It had been over a month since Burke had walked away from Hel. He'd promised he'd send for her, promised it wouldn't be long, promised they'd be together forever, that he loved her.

Crumpling up his latest attempt at a letter, Burke tossed it into the overflowing waste basket next to his desk. He had thought he could make it work. The longer he was away from her, the more it became clear that it had all been a foolish dream. He should have known better. He'd let his adoration for her cloud his judgment. He'd been willing to forsake his work for her. He still wanted to. And that was exactly the problem, wasn't it? She pulled at him always. Day and night he was filled with a longing that was alien to him. It had already caused several problems. He couldn't keep at it like this. Something had to give.

He'd spent the past few days convincing himself she would be better off without him. She was young and could make the world hers. There was no reason to force her to wait on someone unworthy of her. She would move on, find someone that could give her what he couldn't. The thought drove him mad. Every time he imagined her letting another man touch her, his blood boiled. Someone else would be rewarded with her smiles, her laugh, her kisses, her body. Burke realized he'd snapped the pencil he'd been holding. He sighed and let the two pieces fall to the desk as he got to his feet. He headed to the liquor cabinet and stared at the nearly empty shelves. He'd been drinking more than usual, attempting to numb himself to her. It hadn't been working. Pulling a bottle of whiskey out, he made a mental note to restock. He was certainly going to need plenty of alcohol once he sent this letter. The final letter.

He poured a shot and downed it. He stared down at the blank paper on his desk. She would hate him. That hurt more than anything else. But you deserve it, don't you? You never should have been allowed to be with her in the first place. You've tainted her. She hasn't even written you back. How do you know she hasn't already moved on? He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. It was getting longer than he usually kept it. He hadn't been taking the time to take care of himself. What was the point?

Another shot and he picked up the half of the pencil with the point on it. He sat down and began to write. This time he didn't crumple it up. He signed his name and folded it up into an envelope before he could reread it and second guess himself. He called for one of the guards. He handed the letter off and closed the door as the man took it away.

It was done.

Burke took a shaky breath. She would be better off. He would be better off. This whole affair had been a mistake from the beginning.

Who're you trying to convince?

He swallowed and shook his head. I'm sorry, love.

…

Charon had been traveling with the girl for months, he'd never seen her like this. Stomping her boot down on the radscorpion and crushing the juice out of it, Hel glanced up at Charon as he looked on patiently. The ghoul knew better than to say anything to her at this point. Her father had breezed through their reunion with the tact and skill of a typical obsessed person. And the obsession unfortunately hadn't been raising his daughter. Charon wondered who James had expected would walk his daughter down the aisle if she had stayed in the vault where he'd left her. The ghoul would be surprised if the man had even thought that far.

So Hel raged. She'd been destroying anything that attacked them, trecking them back to Megaton from Rivet City; back home. It wasn't much further off. Maybe another two miles. Charon didn't have a Pip-boy like she did, but he'd been on this walk often enough to know where he was.

Hel had finished savagely stomping the insect to death and was staring at the sky, shoulders slumped, "Charon?" her voice was shaky, "How long can someone continue to force themselves to be a good person?"

"What?"

"Nothing," she sighed and adjusted the shotgun hanging from her shoulder; turning back to Megaton.

Grumbling, Charon forced himself to say something to cheer her up, "It's been a while since we've been back home. Maybe we should swing by Moriarty's for a drink?" Smirking a little when she stumbled, Charon covered it with a cough when she turned to look at him, eyes bright with hope.

"Yeah, a drink at Moriarty's sounds great," her steps doubled in pace and Charon found he actually had to take his full stride to keep up with her. The next couple miles flew past and they were soon shaking the dust off their clothes outside Moriarty's Saloon.

As soon as they entered, Charon saw Hel scan the room for the owner. She didn't have to look far, he was coming straight for her, which meant only one thing.

Snatching the letter from Moriarty as he yelled at her that his place of business wasn't a damned post office, the red-headed smoothskin made her way over to her favorite chair, the spot where she'd met the man that kept sending her those letters.

Charon knew that Hel cared for the man a great deal, though he had no idea why. The man left an incredible woman out in the wastes on her own where she had to rely on others to watch her back. Snorting as he ordered a vodka from Gob, Charon sat down on a stool at the bar to watch Hel. He enjoyed watching her get red in the face and all giddy. He knew if anything could cheer her up now, it would be a love letter from her man.

Opening the letter, she began to read, and at first her eyes lit up, the hope burning into the paper in front of her. Then as she flipped it over, her brow furrowed and she flipped back to the front, eyes scanning and re-scanning. Glancing up towards Charon, she worried him. This wasn't a normal reaction.

