Part 3: Enter Stage Heart


	She woke the next morning with a smile on her face, having been 
contented by dreams that had filled her sleep the night before.  She had been 
almost reluctant to allow herself to finally wake up, but she knew that he 
would be there when she opened her eyes.  "And she lives," she heard Marcus 
laugh from the doorway.  He was already up, and dressed for the day. 

	She lazily turned over and looked at the chronometer that was on the 
dark night stand.  "Great," she exclaimed jumping out of the bed.  "I haven’t 
slept in this long since, since, I don’t know when.  Usually I’m up by five 
thirty, my shift starts at six." 

	She proceeded into the other room, stopping only for a second to 
smile at him as she passed by.   he was speaking to himself again.  Following her in he 
set his hand against her relatively bare back as she rifled through her 
suitcase. 

	Turning Susan then found both his arms wrapped around her, gently 
holding her back.  "Marcus?" she asked, drawing in a deep breath. 

	"Shhhhh," he gently quieted her removing one hand from her back, and 
placing it upon her lips to silence her.  He brought her in closer, embracing 
her both tightly, and lightly.  She leaned her cheek down, against his 
shoulder, and took equal comfort from the long moments they stood there. 

	She pulled her head up, and pushed away just enough to place her lips 
tentatively upon his.  Her lips parted gently into a smile, and her tongue 
slipped out between her lips, then tentatively she brazed his lip with it.  
She could feel him shudder beneath her hands, and then she gently parted his 
lips with her tongue.  They began their tender exploration of each other’s 
mouths slowly at first, as if learning to predict each other’s every motion. 
Then it turned into something filled with a frenzy of passion as they learned 
of what reactions they could come by with each of their own motions. 

	The door chimed, forcing them to break their heated kiss.  
Reluctantly they did so, and still holding onto each other they called open 
the door.  They looked at each other for a moment, their lips were red, 
swollen from the kiss, and their cheeks were flushed from the heat of the 
moment, but they didn’t seem to care anymore. 

	Rick Juno walked in, and looked at the two in shock. "I was told it 
would be hard as hell to keep the two of you from killing each other, now I 
find out that it’s just going to be hard as hell keeping you from kissing 
each other," he laughed.  "You know I wouldn’t have thought the way you acted 
yesterday." 

	"Well, had you been here last night you would have thought otherwise," 
she told him, placing a hand around Marcus’ neck.  Rick looked at them 
curiously, and raised his eyebrows accusingly.  "Not that, let’s just say we 
finally admitted some things which we should have an awful long time ago." 

	Marcus drew her a little closer into his embrace, and then after 
holding her there a second let her go back into her suitcase.  "Will we be 
joining you lunch still?" 

	"I don’t think they’ll let you not join us.  You really warmed up to 
the crew," he answered.  They all knew that at least half of the members of 
the Resistance, and only a few others were spread here and there.  "I’ll get 
going then my friends.  You obviously need time to get yourselves ready," 
with that the short man left the room, leaving the two lovers in their own 
little world. 

	"I have to go change," she told him, heading towards the washroom.  
As she left, he walked back into the bedroom.  He fell onto the large bed 
silently, content, and excited.   he started to tell himself.  Then as 
if out of nowhere, a conflicting thought came into play.   

	She soon emerged from the small room wearing a cream colored shirt 
that fell loosely in front of a dark pair of chocolate slacks.  Sitting down 
beside him, she gently placed her hand upon his.  It was a simple gesture, 
one which in itself, in different context could have meant anything.  Now 
though, at this time, here, paired with the gentle look they shared, it spoke 
of their long running feelings, and new found relationship. 

	He gently reached out and brushed a stray hair from her cheek, and 
into place behind her ear.  He gently shook the sleeping form beside him, and 
whispered into her ear, "Susan, it’s time to wake up.  We arrive at Proxima 
in less than an hour and a half." 

