Title: Triad: Resolutions
Author: Margaret Brown, aka Andromeda Valentine
Fandom: Andromeda
Pairing: Beka/Dylan, Rommie/Dylan, eventually Beka/Rommie/Dylan
Rating: PG/PG-13
Status: New (04/15/02); Complete
Archive: Yes to list archives, anyone else please ask first.
Feedback: Yes, please!!
E-mail address for feedback: andromeda_valentine@hotmail.com
Series/Sequel: Triad; Part Three of three
Other Websites: Crimson Redd - http://www.angelfire.com/goth/crimsonredd
Disclaimers: Roddenberry's, not mine. I just borrowed 'em for a bit is all.
Summary: Beka puts her plan into action - can Dylan see the perfect possible future it holds? (Dylan's POV)
Notes: Sequel to 'Triad: Obsessions' and 'Triad: Revelations' - you'll need to have read those to understand this completely.
No offense to the fans of this series, but I must say that I am glad this ride is finally over - it's been fun at times, but I have also fretted, cried, whined, and lost sleep over this series since July of last year, and I'm glad to see it all finally set down on paper, as it were... I'm entertaining the idea of setting some later stories in this particular 'verse, so I had to make sure I had it all laid out perfectly - hope you all enjoyed the results.
And special thanks to Meana, Julia, Serra, Eiluned, and Paloma for holding my hand during the long periods I spent blocked on this series, and for pushing me to continue anyway when I was ready to say "Screw it - I'm sick of this." lol And thanks to Kevin as well for encouraging me early on to continue this series...
Warnings: Nothing new, really - still contains slash like the last part...
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"Between birth and death lies desire,
Desire for life, for love, for everything good.
And this is the source of all suffering."
Outcast Consensus 17, Why Existence?
**********
"Beka?" I call, looking around the dimmed quarters. "I'm home."
There's no immediate answer, and I start back to the bedroom so I can shower and change. My foot catches slightly on something, and I shake my head, chuckling, as I pick up Beka's shirt.
Her clothes are scattered all over the place from here to the bedroom, but I'm not surprised - she keeps the Maru spotless, but her own quarters are never that lucky. I'm actually surprised at times that we can even share the same space. We're so-
My thoughts are broken by two things: the fact that I'm now hearing voices (plural) from the bedroom, and the realization that the article of clothing in my hand is distinctly *not* Beka's.
Another quick look around gives me an entirely different interpretation to this scene as my good mood vanishes. I've already placed both the second voice and the clothes, and I know who Beka's with - not that I can believe it at first.
Rommie...
What the hell is Beka doing-?!
"Beka, what the hell is-" I go storming into the bedroom, shouting, and stop short at the scene in front of me.
The room is lit by a dozen candles placed all around, and they're both sitting there on the still-made bed in satin nightgowns. Beka is her usual sexy self in vivid blue, but Rommie...
I swallow hard as I fight not to stare. Rommie's all but glowing in the candlelight as it plays off her skin and hair, a scene I think I've played out a hundred times in my dreams. Beka watches me expectantly from behind Rommie, and my mouth suddenly goes dry as her hand slides idly up Rommie's arm to push the strap of her wine-red nightgown back into place.
There's enough free-floating sexual electricity in the room to power the ship for a month, but the flow is just... wrong. This whole setup is wrong...
I stammer something out before making a hasty exit on shaky legs, and sink down into one of the chairs in the living room. I'm on the verge of laughter or tears, but I have no idea which one.
"I'm guessing it would be too much to ask for you to let go a little, even just for one night." I look over as Beka walks out of the bedroom, smiling slightly.
"That wasn't funny, Beka."
She smiles. "Actually, the look on your face *was* pretty funny. Definitely worth waiting for."
I just let my head fall against the back of the chair. "Beka, I know what you're trying to do, but it's not going to work."
"Seemed like it was working well enough to me." she says with a slight chuckle. I hear the clinking of glass and the soft pad of her feet on the carpet, and open my eyes to see her holding out a drink. "Here - unwind a little and let's talk about this."
I take the drink and sip at it, the burn of the alcohol in my throat restoring at a least a vague sense of reality. "There's nothing to talk about, Beka. I'm not going to do this."
If I say that loudly and often enough, it might actually be true...
Beka arches an eyebrow at me, suddenly gone serious. "Really? Because you were about two seconds away from breaking back there and you know it."
"Goddamnit, Beka, I'm trying to do the right thing here - or can't you see that?!" My voice raises slightly in irritation.
"Are you really that much of an idiot, or is this just an off day?" Beka's reply is just as sharp, and nearly leaves my jaw hanging. "Things don't get much more than perfect than this, Dylan. If you would open your eyes for five seconds, you'd see that."
