Shock is an emotion that Perry was not yet used to and so he reacts to it the same way most people do. He laughs. It started out as a giggle and then began to pour out in waves to the utter bewilderment of his present company. They both watched in silence as Perry laughed at her offer like it was some sort of joke. Sarah had half a mind to slap him around with a super sledge. Tears streamed down his face as he finally started to settle down. The tragic part was he didn't know why he was laughing at all. In his mind he was screaming at himself to get his laughter under control and realise how serious this was, but all that did was make him laugh harder.
Taking deep breathes; he managed to blurt out a few hurried sentences.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… this isn't funny… not funny." Getting himself in order he coughed and had to endure the awkward silence and stares of his friend and Elder.
"You found Sarah's proposal amusing then, Perry?" Elder Lyon asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"NO! No, absolutely not, just… surprising." Oh crap I just insulted them.
"I see," he responded slowly. "Will you be able to come up with an answer without laughing like a maniac?"
"Well… I just… I wasn't expecting this is all. I don't know." Perry had to come up with a solution quickly before he was banished from the Brotherhood or something equally as undesirable. "I mean… is this what you want Sarah? Marriage?"
"This isn't about what I want Perry." Sarah looked at Perry with a face that spoke of commitment and duty. "The Brotherhood is stretched thin with the purifier, we need more recruits and to do that we need people to want to join our ranks. We know how people are flocking to Megaton since you moved there, and so we need to do the same."
"What are you talking about?"
"Perry… I understand how horrible this is going to sound but this marriage that we are proposing would just be a publicity stunt. It would show that you are fully committed to the Brotherhood and your presence will bring recruits."
Perry examined Sarah; her eyes showed a willingness to surrender herself for the greater good, a look that Perry had known all too well. He turned away and walked around the tables and stood before the Brotherhood symbol on the back wall of the Den. Sarah and Elder Lyons both watched him as he seemed to roll the idea around in his head. He examined the painted symbols with one hand on his chin, thinking.
Marriage… what would father say about this? He always told me to marry for love, but there was no one I have ever met that I ever truly loved. At least not in that sense. Sarah isn't doing this because it's what she wants, but if I go through with this then I could have a child of my own soon. Urgh, that's horrible. I'm thinking of Sarah as a baby making machine.
Perry turned back to the Lyons.
"I want to find my father first; I need time to think about this."
Elder Lyons nodded at his answer; he understood how much Perry's father meant to him. Maybe it will help ease his mind.
"Very well Perry, I'll fetch the data and upload it to your Pipboy. I'll be back momentarily." Elder Lyons then left the Den with just Sarah and Perry alone inside.
Nothing moved or made a sound. Eventually, Perry could hear Sarah walk up and stand next to him, looking at the symbol on the wall. It suddenly occurred to him the kind of presence Sarah radiated. He could tell what she was doing without even looking at her. Is that the kind of bond that Father had with Catherine? Knowing the other as well as knowing yourself? There had to be more to it than that.
Sarah decided she had to break the silence.
"What will you do when you find his body?" Perry turned to Sarah and realised he hadn't thought about it, after all he only found out a few minutes ago.
"I don't know yet, I'm still trying to sort out everything you two threw at me in the space of five minutes." Sarah said nothing. She felt guilty for asking so much of him, but it had to be done. Perry turned back to the symbol. "Who suggested it by the way?"
"I did, father was as shocked as you were. Though he did have the manners to not laugh in my face." Perry chuckled.
"Sorry about that, I don't deal with surprises very well."
"Well then how would you feel knowing I'm part alien and my real name is Xeno?"
"I'd be okay with that actually. Besides, that isn't surprising. I always suspected as such since you enjoy Dandy Boy Apples, so not human." They both smiled at the joke.
"You know… there's a reason I'm not wearing my armour today." Perry turned to Sarah with a surprised look on his face.
"I noticed that… how come?" Sarah brought her hands up and placed them on her hips.
"Well I thought that getting a better view of my… assets might make deciding a bit easier for you." Perry eyes opened wider at Sarah's advance but also because it was the first time he ever saw Sarah's body that way.
"Okay… now that is surprising."
At that point the door suddenly opened with Elder Lyons return. They both quickly and awkwardly turned to the door and avoided looking at each other as best they could.
