A Friend in need.

K

Laumae

IM

"He's dead." Susan sat in her quarters, during the hour of the wolf, nine

days after. . . She stood up. She couldn't keep running from the truth, she

had to face it. John was dead; and with him the heart of everything she

stood for, the alliance, the war, all of it.

She was lost, she didn't know who she was or what she would do. With

out her job and the structure of command what was left in her? She had

no family, no one to care about, no one to rely on; she was alone.

She found herself in the war room, bleak, dark, empty. The shadows had

paused their attack, for now. The alliance had crumbled. They worried

only about themselves. G'Kar was right, she thought, in order to save everyone

you must sacrifice yourself, and everything you have. The other worlds didn't

understand, and neither did she, not truly.

She flipped through the files in front of her, and tossed them aside. She just

stared hopelessly at the screen. The transport tube opened behind her. She

heard foot steps. She saw him, in the corner of her eye, sit down beside her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked almost scared to use her voice.

"Came to collect my thoughts. I'm leaving." He responded.

"Doesn't everyone?" She looked down at her now folded hands.

"I promise I'll be back. G'Kar needs my help."

She paused, "He's dead, isn't he?" Susan asked, mostly rhetorically, looking into Marcus'

eyes. She stood up and walked to the screen; her back was to him. She could

feel herself loosing it, the control of herself, the one thing she had left.

Marcus had studied Ivanova. He could see her pain, and how she tried to hide

it. He guided his path to her, and placed a tentative hand on her shoulder.

"You're not alone, Susan." He whispered consolingly. She turned around. She

let the tears grace her pale cheeks, and she let Marcus wrap his arms around

her. Sobs wracked her stoic body, and she became fragile, there in his arms.

Marcus had never seen her so vulnerable. Just as soon as it began, it ended.

She remained, how ever, still in his arms, for a little while. Then, she backed

away, head hung down.

Marcus lifted up her chin, and smiled. She couldn't help but do the same, he

always had that effect on her, even threw the deepest grief.

"Thank you, Marcus. I needed that." She looked tired, but atleast her soul

had given up, in part, it's burden.

"I know." Marcus said, he bowed, and then left the room.