	The figure stirred, and turned over to look up a him.  She lazily 
opened her eyes, squinting at the bright light in the room, then her glance 
focused in on her companion.  "Fine, I’ll get up.  How long did you say we 
had?" she quizzically asked. 

	"Less than an hour and a half," he returned placing his hand on her 
cheek, and smiling down at the woman who rested in those soft satin blankets. 

	"God, this trip passed quickly," she reflected, remembering all that 
had happened to them.  He had removed the surveillance device that first 
night while she had slept, and turned it into the Ship’s Captain.  The three 
days had passed unusually fast, a fact which probably had something to with 
the leisurely nature of this section.  They had had to do some finalizing of 
their plan, but that had maybe taken two hours, the rest of the time they had 
spent doing other things. 

	"{Er kahn ni sotto mi fanick,}" he told her in Minbari.  She had 
learned quite a bit already, and though she couldn’t  understand what he said,
 he knew that she would soon find out. 

	"{Lapp ki nu sante?}" she asked in return.  It was the first full 
sentence she had learned.  It was simple, useful, and meant, ‘What does that 
mean?’ 

	"It means prepare yourself, for it is time to leave," he chided, 
shaking his head at the commander, who was now sitting up amongst the gray 
blue bedding.  The look she gave him was best described, as indescribable, 
filled with gentle annoyance, and heartfelt merriment.  It was a look he had 
seen in her face many the time, and he knew it meant that enough was enough, 
and that he better get out while he had the chance.  "Right then I’ll be 
going now, I assume you need some time to change." 

	"Yes," she stated slipping herself out from under the covers.  She 
was once again wearing her black nightgown, and couldn’t help thinking,  she laughed to herself, she had known what 
this nightgown could do when she had chosen to take it along.  It didn’t take 
her long to change into her violet dress which she had worn to dinner that 
first night. 

	They were ready to go within a half hour of docking, and he placed 
their bags by the door to their quarters.  She was sitting on the couch, and 
had her head turned to the stars outside the window.  "What are you thinking 
about?" he asked returning to where she sat, and placed a hand tenderly upon 
her arm. 

	Turning her head to look at him she smiled and answered, "Oh nothing 
much.  I guess I’m just thinking about the mission.  God Marcus, I’m scared.  
We already know that Clark’s onto us.  Earth still has control of Mars, there
 is so much that can go wrong." 

	Her eyes were starting to fill with unshed tears, and he felt her 
pain hit his heart.   he told himself sitting down next to her.  He 
wrapped her in a gentle embrace, and she softly cried a storm upon his 
shoulder.  "Susan, we are going to be fine.  I won’t let anything happen to 
you, I promise.  Besides, we aren’t gathering information about Clark, our 
mission has to do with the Shadow War, we are trying to find out what the 
people know about it.  We are finding out what they know about us.  Don’t 
worry." 

	The door chimed, disturbing their moment and tearing them away from 
each other.  Wiping a tear from her cheek, and gathering her composure 
Ivanova called out, "Open." 

	A bellhop looked at them, he was young, innocent, and his uniform was 
wrinkled.  "Can I take your bags?" he asked them. 

	"We’ll take care of them, thank you anyway," Cole told him smiling 
politely.  The young man left, leaving the two of them together once more. 
 "Susan, we should go, we only have another fifteen minutes before docking," 
he suggested taking her hand. 
	
	The other transport took but three hours to complete.  The trip 
between Proxima and Mars was relatively uneventful.  They were required to 
remain their seats the entire time, except for the hour and a half in which 
lunch was being served in the main dining hall.  The ship was a standard 
transport, much like the one they had been on before, only this time due to 
the length of the flight, they were not permitted the same luxuries. 

	"Now arriving at Mars.  Prepare to disembark," came a booming voice 
over the com system. 






	They lined up with the rest of the passengers, and leaned together 
to reassure themselves that they were still together amidst the chaos.  The 
ship rocked gently as they landed on the red planet.  They watched as the 
door opened a meters few meters in front of them, revealing the large customs 
area of the colony.  They slowly disembarked, making their way through the 
rushed line, and entered the beautiful dome. 

