********************************B5***************************
Susan finished loading the dishes into the washer and followed the sounds of laughter and frustration into Jade's bedroom where her husband was getting his tail whipped by the laughing six year old in their custody. "Sounds like you two are having fun in here."
"Susochke, Marcus doesn't know how to play this game. He keeps jumping off the land and falling in the holes. I beat him four times already."
"Why don't you try a different game then."
"Okay. How about this one. It's called Ga-la-ga. It's called Galaga. It's got spaceships that you try to destroy the alien bugs with. Dad and I played this afternoon. It's a good one."
"Sounds like it's worth a shot; put it in and lets give it a go. Susan plays the winner."
"Okay, but only one game. It's almost nineteen hundred, that means bath time."
"Ohhh. Susochke, do I hafta."
"Yes, you do. You have school in the morning. Guess what, though."
"What?"
"I'm going to pick you up tomorrow, unless something pressing comes up, but I doubt that will happen."
"Cool!"
"What is it with you and that word?"
"What, cool?" She nodded, "Well David said it one time and I liked it so I started to use it too. Dad says that his great-grandfather used to say it."
"Yeah that's what he has said to me too. Speaking of grandparents, I thought that one weekend the three of us might go and visit yours." Jade's face lit up.
"At the farm? Could we?"
"I'll call them tomorrow and find out if they have time for us."
"Of course they do. They're Gramma and Grampa they always have time."
Susan laughed at his comment. "You think so, huh." He nodded. "Well I'll call anyway. We don't want to drop in unannounced do we?"
"I guess you're right."
"Hey, Chap, are we going to play this or not?"
"Lets play, silly." Jade pushed the power button, and the intro of the game started. Susan sat back and watched them play and after another defeat Marcus relinquished the controller to her. Jade wasn't so smug after that match as he marched off, in defeat, to take his bath.
********************************B5***************************
Delenn sat quietly on their bed going over the latest reports from Turval and Durhan. Silently, John slipped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. "Jooohhnn, I am in the middle of reports here."
"Mmhmm." He replied nuzzling her neck through her chestnut hair. "I've noticed. It's also time for a break." He paused to kiss the nape of her neck. "Don't you think."
She feigned thinking about it, and said. "I believe you are right."
********************************B5***************************
After a while she propped herself up beside him and looked in his drowsy hazel eyes. "You are determined to make up for the last four months aren't you."
"Oh, abso-fraggin'-lutely." He pulled her closer and kissed her lips softly.
"You are insatiable."
"Only where you are concerned. I can never get enough of you." She smiled shyly and kissed him more demandingly as passion flared again.
********************************B5***************************
Montoya looked around at the debris on the streets of the small town. The debris that had once been beautiful homes and bureaucratic buildings. He pulled the thick gloves more securely onto his hands and rejoined the group of Centauri attempting to clean up the aftermath of the lesson from their late Emperor's Associates, the Drakh. 'This has to be stopped quickly.' He thought silently. 'If it isn't there won't be anything left of Centauri Prime.' He was pulled from his thoughts by a flashing light upon the debris in front of him. He watched for a minute to make sure that it was indeed a contact from one of the other rangers. Once he surmised that it was he deciphered the message and made his way to the edge of the group of Centauri until he found the one who had signaled.
[How goes the investigation?]
[Not good sir, we have a report that two of our operatives in the palace have gone missing. They are feared dead.]
[Don't fear for them. It is an honor for them. We have to hurry things though. If they have been taken then the Darkness may know the Light has come.]
[Do you want me to start the next phase.]
[Yes, tell the others to start moving against the Darkness openly. We must continue to earn the trust of the people though if we are to lead them in open rebellion.]
The second ranger nodded and headed away.
********************************B5***************************
Jade sat with Avery on the playground, half-heartedly eating a snack Marcus had brought to them. He was worried about the boy. His nightmares, which had been conspicuously absent the first week, had returned with a vengeance two nights ago and had not let up even a little. Susan had taken to falling asleep in Jade's room curled up in the chair beside his bed while watching over him. So far it hadn't helped. Jade had begun to recoil from his food as well, eating only what Susan forced him too. They were due to call John and Delenn tonight, and Marcus wanted to talk to them about this turn of events. Jade's teacher had noticed the change in his demeanor almost immediately. He had stopped asking questions and had withdrawn from all his friends except for Avery. Even Avery was worried about his friend.
