Mission 7, Day 1

[Quamie]

[Amanda Rose]

[Quamie]

[Amanda Rose]

Doctor Arvin nearly fell backwards onto his rear. The last person he expected to be in the audience was calling to him. "Ley...Ley...Leyla?! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on America? You left.... I watched you." His eyes grew wide and hopeful, "Did you change your mind?"

Leyla stepped away from the stage area, putting out a hand for him, but also shook her head sadly. “I do wish I could say that I had. But we are still not leaving for nearly two days, and the captain isn’t on board to check in with. Figured I’d do some things here before I have to be there. I didn’t expect to see you still on the station, I figured you’d be heading home.”

She found them some seats but kept hold of his hand.

“I was not ready. There was no hurry.” However, his eyes grew wider as he spoke.

“Did you say that the Captain was not on board?” There was hesitation in his voice and terror in his eyes.

“Yeah, not on board. What is it, Robert? That look on your face…” She would go back to what he said about not being ready eventually. For now, she wanted to know why he had the look in his eyes that he did.

Robert looked over in the general direction of Delaney and Pendragon. “Because she is right over there….”

Leyla’s eyes went wide as she looked to where he was looking. Quickly, she turned her eyes back to him. “Well, we’re still on leave from what I heard so...I think I’ll just stay here for now and check in when she and I are both back on board.”

She still had hold of his hand and watched him for a moment. “Robert, what did you mean when you said you weren’t ready to go back home,” she asked calmly.

“I wanted to wait until the America left…in case...well, you, well, changed your mind. It is not too late, you know?”

“I could say the same to you.” She let out a heavy sigh and stared at their hands for a bit. Her heart and mind were fighting each other, and she wasn't enjoying the fight. She wanted to stay with him, forget about going on the ship. Yet at the same time, he was the one who helped her get to the point of being able to say she wanted to be back on a ship.

“It's not fair,” Leyla finally whispered. How had they gotten to the point where she was willing to give up everything she fought through for him? He'd gotten her past so many breakdowns, and was always there for her no matter what would happen. Her heart leapt up into her throat, and she couldn't find more words to say. Go, stay, ask him to stay again, what was she supposed to do?

Robert shrugged, but his voice was soft and regretful. “We all have to make choices. I could have chosen to find you a new therapist when I found that I had feelings for you. I did not.”

He pulled her into a hug. “And, it is not fair for me to ask you to stay when you have achieved your goal. But, I would not deny my feelings or let you go without knowing that there is someone waiting for you.”

The hug caught her off guard, but why, she wasn't sure. Instead of letting the hug seem awkward, she returned it. “I wouldn't have wanted another therapist, Robert. You're the only one who really got through to me”

She let out a heavy sigh and let get head sit against his shoulder as she did not release the hug. “It's completely fair,” she whispered. “Had you told me how you felt earlier, it might have been different. Though...i understand why you didn't. It would have been out of place with me still under your care, no matter how strong the feelings are.”

Leyla pulled back only enough to look into his eyes. “You'll wait for me?” She kissed his cheek gently. “I'm still here, far as I know, for almost two days…”

“Where else would I go?” he asked despondently. “My work is here. But, yes, we have a couple of days here. How would you like to spend them?”

“I don't know how long I'll be gone, Robert. But, knowing that you'll wait for me? It gives me something to look forward too.” She gave him a kiss, this time a proper kiss, trying to think of an answer to his question.

What did she want to do? They had time they could spend together before she headed out, not knowing when she'd see him again. And yet, her mind was a blank. The fact that he'd sung that song, for her, without knowing she was there listening, it still was occupying her thoughts.

Finally pulling away slowly, Leyla looked into his eyes again. “I don't know, but I want to spend as much time with you that I can.”

Robert was still lost in the kiss. He knew that Leyla was speaking but the words were not registering. Consequently, his words might seem non-sequitur to Leyla but for him, they made sense. “Do you think that is wise?”

His words hit her, and she had to think for a moment before answering the question. “We don’t know when we’ll see each other again...and I want to see you as much as possible. Even if all we do is walk around and not do anything but that. I want to spend time with you, Robert.”

