Sunrise over the tango factory A/N: Hello, yes it's me again, I was only going to write a bit of this today, but I sent some to my mate Raging tree Trunk, and she demanded more and more, so I thought, I might as well finish it, and also because cazflibs threatened me with a stick…
Rimmer sat up in his bunk, despite the fact he was dead, he felt warm and contented, he was so happy he could barely speak, the reason for his happiness was sat across the room, combing her hair, singing softly.
Elizabeth had clearly not heard him wake, so he crept out of bed, tiptoed across the room and grabbed her by the waist, making her squeal in surprise.
"You GIT!" she laughed, hitting him with her hairbrush,
"Mmm" sighed Rimmer, pulling her close "I love it when you talk dirty"
She laughed again, running her hands through Rimmer's hair affectionately, it was at that point Lister entered, he groaned as he spotted the two lovebirds, kissing and cuddling,
"Don't you 2 ever stop" he asked, grabbing something out his locker "you're worse then a couple of rabbits, the way you go at it you'd think sex was bein' outlawed tomorrow..."
"You're just jealous," grinned Rimmer, pecking Elizabeth on the cheek.
Making gagging noises Lister left the room,
"Arnold" said Elizabeth suddenly serious, "what are we going to do now?"
"We can have breakfast or have some more sex if you want it?"
"No, no" said Elizabeth "I mean about the future..."
A switch in Rimmer's head clicked into place 'PANIC, PANIC, PANIC', it flashed. He didn't want to think about the future, not now that his present was so perfect.
"The future?" he repeated,
"Yes" sighed Elizabeth "I mean, what's going to happen..." she stared at him with her green eyes, sending the same old tingling sensation down his spine.
"We stay together of course" he smiled, as if the very idea of a future without Elizabeth was absurd, "that is what you want, isn't it?"
"Yes, I want it more then anything, it's just, how will be together?"
Rimmer's panic attack was now 10 on his panic scale and it looked like it was still rising, "I don't get what you mean?" he answered, voice cracking in alarm.
Elizabeth took a deep breath "it's unfair to ask to either one to leave all that they've built up, it would be unfair of me to ask you to leave all this behind"
Rimmer grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed it "no, Elizabeth, please I don't care, I want to be with you, I'd give up everything I own for you..."
He suddenly realized tears were cascading down his face, his hands were shaking, and a pain in his chest became more intense.
"You can't leave your life," said Elizabeth, taking hold of his face in her gentle hands, and giving him a weak smile.
"I can" Rimmer cried, pulling away, "I don't have a life here, you're my life!" he paused, "please, please Elizabeth, don't leave me again, I couldn't bare it, please…" he trailed, off, and buried his head in his hands.
"I'm sorry, Arnold" sobbed Elizabeth, "we've…we've got to, It's the only way…"
"I tried to kill myself because I lost you" Rimmer found himself shouting, "I won't loose you again!"
Elizabeth let out a small gasp, covering her mouth with her hand in shock,
Rimmer instantly regretted it; he didn't want to upset Elizabeth, "I don't want to talk about it, though" he said, turning away.
He was then aware of a hand on his shoulder, Elizabeth's warm and caring touch instantly calmed him, and he turned round, and tried to smile only to discover his face wouldn't allow it.
It was Elizabeth who spoke first "Do you love me?" she asked assertively,
"That's beside the point-" groaned Rimmer,
"Answer the question." she said firmly, looking him in the eye.
"Yes" he answered, wrapping his arms round her waist.
"And you know I love you, don't you?"
"Of course"
Elizabeth wiped her eyes and continued, "Then that's all we need to know…" she gave Rimmer a quick kiss on the cheek. "I've got to go now or otherwise I'll be late for work"
Rimmer nodded, and watched with an aching heart as Elizabeth gathered her things and went to walk out the room.
"Why can't you come with me?" he asked,
She sighed and faced him "I don't know Arnold, I always thought we'd get married- have kids- and grow old together…none of that can happen, not even the marriage, because it is still illegal to marry a dead person, no matter how alive they look. You'll never age, we'll never have kids, and imagine how you'd feel if I died…I couldn't put you through that torment, not again…"
Rimmer could see where she was coming from, but it still didn't stop the pain.
After she'd left, he racked his brains for a solution, Elizabeth wanted kids, well to be more specific she wanted kids with him, but that was never going to happen as being dead can really affect your fertility.
"There's got to be a way," sighed Rimmer, drumming his fingers on the table,
A voice from outside the door broke his thoughts,
"I'm comin' in now, so can you please refrain from sex for 5 minutes whilst I get me guitar?" it was Lister, he walked in with his hand covering his eyes, which he uncovered once in the room, he spotted Rimmer sat at the table, defiantly not having sex.
"Oh thank god" said Lister, relieved "you've stopped! Those bedsprings can't take any more action, Rimmer!" he then noticed his bunkmate, banging his head on the desk.
"Are you alreight?" asked Lister, walking over to him warily.
"No, Lister" sniffed Rimmer "I'm not…"
"Why?"
"Elizabeth says it would be unfair to ask the other leave their lives to go and live with the other one, and also she dearly wanted children and a married life something I can't give her…in short she wants us to split up!"
Lister shook his head "it wouldn't be proper splittin' up, man, it'd be more like a long distance relationship, in fact, it'll be long that when we get back to our correct universe…she'd be dead"
Rimmer groaned, "you're not helping!" he paused "but she wanted kids though, I wanted kids, it's so unfair"
Lister thought about this "I could also help her out" he smirked at Rimmer in a jokey way. Rimmer obviously didn't find this funny and glared at Lister,
"Sorry, my idea of joke, I'll shut up now and leave…"
It was only after 5 hours of constant, brain frying thought that Rimmer finally came up with an idea…
"What d'you think?" beamed Rimmer, he'd just told the others his idea and was eagerly awaiting their feedback.
3 traumatized faces stared back at him; it was some time before Lister plucked up the courage to speak.
"It's a.... erm…interesting idea" he managed to get out.
"What?" screeched the Cat, giving Lister a disgusted look, "stop being polite! I think it's the freakiest and most disturbing thing I've heard since someone said 'hey, y'know what would like great with that blue tracksuit a Burberry flat cap!"
Rimmer looked devastated; "so you think it's a bad idea," he said looking at Cat, Kryten and Lister with a pleading expression pasted on his face.
"Yes," cried the Cat, he tutted, humans were so stupid.
Lister clamped his hand over the Cat's mouth, "it's not a bad idea man, it's just…have you thought this through? I mean normally you leave her a bunch of flowers, what you're proposin' to do is just…out of the norm!"
"I want to give her something to remember me by," said Rimmer, looking away saddened.
"Then give her a picture or summat" said the Cat, having pushed Lister's hand out to the way "don't go givin' her -" he was cut off once again by Lister's unorthodox gag.
"When push comes to shove, sir" offered Kryten, patting Rimmer on the back "this is your...err...death, you are the only one who can choose your future, do as you see fit…no doubt you'll screw it up and probably get us all into horrendous trouble, and it will most defiantly result in a week long lecture on how we should never ever, ever let you make your decisions, but we are allowing you to do as you please, and we will stand you, whatever decision you make, 100, sir!"
"Count me in for 0" grinned the Cat, "because I'm in a generous mood today!"
Rimmer smiled at them all, "you've all been very supportive…I think, I'm going to meet up with her tonight, and see what she thinks!" he gave them all a nod, before striding towards the door, "wish me luck" he grinned.
"Good Luck" said Kryten, Cat and Lister in unison, as they watched him walk away.
"You're gonna need it, buddy!" muttered the Cat afterwards.