The sun was shining brilliantly upon the Capital Wasteland as usual. Mr. Burke was walking back to Tenpenny Tower from being away for two days. He received an assignment from Mr. Tenpenny that required the business and traveling to extend for more than one night's stay. It was the very first time he was forced to be away from Alice like this. However, ever since the night when her sweet words of her love rang true to his ears, he was confident that this trip had no ability to change anything of their relationship.
It's true that they don't have a flawless relationship. In fact it was barely a decent relationship. It consisted of too much instability from both sides. Mr. Burke knew this too well, but it did not mean that he could not do his best to give her the perfect love she deserved. Unfortunately, he never evoked it. It was highly impossible for someone like him to vocalize something like that. He still hated himself for having these ridiculous feelings that he never thought would ever exist in his cold-hearted body. Despite this, however, he still allowed himself to fall for her. This permissiveness gave him the ability to unknowingly show these unwanted affections for her. He would buy her new dresses that he would eventually strip away from her every night. He would add new elements to his techniques in bed. He would continue confessing his adoration for her and her eyes every day. Alice always pretended to show no interest in everything he did for her. Nevertheless, this did not change anything because Alice was a terrible liar and a terrible actress, as much as she would like to believe otherwise. She's a naïve little girl that silently screamed her love for Mr. Burke every time he committed an act of kindness and love towards her. She always had her guard down for him, and he took advantage of it every time he noticed it.
They both did not trust each other, and Alice probably didn't even trust herself during that night's confession. It was highly possible that she only gave into that moment of temporary lust and had mistaken it for love. Yes, Mr. Burke knew.
Today, he was going to surprise Alice with his presence, and they would have another outing together like Alice would usually request for. Mr. Burke was also planning to give her another gift that would surely make Alice portray the smile Mr. Burke has been longing for: A visit to Megaton.
Mr. Burke couldn't help but to allow a small smile to spread upon his face as he thought about Alice's reaction to this. As he approached the entrance of the hotel, he noticed a ruckus that was occurring at the front gate. At first, he expected it was that pest ghoul quarreling once again with Captain Gustav, but this time it was a young human boy. The boy was probably some wastelander hoping for a night's stay at a place where he couldn't afford even if he were to spend his lifetime scouting for caps in the dumpsters. Mr. Burke could not afford to waste any time with this ridiculousness and was about to walk right past it all until he walked close enough to hear the boy speak out a name that caused Mr. Burke's heart to stop for a moment: The boy was requesting to see Alice.
Why was there was someone asking for his Alice? This was simply not possible. There is no one that knows of her actuality in the outside world except for that blasted ghoul trapped in the bar back in Megaton. Even so, he wouldn't have enough caps in his lifetime to buy a mercenary to track Mr. Burke down. So who in the world is this person? Mr. Burke rushed towards the scene, causing both the boy and the guard to tear their attention away from each other to look at Mr. Burke.
"Oh, Mr. Burke, you've returned! This hooligan won't leave! He keeps demanding to see….someone named Alice." The guard reported. Mr. Burke nodded. He told all of the guards in the building to keep Alice's existence in secret to the beings of the outside world. He did not need any additional potential risk.
Once the guard opened the gate for Mr. Burke to step in, he closed it right away before the boy could charge into the premises and cause a huger commotion. Afterwards, the guard left so that Mr. Burke can talk alone with the boy. As Mr. Burke studied the boy, he noticed that the boy did not seem to be much older than Alice. The tanned boy was wearing a leather jacket with a snake on the back of it and had a peculiar hair style that Mr. Burke himself has never seen in all his life.
"Well then, let's get this over with. Who in blazes are you?" Mr. Burke spoke coldly.
Once the boy realized that Mr. Burke seemed to be of higher power than the guard, he realized that he had to persuade him to get in. The boy folded his arms across his chest and spoke with an Italian accent.
"That old, cracked guy that called himself Captain Gustav caught me trying to climb over this wall and forced me to talk to that dumb guard, damn it. Well anyways, you must be the boss here so hey, man! Ahh…I hear Alice has been here. Have you seen her? She has these really creepy red eyes…about this height." The boy brought his fingers up to a bit below his eyes, indicating that that was her height. "I hear she came here with some old geezer. Is it you?"
Mr. Burke glared at the boy, though his eyes were shielded from his glasses. Who in the world is this brat, and why would he be searching for Alice? Mr. Burke's eyes glided down to the boy's chest. Although it wasn't clearly visible, he could still see the familiar color of a blue and yellow fabric that the boy was wearing underneath his jacket. That clothing was similar to what Alice was wearing when Mr. Burke first saw her in Megaton. It seems that this boy knew Alice personally. Though from the way he talked about her, he couldn't possibly be her lover? In fact, how can Alice even be associated with anyone of this low of caliber in the first place? Well, if this boy was anyone of importance, Alice would have mentioned him.
"What is your name?" Mr. Burke grumbled in annoyance. The boy was rambling so much that he probably forgot about Mr. Burke's prior question.
The boy gave off a mischievous grin and placed his hands on his own waist. "The name's Butch DeLoria! I came straight out of the vault to look for her! Not to mention…I'm the leader of the Tunnel Snakes!" He spoke proudly as if he's just completed a lifetime goal and was bragging about it to a commoner. Mr. Burke did not even want to know what a Tunnel Snake was. He had a feeling it was something so trifling that it will irritate himself further if he knew what it was.
"I see. And what business might you have with this…Alice?"
The grin on Butch's face disappeared and he shuffled his feet together while lowering his head a bit. "Well, ah. I just wanted to thank her for something is all."
Mr. Burke narrowed his eyes at him. Why would someone travel in such a large distance just to thank one person? This person didn't seem to be someone that kind-hearted anyways. He couldn't quite tell if the boy was telling the truth or not, but it was possible that he might have feelings for her, and it sickened Mr. Burke. Although Mr. Burke recognized the fact that even he himself may not be worthy of Alice, at least he was far more valuable than this punk. Mr. Burke may not be visually appealing like he used to be, but his sophisticated wealth surely makes up for it. This boy had merely taken his first step into the dangerous wasteland and he thinks of it as an accomplishment. How utterly pathetic.
