Disclaimer: B-5 is JMS's, I don't own. I'm making no money. Claire and Mari are mine. They're the kids.

AN: Part two out so soon? What I am doing? Less than a day after part one, sorry guys, I can't make this a habit, (well, I really can't, cuz I didn't go to school today and that was the only way I could write it! But I'm trying to write faster than I wrote Power of Mind, and considering I'm already ¼ of the length of the entirety of Power of The Mind, I'm doing a good job so far. Did a little revision to pt 1. Spelled things correctly and took out the "Countdown" thing. ) Well, hope you enjoy!!

            Susan sent a stream of comforting thoughts, trying to calm down the child. She was safe, warm, and happy.

            The four year olds tears slowly stopped falling, and she quieted, but she didn't move from the corner she had put herself in.

            "Susan," Sheridan looked at her, "We're not getting anything done." He paused and looked at Garibaldi, "The Question is, what are we going to do with her?"

            "Yeah, John, what do you do when an kid ends up on a Space station?"

            "Send 'em back." Mr. Garibaldi pointed out.

            "She was sent for protection."

            "Protection from what?"

            "The Corps. The Kid's a telepath."

            "You sure?"

            "She's blocking me."   

"Claire? Are they after you?"

            "Not suppose to say. Mommy said so." Susan felt a strong loud wave of thoughts come from the girl and attack Susan's mind.  Apparently her blocks were not that good. Fear, coldness, a rudimentary knowledge of something bigger than she was.Tell no one... She couldn't tell if it was the girl's random thoughts or a memory of her own as each started to swirl in her brain along with the noise of the others.

            Michael and John nodded to each other. "The girl can stay for now, we'll try to figure out who she is. The question is where is she going to stay?"

            "Can't take her." Sheridan and Michael said, nearly at the same time.

            "Do I have a choice about this?" She built her blocks up higher, and things got slightly quieter, but then again, the girl's thoughts were calming down again.

            "You've already got space for two. With Mari…you have the most experience with this."

            "I…Mari is different…."

*-*-*-*-*-* Flashback-*-**-*-*

            Susan was holding Mari, rocking the small child, bonded to her through silence, though the necessity to just needing someone.

            It had been dark and cold so long, no friend, no trust, no hope. And Susan had taken her hope and placed it in this child, she had a reason to survive and a reason to fight.

            Everyone else was gone.

            Flashes, she wasn't sure if it was memory or telepathically placed images brought on by her own fears of Babylon 5, gone, Marcus, dead.

            And now the child was everything. She had to protect her, had to keep her safe, because no one, dissevered this, especially not her.

            So she held the child, and somehow instinctively had formed a bond with her, sharing quiet thoughts back and forth, a comfort, of hope, of security, and love.

            She'd protect this child with her life, and she knew it.

-*--*-*-*-*-*

" Take Claire. I'll meet you in your quarter's tomorrow morning." Susan nodded and told Claire to follow her. Claire looked at Susan, her wide blue eyes still watering.

"I don't want to go."

She pulled her chin up high, and tried to look as unafraid as she could.

Susan glared at John. This wasn't going to be easy at all.

She bent back down to Claire's level.

"You need to come with me."

"I don't wanna."

"Its only for tonight, okay? Besides, I've got someone that you can play with at my place."

She was a little intrigued. "You do?"

"Yeah, a girl named Mari. She's…a bit older than you though, a big kid. But I'm sure she would be delighted to have you. You can share her room."

Well, she wasn't sure about the delighted part, or wanting to share the room part, but it sounded good. She didn't want to deal with this kid.

"Really?"

"Yeah, want to go meet her?"

"I…I guess…"

Claire stood up and started, and carried/dragged it over to where Susan was standing.

"Want me to show you a trick?"

Claire just looked at Susan.

"I'll take that as a yes." She concentrated, and took her bag and moved it above the ground with her telekinetics.

"Put it down! That's mine!" She was amazed and afraid at the same time, and so she chose to be difficult.

"Nope, not until you come with me." She hoped that bribery worked wonders in children.

            "Where are we going?" Claire asked.

            "To my place, where I live here."

            "You live here?"

            "Yes I do."

            "Did you always live here?"

            "No, I've lived a couple places."

            "This is my first time away from home."

            "I remember the first time I left Earth, Claire."

            "When was that?"

            "A while ago."

            "Okay." It fell into a silence, the girl trying to get her bag down from where Susan was holding it above the ground. She ended up half pulling Claire along to.

            Delenn and Mari turned from an adjacent corridor.

            "Delenn, Mari !" Susan called out.

            They turned, and Mari immediately rushed into a telepathic discussion with her over her day.

            Whoa, whoa whoa, Mari, calm down, in a minute alright?

            Okay, okay…Who's the girl?

            Mari look at Claire, who was now sitting on her floating suitcase arms crossed, and looking fairly determined not to go anywhere else.

            Why are you carrying her suitcase?

            Long story

            Delenn and Susan bowed to each other.

            "I see you've gained another companion."

            "No. Delenn, this is Claire, She's a telepath. We're not exactly sure how she got here, but she's basically a stowaway with money."

