Chapter 12 is up in Bioshock:Alternative

Warning: OOCNESS on Ryan's part and spoilers to Bioshock Rapture and Bioshock

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Bioshock

Flames will be used to fuel Rapture itself.

X.X

Time felt painstakingly slow for Andrew Ryan when he hit the golf ball gently with his golf club. His son would be here soon to kill him. Obviously. But he would rather have his own son then a man like Fontaine kill him. But then again, it's Fontaine who's controlling his son. His own son...was born a slave.

"Damnit." he cursed under his breath when the golf ball he took out of his pocket suddenly fell from his hand and bounce away. Ignoring the rumbling of the floor and walls around him, Ryan casually followed the ball. The white ball bounced against the floor before hitting and bouncing off of a wall and then gently stopping by Ryan's shoe. Ryan bent down and picked up the ball. He looked at it for a few seconds before turning his head up. His heart suddenly skipped a bit and the ball rolled from his hand. Hitting the floor once more.

Ryan found himself standing across from an old photograph that hung on the wall with the others. The glass that covered it was dusty, but the image was still clearly visible to the naked eye. The faint outline of two men standing side-by-side with smiles on their faces. It was outside the lighthouse entrance to Rapture. The day before her first residence arrived. It was the only photograph he had of him and himself. The same Brit who had come to his flat to fix the plumbing on his toilet many years back. Who didn't give him as big of a charge as he originally thought he would.

The only man who truly believed in his work before the incident with Fontaine.

"Bill..." he said softly. Ryan noticed that the room suddenly felt very cold when he mentioned the name. But he chose to ignore it. He wasn't one to believe in ghosts. Ryan approached the picture and gently removed it from its place on the wall. Using the back of his hand to wipe the dust that had gathered on the frame away.

Bill stood beside Ryan, looking at the old photograph as well. He was dressed in the same clothes he had worn the day he died. But looked as healthy and fit as ever. Not a single scratch on him. A faint, heavenly colored aura surrounded him. "Yeah. I remember that day." Bill said with a sad smile on his face. Knowing that Ryan couldn't hear him.

"Bill... I can't believe I've forgotten about this..." Ryan sighed as he rubbed his face. "How long has it been, Bill? Thirteen years?"

"Fourteen." Bill corrected.

Ryan chuckled to himself. "I can't think straight any more, Bill. I'm growing old."

"Yeah, you are." Bill agreed. Chuckling to himself as well.

"..." Ryan silently hung the photograph back up in place. The Bill he now knew is speared against one of the pillars outside his office. The Bill he knew in the photograph is an old friend of his. A good man with good morals about him. A man who's seen the horrors of war up close. And survived it. This is the Bill he was talking to. "Bill... I wish I could tell you about your family's well-being. But I don't know anything, I'm afraid. Sorry.

"Relax, mate. They're fine. They're both living a new life back in New York with a good man. I know he'll take care of them." Bill assured him.

Ryan shook his head. "I don't know how to sat this, Bill. But you were right. About everything. But I know it's a little too late for that now." Ryan placed one hand beside the photo frame and sighed.

"The past is the past, gov." Bill sighed himself. "It's best to just let it go." But Bill knew far too well that Ryan wasn't going to let go of his mistakes so easily. Especially with the overwhelming guilt he sensed from the man.

"I...regret it, Bill. I regret a lot of things. When I heard you participated in an assassination attempt on me, I was devastated."

"I bet you were, gov..." Bill understood. He didn't want to kill Ryan. But he thought that it would save Rapture if he did. He loved both him and the city.

"You were only doing what you thought was best for the my- our city." Ryan quickly corrected himself. Everyone put their life into making this city. It wasn't just him. Rapture was meant to belong to everyone. "And... I appreciate it. I really do, Bill."

Bill just wanted to reach his hand out and pat the man on his back. Give him some comfort in a way. But he knew it was futile. He didn't have a physical form anymore. He was just a spirit who decided to come down and guide him back with him.

"I was angry, Bill. At you. At Fontaine. At everyone. I felt like I couldn't trust anyone any more. I let my hatred for Fontaine get a hold of me. I was...blinded by jealousy." A small smirk appeared on Ryan's face after he said that. "Funny. It took me a long time to admit that." The ground shook again. And Ryan felt his legs weaken.

Bill looked at him sadly. "You didn't have to do this, mate." It hurt him that Ryan had to resort to destroying the city. It truly was a beautiful place one time. A sort of paradise. He was happy. His family was happy. Everyone was happy.