"I'm afraid she just left. You may want to search far from here since there isn't any chance that she will be returning anytime soon." Mr. Burke lied indifferently. He watched as the boy slumped over a bit in disappointment but nodded his head in comprehension before turning away to leave. Mr. Burke wasn't going to have a peasant like that take his Alice away. In fact, the thought of any other man besides himself that desired touching and wanting Alice disgusted him. Mr. Burke lowered his head. Mr. Burke turned away from the gate and walked back into the building. Although Mr. Burke had no proof that those two kids had feelings for each other, he had a bad feeling his plans would be painfully ruined if those two were to ever meet. Mr. Burke noticed two guards chatting near him and motioned them to come forth to him. He then spoke efficiently.
"I want both of you to keep an eye on that boy, Mr. Butch DeLoria."
The two guards looked over at the boy that was slowly walking away from their positions. One of them looked back at Mr. Burke. "But sir, I don't recognize him. Is he a threat to our establishment? I don't think he's much of a risk to be honest…"
"I don't want to hear it, men! After I state my orders, I expect you two to execute them quietly like the good little boys you two are." Mr. Burke snapped. His meeting with Butch has put him in such a foul mood when he was in a rarely pleasant mood beforehand. The men unenthusiastically agreed and left to follow Butch in secrecy. Mr. Burke sighed and walked into the building where his beloved Alice awaited for his return.
During all that time, Alice had just awakened from her sleep. It felt as if it's been forever since she and Mr. Burke have slept together on the same bed. She had her uncomfortable feelings of isolation for the past couple of nights. However, she knew she would be alright even without Mr. Burke by her side for these last couple of days because she survived another night by herself. As formidable as it was, she braved the loneliness by herself, and that was enough to prove to herself that she will be alright. She also knew Mr. Burke will return to her soon. He wouldn't leave her alone here. She also crossed out the possibility of him dying in the wasteland because that was simply not possible for someone like him. Mr. Burke would never have a hard time maintaining his form of perfection. When Mr. Burke was with Alice, he did not attempt to have a princely figure that every girl would dream of. He was more of a king. A figure that was the closest thing to being a God, rather than a mere prodigy of a human being, and it was impossible to dominate this man who rightfully deserved this position. He was to remain untamed by anyone and anything and have a whole lot of rage and power for everyone and everything he found insignificant and bothersome. He was the more superior brand of humanity and that was why Alice knew that he will not die in the wasteland. Before he left, he told her something: "When we reconvene, I promise I will treat you to some beer, my dear." This promise was very minor, but nevertheless, it was a promise and Alice took it seriously. Therefore, death was not an option, and he will return. It was unbelievable Alice would put so much faith in one man who she used to despise. Now, she longed for his return.
Alice walked to the water closet. She was used to bathing first thing in the morning. In fact, she was practically use to living here. She smiled happily as she felt herself sitting into the warm water that filled the tub. She can never grow tired of bathing in such clean water that relaxed her instantly. However, her tranquil feelings were short lived.
She heard footsteps arriving at her direction. Mr. Burke was already back? Alice was about to just stay in the bathroom to greet him nonchalantly. No matter how hard she hid her feelings, he would see right through her anyways. That was the problem with this relationship. His mind and heart were both always hiding in the shadows. Alice could never see or touch it to know how he felt. Mr. Burke, on the other hand, could take hold of both of hers with ease. This was unfair, but Alice accepted it nonetheless.
However, the figure that had stepped in was that of a woman who looked infuriated. Alice immediately recognized the woman as Mr. Burke's past lover whom he claim to have no relations with anymore. If that was the case, then why would she have the keys to his room? Alice didn't know what was going on, but what she did know was that this situation was going to end very badly.
"Well, well, well. It seems that Mr. Burke has found a new toy to play with." The woman spoke in a sarcastic tone of voice. Her expression remained enraged. "What I don't understand, is why he hasn't grown bored of this toy and has kept it for such a long time."
Alice was at loss for words. She couldn't exactly tell the woman that she was in a relationship with Mr. Burke, because she did not know if they were even officially lovers if he can't even show affection to her in public. He never exactly proclaimed his love for her either. Well, this woman didn't need an explanation anyway. She seemed too harmless for Alice to worry over something like this. Alice sighed and got out of the water, grabbing the towel that was nearby.
"Wow. What a scrawny body. You shouldn't worry too much about dieting. You're ugly enough as it is. Honestly, you're just as filthy as the ghouls out there. There's no reason for you to go and waste Mr. Burke's good water for your disgusting skin." The woman was looking at her own nails as she spoke those brutal words nonchalantly. This did not thrill Alice one bit. This…bitch was Mr. Burke's previous lover? She knew he was a coldhearted horndog, but even he could do better than this. Well, Alice has sat by quietly and listened to this lady's insulting ramblings long enough.
"Oh, I apologize for my unfit body. Perhaps I should gain an extra hundred pounds so I would look as beastly as you do. The look of a revolting whore is what's trendy these days, is it not?" Alice did not need any practice into sounding just like that woman in front of her who was now glaring at her fiercely.
"You can say that all you want, but all the men in this building says otherwise. In fact, you may even take a peek into my room at all the caps they have given me as proof. They crave for the beauty they see in me and my body."
Alice almost wanted to laugh. Her words did no damage on this actual whore. In fact, it would have probably been a compliment that recognizes her stature, wouldn't it. Alice couldn't comprehend why this woman would be so proud of her demeaning position in such a beautiful construction of a hotel, but she wasn't about to be bothered by that thought. Alice wrapped the towel around her body before attempting to walk away. There was no point in this conversation. This woman was just a typical whore that was jealous of Alice. She wasn't about to waste her time on someone like this. Alice can already drum up the words of complaints to Mr. Burke when he returns. Just as she was about to walk back to Mr. Burke's room, the woman grabbed Alice's drenched hair and pulled it back towards her forcefully. Alice grunted and elbowed the woman's stomach out of reflex, leaving the woman to back off immediately to hold her stomach in pain.
"You…How dare you! You ill-bred wastelander!" She glared up at Alice.
