The Knight and the Paladin - A series of Oneshots

23 Dreaming

Fresh air. The smell of unknown flowers. The sound of... cars? Where was he? When was he? Danse opened his eyes to this new world. The white clouds above him covered a sunny day. Birds were singing and the wind rustled in rich green trees. The colors around him almost were too bright and hurt his eyes. He looked down at himself. At least he still wore his power armor. Good. With his laser rifle in hand he began to walk into this unknown but still somehow familiar world. It was a mild day and by the masses of flowers it had to be spring. The grass was soft and growing fast under his feet. He walked between several houses. He was amazed by their condition, that none of them were torn away by radiation or decay. Not even his Geiger counter made any sound. He knew there were people around him, but no one tried to approach him. Danse was sure they never saw someone like him before and were afraid.

His walk was uneventful until he came to a house with an open glass door. A woman was sitting outside watching him. He approached her and saw that she was smiling. "Paladin Danse. I didn't think you'd make it to my door.", she said. Confused he just stared at her and she began to laugh. "Maybe you get out of your power armor before you burn out that fusion core? You don't need it here anyway." He swallowed but accepted the offer. While he got out of his armor the woman brought a second chair and water. "Please, sit down and I will answer all your questions." Still not saying a word, Danse sat down and looked at the woman. "Who are you?", he then eventually asked. "Where are my manners... The name's Danielle. You don't know how nice it is to meet you." She looked at him with a sparkle in her eyes.

"How do you know my name?", Danse asked a while later. They both were sipping on their waters and staring into the air in silence. Danielle looked at him and said "Well Paladin, I know a lot about you. Probably all that has to be known. But to explain how would take a while. I could show you, but that would probably destroy you..." Her gaze drifted away for a moment and then she looked back at Danse. "How about I am going to make you something to eat? In my world you don't have to be afraid of getting radiation sickness by eating or drinking things. I'm sure you already noticed this. And you must be starving, right?" To his own surprise Danse nodded. His stomach growled and the woman in front of him laughed again. "Make yourself at home." And with this words she went inside, humming a tune he faintly recognized and then he was alone.

A cat strolled around the corner, her curious eyes fixated on him. He saw her and called out. The cat came closer and sniffed at his out stretched hand. She licked at his fingers and rubbed her head against them while she began to purr. "Aren't you a sweet little cat?", Danse said to the purring cat while he scratched her behind her ears. "Her name is Dizzy. She's now 15 years old and still kicking ass." Danse jumped a little as Danielle said that. She chuckled and Dizzy honked out a tiny meow and now rubbed her body around Danielle's legs. "I didn't think that she'd be this friendly to a complete stranger. Guess she's sensing that you like cats." Again Danse was stunned by the knowledge that woman had about him.

"That smells amazing, what are you cooking?", Danse asked. Danielle motioned him to follow her into the kitchen. On the stove was a pan with sizzling meat in yellow marinating and some kind of vegetables in it. Next to the pan stood a big pot with cooking water which Danielle stirred a little. On the spoon were tiny noodles, looking like rice. "Greek rice, perfect for the dish you'll have in a few minutes." she turned around and opened a door opposite of the stove. It was a small refrigerator where she took out a small white bottle and a red tube. "Cream and tomato paste. Gives the meat a nice sauce with it's flavor." The sizzling stopped after Danielle opened the little bottle and poured in the white liquid. Soon the pan was simmering and the woman in front of Danse poured out the 'Greek rice' into a colander. "Go sit down, I will bring everything.", Danielle ordered. Before Danse could argue she shooed him out of the kitchen and began to rummage for plates and cutlery.

It wasn't easy to come to terms with the thought that Danielle knew so much about Danse. Or that he somehow trusted her. True was that he felt that she wasn't a thread to him and that alone set him at ease. And the fact that he was indeed too hungry to be vigilant. Danielle came out of the kitchen with two steaming plates, one with a very big portion than the other. And of course Danielle set down the big plate in front of Danse. "I hope you like it.", she said before she began to eat. Slowly Danse took his fork into hand and took a bite. This tastes like heaven... he thought and took another bite. His cheeks gained a hint of pink and he felt much better now. It was nice to just sit down and not to worry about a lot of things all the time. Which worried him. How was this woman doing this? Why did he feel so darn safe around her. He just knew her for two hours...

After finishing their meal Danse got tired real quick. He didn't know what time it was nor what year. "Miss Danielle?", he called out. She was back in the kitchen, cleaning the pan and putting the dirty dishes and cutlery into a machine he never saw before. She had called it a dish washer and even explained how it worked. Of course he listened with much interest. He liked everything technical. "Please, just call me Danielle. What can I do for you Paladin?" Did he really want to know what year it was? "Can... can you tell me what year it is?" He looked away, his body language screaming discomfort with every move he made. "It is the year 2019... in a different universe." Now that got his interest really up and he looked at her. "What?", he then said. His body tensed and he stood as rigid as a wall of bricks.

