Returning home

Posted on 01 Dec 2019 @ 3:30am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant Commander True Keading

Mission: Mission 2 - The Agora crossroads
Location: Reynolds Quarters
Timeline: MD3 19:00
2103 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Jon was starving. It had been an eventful shift, having found out they were getting a new CMO and then meeting with Fox. He was really looking forward to walking through his door and True being there. Oh but wait …. "Eddie" he said outloud. That thought had not occurred to him all day. If his son was in he knew True was there too. How would that have gone down? He suddenly felt nervous. Walking in he said outload, "Eddie, True? Anyone?

"Eddie left," True said coming out of the bedroom in her change of clothing. She'd kept the dress. Was that a silly idea? It was part of her experience and so she'd held onto it. "I think Charlotte had something planned for him, tea or something like that. He sounded so thrilled." True chuckled.

"Well thats odd its not Charlottes night to have him for tea," Jon said thoughtfully sliding off his jacket then pulling her in for a kiss. Pulling back, he sent a quick telepathic thought out to his son to check he was alright and half smiled. "He's decided he doesn't want to be under our feet. Sorry I didn't consider he would be in our quarters. Obviously he knows now."

"Yeah, he was here when I came in. Stumbled onto me coming into your quarters in this dress. What are you apologizing for? Actually Jon I had a really great time with him today. We sat on the couch and talked and ate ice cream." She knew Jon could pick up on her emotions and she was much calmer than she had been when they had returned to the ship. "Probably one of the best afternoon's I've had in a long time. He wasn't afraid to tell me things and he seemed happy that you are happy."

Jon smiled, “Well that’s good to hear. So he filled up on ice cream before dinner. I swear that boy is part dustbin. Where does he put it?” Jon joked.

“I have news,” he said spotting eddies bowl and returning it to the replicator. “Starfleet sending over a CMO and COO.”

"He's growing. I didn't have an excuse for ice cream, it just sounded good. And that's great. You're getting quite the crew so far. Do we know anything about them yet?"

"You don't need an excuse for ice cream. You can eat anything you like love," he told her. "Eddie will too regardless of how much we try get him to be healthy and not snack between meals. Liam and I were the same at his age to be fair so I'm fighting a loosing battle there lets face it."

Erm …." Jon said thinking back to the crew files he had been sent over. "The doctors female, an Orion so likely a whole load of males including my son will be swooning over her and lovesick so you will have your hands full ehh …. and the ops chap is younger than me anyway and human.

"Do you fancy some dinner?" he asked. "I'm thinking Mexican."

"Hopefully she'll be on inhibitors for that," True pointed out. "Because otherwise you'll be swooning over her as well and no one will get any work done around here. Course that doesn't mean Eddie won't be doing that anyway, she could be gorgeous and not even need to use that particular ability." She wasn't really worried about it. "And I love Mexican food. Have I said that before?"

"Of course she will be on inhibitors," Jon said seriously. "Eddies working his way on crushing on every female on the ship. Thats my theory. No you haven't mentioned Mexican food. And you have nothing to worry about. There will be no swooning on my part. Well only over you," Jon said.

"I'm so glad I'm not his age again, puberty was hard enough without having to deal with other people's feelings. And I wasn't worried." She grinned at him. "I knew you liked me."

"No I'm serious. I think …." he could hear his twin in his head saying just be honest with her. "I think I am totally falling for you."

True just stared at him for a moment. "Well . . . I don't really know why. I think I'm a nice person, but . . ." She didn't know how to finish her thought. "This whole relationship kind of baffles me to be honest. It's exciting and fun. I've really never had this kind of attention paid to me before." She wanted to smack herself in the forehead, she was sounding like a counselor again. "I really like you too Jon, you're well on your way to sweeping me off my feet which I didn't think was even possible, me being so practical all the time."

Jon kissed her. He closed his eyes just relaxing again that she was here in his arms. It just felt so right.

Pulling back he said simply, "Empaths … its hard to explain but you get a sense of the whole person. You're beautiful True, inside and out. Not just a nice person. Your far more than that. You need to give yourself more credit. And whatever's happening, just got to trust it you know.

What do you fancy? Fahitas? Enchiladas? Tacos? Nachos? ….." he asked then found he was now spouting words like a fountain.

He squeezed her hand, "Look just so you know …. I love that your practical. I'm practical half the time too. Sometimes I need things a certain way ….. like ……. like ice cream bowls sent back to the replicator. Bit of OCD I guess," he said honestly. "I love Eddie to bits but he accumulates so much mess," he sighed. "Drives me nuts some times. But I am so happy you guys had a good time in each others company. I really need the important people in my life to get on."

True smiled at all the words that were flowing out of his mouth. At least she wasn't the only person who was nervous. "Hmm, Tacos. And yeah, I did notice that about you." She didn't comment on whether it bothered her or not but few things did bother True. "Uh . . . do you mind If I stay here tonight? I sort of don't want to be alone after everything that's happened lately."

