Summary: John fails an unintended Mora'Dum.

Disclaimer: The characters are Straczynski's, the plot of this story is mine.

A/N: Having just run screaming from a spider, I wanted to see what others' thought of the subject. I know it's short, but it's late so I beg for forgiveness :) And I'm working in my next Amateur Redux Chapter, which follows directly after the Vicki and the Rangers preliminary chapter I put up, but crazy work hours have been interfering.

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Walking into the bedroom, John's eyes were caught by the dark splodge on the floor. His heart jumped into his throat and his stomach fell into a pit. A surge of bile and air came up and he scuttled backwards, his nerveless fingers losing the pile of paperwork.

Turning, he nearly knocked his diminutive wife and two young acolytes over. Trying to hold his dignity together, he stammered, "Spider!"

The two acolytes looked confused. Delenn, trying to hide a look of embarrassment, quietly spoke to them, dismissing them. Picking up a piece of paper, she walked to the scuttling arachnid and tried to keep the recrimination out of her voice. "John, I have told you, these creatures have no desire to hurt you-"

"I know that Delenn!" John snapped. "It's not like I think they're after me! I can't help it, I see one and I panic! I've tried explaining it before..."

"I know John, and I'm trying to understand, I really am." Delenn said, now struggling to keep sheer exasperation out of her voice as she shook the spider out the window. "But, to a Minbari, it seems a bit... immature."

"It's not just Minbari!" Shouted John, making her jump. "It's everyone! Everyone who's ever found out has laughed at me, ridiculed me, they act like I'm an idiot for this, and if I could stop it I would, but I can't." Shaking, he sat on the bed, putting his head in his hands. "My own father told me to grow up, my sister laughed at me, I've lost friends over this. Now, even you think I'm stupid and childish."

"John! I don't think you're stupid, or childish. I just don't understand why you are so afraid."

"I don't know! I've never been able to figure it out. My parents said I'd grow out of it, but I never did. I wish I had, I hate this, but I don't know what to do."

Delenn sighed, sitting next to him. After a moment, she put her arms around him. "I don't know either." She murmured. "I don't know what to do, I don't know what to say, and I can't stand to see you like this. I can't stop the spiders from existing, and I can't promise to keep them from coming near you. And I don't know how to help you overcome your fear of them, I truly don't. I feel helpless John, all want is to make you happy and I'm failing."

"No." John half gasped, half sobbed as he looked up, glistening eyes gazing at her. "You're not failing me, Delenn. I don't expect you to change the world for me. I didn't expect that from my parents when I was a kid and got scared, I don't want you to pull out a magic wand and make everything the way I want it, and I certainly don't expect you to pull of the impossible just to make me feel better. I know it's silly for a man of my age to run screaming from insects, but I can't stop it. But... it does help to know... that you don't think any less of me." Even quieter, he whispered, "And you don't hate me."

Shock and pain filled her face. "John! I could never hate you. Look at me." She gently cradled his face and looked him in the eyes. "You are my husband. I love you, and I always will. A little thing like this couldn't stop that, not even a little. And if my trying to understand and just... 'being here' for you will really help, then I am happy to say, you had those without asking. I love you John."

"I love you too Delenn." Said John as they lay back, wrapping their arms around each other.

As the darkness fell, Delenn murmured, half asleep, "Aren't spiders called arachnids instead of insects on your world?" Only slightly more awake than his wife, John smiled.