"If you spend more time in the wasteland instead of rotting in here, perhaps you'll learn a move or two such as that." Alice glared back at the woman before her. Why would Mr. Burke even bother wasting his time with a woman like that? He must have been desperate. Alice watched as the woman stood up and walked towards Alice slowly. This time, she was carrying a knife that she had just taken out from her pocket. Alice began to back away until she felt the tub behind her. She cursed Mr. Burke silently for leaving her in danger to this psychotic lady. If she had her own weapon, she could easily take down this bitch. Oh, how she should have practiced fighting off raiders back in the wasteland whilst unarmed.
"Do you really think you can make Mr. Burke happy? You're nothing, sweetheart. He wants me, and only me. He wants a woman that can make him happy, and that's not you. You don't even have a reputation. He wouldn't waddle too long in misery once I deal with you. I can still remember the day when I offered him of my services. He accepted immediately and since then I've never been so happy in my life to be able to fool around with a man of his competence. I heard all the sweet sounds both of you were making, and it made me sick. He was all over me until you came along. So maybe I'm not as young as you…But this doesn't mean that I can snatch him away from you just as quickly as you did to me. " The woman stopped walking and was swinging the knife around playfully. She was taking her sweet time, watching Alice shivering in fear. Alice didn't know which was more humiliating: succumbing to Mr. Burke's sexual advances, or being killed by an envious prostitute.
Alice stared angrily at the woman. Mr. Burke had already said that they were no longer in a relationship with each other, and Alice could definitely see why. Now she was about to die because of this woman's resentment. She would much rather drown in the bathtub as she almost did the first time she bathed in it. Alice, however, was more annoyed from what the woman was saying. If she were about to die like this, she might as well do it well with her last words.
"Even if you're successful from stealing him away from me, you should know that he chose me on his own despite my lack of a reputation. Unlike you, I did not have to show off my body or whisper sweet promises in his ear to captivate him. A whore like you, however, has to depend on those factors to even have him to simply glance at you. Someone like you does not deserve to even lick the bottom of Mr. Burke's foot. I pity of what you must feel right now. A nobody such as myself can entrance him far more than you ever can."
This drove the lady to the end. She was now cursing and was running towards Alice with the knife held up high in the air. Alice quickly closed her eyes to look away. She didn't want to see how painful her death was going to be. However, she never felt the excruciating feeling of the woman's wrath, so she decided to look back up to see what has happened. In front of Alice was the woman with her arm still raised high. She was still holding the knife, but behind her was a very angry looking Mr. Burke with his fingers gripping onto the woman's arm, causing the knife to slip out of her fingers. Alice never dreamed of the day she would be this happy to see this man.
"Ms. Lancaster. What do you think you're doing in my room? I thought I had asked you to return the keys I had given you ages ago and I had also asked for you to stop visiting me." The woman pulled away from him and turned her back on Alice, rubbing onto the redden location of her arm that Mr. Burke was grasping onto.
"And I thought I told you to call me by my first name. It's Susan, don't you remember me? Please don't tell me you've forgotten about all we have done together. I was just…"
"Yes, I remember you." Mr. Burke grumbled in displeasure and rubbed his temple. It was obvious he was currently trying his best to be a gentleman, but was having a difficult time when his efforts are to be patient with this impossible woman. "I also recall telling you that I don't require of your services anymore."
"You can't possibly mean that! I can give you a high discount! No, wait I can give it all to you for free! I can give you much more than this filthy whore that you just picked up in the wasteland! I'm not as mucky and…"
The sound of a slap echoed in the air. Mr. Burke had lost all his endurance and had striked Susan on the side of her face. Alice noticed Susan having difficulty holding back her tears. Although Alice obviously despised this woman, she felt a hint of sympathy for her. That woman was in love with Mr. Burke, and had just received a blow from him. Alice could only imagine how much pain Susan was trying to keep into herself. That pain was the reason why Alice tried her best to avoid the sensations of love. This proved that love can be such a wasteful feeling.
"I normally do not strike women, but I will not have you talk about Alice like that. You fail to understand anything, Ms. Lancaster. You and your words are filthier than anything I've ever seen in the wasteland." Mr. Burke spoke coldly.
"Mr. Bur—"Susan tried speaking in protest.
"I must ask you to leave, Ms. Lancaster. I'm afraid I don't deal well with people who are unfit in this established hierarchy."
Susan stared at Mr. Burke in total disbelief but frowned deeply and started storming out the door. She was still holding onto the red mark on her cheek that Mr. Burke helped formed from the slap.
"Fine! See if I care if you gain radiation from her nasty body. She's only your play thing for today, right? Just you wait. Even a thousand girls won't satisfy you! Screw you all!"
The door slammed in front of Alice and Mr. Burke. Silence was in the air. Alice could feel her heart beating quickly against her chest. This was only the second time he's ever called Alice by her name, and this time it was to defend her instead of terrifying her. Alice couldn't stand this whole situation and was about to leave the room when Mr. Burke grabbed her arm, and pulled her back to him. She found herself in the embrace of his arms. She couldn't help but to blush from his sudden action and looked up at him confusedly. Before she could even utter out a word, he released her and looked at the door that Susan just marched out of.
"Wait here. It's time to end this." He spoke efficiently and went after Susan. Alice stood there dumbfounded, but decided to let Mr. Burke take care of the problem.
Mr. Burke walked swiftly towards the angry woman that was at the hallway and grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stop walking.
"Oh, what's this? Have you finally come to your senses and decided that I am the right woman for you?" Susan spoke immediately. It was difficult to tell whether or not her words were filled with sarcasm.
"You will refrain from harming Alice in any way, Ms. Lanchester! Gauge your distance from her." Mr. Burke ordered loudly. He was obviously still angered by what just happened, and Susan was too prideful apologize or even become serious about all of this. However, once Mr. Burke saw a peculiar mischievous smile expression upon Susan's face, he realized this wasn't the right way to end things. Mr. Burke was a ladies man, and this wasn't the proper way to get something out of a lady. Especially when the lady happens to be a psychotic past lover of his.
"…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap."
"An apology? What a rarity. That's very noble of you to damage your perfect pride just so I wouldn't be upset and go off to hurt that girl. It sure would be nice if you were this devoted to me, darling." That smarmy smile she had forced upon her face was now gone.