Hel read the letter one more time as Charon got to his feet and walked towards her. Her breathing had become labored and her skin had flushed, but not in the way he liked. Head snapping up to meet his gaze, Charon saw in her eyes the same look he'd seen after her father had brushed her aside a few days ago.

"Fuck," he breathed. This was not going to be good.

...

I can not live like this. Wanting you. NEEDING you! But unable to have you.

I'm afraid I must insist we cease this charade.

I beg your forgiveness. I'm sorry to have made you wait in that hell-hole for so long. Waiting for the summons to my side that never came.

Fly free my little love bird. Fly up and out of that filth.

I wish that I could have you, and the thought of another man getting to have you, breaks my heart.

But I'd rather you were set free, than waiting eternally for me. I'm growing tired of this burden of mine. This toiling away for humanity, building a new world for mankind. I'm not even sure they will appreciate all the efforts I am making for them. But it is a burden I shall continue to carry, because someone must. And I am a man of responsibility,

Good luck my love-bird. Fly free and be happy!

Your's truly,

Burke

Hel felt like she was spiraling downwards, and sick was rising fast in her throat. She couldn't see Charon through the haze of sadness and anger that blurred across her eyes. What the fuck? What was the fucking point of all this? Hands gripped her shoulders and she felt herself being hauled to her feet. Dragging her outside, Charon leaned her over the edge of the balcony just as her stomach emptied itself.

There were yells from below, quickly followed by loud, graphic threats from Charon, then silence, "What happened, Hel?" the ghoul turned her round and set her down with her back leaned against the guard railing. Fingers worked the letter from her hands as she sat there silent, mind racing a thousand miles an hour. She was aware of Charon getting back to his feet.

Mumbling, then a grunt, "Fuck him. You don't need a man like that."

Shaking her head, Hel said, "What's wrong with me, Charon? No one liked me in the vault, my father left me, then when I rescue him and we're reunited he leaves me again first chance he gets, then Burke calls it off. The one thing I thought was a constant. What do I do that is so terrible that others can't bear to be near me? Is the only thing that keeps you next to me this damned contract?"

The ghoul didn't answer in the way she was hoping, "I don't know."

"Goddamnit Charon," she half-laughed, half-cried as she swung one arm up to hook around the balcony and drag herself to her feet, "Fuck you."

"Hey kid," the ghoul grabbed her shoulders again and forced her to look at him, her eyes blinking away the tears so she could see his face, "You listen to me. That son of a bitch doesn't know what he's let go. Alright? No more tears wasted on him, okay?" his rough thumb grazed across her cheek, wiping the trail of tears away as she sniffled and tried to swallow the rest.

Shaking away from him, Hel straightened herself and held her hand out. Charon reluctantly gave her the letter from Burke back. It was all she could do not to sniff the paper for Burke's unmistakeable scent. Damn that man, she'd let him make her fall in love with him. Now he'd left her just like everybody else, ripping her heart from her chest and stomping on it. And he'd done it so eloquently, bless the fucking bastard.

Rage had already filled her to the brim after her father had made it clear that he didn't give a damn about what happened to her personally. She saw his goals for the good that they were, but she couldn't understand how asking for a few hours of his time was really so impossible. Now, there was more rage trying to build up, and it had nowhere to go. Her brain felt like it was going to explode. She couldn't think straight, didn't know that she was walking towards the entrace of Megaton, her ghoul obediently following behind her.

But when they walked out, Hel knew where she was and what she had to do. Copying the letter into her Pip-boy, Hel crumpled up the paper and tossed it to the ground; the wind kicked it away over the dust and rocks, "Charon."

"Yeah?"

"What direction's Tenpenny Tower?"

...

Azhrukhal had sent him here a few times before to make a delivery or to pick something up. Charon had never been inside Tenpenny Tower, and from the looks of it when Hel walked up to the locked gates, he never would. A ghoul was shouting into a speaker to the left of the gates. Something about not being able to tell him from a feral. Hel, in a brain-dead, feral-like state of her own, whipped out her shotgun and shot him in the head without a word. Gulping as his stomach did a flip, Charon prayed the next thing she did was rational.

Slamming her fist into the intercom, Hel's eyes widened as the man on the other side started in on her as if she were the ghoul whose brains were still landing behind her, "You kiss your mother with that mouth?" she snapped.

"What the-? Oh, sorry, I thought you were someone else."

"Too bad for you. I'm here to see Burke, let me in."

"Just a minute, Mr. Burke didn't say anything about any visitors. Besides, he ain't here."

Rolling her eyes to the sky, then down to Charon, Hel stared at the ghoul with a hollow, far away look as she spoke, "Tell him his little bird will fly away where he can never find her."

