Always Comes Back to Haunt Us

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 21

Riley smiled as yet another attempt was made to discover more about the Phoenix group. Her block successfully stopped them. "Keep it up. That's all you're going to get."

"What are you smiling at Riley?" Jack Dalton asked as he finished cleaning his gun. He looked completely relaxed in jeans and a cotton shirt.

"How may attempts was that?" Mattie asked as she continued to monitor what Riley had been able to access on Babylon Five. Several screens had been set up each showing a section of the station. Various beings paraded by and Riley wasn't sure how she felt about the mix.

"Lost count. Most of the information on us was declassified and I just classified it all again." She put her laptop aside. "I'm betting they're getting very frustrated."

"Frustrated enough to quit?" Mattie wanted to know. She shrugged out of her suit jacket, placing it on a chair.

"I doubt it." Riley stretched and walked across the shared common room. They had a view of the city, but the shimmering shield blocked the stars. No doubt it would have been beautiful and lot clearer than Mac's patio, where they'd liked to hang out. "What are we going to do if they don't change their minds?"

Jack grinned. "Would be easy if we could just hold them hostage."

"Not the answer this time," Mattie informed the ex-soldier. "Diplomacy is our only recourse."

"Or maybe Mac could come up with something to surprise them." He checked his weapon and laid the reassembled piece on the table. "Where is he anyway?"

"Doing some recon." Mattie absently returned, her full attention on the screens.

"And Boozer," Riley added, "is helping out in the cafeteria." Boozer had made some excellent meals for their group and his skills would make dinners at least, more interesting.

"Maybe we'll get some real meals," Jack grumbled. "Tired of sandwiches and fruit." He glanced around. "Where's Marari?"

With a laugh Riley replied, "With the Quests, where else."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Hope you're well, Zack, his cousin's voice filled his quarters. He sat on his couch, which often doubled as his bed, to listen to Pru's message. Uncle Daniel is beside himself and grumbling how all this nonsense is hurting business. No one is coming to work and the boats just sit at the docks.

Mom isn't doing better. All this plague business has driven her away and you know how she handles problems in her life.

Meaning she spent her days drunk and probably passed out in her room. He shook his head. Things never changed.

Cousin Barnabas is still missing. Whispers in the village suggest he killed himself although how sunlight could do that I have no idea.

The villagers for some reason all seemed to think he was a vampire like his supposed distant ancestor. Zack thought the idea completely ridiculous. Sun allergies had been medically proven and the distant family line had always suffered from it.

This old place is really lonely without you here, Zack. Maybe when this plague is cured you'll think about coming home?

He could hear the hope in her tone. "Sorry, cousin, probably not going to happen."

I'd really like to see you. Don't let what happened with your father keep you from your home.

Zack had never felt like Collinwood had been home. A dungeon definitely, with every cell full of screaming ghosts and rattling chains.

He took a swig of what passed for coffee and made a face. What he wouldn't give for the real thing, but shipping it this far out would be more than what he'd got paid in a year.

Anyway, if the worst happens, please don't feel guilty. At least someone in the family survived and that's a good thing.

Love you and hope one day you come home.

Her message ended.

He rubbed his eyes. The only person he missed was his cousin Pru. She was still so young and didn't deserve the fate dropped by the Drakh.

Maybe, although he doubted it, maybe, when a cure was found, he would go home. Maybe.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"If mortals knew the truth," Julian said as he poured himself a glass of red wine. "I wonder what our fate would have been." He took a seat in the lounge, which he had designed for comfort, with blue and green chairs and low tables. After he took a sip he nodded. "One of the better years."

Lillie's soft laugh filled the room. She looked lovely as always in a red dress accenting her figure and her brown hair softening her pretty face. "Your wines improved after you gave Marari a shared interest in the vineyards." She filled a glass and held it up to the light to examine the color before taking a drink.

"She had a talent for suggesting ways to improve the process. If she were here today, she'd be a very wealthy woman." Her loss saddened him. Granted the pain dimmed with time, but it never truly left.

"We never did learn what happened to her after all the warrants were issued." She sat gracefully in the chair next to Julian. "How many did we help escape?"

"No idea." He sighed, placing his glass on the glass top. "We never got an accurate list of everyone put into stasis."

"An odd decision given the situation. I wonder how many survived?" She took another drink. "It is a good year."