"You gotta start eating right Jade. My mom says that breakfast is the most important meal and that it helps you get through the day." The boy sighed as Jade just munched unconcernedly on the snack. "Why don't you wanna play? Everyone wants to get a ball game going, and you're the best player here. They really want you to play with us."
"I don't feel like it, Avery. I just," he took a deep breath, "I don't want to play anymore. I, I'm too scared." He looked around nervously. "Something bad is gonna happen. I just know it. My mommy and daddy are gonna get hurt and so is everyone. I know it."
"How do you know it?" Avery asked with wide eyes. That was the most Jade had said since Monday.
"I see it every night. It won't go away. I try to make it go away like Daddy taught me but it won't." His voice was choked and he threw the second half of his snack over the fence into a waste bin.
"You shouldn't have done that. You should have eaten it."
"I'm not hungry. Food doesn't taste good anyway." Jade got up and walked away to sit in the shadow of one of the large playground toys that was not in use at the moment. He curled around himself and shivered as he thought of the dreams. Last night's had been the worst. He had seen himself and David surrounded by dark figures on all sides and then David had been hurt. Jade thought he'd been shot, but couldn't remember enough of that part of the dream. He did vividly remember the next part though. He'd seen rangers torn to pieces by the same dark figures that had surrounded David and himself. He remembered the room they'd been in. Its walls were covered with their blood and the pieces of their insides. He saw again the body parts strewn around the floor, a disembodied head with milky, dead eyes and a leg that was twisted at an odd angle that had no foot attached. He screamed again and again. It seemed to him that screaming was all he did anymore. Still, he screamed.
********************************B5***************************
David was nearby, being dragged by two more of the Dark Men. He could feel it. He didn't look good. His face was a mass of bruises and dried blood. It looked like his nose had been broken too. The Dark Men dropped him into a room. Jade found that he remembered this room from a dream. Then Jade realized he was dreaming again and that in the dream David was alone, that he wasn't with his brother as he had been in the other dreams. He fought against the images as always, to no avail. The scenes kept playing one by one until he saw David's mutilated body, just like the rangers, and he could take no more and he screamed again.
********************************B5***************************
Marcus had carried Jade into the classroom when recess had ended. He'd watched the boy fall asleep in the shade of the climbing toy. He had debated a moment with the thought of waking the child, but surmised that he should be allowed to sleep and get what rest he could. Mrs. Brockman wanted to wake him but Marcus quickly pulled rank and advised that he be allowed to sleep. She then suggested that Marcus take him to the Nurse's office to sleep, again Marcus disagreed, for the moment. He then told Jade's teacher that he needed to use the little ranger's room and asked that she take the necessary precautions they'd gone over. He placed Jade on a large beanbag cushion in the library area of the classroom. Mrs. Brockman agreed that was the best place for him until Marcus returned to take him to the Nurse's station. Marcus went swiftly to take care of his business.
On his way back to the classroom he saw two of the other teachers speaking quietly in the hall about halfway between him and the classroom door. He recognized them as first grade teachers and understood that their classes were out at recess. He was almost to them when he heard Jade's shrill scream of, "DAVID!" He broke into a run and about plowed over the two teachers, who were looking around startled by the scream. He would have apologized, but surmised that he didn't have time as another scream sounded.
He threw the door open to find Jade in his teacher's arms fighting her grip for all he was worth. Avery stood near his friend, still in the throes of his nightmare. "David, nonoDad! nonoLEMMEGO! noMommynononono!" He struggled harder.
"Give him here." He said even as he pulled Jade into his arms. "Wake up, Jade." He shook the boy. Jade didn't even stir. "Come on, your mum's not going to be happy with me, not to mention Susan. You have to wake up now."
"NO, DAVID." Jade's eyes opened, but Marcus could see that he was still amidst the vision that was scaring him so.
