Like what I did with the chapters? Whateve. Notice how I'm cross refrencing things? "Warrior Goddess"? Alot of other things. So...yeah. Oh, and Brian's a friend of mine. Just for the record. I'm also working on my writing style. Just decribing the scene and all.
Songs: No Suprise by Daughtry. Snuff by Slipknot; Pistol to My Temple by Scary Kids Scaring Kids; Riptide by Sick Puppies
O
As Al walked into Tenpenny, he was met with the unmistakable smell of Ghoulified flesh. He cringed minorly. He was partly used to it, but it still just got to you at first. A few Ghouls thanked him-probaby for the millionth time-on how he helped them to their new homes. He smiled, nodded, and went on his way. He approached the elevator to the Penthouse. The doors opened and he pressed the top button.
A few silent moments passed and the two doors opened again. He stepp out smoothly and turned to head onto the balcony. He caught a glimpse of the mini-garden in Tenpenny's former room. It was in desperate need of attention. Some water would do wonders.
He sighed and shook his head, and walked out. He looked right and saw the Leather Armor-clad Ghoul.
"Hey, kid." Roy greeted half-mindedly, more focused on his AR. Al nodded in response. He continued walking, his boots making small gravely sounds agaisnt the flooring of the balcony. He passed the table, on which stood an empty bottle. Al always wondered why it was there, without a chair to sit in. Al shrugged, storing the thought for when he needed to distract himself.
He stopped after he rounded the corner. His head turned right onto the magnificent view from atop the high-tower. There were two other places that he could see a view that could equal this. One was the Washington Memorial, and it's view was rather dull. A good sniping spot though.
The second was in Rivet City. You get to the top of that at dawn or dusk, and you forget anything's wrong. Like it's the old world once more. Just seeing the water, now fresh from the Lone Wanderer's penance, sparkling from the sun's warming rays shine over it...it was damn magical. Or at dawn, being able to see the maroons and violets of the sky, coupled with the orange reflected off the water...a great way to end a long, hard, tiring day.
Al blinked several times, remeniscing the few times that he and Sarah had. They'd only been "Together" for a month. They hadn't seen each otehr since their little kiss. Well, atleast since Amata, the fucking traitor. Al grumbled angrly and entered the room. He had put much stuff on the shelves. Clothes, beer, food, small arms, other various stuff. Nothing else though.
He went to his desk, and sat down. He could feel the fabric undersuit of the Combat Armor rubbing against him. He shifted a bit in his seat. He sighed, and -in one of the rare occasions-removed his hat, placing it on the desk. He did the same with his shades. He brushed his fingers through his hair, it in the Pompuador fashion. He liked it that way. He raised his arms up, or atleast as far as the pauldrons of his armor would allow.
He looked down at the paper and pencil in front of him. He had no idea why he kept it there. Just using a desk as it was supposed to. He leaned, picking up the pencil. He began to write his suicide note. Sarah hated him. The Capital Wasteland was safe, atleast enough for the Regulators and the Brotherhood to keep it secure. He...wasn't needed.
He'd really gone over this for hours. Thinking it through on his little walk. He thinks that he's got everything thought out. He said some of it out loud. He smiled grimly, liking the way it sounded.
Sarah, He began to write, I'm not going to take the easy way out of this. Not going to wrap it in ribbons. With you...I don't have to give a reason why. It's no suprise I'm not with you right now. I honestly can't beleive I stayed till today, not just killed myself when you left me at the Vault. Our little love'll be a tough act to follow, but in time it'll be no suprise when you find someone who loves you as much a I do.
As Al wrote, it came out like a river, just flowing through his pencil. He was suprised at how easy it was, how good it felt to let it go.
My heart can't take anymore of this. This sorrow. I'm sorry I'm not there with you. Don't be suprised when you hate me for this. God knows how hard we fought to be with each other. If you've forgiven me, which I doubt, I want you to, every single day, go to our favorite place. The one at Rivet City? Well, go there, sit, and remmber me for who I was. Remember my warm embrace. If the tables were turned, I'd never want ot forget that loving look in your eye when we were near each other.
If I could see the future, how this plays out, I bet it's better than now. But after this...I can't find a reason to stay. I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so, so sorry. But I can't take the thought of you, my Warrior Goddess, turning her back on her most faithful. I love you.
Sincerely, the Lone Wanderer: Star Paladin Al Sorenson, Regulator.
