Man and Machine

by creepygirlbee

Summary:

After discovering Danse's true identity, Ash rushes to the bunker to convince him to live. She's lost so many people; she can't bear to lose him, too.

Chapter 1

Ash's stomach was turning, and it wasn't because of the elevator descending down into the bunker.

She'd been through so much in so little time. Discovering the Institute, reuniting with Shaun, ending things with Cait. Now she had to deal with one of her closest companions being a synth. To say she was overwhelmed was an understatement.

Once the elevator doors opened, an automotron's voice cut through the stuffy air. Ash raised her gun and shot at the robot.

"Danse? Are you there?" Ash called out, slowly making her way through the tight hallways. The walls were tinted with mold, the pipes covered in rust. The air was dense and musty. Still, she needed to know Danse was okay.

She rounded the corner and found a familiar figure through a broken glass window. Turning around, Danse met Ash's worried gaze.

"Not a lot of technology down here, is there?" Danse muttered.

Ash knew that look. She'd seen it on her own face too many times. Deep into despair, eyes darkened with exhaustion and sadness. She lowered her gun on the ground and raised her hands, making her way into the room where Danse stood.

"I'm not here to hurt you, Danse." Ash promised.

The soldier shook his head. "Please. Don't pity me. You know I don't deserve that. So, what are your orders? Does Maxson even want me alive?"

"He…" She struggled against the lump in her throat. "He asked me to execute you. But I won't do it."

Danse's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. True, Ash hadn't fully adapted to the ideals of the Brotherhood. While she and Danse both agreed that the Commonwealth had to be saved from the Institute, their products were a different story. To Danse, synths were abominations, an unholy cross of flesh and metal. But to Ash, they were people. Danse could never accept that. The Brotherhood taught him better.

"I'm warning you, if you don't follow your orders, I'll be forced to carry them out for you."

"Don't you hear yourself?" Ash argued. "You've dedicated your whole life towards the Brotherhood, and now, they're turning your back on you for something completely out of your control. You should be angry at them, not yourself."

"None of that matters. I'm a machine, forced to carry out the will of the people I thought I could defeat." Danse mumbled.

He got on his knees, placing his fists firmly into his lap. Danse raised his head, locking eyes with his friend. If there was anybody that should be pitied, he knew it was Ash. She didn't deserve this, to execute someone she'd trusted with her life. This was cruel, even for Maxson. If only he had sent someone else. If only Ash didn't even know he was a synth. If only things were different.

"Knight Ash." He smiled sadly. "It was a pleasure serving with you-"

Suddenly, Ash lunged at him. Danse thought it was the end, that she'd jammed a knife into his skull. But suddenly, he felt a weight on his chest. A warmth.

Ash tightened her arms around Danse's body, sobbing into his shoulder. It was all too much to handle.

"Danse, please. Please live, if not for yourself, for the people who love you." She cried. "I've lost my husband, my son, my partner…I can't lose you too. Please don't do this to me."

It was a natural reaction to loss. Danse knew it; he felt the same thing when he first started losing his soldiers. But what Ash said next would forever change his life.

"Man or machine, I don't give a damn. You're Danse, and that's all that matters. You fought for the people of the Commonwealth. You protected people in need. So what if you aren't human? You have more humanity than most humans I've seen."

The soldier was speechless. He'd been so lost in his own mind, lost in his own self-loathing. Suddenly, his heart began to feel heavy, his hands meeting Ash's back.

"You're…you're right." Danse whispered, holding her tighter. "I may not be a human, but I've been beneficial to the Commonwealth. I'm not its destruction."

They held each other for some time, as if squeezing the life back into each other again.

-

"Are you sure about this?"

Danse turned to Ash, her tears drying on her face. "Yes. It's no longer safe for me to be in the Commonwealth. I'll only pose a risk to you and your community."

"We can protect you, Danse." Ash insisted.

"I appreciate the sentiment, soldier. But the Minutemen aren't prepared to take on the Brotherhood." Danse explained. "I don't want to cause any unneccessary bloodshed."

Together, they exited the elevator. Ash held Danse's holotags in her hand, squeezing the cold metal. She'd hoped that this would be enough for Maxson.

As they stepped into the afternoon sun, their stomachs dropped to the floor when they saw Arthur Maxson standing in front of them, his scarred face twisted in anger.

"How dare you betray the Brotherhood!" Maxson barked, glaring at Ash. "Knight Ash, why is this thing not destroyed?"

"This 'thing' has served your cause for his entire life. Danse has saved countless lives, even at the risk of his own." Ash argued. "I won't kill an innocent man."

"He's not a man! He's a machine!"

Danse frowned. "After everything I've done for the Brotherhood, how could you say that about me?"

When Maxson turned his gaze to Danse, he felt disgusted. "You're everything we're against, Danse. Technology that's gone too far. Mankind abused science, twisted it for its own gain until it became its downfall. Can't you see that the same thing is happening again?"

"You're wrong. Danse may be a product of the Institute, but that doesn't mean he agrees with their ideals."