	"Love," Marcus started, "So do you like it?"  His question was soon 
answered with her smile, and a gentle squeeze of his arm.  She had latched 
onto it during the commotion, and had held on tightly to it, so as not to be 
separated from him.  He placed a hand on hers, and returned her generous grin.  
It had been the first time he had called her that, and he had been afraid at 
first of what her reaction might be, but she seemed not to mind, and he 
continued, "We are finally here.  So Mrs. Prue, what do we do first." 

	She leaned closer into him, and brushed her nose softly against his 
ear as she whispered, "I believe we settle in.  Then, who knows, maybe a walk 
in the garden, we have a day or two before we have to get to work.  We can’t 
arise suspicions."  She gave him a coy grin, and gently kissed him right 
there, as they waited in the customs line up.  He responded immediately to 
her touch by wrapping his arms around her, setting down his suitcase, and 
pulling her more intimately towards him.  She melted at this further touch, 
and the kiss deepened. 

	"Ma’am, Sir, can I see your identicards?" a customs officer not that 
much older than Garibaldi asked them, after clearing his throat, causing them 
to separate.  They handed him their fake cards, and he commented, "Oh 
newlyweds, no wonder.  Have fun, enjoy your stay." 


End part 3



 Part 4: Climbing Walls



	They looked around, a massive expanse of flowers, and bushes.  Grass 
covering the ground, an endless green plain, broken only by the gray, gravel 
paths which winded their way through the gardens.  A massive painting in one 
end looked out at them, a giant harbor, splashing waves, truly beautiful. 

	"Welcome, to the Hearts Gardens," she turned around to face him. 

	He had been trailing her all the way to the beautiful sanctuary, 
watching her every motion, expressions on her face.  She had expressed a side 
of her he had never seen before.  She was truly enjoying herself, being 
whisked away from her usual stern demeanor, and revealing a much more relaxed 
commander.  "Yes, there beautiful." 

	Reaching out she took his hand, and they began to wander about the 
paths aimlessly.  "You know, I think that I am going to enjoy this trip." 

	"Well you better, from what I understand you have been running non 
stop for over seven months, you deserve a bit of a break," he told her 
nonchalantly. 

	 "We do have a mission here you know," her voice was suddenly stern, 
her face had it’s usual stone look, and she gave him a cold look. 

	"Ah yes, but that can wait.  The garden beckons," they continued to 
amble their way through the paths. 

	Soon though, they sat down on an empty bench, both leaning against 
the other.  He slowly placed his arm about her back, and turning she nuzzled 
her face into his neck.  Gently, hesitantly they kissed.  A soft tender, 
feather light touch at first, gaining intensity as it continued, until it 
became a heated fire.  Then as they broke off, the wandering began once more. 

	They walked through the paths of a rich enchanting garden, through a 
storm of brilliant colors.  Turning towards him, they both smiled, and then 
they moved closer.  A flash of light from in behind him caught her eye, 
causing her to turn her head sharply at it.  Then, it was gone. 

	"What is it," he asked worriedly, placing his hands on her shoulders.  
She fell against him and looked down, at the freshly cut grass.  "Susan, say 
something, what is it?" he was growing even more concerned with each passing 
moment. 

	"Oh, nothing.  I don’t really think it matters.  The light caught on 
something or another, nothing unusual.  Now where were we?" she answered 
with a sly smile as she placed her arms around his neck. 

	He laughed lightly and as their faces moved closer together he 
answered lightly, "I haven’t the slightest idea my dear."  Just as their lips 
touched, the light shone again, once again stopping them. 

	"There it was again.  I think," she began.  She pulled herself from 
him, and began approaching the spot where she had seen it.  "Damn it!" she 
hissed.  Turning she ran as far away from the spot as she could, and he just
watched her.  Passing him, she took his shoulders, and pulled him to the 
ground behind a large rock. 