"Am I not enough?" She spoke lowly. Her voice was shaking slightly. This may be the very first time she was being deadly serious in Mr. Burke's eyes. As cold-hearted as Mr. Burke was, he couldn't help but to feel pity towards this woman who gave her heart to this man who, in return, confidently ignored it. Mr. Burke was stuck trying to find the correct words to answer her question, but he simply couldn't.
"Mr. Burke! Just tell me what I have to do! Should I go and blood spray my eyes red? Should I lose tons of pounds so I can be as skinny as her? Should I—"
"There's no need for outcries bursting from your foolish condition." Mr. Burke spoke sharply. He meant it. She didn't know what she was saying because she was too emotional to think correctly. She had always been a bit unstable, but she may just be crossing the line with her obsession with him.
"You cannot and will not masquerade as Alice." Mr. Burke stopped talking as he noticed the tears rolling in Susan's eyes. She shouldn't receive any mercy, but yet he just pitied her so much. This wasn't in his nature. It was unbelievable that he would feel bad for her when she attempted to commit a murderous revenge upon his beloved Alice. He felt as if he had lit Susan's heart in a sea of lusting flames and she twisted it around to make it into that cute feeling that was called love. He knew she was incapable of letting this situation go by his harsh rejection. She would take every chance she could get to kill Alice and he wouldn't be able to stop her every time. There were trips he would have to take that Mr. Tenpenny would assign for him. The trips could range from a few days to a few months. He couldn't depend on the anti-ghoul obsessed guards to protect Alice even if he had demanded it with the cost of their jobs if they failed that sole job. He couldn't have that happen. It was time to wrap things up.
"Fine." Susan finally spoke. Mr. Burke stirred out of his thoughts and watched as the woman looked up at him. Her tears had stopped falling. "I will never jeopardize Alice's well being. In return, I want one favor from you."
"You are not in a position to negotiate with me—" Mr. Burke started but stopped as he noticed her pursing her lips and her eyebrows fusing in anger. Mr. Burke realized that this may be the only solution the problem and allowed her to continue.
"Don't be so negative, Mr. Burke. It is a generous compensation just for you. I will no longer bother Alice if…" She looked at him directly into his eyes. "Tell me you love me."
Mr. Burke hesitated. That was a non-physical and simple task. Yet, that was just absolutely impossible for him to do even if he didn't mean it at all. He's grown soft, and he hated it. He wanted to save those three beautiful words for a woman he found equally beautiful… and Ms. Lanchester was certainly not one of them.
"Those words are not for your ears."
Ms. Lanchester frowned. She thought she was requesting something very modest and easy. She could have requested one last passionate moment in her bedroom. He can't even do something like this!
"Now, now. There's no reason to pout. Surely that isn't the only thing you can possibly think of?"
Susan looked up at Mr. Burke with such sad and desperate eyes that caused Mr. Burke to look away for a bit, but as he did so, he felt her hand pressed against his cheek. He looked back at her, and was about to yell at her for touching him when she did something he didn't expect.
Alice sighed as she waited for Mr. Burke to return after dressing herself into one of the outfits Mr. Burke bought for her. She thought of all the possible punishments Mr. Burke would ensue upon that whore. Hopefully she will be removed from the premises, if not killed. Alice placed her hand upon her chest. Her heart was previously beating so quickly. At first it was from fear of being killed by Susan, but when Mr. Burke walked in all of a sudden to save her—her heart was throbbing for him. Alice never knew she would be so happy to see him. She looked up at the door that was ajar. She couldn't wait for him any longer. She had to go see him right now even if he was in the middle of breaking Susan's ribcages. Alice walked out of the room in search of Mr. Burke.
Mr. Burke had tasted the dryness of Susan's lips. The sly woman had noticed his vulnerability and had kissed him the moment he didn't expect it. Mr. Burke was about to pulled away instantly in shock, but Susan had wrapped her arms around his head, not allowing him to escape and had deepened her kiss. He cursed himself for not being able to assume she would do something like this. He placed his arms on her waist and pushed her away from him. He was about to shout at her in fury when he heard something behind them. He turned his head to see the horrors of Alice standing there right when he had kissed the woman that had just tried to kill her. Alice's eyes were widened, and her hands were shaking, although she did not say a word.
"Ali—" He started to say.
But she merely turned around and ran back into his room. Mr. Burke took several steps forward in attempt to go after her, but he stopped. What could he possibly say that can undo what he had just done? Everything that rushed through his head all seemed like petty excuses and facades. How can he release her from her shackles of sorrow that he has unintentionally locked tightly upon her? There was so much emotions that were felt inside his chest that he has never felt before. He felt pain, fear, and self-hatred. How could he allow himself to be so weak? He could throw a million apologies towards Alice and none of them would even make a dent in repairing her broken heart. He worked so hard for her to believe in him and it seemed as if he had shattered it all into a million pieces.
He spun around to face Susan who was already gone. Was this part of her plan? Mr. Burke felt as if he had just lost all of his perfection he has flawlessly maintained for all these years. He did not know what he could do. He looked towards the door to his room. Alice wouldn't leave, and it would be best if she were to be left alone for now until he could think of something he could do. He walked into the elevator. Once the elevator released him, he walked outside of the building to get some fresh air. However, instead of feeling more relaxed and calm, he heard the sound of a familiar annoying voice that was bickering with two guards.
"Do I need to be some fancy looking smuck like you to go in? You've got a lot of nerve saying no to Butch DeLoria! Well I won't leave till you say yes! Whaddya think about that, huh?"
Mr. Burkes sighed as he walked towards the commotion. What in God's name provoked the kid to return? The two guards certainly did a horrendous job at keeping this child away from the building. Mr. Burke realized that the guards were nowhere to be seen. This boy must be stronger than he thought. However, this boy was going to take away his Alice if she knew he was here looking for her. However, he hesitated.
