to go home. His home would be there. Sanctuary. From there they could find the others, rebuild Castle, and clean up the mess from the war with the Brotherhood of Steel. Sanctuary. It was a perfect place to go.

"John." Curie whispered as he opened his eyes.

He looked through the blue portal, shocked at what he saw on the otherside. The black sky. The dead trees. The wood shacks. The mooing of brahmin. Sanctuary.

He grabbed Curie's hand and smiled. She kissed his cheek and reached out for Shaun. Valentine's eye blinked and bobbed happily. Together they stepped through the portal toward home. Home to Sanctuary. As they stepped onto the damp ground, a weight lifted from his shoulders. He couldn't wait to see his friends. He looked around the village for any familiar face.

"Wait." John said. "This. This is not the Commonwealth."

"Hello, my friend." A voice behind them greeted.

John spun around to meet the face of an ancient man drowning in blue robes and beard hair. He waved his cane as he shambled toward them.

"What?" John asked.

"Hello, my friend. Stay awhile and listen."

                                -----
                            The End
[Author's Note: I would just like to say, that I know this story took way longer to write than it should have. My life is hectic and doesn't afford me a whole lot of time for hobbies. I wanted to take a moment to thank all those readers that stuck with me through it all. You're the real MVPs. Thank you to any other soul that gets this far. I hope you enjoyed the ride that we took together. Thank you for sharing this experience with me. Any questions, I'll answer gladly. Feel free to message me about anything you still have questions about.]