"I-I was going to propose to her after I get Waylon's blessing on his birthday this summer, y-you know? Then we were informed that there was a sickness in town back in June within days of school finishing...She...she seemed so strong, and Waylon never had problems getting sick...Her voice on that call...it...it was the last time I heard her, not wanting all of us to risk getting sick...The letters never said anything wrong since...Caroline must have wanted to fight it herself with Waylon to help...I..I told her that she didn't have to do anything alone because she isn't alone, even with Waylon...God...why didn't she tell me when it was getting worse? I-I would accept any call anytime, even late in bed too...", Alfred choked out.
"I don't know...", Martha whispered. She had no idea why Caroline was keeping things to herself. Maybe she knew it was something worse and wanted to spare Alfred the pain of watching her die or something. Of course, in this case, it might have been worse. It was like the moment she saw Thomas being gunned down; of just how instant the shock of things were and there wasn't even a second to say goodbye.
Alfred gave another sob, and Martha moved to open her arms to hold Alfred as he was releasing tears again, and Bruce and Poppy joined her, with Kel's astral form whooshing out of Martha to hug the grieving family from behind and to give Alfred the time to gather his thoughts and explain everything.
"I should've convinced her...", Alfred whispered. "I could've convinced her to come live with us... or at least move to Gotham if not to the manor... could've easily had things paid for, they'd never have to worry about money ever again...".
"Alfred...", Martha shook her head. "Caroline... she was wonderful, but you know better that she could also be stubborn... it was a fun quirk of her... she'd never feel right practically having everything handed out to her.".
Alfred gave a small smile, "I-I know...She would prefer to work, to get paid on her own terms...She wouldn't want any top positions in the kitchen just because I know she would want to work hard on her time to get better and be respected than being the reason of privilege and on my desire to have her close...God, I loved her so damn much that it hurts, Martha! This isn't fair!", as he cried out, desperately clutching into his family, his amazing family who loves him as a brother, a father figure, an uncle, a friend, more than just a butler, chauffeur, advisor...
No one said any more words at that moment. Martha, especially with him mentioning life being unfair; Alfred was already at his lowest in years, she dares not try to argue with him about that even though she had been in that experience before. It was a good ten minutes before Alfred finally started to move again and wanting everyone to let go from the hug.
"Ma'am, if it's alright with you, I'd like to hurry and fly down there... to see her... I told the doctor that I would take care of everything...", Alfred said. "We'll come too.", Martha said. "Alfred, I'm sorry for asking this, but what about Waylon? Was he not there?".
Alfred exhaled, "I...I don't know what has gone on with that boy...but nobody saw him, even when the doctor and some others found Caroline outside...with a note asking for me, while mentioning Waylon in the note, saying that she loved him so much and was thanking him that he was her happiness for so long until us...I suspect Waylon had snuck into her room at her final hour when nobody was looking, with Caroline barely having energy to talk, asking for the drapes to be open with the view as you know that she never liked a day without a view of her property, the sunset, and all...The doctor told me that the window was found open, no damage to the room or anything suspicious...He must have carried her all the way to the hospital while the night was starting to settle in...You know how he has been changing in appearance throughout puberty...".
"Yeah, looking more and more... beastly.", Bruce admitted. "The scales really started to spread; he's barely got a sort of human skin left...".
"Maybe outwards, but inwards...", Poppy blushed. "He's not a beast though, you know that, Bruce.", she gave him a frown as he nodded.
"I know that... but others probably don't...", Bruce then sighed. "Maybe he's back at their little shotgun shack; maybe he decided that he's staying home waiting on us if he thought he was too... surprising to be forward with the hospital staff.".
Alfred spoke softly, "That makes me feel better at least...I know Caroline would've wanted to be home...to rest under her favorite tree where she and I...talked about recipes and our relationship...And she would've wanted the view of the river and the sunset in the distance too...".
Kel spoke softly, "We will find a comfortable coffin for her, not too flashy or too expensive, Alfred...I'm..I'm sure the doctor would know the right funeral home to find that coffin...".
Alfred looked grateful, "Thank you...I...I would appreciate some help with the arrangements...", with a weary sigh, and Martha replied, "Why don't you try to have some sleep, Alfred? We will figure out the expenses with the plane and all...It won't be easy to sleep on the plane, even if it would be late by the time we will leave...".
Bruce replied, "I can deal with the email information to the staff and Wayne Entreprises that we will be gone for the weekend at most.", and Poppy nodded, "And I will see if the last of the staff is done with the cleaning of the ballroom and ask them to go home as well. Sorry if we are trying to help so much like this, Alfred, but we really care for you, we love you as family.".
