DISCLAIMER: Babylon 5 is not mine. The song lyrics are not mine either, they're from "I Can't Ever Get Enough of You", by Darren Hayes.

Genesis, Part Two

When she left the medical facility that evening, Susan felt exhausted. She'd fielded his questions carefully, not sure what she should tell him, and when. Some things would have to wait, and others she was going to have to well and truly psyche herself up for.

Oh, she was glad to have him back--more than glad; she wanted to cry out with joy. But it just made everything so complicated. When he'd first said her name, part her had wanted to grab ahold of him and hang on for dear life. The other part had wanted to catch the next transport out to the rim worlds and disappear.

She had to stop in to visit John and Delenn before heading to her own quarters. She was later than she'd expected to be, but she knew they would understand. Hell, they were in a unique position, being two of the very few people who knew what she feared.

* * *

~~ Now I know that in the past I've been much too keen

But your eyes are the kindest that I've ever seen

I guess there are some things you just know

There's a voice inside telling me to hold on

And never let you go ~~

His recovery was not as quick as he wanted it to be, that was certain. The Minbari doctor who had effected his 'resurrection' was called Hedronn, which meant "purposeful expeditionary". She was purposeful, all right; after a few days of her strict regime he decided he really missed Stephen Franklin. She wouldn't even let him try to stand until the third day of his convalescence.

Susan visited him every day, and continued her tutorial on the changed state of the universe. The changed state of Susan Ivanova remained somewhat more of a mystery, however. She told him many things, but nothing of real consequence. She spoke at length about her former command and about her ranger training, told him of her past, but not of her present. She most definitely did not speak of feelings, hers or his; and although he desperately wanted to know where they stood, he was too afraid to push the matter. He could not reconcile the intimacy of her manner with the guardedness of her speech, but he was reassured, all the same. She would speak when she was ready.

Although she never stayed more than two hours, she always seemed reluctant to leave. He never asked her to stay longer either, although he wanted to. They seemed to be walking a tightrope between the need to stay distant and the need to be together.

At times he saw flashes of the Susan he remembered; for instance, when he pushed her irritation just a bit too far, and she'd responded with a threat to space him. Although she *was* smiling when she said it.

Other times, she surprised him completely. Like the way she constantly touched him; holding his hand, smoothing his hair. And when she left, it was always with a kiss. The first time he'd been drifting off to sleep, and he was sure she didn't think he'd noticed. The second time she'd kissed her hand and touched it to his cheek. On the third day, under Hedronn's watchful eye, she helped him to stand. He managed a few tentative steps before the stiffness got the better of him and his knees gave way, but she kept him from falling, her arms so tight about him that he felt giddy. When she left that day, he took her hand and pressed it to his lips.

He regretted his impulse when she looked flustered and hastened her exit with a flimsy excuse.

He hoped he was reading her right, and it wasn't merely a mistaken sense of indebtedness that kept her at his side. He could bear anything but that.

* * *