Alice…
He has been with her long enough to know that she wasn't as simple as a play thing. He knew this because he worried about her. He cared for her. This was proven during the bathroom incident. He never felt so much fear for someone else. He would have replaced himself with Alice if it meant that she would be saved from death. Despite this complicated relationship, he experienced the sensation of happiness when she looked into his eyes to smile. That happiness was a feeling he has never felt before unless he was destroying a large portion of innocent lives. There has never been a woman in his life that gave him so much happiness. In fact, he never fancied anyone. The feelings he's had for the women he met did not constitute as something like romance. He had always believed women were boring and annoying. The ignorance…the arguments…he couldn't even manage the consideration of pursuing them. Out of all of those women, however, Susan stood out. She would constantly come back to Mr. Burke whilst spouting out words that a love-sickened individual would always express. However, Mr. Burke felt absolutely nothing of similar sentiments in return. Despite that, however, he never denied her love. Whenever she wanted him, he showed her the amount of love she demanded from him even if he felt nothing of the sort. He knew she depended on him. She literally didn't need anyone but him. He could tell she was very uninterested at the rest of her clients at Tenpenny Tower. Perhaps this was why he accepted her. He was happy that she saw only him. He never thought someone can ever be so content by existing for just one person that they fancied. However, after meeting Alice, he understood.
And now….his imprecision ruined everything.
Now he realized she felt unwanted, unloved, and insecure even after all she had said to Susan just then. It was as if he spat at everything she had said for him and he wanted to get rid of her. If only he could tell her how untrue that is, and how it was purely an accident. If only she knew that there was no contest for his love. She had won his heart from the day he first laid eyes on her. If only things can be that simple… He hated himself for breaking her heart…which is why he won't allow for this to happen again—
He had to let her go.
He had to release her from this wretched building that will continuously haunt her about his mistake and no matter how hard he tried to change reality, it was just a task that was impossible. The reality will never change. The image of his betrayal is permanently burned into her mind. A stinging feeling was felt in his chest from the mere thought of her departure. The possibility of her returning to him after letting her go is even beyond that.
No…it was alright if she did not return. He did not want to be reminded of her faltering feelings towards him over this situation. Nothing will ever be the same again. The trust that he had gained from Alice is forever lost and even if he could work hard to gain it back again, it will never be the same loving and strong trust she once had for him. He knew she had once loved him, and that was enough for him to give him enough strength to allow her to leave him forever. Besides, he had the scar she has marked upon his face as a permanent reminder that she had once existed in his life. It is silly for him to force himself to alter this reality by forcing himself to be ignorant, but he had no choice. This had to be done. For his own selfish sake, he had to lie to himself and simply, dream. That was the only way he could bare the loneliness he will soon be feeling.
She wouldn't feel the rays of despair forever if she had someone such as that energetic brat at the gate with her. It would be safer for her to wander in the wasteland with someone rather than allowing herself to get eaten by a Yao Guai from the lack of decisiveness due to her depressive state.
Yes, this was the best thing Mr. Burke can do.
"Mr. DeLoria!" He shouted. Butch looked at Mr. Burke with a hint of slight fear in his eyes. He must have forgotten about Mr. Burke.
"Alice is here. Please wait one moment while I bring her to you."
"R—Really?! She's here? I mean…alright then. Don't keep me waiting, man!"
Mr. Burke grumbled to himself as he walked back into the building and into the elevator. As he waited for the elevator to tell Alice the news, he thought about what will happen. Alice will yell in fury. She will try to kill him with failure. He would not defend himself when she will lash out viciously at him in pure hatred. She would not believe a word he could say even if it's the truth and not an excuse, and therefore, he would support anything she does in her power that will allow her feel better even if it was just the bare minimum. He can imagine the frail smile on her face when he tells her that she can leave. However, he had to hold himself back from comforting her. The harsher and direct his words are, the easier it will be for her to leave.
Mr. Burke walked out of the elevator and walked towards his door, trying to hide the pain he felt inside. He hasn't even told her to leave yet, and he already missed her presence.
Alice ran into Mr. Burke's room and slammed the door shut. She would have locked it if she had the keys, but it was in Mr. Burke's possession. She sat on the bed and stared at the door. She waited for a bit before sighing a breath of relief. It did not seem as if he was going to walk in so soon, so it gave her time to think.
Alice lowered her head. Mr. Burke was kissing Susan. Why…? She thought Mr. Burke was going to punish Susan. Alice thought Mr. Burke loved her and only her. No…love always led to tragedy. This was the perfect proof of it. Substitution was the perfect word for how she felt. She was not the voluptuous and psychotic and obsessive Susan Lanchester. He said that he didn't have any more feelings for that woman and yet, Alice was casted aside for that exact person. She felt used with the importance of a plate of freshly cooked squirrel stew that was about to be consumed and tossed away once finished because there were stacks of many other plates of equally fresh squirrel stew ready to be served.
The haunting image of Mr. Burke sharing a sweet kiss with another person was something she wanted to forget. It was just a simple kiss, but she didn't want the thought of the kiss leading to a loving embrace.
Alice tried to comfort herself with thoughts that one would usually think of during distressed times such as this.
You deserve better than him.
He isn't worth your love.
You don't need any men in your life. Just yourself.
…However, a broken heart cannot simply be mended as easily as that. All she could truly think about was how he was the only light in her eyes in which she would blindly follow in this dark world of hers. Now that he's gone…she's left all alone being lost in this everlasting darkness that is impossible to escape from. This was a bad dream she was unable to wake up from. She also thought about the things Susan claimed Alice to be. He must have chosen Susan over Alice because a nobody like herself gave Mr. Burke a bad image. She was ruining his reputation and scarring his name. That's must be why…
Suddenly, she saw images in her head. Images of back when she was at the vault with her father. She saw father's gentle smile as he fed her as a child. She saw her father teaching her academics when she was too unwilling to go to class because of the bullying she received from her classmates because of her eyes. Images of her father hugging her and telling her how much she reminded him of her mother…and images of him disappearing without every saying a word to her.
Her father was the reason why she believed that it's always so hard to trust, and so hard to deal with the pain of abandonment. It all started with her father's sudden disappearance. Twice, she had to endure it and twice she regret gaining her ability to trust as quickly as she wish to lose it forever to avoid this similar pain. This feeling of abandonment was a scar that remained no matter how hard she tried to erase it. She always lied to herself, thinking that she hated her dad for leaving her. But she knew quite well, that if they weren't physically apart, she would cry in his fatherly and loving arms, instantly forgiving and accepting her only relative's reason. She could never let go and move on with her life no matter how genuine it looked in everyone else's eyes. She had thought Mr. Burke would be the only one to heal her emotional scar, but only to feel the person whom she'd unguardedly given all her trust and heart to first betray her. All she wanted to do was to start believing again…that's all she wanted. But that was just a dream she could never have. She was merely a stupid little girl constantly living in a dream. The truth was that she really didn't matter at all. That was why it's so easy for someone to leave her without trouble. She should never have accepted Mr. Burke's love. She should have taken her doubt and fear in his flawed love seriously, and find a way to break it. However, it was much too late now. She was trembling and shaking. She didn't know what Mr. Burke was going to say to her when he walked in the room. She just knew that she couldn't endure anything anymore.