"Th-thank you...", Alfred sniffled as he took a deep breath. Bruce and Poppy left, leaving Martha, Kel and Alfred alone. "Was this exactly how it felt, ma'am?", he asked; the question was also directed towards Kel as well. "When Master Thomas was killed... I felt deeply hurt but... this... it feels just a bit worse...".
Kel rubbed Alfred's back as Martha sighed deeply, "Especially when you have what ifs...What if we ignored their warning about the sickness and just be with the Jones family? What if Waylon called us about Caroline? What if we had paid for the best medicine?".
Alfred whispered, "Exactly...but there was one that hurts the worst...", and Kel spoke quietly, "What if you had proposed to her earlier, like in Spring Break?".
Alfred nodded, "A three-month honeymoon was in my plan because I...I wanted to take her to Greece...to take into Master Thomas's gift of my cottage...I would have noticed something earlier...I would have convinced her to see the doctor...She would still have been alive...Gods, I know I need to sleep, but...I just...I want to wake up, to see that it was a nightmare, and ask you to have the weekend off, so I can propose to her and love her with all my heart...", with a little sob...
"I know the feeling too well, Alfred...", Martha started to sniffle. "It wasn't just some days... for almost two whole years, I woke up and for five seconds, I just wanted to believe that I woke up from a long nightmare, that Thomas was lying right next to me, safe and sound...".
Kel nodded, "And to have him give good morning kisses, to make that adoring, awed smile, to look at me and Martha with a sleepy yet content expression of love...", as she kissed Martha on the temple with a tear of her own, sniffling as well.
Alfred exhaled, "I...I can't believe she's gone...We need to keep the shack in my name and Waylon's name, so no one disturbs her resting place...God, Waylon's just 16...He would be devastated if we lose the shack too when...when we visit her...".
Martha nodded, "I know, Alfred...Come on, let us take you to your bedroom and try to sleep a bit...", helping Alfred up as he winced at the numb feeling, even if he is quite active thanks to his job, as Kel replied, "We know that it would feel strange...But you need all of us and Waylon, and Waylon needs you and all of us...That's what Caroline would've wanted at least, for her son to be safe and loved, and for you to be part of Waylon's life and be loved, even if she wouldn't be there, but she is with you...", gently gesturing to his heart as Alfred shakily held his beloved ring box preciously.
Alfred sighed as he closed his eyes and nodded, "I know... I just...", but he didn't say anything else. There really was nothing much left to say other than trying to wish or cursing fate or whomever, just lashing out at whatever he could. None of that would help. What he needed was just more time to grieve amongst himself, and he thankfully had a family that would share his sorrow.
Hearing no cleaning noises from the ballroom, the manor is now pretty much empty as Kel and Martha walked Alfred to his bedroom, and after giving small smiles of thanks, Alfred lumbered into his bedroom.
His heart lurched in pain when he saw his favorite photos; four of them featuring Caroline, the first one not long after their first meeting, Thanksgiving, as Waylon took the picture of her and him serving Thanksgiving dinner around the table on the porch with smiles, the second one shortly after Hurricane Katrina, with Caroline sitting in a chair, reading a story to Poppy and Waylon and Bruce as Martha was the one who took it, the third one a couple years later of Caroline laughing with Martha and Kel about something during Spring Break, taken by Bruce, and then the last one was last year's Christmas Break, actually New Year's Eve, of him and Caroline kissing under their tree and Poppy was the one who took it, miraculously staying up.
But there's one more photo, which is reserved for his side table by his bed, and it was of Caroline, radiantly smiling and shyly blushing while sitting in her favorite chair on the porch, admiring the view, only a few months within Hurricane Katrina where their relationship became more than friends, and caught out by Waylon on Bruce's birthday weekend/Mardi Gras...
He had been in bed with Caroline many nights during Halloween weekend/Poppy's birthday, Thanksgiving Weekend, Christmas Break, but he usually woke up early before Waylon did, since he practically sleeps in, cooking breakfast with Caroline, with the subtle scent of snuggling or lovemaking vanished away into the wind thanks to the open window in the early hours upon waking.
Yet Alfred would never forget that day where he forgot to wake up early, thanks to Mardi Gras and such as he wanted to be lazy like occasionally, a fond yet embarrassed smile coming to his face as he remembered that beautiful, sleepy smile, with Caroline's dark brown curly hair all mussed up, her caramel skin tone glowing in the sunlight, dressed in her new favorite cozy nightgown that Alfred gave her for Christmas.
"Morning, sleepyhead...", Caroline giggled softly, and Alfred smiled, "Morning, my dear...Warm enough?", reaching to caress and play with her strands.
Caroline smiled, "Hmm, I don't know, I might want a reminder...All those martinis and dancing was good, but that romp was even better...Who knew you were even more flirtatious when you're decently buzzed up yet handling all that liquor well?", blushing as she ravished his chest with her hands.