"Bill..." Ryan fell to his knees. "I didn't want you killed. But at the same time, I did. I didn't have you killed because of what you attempted to do to me. But because I also wanted to save you. You could've escaped up to the surface with your family, yes. But I didn't want to show any weakness. My ego got me that time, I'm afraid." he laughed softly.

"You always did have a big ego, mate." Bill laughed softly as well.

Ryan's voice cracked slightly. "I...didn't want you to die in the hands of those Splicers. I made sure you were given the quickest death possible. I knew you didn't deserve it, Bill. You were...my friend. The greatest friend I've ever had. That's why I couldn't bare to stand and watch you die. I just couldn't. You were a good man, Bill..."

"You're a good man too, Ryan." Bill said, "You've had your ups and downs. But who can blame you?"

"I never asked for this, Bill, I never asked for any of this." Ryan felt his eyes start to water. "I built this city as a way to save the few great men and women of the world from destruction. I never wanted it to be like this. Never..."

"I know, gov. Your intentions were good. I know." Bill assured him.

"... You hate me Bill, do you?" Ryan asked calmly.

"No, gov. Never. I was angry with you for not listening to me. But I never hated you."

"Everyone else already hates me. Even my own son hates me. So I wouldn't be surprised if you did too. I took you from your family and had you speared against a pillar."

"No one else hates you, mate. Jasmine doesn't hate you. Diane doesn't hate you. Even Suchong doesn't hate you. We were just angry."

"I'll never be forgiven for what I've done..." Ryan whispered to himself bitterly.

"We do, gov, we do..."

"I'm going straight to hell, I assume?"

"No. You're not, Ryan."

"My fault. Everything is my fault..."

"No, gov. It's not."

"You probably regret ever meeting me. You probably regret ever coming down to Rapture, like Cohen..."

"I don't, actually." Bill admitted, "If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't have met my wife. I wouldn't have a child. I wouldn't have fulfilled my life. You gave me purpose, Ryan. I never had a chance to thank you for that..."

"Do you... forgive me, Bill? After all that I've done to you and your family?"

"Gov. I forgave you a long time ago. What's done is done."

"I...I miss you, Bill!" Ryan finally broke. For the first time in years, he's cried. He hasn't cried since he was separated from his father. "I'm a horrible, horrible person."

"Me too, gov. Me too..." Bill felt himself tear up a bit himself. "You're not a horrible person. You're a good man."

"I just wanted what was best for the city. I lost everyone because of my actions. And I can never bring them back. Never..."

"You won't have to worry about that anymore, gov." Bill smiled, "I can assure you."

"I just want to speak to you one more time, Bill! Just one more time!" Ryan sobbed. He couldn't believe he broke so easily. But you know what? He didn't give a damn anymore.

"We'll be talking again. Don't worry..."

Ryan continued to cry for a good couple minutes before he finally got back to his feet and trudged his way back to his little golf set. Taking out a new ball, he set it down and resumed playing as though nothing happened. Bill stood next to him closely. Smiling proudly at his friend.

"I'm proud of you, Ryan." he said, "Your father is, too. Everyone is."

One final tear rolled down Ryan's cheek the door to his office opened. Bill saw Ryan's son standing in the doorway and knew it was almost time. He placed his hand on Ryan's shoulder.

"We'll be seeing each other real soon, gov. Everyone is waiting for you. You'll be happy where you're going. You won't need to worry any more." Bill's words were truthful and honest.

Ryan felt a cold touch on his shoulder. Almost like a hand. A hint of a smile was present on his lips.

"I'm taking you home, gov. I'll be waiting right here for you." Bill smiled. They were going to see each other again after two long years of waiting. "I always have."

"I'm coming home, Bill." Ryan thought just before he parted his lips to speak to his son, "I'm coming to see you."

End.

X.X

Believe it or not, I was actually bawling my eyes out as I wrote this. When I saw the ending to the book, I couldn't believe how sad it was. I wondered if Ryan showed any remorse about having Bill killed. Ergo, since he didn't want to witness him die. Crap. I just spoiled the ending to the book.

I don't believe Andrew Ryan is a bad man. I'm just saying. The only bad person in Bioshock is Frank Fontaine in my opinion.

Now I'm gonna watch some funny Markiplier videos on YouTube now to try and not cry any more...

R.I.P. Bill McDonagh :'(