Together.
by Nic (stardestiny@bigfoot.com)
September 1996
NOTES: "Together" primarily focuses on two characters and
their relationship, however, everyone does makes an appearance so
if you're holding out to see your favorite person, you won't be
disappointed.
This was originally envisioned as a serious drama/romance, yet
somehow, it changed. [Must be those fingers with a mind of their
own again!] It was written during a very stressed time of my life,
which may explain it a little. So now, I'd classify this as
romance/humor with a little drama.
Special thanks goes to my wonderful sister Janice for reading
this and laughing in all the right places, as well as for her
continued support for all my fan-fic.
DISCLAIMER: The characters and situations contained within belong
to Universal/Amblin Entertainment. No copyright infringement is
intended.
=================================================
TOGETHER.
The sun hung low in the sky as the weary group trudged after
it; always searching for the end of the road but unable to reach
their goal. Shadows danced over the landscape, and long, skeletal
fingers reached out through the sparse trees and rocks.
At the forefront of the group were two people. One blonde
head, and the other so dark, yet they blazed on into the sunset as
if nothing would ever stop them. They walked hand-in-hand, and
with a closeness that was very rare. United, not only by their
quest for a common goal, but by the simple touch of one hand on
another.
Alien birds called wildly in the distance, and other heads
were lifted in delight at the amusing sound. Even after so many
months of travelling, each day brought some unique discovery on the
planet that was their new home.
However, the front walkers did not stop. They appeared to be
in a world of their own, oblivious to the beauty of sunset, the
sounds of the wild, and the half-concealed amusement of everyone
else. Nothing mattered, but the two of them...
"This is all your fault!" Devon Adair fumed at the man walking
beside her. Holding her hand, no less.
"My fault?" asked John Danziger incredulously. They'd had this
conversation a thousand times over, but somehow, neither of them
could let it drop.
"Yes, your fault! You and your misguided sense of machoism!
I was perfectly alright by myself..."
"Well, whose idea was it to go check out those plants in the first
place!" Danziger shot back at her.
"We needed to talk," Devon explained. She absently lifted her
right hand to brush the hair from her face, then winced as she
realised Danziger's hand came with it. Giving an exasperated sigh,
she brushed the offending strands away with her free left hand.
"I just can't believe this," she complained yet again.
Danziger grunted in agreement, looking out to the barren plains.
He heard the familiar sound of the transrover behind them, and
turned to get a better look.
"Hey, watch it!" snapped Devon.
"Cool it, Adair, the engine sounds a little off. Let me go talk to
Alonzo."
Alonzo Solace grinned in amusement as the pair awkwardly
turned and made their way towards him. He could see the intense
frustration on both of their faces, which made the whole situation
even funnier.
"What're you stopping for?" Alonzo called from the driver's
seat.
"He thinks there's something wrong with the engine," explained
Devon.
Shooting her a dirty look, Danziger continued, "I thought I'd take
a look at it."
"Uh, I hate to say this, man, but, HOW?" asked Baines from the
other chair, openly chuckling. Danziger looked down at the joined hands.
"Oh, no you're not, John Danziger! There is NO WAY I am
crawling under that machine!" flared Devon.
"Come on, Devon, it won't take long..." he wheedled.
"No."
He tugged her arm, but she stood her ground firmly. Danziger
began to get really annoyed. Who was she to tell him what he could
and couldn't do?
He strode forward, and she yanked back on his arm.
"This is ridiculous!" shouted Danziger.
"I know it is!" she shot back.
Pulling hard this time, Danziger finally felt Devon move.
"Adair, I need to fix this now!"
"Not with me, you don't!" she returned.
"Yes...I...do!" With that, Danziger gave a tremendous yank, and
knocked Devon off her feet. She stumbled forward into him,
muttering, "...not again..." and they collapsed in a heap upon the
dusty ground.
Tears threatened to well in Devon's eyes. This was *not* how
any one was supposed to function, much less the leader of a group.
Struggling to regain her breath, Devon realised that Danziger's
face was mere inches from hers. She closed her eyes, and sighed.
Would it ever end?
"We really must stop meeting like this!" Danziger joked
feebly. It was the only thing he could think of to say. Curls of
his hair were spread in the dirt, and he smiled impishly up at
Devon. Opening her eyes, Devon saw the mirth in his eyes and began
to smile back. The whole situation was completely ridiculous - two
grown adults squabbling like a couple of children. And rolling in
the dirt, no less.
"Sorry, Devon, I guess it was a bit out of line," Danziger
offered.
She sniggered softly. "Can you imagine us even managing to get
under the vehicle? I mean, we can't even walk properly!"
He began to laugh now, and soon Devon's laughter joined his.
Sprawled on top of John Danziger, lying in the dirt, in the
midst of an unknown continent was something Devon had never
expected, but that's what this journey was. One of new
experiences, and more surprises than she'd ever dreamed possible.
As she laughed, she realised how free she had become since leaving
the stations. The old Ms Devon Adair would never have let her
emotions get the best of her, but here she was now, completely
undignified and laughing.
When their chuckles had finally subsided, Devon and Danziger
clumsily began to get up.
"Baines, can you take a look at the engine?" Danziger finally
conceded.
"Sure," he replied.
"We'll keep going," Devon decided. "It's not far to tonight's
campsite."
Hand in hand, Devon and Danziger resumed their trek forward.
It took a while for them to regain the rhythm, and they shuffled
crazily for few moments. As soon as they were out of earshot, a
gale of laughter exploded from the colonists who had lurked behind
the vehicle.
"I swear, John, they're laughing at us again," commented
Devon, glancing behind and glaring.
"Ah, let 'em laugh," replied Danziger. "They'll get over it
eventually," he added.
Sighing, Devon said, "I hope so."
She wondered again how she had let herself get into this
situation. It had all started five days ago, on that innocent
spring morning when she had accidentally pushed Danziger into the
river...
***
Devon strode down to the banks of the river, feeling the early
morning sunlight warm her face. She sighed happily with the
sensation of being alive. Each new day caused a special
appreciation within her, because she knew how close she had come to
losing it all.
Only a month ago, she had never dreamed this possible. With
her mysterious illness, Devon had believed she was going to die.
"My mind was filled with visions of my own death," she remembered
aloud. She would never forget the stricken expressions of her
friends as they reluctantly placed her in the cold sleep chamber...
