Found in a Karaoke party

by Lozzimal

John Sheridan is bored and explores his new command, to find some things he did not expect.

Found in a karaoke party by Lozzimal

Disclaimer – I do not own any part of Babylon 5 or the characters therein. Or any of the songs mentioned. * sob! *

This is AU, unbeta'd and set at the beginning of Season 2.

Michael Garibaldi, implied Garibaldi/Sinclair,

Summary – John Sheridan is bored and explores his new command, to find some things he did not expect.

Warning – has a little bit of implied slash, if you squint REALLY hard.

Songs mentioned –

Someday I'll be Saturday Night - written by J. Bon Jovi, R. Sambora, D. Child

River of Dreams – written by Billy Joel

Just one year of Love – written by John Deacon (Queen)

********

John Sheridan wandered around the Zocolo looking for something to do on his new station. He had been working all day, but really couldn't be bothered to go home and sit in front of the vid channels until he was tired enough to go to bed. Doctor Franklin had told him that he had discharged Michael Garibaldi that morning, with strict instructions to go home and rest, something the Doctor had assured the Captain that that was probably the last thing the Chief would do. Sure enough, when John had gone to Michael's apartment to invite him out to dinner he was not there, and he set out to find him. He didn't know why really, just that he had to make sure he was okay, and maybe try and get that look of mistrust from his eyes.

But finding him was proving to be a problem. Since he was off sick he didn't have his link with him, and he had managed to do something to the main computer to hide himself from it. John ended up wandering around the places that he thought he would find his missing quarry, or someone who would know where he was at least.

The Zocolo seemed to be surprisingly quiet for this time in the evening, he had been here before and it had been heaving with people all out for the night in one of the many stores, clubs and restaurants that surrounded the area. Instead of the usual masses he spotted only one or two people walking across the area quickly, looking furtively around, especially at one of the larger clubs in the corner of the area.

Normally this place had it's doors open to everyone with a couple of door people making sure they didn't allow anyone who they thought would cause trouble, security would not be far behind. But tonight they were missing, and a sign outside replaced them, simply saying: 'Private party. No admittance'. John smiled a little evilly and looked around him. Private it might be, but he was the Captain, and so could go anywhere, within reason.

He looked around him again to make sure he wasn't being watched, and walked over, trying the closed doors. They were not locked, and he slipped in unnoticed before anyone spotted him.

The club was large, a place he had seen from the outside but not gone in before. It was dimly lit but he could see where people were sat down around groups of tables, laughing and chatting, but most, if not all of them, were looking at the stage. This was at the other end of the space from the doors John had walked in by, but only one half of the dais was being used at the moment. There was what looked like a band on stage, with some instruments that the Captain had only seen in history books. The people were playing really well, he thought, and he recognised them too, He was extremely surprised to see Lou Welch playing an electric guitar! He looked closer and realised the woman playing the drums was another security guard he had been introduced too. There were five people playing instruments, the music was quite harsh to John's ears but he had heard the same sort of stuff leaking out of a steel rock club he had been close to on Earth. He was enjoying it though, the music was well played and tuneful, rather than just base and beat.

There were another two people on the stage, again that he recognised as security personnel, singing their lungs out. The two women were obviously enjoying themselves, they were grinning at the audience, singing slightly off-key into the microphones both held.

The audience were enjoying it too – dancing at the front of the room, joining in with the chorus, clapping to the beat and cheering and whistling when the two women started dancing provocatively with the band.

John looked around the large room to have a look at the people around him to see if he could recognise anyone else. It was getting obvious to him the more he looked that everyone here was security, and he thought to himself: why not? They were obviously enjoying themselves, letting go their stressful jobs, and enjoying each other's company. The only people that weren't security personnel were the waiting staff and those behind the bar, but even they were joining in and having a good time. Probably because they knew if any trouble brewed it would be quashed immediately by other members of the group.

Looking around the Captain's eyes began to seek out a person in particular. Chief Michael Garibaldi had been released from med lab earlier that day, and had disappeared into the hustle and bustle of the station. Hoping he would be here John looked around the vast area for his recognisable face, and smiled when he finally spotted him. He was sitting by a table about half way down the room, to the left hand side of the stage, and he was surrounded by people. The table had more filled chairs around it than it had been designed for, there were more people standing around it in between the chairs, and Michael himself was only visible when someone moved slightly, making a gap that the Captain could see through. They were all trying to talk to him at once, to be with him, and from what John had seen since he had arrived the amount of respect the security personnel had for their Chief, especially since he had been shot and almost killed by one of their own, was huge.

