A Breath Between Us

by Seven


Disclaimer:  Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company.  All rights reserved.



Note from Author:  Someone requested more on the glimpses of Dee Dee that Sandoval got... well...



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Dee Dee Sandoval heard the shouts before she saw the crowd, huddled around an alleyway in downtown Washington. She quickened her pace, heeled shoes clacking on the sidewalk.

And stopped.

And stared. Her heart began to flutter like a bird's as she saw a short, dark-haired man. He was not physically imposing, not dressed oddly, but he radiated a strange aura of power and menace combined. But she knew, so well, so very well, that the aura could melt into love, cold dark eyes could gaze at her.

Dee Dee felt a wave of nausea and dizziness hit her as he turned, eyes locking on her. A look of astonishment touched his usually stony features, and he took an automatic step toward her.

Dee Dee took a step back, feeling her knees turn to jelly. He recognizes me! Oh God help me... he recognizes me! A faint squeak escaped her lips, the scream welling up in her throat choked back and swallowed.

She remembered what it had been like... those days and nights, indistinguishable from each other. She had dwelt in a drugged, dream-filled haze of memory and nightmare. She had remembered the good times with Ron, the romps in the park, their first apartment, their wedding, that horrible purple shirt he had worn once.

And... the nightmares. Nightmares filled with huge black beasts that haunted her and chased her through winding corridors that all led to the others, twining and twisting inward and outward forever. They still crept into her mind from time to time, waking her from slumber in cold sweats and gasping fits.

Ron was still staring at her, with that sweetly quizzical look he had when he didn't understand what was happening. For one insane moment, Dee Dee wanted to run to him, to cling to him.... but she couldn't.

Captain Marquette had warned her never to let Sandoval see her, or she would end up back in the institution. And now he had seen her. And she knew that he had recognized her.

For a long moment, Dee Dee watched her husband, keeping a stoic front, but quaking like a frightened child inwardly. A maelstrom of emotion whizzed across Sandoval's face, as he watched Dee Dee stand there. Waiting. Watching.

And then he slowly, deliberately turned away.

Dee Dee stared at him, momentarily disbelieving what she saw. He was letting her go, allowing her to escape. He was pretending that he hadn't seen her, although it was clear he had. She slowly stumbled back, and began to run down the street as if she were being chased by a tiger.

Through her frenzied breathing and the wind whipping by her face, Dee Dee took a quick look behind her. He was looking back over his shoulder at her. All his stoniness had melted away, into a look that Dee Dee could only call wistful.

"I love you, Ron," she breathed between gasps.

And as she rounded the corner, the wind seemed to carry a breath of a message, I love you too...