But she had underestimated them all, underestimated the
strength of their beliefs and the determination not to leave her
behind. So here she was now, alive, healthy and once again leading
the colonists to New Pacifica. Everything was back to normal.
Or almost normal. Devon's forehead creased into a frown, as
she recalled the one thing that was bothering her. Danziger. They
had a great friendship, and closeness that Devon never suspected
she could have with any man. Not since Uly's father...
"No, don't think of him!" she chided herself. Bad memories
such as that were best forgotten. If the experience had taught her
anything, it was to never let herself get involved with a man
again. Because her heart would only be abused and eventually
broken.
Then why did she feel her heart jump whenever Danziger smiled
at her? When he casually brushed past her, or touched her arm
gently? Devon hadn't really paid attention to these things before
she got sick. But when she had woken, Danziger had been there for
her and promised he would never leave her behind.
Reaching the water's edge, Devon reminded herself of her
decision. No matter what she felt, and no matter what Danziger
felt (and he *had* been paying an awful lot of attention to her
lately) she could not get involved. Especially as the group looked
up to her as a leader. Leaders weren't allowed to have emotions.
They had to be strong for everyone.
Hearing a noise behind her, Devon instinctively turned. It was
*him*.
"Hey, Devon!" called Danziger.
"Hi!" she replied with a half smile. No matter what her heart and
mind said, she was still glad to see him.
Danziger joined her by the water's edge, and they chatted idly
for a few minutes. Then Danziger's tone grew serious. "Devon,
we need to talk."
She recognised the intensity on his face, and again wanted to
avoid the issue.
"Talk? We are talking," she babbled. "You and me, having a
conversation right now..."
"I mean really talk," Danziger interrupted her. "There are
some things I need to say." He took a deep breath. "When I thought
I'd lost you..."
Devon listened as he told her all the things she didn't need
to hear. How he was devastated when she was sick. How he realised
how much she meant to him. And that he knew she felt the same way.
"Devon," he said hoarsely, "I love you." He tilted her chin,
so that she would meet his eyes. But she would not look at him.
"John, we can't do this."
"Why not?"
"For one thing, it's not practical. How would the others react if
they knew that their leaders were involved?"
"That's their problem," Danziger offered simply.
"No, it's not!" Devon protested. "I can't let my personal
feelings jeopardise everything we've worked for. No matter how
much I want..."
Her voice broke off, and Danziger stared deep into her eyes.
Seeing the pain and confusion that whirled there, he did the only
thing possible. He leaned forward and kissed her.
Devon's mind whirled as his lips fell upon hers. She
responded to the kiss, feeling the intense connection between them
even though it shouldn't happen...
And then another memory intruded, of brutal kisses and
terrible pain... Shocked by the fear, Devon violently pulled away.
She wasn't ready to deal with this!
"What's wrong?" Danziger whispered softly into her ear.
"Stay away from me!" she yelled, and blindly pushed. Danziger
lost his balance on the loose gravel, and fell backwards into the
river. He hit the water with an enormous splash.
Devon was horrified by what she had just done. But she
couldn't explain her actions, she barely understood them herself.
Only that it was not safe.
Coughing the water out of his lungs, Danziger glared up at her
from his position in the river. "Okay, I get it. You want nothing
to do with me. Well, fine!"
With as much dignity as he could muster, Danziger stood up and
strode towards the shore.
"It's not that!" protested Devon. "We just can't - not now - the
timing's not right..."
"And it's never going to be right," Danziger said bitterly. "No
one's ever going to be good enough for you, Ms Devon Adair!" With
that, he marched back towards camp as Devon let the tears trickle
down her cheeks.
***
Two days later, Danziger announced that he and Walman were
leaving. They planned to take a scouting vehicle, and make a run
for New Pacifica. Danziger never asked Devon for permission, but
just made a general announcement to the group. And his proposal
had sounded so reasonable that no one had any real reason to oppose
it.
"We've lost so much time already," Danziger had explained.
"And it's going to be difficult for the whole group of us to make
up that time. What I suggest, is that Walman and I act as a
scouting party for the rest of the journey. We can travel non-stop
all day, and nights as well if need be. We'll find the best route
for the Transrover, and once we get to New Pacifica, we can start
setting up. There's a lot of work to be done before the colonist
ship arrives."
So he was leaving, and there was nothing Devon could do about
it. He had stiffly asked her to help look after True, and she had
agreed. True was understandably upset, but Danziger had promised
he'd call her every night on Gear.
"After all, it's only a couple of months." So even True had
reluctantly agreed.
Supplies were organised and packed for their expedition as the
colonists travelled forward into unknown territory. The terrain
was gradually changing, and it seemed Julia had a new plant form to
analyse every day. She had warned everyone to be wary of the
changing vegetation, because each one held potential danger.
It was the morning that Danziger and Walman were scheduled to
leave when Devon decided she couldn't just let Danziger go. Not
without trying to apologise, at least. So she called him over, on
the pretence of studying a new type of shrub.
"Looks like a regular plant to me," muttered Danziger. He had
avoided Devon ever since the incident at the river, and still
refused to meet her eyes. Idly kicking one of the many rocks
strewn across the ground, Danziger wondered what Devon wanted.
"Danziger, we need to talk," she began, but he cut her off
with a mirthless laugh.
"Sorry, Adair, I already tried that one. You threw me in the
river, remember?"
She winced, and Danziger went on.
"So I don't think we have anything left to say."
Devon stared off into the distance, mustering her courage to tell
him what she knew she had to.
"Danziger - John, I'm sorry. It was just an accident."
He grunted in acknowledgment, staring at the ground.
"It's not that I don't like you. I like you, a lot, more than I've
liked anyone in years. I even think," she paused, and took a deep
breath, "that I might love you."
Danziger's head snapped up, and he looked at the woman beside
him with surprise. He'd never expected her to admit her feelings.
"However," she went on, "perhaps it's best that you go away for a
while, so we can sort out our feelings. When we get to New
Pacifica, maybe we can start over..." she offered, somewhat lamely.
It wasn't what her heart wanted to do, but in this case, her head
had to win.
"I just wanted to, you know, clear the air a little. I want
to part as friends."
Danziger's mouth twisted into a parody of a smile.
"I should've guessed as much. Always the diplomat, aren't you."
"Please, John?" she asked, the apprehension in her voice
evident. He looked into her deep blue eyes, and couldn't resist
her. He knew he never could.
"Okay, friends. No strings attached."
Devon smiled gratefully. "Thank you," she said sincerely.
