DISCLAIMER: If I owned it, I'd be trying to make up to the world for coming up with a good plot and not only ignoring the chemistry between two characters, but ruining the aforementioned good plot that could have made a good story even if the author was stupid enough to ignored said chemistry.

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PART FOUR

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The Beginning

Buck was going back in the morning, by plane. There'd been a big argument, Buck versus the rest of the Trib Force. They had argued that if he stayed they might be able to help, he had argued that he was beyond helping and that they'd be safer if he was no longer in on their plans.

When he had handed her the divorce papers, that had suddenly made it real. She wished she could say that was when it started feeling like this wasn't her life, this was happening to someone else. Instead, it was the opposite-- signing the divorce papers was the clearest memory she had of that day. Right down to the dry feeling in her throat, and the odd thought that she should feel like crying, but didn't. Chloe couldn't cry over this. It was too... big for something so inadequate.

She turned over on the King-sized bed, away from the empty side.

Thank G-- ah, whatever. It's over, and that's a relief, Buck thought as he waited for his flight to board. He'd hoped the Steeles wouldn't come to the gate with him, but they had. He was grateful wouldn't have to endure their stares much longer. The next flight to New Babylon was scheduled to take off shortly, and Nicolae had arranged for him to board ten minutes before everyone else. He was grateful for that, too. He needed time to think.

Or maybe to not think, since his brain had been on overdrive since he'd spotted Chloe and Ray at the airport the previous morning.

Rayford hadn't spoken to him since they'd left the underground shelter at the church, deigning only to send him pitiful looks and read finger-pointing Scriptures out loud whenever Buck was within earshot. Chloe was still speaking to him, but she seemed to be pretending that everything was just the way it had been before, and that was worse than if she had beaten him up and stopped talking to him.

A flight attendant called his name, and it was all he could do not to scramble for the safety of the tunnel leading to the plane. Before he made more than two steps toward it, he was embraced by his soon-to-be ex-wife, and she kissed him on the lips and said, "See you in a few days, baby," just like she always had when he was going on a trip.

He forced himself to smile. He couldn't think of anything appropriate to say to that, so he said nothing at all. When he'd slipped out of her arms, he made himself continue at a normal pace toward the plane.

As soon as Buck was out of sight, Rayford asked, "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"I meant that, Dad. We'll find a way to snap him out of this. We have to. Maybe we won't be together, and maybe he'll never really love me, but for his soul's sake we have to help him fight this."

She really is a trooper. Just like her old man, Rayford thought as he hugged her.

END...

Stay tuned for the third installment of this so-far unnamed series!

ROLL THE PREVIEW, MUSES!

Gavin: Consider this my two weeks' notice. -Gives her the birdie-

Cyri: You say that every two weeks, and come Monday, you're still here. Just roll the stupid tape.

A red dot moved along the wall, searching for a target. If he'd been paying attention, he'd have seen it make its journey along the pale sandstone wall, but as it was he was distracted.

"Gotcha," the sniper whispered with a smirk. The slightest pressure on the trigger, and the King of the World would be out of commission, possibly for good. The red dot settled on the bit of upper back that was above the back of the sofa. Look into the scope, make sure my aim is perfect... HA!

The mark was hit.

COMING SOON TO A FANFIC ARCHIVE NEAR YOU... The Battlecry. Chloe wants her husband back, whether that's God's plan or not...