A minute act like what Mr. Burke had just done shredded her heart. Shattered it into millions of irreplaceable and unfixable pieces. She was certain that Mr. Burke knew that Susan had tried to kill her due to her being mad with envy and that she had lost all morality and stability. That was the one thing Mr. Burke had mentioned that drew him to be quickly disinterested in that woman. However, everything has become apparent.
Everything that they've been through was a colossal waste of time. He lied. He lied about correcting the falsities Susan have ascended. He lied about the empty feelings he had for Susan. He lied about his loyalty for her. He lied about everything. He was a liar, and Alice was torn by this realization. She felt as if she had lost a part of herself forever and thought to herself: This is how much you were and are worth, Alice. You are nothing to him. You are disposable.
The door opened, causing Alice to look up to see Mr. Burke. The two of them stayed silent for a while, and neither of them had an expression on their face. Alice quickly stood up as she stared at him. She can not sit there and bear whatever excuses he was going to tell her. She had to run. She had to disappear.
However, before she could even make the effort, she did not expect what happened next. She cried. She tried wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her shirt, but as she wiped a few drops away, more of them kept dripping down her cheeks. She was shouting at Mr. Burke as she did so. She could barely comprehend any of the words that were spouting from her lips. She just simply could not control her feelings because she had never experienced such pain. Mr. Burke quickly ran towards her and tried to hold her and comfort her with soothing words, despite what he had just told himself not to do. Alice pushed him away, shouting out horrible things. She told him that she wanted to leave. She told him she didn't know who he was because she thought the Mr. Burke that she knew of would not promise to love her and abandon her instantly like this.
She told him that she hated him.
The air became very tense as Mr. Burke stood there silently. He placed both of his hands in the pockets of his suit and lowered his head.
"Mr. DeLoria is here. Gather whatever belongings from this room you wish to take with you. You're free to leave."
Alice looked up at Mr. Burke. How can Butch be here? But judging from the look on Mr. Burke's face, he was serious. He crushed whatever little hope she had remaining in her chest. She wished he asked her to stay. She wanted something….anything to prove herself wrong. Anything that hinted that he still loved her. She wanted to attempt to believe some sort of sugar coated lie, listening to the sweet words he always showered her with. The sweet words that allowed her to grow strong just by listening to them. He never genuinely smiled or spoke with a kind voice that matched the words his was speaking of, but she did not care.
However…this was it. This was the end of everything.
A small knock on the door was heard. Butch poked his head into the room. His curious expression turned into a look of excitement as he saw Alice. He pushed the rest of the door to the side and ran towards Alice.
"Alice! I've been lookin' all over for ya!" He stopped as he noticed her tears.
"Hey..what's the matter?" He looked at Mr. Burke questionably, but Mr. Burke responded by leaving the room instantly, slamming the door shut behind him. Butch could have sworn that Mr. Burke's hand was trembling as he closed the door. He turned his attention back towards Alice.
"What are you doing here, Butch?" She sniffed as she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt that wasn't already soaked with her tears.
"I came to find ya. I asked the ghoul at the bar in Megaton about you, and he told me where you were." Butch replied as he took out a handkerchief from the pockets from inside his jacket and wiped it on Alice's face. Alice couldn't help but to smile lightly from Butch's awkward kind gesture. Although he had always bullied Alice ever since they were both children, she had always known there were some good in him. She knew when he would always spend his time with his alcoholic mother and when he begged her for her help to save his mother. She ended up convincing him to save her instead, and then she left. She had faith in Butch that he was able to defeat them because she knew he cared for those who was worth his attention.
"Anyways! I just wanted to come here and tell you thanks. If it wasn't for ya, my mom would be cockroach food." Butch said loudly. It sounded as if he has been rehearsing it for awhile.
Alice nodded, but her chest was hurting too much to keep up that smile Butch has put on her face. She wanted to quit this game. She wanted to be free from the pain and tears. But she couldn't say any of that. Instead, she spoke quietly "Butch…I want to leave."
"O..Oh! Sure thing!" He walked with her to the door which he opened for her. Alice looked around the hallway. Mr. Burke was nowhere to be seen. She had wanted to tell him goodbye, but she figured that would have made things more difficult anyways. Butch went to the elevator with Alice. He looked uncomfortable by the silence just as Alice had felt when she first went into the elevator with Mr. Burke.
"So, Alice! It must have been amazing that you had the chance to stay here. It's gotta be!"
Alice didn't respond. The elevator had just opened and she was now distracted by the door that led to her exit. She could clearly see the outside of this building and there were a whole slew of ghouls that were surrounding the hotel. They were silently standing there, and Alice knew they all wanted to barge their way in. This was an impossible mission, but Alice could not care much for this. All she wanted to do is to go back to Megaton with Butch. These ghouls reminded her of Gob who was probably deeply depressed of her excessive absence and might assume that she was dead. Alice and Butch walked out of the elevator and into a crowded room full of guards that were running around so frantically that they looked like a big blur to Alice.
"Young Lady!"
Alice turned away from him and continued to walk towards the door for her release. Butch looked at the captain curiously. "Hey Alice, he's callin' for you. Shouldn't you hear him out? Maybe it's important." Butch really couldn't care for the guy that got him in trouble in the first place, but seeing how broken Alice was, perhaps the guy had something to say that will help the situation.
"I do not wish to cause more trouble." She spoke unflappably. She wanted to just depart from this accursed building.
The captain just kept talking. "I have just been informed about something serious. This is truly unexpected. You must go to the roof of the building. I have to stay here to keep the ghouls away from here. So—"
"That arrangement is entirely too troublesome for me to—" Alice started to say.
