Two years after John Sheridan's disappearance, Susan Ivanova was in crisis. She had already sat shiva for him, but on the second anniversary she mourned as if he left just yesterday. She was Anla Shok Na, Ranger One, yet she began to cry from the moment she looked at her badge of office. She was wearing it only because he was gone. She could barely get her cup of coffee down. While her weeping was silent, it would seriously distract the Rangers. She had to find help, so she went to Delenn's quarters.
When she got there, Delenn was already awake. Delenn took one look at Susan and brought her inside quickly. Once inside, Susan just broke. She could not speak. Delenn just held her until Susan could take control of herself. It was not long, since Delenn had a calming influence on all of her friends.
"I'm sorry Delenn, I just couldn't get myself under control today, and I have that damned speech about John to make." Susan said with tears welling up in her eyes again. "I wish I had your self control."
"I had more time to get used to the idea Susan, and John and I talked about it often. I still greive for him, Susan, I still want to turn back time to see him once again. Since that is not to be, I will manage as you will manage."
Susan could not help it as she sat on Delenn's couch. Delenn came over and held Susan as she cried. "I cry for you too Delenn, I know how much you love him."
With those words, Delenn's tears did fall. The two women held onto each other as they wept for a man they both loved in different ways. Susan tipped her head up to Delenn right as Delenn turned her face toward Susan, and their lips briefly touched.
"Delenn, I am so sorry." Susan said blushing.
"Don't be Susan. I am not. You have been a true friend and companion over these long years. We are both in need of comfort right now." Delenn said with all the calm she could muster.
Over the years, Susan and Delenn grew closer and closer. The President of the Instersteller Alliance and Anla Shok Na were seen so much in each other's company in their official roles, none thought to wonder about their private meetings. David was made aware of their relationship in private, and he was happy for them both. He loved his father with his entire being, as he loved his mother. Susan was so close to their family anyway, that this change was a non-issue. As long as he was never given special treatment because of it, he was happy.
The relationship between Susan and Delenn lasted for nearly 25 years. During that time there had been plenty of battles to be fought where they were seperated by the vastness of space, with Delenn worrying about her lover. Susan always supported Delenn in the political arena as best she could. That wasn't to say that they didn't have diffrences politically or personally, but they kept both extremely private.
In the end though, Delenn had to live through another disappearance. Susan had gone to her other confidant Draal on Epsilon 3. With Babylon 5 gone, the jumpgate had been destroyed, but the White Stars could still get there. When Susan felt her time was nearly up, she went to see him. Even the apartment of Delenn wasn't private enough for her at this time. For some reason she just had to see Draal one more time. When she got there, she left the White Star in orbit and went down. She talked to Draal for several days until she just fell silent and started at Draal. His Mimbari training served him well. He kept talking as she was quietly dying, sitting in the chair that had been installed for her so long ago. He used the Great Machine to send a message to Delenn that Susan would not be leaving Epsilon 3. Susan had told him and him alone about her relationship with Delenn. He knew that Susan loved Delenn very much.
As she was taking her last breaths, two beings appeared to her. For a moment she thought she was dreaming, but one spoke.
"You are not dreaming Susan, and we can sustain you a little bit so you can think over our offer if you are willing to hear it." John Sheridan said with a smile that lightened her spirit.
She nodded weakly, and it was Jeffrey Sinclair who took her hand and infused her with life energy to keep her going for a little while longer. "There you go Susan." Jeff said with a grin.
"How?" was all she could say looking from one to the other. "Why?"
"How we don't know, but why we are here is that we would like you to join us. We are paving the way for our people to become as we are now, but they are not really ready for it yet. We weren't really ready for it either. We could really use your point of view Susan. It is, shall we say, unique?" John told her.
"You can say that again, John." Jeff said with a chuckle.
She thought it over, but it was Draal who finally gave her the help she needed to make the choice. "Go child of Earth. Without you, those two would get delusions of grandure. They need a realist like you to keep them in line."
With that Susan smiled and then nodded. What happened next even Draal can not say with complete accuracy. One moment she was sitting in her chair bathed in the pale light that John Sheridan, the One Who Will Be, and Jeffery Sinclair, the One Who Was, had standing with equal brilliance, Susan, the one who binds them together and keeps them on the right path. With a nod to Draal, the three of them left Epsilon 3 for the last time, only to be seen thrice more in this area of space.
Another White Star arrived a day later, and Draal only allowed one shuttle to come down to retrieve Susan's shuttle. Inside her shuttle was her cloak and badge of office as Anla Shok Na. No one was allowed the same level of access to Draal for another 400 years.
It was a dim day for the Alliance when Michael Lennier Sheridan III, the former President of Jupiter, was locked in the cell inwhich he would spend the rest of his days. Since giving the order to destroy the Earth military bases which caused the Great Burn, his mind retreated into madness. Delenn III watched him go in, knowing she nor anyone else, would see him as he was before.
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