Blood and Steel and Rest
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Sharon awoke the next morning, and went to the common room. Amy was there, playing as always. Sharon sat down at the table and watched as the little figure cheerfully hummed.
Unbidden, memories of her youngest great-granddaughter came to her. She was missing their childhoods. She knew she should be there, not going out on a fool's errand. A cold feeling of despair spread through her chest. Her arms hung lifeless at her sides. Her chest heaved.
Amy made her way to the center of the room and sat. She stared at Sharon, no expression.
"I hate this!" Sharon said through gritted teeth. "This isn't what I wanted, damn it! …not what I wanted…"
She stared over at Amy. She felt rage and disgust at herself. "What the hell are you looking at?!" she screamed. "What the hell am I doing here? This isn't my fight, this isn't my story. My story is back in the Hill, with my family, not in this hideous little ship with a distant son-of-a-bitch and a thing that won't stop staring!"
Olivia continued to stare patiently, watching Sharon simmer, listening to her shuddering breath.
Sharon pounded the table with her fist. "I am stuck. I don't know why I even started this."
Olivia stood and paced towards her. "Get up."
"Get away from me, you stupid thing!"
"I said, 'Get up,'" Olivia repeated. "You are broken, and you shouldn't be. He is broken, everything about this is broken."
"I worry Michael must be broken to have sent us together. This is worse and worse. It is a–a bad story."
Olivia was pulling her up. Her form was larger now. That of a teen dragging Sharon to her feet.
"We have to pull this together, get our jobs done." She gazed earnestly into Sharon's eyes as she continued, "You have your family to look forward to. A nice home. Richard can go back to his post." Her voice suddenly lost color, "And Amy…" Olivia stared through Sharon. "Amy goes on as always. Waiting until needed. Then blood and steel and rest, blood and steel and rest, blood and steel and rest." She blinked, and her gaze returned to the present.
Olivia continued to grip her under the arm, holding her up effortlessly with one hand. "Maybe Amy can give you your 'happily ever after,'" she whispered, "but you must hold up your end of the bargain."