Work Text:
A Race thru Dark Places
The couple strolled slowly down the corridor to the ambassadorial wing of Blue Sector, her hand laid lightly on top of his proferred arm. Both of them were still amazed at the many points of contact between them; in their outlook, their feelings, their philosophies. And, as often happens when two souls connect, their seemingly insurmountable differences suddenly seemed small and petty, trivial in comparison to the similarities that drew them together. For once, both were free of worry and the distraction of their daily burdens, glowing with a happiness that disregarded who they were, and what others might think.
At her door, they paused while she slid her identicard into the slot to open their way for their parting. Both felt the pressure of their everyday life descending upon them again.
"One more lesson," the man whispered, as he place his finger under her chin and tilted her face up towards his. She gasped a little as his lips brushed hers, and a spark literally jumped between them. She kept her eyes open, lost in the pleasure of watching his face, and not wanting to lose a second of this moment which seemed to last an eternity.
As he pulled away, she asked, "What was the lesson?"
He replied, "The human way to say good night."
There All the Honor Lies
After Garibaldi and the lady lawyer had left the room, Lennier thanked Captain Sheridan with a simple and sincere dignity that showed his appreciation of what Sheridan had done to salvage his clan’s honor. He then left the Captain and Delenn alone. The ambassador was uncertain how to express her own gratitude and began to speak, but stopped, finding herself at a loss for words.
Sheridan said, “Thank you again for setting all of this up. It was brave of you to risk it. You must have realized Earth would want to publicize this. They don’t want Minbar as an enemy again, but they wouldn’t mind embarrassing your people. There’s still a lot of hard feelings…on both sides.”
She finally found her voice, and shakily replied, “I cannot thank you enough. Your solution was a just and honorable one. Are you sure you will suffer no ramifications from this decision?”
“As long as your government makes it clear Levell acted alone, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“I will make it clear to them. In this case, they will listen to me.”
He then asked gently, “I saw the way Ashan looked at you. Do you get that a lot?”
Her green eyes brimmed with tears as she nodded mutely. He reached over to wipe one tear that streaked down her cheek, “Well, you just remember, you’re not alone here.”
As he turned in the open doorway to say good-bye, she reached up to lightly touch her lips to his, then whispered in his ear, “I know.”
Confessions and Lamentations
He escorted her down the corridor to her quarters, his mind a riot of confused feelings. She leaned heavily against him when no one was looking. He kept one arm around her even when they were. He had never been so afraid in his life when the door to that chamber opened unto silence, and death. But he didn’t understand why. He admired and respected her as a friend, but he had known her less than a year. How had she become so important to him that the thought of losing her scared him so?
At the door they paused for a moment while she fumbled at the lock. “Would you come in for a moment, Captain?”
Once they were inside, and the door safely closed, she startled him by throwing her arms around him in a fierce embrace. She was shaking with emotion, and he allowed himself the luxury of hugging her back, hard. “I was so afraid,” he heard her say brokenly into his chest.
“Afraid of dying? That's understandable. You put yourself in terrible danger.” He stroked the long hair which hid her face from his view.
“No, I thought you were dead, that all of you were dead. From the plague. That no one would ever come.”
“I would never have left you.” With shock, he realized he meant that. He would have opened up the chamber regardless of the risk. He wouldn’t have left her alone.
Her eyes opened wide. She felt both incredulous and hopeful. “You wouldn’t have, would you?” She pulled his head down to hers, capturing his mouth in a long ardent kiss. “I’m so glad you are alive,” he said with a gasp when he caught his breath.
Divided Loyalties
He couldn't believe how badly things were going. As if running this station wasn't enough, he had to deal with an underground conspiracy, and Susan's bombshell, and potential subversion within his core group. Unwitting subversion to be sure, but that didn't make it any better. In fact, it made it worse to his mind. He didn’t know what he was going to do.