            "I see."

            "Delenn looked at the small child and smiled. "Hello Claire."

            Claire could sense the friendliness between the three people, and Delenn seemed nice enough. "Hi." But, she wasn't going to say more than she had to. She was interested in Mari, that had to be the girl she was talking about earlier. Besides, Delenn looked kind of strange.

            She briefly wondered what type of toys she had, and what her room looked like, and if she'd play. This might not be to bad, but she didn't like it here anyway. She wanted to go back home.

            "Well, I must go, Susan, I will see you tomorrow."

            "Of course." She bowed, and Delenn left. Could you try and talk to the Kid, Mari? She doesn't take a liking to me… Susan sent privately.

            She seems to like riding to our home on her suitcase.

            She wants it back, and I told her I wouldn't put it down unless she came with me.

            Mari sent feigned shock. No wonder she thinks you're a mean old lady.

            Mari!!

            Helping with little kid, just like you asked.She sent in a robotic tone, with hints of laughter in it.

            They turned the last corner, and Ivanova spotted two cloaked men entering her quarters.

            She placed the suitcase down, Mari, get Claire, and go straight to Delenn's quarters and don't leave until I personally come and get you two. She back up a couple steps to the nearest Bab-com platform, and rang security. Mari and Claire hadn't moved.

            "Ivanova to Garibaldi."

            "Here." He grumbled something she didn't hear.

            "Two men were just seen entering my quarters. I want them out and arrested. Now."

            "Okay. Security team is being dispatched now. I'm on my way. Why can't the day just end quietly? I thought I was getting away with a peaceful day. Garibaldi Out."

            "Claire, I want you to go with Mari and stay with her. Okay?"

            "Why?" She looked up at the looming Ivanova and was slightly afraid of her, but she felt like being difficult; why did she have to do what she said.

            "Because I said so." Ivanova flashed a do-it-or-die smile.

            "No, don't wanna." She stood as tall as she could at her barely three foot height.
            Susan didn't particularly want to be seen arguing with a four-year-old when the security team got there. "Just do it. Go with Mari. Mari, you better get going."

            "I sense danger."

            "I know. Just go over there for your safety."

            "Why aren't you going?"

            "I have to meet the Security team right here."

            "Why?"

            Susan restrained herself barely from strangling Claire. "Just go."

            Mari knew Susan was getting frustrated, and just took the girl by her hand and dragged her off in the other direction.

            Claire gave Susan a slight pout and dragged the heavy bag beyond the corner. She peaked around, and shot telepathically at Susan, But I don't want to.

            Susan whirled around so fast the Claire hadn't had enough time to blink. Claire's head disappeared around the corner with an "Eeep!", as she felt the seething anger broadcasted off of Ivanova. She'd made her really mad now.

            At that time four guys in gray uniforms passed Claire, and they looked at Ranger Susan.

            "What is the problem?"

            "Two men were seen entering my room as I rounded the corner. I want them out and arrested, now. I'd take care of them myself, expect I'm suppose to be keeping a low profile."

            The men looked at each other and nodded, each pulling out a PPG and charging them. They stood on both sides of her door and opened it with a Security card. The door opened, and no motion was made by anyone inside or out.

            Mari and Claire had just stayed behind the corner, and hadn't gone to Delenn's like they'd been told to. Mari felt the apprehension and peaked back around the corner and started to edge her way towards Susan. Claire did the same.

            The Security guards nodded and one signaled that the others back him up and headed one step in.

            PPG fire was heard but missed the Target. "Get them out, and if anything is damaged there WILL be hell to pay." She knew she had to authority to order them around, and they knew it to. But all the men had been under her command at one point, and accepted it without any complaint.

            "Yes sir."

            "Come on out now, hands up in the air!"

            No sound came from within the door.

            Mari and Claire reached Susan and wanted to question her, but knew they shouldn't speak.

            Susan felt both of their presences and sighed mentally. She'd have to talk with Mari later.

            The loud crash of something glass startled Claire and she jumped behind Susan, and peaked around her leg. Susan nearly jumped out of her skin as Claire latched on to her, but was more concerned with the item inside that had been broken.

            Without warning the two men charged out of the room, firing one shot apiece before the Security team reacted and stunned them. Susan blocked the PPG." Susan looked at the two unconscious men lying on the ground; each tall with black hair, from the back they looked like brothers. She gave them a glare, and looked up at Security, "Get them to a brig, and medical treatment immediately. I want to know WHY they did this, as soon as possible." Claire's frightened mind was reeking havoc on her own, by broadcasting a multitude of thoughts as she gripped the back of Susan's pants for her life. Susan sighed, and turned around, gently prying the girl from her leg. Mari was about to do the same, though hers was a more a deep fear, ingrained in her body from memory and time. She turned back around, looking at the two men.

            "Oh God…"

            "Get those men away from here ASAP!"

            Her arms were shaking as she turned back to Claire.