Ahh the young, Elder Lyons mused to himself.
"Here is the last known location of the Enclave group that was escorting your father to Raven Rock. It's a day's walk northwest of the Citadel. I wish you luck Perry, and please give some thought to what we discussed today." Handing the OSD to Perry, he felt an overwhelming sense of pride in the man before him. He would be honoured to have him as a son in law, if he accepts… no he will accept. Perry has always put the needs of others before himself, and the way they looked when he walked through the door… Elder Lyons could not have felt prouder than he did at that moment.
Once Perry left the Citadel, giving Sarah a very awkward goodbye, he made his way to Arlington Library to find Fawkes and ask him to join. He wanted Fawkes to come with him on the search if only so they could have a chance to talk about the FEV. Simply getting Fawkes to leave Washington seemed like the best choice, but he was still banishing him away from the only home he's ever known… sounds familiar.
Stepping into the Library he was once again greeted by Scribe Yearling and her guards.
"Good to see you Wanderer, any new books to trade?"
"No not today, I just came in to see if my friend was still here."
"The mutant? Yes, he's up in the children's section. Apparently there's an old poem he's trying to find."
Perry went deeper into the library, the burnt corpses of dead raiders and super mutants left scattered over the ground. The Brotherhood must have hated the smell left over after Perry purged the building when he was first here. Finding the children's section he called out into the corridors. "Fawkes? Are you in there?"
A low rumble shook the floor; step after step of Fawkes powerful legs strained the rotten floorboards as he made his way to Perry.
"My old friend! It is good to see you again." Perry smiled at the familiar sight. Fawkes hadn't changed at all. He still wore the torn vault suit Perry found him in and still spoke in the same low, struggling voice. It wouldn't be easy to talk without lips, Perry thought.
"It is good to see you as well Fawkes, how have you been?"
"Excellent! There are so many stories in this place, adventure, mystery and knowledge. More than the computer in the vault. Come! I want to show you some." Perry followed Fawkes into one of the rooms lined with shelves. It seems Fawkes had done his best to tidy the place up as best he could. Fawkes always did have an admiration for knowledge.
"Here, this one," Fawkes said as he pulled one book down from the top shelve. "It is called Ulysses. Open it."
Perry opened the poem book and found the section titled Ulysses. With urgings from Fawkes, he read the poem aloud.
"I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees; all times I have enjoy'd
Greatly, have suffer'd greatly, both with those
That loved me, and alone."
Fawkes gave a satisfied hum as Perry read the poem.
"For always roaming with a hungry heart
Much have I seen and known; cities of men
And manners, climates, councils, governments,
Myself not least, but honour'd of them all."
Perry knew if Fawkes still had lips he would be smiling.
"It's beautiful Fawkes, one of your favorites?"
"Indeed. It makes me want go exploring myself. To see more besides the same ruins and bloodshed." Perry stiffened from hearing Fawkes say that. If there was ever a time now would be it.
"Well Fawkes that will make what I'm about to say much easier."
"What is that my friend?"
Perry took a deep breathe.
"Before I came here I visited the Brotherhood of Steel, they told me something that you need to hear." Fawkes simply stared in silence at Perry; the only noise he made was his own heavy breathing. "They have found a way to kill every super mutant in Washington with an airborne virus… you included." Fawkes made a low grumble of understanding.
"I see, so if I stay…?"
Perry simply nodded.
Fawkes then turned and examined his walls of books; it was difficult for Perry to know what Fawkes was thinking when his face could not show any emotions.
"I have learnt much travelling with you, my friend. I understand why this is necessary." Fawkes turned back around and stood directly in front of Perry. "I will leave. It will give me a chance to know more of this world. And I will not return."
"You don't have to go just yet. They aren't going to launch the virus for a couple of weeks. So I was wondering if you could help me with something before you left. For old times sake?" Fawkes hummed a satisfied response.
"Very well my friend. For old times sake."
Perry and Fawkes had been travelling for a full day before making camp. Fawkes naturally brought his Gatling Laser and a large satchel of supplies while Perry brought his usual arsenal. As they ate, they traded stories of the things they have been doing since the Adams Air Force battle. Fawkes had found a large collection of stories, some classic, others interesting, but as with most man made things, the majority were rubbish.