O(Skipping Sarah's little intermission.)
As Al walked down the hall of the Citadel's A ring, a scowl was on his face. One, due to the damn Initiates and their wasting ammo. And two: Amata. Sarah saw this, her Lone Wanderer unhappy. So she confronted him.
"Hey Al. Everthing okay?" He looked up, suprised. A smile grew on his face, happy to see her. She could see his entire body perk up when he saw her. His Ranger Battlearmor covered shoulders lifted, his posture straightened.
"Sarah! Didn't see you there!" He said in an excited tone. "Yeah, everything's okay. Well..." He trailed off for a few moments, scratching the back of his head. "It's just...well, I'll tell you later."
"Al, you know you can tell me anything you want to. Now, you're obviously upset, and I want to know why. Let Sarah help." She cooed in the third person. Al smiled again.
"I know. It's..." He sighed, "AmatacameoutoftheVault." He said too quickly for her to hear, then walked to the council. It took Sarah a few moments to figure out what he said. A shocked and horrified expression grew as it dawn on her.
Al's ex had returned.
O
As Al walked with her and the Pride outside, Sarah saw a small blue and black bundle seated against the wall. Al walked over to it, and gently shook it awake. Who was apparently a she looked up. Sarah overheard some of their conversation, even though Dogmeat had jumped up on her. She gave into his look and rubbed the top of his head, asking him -obviously without a response- about who's a good boy. Sarah smiled. She always liked dogs.
"Amata. Get up." He ordered dryly, without care for her. Sarah hoped that the girl noticed.
"How'd it go?"
"Fine. We're going back to the Vault with the squad I'm enlisted in. One thing though: See the blonde woman? Don't fuck with her. She's my CO, and I will not defend you from her wrath." He stood back up, and told the rest of the men, all dressed in matching armor. It looked pretty stupid. "Same goes for the rest of you! You treat them with respect!"
"I thought Al was one of us." One of the men said to another. Al glared, but didn't speak. Al looked pretty pissed though. Al had told her once about all of the shit he'd been through in the Vault. All of them. In Vault 87, he saw unspeakable horrors, the Super Mutant's failed experiments.
In Vault 106, he saw hallucinations of Amata, Butch, and other Dwellers. He had to kill Amata in those visions. The bastards broke his arm before he brought himself to it. He was silent for days in Megaton when he got back.
In Vault 108, he had to fight mutliple clones who said one word: "Gary." They simply screamed it as they charged. Al nearly went insane from it all, the incessive shouting, killing the same person over and over and fucking over. He now has an urge to punch anyone in the face if their name is: "Gary."
In Vault 92, he was reminded of the brainwashing and secrets in there. Reminded of Vault 101. And the white noise gave him one hell of a headache.
In Vault 112 he found his father. He was also forced to make the lives of the residents, living in a virtual reality overseen by an insane genius who sees himself a god, a Tartarus. He could just feel his morality begging him to find another way. Having to do that still haunts him.
In Vault 101...you know what happened there. Al grew up there. He was forced out in an effort to find his father. When he returned, he was forced out by his best friend. He proceeded to attempt suicide. All of those memories in the Vaults...he hates being around anything that reminds him of a Vault. He becomes the complete opposite of how he normally is. Edgy, moody, forlorn, and he wants to leave as soon as he arrives.
"Let's go," Al growled, and began to walk North.
Amata approached Sarah. "Um...hi...I'm..."
"I know who you are, Amata." She answered for her. "You nearly killed Al."
She cringed. "I know...and I didn't mean to...but I had to get him to leave."
"You could've let him rest a while. You have no idea what has happened to him."
"What?"
"He's had everything taken away from him. His father, his love...his hand." Sarah said, then started to follow Al. Amata stared at her, confused on her answer.
O
As they walked through the wastes, Amata mustered up the courage to speak to Sarah. "What do you mean," She asked of the Sentinel, "by he lost his hand?"
She turned her head to meet her question. "Then Enclave took it. Replaced it with a robotic hand. It's intergrated with his nervous system. He can take it off, but it can still function like a normal hand. That was just after his father died-also due to the Enclave-and..." Sarah paused to let her next words sink in to the younger woman,"...before you exiled him. And before he tried to kill himself."
"Wait...his father died? Just before I...oh my God..." She stated in disbelief. Sarah was taken aback. This naive little girl still had faith? Oh, that's right. She's a Vaultie. One of the few things Al hates to be refrenced as.
