the pearl

What Do You Want, Mr. Garibaldi?

It would be just my luck, thought Garibaldi to himself. Get so close to her and just lose any hope. He sighed and took another sip of water. And to who? Susan. Someone who I didn't even think was in competition.

Garibaldi sighed again. Sometimes it seemed like the whole universe was against him.

While he was sitting there, moping, he saw someone sit next to him in his perpipheral vision. "Hello, Mr. Garibaldi," the voice said softly.

Garibaldi turned to the speaker. There sat Mr. Morden, looking as smug as ever. "Aren't you supposed to be off the station?" he asked him.

Morden smiled a smile that you could use to sharpen knives. "Possibily," he said. "But I have business."

Garibaldi snorted. "Oh really? With who?"

"You."

Garibaldi looked at him. "That's funny. I didn't have that on my schedule...Let me check..."

Morden's smile grew a tad brittle. "Mr. Garibaldi, I'm afraid I have no time for sarcasm."

"Pity. It's about all I have left."

Morden's smile vanished. "Mr. Garibaldi," he said in a serious tone. "What do you want?"

Talia, Garibaldi's mind screamed. God, do I want Talia. I want her to look at me the way she looks at Susan. Outwardly, he shrugged. "I dunno...maybe some anchovies and garlic, eh?"

Morden looked at him with thinly veiled sarcasm. "Come on, Garibaldi, there must be something."

Garibaldi sighed. Like there was anything Morden could do about what he wanted. He turned to the man. "You know what I want? I want Talia to not be with Suan, okay? 'Cause that's all that's on my mind right now."

Morden smiled again. "Excuse me, Mr. Garibaldi, I have another appointment." The younger man left the Zocalo, smiling the entire time.

Garibaldi sighed and reached for his water again. "Oh well," he said to himself. "It was just a wish."

This Babylon 5 story was written by Kate Bolin. If you liked it, there's plenty more at http://www.dymphna.net/fanfic/. And you can feedback her at dymphna@dymphna.net.