"There may be a funeral for Mr. Burke if you don't hurry, young lady! I'm not even allowed to tell this to a commoner like you, but Mr. Burke is someone I highly respect. I figure Ms. Susan Lanchester has something to do with this. I didn't think she would actually carry out such a crazy plan but for God's sake just get up there!"
Once Alice heard of Mr. Burke's name, she felt as if both her heart and the world have frozen up. He shouldn't matter to her. She should simply let him die for what he has done to her. However, she knew with all the power she could fight with herself, she could never let him go. At least, not like this. She was powerless to change anything…but she had to try. She nodded in understanding and turned towards the elevator while Butch ran after her.
Captain Gustav sighed as he watched her and Butch hurriedly rush towards the elevator. "Although I've done what I could, I have a bad feeling about this. Good luck, kid." And with that, he walked towards the gate to join his men in the fight.
Mr. Burke stood on top of the roof. He was watching the ghouls down there. It was not because he was worried or curious about the fight, but he wanted to see Alice walk away from the building. He needed to see that she was strong enough to leave everything behind and start a new future without him for the better. They should be leaving the building any moment now.
Then he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Alice…?
Mr. Burke turned around quickly, but the moment he did so, he felt a sharp and quick pain of a bullet pierce through his leg. He grunted and crouched over to hold onto the wound and looked up to see the last person he wanted to see.
It was Braedon, the stammering guard.
The guard had a wide grin on his face as he twirled the pistol around his fingers while walking towards Mr. Burke and spoke happily. "Ah…Mr. Burke. How nice it is to be reacquainted with you, sir."
So this man was actually a wordsmith. The studdering act must have all been a front to fool Mr. Burke into thinking he was incompetent as a potential threat, and it worked. He overlooked this guard. He was never one for the silent types, and he knew this when he first heard the first stammering words spout of Braedon's mouth. Mr. Burke knew there was something peculiar about this guard, but his ignorance got the best of him. Mr. Burke forced himself to grin back towards the lad. He could not show weakness even if he was breathing the last speck of air left in him.
"This is quite the accomplishment for a pseudo of a guard like yourself."
The guard laughed. He knew he had the upper hand, and he was going to take his sweet time enjoying this moment. "You are as brave as I've heard. Alas, Mr. Burke. You can't always have all the power. You are not immortal. You can't kill people with a snap of your fingers forever. You need limits. You need a downfall to your greatness, and I am the one that will make it happen."
Braedon noticed how Mr. Burke has yet to ask him for his motive. He decided to cut right to it.
"Susan Lanchester finds your wrongdoings quite unforgiveable…as do Mr. Tenpenny."
"What?!" Mr. Burke glared at Braedon in disbelief. Allistair was part of this? He must have planned this all along. He must have formulated this plan while he sent Mr. Burke away to distract him. That cold hearted bastard wanted Mr. Burke to suffer as much as his past victims. Was it because of Alice?
"You are at a liberty to believe me or not, but quite frankly, I find your acts to be unpardonable as well…" Braedon started to speak.
"Where is Alice?! If you harmed even a hair on her, I swear I'll—"
"Don't interrupt me!" The guard yelled and shot another bullet through the same leg as he did before, causing Mr. Burke to grunt again in pain. "I'm not nearly as skilled as you, but I am certainly disappointed at how weak you've become just because of one girl. Where is the famous Mr. Burke that's always one or two steps ahead of his opponent? Where is the Mr. Burke that everyone idolizes for being such a loyal right hand man to Mr. Tenpenny? He seems to be swallowed in the darkness that this Alice of yours has unintentionally created. Oh the inhumanity!"
Braedon threw his head up into the air to laugh at the poor old fool that was kneeling weakly in front of him. Who would have ever known that he would be the one to take the life of the famous and mysterious Mr. Burke that everyone had always dreamed of killing? He was going to get so much money from both the whore AND the boss from the company he worked for. Braedon turned around to take a knife out of his briefcase. If he was going to be rich for this, he was going to have proof of his accomplishment by cutting Mr. Burke's head to make it into a trophy. He was still laughing in excitement.
However, his laughter came to a complete halt as he heard the sudden sound of a gun firing and a sudden sharp and gory pain upon his chest. He choked in shock and turned around uneasily at Mr. Burke who was pointing the fired gun at him.
"That Mr. Burke never left, you foolish buffoon. Did you actually think I would be unprepared for scenario such as this? Everything I do is of perfection! As you can see, I can easily terminate an ant like you in such an underhanded fashion, and I'll do the same to both Ms. Lanchester and Mr. Tenpenny."
Braedon's body fell to the ground. Mr. Burke noticed he was still alive. Barely, but breathing.
"I could've used a creative man like you. Then again, I don't need a traitor in my midst. I hope you have made your peace with God." Mr. Burke spoke softly before unloading the last bullet he had in his gun upon Braedon's skull.
Mr. Burke grunted as he felt the pain in his leg return. It was time to pay a visit to the doctor before dealing with the conspirators. He turned to leave, but stopped as he saw a woman at the door.
It was Susan Lanchester, and she was pointing a gun at him.
She must have been waiting to see whether or not Braedon's skill unrivaled with Mr. Burke's and chose herself to take him down after being roughed up by the guard. The plan was well constructed, but even the most well-planned wrongdoings can be undone. Especially when that person was as brainless as Susan Lanchester.
"Well now. You certainly made a mess of things, Ms. Lanch—"
"Don't be so quick to pin this on me!" Susan screamed at him as her grip upon the pistol tightened. Mr. Burke took one look into her eyes to realize that she has reached her limit. What little stability that existed within her was now gone. She would really pull the trigger if she wanted to. Mr. Burke had nothing to worry about risking. His life did not matter to him, but he was still unsure whether or not Alice was safe. He had to hang in there just for a little while longer until he could find out.
"Throw your gun here!" She ordered.
Mr. Burke obeyed. He carefully placed his gun onto the ground and kicked it over to Susan who responded by kicking it backwards behind her. The gun slid all the way towards the entrance.
"What are you blabbering about? The guard told me everything. I thought we both established that this relationship would be terminated after that incident. I highly doubted that you would be such a lying annoyance like this, but yet you sent that failure of a guard after me—"
Mr. Burke was interrupted once again by Susan. She was laughing hysterically, which caused Mr. Burke to grimace. Her laugh was nothing short of disgusting…not only because it was evoked from this particular person, but because he used to fancy it.