"Well Fawkes that's not very surprising. Mankind can only advance so far, but the depths to which we can sink? Well… just look around us."
Fawkes hummed his approval.
As Perry fell asleep Fawkes kept watch, super mutants didn't need sleep as much as humans did. When light broke the horizon, they set off northwest again. By late afternoon, they finally arrived at their destination; a large rocky hill which led down into a very dark tunnel. An Enclave camp was stationed directly above the caverns entrance on a ledge. Approaching cautiously, they could see no signs of soldiers or scientists.
"Where are they?" Fawkes asked.
"No idea, they couldn't know we were coming so I doubt there's an ambush. Stay back, I'll check it out." Fawkes grumbled his acknowledgement.
Perry had The Terrible Shotgun in his hands as he slowly stepped into the Enclave camp. It was definitely deserted and no larger than the other scout camps he has encountered before. This one was different though. The first and most obvious difference, there were no bodies. If the soldiers were attacked then he would have found some sign of their corpses. There were laser shots on the rocky walls so there must have been a battle.
Couldn't have been the brotherhood otherwise they would have told me…
Perry noticed a single computer in the camp. Turning it on, he examined the reports left over by the Enclave.
Subject v.509
We recovered the body of a scientist from the purity project. Turns out he came from Vault 101, President Eden ordered us to preserve and transport the body to Raven Rock for experimentation on non-mutated humans. The brass get twitchy when Eden uses any of the Enclave soldiers for this. But I think Eden may be asking too much of us, we have to look after this tube while also researching the Deathclaws? Least it won't take long for another crew to come pick up the body. Haven't done so yet but it shouldn't take looooojgfa4iengfeawrajrn
Perry stood up from reading the computer and realized what was going on.
Deathclaws. Why did it have to be Deathclaws?
Perry waved to Fawkes to let him know it was safe, as he approached Perry informed him of what was going on.
"They were killed by Deathclaws." Fawkes said, more of a statement than a question.
"Most likely."
"Then where is your father?"
"Deathclaws like to gather their food into one spot and store it. It's possible they couldn't open the tube my father was in and so simply pulled it into their nest for other attempts. Meaning…"
Fawkes clamped his arm on Perry's shoulder in comfort.
"We will find him my friend. Shall we travel together once more into darkness?"
Perry smiled up at his companion and cocked his shotgun.
"Let's."
They both walked down the cliff and entered the pure darkness of the cave. Perry was tempted to turn his light on but he then might as well have put up a sign saying free buffet. Walking slowly being careful not to make too much noise, they descended deeper into the cavern, weapons at the ready and nerves on edge.
Perry could barely see but his helmets HUD could make out some shapes in the darkness. A scratching noise could be heard ahead of them. They both immediately raised their respective weapons and stood completely still, waiting for the familiar hulking form and razer sharp claws.
It never came.
Moving forward once more, they kept their ears open for any more sounds, for the slightest indication that death was about to strike. Every muscle in Perry's body was screaming at him to turn and flee, the cold sweat on his forehead doing little to help his nerves. But for every step forward, another step was being made right behind him. The sound of his friend there to help him pushed him forward. They had faced terrible foes before, they will do so again.
A stomach wrenching stench slithered into Perry's nostrils, the smell of guts, rotten blood and bile was in the air. They had found a feeding ground.
Motioning to Fawkes, Perry pointed towards the source of the stench. Nodding, Fawkes moved with Perry around a large rocky pillar and found the corpse pile. There were the ripped apart bodies of wastelanders, the headless corpses of Enclave soldiers and scientists but no sign of James.
To Perry's surprise, among the discarded weapons and ammo was a small vaultboy bobble head. Lowering his weapon, he leant down and picked it up examining the writing and chuckling to himself.
"And to think, I've been collecting these for…" Before Perry could finish his sentence, faster than he could think, a creature of shadow leapt from the darkness, grabbed him effortlessly and sped once more into nothingness.
A/N: Oh no! Something terrible has happened to Perry! What will happen next? Well be patient I'm getting there.
I finally decided what I'm going to do with this story so expect some big events in the next couple of chapters. As always, reviews and criticisms appreciated.