Chapter three

Chapter three

Hey ho! It's me again!

Rating: PG 13

Disclaimer: all hail the Great Maker. J M S! However, I do own my videos of b5, my mags, and signed pictures of Jason Carter, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle, Rick Biggs, Walter Koenig and Mira Furlan! Nyeh, nyeh, nyeh, nyeh!

A/N: OK guys. As usual with me, it is practically all Susan and Marcus. Oh and this part I've dedicated to my mum. Hi Mom!

A/N 2: Revised slightly 5/10/02

(Susan and Marcus, enter her quarters , she drops the groceries)

Susan: this is so not my day!

Marcus: massage?

Susan: no, thank you

Marcus: let me help? Please?

Susan: a massage is not what I need right now.

Marcus: tell me what you do need, and I will bring it if it is in my power.

Susan: I need...

Marcus: yes?

Susan: I need some space.

Marcus: from me?

Susan:Marcus, this is new to both of us, I don't know how to be in a relationship. are you angry with me?

Marcus: maybe a little. But I understand.

Susan: can we have dinner later? (he grins) 1800? Here?

Marcus: just try and stop me. (Susan smiles, he stands and turns to go)

Susan: Hey (she stands and kisses him) I love you.

Marcus: and I love you.

(1830, Susan is anxiously waiting in her quarters. The door chimes, and she jumps and rushes to the door.)

Susan: Enter! (the door opens and Zack is there) Hi Zack

Zack: Captain. Is everything all right?

Susan: Yes, I'm just waiting for Marcus. (she is wearing her blue silk rope, which she now cinches tightly around her waist)

Zack: Ahh. Congratulations by the way.

Susan: Thanks. Is there a problem?

Zack: You switched off your link.

Susan: It _is_ my day off. And I was fed up of being interrupted.

Zack: Sorry.

Susan: No, I'm sorry, I've been cranky all afternoon.

Zack: Nerves? (he indicates the ring) or lack of sleep? (she glares at him) So where is your elusive fiancee?

Susan: I have no idea. He's late.

Zack: did you have a fight?

Susan: not exactly. Quite. Why?

Zack: it just seems to me that Marcus is usually pretty punctual.

Susan: he probably ran into Delenn or Lennier and got sidetracked.

Zack: more likely, he is ordering a present for you (Susan smiles softly)

Susan: yes, very probably. (Zack's link goes off)

Zack: Allan here.

Stephen: Zack, send a team to Ivanova's quarters.

Zack: Problem?

Stephen: it's Marcus. (Susan is out the door before Zack can stop her) He's been hurt

Zack: she's already on her way. Is it bad?

Stephen: no, but if I don't tell her, she'll kill me. And she's turned her link off.

Zack: she was waiting for him. She isn't exactly dressed.

Stephen: how do you mean?

Zack: she's in the night robe, with very little beneath from what I could tell. It will give him a heart attack. (suddenly there is an angry scream from outside) gotta go. (Zack dashes out. Susan is standing over the unconscious Karl, her hair and robe mussed. She's trembling with rage and then takes off. Zack dashes up to Karl and checks him over) Allan to Medlab one. I need a med team in green 12, section one.

Stephen: is it Ivanova?

Zack: no, it's that Karl jerk. Dropped by Ivanova.

Stephen: Oh

Zack: and she's a _little_ upset. (Stephen gives a knowing chuckle)

Stephen: Ah hah

(Susan dashes into Medlab, looking like a banshee, glances around and notices Marcus in an alcove, having a cast applied to his left leg. She is there and kissing him frantically in less than a second. Marcus is taken back from moment by her hair and scanty robe, but then just gets lost in the moment. Stephen enters and motions for the tech., who has finished, to go. After a minute he clears his throat, but they ignore him)

Stephen: Do I get a bucket of water to throw over you? (Susan and Marcus break reluctantly. Susan is crying silently in relief. Marcus puts his arm around her. Susan tries to stop, but can't. Marcus motions him impercibly away, Stephen sighs , rolls his eyes, but obeys. Marcus then scoots over and helps Susan up beside him.)

Susan: what happened?

Marcus: a little ambush. My leg is broken, again.

Susan: Karl!

Marcus: yes.

Susan: I ran into him on my way here.

Marcus: literally?