"I'll miss you the next few months."
"Me too."
Devon smiled again, and injected an air of normalcy into her
voice. "Well, we really should take a look at this plant." Still
focussed on Danziger, she stepped forward and failed to notice the
rock beneath her foot. A look of disbelief crossed her face as she
tripped.
Hands flailing, she managed to grab at the plant in hope of
softening her fall. The leaf snapped off in her right hand, and
sap trickled into her palm. Landing hard, Devon stared at her hand
with a surprised look on her face. There was an odd tingling...
Danziger rushed over, and made to help her up.
"Wait - no..." Devon began as Danziger's left arm reached out to
grab her sticky hand. His fingers closed around her palm as she
instinctively copied his movement, and he pulled her to her feet
before she could finish the sentence.
"Yuck, Adair, what's on your hand?" asked Danziger when they
were both standing up, away from the plant.
"I tried to tell you, something from that - hey, I'm stuck!"
Devon tugged on her hand, but she could not free it. In fact, she
couldn't even unwind her fingers.
"Okay, Danziger, very funny. Now let go!"
"I can't," he replied, a look of surprise on his face. "My hand's
just as stuck as yours!"
"Must be something from the plant," Devon said. "Okay, on the
count of three, pull. One, two, three!"
Gripping her right elbow with her left hand, Devon pulled as hard
as she could. Danziger was doing the same thing.
"I," puff, "can't - break - free!" With that, Danziger gave a
tremendous yank and Devon lost her balance. They collapsed in a
heap.
Devon groaned as she realised she was sprawled across
Danziger's chest. Sweat trickled down her face from the exertion,
and she groaned aloud.
"I can't believe this is happening..."
***
"I've never seen anything like it!" exclaimed Julia, running
her diaglove across the joined hands. "This substance has somehow
melded your skin together."
"What?!" chorused two incredulous voices.
"I can't tell where one hand ends and the other begins," continued
Julia, the fascination in her voice evident. "Where did this
'glue' come from?"
Devon explained the plant, glossing over the details of her
fall. "So can you get us apart?" she finally asked.
"Not without destroying the tissue of your hands," declared
Julia. "I could use a laser to separate you, but that would be
incredibly painful. Although I don't have the equipment to
generate quality replacement tissue, so that wouldn't work. In any
case, you'd be scarred for life," she added, almost as an
afterthought.
"You mean we're stuck like this forever?" Devon asked,
shocked. Julia hid a smile.
"No, not forever, but for a few days at least. The traces of
the substance I can make out ARE degenerating, just at a very slow
rate."
"Well, this is just great," fumed Devon.
"How am I supposed to leave if I'm stuck to her?" asked Danziger,
feeling a little panicky at the thought. He'd been trying to get
away from Devon, and now here he was, literally glued to her. With
no escape.
"Sorry, Danziger, but you're not leaving. Not unless you plan
on taking Devon with you instead," Julia declared, and Danziger was
sure he saw her wink at him. He grimaced in response.
"Julia." Devon spoke very clearly, directly and calmly. "I'm
sure there is a way to get us apart. We'll take you to the plant,
and you can make a further analysis."
"Well, okay," replied Julia dubiously, holding little hope.
"Show me this amazing plant."
***
"Go, Danziger!" cheered Walman and Baines as he walked hand-
in-hand with Devon. She shot them a death stare.
"I'm calling a meeting," she announced. "Go find everyone. You
too, Julia, and you, Danz... Damn," she muttered.
"Sorry, Adair, but I'm kind of indisposed," he said, grinning
at her mistake. She stared up at the tall man beside her, who was
now to be a constant presence for the next few days at least.
"How are we going to survive?" she wondered aloud. "I can't
function with only one hand! And my left hand, too!"
The full implications of their situation had yet to sink in, and
Danziger idly lifted his left hand to scratch his head.
"Sorry," he apologised, remembering where his left hand was.
He sensed he would be doing a lot of apologising in the near
future. Together, Devon and Danziger watched the colonists
straggle towards the centre of camp, curiosity evident on their
faces.
True and Uly raced between the tents, wondering why Yale had
called them back so hastily. Rounding a corner, they abruptly
skidded to a stop.
"True," asked Uly carefully, "why is your dad holding my mom's
hand?"
"I don't know..." They crept closer, wondering at what new
relationship had sprung up while they weren't looking. Devon saw
them, and instantly realised what was going through their minds.
"Danziger, they think we're, you know, together!" she
whispered urgently. Danziger could do nothing but groan as he
watched people arrive. Bess Martin exited her tent, stopped, and
did a double take. A smile blossomed on her beautiful face, and it
was obvious she, too, interpreted a relationship.
"Hey Devon! Is there something you two have been hiding from
us?" Bess said in a mischievous voice. Devon and Danziger exchanged
an exasperated glance.
"No, we have to warn you about something. This," Devon said, and
held up her joined hand.
By now, everyone had arrived for the impromptu meeting.
Devon took a deep breath, and began to speak. "Due to
circumstances beyond our control, Danziger and Walman will not be
leaving today as expected."
Devon didn't want speculation to even begin, so as the
murmuring started she immediately continued, "Danziger and I have,
unfortunately, encountered a new type of plant. One that reacts
rather, um, unfavourably, with human skin."
"You're stuck together?" shrieked True.
They could only nod their heads. Julia proceeded to display the
offending plant now insulated in a clear container.
"Do not go anywhere near one of these plants, especially those that
appear broken," Julia explained. "Otherwise, you'll end up
literally glued to whatever you next touch. Believe me, we have
the evidence!"
There was a general laughter as Devon and Danziger exchanged
hopeless glances. It was going to be a long few days.
***
Eventually, the colonists had finally begun moving again after
the morning of escapades, and now, the sun was setting. Danziger
had lost track of the number of times he and Devon had tripped over
each other as they hiked across the plains. And then there was the
incident with the transrover just half an hour earlier as well.
Danziger sensed he was in for a long night.
"We break camp here," Devon finally announced. Wearily, she
dropped to the ground to sit, and Danziger came with her.
"So how far did we get today?" he asked casually.
"I'm not sure, I'd have to ask Yale," Devon replied. She watched
the vehicles stop, and the now-routine bustle of setting up a
temporary camp began.
"I'll say one good thing about our 'situation', at least we
get a break from all this!" commented Danziger. "Unless you want
to see me lift crates with one arm."