And from what Officer Welch had told him John knew that Michael probably didn't realise it. Even as he watched one of the Sergeants he had been introduced too stood next to Michael, said something to make him look up at her, and slipped her arm around his shoulders. He smiled at her, making him look more alive than he had done when John saw him this morning. She said something else, making them both laugh, and John grinned at those huge blue eyes that shone with mirth. But another person joined in the conversation and the Captain's lovely view was obscured again.

While he was trying to move around so he could see the Chief some more, John noticed that the two female singers on stage had been replaced by a man, another person the Captain knew by sight but not name. He started to sing with gusto, loud, not in tune, but that didn't seem to matter to his audience, or the backing band. What seemed to matter was that he had the courage to stand up in front of his peers for their entertainment, belt out a song, and enjoy it too. The audience were cheering him on, Garibaldi included. And when he got to the chorus and used his hands to get the crowd to help him, everyone joined in and sang as loudly as they could.

The noise was huge! If the roof could have lifted it would have, and even though John didn't know the words at first he found himself joining in with the second chorus.

No-one seemed to know he was there, or care, so he joined in the party, getting himself a drink and some food from the tables over in one side of the room. He tried to keep an eye on Michael throughout though, just to make sure he was all right, but he needn't have worried. The people around him were making sure he was okay for drinks and food, and he spotted a couple of them demanding that he eat something from the plates they put in front of him. And the faces he was making at them for doing it.

John chuckled and was going to go over and talk to him himself but he ended up being caught in conversations with some people for a few minutes, and lost sight of the Security Chief. When he managed to get free Michael wasn't at the table he had been on all night, and John, concerned, stood to go and look for him but stopped when the lights went out on the stage.

Everyone seemed to be as surprised and turned to find out what was going on, and they stopped talking too. Then they all heard the same thing at the same time: a voice that was instantly recognisable.

"Hey, man, I'm alive,

I'm taking each single day at a time."

the singer began quite slowly and without any accompaniment.

John gaped in surprise at the stage as a single light picked out a man singing into a microphone. It was Michael, and the light bothered him so he put his hand up to block it, but carried on singing.

"I'm feeling like a Monday but someday

I'll be Saturday night."

As soon as he sang "night" the rest of the lights came on on the stage, illuminating the band behind the Chief. At the same time the band started to play with gusto: lots of drums and guitars.

And the crowd erupted!

Michael grinned at the band, and raised a hand at Lou when he saluted him, sort of, and turned back to the audience as he started the rest of the song.

"Hey my name is Jim,

Where did I go wrong?

My life's a bargain basement

and all the good shit's gone"

The crowd loved the song, those who knew it sung along, those who didn't clapped and danced anyway, and Michael was obviously enjoying it too. He was grinning as he sang, he did not need to look at the words displayed on a screen to one side of the stage, and didn't miss a beat.

And he grinned even wider as he started the second verse.

"My name is Billy Jean,

my love is bought and sold

I'm only sixteen I feel a hundred years old

As soon as he sung that the crowd erupted in laughter at the words, and then even more when the Chief strutted around the stage and gyrated his hips at the audience.

my foster daddy went,

took my innocence away"

street life ain't much better

but at least I'm getting paid!"

John found himself laughing at his antics and appreciating the theatrics of it. He was obviously loving it, as were his audience.

"And Tuesday just might go my way

can't get worse than yesterday

Thursday, Friday ain't been kind

but somehow I'll survive.

Hey man I'm alive

I'm taking each day and night at a time

Yeah I'm down but I know I'll get by

Hey hey hey hey, man gotta live my life

Like I ain't got nothin' but this roll of the dice

I'm feeling like a Monday but someday I'll be Saturday night"

Michael sang the other verses, mainly by himself, but he indicated to the audience to join him in the chorus'. They were happy to oblige, and he sang as loud as he could. He danced a little to the music solo, again to the crowd, and even gyrated around Lou. Welch grinned at him and lifted one hand from his guitar to pinch the Chief's rounded ass and then blew him a kiss as Michael almost leapt away from him. If it was at all possible, the crowd's roar of laughter grew louder, interspersed with wolf whistles and cat calls. Michael was laughing so much he almost couldn't sing the last chorus.

