Survivor's Guilt (Fallout New Vegas Fanfiction)

Epilogue

The tall, slender man trudged up the sandy hill, a hot breeze blowing in his face. Occasionally he would step on a tussock of dried grass, and it would crunch satisfyingly under his black leather boot.

He eventually reached the top of the short slope, and a wave of sadness chilled his insides.

It's just how I remembered it.

He sat down beside a small campfire surrounded by concrete bricks. He scratched grains of sand off his skin, looking at the old radio that lay near the wood-and-metal bridge. He took a deep breath, and veered his eyes to the left - to the grave.

A piece of wood was stuck behind the long mound of dirt, and behind that was a tall rock. Down the slope, far behind the grave, was Wolfhorn Ranch.

It's so quiet now. So empty.

He blinked, choking back a sob, and took another deep breath.

Then he began to speak.

"I miss you, Debbie. I miss you so much.

You were...not the most agreeable person all the time, but it's good to be strong-willed, especially in this world where everything is always trying to beat you down. You had to stand up for yourself against your big brothers, didn't you? We might've pushed you around a bit when we were stupid kids all those years ago, but I hope we never truly hurt you. We always loved you so much - Mom and Pete and I, and Dad would have if he got to meet you."

Tears ran down his face as he remembered his conversation with his mother about Archer's death, all those years ago.

"I still miss him, he was great. It's not right that you never got to have a father.

I'm twenty-six this year, y'know. You'd be nineteen, I can hardly believe it. I didn't do that math off the top of my head right then, it took me a bit to count. Pete was always the brainy one, I was never too good at that stuff. Mom tried so hard to teach me though. I just never caught on like you and Pete did."

He wiped his eyes, misery threatening to overwhelm him.

"God, Mom worked so hard for all of us. She was alone in the wasteland, without Dad, having to look after three kids - and she did it. I can barely handle one baby - oh yeah, I have a baby now, Deb. He's called John, he's amazing. His mother is Georgia, the most awesome person I've ever met. I can barely handle John, and I have Georgia to help me. It must have been so hard for Mom, and we were such ungrateful little shits. We always complained about everything she did wrong - me most of all, I was so fucking whiny - when she was just doing her best. She could have up and left us anytime she wanted, but she didn't. She was incredible.

Can't believe it's been eleven years since that horrible day where...where you and Mom died."

He took another shaky breath.

"I wanted to come for the ten year anniversary, but I've just been so busy with everything.

Anyway, I'm rambling Deb, and I know how you always hated when people rambled. So, uh, bye. I love you."