"I told you, you crazy lady, he ain't here, now get lost!"

Shouldering her shotgun, Hel stepped back a few steps, then raised one heavy boot and slammed it into the intercom. The speaker crushed in on itself, a few sparks shooting from under her sole. With a satisfied smirk, she glanced up, staring at the top of the tower as if she could see something. Following her gaze, Charon saw nothing, but his old eyes were nowhere near as good as hers.

"Come on, Charon," she patted his shoulder, "Let's go. If the man says he isn't here, he must not be here."

...

Knuckles turning white as he clenched the banister, Burke watched the love of his life walk away from his doorstep.

"Damn," he hissed. He wanted nothing more than to leap from the top of the building and land in front of her, scoop her up and tell her he was sorry and that it was all a mistake. Instead, he ran a hand through his disheveled hair and choked back a sob. Why had he asked her to come talk to him in Moriarty's? Why hadn't he left it all alone?

The thoughts made him sick, he knew he would never give back the few moments they had together. Slumping into the lounge chair behind him, Burke felt a tear escape. Goddamn the whole fucking world.

"Mr. Burke sir?"

Startled, Burke whirled angrily on the guard standing in the doorway of Tenpenny's suite, "What is it?"

"I uh, the woman that just left was asking for you. She told me to tell you that...your little bird will fly away where you can never find her."

Jaw clenching, Burke nodded his head once, "Thank you."

The guard left him, and he took a shuddering breath. He knew this was for the best. He knew that.

He didn't feel it.

...

For weeks they went everywhere and nowhere. Hel kept them away from civilization, barely speaking to Charon. Charon was sure they'd walked over more than half of the wastes. She murdered everything in sight. Mutated creatures, feral ghouls and raiders he didn't mind, but when she walked right up to innocent traders and murdered them, stealing their goods to boot, Charon began to feel the same resentment towards her that he had his previous owners.

Voicing his worries to her one night as they were preparing to make camp, Charon waited patiently as she stared up at the night sky before answering, "I'm sorry Charon. I'll try to do better."

And she did. If only for him, she controlled herself. Knowing what was making her this way only made the big ghoul angrier. Did lover boy know the damage he was causing? The confident, kind, funny young girl he had known had disappeared and been replaced with this empty shell of a human that only knew how to connect with the world by taking life out of it.

One day she woke up and all she wanted to do was go home, but not to Megaton. She wanted to go to her father again.

"Please, Hel, don't go back to him. He's no better than Burke."

"That's why," she looked up at him with clear eyes, looking completely coherent, "I want to tell him goodbye for good."

Tilting his head, Charon asked, "Why? Why not just leave it alone?"

Shrugging, Hel said, "I don't know. Closure, I guess. I think… I want to be the one that leaves someone this time," she said the last quietly.

Nodding, Charon reluctantly did his duty and followed.

...

Hel couldn't believe what her father was saying to her, "But you didn't care," she said quietly, "You didn't care enough about me to stay around, you didn't care enough about me to take time for your own fucking daughter!" her voice had raised to a yell, "You do not have the right to suddenly tell me you're disappointed in me!"

James listened silently, arms folded over his chest, "If you're going to act like a child and not take responsibility for your own actions, then I don't see why I shouldn't be disappointed. You're twenty, Helen, an adult! Start acting like it! Now are you going to help me or not?"

No, she wasn't. If she had her way, she'd blow this whole goddamn building sky high with her father in it. Instead, she lunged at him, slamming her fist into his face as she tackled him to the ground. Rearing back, she hammered down blow after blow, her leg had his right arm pinned down and it was all he could do to try and block her with his left. It took Charon and two of the other men to drag her off. All the while, she was screaming, "I hate you, I hate you! You're fucking nothing to me!"

Blood pouring from his mouth as he stood, James looked past her to Charon, "Get her out of here. And don't ever let her come back."

"Fuck you right up the ass," Charon growled, "You're not worth the pain you've caused this girl," he said as he dragged Hel backwards towards the door.

A little touched by his words, Hel stopped fighting him and let him swing her up into his arms and carry her out of the Jefferson Memorial as she cried into his chest.

...

Burke was a mess. Besides his own eyes and ears out in the Wastes, the radio D.J., Three Dog, reported on Hel often, and Burke couldn't help but listen in, praying everytime that she was okay. Lately, the reports had been few and far between, and since the last unbelievable one about her assaulting her own father over a month ago, there had been nothing. He tried to concentrate on his work, telling himself that she was fine, and that she could handle herself. Besides, she'd had that gigantic ghoul keeping company with her when she'd tried to see him. If he was still with her, she'd be fine.

