Sisters Under The Skin, part 6: Everything Changes (re-post, B5, 6/14)
The last re-post, hurray! Wednesday we start with the new stuff at last. The first six chapters are relatively shorter than the newer chapters. That is because they closely follow the show, re-interpreting events through Anna's eyes. The later chapters have more plot to develop, although I have tried to closely follow the timeline of the series. There were large gaps of time to fill and my three main characters were all over the place geographically speaking. So more plot and more characters, some canon and some new, some hinted at and now fleshed out. I'm quite proud of some of them. But we'll speak of that when we get there. For now, we finally get the arrival of the third party in our threesome-to-be.
I've lost track of how many times I've re-written the speech from The Summoning. It's a mere backdrop to the emotional action here. *sigh* I do love that scene.
Sisters Under The Skin
Part Six Everything Changes
Standard disclaimer applies; not my characters or settings or backgrounds. But they are my words.
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Delenn insisted on taking Anna straight to MedLab. Stephen Franklin took charge of the human woman immediately, alternately scolding her and examining her eyes and ears for outward signs of trauma. He took her into an inner room to perform yet another brain scan. Anna mouthed the words 'save me' but Delenn merely shook her head, and headed for the exit. She wished she could stay, for moral support if nothing else, but she had many things to do.
It had been a foolhardy attempt, with little chance of success, and Delenn wondered at the impulse that had led Anna to risk her recovery in such an impulsive manner. Lyta should not have agreed either. She frowned as she walked back to her quarters, wondering what Lyta would find out and what it might cost the telepath to try. The Vorlons were playing a deep game, and it distressed her to think they might be working at cross-purposes to her own plans. But after that confrontation in the gardens, she could no longer trust them.
When she got back, she hadn't even started on the stack of work awaiting her when the Brakiri ambassador arrived. He described a situation she had not anticipated. A cold anger sluiced through her; the same people who had refused to help John were trying to stop the launch of the fleet. They were entitled to their opinions, just as she was entitled to her opinion that they were fools, fools and cowards. Punching a button on her com system, she put in an urgent call to Lennier. She needed help monitoring these particular fools.
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Later that day, Anna dropped by to further explain her actions. She was chatting easily with Delenn when Lennier checked in, announcing that the meeting in the Zocalo was on.
Anna immediately saw the tension rise in Delenn's face. "What's up?" she asked. Upon hearing the brief explanation in short, bitten-off words, Anna took only a moment to react. "Bastards." Taking Delenn's hand in hers, she gripped it tightly. "I'm going with you. This is my fight too."
"I do not know if that is wise," said Delenn. "I do not believe there will be violence, but it is a crowd, and anytime there is a group, individual reactions are unpredictable. Emotions are running high."
"All the more reason you shouldn't go alone," argued Anna.
"Lennier will be with me," replied Delenn with utter confidence.
Anna thought to herself that Lennier probably loved how much Delenn relied on him, and that it was unfortunate for the both of them. "I'm still going. It's a free country, um, station," she ended somewhat lamely. "I want to hear what they have to say. I may have something to say myself." Her expression turned grim.
"All right," replied Delenn. "We had better go, they may start at any moment."
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The open concourse was filled with shoppers and casual onlookers when Delenn and Anna arrived. Lennier was waiting for them and accompanied them to the center of the crowd. Two of the League ambassadors walked out onto the catwalk that hung over the area and began to whip up the crowd.
After letting them have their say, Delenn broke in, "They will come anyway!" Her voice rang out over the ominous rumble of the assembled mix of humans and aliens.
Anna saw the crowd was on a knife edge. Considering the amount of stress the civilians here had been under, it wasn't surprising that they were willing to listen to the seductive strains of surrender. Doing nothing was so much easier than fighting back, especially when the odds were so stacked against them. They weren't military; they hadn't signed up for this. Neither had she, for that matter.
"No one returns from Z'ha'dum! Ships go there and never return. You are reacting out of grief, and loss. If Sheridan is dead, why not the rest of us..." Anna could almost feel the crack of the words as they whipped by her, lashing out at the woman beside her. Impulsively, she took the Minbari woman's hand, squeezing it in support.
Delenn defied them, retorting with fierce reproof, "And you are reacting out of fear!"
"She must be silenced!" The Drazi pointed at others of his race planted in the crowd. Anna saw Lennier assume a fighting stance, along with some other Minbari who had somehow appeared out of nowhere to encircle Delenn.
Taking a deep breath, Anna called out loudly, "I went to Z'ha'dum! And I returned!" But no one was listening. Anna glanced over at Delenn, checking to see she was safe. Delenn, and Lennier as always at her side, had an identical look of shocked surprise on their faces. But Delenn's expression was softer and held the glimmer of a wild hope. Time slowed as Anna turned, almost fearing what she would see. She did not hear the Ambassador's stumbling apologies as the roar subsided to white noise and silence filled her ears. All she could hear was the stuttering beat of her heart as it started up again. She hadn't even been aware it had stopped. All her eyes could see was the tall figure striding across the catwalk, taking possession of the crowd, the station, and her heart.