As he entered the garden, he saw the Minbari ambassador sitting on a bench. He'd thought he wanted to be alone, but as soon as he saw her, his spirits lifted just a little bit. He couldn't help but vent a little bit of his frustration in the face of her obvious sympathy, but then he used a phrase not meant for polite company, and it confused her. As she playfully tossed his comment around, chasing the meaning behind the words he'd used like a kitten with a ball of yarn, he had to smile. She was really something. He started to play along, enjoying the warmth of the connection that always seemed to flow between them.
Things suddenly turned serious when he realized he felt a light pressure on his hand. He looked down and saw her hand lightly resting on his. It was a surprisingly intimate gesture, especially from a Minbari, and he couldn't help but wonder what it meant to her. When he raised his eyes, he saw embarrassment, and perhaps a hint of desire, in her green-eyed gaze. She didn't move a muscle, waiting for his reaction. He carefully turned over his hand, letting hers rest lightly in his open palm for a moment. Then he took hold of it, and gently raised it to his lips, never breaking eye contact. As his lips touched her skin, the warmth that had been growing between them threatened to burst into flame. Her lips parted, and he gently stroked them with the fingertips of his free hand. Her eyes closed, and her mouth moved under his fingers, urging him to the next inevitable step. He couldn't help himself, although part of his mind was shouting dire warnings of the potential consequences. He leaned over and kissed her, gently at first, then harder when she responded by reaching up to pull him closer. For a moment, they were lost in each other's embrace, unaware of their surroundings or even their identities beyond their essential selves. As they paused for breath, still locked in each other's arms, his link sounded unnaturally loudly from his hand. He put a finger to his lips and said "Shh…" then spoke in to the link. After a brief exchange it was clear he had to return to his duties. They had gradually disentangled physically as he spoke, but their spirits remained entwined.
"Can we continue this 'conversation' later?" he asked hopefully, with a smile meant to convey the hidden layer of meaning in his words.
"Certainly. I will look forward to it," she answered carefully, hoping her voice did not reveal her eagerness. She remained seated, lost in thought, but her eyes never left him as she watched him leave the garden.
The Long Twilight Struggle
He walked slowly on ahead, giving her time to say good-bye to her friend. Draal was certainly a character. He could see why she was so fond of him. With the power of the Great Machine behind him, he would be a powerful ally, albeit one that he would keep in reserve. It was good to know someone had the station's back. He was sure this war would require sacrifice, but he didn't like the idea of involving the civilian population of Babylon 5 in that equation. The position and power of Epsilon 3 could help him protect them.
He heard footsteps approaching behind him, and slowed his pace so she could catch up.
It was a bit of a haul back to the bay where the shuttle awaited their return, and he was reveling in the freedom of being inaccessible for once. He smiled down at her, but got no return greeting. She was quiet, almost somber, lost in her reflections. Taking her arm, he tucked it inside his own, as they walked along the corridor carved in the rock. She looked up, startled at the gesture, but quickly relaxed, and even leaned into him a little.
"You miss him, don't you?" he said.
"Yes, I do. He was my favorite teacher, and he was a great friend of my father's. When he went into the machine, I lost one of my last contacts with that period of my life."
"You didn't lose him. You just misplaced him for a while. It sounded to me like he missed you almost as much as you missed him."
In return for that gallantry, he got his smile. It took his breath away, as always. She smiled with her whole soul behind it. Looking around, he realized that for once in their lives, they were alone. No one was around; no one would walk around the corner at any moment; they were unreachable by link, and still a distance from their shuttle. It was an opportunity no Sheridan could pass up.
He stopped walking, turned to her and began, “Delenn…”
“Yes?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you, I mean to tell you…” he was nearly stammering in his nervousness.
She just stood there, smiling gently at him. He continued to smile foolishly back. He wondered if Draal would come up on them in a few days, still smiling, still looking into each other’s eyes, still not speaking. “Ahem,” he cleared his throat to begin again.
“You seem to be having some difficulty speaking, Captain. Have you considered any alternative means of communication?”
As the meaning of her words sunk into his befuddled brain, his smile grew broader. “Why yes, I have, Ambassador. May I demonstrate?”
“Please continue. I am always anxious to learn more of human customs.”
