- IV -

(2277)

Part 2

The sequence of events that followed sped by in a blur.

They all pitched in to move the super mutant carcasses out of the memorial. The task took an entire day, and the next few comprised interior organization. Both James and Madison took an active role in direction, which led to some disagreements and a few minor quarrels. He quickly learned she was no longer the compliant subordinate from their younger years. She had become a proficient leader in her own right, and once they came to an understanding, things flowed in a smoother manner.

As the scientists grew busier with preparations, Alex hung back to remain on standby. Madison felt her constant gaze as she went about her work, the revelation of Alex's feelings never far from her mind. She gave herself no downtime on purpose, needing space and a long period to think.

On the fourth day, their team set up around the old laboratory, and Madison gave in to the nostalgia as she reacquainted herself with every piece of equipment, every handwritten research note she had left behind all those years ago. Her old desk sat in its same place below the flickering lights, covered in a blanket of dust and stained with super mutant blood. She left it to Garza and Janice's cleaning attempts and made her way to the spot that had been Catherine's station.

Only fragments of wood and plaster occupied the space now, dumped in an unceremonious pile amidst torn papers and grime. She bent down to pick up an aged notebook sheet, emotion welling up in her throat when she recognized Catherine's graceful handwriting scrawled across the page. Her late paramour still had a presence here, infused throughout the building from the walls to the air. Madison regretted leaving, or at least leaving without bringing some sort of memento with her. They had departed in separate ways, neither forgotten nor completely gone.

Madison ended up returning to this place after all. And through the promise of pure water, Catherine still lived on.

"Is that my mom's?" Alex asked, striding up from behind her.

Madison hid her discomposure and nodded, showing her the paper. "Catherine wasn't much for adhering to a structured schedule, so she usually wrote down her assignments for the day and just picked a random order in which to do them."

Alex studied the notes in interest until something she read pulled the corners of her mouth into a frown.

"What is it?" Madison inquired, peering down at the sheet.

"'12:00 PM: Have lunch with Maddie.'" Alex pinned her with a sharp look. "Maddie? So she could call you that, but no one else can?"

Madison felt the heat of an indignant flush rise to her cheeks. She folded the paper, tucking it into her lab coat pocket. "Your mother was the one who gave me that nickname," she stated quietly.

Alex stared hard at her, something close to acrimony surfacing in her expression. "You never got over her, did you?"

"That's really none of your business, Alex."

"Screw that. She was my mom. I think it is my business."

"Now you're just being a child," Madison snapped in a harsh whisper, mindful of the curious glances from the rest of the scientists.

Alex stepped closer, standing near enough for Madison to see the flecks of gold in her brown irises.

"I am not a child," she murmured, husky tone low and even, eyes dropping to the other's lips for a fraction of a second. Then, before any response came forth, she backed off and marched out of the laboratory.

Madison gaped after her, wondering just how many problems this would cause in the following weeks.

At that moment, James, who had observed the exchange from across the floor, approached her while carrying a large stack of folders in his arms. "Alex, she… seems to have taken to you quite well."

It took Madison several beats to determine that he seemed puzzled more than anything. "I guess. I haven't had anyone so adamant for my company since Catherine."

"Like mother like daughter, I suppose."

She bit back a sardonic laugh. Oh, James… you have no idea.

x-x-x-x-x

Alex maintained a frigid distance over the next week, almost pouty in her demeanor as she came and went at various hours of the day. Madison let her be, glad for the respite from her incessant attention. She poured her concentration into the project, gathering every scrap of old research she could find and compiling them into their data archives. Although they still lacked a G.E.C.K., and therefore a definitive method of completing the purifiers, James appeared confident in their eventual success this time around.

Thus far, most of the terminals and the purifiers themselves remained shut down. Once the laboratory had been cleared of debris and biohazardous material, they moved on to the rebooting phase. As James called the team into the conference room for a meeting, Alex returned from one of her forays outside and loitered in the doorway.

"Perfect timing, Alex," James declared as everyone else crowded around the center table. "I have an assignment I need your help with."

Madison kept quiet as Alex released a weary sigh.

"What is it, Dad?"

"We can't bring the project back online until we get some maintenance issues taken care of," he replied, rubbing at the scruff over his chin and jawline. "Would you be willing to carry out these tasks?"

She made an apathetic gesture with her hand. "Sure, whatever. Just point me in the right direction and tell me what you need me to do."