"No, I think we deserve a rest," declared Devon. "You know," she
said idly, "I think I'm getting used to this togetherness."
"Really?" asked Danziger in surprise. "There are lots of
problems we haven't yet encountered..."
"Such as?" inquired Devon. She glanced over at him, and realised
what he was implying. The call of nature. "Uh-oh. What are we
going to do when, you know?"
Danziger shook his head tiredly. Devon buried her face in her
free hand. He was right, this wouldn't be so easy after all.
***
Thunk. Danziger snorted. Devon reached over and retrieved
her pillow, then hurled it at Danziger's head again.
"Hey, what was that for?"
"You're snoring again," she seethed.
Danziger gave an exasperated sigh. "I already told you, I
don't snore!"
"Then why can't I get any sleep?" Devon flared. She had been
lying in the small cot for hours listening to the sounds of him
breathing - and snoring - next to her. Her arm was cold and sore
from being stretched across the gap between the two beds. And now
she had to listen to Danziger pretending he didn't snore, and
ruining any chances she had of a decent rest.
"I don't snore!" he protested again. "True!" he called to his
daughter in the next 'room' of the tent. "You know I don't snore!"
"Dad, I don't care whether you snore or not!" came the sleepy
reply. "I just wish the two of you would be quiet so me and Uly
can get some sleep!"
Danziger threw up his free hand in exasperation, and Devon had
to smile. "Maybe we have been bothering the kids a little too
much," she conceded. Uly and True had patiently listened to all
the arguments regarding sleeping arrangements and not said a word.
But even True had her limits.
"I guess so. But I want you to know, True has NEVER said
anything about me snoring before!"
Devon propped her head up on her elbow to look at him.
"Okay, so maybe I was exaggerating a little. You're just a very
heavy breather, okay?"
Actually, he wasn't, but Devon wasn't going to let him know
that. He only grunted occasionally. The real reason she couldn't
sleep was because he was there, with her, in the same room and
practically in the same bed. She was terrified of him waking and
looking at her, while she lay asleep. Who knew what her face might
betray?
Danziger sat up, and looked at the quiet beauty beside him.
Her face was haloed in moonlight, and when she looked that angelic,
he couldn't stay mad. "I guess this isn't the best situation for
either of us," he offered.
"I know." They sat in contemplative silence for a few
minutes, each watching the other closely. Devon wished that she
could read Danziger's mind, even for a moment, to know what he was
thinking. But his face betrayed no emotion.
Danziger watched Devon awkwardly pulling her covers closer
around her body.
"Cold?" he asked softly.
"No, not really, just my arm..." Devon blushed as she realised
what her words insinuated. She quickly continued. "But it's
alright. We should be grateful the weather's warm."
"Yeah, great weather..." They sat and watched each other for
another few moments. Devon finally felt some sort of peace
overcome her, and she yawned.
"Well, I guess we should get back to sleep," decided Danziger.
"G'night, Dev."
"Goodnight, John."
***
Morning brought more embarrassing situations, the least of
which was trying to tear themselves apart.
"Pull, Uly, pull!" Devon commanded her son, struggling against the
force that still bound her to Danziger. The muscles in her arm
strained and she grabbed on to a pole for support. True was
tugging on Danziger's arm in the opposite direction, and the
exertion on everyone's face was evident.
But the bond could not be broken.
"Guess we're stuck like this for a while longer, hey Adair?"
She smiled ruefully. "Looks like it, partner."
***
"Morgan! What ARE you doing?!" asked Bess in surprise. Her
husband was huddled against the side of Devon and Danziger's tent.
"Shhh!" he warned her. Grabbing her hand, he hustled Bess away to
a safe distance. Then he began laughing.
"Do you mind telling me what exactly is so funny?"
"They are!" chuckled Morgan. "Listening to Danziger and Devon go
on and on as if it were the end of the world!"
"I can't believe you're doing that!" admonished Bess. Then a gleam
lit up in her eyes, and her curiosity got the better of her.
"So what's going on?"
Morgan grinned at Bess. "I know you'd understand. Last I
heard, they were trying to rip each other's arm off..."
Guiltily, Bess crept forward until she could hear the voices.
Morgan was right, this was better than anything she'd seen in VR.
***
"You're on your honour, John Danziger, do NOT turn around!"
ordered Devon Adair as she struggled into her clean set of
clothing.
Staring at the wall, he replied, "Okay, I heard you the first
time! And the second, and the third... Hey, what's that?"
"What?" asked Devon, attempting to set a speed record for getting
changed.
"I just saw a shadow move past outside..."
Two shapes immediately appeared to leap up, and hurry away.
Danziger started towards the door.
"Hey, where do you think you're going!" shouted a panicked
Devon. She grappled with her buttons.
"There's someone outside-"
"Well I'm not going out there right now!" Devon shrieked. "And
neither are you!"
"Okay, okay," Danziger relented. "Probably just the kids,
anyway. You nearly done?"
"You have NO idea how difficult this is with only one hand," Devon
replied.
But he was the only person who would understand.
A few moments later, she was done. "Okay, you can turn around
now," Devon instructed, reaching for her hairbrush. Lifting it to
her head, she began to brush the strands of dark hair. However,
when she moved to the back of her head, the movements became rather
unsuccessful.
Danziger watched her with mild amusement. He knew her pride
prevented her from asking for assistance, even if her hair was
becoming more matted by the second. Well, he'd just wait her out.
Finally, Devon threw the brush down in frustration.
"Want some help, Adair?" he asked. She looked at him,
expecting him to be laughing at her, but his eyes reflected only
kind understanding.
"Yeah, I guess I could use a little." Reaching down to retrieve
the hairbrush, she then passed it to Danziger.
She gritted her teeth as he began to stroke her hair with the
brush, expecting to feel completely inept and humiliated. Instead,
the feeling was calming and soothing. In fact, she liked having
her hair brushed by John Danziger. Way too much.
"Can you move closer?" Danziger murmured. He was reminded of
the times he used to brush True's hair when she was much younger,
yet somehow, this was different. Devon twisted nearer to him, and
his arm was now wrapped around her waist. There was no other
comfortable position, and their arms were already sore from the
extra stress imposed on them.
Danziger lifted the hairbrush again, and resumed the gentle
strokes. Almost unconsciously, he moved closer to her, until she
was resting against him. He was so near he could smell the sweet
fragrance of her hair, and he felt a sudden urge to bury his face
in it.
