Title: Avatar

Author: Pixie (pixie@pixies-bookshelf.com)

Synopsis: Dylan's thoughts of his feelings for Rommie. Post-"A Rose in the Ashes".

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, someone else does. I don't make any money from writing this, if I did I would be doing my dream job! :)

Rating: G

Pairing: Dylan/Rommie

Category: Romance/Angst

Spoilers: All over the place, so don't read if you haven't seen every ep to date.

Distribution/Archiving: If anyone wishes to pass this around, please let me know where first. Otherwise all parts, once they're done, will be found on fanfiction.net and pixies-bookshelf.com/fic/archive.asp.

Feedback: Always appreciated!

Author's Notes: This is my first Andromeda fic, and it's been a long time in coming. It takes place right after the first season ep "A Rose in the Ashes" and deals with some of Dylan's thoughts about what happened during the ep, expanding on the Dylan/Rommie dynamic that I've seen from the beginning of the show. This should be the first in a possible series of fics, depending on my mood. ;) Enjoy!

~*~

Dylan sat back, leaning up against the wall and turning his head to look out the window.

He and Rommie had returned from being imprisoned, and his mind was wandering. Normally he couldn't let that happen, there was too much to do, but he had decided to take a few minutes after what had happened. So, he had retired to his quarters in order to avoid questions in regards to this pensiveness.

Now alone, his thoughts fell on recent events.

He had come so close to losing her. He had watched helplessly as the vibrant..android became more rundown.

The captain sighed. Yes, Rommie was an android, the avatar for her AI personality. But at some point he had started to think of her as more than that, and not just in a friendly way.

Dylan shook his head. How had this happened? She..she's his *ship*! How could he let himself become romantic over an object?

He sighed again. He knew how it had happened and he couldn't think that of her, not any more. Rommie was no more a thing than he was, and to think that way was demeaning.

It had been difficult to reconcile in the beginning, but he had to admit that the more time he spent with her, the more 'human' she behaved, the more he forgot that she had not been born like any of the rest of them. And the more he allowed himself to be drawn in by her human-like ways, the more his attraction to her grew.

But deep down he knew that he could never entirely forget who she was. No matter how beautiful she was, how soft her skin, how brilliant her smile, and what feelings he had, that didn't change who she still was. An android. Not human.

Dylan laid his head back and closed his eyes. He knew he should forget about his feelings, put them aside. There was so much that needed to be done, the rebuilding of the Commonwealth the biggest job of all, and to have his feelings for Rommie take precedence in his thoughts would be..well, disastrous.

The High Guard banged his head against the bulkhead a couple of times in frustration. He didn't know what he was going to do about these feelings. They were there, and they weren't likely to go away, especially considering how much time they spent together. And part of him thought that she was returning them. But could she? Could she honestly feel like her humanoid comrades?

He opened his eyes, looking outside once again, contemplating that last question.

Who knew? Harper, perhaps. He had programmed her after all. Who knew how far he had allowed her to evolve emotionally.

Dylan turned his head to look toward the comm unit when he heard it beep.

"Dylan, we're ready to leave for Castalia," Rommie's voice echoed out from the comm.

He found himself smiling at the sound of her voice, despite his inner turmoil. She never was very far from him, was she?

"Okay, let's get going," he replied, and the comm beeped off.

Once again his work called him away from his private time, and Dylan decided he would have to leave these thoughts for another day. He knew it would not be easy, because as he had realised, she was never far from him, so his feelings were always going to be there too. He just had to find a way to balance it all out, make sure that the feelings didn't take over.

It was a difficult road ahead, but it was one he had to take. For the sake of the Commonwealth.

At least that's what he was going to keep telling himself.

THE END (for now)