(no subject)
Wishing Stars
Part Two
d/b
AU
Disclaimer: Fiction
Earth had been destroyed on July fourth; the height of summer in the northern hemisphere, and most days Billy wished he had been destroyed with it. He almost had been. He had a friend in training camp, a small, wide-eyed American boy who had wanted Billy to come home with him for the summer holidays. Billy had planned a trip to one of the inner planets though.
His friend had sent him a message from Earth that morning. He was standing on a green lawn, eating watermelon and the sky was blue overhead. Billy imagined that he had spent the afternoon swimming and lying in the cool shade of trees and then, as the fireworks went off to celebrate America’s Independence Day, the world ended. Billy knew that his friend never felt a thing, never saw it coming.
His neighbor reminded Billy of that boy. He had the same wide, blue eyes. He was quick to laugh, easy to love. He had that open, easy-going charm that Billy had come to associate with Nolians. They really were a wonderful people.
“I can’t believe Dom Monaghan was in your house,” Elijah said for the twentieth time. He was twenty-one but he looked much younger. Nolians aged differently than people from Earth did. Their average life expectancy was 150. The Nolians were more advanced than the Earthlings when it came to medical technology. They fought little amongst themselves and all their energy had been spent on other things, like scientific research, education, art. Nolian art was prized throughout the galaxy. Visitors came from all over to wander through museums in the planet’s elegant cities.
For this reason Nola was high on The League’s list as a planet to eliminate. While Nola was remote and held little military importance, its demise would crush the morale of The Republic. Billy knew this, everyone knew it, but he wasn’t leaving. If he was off-planet when Nola was destroyed he knew he would die anyway. Losing two homes that he loved would kill him. He had tried hard not to get attached to this place, but humans, as surely as seeds blown on the wind, will put down roots if they stay in one place long enough.
And now he was thinking about making another attachment. Fool.
He almost turned back several times during the walk to the base but the thought of Dom’s plants kept him going. A slow drizzle started as he entered the base and by the time he got to Dom’s home he was soaked. Still, he paused a moment to say hello to the daffodils before knocking softly on the front door.
“Doctor Boyd! How kind of you to bring me some rain.”
“It’s the least I could do.” Billy shook the water from his hair.
“Let’s get you some dry clothes.”
~*~
When Billy had changed into some of Dom’s clothes Dom took him by the hand and led him to stand in front of a door.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
Billy heard the doorknob rattle and felt warm, damp air on his face. Dom led him forward a few paces and told Billy to open his eyes.
The rain thumped softly on the greenhouse roof. Billy stood breathless for a moment trying to take it all in. There were tables upon tables filled with potted plants and all them were old friends. There were geraniums and roses in pots, sweet peas and ivy climbing the wall, miniature orange trees and…
“Are those strawberries?”
“They are. They’re not ripe yet but the tomatoes are. I put some in your salad for lunch.”
“I must be dreaming. Don’t wake me.”
Dom stood close behind Billy and put one hand on his shoulder. “It’s no dream, my friend.”
“I wish I could stay here forever.”
Dom laughed. “You can come any time you want.”
“I could kiss you, truly, thank you for letting me see this.”
Dom took his hand off Billy’s shoulder and smiled shyly at him. “I’ve one more surprise if you think you’re up for it.”
“What could be better than this?”
“You’ll see.”
Dom had to tug Billy out of the greenhouse and Billy followed him down the hallway to another closed door. It was Dom’s bedroom and Billy didn’t see anything out of the ordinary but then Dom whistled softly and Billy heard a low whine issue from the other side of the bed. There was a scratch of claws on wood and then a rather tired looking dog poked her nose out at them.
“Is that…? Oh my God.”
“Come here, girl,” Dom said and the little dog ambled forward. “This is Molly,” he said and scratched her ears. Billy just stood there. “Don’t you like dogs? Some people don’t I suppose. I just thought…”
Billy’s knees would not hold him anymore and he collapsed to the floor beside the dog. Molly licked at the tears on his face and Billy threw his arms around her and buried his nose in her fur.