"She's my fucking *ship,* Beka! I can't just forget that!"
"Why? Because then you might have to admit that she's actually a woman underneath it all, and that you're hurting her?" Beka's words hit closer to home than I care to admit.
"I know that, Beka, but she deserves better than to be used the way Warrick used -"
"If you even *think* the name Jill Pearce right now, I will slap you myself so Rommie won't have to!" Beka snaps at me. "She deserves better than that from you, Dylan - *much* better."
She's right - I *never* want to see the moment when Rommie's name is connected in any way to the hollow shell Jill Pearce became - but what am I supposed to say instead? That I'm afraid that's exactly what will happen if I let myself cross that line? That I couldn't take knowing that I'm really no better than Warrick?
God help me, I wanted Jill myself - even seeing like I did that there was something wrong with her. I wanted what she turned herself into for Warrick's benefit - what does that say about me, and what does it say about what I feel for Rommie?
I won't let Rommie end up like Jill, not for me, not for anyone...
The touch of Beka's hand on my knee pulls me from my thoughts. She's crouched down in front of me now, looking up at me with blue eyes filled with compassion and determination. "This really isn't a hard call, Dylan. You *love* her - don't let fear make you ruin that."
I just sigh. "What do you want from me, Beka? I've done everything you've asked of me, but I *won't* do this."
She quirks an eyebrow at me, and her slight smile throws me a moment. "This isn't about me, Dylan. It's about you and Rommie, and the fact that the two of you *belong* together."
I can feel myself weakening, so I offer the only resistance I've got at the moment. "What about us? I don't want to lose you, not after everything I've put you through..." It may be a dodge, but it's still the truth.
"Actually, Beka and I thought we could just share you."
We both look over at the sound of Rommie's voice, Beka flashing her a slight smile. Rommie smiles back, and the missing piece of the puzzle suddenly falls into place - though I suppose in hindsight that I should have seen that coming...
Rommie looks between the two of us for a long moment, chewing slightly on her bottom lip like she does when she's nervous. "Beka? Could you give us a moment?"
Beka just nods, rising to her feet and flashing me a quick smile. "No problem. I'll go see what I can toss together for dinner - negotiations always work better on a full stomach, right?" She flashes Rommie the same smile she gave me, whispering something to her I can't hear as she walks past her towards the kitchen.
Rommie watches her go, then turns to look at me, apparently gathering her thoughts. Something in her scrutiny makes me very uncomfortable - this is hardly the moment when I want to feel like someone can see right through me - and I shift a little in my seat.
Finally, she speaks, and it takes a minute for me to actually comprehend what she says. "This is it, Dylan - I'm tired of waiting for you to make up your mind. You either want to be with me, or you don't - it really *is* that simple - and you're going to have to decide tonight."
"Rommie, that's not fair-"
"Fair? I'm the *last* person you want to try that argument with - my entire *life* is unfair, Dylan, and we both know it."
I can't argue with that - hell, I can barely look her in the eyes after she says it, knowing that I'm at least partly to blame for it being true. "Rommie..."
She just shakes her head. "Don't, Dylan, just...don't. Don't apologize, don't joke, don't try to explain your way out of this - you've been doing that to me for years now, and I'm sick of it. All I'm asking for is an honest answer to a simple question: do you want me?"
"Yes, I do." The words slip out of my mouth before I even know what I'm saying, and I can hear my pulse pounding in my ears in the stunned silence that follows. Rommie just stares at me, a flood of emotions warring in her expression and her eyes.
I think I just startled the hell out of both of us - I damn sure never meant to say that, especially out loud.
The tension stretches between us for several long moments before finally just snapping and dissipating as I hold a hand out to her. She takes it, hesitantly, and is a little startled when I pull her into my lap and wrap my arms around her.
Strangely, the moment that follows isn't as awkward as I thought it would be, and we both eventually relax into a comfortable silence. If belonging with someone means feeling content and...complete during those silent, calm moments when that person is in your arms, then Beka could be right - maybe Rommie and I *should* be together.
I can't deny the sense in what Beka says - given the way things have fallen out here, it's entirely possible that the three of us would be happier together than apart. I could stand my ground anyway, I suppose, but I suddenly can't seem to see the point - why cause division where there is none? All it would do is make all three of us unhappy when we didn't need to be.
Why not see how Beka's idea works out?
I feel a slight smile creep across my face. "Hey, Rommie - why don't we go see how Beka's doing before she burns down the kitchen?"
Rommie smiles herself at the answer implicit in my words, looking up at me curiously. "Are you... sure about this? You don't have to..."
I just chuckle as I help her to her feet. "Actually, I'm kind of liking the idea. No harm in seeing what happens, right...?"