Devon leaned into him, feeling unnaturally safe and
comfortable. She could trust Danziger. The gentle feel of him
brushing her hair, and then - his fingers following the hairbrush's
path. Stopping, to tenderly twist strands around his fingers. The
hairbrush clattered to the floor, and a shiver ran down Devon's
spine. She felt his breath on the back of her neck, and he gently
kissed her hair.
"Devon," Danziger murmured quietly. She tilted her head so he
was forced to release her hair, and looked at him. A moment of
pure connection was established as their feelings were revealed
through their eyes. Devon felt herself giving in, lost in the
world of her swirling emotion, and she closed her eyes and
anticipated his lips on hers. Her heart was pounding as she moved
closer, closer...
"Dad!" burst in True, and the couple immediately broke apart.
Devon blushed furiously, edging away as quickly as she could and
concentrating on retrieving the hairbrush. She mentally berated
herself for almost losing control, and getting too close. She
would not let it happen again.
True finished delivering her message, and skipped out. She
couldn't wait to tell Bess what she had seen! Meanwhile, Danziger
turned back to Devon. But before he could say a thing, Devon held
up her hand in a warning gesture.
"I'm sorry, Danziger. That shouldn't have happened," she said
in a clipped tone. Deciding to leave her hair loose, she
continued, "Ready for breakfast?" Subject closed.
***
"This is so humiliating," complained Devon. She wasn't used
to eating with her left hand, and, needless to say, it was not
going well. Yet she bravely struggled on, for she wasn't about to
ask Danziger to help her again. They sat stiffly apart, and Devon
wondered idly if her arm would ever be the same. The numbness was
becoming permanent.
Julia joined the couple, and smiled wryly at them. "I see
you're still stuck." They nodded simultaneously. Devon felt a
sudden, irrational urge to add, "Well duh!" but held her tongue.
Julia was the only one who could figure out to get them apart.
"Don't worry, it *will* wear off," assured Julia, noticing the
stricken look on Danziger's face. "I'm conducting an experiment
with cloned tissue, and it seems to be proceeding at the same rate
as the two of you."
"Just let us know when you think you can separate us," said
Devon tiredly. Julia smiled sympathetically.
"Rough night?"
"A long one," Devon replied. "Never mind, it's not important.
We have to get moving again."
And it was another long day for Devon Adair, still glued to
John Danziger as they marched across the plains.
***
Morning again. Devon and Danziger went through the now daily
ritual of trying to get apart. And still, they were stuck.
"Didn't work again, hey John," bantered Devon in a light voice.
The air between them had gradually cleared over the last few days,
and they were now talking like old friends.
"Nah, must be fate. Us being stuck together like this."
"I have to admit, it's not the worst thing that could have
happened," admitted Devon.
"Yeah, I could've got stuck to Morgan!"
They both laughed, and continued packing up their things.
They worked perfectly as a team, and even the closeness no longer
bothered Devon. In fact, she kind of liked having him around all
the time. It made her feel safe and not so alone.
"I think if I were stuck to anyone but you, John, I would have
ripped their head off by now," laughed Devon. At first, she had
internally raged why him of all people? But now she realised that
she wouldn't have coped nearly so well with anyone else.
"What can I say, Adair? We make a great team."
***
Yale strode purposefully across the temporary campsite. He
was more than a little curious about Bess's latest project - she
had been asking him for old-style Earth recipes in recent days ever
since they had discovered an edible fruit similar to grapes.
Bess looked up from the pot she was stirring, and gave a
beautiful smile. "Oh, hi Yale! Just the person I needed to see!"
"Good morning, Bess," he replied. Leaning over the visible fumes,
he inhaled deeply.
"What do you think?" asked Bess, her nose crinkling in an
expression of expectation.
Yale paused to think for a moment. "Quite a -strong- odour. Tell
me, what is it?"
"Hopefully, it's going to turn out as some sort of grape
cider. You know, with a touch of alcohol?" Bess paused her
stirring to study the bubbling liquid, then continued, "It's not
like the synthesised stuff we had back on the stations, it's going
to be the real drink. I think my father had a bottle stashed away
back on Earth, something he'd inherited from his grandfather."
Yale took a closer look at the liquor. "Correct me if I'm
wrong, but I don't think this is the *traditional* way of brewing
such a drink."
"Oh, I know that," assured Bess. "It's just that we have the
grapes now, and I thought it would be nice if we experimented a
little! I've modified the recipes you gave me so that it doesn't
need to ferment for years." Bess leaned forward and whispered
excitedly, "I think it'll be ready by tonight!"
"Well, that's wonderful!" Yale was genuinely pleased for
Bess's achievement, it was just one more sign that this planet was
truly becoming their home.
"Just a word of warning, though. Alcohol can have quite extreme
effects if not taken in moderation."
"Oh, I know. But no one's going get drunk on this!" Bess
casually tossed aside Yale's caution. She was looking forward to
an evening of harmless fun.
***
"Row, row, row your boat..." chorused Baines, Alonzo and
Walman, lurching about in a mockery of a chorus line. Somehow, the
ancient nursery rhyme had survived all the ages and was still
taught to all young children. Besides that fact, it was the only
song the three men could remember the words to.
" 'Lonzo, dance for us!" slurred Bess, feeling proud that her
creation had gone down so well. Almost too well, if she judged by
Julia's disapproving glance, but Bess was having too much fun to
care.
"Okay, men, let's show these lovely ladies," Alonzo fluttered
his eyelashes in the general direction of Bess, Julia, Denner and
Magus, "just what we can do! Follow me," he directed, and paraded
forward. Baines and Walman fell in step behind him, and the three
men continued their chant, kicking out their legs at random times.
On their second circuit around the small fire, Alonzo stumbled over
his own feet, and half fell into Julia's lap.
"Hey, doc, wanna dance?" he leered.
"Get lost, Alonzo," Julia said wearily. She'd analysed Bess's
"cider" and had warned everyone against drinking too much. Pity
no one had listened.
"I'll dance with you!" jumped up Bess. "Conga line!" she
shrieked with laughter, grabbing onto Walman's waist. "We used
to," she began, then stopped to kick out one leg and let out a peal
of laughter. Jogging forward, Bess shook her head, trying to
remember what she wanted to say. "We used to do this back on
Earth!"
Magus grabbed onto Bess's waist and joined the fun. Soon
almost everyone was dancing. Weaving in and out through the
vehicles, Alonzo spotted Morgan sitting mournfully by himself. An
empty mug lay by his feet, signalling that Morgan was as drunk as
the rest of them.