"Oh? And how do you know that, Knight?" Maxson refuted. "How do you know that this abomination won't slit your throat in your sleep? That he won't drag you back to his masters and have you replaced with his kind?"

Ash stepped closer to Danse. "Because if he wanted to, he would've done it a long time ago."

In his eyes, Ash was a fool. If he had known about her empathy towards synths, she would've been kicked out of the Brotherhood long ago. But if he knew one thing about Ash, it was that she was as stubborn as she was efficient. He knew that arguing more was useless, and that if he emptied a clip into either soldier, the Minutemen would rage war on the Brotherhood. It would distract from the main enemy; the Institute. Which brought him back to the original problem: how could Danse remain alive?

As Maxson weighed his options, Ash took a stand. She stepped in front of Danse, shielding him slightly with her body. It seemed almost alien; Danse was usually the one using his power armor to protect Ash. But now, in this moment, Ash knew that she wasn't the one that needed protecting.

Maxson scowled. "So, we have arrived at an impasse. For the safety of my people, and the Commonwealth, I argue that Danse be killed. Yet, you insist that he stays alive."

Ash held her breath, her hands itching for her pistol. She prayed that worst comes to worst, she'd be a better shot than Maxson.

"There's only one alternative, then." The Brotherhood leader muttered.

Chapter 2

Danse stood on the edge of The Castle's walls, staring at the Prydwen. It hung in the air, slightly obscured by the fog.

It'd been a few days since Maxson spared his life. Danse missed the metallic glow of the hallways, the scent of melting steel from welding guns filling the halls. Most of all, he missed his brothers and sisters. The Minutemen were nice enough, but nothing could compare to the unity of the Brotherhood. The scribes and knights nodded in his direction, and he bonded well with his fellow Paladins. After his banishment, he could only hope his brothers and sisters were living a better life, even if they would shoot him on sight.

"I guess military training isn't the only reason you barely slept."

The soldier turned around to see Ash approaching him. Her eye bags were always dark, but she seemed especially tired tonight.

Danse turned back to the Prydwen. "You should get some rest. You've been gone all day."

"I will. I just needed some air." Ash said.

An air of silence fell on them until Ash spoke again.

"There's so much I wish I could tell you. I just…don't know where to start."

She folded her arms, staring at the horizon. Danse could feel the tension, the weight of her choices crushing her. It was hard enough being the general of the Minutemen, with hundreds of civilians relying on her. But now, with the Institute being discovered and their relationship with the Brotherhood on thin ice, there was an overwhelming pressure for her to keep her people alive.

"If it makes you feel better, I think your strength is incredible. You didn't have to come and help me when you discovered that I was a synth. And yet, you did. You didn't have to rebuild the Minutemen, but despite that, you've reclaimed and rebuilt their headquarters in less than a month."

Danse continued, "What I'm trying to say is, you had your own problems. Yet, you chose to help the people around you, even if it meant putting yourself at risk. That's what a leader is all about. Being there for their people."

"To be honest, I don't even know why I do the things that I do. I just…do them because it feels right." Ash admitted. "I don't think all of my decisions are right, though."

Danse put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "You've done the best you could with the tools you were given. Sometimes, that's all we can ask for."

Before she could respond, the sharp wail of the sirens reached their ears. They turned back to the center of The Castle, where the Minutemen were being gathered by Preston and Ronnie. The pair rushed down to the center.

"What's going on?" Ash asked.

Ronnie cut in. "General, we've seen those Institute crow things scouting around the perimeter. I know you just beefed up our defenses, but I called in extra reinforcements to protect The Castle. You'd better get ready for a big fight."

"Shit. Coursers." Ash shook her head. "Alright, everyone. Stay calm, and stay tog-"

Before she got to finish her sentence, the turrets began shooting targets on the outside. The Minutemen ran to their positions, firing on the outside perimeter.

"Lock the gates and hold your ground! I'm gonna grab my shotgun!" Ash called out to her people before rushing up to her quarters. Danse tried to follow, but she pushed him back.

"No. It's okay. Just protect our people. I'll be right back."
"But-"
"That's an order, Danse!"

Suddenly, a group of synths teleported into the center, and Danse had no choice but to begin shooting. Ash sprinted up to her quarters, throwing open the door and grabbing her shotgun from her weapon box. The second she turned around, she was met face to face with two coursers.

"Your reign ends here, human." One stated coldly before lunging at her.

She tried to dodge him, only for the other courser to slam her to the wall. He landed a few punches to her face, but Ash was able to kick him off of her. She desperately looked around for her gun, only to see it had slid underneath her desk. Thinking quickly, she slid under the desk, grabbing her shotgun and shooting one of the coursers. It stumbled, but the other came back and kicked the gun out of Ash's hands before she could reload.

Ash desperately tried to crawl away, but the courser pinned her to the ground, trying to stab her. They struggled against each other, Ash's hands trying to push away the knife approaching her skin. But she was getting weak, and the blade began pushing closer and closer to her chest.