Madison glimpsed the stiffness in their communication, noticing the veiled sullenness in Alex's attitude. Suddenly, she realized how Alex must have felt—abandoned by her father, and then made into an errand girl after tracking him down and joining his cause. No semblance of a parent-child relationship resonated between them. In fact, no one else had bothered to interact with Alex other than asking her to do this or that job. Madison blanched, perturbed by her own dismissive behavior, when it dawned on her just how lonely Alex appeared most of the time.

What is this, James? Years ago, you cast Project Purity aside to devote yourself to your daughter. Now you've cast your daughter aside to devote yourself back to Project Purity. Why does it have to be one or the other?

"Excellent," James said, sounding pleased. "We need to finish up here, but if you wait for me in the control room, I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

When a shade of dejection accompanied Alex's acquiescent nod, Madison spoke up, no longer willing to watch from the sidelines.

"I'll get her started on the flood control pumps," she announced, glaring at James when he peered at her in disapproval. "You can conduct the meeting without me. I already know what duties I'll be doing once everything starts back up."

He still seemed unhappy with her insistence, but sighed his agreement. Madison broke away from the group and ushered Alex out of the conference room. They walked together down the corridors, the atmosphere hushed and a little awkward. Although they said nothing for several minutes, a certain air of companionship formed between them. She couldn't help relating their dual footfalls to her leisurely strolls with Catherine. Alex, for all her variances from her mother, carried her posture in much the same way.

The silence remained unbroken until Alex rounded on her outside the sub-basement door.

"So, are you actually going to talk to me now, or is this strictly business?"

Madison stopped in her tracks and placed a hand on her hip. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't seem to get along with your father very well."

Alex bristled. "What do you mean? I do stuff to help him out, we don't fight or anything, things are fine."

"Conflict isn't always loud and direct. It looks like you two are dealing with more subtle problems, like negligence and resentment. I'm fairly adept at analyzing relationships from a third party standpoint," Madison explained.

The younger woman snorted. "Bet you became so good at your relationship analysis thing because my parents got together and left you in the dust."

The words cut through Madison with the force of a serrated blade, ripping open a number of old, dormant wounds she had spent years burying. A simmering sensation curled around her chest and compelled her to lash out, to deliver a scathing rejoinder as reprisal for the burn. Anything to strike back; anything to ease the hurt. Instead, she drew herself up straighter and used her eyes to convey the answer.

Something raw must have shown in her expression because Alex paled and backpedaled at once.

"Hey. Sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm just… sore that you're not giving me a chance," Alex told her, fidgeting on the spot. "I really like you."

Madison seized the opportunity, all patience and civility depleted. She advanced on Alex and grasped her shoulder to pull her closer and murmur in her ear. "Before your mother even knew your father was alive, she was in my bed, moaning my name, writhing beneath me, opening her body. I was between her legs a long time before he even kissed her, so you'd better remember exactly who you're pining for, Alexandra."

A petrified look settled on Alex's face when Madison drew back. It had to be said, upfront and blunt. The plain truth was never pleasant, but better to confront it head-on than brush the details to the side. And now that she had set the record straight, perhaps they could move on.

"All right. The flood control pumps," Madison went on, as if she hadn't just crushed a young heart seconds before. "You'll need to head to the sub-basement level and activate them, which should clear out the water so we can reach the mainframe." She ignored Alex's stricken features and motioned to the sub-basement entrance. "There should be an intercom down there that connects to the one in the control room. James and I will be in the rotunda shortly. Just let us know when you're ready for the next step."

As she spun on her heel to stalk away, Alex seized her elbow.

"Yeah, okay, but look…" Alex stammered, the distress evident in her voice. "Madison, I'm sorry."

The apology resounded with a plea, desperate for acceptance. Madison regarded her in the limited light of the corridor, struck by the similarities to the instances when Catherine had implored her forgiveness. With the shadows placed as they were, it almost appeared to be Catherine standing there, wanting amends and another chance—a bid to restart the cycle. And Madison, hopeless in her infatuation, always delved right back into the spiraling fire. A passion that spun forever, even when one of the flames had died.

She tore her gaze away, knowing she had to stop comparing them. Mother and daughter, two entirely separate people. The inherent wish to see Catherine through Alex played a part in her determination to keep the latter at arm's length. Nothing good would come out of pursuing more than a platonic friendship. But until she could come to terms with her own tangled feelings, even friendship may be out of the question.

Madison yanked her elbow free and continued down the corridor. "You've been given your task. Get to work."

x-x-x-x-x

It all happened so fast.