Dom wiped his own face and just let Billy hold the dog for a long while.
“She’s pregnant,” Dom said finally and he laughed out loud as Billy’s sobs echoed in the quiet room.
~*~
Billy didn’t want to let the dog out of his sight. That was okay. Molly had taken an instant liking to him and sat at his feet as Billy ate his lunch.
“I feel better than have since…”
“I’m glad,” Dom said. “I wish you’d put those pretty eyes on me though. Molly won’t disappear.”
Billy dropped his fork and took his time groping under the table for it while his blush receded.
“I’m sorry. It’s just, I always had a dog and…Where’d you get her?”
“Some of the service men had their dogs with them when Earth blew. They mated them and gave one of the pups to me.”
“I didn’t think there were any left.”
“Look at all the things you’ve learned from me, Doctor.”
“I’m grateful. I know I’ve said it before, but really, I can’t thank you enough.”
“You don’t have to thank me. It’s been my pleasure. I like having you here.” Dom laid his hand over Billy’s on the table. Billy didn’t know what to say so he kept silent. Dom drew his hand away and leaned back in his chair. “There’ve been more dogs born than humans since the Earth was destroyed.”
“Really?”
“Twenty-seven puppies, seventeen infants.”
“We’ll die out someday. We’re among the last of our kind.”
Though about five thousand humans had been off planet when the Earth was attacked less than five percent of that number was female. Of that five percent there were many that were already past child-bearing age. And only two that hadn’t reached that age yet. All in all only forty-five of Earth’s children had survived the attack. In less then a hundred years there would be no one left who had called Earth home. In time, Billy supposed, the planet and her people would pass into legend.
“Like lost Atlantis,” he didn’t mean to say it out loud but Dom nodded his head in agreement as if he had been following the train of Billy’s silent thoughts.
~*~
They sat in companionable silence under the shelter of the porch roof and smoked. Molly sat between them and the rain gurgled joyfully through the gutters.
“I suppose I should start back,” Billy said. He didn’t relish the thought of the long walk home in the damp but his clothes should be dry by now and he’d rather get home before dark.
“Why don’t you stay,” Dom said. “It’s a long walk.”
Billy looked at him. He wondered if there was more to Dom’s words than simple hospitality. Dom met his gaze steadily.
“Yes. Stay. I’ll be a perfect gentleman. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless you’d rather I wasn’t.”
The last thing that Billy wanted was to fall in love. The universe was too dangerous a place for love. It had been so long since someone had held him, touched him, since he had held someone else. He wondered if he remembered how.
“Doctor?”
“Don’t…don’t make me fall in love with you.”
Dom rose from his chair. “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.” He opened the screen door and waited. “Just stay.”
Billy turned his face away and was able to get his crying jag under control quickly. He walked slowly to the porch rail, away from Dom, and held up his face to the rain. He felt cleansed and new when he turned to follow Dom inside.
~*~
As the evening slipped away Billy wished he hadn’t stayed. How could he have forgotten? He couldn’t sleep in the same house with someone else. Elijah had fallen asleep on Billy’s couch over a year ago and had nearly been scared to death at the sound of Billy wailing in his sleep.
“You look nervous, Doctor. Should I just kiss you and get it over with?”
“No. No! I mean, it’s not that.”
“What is it then?”
“I-I still have nightmares. And. Well, I’m quite loud about them. I don’t mean to be.”
Dom’s face hardened. He stepped close to Billy and ran his fingers lightly down Billy’s cheek. “Look what they’ve done to you. I promise, Bill, if it takes the rest of my life I’ll make them pay.”
Billy’s eyes swam with tears again but he closed them to hold them back and kissed Dom softly. Dom trembled and opened himself to Billy, pulling his body tight against his own. The dog let out a soft bark and Billy giggled into Dom’s mouth. He felt whole and comforted. Maybe the universe wasn’t too dangerous for love, he thought as Dom kissed his way down Billy’s neck. Maybe it was too dangerous to be without it.
