Chapter Seventy-Three

A/N: This is one of those chapters that I like to remind you that the story is rated M for a reason.

"I wondered if you would come." Charon said, not yet facing Evelyn. He was sitting cross-legged between the rows of plants in Alice's garden. She could see the freshly dug earth, where she could only assume that he had buried the last Hostetler.

"Of course." Evelyn told him softly. She sat down next to him carefully. He finally looked at her. His milky blue eyes were bloodshot, it was obvious that he had been crying.

"She loved this farm. She put her heart and soul into it. As her mother did before her." He informed her. "It only seemed right that she be here."

"I think she'd really have liked that." Evelyn agreed.

"I killed her." He said, matter-of-factly.

"Charon, sweetie, it was a disease, you had no way of-" Evelyn protested.

"If I had stayed here, where I belonged, she would not have been exposed to the illness." He interrupted. "Following me to that casino, staying to be near me, got her killed." He let out a miserable, shuddering breath. "I killed the love of my life."

Evelyn waited for the hurt, braced herself for it. But it didn't come. All she felt was sadness for the broken man next to her. She knew what loss felt like. She wished with all her heart that she could ease him of that burden. "I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I wish I could have helped."

"You tried. That is enough." He said, sounding tired. "She was at peace. It truly meant a great deal to her, how hard you were fighting for her."

"She was my friend. I couldn't really fault her for loving you." Evelyn sighed ruefully.

"Has Vincent told you that he loves you yet?" Of all the questions in the world, that was the last one she expected. Her surprise must have shown on her face because he quirked an eyebrow at her. "I have known about his feelings since before we were married."

"I- What?" She asked, feeling flustered.

"That is why I trusted him to keep you safe. He loved you. Has he told you?" Charon repeated his query.

"He has." She told him in a small voice. Her cheeks flushed pink.

"Good. Did you truly not know?" The large ghoul asked.

"Not until... very recently. No." She admitted. She was so uncomfortable.

He blinked at her. "It should not please me to hear you say that. But it does." He admitted.

"What do you mean?" She asked, her eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

"You were not seeking to replace me." He said flatly.

"Did you really think I was?" She asked, ire rising in her chest.

"I think I have hurt too many people in my unnaturally long life." He sighed deeply. "Everything I touch turns to ashes." He ran his fingers through the freshly turned earth.

"I only ever wanted to see you free and happy." She said, rising to her feet.

"And I was. For my short time with Alice, I was free, happy and at peace." He smiled sadly. He closed his eyes, lost in thought.

"And now?" Evelyn asked, slinging her pack back over her shoulder.

"I hope to see you free and happy. Without you, I would have never met her. You gave me my freedom and my happiness. I hope that is enough for you." He said, looking at the unmarked grave, then meeting her large brown eyes.

She only watched him for a few moments before walking back to the road. Vincent was waiting for her. She had nearly reached Freeside by the time she noticed the tears slipping down her cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and squared her shoulders. She held her head high as the neon lights flashed brightly all around her.

She was The Lone Wanderer. She had given clean water to the Capital Wasteland. She had freed the slaves in The Pitt and cured their illness to boot. She had taken down the Enclave and saved countless lives along the way. These people needed a general. She had no time to mourn, neither her dead friend or her broken marriage.

She walked into her room and froze in the doorway. She smiled at the sight before her. Vincent was asleep on his back on her bed, one of his large arms draped over his eyes. He must have fallen asleep waiting for her. He was still fully dressed, his boots the only thing he had shed. His mouth was parted as he snored softly. Titan and Maddox were sprawled out next to him. The smaller dog noticed her when she walked into the room, hopping down to greet her after he stretched. Vincent snuffled and adjusted his position.

"Hi baby." She whispered, squatting down to rub the sides of his head. Maddox came over for his share of attention and she placed a kiss on his bristly head affectionately. "Hey there big boy. How's my boy?"

She put her pack on the chair by the door and toed off her boots. She took off her battered combat armor and lay it next to her pack. She stripped down to her bra and panties and surveyed the large man in her bed as she undid her braid. She ran her fingers through her hair as she took note of all the features and details she could have drawn from memory already. The well muscled arms, covered in scars. The black hair that was getting long and shaggy again. She thought of all the things she couldn't see, but knew were there. Like the electric blue eyes behind long, thick lashes. The strong back covered in scars and long healed burns that she had never gotten up the courage to ask about. The long scars on his cheek and jaw, hidden behind the burned forearm.

