Chapter 4
Noon that same day rolled around and Dr. Rush was alone in the labs. A lot of the time, he enjoyed these moments because they allowed him to brood over life events, science, etc. However, today was different. Nicholas didn't like pondering over the events of last night at all. He wanted to say they were just a part of a nightmare, but his curiosity eventually got the best of him and couldn't resist but to radio Colonel Young to discuss that matter with him.
The door slid open. "You wanted to tell me something, Rush," Everett said.
"Yes, Colonel. Come in, please," answered Nicholas as he motioned for Young to step into the room. The Colonel did so and walked closer to Rush.
"So, what is this about? Have the FTL drives been operating okay?"
Nicholas peered down to the floor, uncertain of how he could begin to tell the Colonel about what he saw last night. After all, Dr. Rush knew that he couldn't just blurt out those events… nobody would believe him at first, especially Young of all people.
"Yes, they have been operating better than normal, actually," started Nicholas. "However… that is not what I called you here for. Um… I know that it's none of my business given the last moments you spent with Tamara was a private thing between you two, but what did you say to her?"
Shaking his head in disapproval, Everett responded, "Rush, I…-"
"-Colonel, please," begged Dr. Rush. "I'm not asking because I think it was something you believe I would disapprove of. I just… need to know. I need to talk about this."
After exhaling deeply, Colonel Young answered, "Well… it wasn't anything spectacular. The only thing I said was that I'm sorry for how I treated her the night I first saw you two together."
So… it wasn't a dream, silently pondered Rush. It couldn't have been.
"Are you okay," Everett asked Nicholas when the scientist appeared to be staring off into oblivion.
A slight smile etched across Dr. Rush's face when he replied, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for your time. That's all I needed to know."
As Colonel Young headed back to his quarters, Rush contemplated over Johansen's words to him from a year ago. She told him how much he meant to her, and he couldn't deny that he never wanted to let her go ever since that night. The irony being that Nicholas eventually had to let go of T.J. He needed to let go of the second person he met in his life who ever truly made him feel loved and complete. It just didn't seem fair. It didn't seem right that everyone he grew to love were taken from him. As Dr. Rush put his head in his hands, he thought aloud to himself, "For the love of God, rescue me."