Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“Captain, there’s something that I need to speak to you about,” said Susan Ivanova, at the end of the day’s shift.

“Yeah, go ahead, Commander. What’s up?” responded Sheridan amiably.

Susan hesitated. She looked troubled.

“Susan, what’s wrong? Is it Marcus? Something happen with Will?” queried Sheridan.

Susan sighed.

“No, actually it has to do with Iona,” she told him.

“Susan, she’s eighteen and heaven knows how but she’s even more stubborn than both of us. But I’m pretty sure that she’s going to wait and see that Will and DJ are well settled down first before she tries to do anything rash about finding out what happened to her own universe. We’ve got a while to figure that one out,” said Sheridan.

Susan was seriously considering backing out of telling him the truth. It would just complicate things. Life was reasonably good just now. The children were settling in fairly well. Being so young, Will and DJ had needed constant reassurances but were generally doing okay. They were able to accept most things and get on with life. Iona was turning out to be more difficult to handle in some ways. She was determined to find out what had happened to her own universe. Susan didn’t blame her, knowing that she would feel the same.

“Susan, Susan!” said Sheridan, trying to get her attention. He was now puzzled and more than a little concerned.

“Can you please just tell me what’s going on?” said Sheridan with a hint of exasperation.

Still Susan sat frozen.

“What do you have to tell me about Iona? Is it to do with her telepathy? Is that the problem?” asked Sheridan.

Susan shook her head slightly.

“Then what is it? Susan,” Sheridan’s voice took on a warning tone.

“I lost her,” whispered Susan, staring at her lap.

“Excuse me? What do you mean you lost her? Sheridan to,” he stopped speaking into his com link as Susan held up a hand.

Susan forced herself to look up at him, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

“Susan?” said John, coming to lean against his desk, next to her.

“What are you talking about?” he asked in complete bewilderment.

“I, we. That night on Io,” started Susan, falteringly.

Sheridan’s eyes widened in shock. He stared at her.

“Nothing happened,” he said, sounding like he was reassuring himself.

“We just got drunk, that’s all,” reiterated Sheridan weakly.

Susan shook her head.

“Oh, God! Susan! What? What did happen? Susan!” said Sheridan shaking her by the shoulders.

“I left before you got up,” said Susan quietly.

He looked at her, dazed.

“You were?” he asked, disbelievingly.

“I found out I was pregnant and I was trying figure out what to do. Then one day I started bleeding,” said Susan, still in soft voice.

Sheridan closed his eyes at the pain that washed over him. He never even knew.

“There was so much blood. I knew what had happened. I lost her, it was my fault. I should have told you. But I lost her,” said Susan with a voice full of guilt and pain.

So Iona had once been a possibility in this universe. He didn’t know how he felt right now. He felt angry, hurt and betrayed. Yet the rational part of him said that he understood. A part of him understood why she had never told him. He could not put the blame entirely on her, he should never have gotten that drunk. Well, that was in the past now.

“Thank you for telling me,” he said, when he finally recovered his composure.

Susan stared at him.

Sheridan sighed.

“It wasn’t entirely your fault. I had some hazy memories of that night but when you never said anything, I just assumed,” he stopped.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that alone. It must have been hell,” acknowledged Sheridan.

She still didn’t say anything. She looked down again.

“Susan, you miscarried. It wasn’t your fault. Sometimes it just happens. There was nothing you could have done. It just wasn’t meant to be, I suppose,” said Sheridan.

“Do you want a drink?” asked Sheridan, not knowing what else to say.

After a few minutes, she looked up with a slight smile.

“No, thanks,” she replied.

Sheridan raised an eyebrow.

“Marcus is making dinner tonight for me and Iona and Will,” she explained.

“Ah,” he said understandingly.

“Then I suggest you’d better get going,” said Sheridan.

Susan stood up. Before she left, Sheridan gave her a brief hug. They looked at each other.

“Good night, John,” said Susan.

“Good night, Susan,” replied Sheridan.

The End

Note : This will be the conclusion for this part of the story. I do have plans to continue with a sequel. I would appreciate some thoughts on whether I should go on with it. For all who have read this, thank you very much. Feedback is much valued and thank you to those who have reviewed. It’s been an encouragement. Katiyana