Marcus shook him harder. "Avery, be a help and go get me a glass of water or something. I need to snap him out of this." Avery nodded his head and bolted for the bathrooms. "Bugger, Jade you have to stop this. Your making yourself sick. Susan is going to kill me. You know she already left me for you don't you little man. Not that I mind. If there were room for two in that chair I'd be there with her. I owe you my life remember. You're the one that put me back in working order, but how can I return the favor if you won't let me. Come on, wake up."
Avery returned with a dripping towel. "This was all I could find Sir."
"Should I get help?" Mrs. Brockman asked.
"It'll do. Good job, and thanks for the help, and no I can handle this. It happens all the time lately. He'll wake soon enough." Marcus squeezed the towel over Jade's face. It didn't appear to work at first, but suddenly with a final scream of, "DAVID!" Jade woke up.
"Hey it's okay. You're safe." Marcus stood and walked out into the hall holding Jade close. Avery followed close behind despite the protests of the teacher, worried about his friend.
"They got him!" Mrs. Brockman stood in the door watching until Marcus motioned her back. She nodded and went into the classroom to calm her students.
"Him who? Got who? For that matter who got him?"
"DAVID! They got him. They hurt him. I wasn't there and they hurt him. Marcus he's dead they killed him."
"WHOA! Jade, who got David?"
"The Dark Men. The bad ones. Some of them are dumb and they don't think, but the Dark Men they are smart. They hurt everyone. They killed him."
"What do you mean killed him, Jade, David is on Minbar. He's safe at your home."
"No!" Jade's voice became shrill, "They got him later. Not now. He was, Marcus, they ripped him in pieces. They tore him up like they did those rangers."
Marcus paled. "Have they already hurt the other rangers, Jade or is that later too?"
"Not hurt, Marcus. Killed. They already did it, but no one knows yet, but I saw what was left. They haven't been found. They're missing. They're Mommy's rangers aren't they?"
"Most likely." He looked around the two teachers he'd knocked into were watching them intently. "Why don't we leave? We can go see Susan if you like."
"No, I want to stay. I don't want her to worry anymore. Marcus why won't the dreams stop. Mommy said to dream only good things for her." His small arms went around Marcus's neck and he buried his face in Marcus's shoulder. His sobs were cleansing his psyche of the visions he'd just witnessed. Marcus understood this and soothed Jade's back as he cried. Avery stood close and, even though he didn't understand what was going on, he did his best to let Jade know that he was there to help.
"Are you sure you want to stay Jade. It sounds like you had a really scary dream. Maybe you should go see your Susochke." He said to his friend.
"N, no. I want to sstay here and finish today. It's not much longer." He was beginning to breathe hard from crying.
"Why don't we take you to get checked out by the nurse." Marcus suggested. Jade stood immediately trying to calm down.
"No, I'm okay. I just want to go back inside." Jade pleaded as he took a deep breath with no trouble.
Marcus, having gotten used to such situations and knowing that Jade's actions now meant it was finished, decided to respect his wishes. "All right, but if you feel like you want to leave, we can."
"I'll let you know, but I really want to stay."
"We can stay on one condition."
"What?
"When we get home later you try to eat everything on your plate for lunch and again at supper."
"Deal, Marcus, but what if I'm not hungry."
"All I ask is you try to eat, Jade. I won't force you, but if you don't we are going to Franklin tomorrow. Go get in your desk, and pay attention to your teacher." Marcus followed the boys' progress back to their desks. Avery hadn't left Jade's side yet, and took his arm. He opened the door and walked his friend in. Avery saw that Jade was seated at his desk and then returned to his own. The other students asked Jade if he was okay. He assured them that he'd just had a bad dream and been upset. The children understood bad dreams and were placated by this.
Mrs. Brockman, however, looked at Jade absolutely stunned by what had happened. She'd known that he was a telepath, but this was something she'd never seen before. Marcus noticed and cleared his throat. She looked up at him and he nodded at her. She took a breath and nodded back. Then she began the lessons where she'd left off.