She should be safe in here with you, came the unbidden thought, along with the wave of guilt. He had thought he was being so noble, letting her go from him, but the more time went by, the more he hated his decision.

Physically, he was most definitely showing his stress. He'd lost forty pounds, and he rarely combed his hair or shaved anymore. Tenpenny and the guards were the only ones that saw him unless he decided to go downstairs to eat. He remained in his room all hours of the day and only came out onto the balcony at night to look at the moon and stars, his loneliness engulfing him like the darkness.

Waking one morning to the radio blaring a newscast, Burke leapt to his feet as he heard Hel and the Enclave mentioned in the same sentence.

…

Hel knew Charon was angry with her. He hadn't spoken to her in the last four days. It had all gone to shit after she'd killed another innocent after he'd specifically asked her not to. They both knew who was holding the contract, and that was why she was still alive and he was still following her, but Hel knew that her destructive downward spiral wasn't doing her friend any good.

She came up behind him as he sat outside their Megaton house at the little round table, sitting in one chair, feet propped up on the other. She tried not to think of the first time she'd sat there with Burke, but the memory came anyway.

"Charon?"

He didn't answer save a nod of his head to show he was listening.

"Charon, I think it's best if we part ways."

He was on his feet and in front of her in a moment, "Why?" his milky eyes still held an intensity as he stared down at her.

"Because. I'm trying to crash and burn here, Charon. There's no reason you have to come too."

Clenching the front of her combat armor with one hand, he lifted her in the air so her feet dangled a few feet from the ground, "I am not letting you destroy yourself, kid. Now come on," he set her down and shoved her towards the door, "Let's get some sleep."

Lying awake in bed that night, Hel's head swam with visions and memories, everything trying to sort itself into a coherent thought process that was completely eluding her. She knew it was stupid to keep ruining her life just because her daddy and boyfriend had gone and fucked off. It was hard to admit, but that's exactly what she'd been doing for a long time now. Making a silent promise to herself to restart fresh tomorrow, Hel rolled over and fell asleep.

…

"We're leaving."

"What do you mean leaving?" Charon looked up from repairing his tri-beam laser rifle.

"I don't want to stay here. Burke and my father both know I live here. I don't want them to be able to find me."

"So where the hell do you want us to go?"

Shrugging, Hel tossed his pack to him, "Dunno, let's go looking."

…

"It's perfect!" Hel spread her arms out wide over the satellite dish. They'd cleared the gang of Raiders out fairly easily and Hel had fallen more in love with the set-up the further in they'd gone. Now they'd reached the top, over-looking a vast empty waste for miles, and she turned to grin at him, the wind whipping her hair into her face.

"Alright kid, let's move in."

She jumped on him, arms squeezing round his neck tightly as she giggled in his ear, "Thank you, Charon."

Hugging her back awkwardly, Charon helped her back down to her feet, "Do you want to go back for anything?"

"Not tonight," she shook her head adamantly, "I want to stay here tonight, make sure no more Raiders come back. We have to make sure we claim this place as ours."

Laughing at her enthusiasm, Charon lifted the hatch to the ladder of the satellite, "I guess next you want to pick bedrooms?"

"Yes!" zipping over to him, she started down the ladder.

…

Standing outside the house in Megaton that belonged to Hel, Burke stared at the dark door. She was gone. She'd told the guard he'd never find her again. He didn't even know where to start. He'd already had a few extra eyes and ears out for any news on her in the last few months, and they'd lead him here, to an empty house.

Lucas Simms sauntered past at that moment, "Burke? That you? Haven't seen your face around here for a long time. Thought you were long gone." His tone made it clear that he'd hoped for it too.

"Sheriff Simms," Burke gave a short nod, "You wouldn't happen to know where Hel went, would you?"

"Little Vault 101?" Simms stroked his chin once, "Her and that ghoul headed out bout two days ago. They'll be back. She leaves for long periods all the time. She always comes back."

Burke somehow doubted that was true this time, but he thanked the Sheriff, "If she does come back, Sheriff, could you tell her..." Burke hesitated. Did he want this man knowing how he felt about Hel?

Lucas Simms watched him for a moment, "Sure, I'll tell her, Burke. Don't worry."

Goddamnit. Am I that obvious? Heading out of Megaton, Burke headed to the only other place he could think where he might find a lead; Jefferson Memorial.

…

Managing to distract herself from thoughts of Burke and her father hadn't made them go away. It just caused them to build up and poison the inside of Hel so she became more and more sullen and violent. Then she'd drag Charon out into the wastes for a killing spree that would last until she couldn't stand anymore. Then things would return to normal until the next eruption. The cycle was wearing her down.