Part Two
d/b
AU
Disclaimer: Fiction
Earth had been destroyed on July fourth; the height of summer in the northern hemisphere, and most days Billy wished he had been destroyed with it. He almost had been. He had a friend in training camp, a small, wide-eyed American boy who had wanted Billy to come home with him for the summer holidays. Billy had planned a trip to one of the inner planets though.
His friend had sent him a message from Earth that morning. He was standing on a green lawn, eating watermelon and the sky was blue overhead. Billy imagined that he had spent the afternoon swimming and lying in the cool shade of trees and then, as the fireworks went off to celebrate America’s Independence Day, the world ended. Billy knew that his friend never felt a thing, never saw it coming.
His neighbor reminded Billy of that boy. He had the same wide, blue eyes. He was quick to laugh, easy to love. He had that open, easy-going charm that Billy had come to associate with Nolians. They really were a wonderful people.
“I can’t believe Dom Monaghan was in your house,” Elijah said for the twentieth time. He was twenty-one but he looked much younger. Nolians aged differently than people from Earth did. Their average life expectancy was 150. The Nolians were more advanced than the Earthlings when it came to medical technology. They fought little amongst themselves and all their energy had been spent on other things, like scientific research, education, art. Nolian art was prized throughout the galaxy. Visitors came from all over to wander through museums in the planet’s elegant cities.
For this reason Nola was high on The League’s list as a planet to eliminate. While Nola was remote and held little military importance, its demise would crush the morale of The Republic. Billy knew this, everyone knew it, but he wasn’t leaving. If he was off-planet when Nola was destroyed he knew he would die anyway. Losing two homes that he loved would kill him. He had tried hard not to get attached to this place, but humans, as surely as seeds blown on the wind, will put down roots if they stay in one place long enough.
And now he was thinking about making another attachment. Fool.
He almost turned back several times during the walk to the base but the thought of Dom’s plants kept him going. A slow drizzle started as he entered the base and by the time he got to Dom’s home he was soaked. Still, he paused a moment to say hello to the daffodils before knocking softly on the front door.
“Doctor Boyd! How kind of you to bring me some rain.”
“It’s the least I could do.” Billy shook the water from his hair.
“Let’s get you some dry clothes.”
~*~
When Billy had changed into some of Dom’s clothes Dom took him by the hand and led him to stand in front of a door.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
Billy heard the doorknob rattle and felt warm, damp air on his face. Dom led him forward a few paces and told Billy to open his eyes.
The rain thumped softly on the greenhouse roof. Billy stood breathless for a moment trying to take it all in. There were tables upon tables filled with potted plants and all them were old friends. There were geraniums and roses in pots, sweet peas and ivy climbing the wall, miniature orange trees and…
“Are those strawberries?”
“They are. They’re not ripe yet but the tomatoes are. I put some in your salad for lunch.”
“I must be dreaming. Don’t wake me.”
Dom stood close behind Billy and put one hand on his shoulder. “It’s no dream, my friend.”
“I wish I could stay here forever.”
Dom laughed. “You can come any time you want.”
“I could kiss you, truly, thank you for letting me see this.”
Dom took his hand off Billy’s shoulder and smiled shyly at him. “I’ve one more surprise if you think you’re up for it.”
“What could be better than this?”
“You’ll see.”
Dom had to tug Billy out of the greenhouse and Billy followed him down the hallway to another closed door. It was Dom’s bedroom and Billy didn’t see anything out of the ordinary but then Dom whistled softly and Billy heard a low whine issue from the other side of the bed. There was a scratch of claws on wood and then a rather tired looking dog poked her nose out at them.
“Is that…? Oh my God.”
“Come here, girl,” Dom said and the little dog ambled forward. “This is Molly,” he said and scratched her ears. Billy just stood there. “Don’t you like dogs? Some people don’t I suppose. I just thought…”
Billy’s knees would not hold him anymore and he collapsed to the floor beside the dog. Molly licked at the tears on his face and Billy threw his arms around her and buried his nose in her fur.