********************************B5***************************
The lessons ended and the class cleaned up the room and waited calmly, at their desks, for their parents to come and pick them up. Some sat playing quietly with toys they'd brought from home others used the classroom books borrowed from the school library. Jade asked Marcus if they could stay until Avery got picked up. Marcus acquiesced, and so they sat and waited with the other boy. The two talked quietly among themselves. Until Avery looked up at Marcus. "Do you think that if my dad says it's okay Jade could come to my house after school today for a while to play?" Asked Avery, putting all the cuteness he could in his big blue eyes.
"Well, I don't know. Jade hasn't exactly been feeling well."
"Please. We don't know if my dad will let him, but I really want him to come and play."
"We'll see. It depends on your father's answer, and if Jade wants to."
"Okay." Avery went back to his conversation with Jade. To Marcus, Jade didn't look like he would object to it. Since waking up he'd been much more like his regular self even asking a few questions when he was curious about something they were learning. He decided that if Matthew said it was okay then he'd allow it as long as Jade promised to eat all his lunch there.
They waited for about ten more minutes before Avery was picked up. They were surprised though because it was his mother and not his dad who picked him up.
"Mom? Where is Dad? I thought he was getting me today."
Elizabeth Lochley, former captain of Babylon 5, lifted her son off the floor, "Well, dad had something come up and he called me and told me that he wouldn't be able to pick you up today. So, I took the afternoon off to come pick you up and spend time at home with you."
"Oh. Do you think it would be okay if Jade came over to play for a while?"
"I don't know. Do you have any homework?"
"Mom, I'm in kindergarten. I don't get homework."
"Oh, that's right. I thought you were in high school." Avery laughed at her joke.
"You're silly Mom." Jade found himself smiling. He had not met Avery's mother before but he thought that he liked her already. He hadn't met her but he'd seen her picture when he'd looked through the family albums at home and at his grandparent's home.
Lochley looked around the room. "So which of these other munchkins is Jade?"
"I am, Ma'am." Jade let go of Marcus's hand and stepped closer. "Avery is my friend."
"Oh, really. I'm glad you guys are friends. I wouldn't want to have to break up any fights at the house, now would I." Jade smiled slightly and shook his head. "Well who do we contact to see if it's okay for you to come and play."
"That would be me Admiral." Marcus stepped forward. Lochley's eyes widened when she saw the Ranger cloak he wore.
"You're a ranger?"
"Yes, and Jade's Hold-father among other things. The name is Marcus Cole."
"Marcus Cole. I thought you were in Cryogenics." Marcus smiled at her lack of diplomacy due to shock. Apparently she had heard of him.
"I was until about five months ago. Jade revived me."
Lochley's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Jade who, exactly?"
"Sheridan, Ma'am." Jade looked up at her.
"You are the little boy that John and Ambassador Delenn adopted then." Jade nodded his head. "Well it's nice to meet you. I have known your dad for a long, long time."
"Really? Longer than David has even?"
"Oh, much longer. He and I went to the EarthForce academy together."
"So you've known him longer even than my mommy." Jade said in nervous awe.
"Yes. Longer even than Delenn." She smiled down at him.
"Wow, that's a long time."
"Yes it, definitely is, a very long time. So, do you want to come over or what?"
"Sure. Can I Marcus? Please. Avery wants me to."
"Well, I don't know. We'll have to call Susan and fill her in and then there's the little problem of your lunch. I have to make sure you eat, remember."
"PLEASE! I'll eat everything I promise."
"I suppose it would be okay then. I'll call Susan and tell her to pick you up on her way home. I will need the address though. She may have a telepathic bond, with Jade but that doesn't really help when she doesn't know how to get to him."
"Of course, why don't you walk with us out to my groundcar and help me load these two. I'll get it for you out there."
"Sure there are a few things that I need to warn you of anyway."
"Like what."
"Don't let him go to sleep while he's at your house, no matter how tired he is. You really don't want to deal with his panic attacks alone. He's been having terrible nightmares and I doubt you could handle him. Now don't look at me like that until I finish. He isn't used to strangers. He seems to like you, but if he has a panic attack I think he would reject your comfort. He was abused before the President and Entil'zha adopted him so there are very few people that he trusts. Plus the nightmares are premonitions. He's telepathic. I should warn you that he scares easily as well. I'd come, but I think it would be better if I let him try this on his own first."
