It's the End of the World

Chapter 20

Deacon shook his head at me.

"Revenge? You're better than that."

I rubbed my eye, tears streaking on my face. My voice broke as I shook my head.

"That's the problem. I'm not. I- I was happy. Here. As a Raider."

Deacon wiped the tears with a dishrag.

"If you're really happy, I'll leave you be. But I can't be a part of this. Either we leave together, or I leave alone."

I chewed on my lip as I ran my hand through my hair.

"I can't leave. Not now. They'll never let me leave unless I'm dead. And that is the last thing I want."

He took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"We'll figure something out. Just like old times, right?"

I pulled my hand back and looked out over Nuka-Town.

"No, not like old times. You're missing the part where I spent the last two years of my life thinking that you were dead."

I took a deep breath, exhaling shakily as Deacon responded.

"What if you were dead?"

I snapped my head back to him.

"What?!"

"Not for real, but faking it."

I shook my head in disbelief at him, speaking in a cold tone.

"That's right, you're an expert in playing dead. You even fooled me."

Deacon sighed.

"It wasn't like that. I didn't have a choice. You know I would have chosen to be with you if I could."

"No, Deacon. I don't know that. I don't know anything about you anymore."

"You're being unfair."

Deacon looked pleadingly at me as I stood up.

"I need time to think."

I stormed out, taking the elevator down to the ground. Gage jogged over, but I pushed past him.

"Overboss! Wait up!"

He followed after me. I ignored him as I kept moving towards Starport Nuka.

"Plan on filling me in? I've got a clue on what's goin' on, but I don't want to take this the wrong way."

I glanced back at him as I took the stairs two at a time.

"Fine. Long story short: That vic was Deacon. The man I thought died two years ago. Seeing him made me question everything I've done here."

I stopped, looking over Nuka-Galaxy.

"There's more. What's the problem?"

Gage pressed me for answers, putting his hand on my arm. I shrugged him off.

"Problem is, I was so sure about my future, but now I'm not. My choices aren't looking good."

I paused, going over my words before saying them.

"If I continue my plans here, I'll lose Deacon again, but it'll be my fault this time. But if I go with him, he'll want to make the Commonwealth back into what it was, but I can't do that."

Gage nodded, listening carefully to my conundrum.

"I wouldn't want to be in your shoes, Overboss."

I rolled my eyes. 

"Wow. Thanks for that."

My hands were sweatier than I realized. I wiped them on my pants before leaning on the railing.

"I don't know what to do."

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to be happy. Like anyone else, I guess. But leaving with him won't guarantee happiness."

Gage looked down at me.

"I'm not claimin' to know much about this, but that guy obviously means a lot to you. Sounds like we've got some planning to do if we're going to get you out."

...

I slid back into the booth, across from Deacon. Gage pulled up a stool and sat at the end of the table. I spoke first.

"We are going to have to really work together to come up with a workable plan."

Deacon's eyes lit up.

"So you'll come with me?"

"Yeah. You and me, til the end of time, right?"

I smiled a bit at him. Gage cleared his throat.

"Overboss. Your best bet would be to get the gangs to turn on each other and wipe themselves out."

I nodded.

"That shouldn't be too hard. They're already at each other's throats. All I'd have to do is tell each gang leader that they're the one I want to take my place. Shouldn't be too hard."

Deacon rubbed his chin.

"What about the traders? They did nothing wrong."

I thought for a second, looking between the two men.

"We can save them. We can hide them in Mad Mulligan's Mine. until the fighting is over. Then, we take them to the Commonwealth and revolt against the raiders at the outposts. That'll be the hard part."

Gage scratched under his eyepatch as he thought.

"Sounds like I have some rumors to spread. I'll catch up to you two later."

He got off the stool and left us alone.

"Deacon, can you go undercover as a trader and let them know about the plan? And keep it quiet. We need this to work."

I looked at him intently as he nodded.

"Your wish is my strong recommendation."

He quipped as I lifted an eyebrow.

"Kidding. You got it, boss."

I watched the man I once loved walk out of the restaurant. I lay my head in my hands. I had a lot to think about in the meantime.