"But I think he's warming up to me! You know...maybe he only remembered the bad things that happened..." Sarah wanted to tell her the truth, realized that Al would've already told her. Who, at the moment, was a ways ahead of the group.
Sarah shook her head, dissapointed in the girl on her denial. If she even barely knew the man the Lone Wanderer now was, she'd know that he could not allow himself to be with someone like her. So...green. Al'd have to save her from a Mole Rat attack. And Sarah strongly felt that Amata wouldn't take to the Wastes as well as Al had. Not in the slightest.
After Al went to fix the Trouble on the Homefront, Amata had buried all of his dark feelings into his skin. She'd come away from that with innocence, and left him with his self-percieved sins. The air around Al as of now felt like a cage. What Amata saw as Al trying to love her again was just a camoflauge for his rage. So if Amata truly loved him, she'd go away from him, and run away from she knows the truth.
His heart was just too dark with her around to care about her feelings. He couldn't destroy what isn't there, the feelings between them. He didn't want anything other than just getting her out of his hair. His promise to never hurt her was still in effect. She delivered him into that corner of the Saloon. Sarah felt, no, knew that Amata did not, nor ever would, deserve Al. Her Lone Wanderer.
Al used to have this one smile. One that said: "Everything'll be just alright!" It was gone. Amata stole that smile. If Amata could change into the type of person that Al wanted, he hopes he never knows about it. Al only wishes that she wasn't his friend, so that he could hurt her. It took the death of Al's brilliant hope to let her go. If she still cared about his feelings, Sarah hoped that he never knew. Sarah was his. And he was hers.
Suddenly Al stopped. He looked around quickly, almost like a squirrel. (There's squirrel stew in-game, it has to come from somewhere.) He slapped his thigh, and swung his head downwards, just realizing something.
"Al? Everything okay?" Sarah asked, slowly reaching out to him. Amata looked over, looking scared beyond wit. If somehting caught Al off-gaurd, it had to be bad.
He chuckled darkly. "Do ya' smell it?" He asked in a sarcastic tone.
"It wasn't me!" Kodiak defended, raising his hands up in defense. Sarah shook her head, figuring out what Al saw.
"He means the trap we just walked the fuck into." As if on cue, Talon Company Mercenaries popped out from behind cover, ARs at the ready. The took aim and opened fire on the small group. Most of the fucking Vaulties fled, and Al sighed in dissapointment. He quickly reached over his shoulder for his Backwater Rifle. He mostly used it due to the single-shot, and abundancy of ammo. If he felt like he needed it, he'd use his Chinese AR.
He fired a round at the closest black-armored -not to mention black-hearted- merc. It hit the sand near him, but did it's job. The merc took cover, letting some of the fire off of the Power-Armored men and women. The Pride had drawn their weapons, and began to follow Al's lead, putting supressing fire on them. It worked, and Al quickly bum-rushed up, wanting to stay out of an uphill fight.
You should never fight uphill.
As he rounded the ledge, he saw the awe-struck look in the merc's eye. Suprise that Al had the courage to do such a thing, and of the barrel in his face. The Lone Wanderer quickly pulled the trigger, ending his existence painlessly. Cocking the rifle, he turned to face the others, who had trained their weapons on him. They opened fire, and Al shot once before beign forced to get into cover.
Sarah climbed up the hill as well, trying to flank the rat bastards. It was a much slower process than Al's. He was wearing his Ranger Battlearmor, so had much more mobility than Sarah's Power Armor. But she managed to make it up, and disentigrated one of them, then the rest noticed her, and changed targets from Al to the Sentinel.
Sarah didn't really have to worry. Most squads like this are squads because they need more men. Maybe more men can make up for lack of skill. So Sarah could take a few hits, giving Al enough time to attack.
He reholstered his lever action, and with his left hand reach around behind him, and his hand met the cocking mechanism of the shotgun. He grabbed it, and pulled it around. He grabbed the trigger, and his left hand's position made him combat ready. He fired two shells off, killing the third one. The final one raised his hand, surrendering. Al and Sarah each reholstered their weaponry. He suprised them by pulling out a grenade.
Al, being the Gunslinging Sheriff he was, drew his Blackhawk, and let the .44 round fly to it's V.A.T.s assisted target. It hit, and the frag exploded in his hand, killing him instantly.
The battle was over.
