From: "Aubrey W. Adkins" {xazqrten@cox.net}
Subject: The Laying of Paul
Original Publishing Date: Sun, 17 Aug 1997 19:06:25 -0700

Title: "The Laying of Paul" --- sort of catchy, don't you think?

   This story contains no spoilers. Although it can stand alone, it is a
continuation of  chapter XX of "The Redheaded Telepath".

   Criticism is welcomed. Without, it there can't be any improvement. Address 
criticisms to [xazqrten@cox.net]

   This story and “The Red-Headed Telepath” were written several months before 
the airing of season four episode 419, “Between the Darkness and the Light”, in 
October 1997. 

   All characters/places/persons not belonging to the writer are the sole 
properties of their owners, PTEN, WB, JMS, and will be turned over to the 
owners at the request of their agents.  All other characters/places/persons are 
public domain.

******************************

   The passion was drowning him, the part of his brain that processed the
sensations of pleasure were approaching synaptic burnout. The emotions
and feelings of pleasure were oscillating between Paul and Lyta and
building with each reflection. His mind was beyond his control and
beginning to fail. Lyta had a moment of realization of imminent
disaster and mentally reinforced Paul's mind. She slowly lowered the
power of her desires and helped Paul block out the reflections of their
desires and feelings of pleasure. It took all of her control to
accomplish the task. She had never made love to another telepath, much
less one as powerful as Paul and she had almost lost him in her passion.
Paul was unconscious and unmoving. It would not be good form to kill her
prospective mate. The thought of Stephen listing cause of death as
‘excess pleasure stimulation’ was terribly funny. It took some time for
him to come around. When he did, Lyta returned to slowly taking him all
over again. This time she was very careful. {Are you all right?}

   {Yes. What happened?}

   {I lost control. It’s okay now.}

   Her kissing and fondling had Paul's pulse running like a jackhammer in
nothing flat. All he could think of was, [here we go again.]

   It was sometime in the early morning when Paul awoke needing to go to
the bathroom. He found himself barely able to move. He was weak as a
newborn kitten and he hurt all over. He felt good, and trashed at the
same time. His legs were like wet noodles and his groin hurt like hell.
He wondered if all lovemaking was like this, how did anyone ever survive
long enough to have children. He looked at Lyta. She was sleeping so
deeply he doubted an earthquake could awaken her; he was wrong. As he
finished showering, he heard Lyta get up and come toward
the bathroom. As she entered, she put a hand behind his head and kissed
him. He felt his desires start to return. It hurt.

   Lyta showered and came back into the bedroom. {Are you okay, Paul?}

   {Uh...yeah, I think so.}

   {Good.} She walked over to him and kissed him again. This time it was a
very deep kiss.

   His groin ached painfully, but it didn't keep him from responding. She
was maneuvering him toward the bed again and he didn't have the power to
resist. He felt the pleasure roller coaster start again. He was being
eaten alive and he liked it.

   The alarm beeped incessantly until his eyes opened. Lyta was already up
and gone.

******************************

   Sitting at a table with Susan, Lyta was enjoying her friend's questioning 
looks as they shared a light breakfast.

   "You seem to be in great spirits this morning. What have you been up to?"

   "Nothing, Susan. I just feel good today. Last night, I got one of the best 
night's sleep that I have had in years."

   "Having a man in the house helps, doesn't it?"

   "I’m not sure what you mean by that. Paul has behaved like a perfect
gentleman, [which is more than I can say for me], and yes I like how it feels 
to have him there with me."

   "You wouldn't want to elaborate on how a perfect gentleman behaves,
would you?"

   Lyta looking at her with a confused look on her face said, "No, not
really."

   Susan had finished eating and said goodbye. Delenn approached and took
the seat vacated by Susan.

   "Good morning, ambassador."

   "Good morning, Lyta. You are looking radiant this morning and please, call 
me Delenn."

   "I feel really good this morning."

   "How are you and Paul getting along?"

   "Very well. We have explored our feelings for one another and are in
agreement on most things."

   Silence from Delenn indicated she should continue.

   "We have become very close."

   Delenn just kept looking at her with a bemused expression on her face.

   "What else would there be?"

   "Lyta, I saw Paul leaving your quarters this morning. He looked like 
- how do you humans say it - forty miles of bad road."

   "You seem to already know."

   "I am happy for you, both of you. What I know or don't know will stay with 
me."

