Chapter Text
Before leaving, she had to ask.
“Are you in any pain?”
“Yes, but that will end soon.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s a bit late for that.”
“I wish… I wish I had been here, taken me with you, and your father,” because deep down, it didn’t matter where they were, as long as they were together she would have been happy.
“Maybe you would see things differently if they had, but you’ve thrown away any future you or the Commonwealth could have had.”
“Shaun, please-“
“No, after all these years I thought I could meet you, see the woman who made me, have even the slightest illusion of a biological family. But you are nothing like the woman I’d hoped you would be.”
“And you are not the man I would have raised.”
A tense moment passed between them, she looked away first as she blinked back tears that would not leave.
“I truly believed in you, caring but more importantly you were smart, intuitive. I thought that if anyone could see The Institute through to success it would be you.”
“I feel like I'm back in that vault, like I'm losing you all over again. You and…”
“Well that’s your own fault, you have brought the demise of everyone.”
“You look so much like him.”
“You could have been happy here.”
“No, not after seeing the suffering the people above ground are going through.”
“In time, you never even gave it a chance.”
“How could I live a life of luxury while I know so many are suffering? How could I replace their neighbors, their loved ones, with synths?”
“There it is, so caring. The most valued trait in a mother.”
Something broke between them, it was still tense, but a mutual understanding of how things are had manifested.
“All the deception, did you mean any of it?”
“I wanted to give you and The Institute a chance, and I did. I mourned the loss of you and the time that was stolen from us, and I truly wanted to get to know you.”
“Are you in the least bit proud? Do you feel anything?”
“You are the leader of an elite and powerful… company. No matter my opinion, that is worthy or recognition. And I do care for you, I take no pride in… in… being the cause of your passing.”
“I think it’s time for you to leave, we wouldn’t want any of your friends coming up here.”
After a long pause, watery eyes locked, Shaun continued, “In another time, another life, you would have been a wonderful mother. We would have made many memories together and in a way, I will always envy you. Now go.”
“I love you, Shaun, and so does your father.”
And with that she turned and left.
“Please Mum, don’t leave me, I want to go with you!”
“…He deserves more. He has been reprogrammed to believe that he is your son, it is my hope that you will take him with you. I would only ask that you give him a chance…”
“As long as you don’t leave me, it’ll be okay.”
“I don’t think Shaun and I need to tell you how great of a mother you are, but we’re going to anyway.”
“I’m not going anywhere kiddo.”
“…I know our best years are yet to come. There will be changes, sure, things we need to adjust to…”
“Hey Mum, can you do something for me?”
“…a chance to be part of whatever future awaits the Commonwealth.”
“Do you want to get out of here? Go live somewhere else, with me?”
“…but every thing we do, no matter how hard, we do it for our family.”