Morgan looked up at the laughing group, and sighed.
"Why me? Why was I cursed to crash on this planet?" He unsteadily
got to his feet. "It's the moons' fault, you know. Curse you!"
Morgan shouted, shaking his fist heavenward. "It's a cosmic
conspiracy!"
"Hey Morgan, whatcha doin'?" called Baines. Morgan heaved a
great sigh. "Why me?" he bayed at the moon again, looking so much
like a lone wolf on a prairie that Bess had a sudden notion that he
was descended from the wolf family. It was a striking thought, one
brought on by her current state of mind, but unfortunately, it was
soon forgotten and the mystery of Morgan's heritage remained for
all time.
"Chill out, man!" said Alonzo, coming to an abrupt halt.
Baines immediately slammed into the back of him, causing an eight
person pile-up.
"Hey, why're we stopping?" someone complained.
"My *good* friend Morgan here hasn't joined the party yet," Alonzo
declared.
Morgan took one look at him, and prepared to bolt. "Oh no you
don't," he said, backing away quickly, "there's no way you're
getting me dancing." He stumbled over a non-existent rock.
"C'mon, Morgie, it's lots of fun," wheedled Bess. Leaving the
line and giving him a dazzling smile, she extended one hand.
Morgan's vision blurred and he felt dizzy. That always seemed to
happen when he realised again how beautiful his wife was. And
suddenly, Morgan didn't see what was so bad about dancing after
all.
"Well, okay. I'm in!" Everyone cheered as he took his place
behind Bess.
"Ready?" called Alonzo.
"Yeah!" came the chorus of replies.
"A ra-cha cha-cha cha, hey!" and the line resumed its
meandering path through the dark shadows beneath the light of two
full moons.
Julia sighed deeply as she heard the cacophony begin again.
Yale came up quietly and sat beside her.
"Never mind, Julia, they'll come to their senses in the morning."
"Yeah, when they've got a horrible hangover," Julia replied darkly.
Pushing her blonde hair back behind her ears, she exclaimed, "Why
won't people learn? Alcohol is a dangerous drug! It's been proved
a thousand times over throughout Earth's history, and it was one of
the good things we left behind when our ancestors immigrated to the
stations."
The older man carefully pondered her question. "I really
don't have an answer for you, Julia. But let them have their fun.
We all need a little light-heartedness now and then."
"I just hope Devon doesn't expect to get too far tomorrow. I don't
think anyone is going to be able to stand up after this!"
"That reminds me," broke in Yale. "Where are Devon and
Danziger? I haven't seen them for quite some time."
"Probably as drunk as the rest," Julia said bitterly, "and off
cavorting across the plains. Or passed out under a rock."
"No," cautioned Yale, "I don't believe Devon would allow
herself to fall under the influence of alcohol. She's got more
sense than that." His eyes scanned the dark landscape and the
flickering firelight danced over his face. Earlier, the fire had
been huge, as Bess was determined to turn the night into a real
party. But now it was dying down and glowing embers provided
the majority of the light.
"Frankly, I don't really care where they are anyway." Julia
stood up. Gesturing to the tents behind her, she declared, "I'm
going to bed. I'll join the only other sensible people in this
group, although I bet True and Uly can't sleep anyway."
Yale smiled wryly. "Good luck trying to sleep. And don't
worry, everything will be alright in the morning."
"Sure," said Julia tiredly, and she left the warm circle of
firelight in search of rest.
The line of dancers swung back into view, and Yale noticed
that their enthusiasm had not dwindled. Even Morgan was dancing
now! A couple of them paused to grab half-filled glasses and swill
down more of the cider, and there seemed to be no end to the
supply. Catching sight of Yale, Bess broke free from her position.
"Yale!" she shouted too loudly.
"I hear you, Bess," he said calmly. "What can I do for you?"
"You can play music, right?" she asked. "I mean, with your arm and
everything?"
"Well, I've never really thought about it. I suppose I could, I do
have an entire music database..."
"Great," broke in Bess. Sparkles danced in her eyes, and she
commanded, "So play us some songs!"
Yale realised that if he couldn't beat them, he may as well join
them, and selected a tune appropriate to the mood. He felt some
small sense of satisfaction that there would be no angry neighbours
to tell him to turn it down, because as far as he knew, they were
alone. For now, anyway.
"Thanks, Yale!" Bess gave him a huge kiss on the cheek, then
skipped back to join the dancers who were already inventing new
steps to match the pulsating beat. "LET'S ROCK!" she hollered.
They did.
***
"Listen."
Danziger did as Devon said, and heard faint strains of real music
drift to his ears. He gave a sigh of relief.
"Sounds like they've finally stopped that *terrible* singing," he
said.
"Hey, Alonzo's not so bad," protested Devon.
"Yeah, but he's drunk."
"So are we."
"Oh yeah, I forgot."
Danziger tilted his head back again to look at the stars. He
and Devon were leaning against a rock, having wandered off earlier
before they completely lost control in front of everyone else.
Now, they were sitting and talking, saying the craziest things to
each other, yet somehow everything seemed just right.
"Morgan was right, you know."
"Excuse me?" asked an incredulous Devon. She hadn't expected to
hear Danziger *ever* say those words.
"About the stars. They're cosmic. Look, you can even see them
swaying..."
"That's your head, moron," chided Devon gently, pushing his
head up from her shoulder where it had gradually settled. She gave
a small hiccup. She cleared her throat, but had a sneaking
suspicion that these hiccups were here to stay.
"Anyway, he wasn't saying that the stars were cosmic. He was
cursing the moon. Or something like that." Devon hiccuped again.
"Got anymore of that drink?" she asked.
"Nah, and anyway, we're not having anymore. Don't wanna
completely lose it."
"Sounds like the others already did," replied Devon, almost
jealously, but realising that they would have to pay the
consequences later.
In actual fact, she and Danziger hadn't drunk that much
anyway. Just enough to feel slightly lightheaded, and willing to
take more chances than usual. Like now. Devon felt a chill in the
air, and snuggled closer to Danziger.
She took a deep breath and joined his heavenward gaze. "I
suppose you're right, they are kind of cosmic," Devon conceded.
"And beautiful. I don't spend enough time looking at them." Time
passed as they sat together, two sets of eyes focused on the raw
beauty of the night with a hazy sense of peace in their hearts.