With that vague permission he took her gently in his arms. She tensed at first, then relaxed with an almost wry expression on her face. “Exactly what type of communication did you have in mind?”
“This kind,” he said breathlessly, as he tilted her head up to face his. He didn’t know what to expect as he began kissing her. He didn’t even know if kissing was a Minbari custom. Still, her response was enthusiastic, and if she was inexperienced it didn’t show.
Her mouth was warm and her lips were exquisitely soft. When he delicately probed her lips with his tongue, she moaned softly and opened them slightly. He pursued this avenue with a cautious eagerness, and she responded in kind. As they became more deeply engrossed in their embrace, he pulled her close, running his hands up her back and twining his hands in her long hair, pulling her even closer. She had wrapped her arms around him, and was caressing the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair. When they broke apart, they gazed at each other with mixed exhilaration and apprehension.
“This is not wise, John,” said Delenn softly.
He noticed she did not move away, or stop fondling the back of his neck as she said it.
“I know,” he answered softly. “Especially now, especially the two of us. But you must feel it too. There’s something…there. Something between us.”
“Yes,” she whispered, “I feel it. I have felt it for a while. But to act on our feelings now, when so much depends on the two of us, on our people’s cooperation…”
“We’ll do our duty, each of us. That’s who we are. But there’s nothing that says we have to do it alone. I need your support, and you need mine. This is something else, something beyond alliances and treaties and partnerships. We can keep it between us for now, but I won’t deny it’s there. I won’t deny how I feel.”
“Shh…” she put her finger to his lips. “Don’t say it yet. It is our secret for now, these feelings.” She smiled then, “You communicate without words very well, by the way.”
“I’ve always said the most when I say nothing.” He looked down on her fondly. “We’d better get back.”
Her face fell slightly, but she nodded in agreement. He placed an arm around her shoulders, and she slipped one around his waist. Together they began the walk back towards their destiny.
Comes the Inquisitor
“Let’s get you home,” he said, his voice raspy. He was still having some difficulty breathing after the intense pain he had experienced. He couldn’t imagine how she was even standing…she’d been with that madman for hours. Sebastian had left them after pronouncing his ‘decision’ that they had passed the Vorlon’s test. He would have something to say to Kosh about this later. This sort of torture was just not right, no matter how good the cause.
They were still standing with their arms around each other. It felt so natural to be holding her this way, though he fully realized that if they walked out into the corridor like this, it would cause quite a stir. In fact, it would be pretty unpleasant for them both. He sighed, nothing was every simple these days. Not that relationships were ever simple. Anna had always been the instigator in their relationship, at least until they were married. They were pretty equal after that. He looked down at the slim woman in his arms. He couldn’t believe she had stood up to that monster, defying him, challenging him, daring him to do his worst. She was the bravest person he had ever known. And she’d done it to save him, though he thought she probably would have done it for anyone. He wondered also at his own reaction to Lennier’s plea. He hadn’t called for back-up, gone to Kosh, thought about it for longer than a few seconds before charging to the rescue. ‘What was she to him?’ The monster had asked that and he’d refused to answer. He didn’t know the answer.
Suddenly the weight in his arms turned to dead weight. He kept her from falling, but his own knees began to buckle, and he just barely managed to lower her to the floor. He knelt, still holding her in his arms. Her face was upturned, limned in dim blue light, and her eyes were closed. He panicked briefly until he noticed her even breathing. She had just lost consciousness. Sebastian had removed his link, so he couldn’t call for help. He had to get help. What if she was badly hurt?
Her eyelids fluttered and her eyes opened. “John?” she asked hesitantly.
“Right here,” he answered.
“We made it, didn’t we? We passed?” her voice was confused and uncertain.
“We made it. It’s all over,” he answered reassuringly.
She reached up to touch his face, then flung her arms around him and pulled herself close. “We did it, didn’t we?” He felt hot tears against his cheek, and impulsively he turned his face to catch her mouth in a kiss. She responded instantly, without hesitation. It felt completely right, like they had kissed a million times before. Lost in the joy of survival they connected both physically and emotionally, somehow completing each other.
