Reassurance

By Miss Becky

Disclaimer: No, they're not mine.

Summary: While trying to find her son, Evy is comforted by a stranger.

Rating: G

Note: After seeing TMR for the ninth time – god bless the man who invented the dollar theater! – I was inspired to write this vignette. It takes place later on the same night Rick and Evy talk about getting Alex back.

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She stood in the prow of the dirigible, remembering.

The day of his birth, how tiny he had been, how loudly he had screamed. She had cried to see him for the first time, her sobs mingling with his, and then they put him in her arms and he stopped crying. She had said, "oh," so very softly, and held her son close, her own tears forgotten.

The day he had taken his first steps, and she had held out her arms to him as he tottered across the floor. His little face had been scrunched into a frown of intense concentration, and her heart had skipped a beat, for she had seen he meant to do this thing or else. She had feared then what the future might bring for him, what other obstacles would be put in his path that he felt he had to conquer.

The day he had fallen down the stairs at the museum and broken one of the display cases, bringing down the wrath of the curator. They had shared a giggle, foreheads touching, and she had known then that no one would ever come between her and her son.

Now Alex was gone, taken from her by men who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. She had kept him safe for the first eight years of his life; she had protected him on the bus, but she had lowered her guard, thinking the horror was over, and now he was gone.

"Uh, ma'am? Evelyn?"

The voice spoke from right behind her, and she gasped and whirled around. She had not even heard him approach.

"Izzy." Her shoulders slumped in relief.

She glanced over his shoulder. Jonathan was still wedged into the chair he had claimed, snoring softly. On the long bench, Rick had finally succumbed to his exhaustion, and he lay curled up, hair fallling into his eyes, one arm hanging over the edge. Only Ardeth remained awake, but the Med-jai's eyes were half-closed, as though sleep was not far away.

She looked at Izzy again. "What is it?"

He half-turned away, looked back at her, then blurted, "I just thought you should know O'Connell told me about your son. I want you to know that I'll do whatever it takes to help you find him and get him back."

Touched beyond words, Evelyn stared at the pilot. Since leaving Cairo, he had stayed behind the wheel of the dirigible, barely speaking except to scold one of them for something. She could not think when Rick had talked to him.

"Thank you," she finally said.

"I've known your husband for a long time," Izzy said, his eyes softening with nostalgia. "We've done some pretty hairy things in our time." He shook his head, grinning. Abruptly he remembered himself and the smile died. He cleared his throat. "But we'll do all right this time. We'll get your boy back. That's a promise."

She looked again over his shoulder, to where Rick was sleeping. "Did Rick put you up to this?"

Izzy followed her gaze, then turned back to face her. "Oh, no no no. In fact, he told me not to talk to you at all." He gave her an innocent shrug. "Can't imagine why. Anyway, I just thought you should know all that."

Bank jobs and belly dancers, she thought suddenly, and wished she had met this man under different circumstances. The stories he could tell would surely keep her entertained for weeks.

She smiled briefly at the thought, then turned back to look out over the desert. The tears she had been fighting all night were back, only this time they were not for Alex, but for herself.

She was so blessed, she thought. She had a bright, loving son. She had a wonderful, generous husband. The men in her life would do anything for her and her family, and even total strangers were willing to risk everything for her. What had she ever done to deserve all this?

She turned around again. Izzy was gone, as silently as he had arrived. He stood behind the wheel again, refusing sleep, determined to get them to Karnak as swiftly as possible. Rick and Jonathan had not moved, and now even Ardeth slept.

Except for Izzy, she was the only one awake. A small smile curved her lips as she watched them, these men. Her son was gone, but Alex would be back. She was sure of it. She had allowed herself to forget this, and almost become lost in despair. But Izzy's simple, fumbling attempt at reassurance had reminded her of what she had almost forgotten: that she was not alone.

The tears finally receded. Evelyn walked away from the edge of the basket and sat down in a chair beside the sleeping men. There were several hours until sunrise, and she thought she could keep watch over them until then.

She did not feel tired.

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END

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