by Seven

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

Note from Author:     Someone requested a Julia story, so...
 
 

**********
 
 

*One year ago*

Julia Cook wound her way through the hospital corridors, her dark eyes dull with lack of sleep. The
orderlies and nurses passed by her with no comment. They recognized her.She had been there so
many times since her mother had been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia.

Julia stopped outside her mother's hospital room and pulled out a get-well card. It showed fuzzy
kittens playing with each other. She chuckled a little as she remembered how much her mother loved
kittens. Then she shoved the door open.

The bed was empty, neatly made. Julia stared at it in astonishment.

Doctor Lambert's gravelly voice came behind Julia, making her jump. "Hello, Julia." She turned around
and pointed at the bed, stammering a little. The finger pointing into the room shook. "Where's my
mother?" she asked quaveringly.

Lambert's craggy face took on a look of sympathy that brought dread to Julia's soul. "I'm sorry, Julia.
She passed away earlier today."

"But.. but..." Julia gripped the doorframe. "You said... she was getting better."

"She wasn't getting better fast enough. But a Taelon procedure gave her a chance. Unfortunately, her
body was too weak," Lambert said, shaking his head a little.

Julia's head snapped up. "A Taelon procedure? Was she asked?"

"No, she was unconscious and unable to tell us what she desired."

Julia's stammering was now partially due to rage. She glared at the sniling doctor as if he were Hitler.
"Then you should have asked me! That procedure killed her!"

"Julia-" Lambert put one cold, fishy hand on Julia's shoulder. She shrugged it away, glaring at him, full of
hate. "The Taelons killed my mother!" she screamed.

"Julia, the Taelons have only our best interests at heart," Lambert said with a thin smile.

"THE TAELONS CAN GO TO HELL!" screamed Julia, shoving Lambert backwards. Then she ran, ran, ran.
Away from Lambert, away from the empty room, away from the hospital. When she reached the park,
she stumbled to a tree and began to sob.

"Excuse me?" a soft voice asked. Julia turned around and stared blearily at a dark young man who had
been sitting on the other side of the tree. "Are you okay?"

Julia gulped. "No," she whispered. "The Taelons killed my mother!"

The man sat down next to her. "My name is Mitch. I think I can help you..."

****

*Today*

Julia Cook was sitting by the graveside, Mitch standing beside her. She put the floral arrangement on
her mother's grave, now weathered by a year of storms. Julia had been weathering her own storms,
personal and otherwise.

*I didn't always make you proud,* she thought. *But I hope... I hope I can do better...*