"After Clark discovered the city, Barnabas had to make some very quick decisions. I suspect he saved their lives."

"I wouldn't want to wake up to find out I'd been hidden in hyperspace." She shivered. Julian knew she hated space travel, despite the amount of time she spent either in her ship or his.

"Best place to hide if you don't wish something found," Barnabas commented, taking a chair.

"Yet it was found." Julian sat back and stared at his long-time friend and business partner. "Do you think this mysterious colony the Rangers found could be the answer?"

"I don't know." Barnabas's face had a pale pallor. Julian suspected he hadn't been drinking enough blood. "There are just so many similarities…"

Lillie shook her head. "You're speaking in riddles."

"Because I don't know the answers." His fingers tightened on his wolf head cane. "I asked my father what it meant, but he didn't know."

Julian nodded. "Family secrets lost through time."

"Or the understanding of them." He lowered his voice. "I miss Marari."

"We all do," Lillie agreed. "She'd been a part of our lives for many years."

"I know." He seemed more depressed than usual.

"We do keep blood in the fridge," Julian reminded Barnabas.

"Not the same," he grumbled.

"Better than being hungry." Julian picked up his glass again. "You might want to feed."

"No doubt." Barnabas got to his feet and headed toward the galley.

Lillie looked at Julian. "He's unpredictable."

"Always has been." He glanced in the direction the senator had gone. "This journey is personal for him. I think he is seeking not just a place for Atlantis, but answers he's been searching for his entire life."

Lillie sipped her wine, a slight small on her sensual lips. He should know since he'd kissed them many times. "Let's hope he finds the answers."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Benton quietly opened the door to the boy's room and smiled at the image. Jonny sprawled on his bed, Bandit snoozing at the end. Hadji under the covers, his dark hair on the pillow, one of the few times he didn't wear his turban.

Light fingers touched his arm and he smiled at Marari, placing his arm around her. She rested her head on his chest, and stood there, watching the young teens sleep.

"Sweet picture," she whispered.

"One of my favorites." He closed the door and together they returned to the main living area. Race glanced up from where he sat on the couch reading.

"I take it the boys are asleep."

"Finally."

"Good." He rose and stretched, tucking his book under his arm. "I'm going to check on Jessie and then turn in."

"Good night, Race." Benton guided Marari to the couch and sat down. She pulled her legs up and snuggled up against him. He put his arms around her, placing a kiss on her forehead. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing and everything."

"I take it their leadership hasn't changed their minds."

"No, they haven't. We need an option they haven't thought of." More softly she added, "Or a miracle."

"I believe in those."

"I still find that surprising." Marari rearranged her position so she could look into his face. Tonight she wore jeans and a T-shirt with the Avengers on it. "A man of science who believes in God."

"The more you learn of Science, the more you see the order of the universe. Who other than God could have arranged that?"

"I think there are those in the city who would argue with you."

"No doubt." He leaned down to kiss her. "We need to get married so I don't have to send you home every night."

"Once our future home has been decided."

"I have an idea that is going to take longer than either of us want."

Her golden brown eyes widened in mock surprise. "Why Benton Quest."

He silenced her objections with a kiss. "You were saying," he teased.

Marari giggled. "I would say I hate it when you do that, but, you do it so well."

"I've had lots of practice." He tightened his arms around her. "The night of the conference when I asked you out to dinner." Time to tell her the truth and he knew it. "That was our first date."

"And here I thought it was just a thank you for finding the boys."

"No," he kissed her again. "You helped me understand how I needed to mourn my wife's death."**

"Both of us were healing." She sighed. "I just wish I could have buried my husband."

"And my wife." No doubt her grave still stood on the hill near the lighthouse at the Maine compound. "I wonder if we'll ever see Earth again?"

"Home is where the ones you love are gathered. Doesn't matter where."

Very true. At this moment, he felt comfortable with his family consisting of his two sons, his future wife, his long-time friend Race and his daughter Jessie. "You're very wise."

"Sometimes." Marari got to her feet. "I need to get back to my quarters. Prim is going to be upset her dinner is late."

"At least we know Bandit and Prim get along."

"Conditionally." She leaned down and kissed him. "Night, Benton."

"Good night." He walked her to the door and watched as she went into her room a few feet down the hall. She waved and blew him another kiss. He pretended to catch it and she grinned before the entryway slid shut.

I need to marry her soon.

** See Good Bye to Yesterday