A Romeo and Juliet Caste by DD Agent

Spoliers: Up to Season 3's Grey 17 is missing.

Chapter Two - Grey 17 is missing

"I am the very modern version…no that's not right,"

"I am the very model of a major general, with information…with information…oh bugger!"

Marcus, hospitalized due to Neroon's interference, had been trying all afternoon to remember his favourite song. Thanks to his concussion, he was having trouble remembering all the words, and getting rather frustrated.

"Marcus, you have had a great shock and a great injury. Do not expect to recite the words to this song all at once," Delenn reprimanded. She was smiling as she patted his hand. Marcus was her favourite Ranger, even though he was somewhat annoying and occasionally reverted to a hyperactive child. But he had a way that could make you forget about even a shadow attack.

"I know Entil'zha. But if I can't recite Gilbert and Sullivan, what can I do?" Marcus muttered, his face growing dark.

"You can always recite your classical literature," Delenn retorted, patting his hand for the last time. She left Marcus' bedside, and she swore she could still hear him trying to recite his song.

Neroon's visit had shocked her. Not that she had expected any different. The last time that they had seen each other in the flesh had been after she had left him asleep in her room. But threatening to kill her? That was severe, even for him. He must have been greatly embarrassed to find her gone, stood up by a religious caste, and not even a full Minbari one at that.

Over a year had passed now, and Delenn was beginning to realize that her heart belonged to someone else. John Sheridan had, as Marcus often said, swept her off her feet. She felt like she was falling in love, and felt scared at the prospect. Her relationships didn't end well. Space and duty had separated Neroon and her, while war had separated herself and Rukhat. Dukhat's son often found his way into her thoughts when considering Neroon. He was long dead,

She often compared both of them: Neroon and Sheridan. Just to see if her heart and her head agreed that she had made the right choice. Neroon was brash, young and full of his own destiny. John Sheridan was strong, powerful and made Delenn's breathe shorten when she heard his name.

"Hello Ambassador," said a voice from behind her, Delenn turned around and saw John Sheridan standing behind her. He was dressed in casual clothes, which made him look more livelier. But, truth be told, in his uniform was how Delenn pictured him kissing her. He seemed so much stronger and younger in the black Minbari uniform. So much like the man who would beat the Shadows all the way back to the rim.

"Hello John. Are you doing anything right now?" Delenn asked. He slipped an arm around her small waist and drew her closer. She smelled his musky scent and slid her shoulder under the crook of his arm. It was a position that she was greatly familiar with.

"For you, never," was his reply. His words even surprised himself. But, rubbing strands of her beautiful brown hair together made him realize that he would go to hell and back to the woman in front of him.

"Good. I wondered if you would be available to have dinner in my quarters. Maybe you could explain to me the relevance of Gilbert and Sullivan?" The last part made John laugh.

"You're spending way too much time with Marcus," was his reply, but gestured the way to her quarters.

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They had had a pleasant meal. Nothing fancy, nothing too hard to cook. Just normal food, easy and edible, in a place where they could feel happy. Now John and Delenn was sitting on her floor among a pile of cushions discussing comedy sketches and songs.

"Bill Bailey was my idol as a kid. He was just such a funny man. I absolutely love Rebo and Zooty. Guess everyone does,"

"Who is this Bill Bailey?" asked Delenn, her face leaning into his in earnest.

For one second, Sheridan noticed that she was sitting practically on his lap. Her hands were inches from his chest, and her legs were curled up under her. He started stroking her leg and she responded by stroking the nape of his neck.

"Bill Bailey is a comedy genius. Maybe you should ask Marcus to give you the full explanation. He's probably got all of his songs on a couple of crystals," John Sheridan replied. He wrapped his arm around her and drew her closer.

Their faces were inches away from each other, then centimeters. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, he leant in, missing her lips to kiss her cheek.

"I feel so happy with you," Sheridan stated, his mouth kissing her cheek again.

"So do I John," She replied. His hands were covering the small of her back and hers flat on his thighs for balance more than anything as the two leant in to kiss. No Ivanova knew they were there, nothing could interrupt them.

Their lips began to touch, but then the door to Delenn's quarters opened. In stepped Neroon.

"Hello Delenn,"

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Darren was a physiotherapist. He was also a punching bag, a musician and a counselor. Darren was a Minbari (his name was apparently of pak'ma'ra origin, and hated his parents even more for giving him the name of carrion eaters).

