Upon hearing the doctor's name, Marcus went pale and his smile faded away; he could feel the blood draining from his face as he stammered to say something in response. But was just left standing there with his mouth open with no words coming out.
Delenn, realizing that Marcus was having a reaction to the name said, "Welcome to Babylon 5 ... Susan. I'm sure you'd like to get settled in your quarters. We'll walk with you. Your bags will be along shortly."
"If there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to let us know," John said.
"Thank you Mr. President, but I'm sure everything will be fine. I'm looking forward to working here and with the Alliance. I'm just glad that I could be of help."
Just as they had left the docking area, Zack interrupted them. "Excuse me, Mr. President."
Everyone stopped. "Yes Zack, what is it?"
"There's a problem with Dr. Barry's quarters."
"What kind of problem?"
"Well," Zack began hesitantly. "they lost her reservation and have no other quarters available until next week."
"No quarters left anywhere?"
"Only in brown sector, sir. I was sure that you didn't want to put the Doctor there."
"You thought correctly. Make sure that she has the FIRST one that opens up. Am I understood Mr. Allen?"
"Loud and clear Mr. President," Zack said, as he turned and hurried away.
Sheridan drew in a deep breath, "Well, looks like there's been a little mishap with your quarters. We'll have to find you an alternate place to stay."
"Please, don't go to any trouble. I'm sure the ones in brown sector can't be that bad," Susan said.
Sheridan smiled. "Trust me, they are that bad."
Delenn spoke up. "Marcus, would it be alright if the Doctor stayed with you until other arrangements could be made?"
"I think that's a wonderful idea Delenn," John started. "Marcus is her bodyguard anyway. "
When Marcus showed no response Delenn asked, "Marcus? It's okay isn't it?"
Marcus broke out of the trance he was in. Could she stay? Should she stay? Marcus wasn't sure this was a good idea, but she was too nice a person for him to let her stay in brown sector. But more importantly, she was far to valuable to the Alliance.
So he replied, "Of course. You are more than welcome to stay with me Doctor."
Susan smiled. "Thank you Marcus. I appreciate it."
=
John and Delenn had left them to walk the last few corridors by themselves. When they arrived at Marcus' quarters, he punched in his password and invited Susan in.
"Please, make yourself at home."
Susan walked over to the couch and sat down. Relaxing into the soft cushions, she sighed. "Ohhh... this is heavenly compared to those transport seats. I never could sleep in them."
Marcus had walked over to the kitchen area. "Same here. Too cramped."
"So what's on my agenda for today?" Susan asked.
Marcus shrugged. "Anything you want. Have you eaten yet?"
Susan let out a small laugh. "Eat transport food? You forget that I'm a doctor. I could break it all down and tell you EXACTLY what that food is made of."
Marcus smiled. "You sound just like Stephen."
"Dr. Stephen Franklin? I can't wait to meet him. I've been following his work closely and I'm very anxious to discuss some of my theories with him." Susan stifled a yawn.
"Tired, eh?"
"Just a little. Would you mind if I crashed for an hour or two? Then maybe you could take me on a tour of the station?"
"Go right ahead. The bedroom is right through there. Feel free to ..."
Susan interrupted him. "Oh no. I'm not going to kick you out of your own bedroom. I'm perfectly happy on the couch." She reached down and slid off her shoes, then laid down on the couch. From that vantagepoint, she could see a picture of a beautiful woman with long, brown hair that was framed and placed on the coffee table. She reached out and brought it closer.
"This is a beautiful picture. Is this your girlfriend or your wife?" Susan asked.
Marcus walked over and took the picture from her. "No, no," he said sadly. "She's a friend." He walked into the bedroom and placed the picture on the dresser. By the time he had walked back into the living room, Susan had fallen asleep. Marcus grabbed a blanket from the chair and placed it gently over her.
Walking back into the kitchen area, Marcus sat down at the table to finish a report that was due tomorrow. But his mind wasn't on work.
He was embarrassed that he had hesitated earlier at the docking bay. When Dr. Barry told him to use her first name, and her first name just happened to be Susan ... well, he didn't know what to say. He couldn't just stand there and say, *I can't call you that. You see that was HER name. And I can't ever say that name again without thinking of her.* For heaven's sake it was just a name ... wasn't it? Other people were entitled to have that name too. After all, it wasn't Dr. Barry's fault that she shared the same name with the person he loved. If she was to become part of the Alliance, he had better get used to hearing the name 'Susan' being spoken frequently again.
But he wasn't ready to say the name aloud. Not yet anyway. He wasn't quite sure how he would get around using her name, but he would find a way. Maybe he could just call her 'Doc'. Yea, that might work. At least it would buy him some time anyway.