One moment, she had been working on the console outside the main control room. The next, dozens of Enclave soldiers stormed the memorial and poured into every section of the building, including the rotunda. Madison found herself shoved out of the way by a group of heavily armed troops as they rushed into the control room, where James and Janice stood paralyzed in shock. An imposing man wearing a brown trench coat sauntered in during the invasion, referred to as "Colonel Autumn" by one of the soldiers. He spared Madison a disinterested glance as he brushed past to confront James.

She attempted to dash after him when he locked himself and two of his guards inside with James and Janice, but a quick blow to the temple from a power armor gauntlet knocked her down for the count. Alarm gripped her and prevented her from slipping into unconsciousness. A trickle of blood traveled down the side of her face as she lay sprawled on the floor, her vision wrought with stars that joined the glow of the tesla coils worn by some of the troops. Through the ringing in her hearing, she made out the muffled exchange of words in the control room. And as the barrage of gunfire echoed from outside, she wondered if she would die here.

Seconds later, a new presence burst into the rotunda and engaged the Enclave troops in combat. Madison retained enough lucidity to flip over and drag herself behind the nearest cover, every movement sending sharp stabs through her head. She waited until the firefight died down to lean out and survey the area. Astonishment chased away the rest of her disorientation when she saw the piles of dead Enclave members at the feet of the rescuer.

Alex towered over them, breathing hard as she reloaded her assault rifle and wiped the sweat from her forehead. A ferocious quality had encompassed her frame, consuming the young woman to leave a warrior in her wake. And when her eyes shifted to Madison's position, no sign of Catherine reflected in her gaze.

"Madison!" Alex cried, stomping across the dead bodies and sprinting over to help her up. "Are you all right? This whole place has gone to hell!"

"James," Madison said breathlessly as she wobbled on her feet, heart pounding in fear. She steadied herself on the nearest terminal and pointed to the showdown in the locked control room. "Help him!"

Alex snapped her head in that direction and jolted. "Oh, shit. Dad!"

Madison fought through her vertigo as Alex darted toward the sealed glass enclosure. At that moment, the surviving team members straggled in, each looking worse for wear as they caught sight of Madison and hurried to her. Before any of them had a chance to say anything, a shot rang from inside the chamber, and she let out a wail when she saw Janice double over and fall from the round fired into her abdomen. Colonel Autumn then turned his gun on James, sending Alex into a furious panic as she pounded on the shatterproof glass.

James glanced at her, and then at Madison. A look of resolve crossed his face as he nodded to Autumn. Madison went very still.

No… I know that look. You can't, James. Let the project go. Don't—

However, when he input a code into the central console, they all heard the hiss of the latches on the purifier as deadly amounts of radiation flooded the chamber.

"Dad, no!" Alex screamed as the Enclave soldiers dropped, and both Colonel Autumn and James staggered in place.

Madison and the others gawked at the tragedy unfolding. Once Autumn collapsed, James stumbled to Alex on the opposite side of the glass door. Regret and sadness tinged his weathered features as he mouthed something to her before succumbing to the radiation. Alex sobbed, still pressed against the barrier, even as the alarms around the memorial blared to life and signaled the arrival of even more Enclave forces.

Using all of her strength, Madison pushed off from the terminal and hurled herself forward to reach Alex and take her by the shoulders.

"We have to go," she stated above the piercing noise, fighting back the tears that blurred her vision. "They'll be coming for us next. We have to evacuate through the underground tunnels."

"I can't," Alex croaked out, face crumpling in grief as she stared at James's unmoving body. "I can't leave my dad in there."

Madison gave her a desperate shake. "The radiation inside is lethal right now. You'll die the same way he did. I wish he hadn't chosen this, but we don't have much time. Either we escape now, or his sacrifice will have been in vain."

Alex swiped at her eyes and threw her arms around Madison to wrap her in a quick hug that spoke her anguish.

Madison returned her embrace as the dampness streaked down her cheeks, whispering the same thing she had said the last time Alex had lost a parent.

"I'm so sorry, Alexandra."

x-x-x-x-x

Entry to the Citadel took too many minutes in an annoying back and forth with the paladin on guard, but when Madison lost her temper and snarled at the intercom for clearance, the gate opened at once.

Once inside the bailey, the disheveled group of refugees found themselves confronted by Owyn Lyons, who, despite his advanced age, appeared as sharp and powerful as he did the last time she had seen him twenty years ago.

"Dr. Li," he greeted, dressed in the robes of the Brotherhood Elder, his beard now long and white. "It's been a long time. What has happened? What brings you back to the Citadel in that state?"

"The Enclave," she answered, still a bit out of breath. "They've taken Project Purity."