   "Delenn, I almost killed him last night. For a while, I lost control and 
our emotions and feelings ran wild. He’s the first telepath I’ve ever loved 
or been with. It was more than I could imagine. I was like a starving wolf 
that just been thrown a filet mignon. In short, I utterly raped him, 
repeatedly."

   "He is all right today, so maybe you didn't damage him too badly. I 
assume you have it under control now."

   "Yes, but I still want him, badly."

   "Lyta, he is yours. No one is going to try to take him away from you. 
At least no one in her right mind."

   "Delenn, I did not believe it was possible to feel this way about anyone 
or anything. My feelings have intensified beyond any I ever had before."

   "It will work out for the best." The ambassador took her leave and 
departed.

   "Good morning, ambassador," said Michael Garibaldi.

   "Good morning, Mr. Garibaldi," replied Delenn.

   "Lyta."

   "Michael," replied Lyta with a surprised look.

   "Mind some company?"

   With a raised eyebrow she said, "Not at all." She began to wonder if 
all the company this morning was coincidental and who would be next.

   Michael sat down and ordered a full breakfast. "How are things in your 
neighborhood these days."

   She stopped herself in the middle of biting her pastry. "What’re you
referencing?"

   "Nothing in particular. I saw Paul and he looked the worse for wear. 
What did you do to him?"

   "Maybe he had trouble sleeping. I’m not responsible for everything 
that happens on the station. How are things going for you?"

   "All right, I suppose. It’s slow developing a clientele."

   Taking Michael's hand in hers, Lyta asked, "Michael, one of your 
friends asked me to scan you. They said you were not acting normally. I 
refused to do the scan."

   Michael looked at her and said nothing. Lyta could feel confusion and
apprehension in the man.

   "Why did you refuse?"

   "Michael, you have been a friend of sorts to me in the past even though 
you don't trust telepaths. I couldn't scan you. It would be a violation of 
you."

   "Would you scan me if I asked?"

   "Michael. I don't want to do this. I don't know what good it would do
anyway."

   "I don't know either, but I have been questioning some of my actions 
lately. Could come around to my place this evening?"

   "I’ll think about it. I don't promise anything."

   "That's all a friend can ask for."

   Lyta finished her pastry and drink, said, "Good day," and left.

******************************

   Doctor Franklin was reading reports from the midnight shift. There had 
been one knifing of a lurker, and two brawlers with broken fingers and 
some broken teeth. It had been a quiet night. In through his door came 
Lyta Alexander, red hair falling on her shoulders and looking absolutely 
radiant.

   "To what do I owe my good fortune?"

   "Stephen, I need a favor and some help."

   "What kind of help and favor?"

   "Michael Garibaldi has asked me to try and help him find out why his 
behavior the last few months has not been, for lack of a better term, normal. 
I know that when he was shot that you did neurological workups on him. I 
also know you did them again after he returned from his disappearance at 
the time of the Shadows threatening the station. What I need, if they 
still exist, are those records."

   "Lyta, I just can't hand over a person's medical files, even if it is 
for a good cause."

   "Steven, I’m going to deep scan Michael at his request and the records 
of his neurological scans can help me to keep from doing any damage."

   "I’m sorry Lyta, I can't let you have them."

   "Can you release them to Michael?"

   "Yes, but he must come and get them."

   "Thank you, Steven."

   Lyta was not happy, but she understood Steven's reluctance to let her 
have Garibaldi's files. It was a question of ethics; that she understood 
well. She would just have to get Michael to go get them.

   When Garibaldi returned to his quarters he had a message waiting 
for him. "Retrieve messages."

   "There is one message from Lyta Alexander," said the computer voice.

   "Michael, I will help you as much as I can, but I need some time to make 
preparations. I need for you to pick up copies of your medical files from 
Stephen. I believe that they may contain information that will make my 
efforts more effective. I will contact you tomorrow to get them from you."

   Garibaldi went into the kitchen put on the popcorn and poured himself 
a glass of juice. Returning to the front room he placed a Daffy Duck 
cartoon crystal in the player.

******************************

   Lyta had arranged to meet Garibaldi for lunch. Michael arrived about 
two minutes after Lyta did.

   "Here they are. What do you expect to find in them?"

   "I’m hoping that the records of your brain scans can give me a heads 
up on any physiological or other changes the scanners can test for. I 
don't want to go in cold, if I can avoid it."