Life hadn't been kind to Vincent. But he still smiled down at her every day. Bright and content to love her for nothing in return. She was overwhelmed by the urge to touch him. To love him the way that he deserved. She crawled into the bed with him carefully. He snorted, but didn't awaken.

"Hey." She whispered, kissing his upper arm. She shook his shoulder lightly. She sat back up on her knees, her feet tucked under her. She ran her fingers over his scarred skin tenderly.

He jerked awake, peering around blearily. "Evelyn?" He growled, his voice thick with sleep. His eyes settled on her and a smile lit up his face. "Hey there beautiful." Had he always looked at her like that? With so much happiness, and love? Her heart swelled with happiness.

She didn't even know what to say. She just drank in the sight of him, a silly smile pulling at her lips. "Hi." She finally managed to say.

"Hi." He replied, sitting up. "Everythin go okay? Did ya find Charon?"

"Yeah. He took Alice home to bury her." She replied, scooting closer.

"You okay?" He asked, tucking her unruly blond hair behind her ear.

"I'm so glad you're here." She whispered.

"Course I'm here. Told ya I'd meet ya back here." He reminded her with a slightly puzzled smile.

She launched herself at him, knocking him back amongst the pillows. She quickly pinned his arms over his head, her fingers intertwined wish his. Her knees rested on either side of his waist and she heard his breathing hitch. She leaned down and kissed his neck, feeling his pulse jump against her lips.

Bright blue eyes were wide as he stared up at her. His expression was a mixture of many things. Surprise, love, happiness, lust, anxiety. She breathed in slowly, taking in the smell she had come to associate with him. A mixture of two hundred year old soap, leather and gun oil. "You're beautiful." She told him. His lips quirked at the compliment. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

He didn't ask what she meant. He swallowed hard. "Didn't think it mattered. I only wanted t'keep ya safe. T'be near ya. I knew ya loved Charon. Didn't want ya to send me away." He admitted.

"Oh Vin." She breathed. She crashed her mouth to his, releasing his fingers to bury hers in his dark hair. It was still damp from the shower he had taken earlier. He grabbed her hips with his large, rough hands and moaned against her lips.

"Evelyn!" He panted, as she broke away to rip her bra off. He looked stunned for a moment before blinking himself into mental clarity. "Evie wait."

She paused in her efforts to pull his shirt off. "What's wrong?" She asked, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. She gnawed at her bottom lip.

"I- I love you." He stammered. His blue eyes seemed to be pleading with her.

She let out a breathy laugh. "I love you too."

"I jist mean... This means... bein with you is..." He looked frantic, scrambling for words. Her heart swelled at the sight of him.

"This means the world to me. You mean the world to me Vin. Every day. You and me. Always." She punctuated each sentence with a kiss.

"Promise?" He gasped as she threw her panties to the floor. He lifted his hips for her automatically as she pulled off his pants.

"I promise. I promise that you will be the last man to ever touch me." She whispered into his ear. He moaned low in his throat. She nipped at the sensitive skin of his neck, then kissed away the sting.

He writhed under her as she rolled her hips. "Tell me!" He panted. "Tell me I'm the only- Evelyn!" He groaned frantically. "Please!"

"I love you Vincent. Only you." She gasped, feeling him slide into her. He squeezed his beautiful eyes shut, overwhelmed. She froze, her heart ready to burst. This was different. It was if the whole world was in black and white before, but now, here with Vincent, the world burst into spectacular colors.

She wasn't aware of when she started moving her hips. She was more aware of where Vincent's large hands wandered. Her cheeks, his calloused thumb brushing her full lips as she gasped his name. His fingers danced around her ribs, then gripped her hips possessively. He whispered her name reverently as she cried his name out like a prayer. She kissed every inch of him that she could reach while she whispered sweet promises he could only hope that she would keep.

When they were both spent and exhausted, they separated only for a few moments to gasp in fresh air. He lay flat on his back, smiling at the ceiling. She made her way back to him first, curling against his chest. She could hear his heart, still pounding wildly as he breathed in deeply.

"I love you Vin." She told him, after she got her breathing under control.

"Evelyn, I ain't got the words to tell yew what yew mean t'me. I love you so much." He replied, stroking her hair.