Title: No Angel VI - 'My Life' (Epilogue)
Author: Margaret Brown, aka Andromeda Valentine
Fandom: Andromeda
Pairing: Beka/Rommie
Rating: PG-13 as posted here. (NC-17 in its entirety on my site and elsewhere...)
Status: New (04/12/03); 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: No Angel
Other Websites: Crimson Redd -
Disclaimers: Not mine, never will be - Beka and Rommie belong to Tribune, and the lyrics belong to Dido Armstrong...
Summary: Rommie has a breakdown and Beka helps her put the pieces back together. This part: Dylan and Beka talk things over...
Notes: This is largely because I felt that Beka needed closure with her own anger at Dylan, and because I didn't want to leave Dylan stuck out there as simply the villain of the piece. He's flawed, and very human, but not a bad guy if he can help it. I have my own ideas about what happened with Dylan and Rommie, and how they might salvage their friendship, but there wasn't any immediate way I could see to work all of it in without losing my focus on Beka, and so I'll leave you to come up with yours. *grin*
Warnings: Femmeslash (duh) and a not-so-nice take on Dylan...
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Chapter Six - 'My Life'
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"She told me."
I look up, startled, into Dylan's face and stop my repairs to talk to him. "Oh?"
Please don't let this get as ugly as I think it will...
"I expected better of you, Beka, I really did. You were supposed to help her, not take advantage of her."
What I choose to do
is of no concern to you
and your friends...
"Yeah, well, at least I was there for her when she needed me afterwards."
He flinches at that, but I can't quite feel sorry for him. He may have patched things up with Rommie somehow, but he's still a far cry from having made things right with me.
"For the record, Dylan? All I did was put back together what you broke and tossed away, and if you cared about her as much as you claim to, you'd be thanking The Divine that I was there to help her. I know *I* am."
Where I lay my hat
may not be my home,
but I will last on my own...
'Cause it's me, and my life...
It's my life...
Understanding begins to dawn bit by bit as we stand there staring at each other.
"I'm not using her - I wouldn't do that, not to her - and I'm well aware that I'm nowhere near perfect relationship material. But that doesn't give you the right to interfere - you don't own her, and you're going to destroy the both of you if you don't learn to accept that."
Oh, the world has sat
in the palm of my hand,
not that you'd see...
"You love her..."
His statement hangs in the air, and I'm finally able to see him for what he is - a man who's suddenly lost the thing he valued most, simply because he couldn't admit how much it meant to him. The tragedy is that it isn't even completely his fault.
And I'm tired and bored
of waiting for you,
and all those things
you never do...
'Cause it's me, and my life...
It's my life...
I find myself suddenly tired of this conversation, but strangely determined to resolve it all.
"Yes, I *do* love her - more than I love myself or anyone else, actually, and you should know what that means coming from me. The only difference is, I didn't waste my chance with her, and you did."
It's my life...
That hurts - I know it does - but he lets it pass over him until he finally works it all out. His next words, though, catch me completely off guard.
"Just promise me you'll take good care of her. She deserves that."
Knowing what that cost him evens things between us, and I give him as much of a smile as I can muster through the tension. "Oh, I will - because I'm damn sure you'll kick me in the head if I'm screwing things up..."
It's my life...