   "Have you ever done anything like this before?"

   "Yes and no. I have been working with the frozen telepaths and have 
been able to help them get their faculties back. The situation with you 
should be similar."

   "Should be! Lyta, these are my brains you’re going to be playing with."

   "Michael, do you really think I would consent to this if I didn't think 
it was safe?"

   "No. I don't suppose so. How long will this take?"

   "It will be short sessions in your quarters. It may take several 
sessions. I can't be any surer until we get started and I see what we 
are dealing with."

   They continued their lunch in thoughtful silence. Finally Michael said, 
"I have a business appointment. I will be waiting to hear from you?"

   Lyta nodded agreement.

******************************

   Lyta was sitting on the couch studying the data from the crystals. It 
was difficult, but she would swear she could see subtle differences in the 
data from the different scans that had been done on Michael. She wasn't 
sure exactly what it meant. It was time to call Steven for advice and help.

   "Since you have Garibaldi's records, I assume he is giving his consent 
to this," said Steven.

   "He has, Steven. I need help in trying to determine the significance of 
some parts of these scans. I want to expand some of them and get your best 
interpretation."

   Taking the crystals, Steven put them into readers and selected expansion 
and comparison from the menu choices presented. As the scan results began 
to scroll across the screen, he stopped them, isolated a section and began 
discussing the scans and possible causes for each variation. Lyta was all 
ears.

   The explanations from Steven took most of the day. It was late into the
afternoon when they finally finished; Steven sprung for a late lunch.

   "You know what you are proposing to do to Michael has some risks 
attached."

   "Yes. I have discussed some of them with him. I will tell him about 
the other risks later today. I want to be sure he understands all of it 
before he makes a final decision. Once we start there won't be any turning 
back. The best we can hope for is that he will be the Michael we knew 
before he disappeared."

   "How are you and Paul getting along?"

   "Fine, just fine. He is a really nice guy."

   "Are you and he a serious item, yet?"

   "Steven!"

   "Well, I can't help but hear rumors."

   "We’re getting along very well. Remember, the apartment has two bedrooms."

   "I knew that."

   "You want to know if we are sleeping together. Isn't that a little personal?"

   "Uh...yeah, but you can't blame me for being curious. After all, you 
haven't been exactly bed hopping since you have been on Babylon 5. In fact, 
I have never seen you show an interest in anyone before."

   "Give it a rest. Everyone seems to want to know my business lately. My
business in the past hasn't exactly been nightly news either since I’ve 
been here. For your peace of mind, yes, we are sleeping together. I think 
marriage will be a reality in the near future."

   Smiling, Steven said, "Good, it's about time. After the way you have 
been banged around, you deserve something good to come your way. Paul is 
a fine man. He has something that is in short supply in the male of the 
species lately - integrity."

   "Thanks for the late lunch Steven. I have to see Michael and get this 
thing on the road."

   Steven watched her go and wondered if Paul knew what he was getting. 
These two were a pair to draw to.

******************************

   Later that day in Michael Garibaldi's quarters, Lyta carefully explained 
all the pitfalls that could trash their best efforts. She made certain 
that Michael understood each and every one. After she had completed her 
explanations, she sat back, nursed a glass of juice,and waited for Michael 
to reach a decision.

   "Lyta, let me think about this for a little while?"

   "Call me when you reach a decision Michael."

   Late in the evening Michael called Lyta and left a message. "I want to 
do it. Can we start tomorrow?"

******************************

   It had taken Lyta almost a month to straighten out Garibaldi's mind. 
Psi Corps had been very subtle and really done a job on him. She had even 
been able to find the root cause for his problems with alcohol and dealt 
with them.

   Michael was leaving the station, but it was a new Michael Garibaldi. He 
had contacted Lise on Mars and was determined to make up for one of his 
biggest screw-ups. Lyta had come to see him off.

   Michael approached her, having just passed through customs. "I owe you 
a lot Lyta. I don't know how I could ever repay you."

   "That's what friends are for Michael. The only repayment I want is for 
you to not waste this chance." She could feel it coming and could have 
avoided it, but she didn't move.

   "I have never trusted telepaths, but I trust you. I love you Lyta."

   There were tears in his eyes as he put his arms around her and kissed
her on the cheek. "Be safe." With that he turned and hurried up the gangway 
and into the ship.

   Showing no emotion outwardly, Lyta turned and walked away.

******************************

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