A shot rang through the room. Then two. Suddenly, the second courser fell on top of Ash, its metallic body going limp. Ash pushed it off and sat up, locking eyes with a worried Danse.

He immediately helped her up. "I knew I should've gone with you."

"Thanks for not listening to me, then."

More shots were fired outside, and the two immediately rushed back to the center. This time, Danse was gonna stick to Ash, no matter how chaotic the battle got. They sprinted outside The Castle entrance, seeing synths running down the beaten path. The two opened fire, bullets flying as corpses fell to the ground.

Soon, the number of synths dwindled, and with the last shot into the night, The Castle was finally safe again. The Minutemen cheered, celebrating their brief victory. They all gathered in the center, where Ash and Danse met them.

"Oh my God, we did it…" Preston grinned, looking around. "That'll show those Institute bastards!"

The Minutemen whooped and hollered, patting each others' backs and smiling. It was a great victory, and they all turned to their general to hear some words. She looked at them in surprise before clearing her throat.

"Ah, you all fought bravely. You all represent the pride and joy of the Minutemen." Ash forced a smile. "Ronnie, whats our status on casualties?"

"No casualties, but we've got a lotta wounded, general. We'll have them patched up and get you an update in the morning."

Ash nodded and looked back to her people. "Now that the Institute has discovered our location, I need all of you to stay on the lookout. You notice anything suspicious, you talk to me, Ronnie, or Preston right away, got it? We'll show the Institute that the Commonwealth won't bend easily, not when the Minutemen are back. Right, people?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The Minutemen cheered.

"Alright. Back to your posts."

With her people dispersed, Ash suddenly felt the adrenaline crash after fighting so hard. She'd been hit by a couple cell shots, her skin hot and itchy. Not to mention how sore her body was. Danse noticed her exhaustion and immediately approached her.

"You need to get some rest, soldier."
"Danse, I-"
"No buts. C'mon."

Noticing the long line at the medic station, Danse led Ash back to her quarters, where he helped her into bed. He took a first aid kit from her footlocker and placed it on the mattress.

Danse stepped out of his power armor, the whirrs of the suit closing behind him as he knelt down to examine her body.

"So, what are you feeling?" He asked.

"Must've taken some hits without noticing." Ash sighed. "Fusion cells won't make you bleed at first, but damn, if they don't sting like a bitch."

Ash began shedding her coat and unbuttoning her collar shirt. They'd been through so many battles before, that they knew the protocol for first aid. Still, Danse couldn't deny that his face would heat up everytime he saw her bare skin. It wasn't like she was completely nude, but the curves and dips in her figure left little to the imagination.

Danse tried to shake those thoughts away as he examined Ash's skin. Her right shoulder was covered in redness and blisters, all symptoms of being shot with fusion cells. While it could be fixed with a stimpack, the Brotherhood taught him to take precautions to avoid infection on the field.

He reached for the purified water, opening the can with the knife inside the first aid kit. Slowly, he poured the water over Ash's wound, making her flinch a bit.

"You think I'd be used to this by now."

Danse hummed as he took the stimpack. "Will you do it, or should I?"

"Could you? It hurts just to move my arm."

Danse nodded. He took Ash's hand in his.

"Just look away. I'll make this quick."

Once he knew Ash was ready, he pressed the needle into the skin of her thigh. The general hissed in pain, her other hand grabbing Danse's shoulder for support. Her eyes squeezed shut, her eyebrows furrowed in distress.

He hated seeing her like this. She didn't deserve any of this pain.

"It's okay. I'm right here." Danse whispered, withdrawing the needle and placing it back in the kit. He helped her into bed, her back resting against the soft mattress.

"You should get some rest. I'll do rounds for the rest of the night." He said, turning around. He was about to walk away when he felt a hand on his wrist.

"W-Wait. I…" Ash bit her lip. "Could you stay with me? Please?"

Danse turned back to her. Normally, Ash was this tough figure with a smart mouth. But now, she was vulnerable, her usually sharp gaze replaced with a doe-like softness, her lips pouting.

How could he say no?

Wordlessly, Dance sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes not leaving Ash's. She squeezed his wrist, pulling her to him.

"It's…okay. You can sit next to me. I'd feel safer."

Danse scooted over to her side, sitting up while Ash settled down into the mattress.

"I'm sorry if this is weird." Ash muttered. "It's just, I've had such a hard time sleeping alone lately."

"I know how you feel. The pressure, the paranoia, wondering when our enemies will strike again." Danse nodded, squeezing Ash's hand softly. "It's alright. I'll take watch for now."

Ash smiled. "You always did take first watch."

With that, she closed her eyes, and eventually drifted off to sleep. Danse watched as her chest rose and fell, how her grip slowly loosened as soft snores escaped her lips.

His eyes never left her, not even when the sun rose high into the sky. He didn't dare move, afraid he might wake her.

Danse hated being a synth.

But that didn't mean that it never came with silver linings.