The mangled corpse of their doomed attackers lay at the Lone Wanderer and Sentinel's feet. Their deep crimson blood was artistic and repulsive as it stained the sand. Their limbs, ripped from their owners, lay still oozing blood, vainly trying to clot the wound, as nature intended. Their armor was blown off in some portions, and through it their shredded tissues could be viewed with ease. Ther entrails splattered where they lie. The buzzards were already overhead, cawing in anticipation for their meal.
Amata threw up, not used to gore, and fainted. Al sighed in dissapointment, and put away his pistol. Sliding down the hill, he reached for Amata's prone form, and lifted her up, bridal-style. Sarah looked at Al, questioning him. He looked back, and Sarah got what he was saying.
Him and his damn morality.
O
They had gotten to an abonded store, a bit north of where they were. Al smiled, remembering this was the first place that Talon Company tried to ambush him. They went inside, and Al was on his knees, while Amata was in a chair. He was checking her vitals.
"Hey Al. You okay?"
"Yeah, dandy." He said, voice saturated with sarcasm. Before Sarah could respond, Al continued. "Goddamn it Sarah...what did I do to have to get this? Trying to teach a Vaultie to make it through a single fucking day without getting killed?"
"So you're just going to tell her outright?"
"No. She'd start bawling, attract every damn Raider for half a mile. No, I'm just hoping I can do this and avoid her for the rest of my life. 'Cause now, I know that if I flew into a mountain, or burned myself to nothing, it'd be something, sure. But it'd never be enough for her. She wants me to...I don't even know, go back to Vaultie Al?"
"She can't accept the way you've changed. It's a bit too sudden for her."
"I know, but she shoudl've expected this..." He trailed off sadly. "I had my pistol to my temple once because of her. I could've pulled the trigger like it was nothing. What does she take me for? Fuck it. It makes no difference what I'd to for her. I'd give her my life. Or I would. Nonetheless, it would never be enough for her." Al finished. Just as Amata woke up, he jabbed a Stimpack into her arm. She cried out in pain. Al, being the pitiful guy, insitinctivly apologized. He then up and left.
Sarah approached her. "Look, kid. You stay away from Al."
"Why?" She questioned. Sarah scowled.
"You bring up some bad memories. One that Al'd really like to keep down. He told me that he found a small skeleton in a crib. A few feet away, two other skeletons. One with a .32 Caliber Revolver in hand. There were two shells on the ground. Al thinks they killed themselves and left the child to die. It still haunts him. When you see his eyes glaze over, and he gets real edgy and quiet, you stop talking, 'cause he's remembering every little detail about something he really doens't want to."
Sarah simply walked away, done with the child. She found Al standing outside, completely lost in thought. She knew not ot disturb him. How?
He was flipping his lighter.
O
Al could barely stand to look at Amata. He thought he was doing just damn fine, compared to how Amata was faring in the Wastes. She'd been talking to him about coming back into the Vault. She thought she was so persuasive. But he wasn't going to give up on staying. Saving his life was not what she was doing.
Al, he liked to step on cracks. To go against the odds. Amata must've thought he was so dangerous. He must've turned her on. Maybe he was wrong about it all, but he liked where he was going. He would stay to fight when others left. He would rarely re-decide. He didn't mind if anyone waited for the smoke to clear, but he doesn't waste time. He doesn't know how long he has left to live.
For him, crazy was just fine. He sanity questioned him. If he was crazy to fall for the tough Sarah Lyons, then he liked where he was going. He wouldn't justify the way he lived his life to anyone. He was the one living it, feeling it, tasting it, and Amata? She was wasting her time trying to throw him a line. Trying to throw a line...when she was the one who was drowning.
Al's water was damn fine to swim in. His irradiated, Mirelurk-infested water. Ahh, the Capital Wasteland.
He remembers when it used to be easy, when it wasn't so hard, when he didn't have to justify the way lived his life. Al sighed, and put away his lighter. He started walking and heard Sarah shout some orders to move out. Al smiled. This'd be all over soon enough.
O
As they walked up the incline that led to the Vault door, Sarah could spot some bodies. Bodies that wore the same Armor that Amata wore. So she managed to lose two men literally after walking out the front door. No wonder Al was pissed. These were people he grew up with, for God's sake!
They, or more Amata and her and Sarah's squad, went inside, and Al simply turned and leaned against the wall. He pulled out his father's lighter, began to flip it open and closed. All of that with a scowl on his face. She could see his cringed eyes behind his sunglasses. She stepped up to him.