"I was hoping you would say that. After a short time away from you I feel …. well I wanted to have you in my arms all night again also," he said simply.

"Tacos it is," he smiled. "Chicken? Beef? Fish? Targ?" he joked.

True shook her head. "You are such a dork," she kissed him on the cheek. "I'll do it. Halibut tacos like my aunt used to make. The quickest way to my heart is to feed me Mexican food by the way, I'll let you in on that secret." She moved toward the replicator.

"Hush," Jon said jokingly making a shocked face at her. He thought about it for a moment remembering a quote.

"Actually its fine, as Posey said "“All the geniuses and greats are really just dorks with experience.” I can live with that. Fish it is," he grinned.

True laughed. She was honestly beginning to wonder how she'd made it through the universe without him now. Life seemed so much fuller since he'd started sweeping her off her feet. "I'm glad, because you are one. Good thing though, women find that very attractive in a man."

"Which bit the dorkiness or the experience?" Jon asked ordering dishes and ferrying them to the table.

True raised her eyebrows though she was just as amused as before. "Both I suppose. Are you taking notes?" Finally the last of the dishes came out of the replicator and True set the table. She sat down across from him and looked at him piercingly for quite a long time without explanation.

"Nope, one lady is quite enough for me and the one I want, shes sat right in front of me," he said simply.

She seemed to be watching him quite intensely. "Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

"No," True said, blushing when she realized she'd been staring so long. "I don't know what made me do that. Zoned out I guess." She shook her head and started helping herself to the food in front of her. Other than the ice cream she couldn't actually remember the last time she ate. She certainly wasn't going to eat that stuff they'd had in the cell in case it was drugged. "Food and sleep," she said simply. She knew she'd sleep well here because there was nothing to fear around her.

He nodded. She was just tired. Stood to reason. "Well tuck in. Ice cream is great but its not as nutritional as this delicious spread." He offered her the refried beans and reached for an ear of corn for himself. "And when your done we can curl up in bed and you rest yourself," he smiled. If she fell asleep he was still working through that Greek legends book his twin had given him.

"I plan on it." She hadn't realized how tired she was until now. Eddie's presence had distracted her from her worries because she was sincerely curious about him and how they might get along as this relationship progressed. "So, anything interesting happen on the bridge?"

Jon shook his head. "I caught a couple of ensigns betting on which location we would find Aidan. I didn't think that appropriate so had to have a word with them. I don't think they can quite look me in the eye now. But other than that business as usual flying warp," he answered.

"I still can't get any answer on why they just took our sample off us from the monolith. Sent several communicees going higher and higher up. No one wants to talk to me about it at Starfleet HQ which is odd and frustrating." He stuffed some nachos in his mouth and crunched loudly as if taking his frustration out on them.

"You know we need to get you some PJ's. I recommend penguin ones," he said with a cheeky grin suddenly.

"So not appropriate," True agreed as she ate. "They probably know something we don't. Which actually I wanted to talk to you about. not the monolith but command. It can wait for another day though. And you can replicate penguin pajamas," she chuckled. "I don't care." She finished her meal rather more quickly than she usually ate. "I'm just exhausted, sorry to end the party early. Feel free to sneak in whenever you're ready. I don't think anything could wake me tonight."

"I'll just have a bit more dinner, tidy up and be straight in then," he said watching her go into his room a little disappointed but he understood she was exhausted. Hell he could sense it. He was being selfish just wanting to wrap his arms around her and kiss her senseless he chided himself. There was of course always the morning.

True did replicate penguin pajamas and she did climb into bed but she couldn't drift off. When he came to bed she rolled toward him and curled around him. She couldn't hold in those emotions she'd felt any longer, the fear, the shame that she'd allowed herself to be captured and the guilt that she'd lost his knife and worried him.

"What's wrong?" Jon asked concerned as she snuggled up to him. He could sense she was not sleeping. She was worrying pretty hard.

"I just remembered I lost your knife." True said, trying to keep her voice even. She really didnt' want to cry in front of him but she didn't exactly know why.

"Oh …." Jon said. He pulled her closer. "I see. Well …. If we get a chance to get the knife back one day … maybe I could ask Mr J'Tan to try find it …." He kissed her forehead. "Don't stress about it. Your safe and that's far more important to me than a knife."

True couldn't help it though. She buried her face in Jon's shoulder and let all of the emotions bleed out of her, effectively crying herself to sleep.

Jon shuddered as he felt the onslaught of the emotions she had been holding in. He did his best to be comforting and strong for her. Eventually she drifted off to sleep which he knew would do her the world of good.

---

●● Lieutenant True Keading
Chief Counselor
USS Andromeda


●●● Commander Jonathan Reynolds
Commanding Officer
USS Andromeda