	They could the thundering roar of the explosion, and could feel the 
giant winds pulling them from their hiding place, and the fiery heat burning 
at their skin and clothing.  Soon the tempest died down, leaving them lying, 
against each other, burnt, and in pain.  She lifted her head slightly, 
leaning cautiously over the burnt figure beside her.  "Marcus!" she cried, 
shaking him gently when he didn’t answer to her calls. 

	She took one of his blood soaked hands, and held it to her face, "God, 
just wake up already!  I need you, don’t die on me now.  We only just started 
to love each other, you can’t leave me here, I’d die."  She was crying over 
the limp body of her beloved. 


End part 4


 
Part 5:Epilogue


	She opened her eyes, to take in al that was around.  She had passed 
out shortly after the bomb had gone off, shortly after she had seen him lying 
there.  Now, she was surrounded by bright lights, and unhappy nurses.  She 
was lying on a medical bed, linked to nearly every type of equipment they had 
in that Medlab.    she silently screamed.    Then she looked over, across the aisle to the man laying about a meter and a half from her.   she wished he would reply to her, but knew he couldn’t. 

	His gray-blue eyes opened slowly, and his head turned.  "You’re 
looking at me.  Why?" he hazily queried. 

	"I thought you were still unconscious," she began shaking her head, 
her forehead quickly covered in lines of worry. 

	"No, I woke up a little over a day ago, though they wouldn’t let me 
leave this place," he told her, smiling at the sight of the woman he felt so 
much for. 

	"A little *over a day ago* ! Marcus, how long have we been here?" 
she exclaimed, her mind a mess of confusion. 

	He stood up, out of the confining bed he had been placed in.  He was 
attached to no gadgets, except for one intravenous, and he stepped beside 
where she lay.  "Five days.  It seems the blast got us pretty good," he began 
taking her hands in his, "We are going to be fine.  It took some time to 
convince the doctors we were who our identicards said we were, but after a 
while they just gave in.  Susan, I love you." 

	His last words were soft as a whisper, but they rang through her 
heart like a loud siren’s scream.  "I love you too.  Marcus when I thought 
you were dead, I… I… I was torn, a wreck.  Never do that to me again, you 
here.  I don’t want to lose you, we have a war to fight here, remember.  
Besides *I* need you, if not in my life, for the ride home.  We are in this 
together." Her eyes were glazed over with tears as she continued, "Promise me 
something.  When we get back to the station we have to go out sometime.  No 
work, no war, just for a few hours, just to be together.  Can you promise me 
that?" 

	His hands tightened around hers as he reassuringly squeezed them 
nodding.  "Of course I can.  Besides no one can turn down a date with the 
most beautiful woman in the entire galaxy." 

	She laughed lightly, and chided, "Now don’t you go that far.  
Though," her voice trailed off. 

	"Then it’s decided, we leave back in two days, and when we get back, 
we get to go out sometime.  Sound about right?" he asked smiling with a wide 
grin.   

	He leaned forward and kissed her lightly, then she wrapped her arms 
about his neck and deepened the kiss.  Sitting up, he sat down and they held 
there for a long while.  "Well Mr. Prue, looks like our honeymoon wasn’t that 
bad after all," she laughed. 

 "{Nuh san, Felani.  En Eleez meh dran.}" he whispered into her ear as he 
tried do untangle his hands from her long dark hair. 

	"My words are inadequate to the burden of my heart," she recited from 
memory. 

	"It should have donned on you by now that some of those words just 
don’t fit in," he smiled, rubbing his cheek against the hair behind her ear. 

	"What does it mean then?" she asked.   she was yelling at the top of her lungs in her mind.  
 

	"You are the most beautiful woman I ever met," he pulled away and 
looked into her blueberry eyes.  Then she smiled,  

	Leaning forward she kissed him passionately, and all their fears, 
all their defenses shattered.  They were right were they needed to be, in 
each other’s arms. 


End Part 5

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