"It's true. Somehow you managed to fall into my universe and it possibly could be that you are trapped now." Danielle sighed. "Guess I really need to tell you how I came to know you, and why you don't know me." She sat down on the couch and motioned Danse to sit as well. She began to show Danse how the huge black thing in her living room worked, told him that it was a TV and that she could watch real programs, news and all the other stuff. That she could even play with it! Danse was very impressed by that, but his breath got catched in his throat when Danielle started the game she was usually playing. A grown woman who loved to play video games, in which world was that even possible? Danse wondered what came next and as the game was done loading he gasped.

He took a deep breath as he watched himself walking and talking on that TV. If only Kathryn could see that... he thought. God he missed Kathryn... All this troubled him very much. How was this possible? He asked Danielle and all she said was "Different universes." He couldn't believe it. And of course that woman next to him was right. He truly wasn't home anymore. Could he ever get back? He felt how his hands began to shake, how sweat was forming on his forehead, his breathing heavy. "Paladin Danse, are you okay?", Danielle asked while she turned off the TV. The glass door was still open. "I-I'm okay. I j-just need some fresh air." With this words Danse stood up and hurried outside. He ran around the corner of the house and sat down panting. He ran his hands through his hair and tucked at it. It couldn't be! I just couldn't!

Danielle still sat on her couch, staring holes into the air. It had gotten dark outside and it was getting cold. The door was still open when Danse came back. He swallowed as he saw how Danielle looked like. "Danielle?", he gently called her. Startled she looked at him. "You're back.", she whispered. "I thought you'd run away..." Danse chuckled. "Where should I run to? I don't know where I am or where to go. You're the only one who spoke to me as I approached." While stepping inside Danse saw how Danielle was shivering. He closed the door and asked for a blanket. She gave him one and sat back down. To her surprise she got covered in it. "I see that you're cold.", he said while covering her. A gentle hand touched his and Danielle said her thanks. She kept sitting for a little while longer and they talked about the things in Danielle's universe and Danse sucked everything in.

She yawned. "It's late. Maybe we should both get some rest now. If you want you can have the bed. I'll sleep on the couch.", Danielle offered. "Not necessary. I will take the couch. I'm a guest here, and it's more than I could ask for." Danse smiled at her. "Okay..." She yawned again and stood up. Slowly she walked to the bedroom door next to the couch. "Good night Paladin.", she said. "Call me Danse. Good night Danielle. And thank you.", he answered. Both got ready for an eventful night. She drifted off to sleep easily. She still couldn't believe that he appeared here, right in front of her. That he asked her, in all the world, to help him. A small smile laid on her face as she drifted off into a sweet dream. Danse on the other hand had his problems with falling asleep. But that wasn't new for him anyway. He sighed, cuddled a bit more into the blanket and closed his eyes. Somehow he managed to drift off.

Rumbling and mumbling woke her in the middle of the night. When she got up to look what it was she remembered that a certain man was lying on her couch. She opened the door from her bedroom to see how Danse was thrashing in his sleep. She immediately knew what he was dreaming about and moved closer. She knew she had to bring him back. Danielle knelt down in front of Danse, gently touching his arm with her hand. "Danse wake up, everything's fine." he frowned in his sleep. Then she grabbed both his arms and shook him. "Danse! Wake up!" Nothing. She wanted to swipe away the wet hair on his forehead as his hand shot up and closed around her throat with pressure. Danielle grabbed his hand and tried to free herself but wasn't strong enough. "Danse!", she shouted. "Please... wake up..." her nails dug into his skin. He still kept putting more pressure on her throat. With her last strength she slapped him in the face and he finally shot up. His eyes were unfocused, unseeing of what was happening in front of him. "Danse...", Danielle now choked out. "Come back, you're hurting me." and then his eyes finally saw.