"Some day I'll be Saturday night, I'll be back on my feet

I'll be doing all right

It may not be tomorrow baby that's okay

I ain't going down, gonna find a way

hey hey hey

Hey man I'm alive I'm taking each day and night at a time

Yeah I'm down, but I know I'll get by

Hey hey hey hey man, gotta live my life

Like I ain't got nothing but the roll of the dice

I'm feeling like a Monday but someday I'll be Saturday night

I'm feeling like a Monday but someday …….

He took a breath and sang in a higher octave

"I'll be Saturday night!"

The crowd knew the song had finished, especially when Michael moved back to where the microphone stand was and tried to replace it, but they made sure he knew their displeasure at his attempt to leave. John winced at the sound and tried to fight the urge to cover his ears at the yells of 'more' to him.

Lou and the band were obviously agreeable to playing something else and the sergeant placed his hand on the microphone slot, stopping the Chief from putting it back. Michael sighed theatrically and turned back to the crowd. "Come on, Boys and Girls." he said to them all. "I just got out of med lab today."

More noise, and more calls for 'more'. Obviously his team gave him more credit than he did.

"All right, all right." the Chief said to them and turned back to Lou. "What have you got?" he asked him, and received a grin in reply.

Lou mouthed something to the rest of the band, who all nodded, and started to play again.

Michael obviously didn't approve of this next song from the expression of consternation on his face, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He sighed into the microphone again, but didn't miss the cue.

"In the middle of the night

I go walking in my sleep

From the mountains of faith

to the river so deep

I must be searching for something

something sacred I lost

but the river is wide

and it's too hard to cross"

This song was not as fast or hard as the other one, but plenty of people were dancing along to it, and Michael, after his initial negativity, seemed to start to enjoy it as he got into the swing of it.

"Even though I know the river is wide

I walk down every evening and stand on the shore

I try to cross to the opposite side

so I can finally find what I've been looking for

In the middle of the night

I go walking in my sleep

Through the valley of fear

to the river so deep

The crowd also enjoyed it, and John found himself grabbed by a female security officer to dance. She grinned at him and hung onto his hands as she danced in front of him, and he grinned at her and started to dance with her. With a flourish he dipped her low over his leg, making her laugh, and when he pulled her up again she slapped against him with a grin. He was surprised when she groped his ass, but then shrugged and smiled at her, giving her his most smouldering look. She laughed, completely unfazed, and spun on the end of his arm, back against his chest. "Nice try, Cap." she told him, amused. "I'm sure it works with some people, but not me."

John sighed theatrically. "Oh well, I'll have to try harder." he replied.

She laughed again and continued to dance in front of him. "The Chief'll have you in the brig for crashing his party." she told him after another spin where she ended up against him. "Don't think he doesn't know you're here."

He frowned at her, and then looked back at the stage. Michael was dancing in the instrumental bit, back to back with Lou, and grinning at the drummer. He wasn't even looking in their direction.

The security officer noted his expression and look, and grinned at him. "He knows." she assured him, and danced off when another guard beckoned her over. "Sorry, Cap!" the guard he remembered was called Zak told him, completely insincerely. "My partner now."

But even now the song was ending, and they were not getting close together. John shrugged and looked at what was going on, and saw Michael again attempting to put the mike down, but Lou stopping him, to tumultuous applause from the audience.

It was obvious to him that the Sergeant was in control of the situation, Michael was trying to get past him but Lou had grabbed hold of him around the waist and took the mike from him. "What do you think?" he asked the audience. "Shall we get him to do one more?"

Michael was shaking his head, he did look fatigued, and John felt a little sorry for him, but he, and everyone else, were pulled along by the atmosphere in the room. He found himself joining in with the roar of 'yes'.

Lou moved the mike away so he couldn't be heard by the crowd and whispered something in his boss' ear. Michael, again, wasn't happy about it, and he shook his head. "I can't do that one." he told him over the crowd. "You know it."

"I know you hate it." Lou replied. "But you do it really well, and they love it." He hugged him a little tighter. "Just think about what they want, not what it means to you." he told him. "And," he added with an evil little grin. "I'll leave you alone after it."

"Until the next time." Michael told him grimly. "I don't know why I put you in charge of these."

Lou grinned at him. "Because I can organise it better than you." he retorted. "Just the one time, Mike." he persuaded him. "And soon, before they get ugly."

Michael looked over at the crowd and sighed again. "All right." he said to him grimly. "Give me the mike." Lou handed it over, and let him go to nod at the rest of the band.

"This is the last one I'm doing tonight." Michael told the crowd firmly. "Zak, you're up next. And you might want to talk to the door staff for letting riff raff in." he added with a half smile and pointed out the Captain.