The Fall of Night
He fell a long way. She watched, horrified, unable to stop herself visualizing what would happen when he hit the ground. She appealed to Kosh, and with gratification and wonder, watched him leave his encounter suit to rescue Sheridan. Afterwards, she watched Kosh discreetly withdraw, and heard the amazed chatter among the diplomats, as she walked among them trying to keep things calm. She watched from a distance as station personnel surrounded the Captain, medical teams trying to check him over as he shrugged them off, Ivanova hovering and barking out orders to security personnel, and the EarthForce dignitaries who had arrived late, looking more nonplussed than pleased.
When she asked Kosh to intervene, she had stressed how important he was to their cause. What she had not mentioned was how important he had become to her. The thought of what might have happened, had Kosh not been there, or refused to help, made her almost physically ill. She talked with all the other ambassadors, listening to their descriptions of what they had seen, and then encouraging them to go back to their other duties. She asked them to await notification of when the gathering would be re-scheduled. When they had all left, she sent Lennier off to confer with Ivanova as to when and if they would re-convene for this ceremony or whatever it was. Then she sat for a moment, wishing for a moment of peace. She had always loved the Zen garden, finding it conducive to relaxation and meditation. Today, however, she could not settle her mind. She kept replaying the events over and over, each time with a different ending, all of them bad. Unable to keep still, she got up and began to pace back and forth in her agitation.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Sheridan entering the garden until she ran right into him.
“Oomph,” he said, the breath knocked out of him by her unwitting assault.
“Are you all right?” she asked in concern, reaching out to steady him. At the touch of her hand on his shouder, he flinched, and she withdrew quickly. “I am sorry,” she said, confused and upset by his reaction, “I should go.”
“No, no, it’s nothing,” he replied reassuringly. “I wrenched my shoulder jumping out of the tube this afternoon. It’s just a little sore. Please, sit with me for a moment.”
She sat down gingerly on the edge of the stone bench, her nervousness only enhanced by his presence. He sat down next to her, quite close. “Are you all right? What were you doing, pacing up and down like that? Has something upset you?”
At that, her composure broke. “You almost died today! Are you surprised I am upset? Do you know nothing about me? Do you think I am a machine without feelings?”
He looked taken aback, but also a little pleased. Taking her hand in his, he declared, “I’m fine. Thanks to Kosh. And more than a little thanks to you, I think.”
She lowered her eyes at this and said, “I did nothing. He was able to help, and did so.”
He raised one eyebrow, and daringly, she reached up to trace its outline on his face. “I can never get used to all the hair humans have, in such odd places.”
He laughed out loud at this, and she blushed furiously when she realized what she had said.
His expression grew more serious as she continued to stroke his face.
“I just don’t want anything to happen to you,” she said softly.
“I’m a soldier, Delenn, and we are going into a war. Anything can happen.”
“I know,” she responded quietly. Her fingers moved from his jawline to his lips, “I was just frightened. For a moment.”
“You thought I was going to die,” he said flatly.
“I thought I would never have the chance to do this,” she whispered, stretching herself up to his height, and gently but firmly, kissing his lips.
He hesitated only a split second before responding, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tight against his chest. He briefly wondered whether her actions were due to his brush with death, but quickly decided he didn’t care. It felt so good to be alive, to be holding someone close. She tasted wonderful, and when they broke apart, he started kissing her slender throat, wishing he dared to move lower. She took his head between her hands and lifted it to meet her eyes.
“This is a little too public, John,” she said with some amusement.
“Then let me walk you home,” he offered, his voice low.
“We will undoubtedly be interrupted before we get there.”
“I know. But any time spent with you is good.”
“All right,” she said, smiling. “I accept your offer.”
“You’d better, or I’d have to trail along behind you, looking sad and neglected.”
“You wouldn’t!”
“Do you want to risk it?”
“I could not possibly risk the dignity of the Minbari ambassador in such a fashion. You will have to escort me properly.”
“Certainly,” he answered, offering his arm to her.
They strolled slowly out of the garden, as the station lights dimmed in imitation of nightfall.