"Avery, not too far ahead." She broke in as Avery and Jade got too far for her peace of mind. "Sorry, please continue."
"If you have trouble then call me or my wife, Susan Ivanova. I'll give you the numbers as soon as I get my hands on a pen. I don't foresee any problems though. I'll be nearby for a while. Avery seems to have a calming influence over Jade. He is less jumpy when they play together. I have noticed that the few times Avery and Matthew have stopped by."
"Really. The way he runs around at home I wouldn't think he could calm anyone. Thanks for the information. There's nothing like a good challenge." She said as they caught up to the boys, who stood waiting for them on the sidewalk by the parking lot. They each took a hand of one of the boys and Marcus followed her to the ground car. She opened the doors and Avery and Jade piled in. "Here is the address, and my number if you need to reach me for anything."
"Right." He borrowed her pen and wrote down both the home number and Susan's office. "If you do have a problem with him call Susan. She'll want to know what's going on. I won't give her your number, or she'll drive you crazy calling to make sure he's okay. I'll let her know where he is though and she'll most likely be the one to collect him later." Marcus leaned into the car and looked pointedly at Jade. "You behave yourself."
"Don't I always."
"Yes, you do. I still have to say it. I won't be far away, remember I'm still your bodyguard."
"Okay." Jade leaned forward and hugged him. "I'm really all right, now. Nothing bad is going to happen." He sounded sure of himself and Marcus believed him.
Marcus returned the hug and straightened. "Susan gets off around seventeen hundred. If that's too late then call me and I'll come get him. Also, make sure he eats his lunch. He has lost his appetite recently and I want him to make up for it before he gets ill."
"That's easy enough to remember. Any allergies to Earth food, I should know about?"
"No, he's not allergic to anything he's eaten so far. He lived on Earth for three years before he was taken. Just treat him like a normal kid for the most part. Susan tends to cater to him more than is necessary. I think she just enjoys it. Anyway, I'll check in every so often. Its my job, you know."
"Right, well, he'll see you after seventeen hundred, and Avery and I'll see you when we next see you. Try and relax, I'll take good care of John and Delenn's baby."
"Sure, an afternoon off sounds grand."
Lochley chuckled with him and then got in the car. "You two strap in back there." She said as she strapped herself in. Marcus watched as the car pulled away. He then turned and went to his own car and headed for home.
********************************B5***************************
Elizabeth opened her door and stepped out of the way as Avery pushed past. Jade hung back and allowed her to enter first. "You are a quiet guy. I don't think I heard you talk more than a couple times in the car. You don't have to be afraid, you know. I don't bite." Jade nodded his head smiling at her joke.
"I'm sorry, its just hard to get used to people. I'm still not entirely comfortable with Aunt Lizzie and her family. Dad says that its okay, though, that I'm a little scared. He says that with everything that happened it is expected."
"I see. You should listen to him. Your dad is a pretty smart guy."
"Did you really know my dad a long time ago?"
"Yes I did. We were very good friends. We still are."
"Cool. I like it that my dad is friends with my friend's mom and dad."
"You sound like John when you say that. Tell you what, why don't you two go play and I'll make us some lunch." She watched the two boys scamper off to her son's bedroom. She noticed, as she watched Jade, that he had the mannerisms she remembered seeing both John and Delenn use. 'I guess genetics really aren't everything. He's lived with them for less than half a year and he has already picked up on their body language. Oh, boy! I'll bet he's gotten John's stubborn streak too.' She thought as she moved into the kitchen.
********************************B5***************************
"WHAT!?" Her voice was filled with exasperation and something that Marcus wasn't going to say was worry. She would never admit it. "What in the world possessed you to allow him to go off to some stranger's home?"
"First of all it is not a stranger's home. Its Avery's home. I have met both of his parents and they are very responsible people. Admiral Lochley assured me that she can handle just about anything Jade can come up with. So calm down, Suz."