The female guard looked over at John and grinned at him. "Told ya!" she commented, and turned back to Zak to poke him in the side too. He poked her back none too gently, but she was obviously more ticklish than anything else – she laughed and tried to push him off.

Before John could respond some of the alleged door staff were already converging on him, but Michael has started to sing again so he was not going to let himself get thrown out before he had finished.

This song was a slow one, and Michael sang with all his might.

Just one year of love

Is better than a lifetime alone

One sentimental moment in your arms

Is like a shooting star right through my heart

It's always a rainy day without you

I'm a prisoner of love inside you –

I'm falling apart all around you – yeah

My heart cries out to your heart

I'm lonely but you can save me

My hand reaches out for your hand

I'm cold but you light the fire in me

Everyone was silent while he sang, and even the accompanying music was soft so his voice was not blocked out.

My lips search for your lips

I'm hungry for your touch

There's so much left unspoken

And all I can do is surrender

To the moment just surrender

And no one ever told me that love would hurt so much

And pain is so close to pleasure

And all I can do is surrender to your love

Just one year of love

Is better than a lifetime alone

One sentimental moment in your arms

Is like a shooting star right through my heart

It's always a rainy day without you

I'm a prisoner of love inside you

I'm falling apart all around you

And all I can do is surrender

Michael sang with such passion that his voice throbbed with feeling. His eyes were closed, he didn't need to words rolling on the screen as with the other two he had sung, but this one seemed to mean a lot more than those to him.

And John suddenly realised why, or thought he did.

Jeff Sinclair had upped and left suddenly for Mimbar, while Michael had been in a coma. When he had been hurt his best friend; and Susan had told John; lover had been here, and had been with him when he had been taken to med lab. And then, two weeks later, he had woken to find Sinclair had left him without a word. No wonder his voice ached with pain.

The song was short, just two verses, and John was not the only one who wanted it done again, and he was obviously also not the only one that it had affected. There were a couple of people wiping a treacherous tear away from the corners of their eyes, and others just staring at the stage as he sang. And then the song ended.

A roar of appreciation filled the room, applause ran round, and Michael smiled a little and gave them a bow. He handed Lou back the mike, bowed again, and walked off the stage.

John slipped away from the approaching door staff and headed off after him, while Zak leapt onto the stage and grabbed the microphone himself. The Captain didn't really take notice of his song, but frowned a little at some of the words he was making out. What on Earth was greasy lightning, and why would it have an engine cut off?

Michael had found a quiet area behind the stage to sit down to sort his own feelings out after the song. It was only a short song, but it had huge meaning for him, and it was upsetting. Lou and the others had no idea, and he was intending to keep it that way.

And then Captain Sheridan found him. John walked through the door to the area and spotted him, walked over and sat down next to him. "I didn't know you could sing." he told him after a moment of silence. "That was really good."

Michael took a breath and nodded. "Thanks." he said to him. "I like doing it."

John waited for something else to be said but nothing happened, so he spoke again. "I'm not riff raff." he commented, amused.

Michael smiled a little and glanced at him. "But you're not security." he countered. "Which makes you riff raff." he told him amused.

John nodded thoughtfully. "So how can I get out of the riff raff zone?" he asked, trying to get something from him.

"Join security." Michael replied impishly. "but you'd have to start at the bottom." He looked him up and down with judging eyes. "I think I could trust you to some low level guard duty. After some decent training."

"Oh really?" the Captain asked him archly. "And how long would that take?"

Michael judged him again and smiled a bit more. "Probably about five years." he commented, but then turned away from again. He loved the song he had just sung, it was one of his favourites, but it had upset him so much he didn't think he could deal with it there, with the Captain watching him. He sighed and lost his smile. "I gotta get out of here." he said to the Captain, and stood and headed out of the area.

As soon as he headed back out in to the main area, and towards the door, he was swamped with people who wanted to talk to him, people he couldn't deal with at the time. He was trying to be polite and friendly, but John, who had quickly got up and followed him, could see the tense set of his shoulders and hear the almost hidden harshness to his tone. Someone attempted to put their arm around Michael's back, but he quickly moved away, using the excuse that his wound was still painful to the touch, which effectively diverted the other man's disappointment. But as soon as he backed down, another three people took his place, and Michael looked around him almost desperately for some escape route.

