The firefight began in earnest. Several missiles rocked the Agamemnon. One of them threw John to the floor.

"Missiles impacting on all sides!"

"Continue firing!" They couldn't stop now. They were too close.

"I don't know how much more she can take!"

"Continue firing!"

Captain James nodded, blood running in his eyes from a gash on his forehead, and turned back to the tactical display. John wiped away blood from his cheek absentmindedly from a similar wound. Then another volley rocked the ship.

Captain James began to report, "Foreword guns are down, we can't fire. Particle beams coming online for the nearest platform. Ready to fire."

"Target?" John asked desperately. They had to hold on just a little longer. This was a battle they could not lose.

"North America. It'll wipe out most of the eastern seaboard." Captain James paused to let the implication sink in, then said, "John, there's no one else close enough to stop it."

John looked at Captain James. He slowly made his way to the Captain's chair. This was it. Inside he was crying, grieving, and screaming at the universe. He didn't want to do this. All he really wanted was to be allowed to build a life, and now a family, with Delenn. Was that so much to ask? She was what he lived for. Then he heard her voice, inside his head. A memory of something she had told him almost two years ago.

And, if I don't see you again, here, I will see you, in a little while, in the place where no shadows fall.

I'll wait for you, love, he thought. He hoped she could forgive him for what he had to do. He didn't want this, but some small part of him knew that he couldn't abandon his world to be devastated. Not after he had come so far already. "All power to engines," he said eventually, "Give me ramming speed."

Captain James straightened up. "Aye sir."

Sheridan was pushed gently back into his seat as the engines came online. Part of his brain was screaming at him, telling him to call this suicide run off while there was still time. He knew now he had a reason for living. Z'ha'dum had showed him that. He could only hope that Delenn was right, and he would see her in the place where no shadows fall.

The bridge was silent. Each man and woman aboard knew that they might be called on to make the ultimate sacrifice every time they pulled out of dock. And now they all knew what was required of them. No one cried, or screamed. They were true soldiers. John realized this, and was proud of them. They were all fine officers. Then, as the view screen showed the platform looming closer, a comm. signal broke the silence.

"Apollo to Agamemnon, we are monitoring your situation; hold onto your hats."

Bursts of fire rained from out of view and crashed into the platform, which exploded into a ball of fire, right before the eyes of the bridge crew of the Agamemnon. The Agamemnon sailed through the explosion. It took minor damage, but the bridge crew all let out a sigh of relief when the view of space was once again clear on the view screen.

"The last platform's been destroyed." Captain James informed John.

John looked up at him with an expression of amazement on his face. Then, when he finally came back to his senses, let a huge grin break out on his face, as he leaned over and playfully clapped a hand on Captain James' shoulder. Then the signal from the Apollo came back on the speaker.

"Sorry for the delay captain, but we had some trouble on Mars. You might've heard something about it?"

"Well, my apologies general," Sheridan couldn't help grinning with enthused delight. "We're only doing our jobs."

"And though you'll have to stand before a board of inquiry on this one Sheridan... still... welcome home John. Welcome home." The transmission cut off.

"Captain," a crewman piped up, "We're receiving a message from Earthdome. They want to see you down on the planet ASAP."

Sheridan nodded. "Tell them I'll be down shortly." He stood, and saluted to Captain James before walking off the bridge. The other officers returned to their duties, checking their damaged systems. But every officer looked up from their consoles when a very loud and enthusiastic "YESSS!" rang out from the corridor. Smiling knowingly, they returned to work.