Title: We Live in a Diffuse World

A/N: Don't wanna spoil it, so no summary for now. Liam and Sandoval will be the main characters, however, and there is Liam/Renee later on as well. Don't know how long it will be. Thanks for the title go to a friend of mine (thanks, Yubsie).

I also rather want a beta reader, but don't know where to find one for an EFC fic, as I'm more familiar with Star Wars. So . . . *crosses fingers* I'll try to update in a few days.

~*~*~

It was over.

Finally, blessedly, over. The Taelons were saved, united with their brethren, the Jaridians. Using ancient Kimera genetic technology found on Earth, the two races were combined in young hybrids. Children. The two races balanced each other – a new species was created out of them. Their parents were, however, beyond saving – the Taelons and Jaridians would be extinct in a few hundred years. But remnants and combinations of their ways would live in their children.

Zo'or hadn't been happy with the news, and neither had many Taelons and Jaridians – that they would die, even if their children would live. But to live through your children was better than to die and be forgotten.

Liam sighed, taking a fistful of loose soil in his hand and letting it fall through his fingers. He wondered if that was how Ha'gel viewed creating him. Living on, sort of. He rather doubted it – he thought Ha'gel was likely happy where was, unconcerned with being remembered, though sad at his people's slaughter in this realm.

Well, it really didn't matter. Liam would always have his Kimera heritage, but it was no longer a part of humanity's, or anyone else's, future. The truth in his palms was no longer needed the way it had been. He hoped.

Here, it hardly seemed like it had even happened. Liam sat on the cold soil, leaning against a boulder, watching the water flow by. The river wasn't a big one, just a little twisting path through the mountains. Wild flowers bloomed in crevices, in bunches along the rocky ground. His cabin, newly bought, was about a mile away, looking over the small ravine he was in now. It wasn't too high of an elevation here, but high enough that it was a bit chilly in spring.

Besides the rugged beauty of the mountains and the soothing sound of the river, there was one thing about the place that he treasured most: he was alone.

Moreover, he had absolutely nothing to do. No plots to foil, no terrorists to catch, no Resistance to run. He didn't even have to worry about people finding out about his heritage anymore – not that he had revealed the truth to anyone more, even after the efforts of the Resistance were vindicated. He wasn't in a high-level position any longer, under constant suspicion. Who would look for him? His enemies were either dead or unlikely to hold anything against him – Sandoval was pardoned for his crimes as he had been serving humanity as well as himself, and Zo'or was more concerned with using the time he had left, at the advisement of his parent.

Liam pulled his leather jacket tighter around his body, folded his legs, and closed his eyes.

His friends were doing well. Augur was up to his usual hijinks, Renee was busy with Doors International, and Da'an . . . Da'an was busy finding some measure of peace, and rejoicing in his hybrid children. He planned to visit the alien frequently, for however long either of them lived. He did consider Da'an a friend, even after the things they had done to each other. They had gone through too much for it to be otherwise.

He himself had no plans for the future. He just wanted to wait and see what happened. Maybe experience those things he had always been to busy to experience and learn, things he had only known through the ghostly memories of his parents. Sleeping without nightmares, making normal friends without having to worry if they're spies or if they're secretly out to kill you – or what would happen if they found out your secrets.

He was looking forward to thoroughly experiencing peace.

Liam's eyes snapped open at the sound of a twig snapping. He tensed, his hand automatically going for his gun . . . that wasn't there, since he had left it at the cabin. He cursed mentally, and waited, alert. The boulder he was leaning against was big enough it couldn't be gotten over, and so he looked out ahead and to the sides of him.

Nothing. A few minutes passed, and he only heard the unworried chirp of birds sitting around or flying across a cloudless, blue sky.

Probably my imagination, Liam thought. Who would be out here? Even Renee didn't know exactly where the cabin was. After another few uneventful moments, he relaxed.

Snap.

Before Liam could even rise to his feet, a dark figure appeared around the boulder, attacking Liam. A fist to his face, and then the figure grabbed Liam's throat, choking him even as he straddled him. Liam kicked, struggling, gasping for air.

His eyes widened as he got a good look at the man. "Sandoval?" he gasped.

Sandoval snarled, his usually neat black hair falling into crazed, dark eyes. "I want my son, you bastard," he snarled, and brought up his gun.

It went downward in a flash, and Liam heard a sharp crack as he tilted into nothingness.