John took pity on him and grabbed his arm in a gentle grip, nodding at the people surrounding them. "Excuse us." he said to them all loudly, and shepherded the Chief out of the club and into the almost deserted Zocalo. It was difficult, almost like swimming up stream, but they made it, and Michael stopped as soon as the heavy doors closed behind them to take in some deep breaths. "Thanks." he said to him gratefully after a few moments. "I couldn't breathe in there."

"It showed." John replied, but didn't let him go. "They're a loyal bunch." he added after a few moments, looking back at the closed door.

"Hmmm." Michael replied, tight lipped. "Most of them."

John mentally kicked himself for his stupidity, but decided not to shove his foot even further in his mouth by mentioning it again. "You look tired." he said instead. "Let me take you home."

Michael studied him for a moment, trying to figure out what he wanted from him, but then shrugged. "Sure." he agreed. "Thanks."

"No problem." John nodded, and let go of his arm. They walked together to the nearest bank of elevators in companionable silence, and waited for the next one to appear at the Captain's call. John ushered him into the car before him and spoke again when Michael ordered it to his floor. "I didn't know you could sing." he complimented him. "And you do it really well. That was excellent."

Michael smiled a little and blushed slightly. "Thanks." he said again. "My Dad told me my Mom could sing." he explained. "He thought I got it from her."

John knew from reading the Chief's file that he was alone in the universe – his mother died giving birth to him, his father had been killed in action sixteen years later. He had been an only child, the only family he had was an uncle who lived on one of the outer colonies, somewhere.

And now his best friend and possible lover had walked off too.

"If you did, then she must have been a star." the Captain said with a smile.

Michael nodded but he wasn't seeing B5 or John Sheridan. In his mind he could see his Dad showing him the holos and videos he had of his mother singing in front of an audience in a theatre. "She was." he assured him. He returned to the present after a moment and tried to smile at the Captain, but it didn't work. He looked around him when the elevator opened to find out where they were, and was relieved to find that he wasn't far from his quarters. "I'm over this way." he said to the Captain as he stepped out of the elevator. "Thanks for …" he was going to say "bringing me this far." and leave it at that, but Sheridan walked out of the elevator and joined him.

"I said I'd take you home." the Captain told him with a smile, and linked arms with him. "So let me take you home." He didn't ask for a response, just walked the way Michael had indicated, pleased that the Chief went with him.

Michael himself was not really bothered at that point, just thinking bleakly to himself that he could never go back to where he had classed as 'home'. Ever.

*******

John waited for the Chief to open the door to his quarters and noted that his hands were shaking. "Are you okay, Michael?" he asked him as he was ushered in. "Your hands." he commented with a nod at the offending appendages.

Michael didn't need to be told he was shaking, and he walked in and sat on the end of his sofa and put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry." he said unnecessarily. "It's just that song. It has a lot of painful memories attached to it."

John nodded and sat beside him. "Sinclair." he said grimly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Michael smiled a little and shook his head. 'No, not Jeff." he answered him, surprising him again. "And no, I don't want to talk about it. Do you want a coffee?" he asked him, easily diverting the conversation.

John sighed as the Chief stood again quickly and walked over to his kitchen. He realised as he stood and walked over to him, that he was probably not going to get to see the vulnerable side of him that he had just glimpsed at again, and was quite sorry to see it go. "No, thanks." he told him, and laid a gentle hand on his arm. "You're tired." he explained as Michael turned to face him with a frown. "You need to sleep, not entertain me. " Then he smiled as a thought hit him. "How about lunch tomorrow?" he asked him. "I've not figured out a good place to get something yet. You can show me, how's that?"

Michael studied him for a moment before he answered. He didn't know this guy, but he had already saved his life, for what he did not know, if taking him out to lunch would give him his reasons, then why not? "All right." he agreed. "It's not as if I've got anything better to do. Thirteen hundred okay with you?"

John nodded. "Meet me in C&C then." he instructed, and when Michael nodded he let go of his arm and stepped away. "You can explain Daffy Duck to me then." he suggested, and nodded at the large picture in a frame on the wall. "See you then." he added, and turned and left the apartment after Michael had nodded his agreement. With a pleased grin he walked back to the elevators, and he was still smiling when he got back to his own quarters a few minutes later.

Michael watched him leave with a confused frown, and then shrugged to himself and he went to his fridge and pulled out a carton of juice. "Maybe he doesn't like coffee." he suggested to himself, but found himself smiling any way, allowing himself to think about possibilities and opportunities as he poured himself a glass.

Those possibilities and opportunities didn't seem to be wholly negative any more.