It was John. He'd come back from the dead--back from Z'ha'dum, the home of all the nightmares she could never remember.
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Delenn looked blindly towards Lennier, her mouth moved but no words were forthcoming. Anna was standing slightly in front of her, staring open-mouthed as John made his pitch for continuing the fight. Delenn did not hesitate; she started towards the stairs, Anna's hand in hers, pulling the other woman along in her wake. Delenn knew if she didn't do this quickly, she would not be able to do it at all.
Climbing the stairs, she could hear the ring of her shoes on the metal treads, like the tolling of the Temple bells calling her inside for prayers. She recited a calming ritual but it had no effect; it didn't help her catch her breath or make the knowledge of what she had to do hurt less. Reaching the top of the stairs, she heard the crowd roaring approval and knew John had achieved what she could not; the alliance between races that had become her life goal. They were going to fight together, and perhaps there was even a chance that they would win. That victory, however, was like ashes in her mouth. Even as her heart sang the chorus song of re-birth, she tamped it down, closing off both triumph and relief.
John turned towards her, and Delenn couldn't help it, she reached out for him. Anna stood one rung below, her face obscured by shadow. Delenn held out only one hand, then reluctantly let it drop to her side. John started towards her, then caught sight of Anna, whose hand was clenched on the stair railing, skin taut across white knuckles.
"Get away from her!" John roared, and he reached out, pulling Delenn close against his side, sheltering her under one arm. He looked at Anna with loathing and made an abrupt gesture as if trying to ward off something evil.
Anna felt the blood drain from her face, but she stood her ground, waiting for a chance to explain. The crowd was still clapping and cheering, but silence was spreading out from their little tableau like an expanding stain.
Delenn shook free of John's embrace and went to Anna, holding out both hands to her. Pulling Anna forward, Delenn walked the few steps back towards John, who was staring at them both in disbelief. "She is no longer an agent of the Shadows," Delenn said to John, head tilted up to look him directly into his eyes. "Dr. Franklin, with the assistance of Lyta Alexander, has restored your wife to herself." Then she dropped Anna's hand, and stepped back into the darkness that lined the edge of the catwalk away from the room below. It had hurt more than she had expected, and she needed time to examine her conscience and her place in the new order of things.
John looked around blindly, but finally his gaze settled on Anna and he said, "Is it really you?"
Anna nodded, her eyes filled with sudden tears. "They fixed me," she said. "The doctor, and Lyta, and Delenn..."
John shook his head, as if trying to rearrange his thoughts and feelings properly. "But this isn't right," he managed to get out. A lost look crossed his face. "Delenn?" he said, looking about urgently, "Where did you go?"
"I am here," Delenn said, emerging from the shadows exuding a calm she didn't really feel. Her voice broke slightly as she admitted, "I thought I would never see you again."
With one step, John was there, and took her in his arms, overcoming her reluctance. He pressed his face against hers, and whispered in her ear. "I'll never leave you."
"But you must," replied Delenn firmly, although in her weakness she remained locked in his embrace. "You have a wife. She is here, and she loves you, and needs you."
"But I love you," replied John, wishing everyone else would just go away so he could think this through.
Delenn smiled, and fought back her own temptations. "And I love you. But so does Anna." And once again she stepped away from him.
John turned to Anna, his voice like broken glass. "I don't know what to say."
"It's all right," Anna forced out. Then, stifling a sigh, she added, "Actually it's all wrong. But I know how you feel. Well, not really," she concluded with honest bewilderment. "John, I don't know what we're going to do." She reached out and touched his arm. "But you're not the man I left behind when I shipped out on the Icarus. I'm pretty much the same as when I left," she said, "I've lost three years, while you lived through them. You changed--you moved on." Looking over at Delenn, she smiled. "You fell in love with someone else, and I don't blame you for that."
He patted her hand, and said, "We'll think of something." But his eyes never left Delenn.
Anna reached out and pulled Delenn into a quick embrace. "It'll work out. And really, right now? You two have a war to fight, and to win. There'll be time to deal with this later."
Delenn hugged her close, looking over her shoulder at John, making him a promise with her eyes. "Yes we will." But John was staring beyond her. Turning her head, she saw a tall alien, observing them all with an air of calm detachment. Looking back at John, she thought she saw a fleeting shadow of guilt cross his face. "Who is this, John?" she asked.
"His name is Lorien," answered John. "He's here to help."
Anna laughed with only a touch of bitterness. "We could certainly use some." Then cocking her head at John, she asked, "Aren't there some people you need to see?"
John nodded firmly, as if coming to a decision. "You're right. Come on. We've got a lot to talk about, and a lot to do." As they walked down the hall, John kept his arm around Delenn, but Delenn's free hand remained tucked into Anna's. Lorien followed close behind. His expression was blandly curious, but his eyes were slitted in concern as he watched the three of them walk away.
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