Dom wiped his own face and just let Billy hold the dog for a long while.
“She’s pregnant,” Dom said finally and he laughed out loud as Billy’s sobs echoed in the quiet room.
~*~
Billy didn’t want to let the dog out of his sight. That was okay. Molly had taken an instant liking to him and sat at his feet as Billy ate his lunch.
“I feel better than have since…”
“I’m glad,” Dom said. “I wish you’d put those pretty eyes on me though. Molly won’t disappear.”
Billy dropped his fork and took his time groping under the table for it while his blush receded.
“I’m sorry. It’s just, I always had a dog and…Where’d you get her?”
“Some of the service men had their dogs with them when Earth blew. They mated them and gave one of the pups to me.”
“I didn’t think there were any left.”
“Look at all the things you’ve learned from me, Doctor.”
“I’m grateful. I know I’ve said it before, but really, I can’t thank you enough.”
“You don’t have to thank me. It’s been my pleasure. I like having you here.” Dom laid his hand over Billy’s on the table. Billy didn’t know what to say so he kept silent. Dom drew his hand away and leaned back in his chair. “There’ve been more dogs born than humans since the Earth was destroyed.”
“Really?”
“Twenty-seven puppies, seventeen infants.”
“We’ll die out someday. We’re among the last of our kind.”
Though about five thousand humans had been off planet when the Earth was attacked less than five percent of that number was female. Of that five percent there were many that were already past child-bearing age. And only two that hadn’t reached that age yet. All in all only forty-five of Earth’s children had survived the attack. In less then a hundred years there would be no one left who had called Earth home. In time, Billy supposed, the planet and her people would pass into legend.
“Like lost Atlantis,” he didn’t mean to say it out loud but Dom nodded his head in agreement as if he had been following the train of Billy’s silent thoughts.
~*~
They sat in companionable silence under the shelter of the porch roof and smoked. Molly sat between them and the rain gurgled joyfully through the gutters.
“I suppose I should start back,” Billy said. He didn’t relish the thought of the long walk home in the damp but his clothes should be dry by now and he’d rather get home before dark.
“Why don’t you stay,” Dom said. “It’s a long walk.”
Billy looked at him. He wondered if there was more to Dom’s words than simple hospitality. Dom met his gaze steadily.
“Yes. Stay. I’ll be a perfect gentleman. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless you’d rather I wasn’t.”
The last thing that Billy wanted was to fall in love. The universe was too dangerous a place for love. It had been so long since someone had held him, touched him, since he had held someone else. He wondered if he remembered how.
“Doctor?”
“Don’t…don’t make me fall in love with you.”
Dom rose from his chair. “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.” He opened the screen door and waited. “Just stay.”
Billy turned his face away and was able to get his crying jag under control quickly. He walked slowly to the porch rail, away from Dom, and held up his face to the rain. He felt cleansed and new when he turned to follow Dom inside.
~*~
As the evening slipped away Billy wished he hadn’t stayed. How could he have forgotten? He couldn’t sleep in the same house with someone else. Elijah had fallen asleep on Billy’s couch over a year ago and had nearly been scared to death at the sound of Billy wailing in his sleep.
“You look nervous, Doctor. Should I just kiss you and get it over with?”
“No. No! I mean, it’s not that.”
“What is it then?”
“I-I still have nightmares. And. Well, I’m quite loud about them. I don’t mean to be.”
Dom’s face hardened. He stepped close to Billy and ran his fingers lightly down Billy’s cheek. “Look what they’ve done to you. I promise, Bill, if it takes the rest of my life I’ll make them pay.”
Billy’s eyes swam with tears again but he closed them to hold them back and kissed Dom softly. Dom trembled and opened himself to Billy, pulling his body tight against his own. The dog let out a soft bark and Billy giggled into Dom’s mouth. He felt whole and comforted. Maybe the universe wasn’t too dangerous for love, he thought as Dom kissed his way down Billy’s neck. Maybe it was too dangerous to be without it.