End part 2
Delenn, realizing that Marcus was having a reaction to the name said, "Welcome to Babylon 5 ... Susan. I'm sure you'd like to get settled in your quarters. We'll walk with you. Your bags will be along shortly."
"If there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to let us know," John said.
"Thank you Mr. President, but I'm sure everything will be fine. I'm looking forward to working here and with the Alliance. I'm just glad that I could be of help."
Just as they had left the docking area, Zack interrupted them. "Excuse me, Mr. President."
Everyone stopped. "Yes Zack, what is it?"
"There's a problem with Dr. Barry's quarters."
"What kind of problem?"
"Well," Zack began hesitantly. "they lost her reservation and have no other quarters available until next week."
"No quarters left anywhere?"
"Only in brown sector, sir. I was sure that you didn't want to put the Doctor there."
"You thought correctly. Make sure that she has the FIRST one that opens up. Am I understood Mr. Allen?"
"Loud and clear Mr. President," Zack said, as he turned and hurried away.
Sheridan drew in a deep breath, "Well, looks like there's been a little mishap with your quarters. We'll have to find you an alternate place to stay."
"Please, don't go to any trouble. I'm sure the ones in brown sector can't be that bad," Susan said.
Sheridan smiled. "Trust me, they are that bad."
Delenn spoke up. "Marcus, would it be alright if the Doctor stayed with you until other arrangements could be made?"
"I think that's a wonderful idea Delenn," John started. "Marcus is her bodyguard anyway. "
When Marcus showed no response Delenn asked, "Marcus? It's okay isn't it?"
Marcus broke out of the trance he was in. Could she stay? Should she stay? Marcus wasn't sure this was a good idea, but she was too nice a person for him to let her stay in brown sector. But more importantly, she was far to valuable to the Alliance.
So he replied, "Of course. You are more than welcome to stay with me Doctor."
Susan smiled. "Thank you Marcus. I appreciate it."
=
John and Delenn had left them to walk the last few corridors by themselves. When they arrived at Marcus' quarters, he punched in his password and invited Susan in.
"Please, make yourself at home."
Susan walked over to the couch and sat down. Relaxing into the soft cushions, she sighed. "Ohhh... this is heavenly compared to those transport seats. I never could sleep in them."
Marcus had walked over to the kitchen area. "Same here. Too cramped."
"So what's on my agenda for today?" Susan asked.
Marcus shrugged. "Anything you want. Have you eaten yet?"
Susan let out a small laugh. "Eat transport food? You forget that I'm a doctor. I could break it all down and tell you EXACTLY what that food is made of."
Marcus smiled. "You sound just like Stephen."
"Dr. Stephen Franklin? I can't wait to meet him. I've been following his work closely and I'm very anxious to discuss some of my theories with him." Susan stifled a yawn.
"Tired, eh?"
"Just a little. Would you mind if I crashed for an hour or two? Then maybe you could take me on a tour of the station?"
"Go right ahead. The bedroom is right through there. Feel free to ..."
Susan interrupted him. "Oh no. I'm not going to kick you out of your own bedroom. I'm perfectly happy on the couch." She reached down and slid off her shoes, then laid down on the couch. From that vantagepoint, she could see a picture of a beautiful woman with long, brown hair that was framed and placed on the coffee table. She reached out and brought it closer.
"This is a beautiful picture. Is this your girlfriend or your wife?" Susan asked.
Marcus walked over and took the picture from her. "No, no," he said sadly. "She's a friend." He walked into the bedroom and placed the picture on the dresser. By the time he had walked back into the living room, Susan had fallen asleep. Marcus grabbed a blanket from the chair and placed it gently over her.
Walking back into the kitchen area, Marcus sat down at the table to finish a report that was due tomorrow. But his mind wasn't on work.
He was embarrassed that he had hesitated earlier at the docking bay. When Dr. Barry told him to use her first name, and her first name just happened to be Susan ... well, he didn't know what to say. He couldn't just stand there and say, *I can't call you that. You see that was HER name. And I can't ever say that name again without thinking of her.* For heaven's sake it was just a name ... wasn't it? Other people were entitled to have that name too. After all, it wasn't Dr. Barry's fault that she shared the same name with the person he loved. If she was to become part of the Alliance, he had better get used to hearing the name 'Susan' being spoken frequently again.
But he wasn't ready to say the name aloud. Not yet anyway. He wasn't quite sure how he would get around using her name, but he would find a way. Maybe he could just call her 'Doc'. Yea, that might work. At least it would buy him some time anyway.
End part 2