((Author's Note: I wrote this as a sort of snippet of a scene that came into my head. I do not intend to do anything further with it at the moment...although anything is possible, I suppose. I liked the idea of unsung historical support, though.))

"But I don't want some earthshaking socio-political policy named after me," she said, staring out the window at the passing night.

"Then what do you want? I thought you wanted to be well known. I thought you wanted to help people, and do something the world would never forget. Make up your mind. Famous or not? Earthshaking or not?"

"Why...but...I didn't even come up with it by myself, I wanted nothing to do with it! I don't want to change the world that way..." she lowered her head into her hands, sliding her fingers through her hair.

"You aren't making any sense," her companion said acerbically, glancing quickly at her then bringing his attention back to the road.

"I know," she said softly. "I know. It's just...I want to do something to shape this world, yes. You know that. But...I want to do something myself, I think. Using my own powers. Like going around and helping the needy myself...or something, anything, to help alleviate their burden myself. Not through some intermediary governmental institution, myself. I think...that that is what I want. That is my problem with this type of recognition.

"Oh boy, I'm the big bad girl who convinced the Congress to pass a bill helping the needy," she continued sarcastically. "Don't I feel special now? Don't I feel like I did something that benefits mankind and itÕs descendents? Don't I feel as if I did more than convince a bunch of doddery old fools to pass a bill that sounds like it really changes things, when in fact nothing at all has changed except what those representatives say? Hah." She went back to staring out the window, brooding.

He looked at her again, taking his eyes off the late-night traffic for a few more seconds than before.

"Pay attention to your driving," she said moodily, "not me. I've had quite enough attention paid me for all the wrong reasons. I don't need any more, especially from you."

He smiled wanly to himself, changing lanes to avoid a slower sedan in front of them. After a long silence, he said, "I suppose you realize how spoiled that sounded." At her brief nod, he continued, "Most people will never get to do even as much as you have, because they lack the will, or the stamina, or the patience, or, unfortunately the most important, the connections. You know this. I do not begrudge you the chance you have gotten. And I do not blame you for wanting what you do. But it is a lifetime sort of goal, wouldn't you say? The achievement of your entire lifeÕs force. Don't you think you can wait a little for that? This is only the beginning for you; I can see it. Do not allow yourself to accept only the ends, and not the means by which you must get there. Take advantage of this accomplishment, do not scorn it."

There was another long pause. After a few moments, she made a sort of sobbing gasp. He turned his head toward her, concerned, only to see her laughing silently, head thrown back, pale face in sharp relief against the night-stained window. "History," she finally enunciated, "never told us of the ones like you. History never remembers the ones who push the great to their magnitude, only the greatness achieved at the end of it all. History has a lot to learn, I think." She turned toward him, smiling widely, and he could not help but smile back.