The war was hard on everyone he supposed, but him even more so. The personal physician of the Star rider soldiers, Darren often felt like buggering off to Centauri Prime.

That way he wasn't involved in any wars and he could try and solve that unfortunate problem about Minbari not ingesting alcohol.

Darren was a very unusual Minbari. But even he could tell when one of his own was in love.

"Neroon, stop acting like a dummy and get on with your training," Darren yelled. The Alyt looked around and saw his trainer standing with his head in his hands. He stopped daydreaming at once and continued to run laps of the small training arena.

"Absolute Numpty," Darren mumbled and continued to roll his eyes. The poor boy was in love with one of the Grey council, a religious one. D something. Delenn, that was it! She would probably be killed in an attack before the end of the war, and Neroon could start behaving like a proper Star rider.

Darren was a very unusual Minbari.

Probably had something to do with the fact that he was raised by humans.

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"Neroon, wait!" Delenn cried. She had rushed out of her quarters to chase after her former lover. He whipped round, his face ablaze with hurt and betrayal.

"Star Killer! You reject me, but Star Killer is the one you choose!" Neroon yelled. His face was somewhat flushed by Minbari standards. Delenn thanked Valen that John had decided to stay in her quarters.

"I wasn't the one who let my fear of the leader of his clan make him insult the woman he claimed to care about!" Delenn shouted back. Her face was getting rather flushed too, and felt anger slipping away as she looked at his slumped figure.

Defeated.

Londo came out of his quarters singing a song about dancing for some strange reason. Seeing the two Minbari in a fighting position made him change his mind and reenter his quarters humming a little ditty. Delenn thought it was Marcus' special song. Neroon stood straight backed against the corridor and stared deep into the face of what was probably the most powerful Minbari who ever lived.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you my intentions instead of leaving you in the middle of the night," Delenn apologized, licking her lips. She gave an apologetic smile before looking down to the floor like a naughty child.

"I should have responded better than threatening to kill you a year later," Neroon mumbled. It was the second time that he had apologized to her and she could see it was getting no easier for him.

"We are very different people than what we once were Neroon. A long time ago, our hearts may have been joined. But after the war, it was not possible. I would like us to be friends Neroon, if that is still an option available to us. I also hope that this incident will not stop the Star riders and the family of Mir from becoming allies against the shadows," Delenn smiled. Neroon did too. The large warrior gave her the warrior caste salute and turned away from her.

"I hope he is worth it Delenn, for not many of our people will be as forgiving as Lennier and myself,"

Those were the last words he would ever say to her without a front to shield his feelings.

Delenn went back into her quarters, and was dismayed that Sheridan had tidied up, even putting the dishes away. The room was neat and tidy, and she could see he had been quite dismayed that she had run out after him.

"I got bored," was his simple reply. Delenn made him sit down and explained the story of her and Neroon. It was a story that she had only told three individuals before. All three of them were male, and all three of them were Minbari. Neither of them were Lennier, Draal or Dukhat.

"We were young, myself and Neroon. He was a warrior recruit and I a young religious acolyte. We started to see each other more and more as the years went by. Him often coming to my temple and I would watch him train. We began to realize that we were in love with one another. We decided to keep it a secret, as it is acceptable for Religious and Worker to mate, but Warriors stick within their own caste if possible.

We continued our relationship till I was called in to become an acolyte of the Grey Council. Our relationship had to stop there or risk being discovered. It was a relief, to stop our joining. You see, lying is a stain upon both body and soul, and although we had not had to lie yet, it would come. He left with a ship and their crew, and I began to learn under the Grey Council. There, I had a relationship with another Minbari," Delenn was choking out the words at this point.

Sheridan leant forward, and held her hand as she continued to relay her story.

"His name was Rukhat, Dukhat's only son. He was funny, and seemed to belong to neither of the castes. He was so different from Neroon it was amazing. His father was happy about the joining, and so was mine. Neroon knew nothing of the fact that I had taken another mate, but it was none of his concern. Then the war began, and life began to break apart.

Dukhat, my friend and teacher died. My father died. After the war, there was another war for us. This one is not so well known, as we lost. Rukhat was killed, and I lost another love. A few years before I came here, Neroon asked me if I would like to continue the joining. I agreed, not realising that we had changed so much. That relationship ended a long time ago," Delenn finished and Sheridan held her till early in the morning. He didn't let go till Ivanova came personally by Delenn's quarters to find out where the wayward captain had gotten to.

Delenn noticed that she was humming Gilbert and Sullivan.