The tranquillity was broken when Devon involuntarily hiccuped
again, and her body shuddered with the spasm.
"Damn," she swore.
"It's only a little hiccup," remarked Danziger, but she turned to
him with her eyes flaring.
"I personally *hate* hiccups. They -hic- drive me crazy!"
A cold wind blew through the campsite, and the dancing grass
caught Devon's attention. Seeing his opportunity, Danziger leaned
over and soundly kissed Devon on the lips.
As they broke apart, Devon's heart was pounding and her head
felt suddenly clear.
"What was that for?" she asked cautiously.
Danziger gave her a devilish wink. "Got rid of your hiccups, didn't
it?"
She stared at him in surprise, realising that her old fear of
physical contact hadn't surfaced. More than that, the kiss had
felt completely natural, and *right*.
Danziger shifted awkwardly under her intense gaze, and
suddenly jumped up. "Come on, let's go join the others. It's
getting really cold out here."
When they arrived back at the main clearing, the party was
beginning to wind down. People were tiredly dancing in twos and
threes, still smiling but realising that the fun was drawing to an
end. The fire was now nothing more than a pile of glowing embers,
a small beacon in the dark night. It was to this that Devon and
Danziger gravitated.
Yale, who had somehow become the dee-jay, announced,
"Attention, everyone, this is the last dance. Something romantic,
so grab your favourite partner and hold them close."
"How about it, Dev. Wanna dance?" Devon smiled up at him.
It wasn't as if she had much choice in her partner, but she
appreciated his asking anyway.
"Sure. I'd love to."
He put his free arm around her, and soon they were swaying
slowly to the romantic ballad. Devon wrapped her arm around
Danziger's neck, and nestled her head on his chest. She closed her
eyes, letting the waves of music wash over her and feeling safe and
at peace.
Danziger smiled softly into her hair. Beyond the edge of his
vision, he was dimly aware of all the other couples. Bess and
Morgan. Magus and Walman. Denner and Cameron. And Alonzo,
swinging Matazl and Baines around in a mock formal dance...
Blinking at that one, Danziger decided to focus instead on the
woman before him who felt so good in his arms. There'd be hell to
pay tomorrow when she remembered this, but for now, they could be
together and forget the consequences.
" ...love you... " the final hushed words drifted across the
clearing and the song drew to a close. Devon opened her eyes and
smiled sleepily at Danziger.
"Guess we'd better be getting to bed," she sighed. Pulling
away from him, she was struck by the sudden drop in temperature.
Devon shivered and saw many others doing the same as they stumbled
off to their respective tents. Goodnights were called from every
direction as Yale doused the last of the fire with water, then
surreptitiously poured away the remaining cider. One night of this
was enough.
Devon and Danziger entered their tent, with the wind billowing
behind them. Still a little lightheaded, Devon tumbled into her
small bed beside Danziger's. But tonight, the cold, and the
loneliness, was too much to bear. For either of them.
"Devon," began Danziger slowly, "it would be a lot simpler if
you'd just come up here with me." She looked at him through heavy-
lidded eyes. Another gust of wind rocked the tent, and she
conceded the inevitable.
"You're right. It's just too cold to have our arms stuck out
all night again," she rationalised, more to herself than Danziger.
She squeezed into his bed next to him and sighed peacefully.
"I had a really fun time tonight, John." It was the truth.
Somehow, in their near-dazed state, a stronger connection had
formed between them. The final barriers had been forgotten and
broken down.
"Me too, Devon." Curling her to his chest, he gently kissed
her hair and fell asleep listening to the calming, sweet sound of
her breathing.
***
For some unfathomable reason, Devon Adair awoke in the darkest
hours before dawn. She felt safe and secure, realising dimly that
she was sleeping in John Danziger's arms. And it was wonderful.
The air was still bitingly cold, for spring, but it did not
disturb their safe cocoon. Devon smiled languidly, and settled
back to sleep. Idly, she brought her right hand up to scratch her
cheek. Then she stopped.
"This isn't right," she told herself. Her hand - her free
hand - that shouldn't be! Quickly, she found Danziger's left hand
by his side, and rejoined hers to his. That was better. That was
how it was supposed to be.
Drowsiness overtook her once more, and she slipped quietly
back into the world of confused dreams. The wind howled outside,
but it could not touch her. Nothing could, now...
***
"Ugh," groaned Danziger. Despite the fact that he had a very
real Devon in his arms, the morning sunlight streaming through the
open tent flap was more than enough to remind him exactly what he
had drunk the previous night and what he was in for that morning.
He squinted in the light, and carefully moved to get up. Devon was
already awake.
"Morning," she said happily. She looked refreshed and well
rested. Expecting a wave of nausea to hit him any moment, Danziger
sat up. But there was nothing more than a little heaviness in his
head.
"What, no hangover?" he joked, but could see the truth in
Devon's eyes.
"I guess we didn't drink as much as we thought we did," she
explained.
"Guess not. Although I'd like to see how 'Lonz is feeling
this morning!"
Devon laughed. "Yeah, that's for sure." She extracted
herself from Danziger's embrace, and began sitting up. There was
something on the edge of her consciousness that was haunting her...
Suddenly, she remembered.
"I had the oddest dream last night," Devon began. "I was sure
that we weren't stuck together anymore, only we didn't realise it."
"Well, let's give it a test," yawned Danziger, stretching his arms
and Devon's in the process.
They half-heartedly tugged, but once again, their hands would
not separate.
"Looks like we're together for another day."
"I guess so."
Neither of them really minded.
As they exited the tent, Julia looked up expectantly from
where she was sitting with Bess. The 'I-told-you-so' expression on
her face was so apparent that Devon had to suppress a laugh. Bess
was wearing her darkest sunglasses, and had her head buried
completely in her hands. Her tousled hair hung low over her face,
but she still winced with every flash of sunlight from the
vehicles.
As Julia stared at the approaching couple, her emotions
flickered from obvious surprise to disappointment. She nudged the
woman beside her, but Bess only groaned as Julia waved the pair
over.
Devon and Danziger wandered across the campsite and sat down,
now experts at positioning themselves and not wrenching the other
person's arm off.
"You're still stuck," said Julia, stating the obvious. Her voice
was flat with defeat.
"Yeah, still together," answered Danziger. "Kind've becoming
permanent, isn't it."
Julia's expression deepened into a frown. "That's what I'm afraid
of."
"What do you mean?" asked Devon nervously.
