Sunrise over the tango factory's A/N:I didn't really plan to continue this, but I got lovely reviews (thanks guys :D) and also I had a quite good idea, so here it is...angst city...a return trip! Enjoy
Life, as people so often quote, goes on.
The trouble is that this life that goes on, is often complete and utter crap, so much so people wish that the life didn't have to continue.
Lister lost complete interest in things several months ago he loved…he hadn't touched lager for nearly 3 weeks now, he talked less and less, he refused to join in with the ritual games night preferring to sit alone in his darkened quarters.
He would sometimes sit in his quarters for days on end, a thousand and one thoughts racing through his head, each more confusing than the last. He could literally feel his sanity slipping away as easily as grains of sand slipping through a person's finger.
After torturing himself for hours on end, he'd finally give way to the intense exhaustion that clawed at his system like a starved animal.
He'd collapse into an uneasy, dreamless sleep before waking up and allowing the whole process to take place again.
Lister lay in a lethargic state on his bunk after succumbing to his tiredness. He was only half aware of someone walking over to his bunk, and he twitched only slightly when someone's fingers made contact with his cheek. The touch moved its way down his cheek, tickling him a little, he moved his hand to brush it off but someone clasped his hand protectively.
He eased open his eyes to see Rimmer smiling down at him.
"Rimmer…" breathed Lister, scarcely able to believe it,
Rimmer leant forward and placed a feather light kiss on the top of Lister's head, but as Lister moved to embrace his returned friend he melted away like smoke and Lister was left alone in the empty, dark quarters.
He sat bolt upright, "Rimmer" he called into the darkness, but there was no reply. Lister climbed out of his bunk, eyes darting about the gloomy quarters hoping to see Rimmer stood somewhere, but only the dark stared back at him.
He then hurried from the room into the equally dim corridor "Rimmer?" he whispered, looking up and down the corridor. He then made his way to the midsection, calling Rimmer's name every few feet.
Being the middle of the night, the midsection was empty and Kryten was obviously somewhere else on board.
"Rimmer…" said Lister, raising his voice somewhat but upon getting no reply, he then walked the corridor towards the other decks, only this time, he moved quicker and more briskly.
"Rimmer?" he called, increasing his voice and his speed each time until the point he found himself running through the maze of corridors, in and out of rooms, screaming at the top of his voice.
Kryten, upon hearing his screams, abandoned his laundry duties and rushed into the corridor.
There was something about the way Lister acted that made him feel uneasy. Even when Kryten asked him what was wrong, Lister ignored him. Also, the way his master looked made Kryten shudder, his eyes were unnaturally wide, he moved too quickly and his breathing had become shallow and erratic.
"Rimmer!" he screamed, the tinge of desperation in his voice grew with each calling, "Rimmer…Rimmer…RIMMER!"
Kryten grabbed Lister by the shoulders and forced him against the wall, "Sir" he begged, "Sir please-"
"Kryten, lemme go…I need to find Rimmer, I…I need to find Rimmer!"
"Mister Rimmer is not here, sir.," said Kryten forcefully,
"No" murmured Lister, shaking his head defiantly, "no…no...he...he can't…. HE CAN'T BE GONE!"
Kryten placed his hands either side of Lister's face and moved his head so he looked directly into his eyes "He's gone, sir" said the mechanoid quietly "he's gone…"
Lister shook his head, "no…no…" he whimpered, sliding down the wall and hugging his knees, sobbing hysterically.
Kryten was at a loss, he'd never seen Lister act this way before and his behaviour unnerved him.
It was completely out of character.
Whether he knew what he was doing or not, Kryten knelt down beside the crying Lister, and wrapped his arms around his shoulders tenderly.
Lister cried for several minutes, before slumping against the mechanoid's chest as if drained by the whole affair.
"I saw him…he was here…" whispered Lister, wearily.
"Who was?" asked Kryten,
A weak smile played across Lister's lips "Rimmer-" he replied simply.
Kryten for a few seconds was stunned into silence "when?" he said,
"Just now…in my quarters…I woke up…and there he was…"
"I'm sorry sir, but that was just a dream…there is no way Mr Rimmer could have been on board this ship."
"He was here!" said Lister quickly, turning to face Kryten "he was here…I saw him…I felt him…he touched me…he kissed me…if he was a dream then how did I feel it Krytes…. how?"
Kryten lowered his head "I don't know sir" he paused, and tightened his hold on Lister to try to calm them both down, "I don't know"
There was a moment or two of silence "Kryten?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Will Rimmer come back?" asked Lister, sadly.
"Yet another question I cannot answer sir…if Rimmer feels it right to return…then…he will."
Content with Kryten's answer, Lister promptly fell asleep. Kryten however felt anything but relaxed, he raised his head to the ceiling as if in prayer and quoted
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."