NOTES: I know, other than the "next time I'm over" line in WuC, there's been zero on the show to suggest Marco and Maia interact, but I find it difficult, if not impossible, to believe anyone so intent on winning over Diana's heart would neglect winning over Maia's as well. So my thinking that Marco would worry about Maia--and, through association, Diana dealing with Maia--is the inspiration for this one. After all, this episode began with quite a fright for Maia.
SPOILERS: through As Fate Would Have It
DISCLAIMER: The 4400 and all things associated with it belong to other people.
TWELVE STEPS
STEP 5: CARING
The meeting was over, and it seemed to Diana that the only thing it had achieved was to reveal the truth about Maia's visions. Nina hadn't said anything directly accusatory, but her tone and subtext had more than adequately conveyed her displeasure. It was aggravating to be stuck like this--torn between looking out for the interests of her job and those of her daughter. Despite her best intentions, she'd managed to do neither. All she could do was hope Tom was right, and that warning Collier, trying to protect him, would somehow be enough. After all, what point was there to Maia having to suffer with such horrible visions if nothing could be done about them?
Following Tom from the Theory Room, she was almost to the door when Marco spoke up.
"Diana, do you have a minute?"
The last thing she wanted to do at the moment was head back upstairs and sit across from a gloating Tom; he'd been telling her it was a matter of time before Maia had a vision Diana would have to tell Nina about. Her partner turned with a slight frown and a disapproving look in his eye, but he said nothing. Given all the "brains in the basement" had contributed to their cases and Tom's return to field duty, she would never understand his policy of contempt for Marco and his colleagues. It made her want to stay all the more.
She did her best not to glare at Tom. "Sure." To further exclude her partner, she closed the door behind him before turning back. "What have you got?" There were several pet projects she had Marco's department working on for her. Hearing about any of them would be a welcome distraction.
Marco seemed hesitant, absently tossing the mini basketball he'd fiddled with throughout the meeting. "I was wondering...when did Maia have this one?"
Maybe it was Tom's attitude souring her overall mood, but it irked her to have to deal with another coworker who felt put out by her not keeping him informed about every detail of her daughter's precognizant curse. That it came from Marco was doubly vexing; he was supposed to be the one she went to to escape that kind of nonsense. "Last night. Why?" Her tone was tight, and he cringed in response.
Setting the ball aside, he held up his hands. "Didn't mean to pry. I just..." Turning his gaze to the floor, he lowered his hands to grip the edge of the desk he was leaning against. "It can't be easy to see a thing like that, especially if you're a kid." He shrugged. "I just wanted to ask how she's doing, if she's okay."
It was as though the world abruptly turned 90 degrees--everything fit into place, again. She wanted to curse herself for a fool. It wasn't in her nature to apologize for her behavior, so she gave him honesty instead. "She seemed okay this morning, but last night...she was crying." With the softening of her voice, he looked up, concern in his eyes. "She couldn't stop crying. It was like she somehow blamed herself."
"How can she...?"
Shrugging, Diana moved to join him in leaning against the desk. It made her feel more comfortable, as if being side by side made them in harmony instead of the unconscious conflict implicit in facing each other. "It's as though she thinks, by seeing these things, she makes them happen."
"Have you talked to her about it?"
Diana nodded and glanced across his face. As usual, he was attentively watching her eyes. This morning, for some reason, it made her self-conscious and aware of their proximity, but he didn't seem to notice. Looking away, she explained, "She says she knows it's not her fault, but she still seems to feel guilt about it, like it's a left-brain verses right-brain kind of thing."
"What are you going to do?"
"Everything I can to keep her vision from becoming a reality," she answered with grim determination.
"To do that, you had no choice but to reveal that Maia's still having visions."
It didn't surprise her that he saw the true source of her aggravation. "Yeah."
"If there's anything I can do to help..."
Looking up, she met his gaze and saw the sincerity shining in his big, brown eyes. Tom occasionally intimated that she took advantage of Marco because the head of the Theory Room had a crush on her. But what she saw in Marco's eyes was too deep for a mere crush, and for once, it didn't make her feel uncomfortable.
"Thanks..."
The sound of tapping against glass caused them to look up. The other Theory Room regulars had returned from their Nina-imposed break and were wearing various disgruntled expressions. Apparently, Diana had unintentionally locked the door when she'd closed it.
"Guess I should let them back in," she laughed, pushing herself off the desk.
"Aw, let 'em wait." His tone was teasing. "I knew I should have closed the blinds."
Glancing back, she gave him a wink. "It wouldn't have done you any good." Opening the door, she stepped aside to let the others in. "Didn't mean to lock you out, guys."
They filed in, muttered greetings to her and disparaging comments to Marco. He shrugged them off and met her at the door. "Good luck, Diana. Let me know how it goes."
Normally, he never asked anything of her, presumably assuming she'd fill him in on what she deemed necessary, but she sensed this was a personal request, not a professional one. Somehow, the difference didn't bother her at all. "Thanks. I will." For months, he'd known Maia was having visions but had kept her secret. They had long since crossed the line between coworkers and confidants, so his request seemed only natural.
Smiling, she headed for the elevator and the task ahead--convincing the antagonistic Collier that his life was in danger and grudgingly revealing Maia's ability to yet another person, the last one on the planet she'd want to know about it. But Marco was right; she had no choice. What mattered now was making sure she prevented Collier's murder so her daughter didn't have to experience it twice. Sadly, if she failed, Marco would probably hear about it on the news before he could hear it from her.