"I'm talking about the test-tissue I've been analysing. It
separated yesterday morning. I didn't want to say anything, in
case it took a little longer with real skin. But," she sighed
heavily, "if you two aren't apart by now, then it doesn't look
good."
Devon's face registered a worried surprise. Suddenly feeling
not very hungry (although she couldn't quite figure out why) she
stood up abruptly.
"Do you mind running a scan on our hands?" she asked Julia. The
doctor immediately agreed, and the threesome made their way to the
med-tent. Bess barely noticed.
"This is unbelievable," muttered Julia to herself. She
checked the readings again, but they told her the same thing.
"Would you two mind trying to pull your hands apart again?"
They tugged.
"See, no change," said Devon. Julia grabbed their wrists, and
pulled for herself. No, she couldn't break the bond either.
"Julia, what's wrong?" asked Devon, her curiosity not able to wait
any longer.
Julia took a deep breath, and carefully told them of her
findings. "According to the medical scans, you, Devon, and you,
John, are no longer physically joined."
"What?" asked the voices in unison.
"You're not stuck! There's no trace of the biological glue
anywhere and your skin is completely separated."
"There must be something wrong with your equipment, 'cause sure as
hell, we're still stuck together!" Danziger declared.
"No, you're not," restated Julia. Devon looked at Danziger.
Danziger looked at Devon. They both looked at their hands.
Ever so hesitantly, they pulled again. Yet Devon sensed that there
was nothing that could make her hand free. She had been connected
too long.
An idea began to form in Julia's head. "I'm no psychologist,"
she offered, "but maybe you're stuck together for a different
reason."
"What do you mean?" asked Devon, but in her heart, she was afraid
she knew the answer.
"Maybe you just don't want to let go," suggested Julia. She
saw the denial appear on Devon's face, and hastily proceeded with
her explanation. "Look, Devon, it's plainly obvious that you and
Danziger like each other. And he was about to go away for a few
months. So maybe..."
Devon turned to face the man who was now a part of her, in
more than the physical sense, and Julia quietly slipped out the
door.
"I don't know what to think," Devon said softly. "I can't let
go." She nervously flicked her hair over one shoulder and met
Danziger's eyes. "I don't want to," she finally admitted.
Danziger turned their hands over and over, marvelling at the
porcelain-like hand in his. It seemed to personify the greatest
facets of Devon Adair - strong and independent, yet beautiful and
even a little fragile. And by some inexplicable force, it had
become a part of him as well.
"I can't let you go, either," Danziger whispered. They stood
silently, staring at their joined hands as the power of his words
echoed through their minds.
Finally, Devon lifted her head to meet Danziger's eyes. Blue
upon blue locked with each other, and Devon could ultimately accept
the love and trust she saw.
"I'm not going," Danziger finally promised. "I won't leave
you alone. I'll never leave you." His voice was low and hoarse as
he pledged his soul to the woman before him.
Time stopped for a moment. They faced each other, their hands
forming a bridge between two vastly different worlds that could now
be united.
Ever so slowly, Devon loosened her grip. She felt the
strength of the physical bond breaking, but a new bond was
beginning to form. Her palm lifted slightly, moving by itself
until finally, their fingers trailed past each other and they were
apart.
Devon stared at her hand with a new kind of wonder. It was
hers again, and hers alone, but this one hand had taught her far
more than she ever dreamed possible.
"We're free," Danziger stated gruffly.
"I know," Devon replied. She looked at her hand again, not knowing
what to do with it now that it was hers. Nervously, she hung her
arm by her side. The gap between herself and Danziger seemed
enormous... until he took a confident step forward.
Danziger folded Devon into his arms, and kissed her. No time
for hesitation, no more questions, just the truth. As Devon
relaxed into the kiss, her mind soared as she felt a new kind of
freedom and love. Freedom from her past, and from the ghosts that
threatened to haunt her forever. And free to trust someone with
her heart again.
Danziger tenderly caressed Devon's cheek. "I love you, Devon
Adair," he said sincerely. Smiling back at him, she replied, "I
love you too." And she did.
***
Hand-in-hand, Devon and Danziger walked outside into the
brilliant morning sunlight. This time, they were joined by choice
and the power of two hearts united.
"Julia!" Devon called. From the other side of the clearing,
the doctor paused mid-stride. "We're free!" To demonstrate, Devon
and Danziger let go for a moment and triumphantly lifted their
hands in the air.
Jogging over to join them, Julia smiled when she saw the pair
rejoin hands. "So... you got it figured out?"
"Yes, thank-you. You were right," Devon admitted. "John and I,
well, we belong together," she said, blushing a little.
Julia smiled happily and gave her friend a hug. "That's
wonderful."
Danziger casually put his arm around Devon's shoulders and
pulled her back close to him. She didn't mind at all.
"Speaking of people who belong together, where's Alonzo this
morning?" Danziger looked around the empty campsite. Only Yale
was visible and it was almost mid-morning.
Julia frowned. "I haven't seen him since last night," she
revealed. "He was so drunk he probably can't face the daylight
this morning. Just like everyone else!" She laughed nervously, a
little upset that Alonzo was avoiding her even though she was no
longer mad.
"I'm sure he'll surface soon," offered Devon.
"What was in that drink, anyway?" asked Danziger.
Julia groaned. "Don't ask," she said. "But enough to give
everyone who drank a lot quite a decent hangover."
Devon smiled lovingly at Danziger. "Even a hangover wouldn't
stop the incredible feeling I've got today," she whispered. As
Danziger kissed her again, Julia's attention was distracted by
something at the perimeter.
A shape, awkwardly shuffling towards her. Not one person, but
two... "Alonzo?" she called uncertainly.
"Julia!" he gasped from his constricted position. "You have *got*
to help us!"
As the shape moved closer, Julia realised that the other
person was Baines.
"What's going on..." she began, but the sound of Alonzo's endless
swearing cut her off. Julia almost gasped aloud - she'd never
heard him using that kind of language before...
"It was dark, couldn't see where we were going, shouldda never
touched that stupid drink," muttered Baines. "I hate that damn
plant!" he roared.
Finally, Julia, Devon and Danziger realised what had happened.
A very drunk Alonzo and Baines had collapsed near one of the
superglue plants, and now Alonzo's forearm was welded to Baines's
leg...
Devon and Danziger took one look at each other, and burst out
laughing. The sound echoed across the plains for hours, and all
the while, they were *together*.
END.
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