A Friend in need.
K
Laumae
IM
"He's dead." Susan sat in her quarters, during the hour of the wolf, nine
days after. . . She stood up. She couldn't keep running from the truth, she
had to face it. John was dead; and with him the heart of everything she
stood for, the alliance, the war, all of it.
She was lost, she didn't know who she was or what she would do. With
out her job and the structure of command what was left in her? She had
no family, no one to care about, no one to rely on; she was alone.
She found herself in the war room, bleak, dark, empty. The shadows had
paused their attack, for now. The alliance had crumbled. They worried
only about themselves. G'Kar was right, she thought, in order to save everyone
you must sacrifice yourself, and everything you have. The other worlds didn't
understand, and neither did she, not truly.
She flipped through the files in front of her, and tossed them aside. She just
stared hopelessly at the screen. The transport tube opened behind her. She
heard foot steps. She saw him, in the corner of her eye, sit down beside her.
"What are you doing here?" She asked almost scared to use her voice.
"Came to collect my thoughts. I'm leaving." He responded.
"Doesn't everyone?" She looked down at her now folded hands.
"I promise I'll be back. G'Kar needs my help."
She paused, "He's dead, isn't he?" Susan asked, mostly rhetorically, looking into Marcus'
eyes. She stood up and walked to the screen; her back was to him. She could
feel herself loosing it, the control of herself, the one thing she had left.
Marcus had studied Ivanova. He could see her pain, and how she tried to hide
it. He guided his path to her, and placed a tentative hand on her shoulder.
"You're not alone, Susan." He whispered consolingly. She turned around. She
let the tears grace her pale cheeks, and she let Marcus wrap his arms around
her. Sobs wracked her stoic body, and she became fragile, there in his arms.
Marcus had never seen her so vulnerable. Just as soon as it began, it ended.
She remained, how ever, still in his arms, for a little while. Then, she backed
away, head hung down.
Marcus lifted up her chin, and smiled. She couldn't help but do the same, he
always had that effect on her, even threw the deepest grief.
"Thank you, Marcus. I needed that." She looked tired, but atleast her soul
had given up, in part, it's burden.
"I know." Marcus said, he bowed, and then left the room.