From: "David Hearne" Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 10:00:03 -0400 Subject: xfc: The Bitter Taste of Miracles (1 of 1) Source: xfc TITLE: THE BITTER TASTE OF MIRACLES (1 of 1) AUTHOR: DAVID HEARNE CLASSIFICATION: Post-ep for "Herrenvolk" RATING: PG SPOILERS: Herrenvolk, Paperclip, Closure ARCHIVE: Any of my stories can be archived. Send feedback to ottercrk@sover.net Website is located at http://members.dencity.com/hearne XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX She didn't look at the man who touched her. Her weak eyes were focused on the man standing at her left. She saw him nod to the unseen person. The unseen man left the room. She heard the door close. She never bothered to look in that direction as she kept a watch on the old, gray-faced man next to her bed. She tried to speak. Her throat resisted attempts to make words. "Shhh," the man responded to the noises which managed to leave her lips. "Just rest now. Everything will be all right." She continued to force the words. Eventually, she was able to whisper, "Why did....didn't you let me go?" The man's face tightened in anger for a few moments, then it assumed a casual deadpan expression. "Because it wasn't necessary." "You mean...because I'm not a...threat." "Everybody is a potential threat." "Including Fox?" "Our...your son is a special case. He has the potential to tear down everything. He can also be the key to success." "Is that...why...you play games with him?" "And you don't? There is so much you can tell him." "I don't know anything." "You mean, you don't know everything. But you know enough." She closed her eyes. "So why don't you tell him?" She made no reply. "Well?" "I wouldn't want anyone...to live with what...I know." "That's how I feel sometimes. So why do you resent me?" "Are you saying...I'm not...supposed to resent the man who..." "Before you start accusing me of things, I should tell you that I had nothing to do with Bill's death." "You're a liar." "Not always. In fact, a good liar occasionally tells the truth. But what about a person who says nothing at all? What do you call her?" When her eyelids lifted, a cold expression was revealed. "And what do you call a man who pretends to know everything but doesn't?" The man turned away from her. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "You really don't know where she is, do you? You don't know what happened to her." "I know where I am. And I know where you are." He faced her. "I know what would have happened if I hadn't intervened. Accept it. If you do, maybe you'll learn to accept other things." He walked towards the door. She said, "I'll never love you." He stopped. Without looking back, he said, "What makes you think I want that?" He walked through the door, leaving the miracle behind him. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX