Apologies for the delay- busy life etc the usual...

Susan was late. She was running through here current life like a crazed animal, each moment coming quicker than expected, the present moment being no exception to this. Her meetings this morning had kept her well overdue. Why was she even bothering with them? She should be leaving it all to the new captain who'd arrive sometime that evening. But she'd been insistent, she'd met with the people concerned- and because of them she was late to Sheridans' inauguration. She hoped she wouldn't be noticed walking in late and that she hadn't missed the big moment.

Ivanova rounded the next corner and entered the retunda to find only a few people stood there. John, Delenn, G'kar and all other officials were gone. Zac was heading towards where she was entering, speaking rapidly into his link. She stopped him and made her enquiry.

"Zac what's going on?"

"The assassin got in," he began, "the kid came in and warned us then the perp made a break for it. We're still looking for him." Zac finished evidently on an urgent mission. She watched him jog away, activating his link and starting another conversation with his underlings.

Looking back to the room Susan saw that one of the few remaining figures was Stephen, who was helping a body to be placed on a gurney. As she moved closer, she recognised the face of the young telepath she had met yesterday. Franklin raised his head and looked at her, then shook his head.

"Oh God," She sighed regretfully, "He's just a kid."

"He saved Sheridans life," Stephen remarked looking at the young face. "He stayed alive just long enough to warn us."

They looked at each other in a silence of half respect half disgust, both feeling for the loss of the young telepath.

"What kind of bastard murders a child?" Susan asked.

"The same who'd murder John." He retorted, blunt and plain, hiding emotional resonance under a layer of professionalism.

Susan and Stephen looked at each other again, sharing the same thoughts. Both keeping their emotions removed from the situation.

"Captain!" A voice called to her from the entrance of the room. There stood Byron, whose way was blocked by one of the few remaining security personnel still present. From the expression on Byrons face he knew already, but had come to do what he could none the less. The guard looked to Ivanova for a decision as to whether he should let the stranger in.

"It's alright, let him through," She informed the guard who let Byron pass.

Walking briskly over to Ivanova and Franklin, Byron soon found himself confronted with the sight of his young companion. The shock of seeing the body was immediately apparent in his face.

"Oh Simon." He shook his head sadly, then looked away for a moment. Susan wasn't sure, but he seemed to cry for a moment, before wiping his tears away and asking what happened.

"He saved Sheridans life," Franklin informed him. "You can be proud of what he did."

For a moment, Byron said nothing. He seemed to feel the grief of his other companions, as if he were in constant connection with them. Susan concluded that he had most likely been in contact with Simon right up until the moment of death. What could anyone say to alleviate that kind of pain?

"Pride, Doctor," Byron began, still distressed at Simons fate. "...shall not return him to us." Byron then looked up, directly at Stephen. "But thank you." Byron was sincere, if not at all comforted by Stephens words.

"I'm sorry," Susan spoke with great warmth and sympathy to Byron, seeing how deeply this affected him.

However he weakly smiled at her, almost sure of the knowledge that Simon was now in a far better place. "His pain is now at an end."

Susan found herself studying Byron closely. He was enigmatic, there was no question of that, but also disarming. Calming and more of a teacher than a leader she felt.

Then he reached forward and touched Simons face, and spoke very gently. A voice of continued heartbreak and hardship- but also of hope. "Sleep well child."

He stepped backwards and allowed the techs to remove the body. Byron followed them, knowing there was nothing he could do to aid.

"I'd like to know where John is?" Susan asked Stephen, watching the young body move away from where they stood. Her eyes glued to Byron, what was it about him?

"Oh, they're carrying on." He stated half-heartedly. "They went on ahead to the sanctuary."

She sighed, weary and angry, but the thought in her head was that she might be able to catch up with them. If she weren't going to be there for the coming year then she should at least make an appearance for posterity. Or at least to keep John off her back.

"Alright, I'm gonna try and make it," She stated, deciding that as unfortunate as events were, she must move on. "I'll see you later."

"Is that a promise?" Stephen yelled after her as she began to exit with a touch of rapidity to her step.

"Yes!" She yelled back before making her way towards the transport tube. Why was nothing easy on this station? Just for once couldn't things go well!

As the transport tube doors closed after she had given her desired level, Susan received a message to her link from CNC.

"Captain, we have a situation," Corwins voice nervously informed her. He sounded more than nervous. Leaning toward urgent than anything.

"What now?" She asked, wondering if this were inauguration related.

"The assassin's sitting in a Star fury ready to fire at the sanctuary."

He was going to kill them. This guy was out to kill them all. No matter about who John was beneath the leader of the opposing side in the war. Cold hearted political recognition. No. She wasn't going to let it all end like this. Not while she was still here. Not when they'd all come so far.

"Stop him!" She yelled, feeling she'd be damned if she were standing in a transport tube while her best friends were being murdered by a crazed killer in a star fury. "Send someone after him, blow him up-"She ordered, trying to think of a viable option. "I'm on my way there now!"

The tube seemed to take forever. Every moment long and drawn out. The levels drifted by like lazy waves on an endless ocean. After what seemed to be an age, the doors finally slid open and Ivanova ran out into the corridor, passing delegates who themselves had fled the inauguration. Londo called her back, warning her of the assassins' proximity to the window, but she kept running. She wasn't loosing John. Not while she was in charge of the station.

The section was thus intact. It occurred to her that if it blew now she'd probably die. Oh well, so much for long winded goodbyes and insincere promises to write.

She reached the door of the sanctuary in time to see G'kar turn to Sheridan. He assassin was gone from view. Pieces of ship floated by and another star fury was heading in. Everything was okay. Apart from the fact John had almost succeeded in giving her a heart attack. She'd run for nothing... well maybe not.

"Do you want to be president?" G'Kar asked, somewhat peeved at the effort it was taking just to swear Sheridan in. He hadn't been kidding about nor eating or sleeping while writing the damn oath of office, and now he was having great cravings for fresh Breen- but Swedish meatballs would have to suffice. That was if he could get it done on the third attempt.

"Yes." John replied still in a state of shock from not having been killed.

"Put your hand on the book and say I do."

Sheridan did as G'kar told him, too bewildered by everything going on to appreciate the moment.

"Fine, Done, lets eat!" G'kar announced ,walking away. He was so hungry he could have eaten week old spoo.

Delenn smiled and embraced Sheridan, from there John caught a glimpse of Susan on the corner edge of his vision and turned to her, still standing in the doorway and breathing hard from running.

Susan shook her head at John then smiled with exasperation. "Better late than never."