AN: I do not own the song "Almost Doesn't Count", Brandy does.
Almost Doesn't Count
He was at the end of his rope.
Almost made you love me
Almost made you cry
Almost made you happy, babe
Didn't I didn't I…
When it looked like things just couldn't get any worse, they had…
You almost had me thinkin'
You were turned around
But everybody knows
Almost doesn't count
He couldn't bear it any more. The secrets, the lies…his poor daughter, his poor angel…this would kill them both. He didn't deserve her love, her compassion…he had betrayed them both, what his master had in mind would destroy them…but then that argument would spin around on it's axis, he was going against his master with these thoughts, he shouldn't be thinking like this…
Almost heard you saying
You were finally free
What was always missing for you, babe
You'd found it in me
But you can't get to heaven
Half off the ground
Everybody knows
Almost doesn't count
Guilt was a living thing, clawing at his insides. He'd lost his cool objectivity, he was too deeply involved. Would it only be a matter of time before Wilhelm ordered Voyager to put him back on track? The thought of what the black-cloaked Testament might do to the both of them made him shudder…but he couldn't go on using her!
I can't keep on lovin' you
One foot outside the door
I hear a funny hesitation
Of a heart that's never really sure
Can't keep on tryin'
If you're looking for more
Than all that I could give you
Than what you came here for
She was too good, too pure for the likes of him…in her presence he felt unclean, ashamed. And just when he thought he could sink no lower…he had.
Gonna find me somebody
Not afraid to let go
Want a no doubt be there kind of man
You came real close
But every time you built me up
You only let me down
And everybody knows
Almost doesn't count
The soft sound of footfalls came from behind him…it was her… Kevin fisted his fingers against the cool glass of the window, staring down at the floor, Connection Gear and it's deadly program forgotten on the table next to him.
"Kevin?" He squeezed his eyes shut at the sound of her voice. Everything inside of him was screaming that he turn around, throw himself at her knees and beg her forgiveness, to confess as how his ancestors had done to the ones they called "priests"…
I can't keep on lovin' you
One foot outside the door
Looking at her now, he was reminded of a very old picture he had seen in a book once...one of a beautiful woman, who had been revered by one of the ancient religions as the mother of God…to them she was considered a saint, pure and blameless…
I hear a funny hesitation
Of a heart that's never really sure
'Madonna', they had called her.
Can't keep on tryin'
If you're looking for more
Could there be no better nickname for Shion? She radiated purity and light, inner serenity…
Than all that I could give you
Than what you came here for
But he couldn't. To expunge the sins of his soul would put her in danger, no, they were too much for her to bear. What he was doing would already break her heart…as for his, he was surprised there was anything left to break, it had been given away, along with his soul to his master…
"I'm fine, Shion. Just…needed a little break, that's all."
Maybe you'll be sorry
Maybe you'll be cold
Maybe you'll come runnin' back, babe
From the cruel cruel world
He turned to see a quick smile cross the brunette's face.
"Ah. I was a bit worried something had happened." She said, stepping foward.
Almost convinced me
You're gonna stick around
But everybody knows
Almost doesn't count
Kevin shook his head.
"No, nothing's happened. By the way, don't you have a meeting with Miyuki now?" Shion gasped, looking down at her watch.
"Oh no, I'm late!" She wailed, turning on her heel and sprinting out of the lab. "Miyuki's gonna kill me!"
So maybe I'll be here
Maybe I'll see you around
As Kevin reached for the Connection Gear, pocketing it and leaving the lab, he didn't notice a pair of red eyes looking out from the shadows…nor a cruel smile cross a pale face.
That's the way it goes
Almost doesn't count.