Susan: let's just say he will be speaking in a high-pitched voice. When he wakes up! (she laughs through her tears)

Marcus: I guess my body still a little weak, huh?

Susan: could have fooled me (her eyes darken with passion. They kiss and she gently touches his mind, he invites her in." you were supposed to come and unwrap your pressie". he fingers the front of her robe. " and no, you can't open it here!" )

Marcus: spoilsport! (His hand slips beneath her robe)

Susan: Marcus!

Marcus: yes love?

Susan: behave.

Marcus: I am. I'm behaving like a man, crazily in love with a gorgeous woman, who loves me so much, she forgot to get changed when she heard I was hurt (Susan blushes)

Susan: it just slipped my mind (his hand beneath the robe caresses her gently, she gasps and then blushes. " Marcus, not here! ")

Marcus: sorry (he doesn't remove his hand. Stephen enters)

Stephen: Uhh ...guys? (they look up, annoyed at the interruption) just wanted to let you know, Karl's here and conscious.

Marcus: way to ruin the mood.

Stephen: probably a good thing right here, huh?

Marcus: can we go?

Stephen: crutches (Stephen passes them over, Susan helps Marcus up and as she does her robe falls open. She is wearing a black ' Teddy' beneath it and Marcus' eyes bulge. She quickly pulls it closed again and cinches it tightly.)

Marcus: (" god you're beautiful!")

Susan: (" thank you, I'm glad you like it ")

Marcus: (" like it?! It will almost be a shame to take it off ")

Susan: (" almost? ")

Marcus: (" well, Love, you can't improve on perfection ")

Susan: (" but we have so much fun trying " They kiss and enter the lift.) Green 12 (they are alone in the lift, and have a hard time keeping their hands off one another. As they get out of the lift a security guard gives them a strange look. Ivanova's glare doesn't quiet him as it normally would for several seconds. Marcus and Susan enter her quarters.)

Susan: I'm sorry I was such a twit earlier.

Marcus: you weren't love. Any time you need a little space, just tell me.

Susan: Why are you so understanding?

Marcus: it's because I love you. How else could you put up with my annoying delusions of grandeur (she laughs). And my terrible sense of humour.

Susan: good point.

Marcus: love makes you do the wacky.

Susan: like pushing you away.

Marcus: I won't let you. I am chained you for life. And their chains of my own making. But they will never drag me down, or chafe .

Susan: come, show me how much you love me.

Marcus: gladly. (they move into the bedroom)

(two weeks later, they are lying in bed, hands wandering aimlessly)

Susan: why didn't we do this years ago?

Marcus: is that a rhetorical question, or would you like an answer?

Susan: I know the answer. It's because I was too scared.

Marcus: we both were.

Susan: mostly me.

Marcus: 60 to 40.

Susan: that much?

Marcus: 55 to 45?

Susan: really?

Marcus: darling. You are perfect. I certainly don't deserve you.

Susan: I don't understand.

Marcus: I placed you on a pedestal. To me, you are a goddess.

Susan: a blind, headstrong, stubborn -

Marcus: Beautiful, modest, sexy goddess (they kiss) far and away above the rest of us mere mortals. And yet at the same time, there is a wonderful vulnerability about you.

Susan: you are getting to know me far too well.

Marcus: and I intend to spend at least 70 more years getting to know every single detail. Forever with you will be 1000 years too short.

Susan: how do you always know what to say?

Marcus: irritating isn't it?

Susan: exceedingly. (kiss) but at least now I know how to shut you up.

Marcus: (kiss) as much as I adore where this is going, I think there's something we need to discuss, at some point.

Susan: which is? (she half looks afraid)

Marcus: it's not a urgent to discuss now, but I've been thinking about the... Particulars. (she pulls away to watch him closely)

Susan: OK, now I'm worried.

Marcus: children. (she sighs in relief and snuggles up beside him, but still watches his eyes.)

Susan: yes? The when, why, and how?

Marcus: I think I've got the last part figured out (Susan laughs)

Susan: very true. (kiss) a little too well.

Marcus: I was a virgin, not ignorant. (he plays with her ear to prove the point, and she moans in agreement.) let's continue the conversation first, huh?

Susan: spoil sport! I'd rather ... Practice? (she says with a cheeky grin. She pulls the covers back slightly, kisses his neck, moving down to his collarbone, and then on down his chest.)

Marcus: your wish is my command.

