From: Nick Subject: 'Stranger With This Face' Part Thirteen Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2000 17:29:10 +0100 Oops! Posted it to fanfiction.net last week and only just remembered to post to you guys, sorry! This is the second to last part and I'm starting the final part as we speak. Don't worry (soothing voice, gentle patting head motions) it'll soon all be over! Anyone who's not familiar, this is the sequel to a Lennier-based story called 'Redemption'. I would strongly suggest you read that- and the last twelve parts to this story before even attempting to read this one. If you can't find them at the anxst.com archive, then go into fanfiction.net. All comments/ nagging welcome. You know the spoiler drill. STRANGER WITH THIS FACE: PART THIRTEEN This place needed cleaning. From his place, propped up against the bed, Lennier could see dust balls floating delicately across the floor of Marianne's flat. The first waves of breathless and exhausting pain had left him now with little more than a dull ache to serve as reminder. * Still too weak to consider shifting his position, Lennier simply stared up though heavy eyes to where Marianne sat atop the low cabinet she was using to barricade the door. With her hands tucked under her thighs and her feet swinging to and fro a foot or so from the floor, she looked as childlike as Deborah had. The hard frown of determination that fixed her features was, however, solely Marianne's. * "What do you hope to accomplish, Marianne?" His voice didn't sound like his own and he coughed in an attempt at bringing forth a more recognisable sound. * "What do you mean?" Looking up suddenly, as if having forgotten he was there, she stared intently at his face, "Are you comfortable like that?" In a moment she was on her feet, fetching a pillow to place carefully behind his head; pouring water into a glass for him to sip and pressing her palm against his forehead. * "I am... comfortable. You did not answer my question." * "*You* didn't answer *mine*" A small, teasing smile appeared then vanished just as quickly. Marianne turned and retreated to her station at the door. "I told you. I want to stay." * "Marianne, if you stay, you will never be able to return to your home... You may die here..." He spoke quietly, patiently, as if, she thought, to a child. * "You think I don't *know* that!" She was pacing again, her hands held in tight fists at her sides. "Look Lennier... There doesn't seem much point in arguing about this- You *obviously* can't understand my point of view," * "And you *won't* see *mine*." If she didn't know better, Marianne would have sworn that *sounded* like a retort- anger even... Before she could wonder any further, the sound of footsteps on the steps outside, interrupted, * "Marianne, open the damn door!" Stephen's voice sounded weary. * "Not a chance," was the only reply Marianne could think of. She was stopped pulling another piece of furniture across the room by another voice, that of Lillian Hobbs, "Marianne, it's okay. We're not going to force you into anything you don't want- I promise." For some reason she couldn't fathom, Marianne found herself dismantling her barricade and opening the door. ^^^^ Deadlock. For a change. Palms pressed flat against what served as a windowsill in Lumati buildings, Dr Franklin scowled at the dreary and barren view from Marianne's window. Stephen's young protégé had always been stubborn but he'd always found himself admiring her determination, seeing perhaps a glimpse of younger version of himself in her steely and grim expression. Right now though... If Lillian Hobbs hadn't made him promise not to, he would have bundled Marianne up and carried her to the evacuation shuttle himself... Perhaps... Had Lennier not been slumped against a pillow on the floor, his breathing shallow and his complexion pale, even for a Minbari. * As it was, the moment the door opened and he'd caught sight of the former Ranger, Stephen had automatically switched from surrogate parent to doctor mode and swooped on the prone male, demanding questions and giving diagnoses before Marianne had a chance to launch into her ill- prepared speech about why she should stay. * If he turned his head to the side a little to take in the scene being played out in the room behind him, Stephen would see Lennier's prone form partly hidden from his sight by Marianne's kneeling figure; Lillian squatting opposite as she filled a syringe to administer it. If he had allowed his hearing to attend, he would just be able to catch the two women's murmured consultation, on even closer listening he would hear Lennier's whispered replies to Lillian's questions. Finally deciding to rejoin the play, Stephen turned to reiterate his suggestion that Marianne undergo a second test to ensure she hadn't also contracted the virus. It was this 'suggestion' that had led to Stephen's being banished to the window in the first place: ^^^^ The door had burst open and Stephen strode into the room. Lennier was obviously putting on something of a brave face but Dr Franklin knew this disease and understood Minbari psychology enough to know that the Ranger was suffering. * "When did this happen?" Trying to keep his voice level while questioning Marianne, Stephen focused on peering into Lennier's eyes, opening the Minbari's lips to glance into his throat, checking his pulse. * "He was like this when I came out of the bathroom about an hour ago. I gave him an analgesic, which seems to be working but I want to get him back to the hospice." * "And?" * "He refuses." Marianne kept a slight distance, allowing Lillian to provide an impromptu shield between herself and the two men that stopped her from having to meet either one's gaze. * "Marianne, I need to get Lennier back to the