Alfred blushed when he heard that. "Oh my... did we...? My head... I barely can remember last night...", he admitted. "I suppose you did have more of that stronger stuff, but you swore you were able to handle it... and you seemed still pretty sober enough...", Caroline chuckled.
Alfred replied with a raised eyebrow, "Oh, is that right?", noting that he's in his boxers, and Caroline giggled, "Face it, Alfred, you've been rather tame in the past few times of lovemaking...but last night was perfect...".
"You promise? I was sober enough not to hurt you too much?", Alfred asked in concern, and Caroline smiled with a purr, "Kiss me, Alfred, perhaps it will refresh your memory...", and Alfred smiled warmly, "You don't have to ask, and perhaps it will help you feel warm enough...", wrapping his one arm around her side, cradling her cheek in his other hand as he leaned in to kiss her tenderly, and then a moment later, passionately as he felt his lover, the love of his life wrap her arms around his neck, memories refreshing through his mind as he remembered the amazing night now of those martinis, their dancing on the porch and kitchen, and then a incredible, passionate romp in their bed, realizing that they are pleasantly sore, happily glad that Martha and Kel had elected to take all the three kids to party at the parade in town and sleep at the inn, and that Caroline was planning for this...
Alfred pulled back with a grin, "I should have known, Caroline, you clever woman...You wanted me all to yourself, my dear minx...", and she smiled mischievously, "Why, thank you, my beau...", before whispering, "I'm not wearing anything under my nightgown...I'm barely warm enough thanks to that kiss...do you think you can help there?", glad that she and Alfred had agreed to birth control and such when they first became intimate, even if Caroline secretly wanted a daughter, but with them in their 40s, it's a bit of a long shot in the dark, even if miraculous in chance of getting pregnant, and then there was the consideration of complications with late age pregnancies compared to young age pregnancies.
"You bet...God, I love you, Caroline...", Alfred spoke reverently, and Caroline's heart raced once again to hear those three words, smiling as she blushed, "I love you, Alfred...", before kissing him deeply as he went to ravish her body, his hand moving from Caroline's side to roam under her nightgown, sending little waves of pleasure as he got closer.
They were so focused on each other, not hearing the knock-on Caroline's door, or that it was unlocked as a deep voice was calling out, "Ma, are you sleeping in? Breakfast's not on the ta-OH, GOD!".
"WAYLON! GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW!", Caroline roared like a wild animal almost at that moment as Waylon practically ran like a dog with its tail between its legs. Rarely did she get upset like that, but when she did; Waylon practically saw his life flash before his eyes at that moment.
There was a brief pause of silence for a few moments as she sighed, "Sorry... I guess we forgot to lock the door there...". Alfred almost wanted to laugh, "Same thing once happened with Master Bruce when he walked in on Master Thomas and Mistress Martha...".
Caroline raised an eyebrow, "When?", and Alfred smiled slightly, "Shortly before his 8th birthday.", and Caroline whistled, "Oh, boy...Well, at least Waylon is almost 14.".
Alfred blinked, "Wait, if Waylon is here...that means...Oh, god...", blushing as he looked at Caroline, and Caroline smiles wryly, reassuring him with a kiss, "Hey, we agreed to come out sooner or later when we're ready...It's going to be okay...They will understand, and they will be happy for us...I just didn't count with Waylon doing that.".
"Okay...I guess you're right...", Alfred nodded, and Caroline smiled, "Good...Now, where were we? I ain't leaving you stranded like that.", with a smirk and a glance at his boxers that is really showing a visible and recognizable sight, and Alfred chuckled before kissing her deeply, and they eagerly went to do a quickly steady session of lovemaking before changing clothes and using the bathroom while opening the window, and then left their room to see the others' reactions and such.
Alfred sighed as he returned to the present, still looking at the photos. Filled with regret, knowing that he perhaps should've done all this so much sooner; she might still be here, whatever was her condition, maybe it could've been caught, treated, and nothing would've happened. Or extreme case, maybe Thompkins would be convinced to give her gamma treatment again. Caroline might have survived that and sure, perhaps her own gamma alter ego would be born, but at least she would still be here...
Alfred choked back a knot in his throat as he gently grabbed his favorite photo off the side table, tracing Caroline's cheek as he realized that the cool glass feels like it's a reminder of how her body is intact yet cold, waiting for him, his heart clenching at how he would never feel her warm blush, to see her beautiful smile, to kiss her tantalizing lips ever again, no more of hearing her musical laugh or her mischievous giggle...
Tears came once again as he realized he would never show his world here to Caroline, to have her in his bed for the first time, to see her experience a snowy Christmas instead of a bayou river Christmas, as he knew Caroline and Waylon was saving money here and there for a special trip to Wayne Manor someday as she was stubborn that way, not wanting the Wayne family to pay for the duo's seats or anything...