Loneliness
Hi there,
This is my second Time squad fanfiction. I really love this show and I really love the characters! I hope you enjoy it!
This time, it's about Sheila Sternwell and XJ5. I watched the episode "Ex marks a spot" and I've sometimes thought that Sheila regretted a bit her divorce, and that she still has feelings for Tuddrussel. Moreover, I've also wondered if XJ5 would have a crush on her… *cough* *cough*
It's not as pairing, it's rather friendship or something else.
"Larry, you're an idiot."
After that, XJ5 came back near Sheila, who still was laughing in chorus with her ex-husband Tuddrussel on Larry's stupidity about their eventual new love. While they were beginning to back home, they could hear Larry saying to Tuddrussel: "Tonight, you're sleeping on the sofa!"
But, when Sheila and XJ5 came back on their satellite, Sheila didn't laugh anymore. The first thing that she did is to sit down at the table. She was exhausted. After all, XJ5 and she had done more than 3 missions today before this one, without break. Nevertheless, she didn't show it, and began to sort some papers which only just arrived. Her robot, XJ5, who was still here, asked to her:
"Officer Sternwell, would you like me to write the report now or later, when you will have finished with it?"
Sheila didn't respond immediately. She seemed to be like…lost in her thought. It was rather unusual from her, but XJ5, thinking she didn't hear him, repeated:
"Officer Sternwell?"
Sheila, this time, looked up at him. Then, impassive, she shook her head:
"No. The report can wait for."
"Sternwell, is something wrong?"
Sheila smiled to him.
"Yes, of course. Why?"
"Hm. It's just that…you seem a little…different."
Sheila raised one eyebrow, surprised.
"Hm. Different?"
"Uh, well…"said XJ5, trying to clarify. "I…just want mean that…uh…I noticed that… you seem a bit…elsewhere, every time we have to…meet Officer Tuddrussel."
"What do you mean, XJ5?" asked Sheila, with a cold tone, a little bored.
"No. Nothing. It's just that I noticed."
"Do you mean that I have still feelings for my ex-husband?"
"I didn't tell that. It was just a feeling," explained her partner.
Sheila nodded. "Okay. But, XJ5, I have a question for you."
"Hum."
"Can you tell me why you and Larry had tried to ruin our dinner?"
Even if XJ5 didn't show it, Sheila felt that he was awkward.
"Uh. It's because…Listen, everything was Larry's idea."
"Maybe, but you followed him", said Sheila, standing up.
"Hm. To be honest, Sternwell…I never understood why you dated Officer Tuddrussel. To me, you two are completely opposed. It's beyond me." Justified XJ5, trying to be as impassive as possible.
Sheila sighed.
"Our life as couple has not always been a nightmare. We have had our moments, too, before our argument and our divorce. If I married Tuddrussel, it's because we have been in love, isn't it?"
"Yes. That's right." Said XJ5, after a short silence. "So, I think I will anyway send this report now."
"As you want." said Sheila, before to sit down again.
"By the way, excuse me if I…ruined your dinner."
Sheila smiled nicely to him. "No, it's okay. In fact, I'm rather glad that, someway or other, you watch out for me."
"Oh," said XJ5, before to go out. "It's normal. You're my partner, after all."