TITLE: Worth
AUTHOR: coolbyrne
SPOILERS: "Synchronicity"
RATING: K
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AUTHOR'S NOTES: A very, very short "missing scene" piece to follow up on the last episode, "Synchronicity", because it just begged to be written. No beta was used on this one, so all errors are mine. All apologies.

What makes life worth living? –the age old question.

"Sorry about the hang-gliding."

Tony twisted the ceramic cup on the tabletop and looked over at Carol. "It's okay," he said, "it probably saved everyone from hearing me scream like a little girl." He waited for the laughter he knew was coming, and basked in the warmth of the sound before turning back to the never-ending sea of people walking by. They were sitting outside a small coffee shop, nursing their hot teas and doing a fair bit of people-watching. However, an hour ago they were in a considerably different place.

"You know, I thought you were joking when you said you wanted to go hang-gliding. It wasn't until I was looking down from that cliff that it occurred to me you were quite serious."

Now it was his turn to laugh. "I was surprised I got you that far."

"So was I!"

Their laughter intermingled and faded away slowly.

When they were quiet again, she asked, "What made you change your mind?"

"Besides the thought of me screaming like a little girl?" He shrugged. "I was struck by an epiphany."

"Really? Do tell."

"I realized that whatever my life was lacking, hang-gliding wasn't going to make up for it." When she didn't say anything in return, he watched a young woman and a small child go by. "I wonder what's lacking in their life," he mused. "What does life hold in store for them?"

Carol's eyes followed his line of sight. "Who knows?" she said. "Does any of us know?" She looked over at him, his profile stern and angular. The baseball cap that covered the bandage on his head looked strangely out of place on the man she knew. He looked serene. Boyish. Different. That sick feeling she had when she first found out about his illness struck the pit of her stomach again, and she reached out a shaky hand to touch the cap. His eyes questioned her own and she simply whispered, "Just checking." When he smiled, she tried to cover up her heart breaking by quipping, "So, now that hang-gliding is out of the picture, I hope this means you've scratched bungee-jumping off your list."

His laugh was short but warm. Reaching up, he took her hand in his and rested them on the table. "Life's full of its own adrenaline rushes, Carol."

"Oh, is that so? Such as?"

He looked down at their entwined hands and back up to her face. His gaze held hers for an eternity. At last he whispered, "I've heard Paris can be quite thrilling."

end