He watched her relax. He'd known the pet name would calm her. "You don't fight fair. Okay, you win. What time am I picking him up?"
"I told the Admiral that you get off at seventeen hundred, and she should expect you shortly after."
"Marcus, normally I do get off at seventeen hundred, but a little while ago I got a strange feeling and I canceled most of my afternoon appointments. I'll be out of here no later than fourteen hundred."
"Well we'll think of something to occupy our time. It is three whole hours."
"See you later then."
"Wouldn't miss it."
********************************B5***************************
The afternoon passed by all too soon, for all concerned. Susan came home a little after thirteen hundred and made up for all the nights she and Marcus had spent apart. Jade and Avery played in Avery's room and for the first time since they'd met, Jade didn't have any inhibitions because of others around them. He was the same little boy that John and Delenn knew from home. He even began to relax around Elizabeth, and when Susan arrived to pick him up he and Avery were listening to her tell of the time she spent on Babylon 5. When the door chimed, Jade announced that Susan had arrived before Lochley had even risen from her chair. She seemed a bit unsettled with the casual announcement, but said nothing and went to answer the door. Susan followed her back into the living room and Jade came to her.
"Hi, have you had fun this afternoon?"
"Yep I got to play with Avery's toys and we built a fort and I ate all my lunch and his mom was tellin' us about when she served under Dad on Babylon 5, and..."
"Sounds like you enjoyed yourself." She interrupted knowing that if she didn't she'd never get to talk. "Thanks for having him over. He needs to get out more."
"I'm glad to have him. He's a good boy. Avery why don't you go help Jade gather his things."
"Okay. Come on Jade." The two boys headed for Avery's room again.
"He is very quiet. I was worried for a little while."
"Jade is just shy around new people. With all that he has been through, its not surprising."
"What exactly has happened to him? I've seen a little about him on ISN, but it wasn't much."
"No John didn't want a lot of press on him. He was enough of a mess without a bunch of cameras and microphones in his face. He was a 'guest' of the remainder of Nightwatch. For three years the only strangers he encountered hurt him in someway or another. So we take everything slowly with him. You said he ate all his lunch?"
"Yeah, Mr. Cole asked me to make sure that he did."
"I'm glad. He hasn't been eating much since the dreams started."
"What dreams?"
"He has chronic nightmares of his experiences and other things."
"Is he telepathic?"
Susan's shocked expression answered for her. "Yes, how did you know?"
"He announced you were here before I had even gotten up to answer the door. I thought it might be coincident, but I remember Matthew saying PsiCorp had an interest in him."
"Yes, they do. That's one of the most important reasons that Marcus stays with him at school. Can I ask a candid question?"
"I don't see why not."
"With all respect, aren't the two of you a little old to have a six year old." Susan asked with as much courtesy as she could.
"Actually, yeah, but Mathew and I didn't get married until it was too late for me to have kids, and we both wanted them. So, we adopted Avery right after he was born. He wasn't more than a few hours old when we got him."
Susan nodded thinking, "How hard was it to adopt him? Marcus and I obviously won't be having children the old fashioned way. Adoption might be a solution to look into."
"The normal run-around. Adoption hasn't changed much for centuries."
"Thanks, I'll talk to Marcus about it. We may even, eventually, do something about it." The two boys came running back into the room, and Susan cut off the conversation. "Slow down Jade. We-"
"Walk in the house. Sorry, Susochke." He finished for her.
"No problem. Got all your stuff?"
"Yep. I'm ready when you are I guess? Hey, do you think that Avery could come over some time. I've seen his room. Now I want to show him mine."
"We'll see. We're not going to be here this weekend remember."
Jade's face lit up like a candle. "Oh yeah, we're gonna go see Grampa and Gramma."
"Right." She turned to Lochley again. "It was nice to meet you, and thank you for having him over."
"We enjoyed it. Hope he can come again soon." She walked them out with Avery trailing behind.
"See you at school tomorrow Jade."
" 'Kay. Bye. Thank you for letting me come and play."
Susan got him settled in the front seat, and climbed in herself. Then they headed home.