Part 40-conclusion
***THREE DAYS LATER***
The crew of the Andromeda was exhausted. They had spent the last three days sorting out what had happened to them and comparing stories. They had helped Solimus secure power over his people. It had not been difficult as most of the Palorians had only followed Tourk out of a desperate desire to be freed of the curse and had followed Neffa unwillingly out of fear. Dylan had contacted several of the member worlds of the new commonwealth and they had agreed to send delegates to help govern New Paloria until Solimus was strong enough to govern for himself. The crew had returned to the Andromeda only that morning and was now trying to put the entire last week out of their minds. However for two of the crew forgetting what had happened was not going to be possible.
"Dylan?" Trance called. She had been looking for him for quite some time now and had finally found him in hydroponics.
"Over here Trance." He said sullenly.
"I thought you might like to know that Beka is finally awake." She said softly.
"Thank Goodness." He said, relief evident in his voice. "Is she okay? Can I see her?"
"Physically, she is recovering very well. Another day or two and she should be able to leave medical. However, emotionally, she is still healing. You can see her but I am not promising she will talk to you. I haven't been able to get her to say anything since she finally woke up." Trance said turning to leave.
Turning back she said, "You haven't exactly been very talkative about what happened either. I know you are grieving too. Would you like to talk about it?"
Dylan stood perfectly still considering her offer. He knew he had kept his feelings bottled up for the last three days and he did want to talk about them. But the only person he felt would understand his pain had been unconscious until a bit ago.
Shaking his head he said, "Thanks, Trance. But this is something Beka and I need to deal with together."
She nodded once and again turned to leave. Dylan stopped her this time.
"Trance?"
"Yes?"
"I still want answers." He said, knowing she would understand what he was asking.
"No, you don't. Trust me Dylan, some things are better left unknown." With those words Trance left Hydroponics, leaving Dylan alone once more.
Dylan stood uncertainly outside the medical bay door. He was tired, both physically and emotionally. But for the first time in three days, he was also hopeful. Beka was awake now and they could finally talk about what had happened in the last week, what had been happening between them for quite some time. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he opened the door and walked in.
Beka was lying on a bed with her back to the door. She heard the door when it opened and knew it was Dylan. She had been both dreading and anticipating his first visit. Now that he was actually here though, she was terrified of what they would say to each other.
She was concentrating so hard on keeping her breathing slow and steady that she nearly screamed when he touched her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Beka. I didn't mean to scare you." Dylan said, coming around the table so that he could see her face. She was very pale and he could see the telltale signs of tears. But what scared him more than anything was the almost vacant look in her eyes.
"Beka." He said the one word in a whisper. He gently reached up a wiped the tears from her face. He knew that his own face mirrored hers at the moment.
The sound of his voice and the touch of his hand were more than she could withstand. With a broken sob, Beka sat up and held up her arms almost like a child begging to be hugged. Dylan wrapped his arms around her and scooped her up against his chest. He sat down on the bed with her in his lap. Even though he had wanted to talk to her for three days now, Dylan was more than content to just sit and hold her. After almost a half hour, Beka spoke.
"I never really thought I would want children, but nothing in my life has ever hurt as much as losing this one." She said softly.
"I know, I feel lost now." He answered.
"Promise me Dylan."
"Promise what?"
"Promise me that some day we will find our way again." She said looking up into his eyes with a love so pure it needed no words to express itself.
"I promise." He said knowing it was the most important promise he would ever make.
***THREE DAYS LATER***
The crew of the Andromeda was exhausted. They had spent the last three days sorting out what had happened to them and comparing stories. They had helped Solimus secure power over his people. It had not been difficult as most of the Palorians had only followed Tourk out of a desperate desire to be freed of the curse and had followed Neffa unwillingly out of fear. Dylan had contacted several of the member worlds of the new commonwealth and they had agreed to send delegates to help govern New Paloria until Solimus was strong enough to govern for himself. The crew had returned to the Andromeda only that morning and was now trying to put the entire last week out of their minds. However for two of the crew forgetting what had happened was not going to be possible.
"Dylan?" Trance called. She had been looking for him for quite some time now and had finally found him in hydroponics.
"Over here Trance." He said sullenly.
"I thought you might like to know that Beka is finally awake." She said softly.
"Thank Goodness." He said, relief evident in his voice. "Is she okay? Can I see her?"
"Physically, she is recovering very well. Another day or two and she should be able to leave medical. However, emotionally, she is still healing. You can see her but I am not promising she will talk to you. I haven't been able to get her to say anything since she finally woke up." Trance said turning to leave.
Turning back she said, "You haven't exactly been very talkative about what happened either. I know you are grieving too. Would you like to talk about it?"
Dylan stood perfectly still considering her offer. He knew he had kept his feelings bottled up for the last three days and he did want to talk about them. But the only person he felt would understand his pain had been unconscious until a bit ago.
Shaking his head he said, "Thanks, Trance. But this is something Beka and I need to deal with together."
She nodded once and again turned to leave. Dylan stopped her this time.
"Trance?"
"Yes?"
"I still want answers." He said, knowing she would understand what he was asking.
"No, you don't. Trust me Dylan, some things are better left unknown." With those words Trance left Hydroponics, leaving Dylan alone once more.
Dylan stood uncertainly outside the medical bay door. He was tired, both physically and emotionally. But for the first time in three days, he was also hopeful. Beka was awake now and they could finally talk about what had happened in the last week, what had been happening between them for quite some time. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he opened the door and walked in.
Beka was lying on a bed with her back to the door. She heard the door when it opened and knew it was Dylan. She had been both dreading and anticipating his first visit. Now that he was actually here though, she was terrified of what they would say to each other.
She was concentrating so hard on keeping her breathing slow and steady that she nearly screamed when he touched her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Beka. I didn't mean to scare you." Dylan said, coming around the table so that he could see her face. She was very pale and he could see the telltale signs of tears. But what scared him more than anything was the almost vacant look in her eyes.
"Beka." He said the one word in a whisper. He gently reached up a wiped the tears from her face. He knew that his own face mirrored hers at the moment.
The sound of his voice and the touch of his hand were more than she could withstand. With a broken sob, Beka sat up and held up her arms almost like a child begging to be hugged. Dylan wrapped his arms around her and scooped her up against his chest. He sat down on the bed with her in his lap. Even though he had wanted to talk to her for three days now, Dylan was more than content to just sit and hold her. After almost a half hour, Beka spoke.
"I never really thought I would want children, but nothing in my life has ever hurt as much as losing this one." She said softly.
"I know, I feel lost now." He answered.
"Promise me Dylan."
"Promise what?"
"Promise me that some day we will find our way again." She said looking up into his eyes with a love so pure it needed no words to express itself.
"I promise." He said knowing it was the most important promise he would ever make.