He doesn't know how long he stands there, stunned silent and numb with shock as he watches Felix walk away, then continuing to stare at the bend in the corridor where he had vanished from sight, waiting for him to come back, to say it was just a joke, that he'd changed his mind; waiting to wake up from this horrible nightmare, somehow.



"Lieutenant? Lieutenant Hoshi? Sir?"

Hoshi jerks and fumbles a hand out to steady himself against the wall as he turns to face the concerned Marine who's stopped to address him.

"Sir, are you all right?"

He starts to nod, but can't quite make himself.

"I'm -- I was just lost in thought," he manages, his voice sounding distant in his own ears. "Thanks for asking."



Once the Marine leaves, Hoshi finds the will to make his feet move; first one, then the other. He stumbles back up the corridor, slowly at first, then faster, until finally he's almost running as he heads for the observation deck.

He'll wait for Felix at Milliways. Once he talks to the Admiral, he'll calm down, and then when he shows up, Hoshi can talk to him there. Whatever's wrong, they can figure it out together. They've been through worse. This can't be over.



It can't.