"Hey Al." He gave her a smile. Weak, but a smile nonetheless. "I was just thinking of how we hadn't goen any further thn that little kiss..."
"That was the last time wee saw ech other. Over a month ago?"
"Well, maybe I want," She said, putting a hand on the wall, to the right of his head, "to go a little...further."
"Now isn't the right time." He replied, and rolled them over, so that Saah was against the wall.
She turned them back to their original positions, takng dominance. "What ever happened to accepting a lady's request?"
"What if there's a sniper?" Al flipped them over, also gaining the edge.
"Let him watch." She reversed it, regaining dominance. "And I am your CO. Do I have to make it an order?"
Al then suprised Sarah. Instead of, as she had expected, rolling them over, he pulled even closer, into a loose embrace. He leaned in closer ot her face, till they were inches apart.
"I love it when you assert your dominance over me."
"I love to assert my dominance over you." And it seemed as though with that one statement, the two had established a connection in a way that they couldn't imagine, one so deep, so profound, and so true that nothing could ever break it. And it was with those words that they shared our first true moment together and kissed. At first, they just pecked each other. Just a quick little thing. But it felt so...right. So warm, so comforting.
They kissed quickly a few more times, closing in, and they went into a full-out kiss. He placed a hand on the back of her head, and the other wrapped around her, pulling her as close as possible. As she did the same, he opened his mouth, and she followed, allowing them to explore each other for the first time.
The Sentinel and the Lone Wanderer were together…as one…and it was pure bliss, tasting each other like that. After a few minutes of passion, they reluctantly broke apart, in desperate need of air. They went to the very last second. They panted for air, and smiled at each other lovingly. He wanted the moment to last forever. If he had to stay stuck in one moment for all eternity, that would've been it, hands down.
"So..." Sarah began, still embracing Al, smiling lovingly. He smiled back warmly. Her smile…it was just so sweet. Every time she smiled, he smiled. It brought him joy in some way he just could not even begin to describe. She simply trailed off after that. They didn't want to disturb the connection.
"You know...they're probably wondering where we are right now." Al whispered to her.
"Yeah." Sarah responded, then -with great reluctance- pulled away from Al. He frowned as well, and would re-embrace her if it weren't for Amata bursting through the door. She looked relieved to find them seperated. Alfonse, Amata's father, walked out. He smiled at Al, who crossed hs arms in front of his chest.
"Overseer." Al said in a dry tone.
"Al. How have you been?"
"Since your precious daughter nearly killed me? Dandy."
"Look, Al, I-" Alfonse tried ot say, but was cut off by the .308 round piercing his chest. Al called out the obvious and ran for cover. Sarah cursed and did the same. Al reached over to Amata and roughly pulled her over. He scanned for the sniper, and Al caught the glint of a scope. He pulled out his powerful Lever-Action Rifle, and fired a few rounds. Either he died or fled, Al was unsure. No matter.
Al quickly hauled Alfonse into the Vault cavern. Sarah, unsure of what to do, went to go help the Pride assemble a makeshift defense. She could hear the Overseer thanking Al.
A few hours later, Al was called into the Overseer's office. Then all Hell broke loose. A battalion of Outcasts showed up and decided they wanted the Vault's tech.
O
After the battle, Al found himself on the floor. He rolled over to find Sarah in tears at him.
"You fucking bastard! How dare you betray me like that! I heard you...groping that whore! Stay away from the Citadel! C'mon Pride!" Sarah spitefully pointed at Al. "Except you." THe silence kept it easy and safe for the moment. A few minutes after she left, Al, in shock, stood up. He tried ot step forward, but landed on his knees. He could still hear her footsteps. They grew louder and louder.
All she needed was time for Al to explain. But now the time apart was going to destroy them. It'll all be over for Al, very soon. She had pierced his lungs with the butt of her rifle, and when he tried to explain, his lips went numb. His colors faded away as she scolded him.
Al would've died for Amata to leave him be. All she wants is for Al to live in safety. Amata would watch Al bleed out in the Vault. He'd bleed out because he wouldn't be needed.
A/N
I think you know how the rest played out. If you don't, read "Forgiven?" It'll fill you in pretty nicely. Okay, seriosuly this time. REVIEW OR I WILL NOT UPLOAD EVER A-FUCKING-GAIN!