(a four weeks later, Susan wakes up, to the door chimes. She gets up and pulls on her robe.)

Susan: who is it?

Stephen: it's Stephen.

Susan: enter. (he does.)

Stephen: Are you two always in bed?

Susan: we were asleep. Now hush, before you wake Marcus up too. What can I do for you?

Stephen: I'm here to remind you about your check-up tomorrow morning at 0800.

Susan: yes I remember. Though why it couldn't have been later on on our day off I don't know!

Stephen: because that's the kind of cruel sadist I am. Good night (Stephen exits)

(the next morning at 0800, Susan and Marcus enter Medlab. Stephen greets them and directs them to an alcove)

Stephen: I'll be in in a moment. (they take the opportunity to neck. Stephen re-enters and clears his throat loudly. They separate slowly, quite used to the interruptions by their friends now. The others have even learned that their smart mouth comments only earned them sickeningly smug grins. Marcus lies down on the bed. Stephen runs a scanner over him) breathe in... Hold it... And exhale. You're fine. (Marcus gets up and gallantly scoops up Susan to lay her on the bed in his place. Susan smiles softly, remembering a time when that would have bothered her. Stephen just rolls his eyes, again and runs a scanner over her) breathe in... Hold it... And exhale. (Susan and Marcus, watching each other do not see his half amazed, half amused a glance, before he hides it) Yep. Fine. now for the blood samples. (he takes some blood from both) All done. Go and enjoy your day off.

Susan: see you later.

Marcus: bye Stephen.

(that afternoon, Marcus has been called away to a brief meeting and Stephen, Zack, Susan, and Michael are enjoying a drink. Susan is drinking Or'cha (the fruit juice, introduced to Marcus by Stephen, who in turn introduced it to Susan) and this causes Stephen to give her amused glances)

Susan: what?

Stephen: nothing. Sorry. (Susan is tapping her feet to the music in the bar) would you like to dance?

Susan: OK. (Susan is confused by his actions and expressions) anything wrong?

Stephen: no. You?

Susan: a little queasy actually. (Stephen chuckles) that's funny?

Stephen: I'd get used to it if I were you.

Susan: am I ill?

Stephen: No. Not ill. You're pregnant. (Susan freezes)

Susan:WHAT!!!!???!!!! (everyone stops and stares. Susan blushes furiously. Stephen is still chuckling. She lowers her voice to a whisper.) is this a joke?

Stephen: no, no joke. Three weeks.

Susan: could we sit down? (Stephen leads her back over to the table)

Michael: problem?

Susan: NO! No problem! (Susan cuts of Stephen with a glare.)

Zack: you look like you've just seen a ghost (Her glaree turns on him. the others get the hint and leave her alone. Marcus arrives and she brightens)

Susan: hi!

Marcus: hello love (they kiss softly, Marcus sits and Susan sits on his lap. The others are all amused at her sudden change in attitude, but have the good sense not to mention it) you look extremely happy tonight Stephen? New girlfriend?

Stephen: no, just an unusually good day at work!

Marcus: you know what that means. Trouble is most likely on the way!

Stephen: you've been spending far too much time with Susan. (Susan glares at him for the double edged phrase. Stephen just continues chuckling)

Susan: well, I have some paperwork to attend to, if you'll excuse me (Susan gets up and leaves. Marcus is confused. Stephen grins knowingly)

Marcus: what was all that about?

Stephen: I think you'd better go talk to her about that. And tell her my lips are sealed (Marcus exits, now even more confused)

(a minute later, Marcus catches up with Susan in the corridor. She is waiting for him.)

Marcus: Susan?

Susan: let's go home and talk. (he obeys)

Susan: Marcus, I don't know how to tell you this. I know we've mentioned it briefly from time to time. And I'm just confusing you. Sorry. I'm pregnant. (he grins)

Marcus: and that's why Stephen's grinning like a Cheshire cat?

Susan: darling, concentrate, please!

Marcus: sorry. (she looks afraid and vulnerable) you don't sound too happy?

Susan: I wasn't expecting it be so soon.

Marcus: neither was I. But I've never been so happy. (Susan smiles slightly)

Susan: we were careful.

Marcus: three weeks ago? (Susan grins at the memory)

Susan: OK, maybe not _that_ careful. I am three weeks along.

Marcus: I love you.

Susan: And I love you. (kiss)

THE END

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