hospice- get him wired up... I have a few drug combinations we can try- We might be able to stave the evac. teams off if we can convince them we're close to finding a treatment..." * "They've not started evacuating yet?" * "No. They're waiting in their shuttles for the okay from me- they don't want to expose themselves to the virus for any longer than necessary... I need you to come with me too- You've been in close contact with Lennier while he's contagious- if the disease has been mutating at the same rate we've been observing, it's probably more than capable of attacking the human nervous system-" * "No." Stepping into Stephen's line of vision Marianne crossed her arms resolutely. "The moment I leave here you'll try to get me to go back with you." "Marianne you're being ridiculous- we don't have time for this-" Sensing an impasse fast approaching, Lillian decided to step in, herself, "Stephen, I'm sure if you gave your word that Marianne's wishes would be respected-" Stephen looked away. "Oh for pity's sake!" The furiously bubbling tension was only forgotten, momentarily when Lennier decided that breathing was becoming too painful and stopped for a few moments. When the three medics had succeeded in reviving him, Stephen stomped over to his place at the window, allowing the others to crowd around the patient. ^^^^ "Marianne, he's getting worse. He needs more than we can do for him here." Deliberately keeping her voice low so that Stephen wouldn't be able to overhear or interrupt, Lillian stared intently, first at Lennier then at Marianne. * "He needs more than we can do for him, full stop!" A moment's hesitation, "I trust you not to go back on your word- Lennier can't wait for Stephen and I to settle this- the patient comes first." * "Back to the hospice?" * "Yeah..." * "Let's get your toothbrush-" Pulling the younger woman gently to her feet, Lillian manoeuvred her into the bathroom, shutting the door to behind them. "Marianne, when we get back to the hospice and get Lennier stabilised, you and I are going to talk this through. If you can make me understand your reasons for staying, I'll sort things out with Stephen." At Marianne's mute nod, Lillian gave an answering one and led the way back into the other room. ^^^^ Why was the light in here so bright? Lennier stared up at the strip lighting directly over his bed and reflected for a moment that *that* might be the reason... After an uncomfortable but uneventful journey back to the hospice, he had found himself wired up to several monitors and miraculously, some of the pain had lessened. A short distance away, Marianne was reluctantly allowing Lillian to siphon off some of her blood in the name of re-screening before following the older woman to the office for a 'little chat'. Dr Franklin was hovering nearby, trying not to scowl and failing but managing not to interfere. Lennier let his eyes follow Marianne's retreating figure and allowed himself the small luxury of imagining that Marianne might stay, before hurriedly reminding himself that it would be better for *her* if she left- forced or not. His wishes should certainly *not* be listened to- not even by himself. ^^^^ "Marianne, you're not *telling* me anything...! I can see you're scared but they're doing amazing things with memory reorganisation these days-" * "Reorganisation? The previous inhabitant of this body- this *brain* was a *murderer*! *Reorganise that*! Lillian, I'm having flashbacks and they are *terrifying*! This *Deborah* person had a *horrible* life and I can't *share* that with her!" * "Marianne, you've seen what the Lumati have been through. What Palorr suffered, what Lennier is suffering- this is not a *gentle death*! It's slow and it's agonising! And it's *unnecessary*! Marianne, tell me the truth. Tell me what's really going on in that head of yours." * Marianne took a deep breath, "It's too late Lillian, I'm not Marianne anymore, not really. Deborah wants to live- possibly deserves to- I can't cope with these flashbacks- which are only going to get worse. And it doesn't matter how many mind-wipes I undergo, how many different people I become, or even if they decide to keep 'Marianne', Deborah is always going to be there- her epilepsy- *my* epilepsy has made sure of that. I think she can cope with the memories- if she decides to keep me around then maybe she'll teach *me* how to cope. This is her chance to redeem herself-" * "By finding she has the virus and by staying behind- taking *your* place! Please, it's the only way- help us!" ^^^^ Dr Hobbs looked a little shell-shocked, Lennier thought as he watched their progress from the office, back to his side. Marianne looked... triumphant? Apprehensive at the same time... She stood beside him and fiddled with the edge of the blanket that covered him, in a very un- Marianne-like way. Hobbs made her way towards Dr Franklin, head bowed, muttered a few words in his ear. The shell-shocked expression spread from Lillian's face to Stephen's. Confused, Lennier turned his head to search Marianne's face for some clue. * "It's decided," she whispered, "Not by *me* or you or *them*... The virus- it wants me to stay." A cryptic answer but Lennier instantly understood and found his own face mirroring those of the two doctors. Marianne shrugged and suddenly Lennier knew that this wasn't Marianne anymore- not completely. * Franklin had tears in his eyes as he pushed Lillian aside and went to notify the evacuation teams that the two of the them would be joining the rest of the medical team... but that his assistant, Marianne Charlton had contracted the virus and would have to stay... ^^^^ END OF PART 13. I know it's a bit of a rush job but I'm a little fed up of having this story hanging over me- i just wanna get to the end. Take care, Nick xxx