            Claire, pale and frightened, looked at Susan with wide teary eyes. Susan squatted down, and sent a message of comfort and safety, even though she didn't feel it, and couldn't feel it… not now. They couldn't be back for her, not yet… She had to protect Mari. The deep bond between them had opened up, and each was trying to comfort the other, looking for a source of comfort and protection. This was going to get bad, and they both knew it.

            She sat her down on the couch, and went to her personal Bab-com Station.

            "Ivanova to Garibaldi."

            "The people in my quarters were telepaths. Strong ones."

            "How…"

            "I recognize them."

            "Susan, I can't keep them locked up."

            "What?!"

            "There was a law passed, less than 24 hours ago, effective immediately, that if a Human telepath has citizenship to another planet; but isn't on that planet the Corps has a right to take them-they can legally take you. Also, your quarters don't exist on any of the computer records, so people couldn't find you and they did. I can't even get them on a trespassing charge. I'm looking for ways Susan, I am, but you need to keep you guard up, and I'd advise you not stay there tonight."

            "You got to get something on them…they shouldn't be aloud to walk." Her tone had gone dangerous.

            "Susan, what?"

            She shook her head. "You don't want to know."

            "I'm staying in Marcus's quarters tonight."

            Garibaldi raised his eyebrows. She shook her head. "He isn't on the station at the moment, don't you dare go thinking…" A small blush was creeping to her cheeks anyway… "Tell John where I am. Ivanova out."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

            Susan punched in the security lock code for Marcus' room, and the three of them went inside. There was a small bed, and a couch.  The entire room smelled like Marcus. She filled her lungs will the smell, taking in the comfort. He'd only been gone less than four hours and she missed him, and she needed him back.

            You miss Marcus. Mari stated to her.

            Yes.

            We'll be alright here, right?

            They won't get us. I won't let them. She sent that to both Mari and Claire.Why don't you head to bed you two? You'll have to share Marcus', sorry.

            They groaned, but got ready for bed.

"Do I get a bed-time story?" Claire looked at Susan with her cute blue eyes.

"Yeah, do we?" Mari asked, her expression matching the adorable please look that Claire had.

            Susan sighed, but nodded. "Once there was...."

--*--*--*--*--*--*

            Susan had an extra blanket that Marcus kept and had it wrapped around herself. She leaned on the armrest her legs folded up against her. The blanket smelled like Marcus, and she held it close. Somewhere in the last couple months, she'd started to believe that he could help protect her, and now he wasn't here. She needed him here, why couldn't he see that?

            But he did see it, and she knew it , from the conversation right before he had departed earlier that day.

            "Susan, you'll be alright?"

            "I can take care of myself."

            "I know you can, I just like doing it for you." He grinned.

            "I know. I… Be alright." It was a command from her.

            He pulled her close, and kissed her forehead. "Don't you worry. I'll be back in 5 days, and then…"He grinned evilly.

            She raised eyebrow. "Just… You can't leave me now."

            "I won't, I won't. I promise. Take care. They're waiting for me you know."

            "I know…" She sighed, and embraced him once more.

            I hold you close to my heart. She sent to him.

            "And I hold you just as close to mine."

            Then he had left, and she…she felt as if a part of her had gone missing. And now this…those men. She pulled her legs closer to her. It wouldn't happen again, she couldn't let it happen again. She couldn't even remember all of I exactly…and that scared her. She pushed the thoughts away, and tired to dose off into a light sleep.

"Susan." Claire sniffed again, and shook Susan's sleeping form. "Susan!" She shook it harder, with another sniff. Susan shot up in bed and shouted "What?"

            Startled, Claire shrieked and jumped back, "I....I'm sorry." She sniffed again, and started to cry softly.

"It's okay. What is wrong?" Susan couldn't block the sense of loneliness coming from her and wished she hadn't let Sheridan and Garibaldi talk her into this. She looked over and saw Mari still resting on the bed, now without a blanket because Claire had stolen it.

            "I miss Mommy." She pulled the e blanket closer to her as she cried harder.

            "Don't worry, we'll find your Mommy." Susan reassured.

            "You're lying. I can feel it."

            She cursed mentally, of course she could tell when someone was lying.

            "Claire, come here, sit down on the couch." Claire slowly sat down, pulling the blanket around her. "Claire, I promise I'll do everything I can to make sure your safe, and you get your mommy back."

            "You promise?" Claire rubbed her eyes and sniffed.

            "Yeah, I promise. Now go back to sleep okay?"

            "Can I stay with you?"

            Susan's eyes went wide, and she rubbed her temples. "No, Claire, go sleep on the bed. The couch is way to small…"

            "But..."She started to cry again, and Susan could feel her fear of being attacked.

            "Your safe, Claire." The worded reassurance didn't help Claire a bit, and more tears fell. Susan drew the child close, and let her cry.

            Finally, the exhausted little girl stopped crying and fell asleep in her arms. She picked up the girl, blanket and all, and laid her back down in the bed.

--*--*--*--*--*--*-

END OF 2.

Guys please review, I write faster with reviews. I really do. And it brightens up my day ^_^ I hope you enjoyed, and any problems, suggestions, screams or ramblings you have, please review with them, thanks!!