"Enough about the guard then. Where is Alice!?" He demanded.
"Sooooory, I'm not at the liberty to divulge that information to you~!" Susan sang happily, enjoying the rage Mr. Burke's eyes were giving off.
"Why stray from the topic anyways? I may have hired the guard, but it was your precious Allistair that gave it the okay! Here's a note from him to prove it!" Susan kept her firm grip on the gun with one hand while she used the other hand to take out a piece of paper she kept in between her cleavage. She walked towards him and gently pressed the paper against his face as an attempt to tease him before he impatiently snatched the paper from her to read it. The note read:
A chance will present itself for you to reunite with your lover, Ms. Lanchester. If not…Mr. Burke will be unseated from his position if he is unable to let go of that girl. If he refuses, the cold whispers of death will fill the air for both him and the girl.
If you are reading this, Mr. Burke. I hope you regain your senses and accept the obvious choice for this modest proposal. It would be such a shame to lose an outstanding right hand man such as yourself.
-Allistair Tenpenny
Mr. Burke gave off a sigh of relief. The threat only meant that Alice would only be endangered if Mr. Burke refused this deal. She is still alright. Mr. Burke crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it on the ground. He looked up at Susan who was grinning from ear to ear.
"You see, Mr. Burke? It's just so easy! Just give me your love, and I'll give you your life!" She was giggling as she placed the tip of the gun against his chest. She used her free hand to caress his neck, as if she already knew which decision he was going to make. Oh how wrong she is.
"If those are the only choices I have," Mr. Burke spoke calmly. "Then I would sooner choose to die than live." He anticipated the bullet to piercing through his chest, but didn't feel anything. He looked over at Susan who was glaring horrifyingly at him.
"Well aren't you just a big botch of happy, loving goodness you fucking radroach! Your convictions about women confuses me. I had always thought quality was more important to you than quantity. However, this can't be the case if you've chosen that little girl over me."
Mr. Burke felt the gun pressed harder against him.
"I doubted that you would be such a fool for doing all of this nonsense for the likes of that girl! I'll kill you. Then I'll kill her. Then I'll kill myself. Then we'll all be one big happy family! I'm going to enjoy seeing the look on her face when I tell her about your death! This is going to shatter her like you did to me when I lost you to her!"
Mr. Burke looked at her with such dark eyes. "Whatever grudge you hold onto me, I will accept. However, do not drag Alice into this, you worthless bitch."
Just then, the world becomes just a little crueler than it already was when she fired the bullet that pierced through the heart of Mr. Burke's.
He could feel it as he fell onto the concrete ground. The everlasting hell that awaited him was drawing closer to him as fast as the blood was leaking out of his body. He had always known he would be part of the world that's been set in flames for him after death. He knew ever since he was a young boy. However, he did not expect to enter into such a world so soon in such an unfashionable manner with his finely tailored suit now discolored with his blood and his glasses shattered all across the floor.
He refused to look over at the woman who brought this onto him who was now emitting a sound that sounded like a mixture of sobbing and laughter. He did not want his last glimpse of life to be of someone so worthless such as herself. What would he give to gaze into the eyes of his beloved….
"Mr. Burke!"
The voice did not belong to Susan. Mr. Burke looked quickly towards the direction of the person who called out for his name. Just then, he witnessed the killing of Susan Lanchester with Alice holding his gun at her. She fired multiple bullets at Susan, even after she fell silently onto the ground. He watched as Butch grabbed Alice's shoulder to stop her from doing what she couldn't control and pointed at Mr. Burke's direction. Alice immediately dropped the gun and ran over towards to Mr. Burke while he noticed the boy running back into the building, probably calling for help.
She was already choking in her tears as she raced towards Mr. Burke's side. She was surprised that his face wasn't twisted in pain from the wound that seemed so painful that's been forced upon him.
Mr. Burke looked at Alice. She was crying again. Her tears were being spewed out of her eyes again because of him, but for an entirely different reason. Both times, however, made her seem pitiful, and it made Mr. Burke hate himself for being the sole reason for those tears.
"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have been so stubborn. Otherwise, I would have arrived sooner and stopped this from happening." Alice managed to speak weakly as she was sobbing and sniffling intensely.
Mr. Burke looked up at her with pain now. How can she apologize for something that was out of her reach? He wanted to apologize. He wanted to tell her so many things that he could countlessly apologize for and to hold her into his arms, but he couldn't. He could taste the blood rising in his chest and into his mouth. He wasn't going to last long, and his many words that he wanted to say would be meaningless if he couldn't finish saying what he wanted to say. He was limited with anything that evoked from his vocal chords, so he chose his words carefully.
"It's perfectly alright." Mr. Burke spoke as he became misty-eyed and attempted to pull the muscles of his lips into a smile of reassurance. He had a terrible and fail smile on his face. This intensified her sobbing as she realized he was trying to comfort her in his own indirect way. The sounds of her cries stopped for a second as she felt his hand wrap around hers. She looked at him and watched as he spoke the last words she ever heard from him.
"I love you."
Then his eyes closed and Alice felt his hand slip away from hers. Alice as she screamed and cried, holding onto his unconscious body for as long and as tight as she could until the doctor's arrival along with Butch came forth to pull her away from Mr. Burke. Butch looked at Alice's attire with concern. She was holding onto Mr. Burke so much that she was now wearing his blood on her clothes as she watched the doctor take Mr. Burke's body away forever. They also watched several guards dragging Susan and Braedon's body away.
They both stood there for what seemed like forever until Butch finally said "Let's go, Alice." Alice barely registered the words he had spoken and allowed him to take her hand, leading her out of the place. Mr. Burke tried so hard for her to be happy. He did so much and even died because of her. She regretted not believing in him. She regretted not doing her part and being a good lover to him as he did with her. However, no matter how much she regreted…he'll never come back to her.
(Phew! It took awhile to finish this really long chapter. I intended to end it with this chapter, but it turned out a lot longer than I thought so there will be one last chapter that will be the closure to this fan fiction. Hope you guys liked it! ^^;)