She held her throat while choking on sweet air which filled her lungs. Danse tried to get away from her as far as possible. Danielle still knelt at the place she was kneeling before and her breathing was heavy. Her lungs burned and tears pricked her eyes. "Oh god, I'm so so sorry...", she rasped out. "I totally forgot about that." then she stood up and walked into the kitchen. She came back still on shaking legs but with two big glasses of water. She gave one to Danse and he took it, not looking at her. He felt terrible. She knew not to touch him when he had a nightmare, but still did it anyway. He was angry and felt guilty at the same time. "Are you okay?", asked with a low voice. He looked into a worried face and his anger was washed away. Instead he felt sad now, so so sad. "Honestly? No. I hurt you and you ask me if I'm okay... Shouldn't it be the other way around?" He huffed. A gentle hand reached out for him. First he flinched but then relaxed into the touch. It was somewhat comforting to know that there was someone who knew what was going on, even in such a strange world like this one. At least he didn't feel too alone. "You should get back to sleep.", he said. Danielle cocked her head and looked at him. "you're probably right. But don't worry. You don't have to apologize. It was my want to help you, although I know not to touch someone who has a nightmare, but I still did it. If someone has to ask for forgiveness it's me." She squeezed his arm and went back into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Danse sighed. He didn't sleep much again after that incident. Although the couch was comfortable he couldn't find a way to drift off again. The sun was rising and he got up with it. He walked into the bathroom and took a shower. Danielle showed him everything the day before. "Make yourself at home." she had said. And he tried as best to do so. But also not to wake her. As he got out of the shower he felt much better, even hummed a little melody he had in his mind. He was looking after his power armor and didn't notice Danielle's approach. "I know that song." Danse jumped and stumbled over. But before he fell down Danielle grabbed his arm and pulled him back. She laughed again and it set Danse at ease. He even had to chuckle too while he brushed himself off. "Good morning, Danse. Do you want some coffee?", she then said still smiling. "Good morning, Danielle. That sounds about right, sure.", he greeted back.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee made him stop in looking for his power armor and he went back inside. Danielle had made breakfast. There was toast, eggs, bacon, even marmalade and some sort of chocolaty spread. Two glasses of red juice also stood on the table next to the steaming coffee mugs. His mouth watered at the sight and he sat down. Danielle came back from the kitchen with another staple of fresh made toast and told him to eat as much as he wanted. And she told him that he had to taste the brown spread. Alone it's smell made Danse want to try it. And by God he didn't regret it. It was smooth and the taste was something completely else. A mix he couldn't describe. Danielle told him it was called Nutella, a chocolate-hazelnut spread. What ever that meant. He didn't care that he didn't know. What mattered was that he had the opportunity to try and taste it. It put a smile on his face. The coffee was perfectly delicious and way better than on the Prydwen. Dark and rich with flavor. The juice, he then found out, was a mix between apple and cherry. He didn't know that fruits either, but again was grateful to taste the flavor. It put a sad smile on his face. He missed his friends and even more so he missed Kathryn. He sighed.

"Do you want anything else?", a voice asked and startled him out of his reverie. "Phew, no thank you. I think that was enough.". Danse was holding his stomach with both hands. He ate so much that it formed a bump under his jumpsuit. "If you want we can go and buy some normal looking clothes for you today." Puzzled he looked at Danielle and asked "What do you mean? isn't my jumpsuit normal enough?" She looked at him and chuckled. "Sorry Danse, but no one except you is wearing a jumpsuit. We'll be going by car if you want to know." "What? Really?" his interest was spiked again. He never had the chance to drive in a car and it was one of many wishes he had about the pre-war time. "Kathryn would never believe me if I'd drive in a car..." he hung his head. As fast as the excitement came it faded away. "Are you okay?", Danielle asked again. Danse's eyes glistened. Unshed tears filled them. "I just... uh... I miss her. She's my best friend. She would love to drive in a car. She knows so much about the pre-war world, like she was born in it..." His voice broke. Danse took a deep breath to steady himself. "Guess I will never see her again." Danielle looked at him. "Sounds like you really care about her. I'm sorry."

Later that day they walked up the stairs onto the street. Although it was a small car Danse was amazed by it. "No fusion power? What do you use to fuel it?", he asked with the wonderment of a child. "I will show you.", Danielle answered. And so they first went and bought Danse some new clothes. He looked very good in casual clothing. After that Danielle showed him how to fuel a car and that it was necessary to know which petrol had to go into the car and which not. He looked closely and nodded at everything Danielle told him. His sadness almost forgotten, they went back home again. Dizzy already waited for them and greeted both with her funny meows. Danse was able to pick her up. "Wow, she really must love you. it's an honor that you can lift her while she's outside. Normally she'd try to scratch and bite. And now she's all nice and happy. Hear? She even purrs." Danielle was still amazed that the elderly cat was so friendly to the paladin.

They had a nice dinner and talked about this and that again. Danielle had the feeling that Danse might accept that he was stuck with her for the time being. He even told her some jokes and she laughed. Again she offered Danse the bed and this time he didn't say no. He felt that he owed her that much. She was spending her money on him, her petrol and most importantly, her time. It had only been yesterday that he found her, but he felt close to her already, like a friend which he didn't see for years. It was comfortable to know that he was able to rely on her. He knew that she would never fail him, show him the ropes in this new world. And maybe he would be able to calm down that horrendous sadness he was feeling.

This time it was Danielle who woke up Danse. She was lying on the couch, just on the same spot where he was lying just 24 hours ago. She was mumbling in her sleep. He knew she was having nightmares too immediately. Gently he placed his hand on her forehead, she was cold. He sighed and picked her up. Then he walked into the bedroom and gently laid her down and covered her with a thicker and heavier blanket. It was a huge blanket and he slipped under it on the other side of the futon bed. He turned his back to her and soon was sleeping. She didn't mumble again and the night was silent.

Danse woke up with heavy eyes. It was abnormally warm in the bed. Then he remembered what caused it. He was lying on one side, pressed against the back of the still sleeping Danielle. At least he hoped she was still sleeping. One of his arms was wrapped around her. Her frame perfectly fit into his and he kept lying like this for a while longer until he eventually fell back into sleep, smiling.

As he opened his again some time later a familiar smell lingered in the air. It smelled like steel and something else. And he knew that second smell all too well. Of all the people on the Prydwen it was Kathryn that laid pressed against his stomach. He had an arm wrapped around her. He took in a deep breath and savored the sweet flavor of her hair. The smile kept lingering on his face.

It was just a dream. He was happy. And he was home.