"You aren't eating enough," Charon choked out at the sight of her bony hips as he stood in her doorway one day.

Hel knew she looked terrible. She tried to eat, but she had little appetite, and when she managed to get things down, it was rare if they stayed there. The ghoul kept expressing worry and she kept making excuses.

"I'm just a little under the weather. I'll eat more today."

Shaking his head and throwing up his arms, Charon left her alone.

…

Standing across from Hel's father, Burke grimaced, "So you're the worthless father that ran out on her?"

"And you're the worthless boyfriend that did the exact same thing," James raised an eyebrow at him, "I don't have any idea where my daughter is, Mr. Burke. Nor do I care at this point. She has decided to fuck up her life by being selfish and stupid. What do you want with someone like that?"

Furious, Burke grabbed a handful of the man's vault suit and dragged him forward, "Your daughter is the most beautiful creature on this planet. You've just got your head too far up your ass to see it. If you don't know where she is, then I'm wasting my time here." Shoving him away, Burke let James stumble and fall to the floor.

Cursing, James called after him as he turned to leave, "Good riddance, Mr. Burke. Scum deserves scum."

Ignoring him, Burke stayed strong long enough to get outside, then he fell against the buildings wall. He fought back tears and won against most of them. He wiped a hand across his face angrily at the few that escaped. He'd seen everything he hated most about himself in Hel's father. Their mutual idea that she would be better off if they abandoned her was ludicrous. Both of them had left her for their own selfish personal pursuits. James had started the deep hurt in the girls heart, and Burke was terrified of what his own actions had done.

"Hel," he whispered to the stars, "I'm so sorry."

He knew now that she would never take him back. Her father had left her just as he had, and James had earned a beating and a daughter who thought of him as dead. Burke didn't want to dwell on what she might do to him. All that was left was for him to return to Tenpenny Tower. Maybe she would come back someday, or one of his spies or Three Dog would report a snippet of news on her... Burke knew it was hopeless, but he began the journey back home anyway.

…

Charon had left.

More accurately, Hel couldn't bear to see the pain in his eyes as he watched her waste away in front of him, so she'd let him go. This time with no arguing.

"If that's what you think is best," he growled, shouldering his pack and not looking her in the eyes. Hesitating at the door, he acted as if he was going to say something, then he was gone and she was alone.

Curling up on her bed with her collection of teddy bears, Hel considered going ahead and ending it. It wasn't like she was short the tools to do it. But instead, she opened a box of Sugar Bombs and forced herself to eat. It was stupid for her to be doing this to herself, but she couldn't stop. It seemed like the world wanted her gone, so she felt most of the time like helping it out with its goal. But some piece of anger stayed alive deep inside her and it kept her going. Anger at the world that wanted her out of it so badly.

"There has to be a place."

Clicking on her Pip-boy, Hel began to search for a place where there was room for her life.

…

Burke had been walking around like a zombie for weeks. Tenpenny himself had asked him to straighten himself up a bit, "You look a mess."

Instead, Burke had retreated into his room again and began to have his meals delivered as well. Many a night he would lay in his bed with a pistol in one hand and a bottle of something strong in the other, trying to drink himself brave enough to get it done and over with. Every night the gun fell from numb hands and clattered harmlessly to the floor.

After practically drinking himself into a coma one night, Burke woke groggily to the sound of someone picking his lock. Sitting up, he felt around for the pistol in the dark as he heard the lock click and the door ease open. Drunken fingers fumbled across the handle of the gun, missing it twice and finally gripping it and bringing it up as the intruder came to stand right over him.

"Enough, Burke," came a gravelly voice he didn't recognize, "You know what's fucking good for you, lover boy, and you'll come quietly. From the looks of you, you want to go where I'm taking you just as badly as I do."

Brain slow and fuzzy from alcohol and sleep, Burke blinked at the tall ghoul for a few more moments, working through everything he'd just said, "Hel?"

Sighing, the ghoul hauled him to his feet and swung him over one shoulder, "Yes, to Hel. Now let's get you out of here."

Sorry for the wait. I had this silly hang up about wanting to always update both of my fanfics at the same time. I'm re-editing some things on the other one and kept pushing back updating this one. But I realized how silly that is and how you guys shouldn't have to wait for updates because of a different fanfic. So here's the new chapter. Hopefully it was worth the wait. Thank you all for continuously reading and supporting my story. I'm really so very glad there are more Burke fans out there (and that I'm creating more! Mwahaha!), it seriously makes my day every time I read a comment or see a new fav/follow.

You're all the best!

Much love,

Meg