Part 10

William Boone sat down on an orange couch in the Resistance Headquarters. The couch was ornate and gaudy, obviously left over form the days when Auger had lived there. But when it came right down to it, it was still a couch and sitting beat pacing in circles. Boone was tired but he didn't want to leave before he talked to Renee. She was with Liam now and he could hear soft voices talking on the other side of the wall. It seemed strange to Boone that whoever had designed the headquarters hadn't bothered to soundproof the walls. Boone heard Liam say something he couldn't make out and then Renee's tinkling laugh, a sound he had never heard before. Renee was always so serious, like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and in a way Boone decided she did. Then the voices stopped and Boone tried to think of anything other that what might be going on in that room. He didn't have to wait long as Renee left and closed the door behind her. She spotted Boone on the couch and came to sit on the far end. She tucked her legs under herself and sat down, leaning her back against the armrest in a way that had her facing Boone.

"Liam's changing," Renee said by way of explanation. "Street and I saved his old clothes. We couldn't bear to throw them away."

"And you're not in there watching the show?" Boone asked with the slightest tinge of jealousy in his voice. Renee shot him a wounded look and he quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry," he said. "That was uncalled for." When Renee made no mover to respond, Boone changed the subject. "Do you ever think maybe the universe is playing with us?" he asked her.

"How so?" Renee countered leaning towards him a little bit.

"Maybe none of this was ever supposed to happen. Maybe the Taelons were never supposed to involve humanity in their war with the Juridians. Maybe thousands of people weren't supposed to die. Maybe my wife wasn't supposed to die and you and I should have never met," Boone finished slowly, gauging Renee's response to his words.

"Liam would have never been born," Renee said slowly.

"Oh, Liam would have been born," J Street piped up from where she had been half hiding across the room. "Liam's too good looking not to have been born." Street giggled when both Boone and Renee turned to give her evil looks. "I'm going to go see if Liam needs some help getting dressed." Street finished teasingly as she scampered across the room, leaving them to their conversation.

"Renee, I'm leaving. I want to let you and Liam start over. I'm not going to stand in your way," Boone stated, the resolve visible on his face.

"It's my life. Don't I get a choice in the matter?" Renee asked passionately. Boone stood up and Renee pursued him across the room, grabbing his arm and making him face her.

"Renee, it's not that I don't love you. I do. You make more sense than anything has since I've been back." Boone said, reaching out to cup the side of Renee's face with his hand. He watched as tears formed in her eyes and fell unbidden. "But I can't let you stay with me out of gratitude, or habit, or something misguided, when I know how much you care about him."

"But don't I get a choice?" Renee asked. When it became clear Boone wasn't going to respond Renee put her hand on the back of Boone's neck and as if magnetized their heads came closer together stopping with their lips just inches apart.

"No, you don't." Boone broking the moment as he answered Renee's all but forgotten question. "You don't get a choice. I'm sorry."

"I don't think anyone should leave." Liam stated as he moved in to the room. His gaze settled on Renee and she jumped back from Boone as if she'd been burned. Boone stood silently, gauging Liam's intentions.

"Right now the four of us in this room are the front line against the Atavus," Liam continued. "We all need to stay here and fight. And then later, we can sort out the rest of our lives."

"I can live with that." Boone answered slowly. He looked at Renee who nodded resolutely. All trace of emotion had vanished from her face and only the perfectly manicured mask remained.

After a moment Street broke the silence by pulling Liam over to her computer and showing him the latest information. After a few moments their light banter filled the emptiness of the room.

"Boone, Renee, come look at this!" Street exclaimed. As they joined the others at the screen Boone had a realization. They were going to find a way. Despite all the challenges behind them, the worst might be still ahead. But they would not stop until they found a solution, what ever it might be.

Fin