He asked her for more details on what had transpired at the Jefferson Memorial, and she did her best to give him coherent responses as the shock began to wear off. Her head throbbed from her injury, but she weathered on. Only when the trembling started in her limbs did he direct the group to the B ring for accommodations.

"Ah, but this young lady… Alex, is it? If you don't mind, I have a few more questions for you specifically," Lyons declared.

Madison took one look at her distraught face and shook her head. "She's been through enough today, Lyons. Let her rest. You can interrogate her tomorrow."

"I'll only keep her a few minutes," he insisted. "Go on and situate yourselves in the barracks or seek medical attention at the hospital. We have much work ahead of us, so perhaps you can stop by the laboratory as well."

Madison shifted her gaze to Alex, who nodded.

"Should be fine. I'll meet you down in the B ring," she told her, demeanor hardening in a demonstration of emotional and mental resilience.

With heavy reluctance, Madison agreed.

Nearly a half hour later, after seeing to her own medical care, she strode inside the private room the scribes had assigned her. Clean and orderly, it reminded her of her quarters at the memorial. She exhaled and shut the door before shedding her grimy lab coat, dropping it on the floor. Exhaustion set in as she kicked off her tattered shoes and trudged to the bed. Flopping onto the mattress, she buried her face in the pillow and tried to come to terms with the traumatic series of events.

Damn it, James. You were so consumed by the project. And it was all for nothing. We lost everything again. How are we supposed to rebound from this?

A knock sounded on her door.

"Yes?" Madison called, pushing herself into a sitting position.

Alex appeared, still covered in dried sweat and dirt. "They told me you got your own room. Can I stay for a while?"

Madison witnessed the haunted quality lurking beneath the blank set of her expression. "For as long as you need."

The younger woman ventured farther inside and removed her pack and weapons before peeling off her outer layer of filthy clothing. Ashen-faced in the fluorescent lights, she raked her fingers through her curly mane as she sat on the bed next to Madison, her weight shifting the mattress. They remained still and silent for a long span of minutes, each attempting to cope with the turmoil inside.

"I never got to fix things with him," Alex said quietly after the interlude, voice thick with emotion. "You were right. About my dad and me not getting along. I guess I blamed him for leaving me behind, and when I braved the Wasteland to find him, all he cared about was Project Purity. Even in the end, he gave his life for it."

Madison peered at her, heart clenching at the despair in Alex's downcast eyes. "He was focused on the project, yes, but he gave his life for you."

"Well, if he wasn't so focused on the project, he wouldn't have had to make that choice." The statement rang with sourness amidst the gloom.

Madison lowered her head and studied the thread patterns in the sheets. "I suppose he did swear to finish it. For Catherine's sake, as well as the entire Wasteland's."

Alex stiffened at once. "Of course my mom had a role in it. She must have been one hell of a saint because she's had everyone wrapped around her finger even this long after her death."

The bitterness was understandable, and Madison could see why Alex harbored a bit of an inferiority complex toward the mother she had never met. Catherine did set the bar high as far as revered people went. That wasn't to say Alex was anything less, however.

Alex sniffled as she stared at the opposite wall. "I don't know anymore. I don't know why I'm bitching to you. You've already made it clear what you think of me." Her hand came up to brush away a few escaped tears. "Everything just… sucks."

"For the record, I don't think badly of you at all, Alex."

"Yeah, sure. It's just that you've still got it bad for my mom. And I'll never measure up."

Madison frowned. "That's not it. It would just be… complicated."

"Right. Complicated. Or maybe I'm just not meant to be anyone's priority—"

Madison cut her off by gripping the nape of her neck and pulling her in to press their lips together. The action caught Alex off-guard, and she froze as Madison kissed her hard, the action brash and tempestuous, fervent in its force. Unspoken elements weaved around them, binding, releasing, perpetually shifting. Just as Alex began to collect herself and reciprocate, Madison broke the kiss but lingered over her mouth.

"Satisfied?" she asked softly, gaze burning into her eyes. "Like I said. Complicated."

x-x-x-x-x

A/N: Okay, this was the last chapter, but then it ran too long after my edits, so I split it in two. Sorry to my followers for bombarding your inboxes with my additional updates. I adhere to a self-imposed word count of less than 6k words per chapter as a way to keep from overwhelming readers. That and I'm somewhat obsessive-compulsive about the time and date stamps on my stories (FFN lied to me when it said the final update was August 8, because it was actually August 9, and like a lunatic, I've been losing sleep over it). All right, next chapter is the last for sure!