“Huh?” Robert asked falling out of his stupor. “Yes, I do, as well. I just hope that it does not make things more difficult for you.”

“I think we both know that I’ll have to go when the ship leaves, and goodbyes are always difficult. But,” Leyla looked back into his eyes, “why not enjoy the time we have?”

Stroking Leyla’s face, Robert quietly told her, “You’ve grown” and gave her a short kiss. “Where do you want to go and what do you want to do?”

She only shook her head. “I honestly don’t know. Anywhere with you, even if we sit and listen to the karaoke.” She smirked a little, “but no one will be able to match your singing.”

“Well, you are leaving, so I will leave the choices in your hands. However, I question your taste in singing.”

“You’re a better singer than you think you are, Robert. I’d listen to you sing any day.” Leyla shifted her chair so that she was sitting next to him and laid her head against his shoulder. “Leaving the choice in my hands...I think I’m comfortable right here at the moment.”

“But do you think the rest of the world is?” he asked as he nodded over towards the Captain. “Though, she seems to be in a good mood.”

Leyla shrugged before looking back towards the Captain. “She really does. Hopefully that good mood holds to when she gets back on the ship and I have to check in with her.” She looked back at him. “If you’d rather find someplace we can be alone, I’m alright with that.”

“Where?” Arvin responded curiously. “Is there someplace that you would like to go? Something you would like to do?”

Another shrug. “I suppose I do have quarters on board the ship, or maybe you’ve got some here. Mine are full of all my things and I don’t know how long it’ll take me to put them up.”

“The ship?” Arvin asked surprised. “Are you sure that’s wise? And, if you need to unpack, well, I could let you go….”

“I never unpack all those books, they always sit in the boxes until I want one. And...we have time together that we don’t know when we’ll get it again.” Leyla looked him in the eyes with a smile. “And to think, we were ready to say goodbye a few hours ago.” She sighed and shook her head. “No, not ready to say goodbye. Don’t think I’ll ever be ready for that.”

Robert held Leyla closer to him. Sadly, he reflected, “But, that is what it is what it will be unless you decide to stay. The stars will again be your home, otherwise.”

Allowing herself to be held close, she closed her eyes as she thought on what he said. Quietly, she spoke, sadness in her voice. “We worked so hard to get me here… And now, now I'm wishing that maybe I wasn't ready to go back out to the stars.”

“You can stay,” he told her again. “The choice, like all other choices are yours.”

“What would staying prove, Robert? That I wasn't as ready as we thought? They'll… They'll question you on that. You cleared me.” She pulled away and looked into his eyes. “You know I value your opinion, probably above all others. What do you think is truly best, even taking feelings into account.”

It then hit her. “No...i don't think I want to know that answer. Because I'll talk myself out of going… And we both know I worked hard. But I want to spend the rest of the time here with you, no interruptions. Ship isn't a good place though…”

“Then where? This is your sendoff,” Robert told Leyla. “What would you have us go and do?”

“Somewhere we… We can be alone. Just us, enjoying ourselves. No crowds, none of this here,” she motioned around them. “As to the what…” she smiled softly and kissed his lips gently, “i guess that is up to both of us.”

“So, not the ship then...and not here…. We could take a shuttle and go to my home, if you would like.”

Leyla's eyes lit up. “You'd let me go to your home? The shuttle trip sounds nice by itself, but if you're willing, then the answer is yes. I'll just need to get a bag of things I suppose.” She looked in a random direction, hoping it was the direction of the ship. “I really don't want to though…”

“A bag? Why?” Arvin asked curiously. “What would you need it for?”

“Clothes and such. But, I'm sure I can find whatever clothes I need.” Standing, she held out a hand to him. “I think we've heard enough karaoke, don't you?”

He stood up and took her hand. “Let’s go.” With that, he led her out towards a shuttle.

[Amanda Rose]

[Brian Pendragon]

"What's wrong, Tegau? Your fool brother being troublesome again?"

"When aren't they being troublesome?"

O'Connor laughed boisterously at Tegau's statement. "A very good observation. Men ain't nothing but trouble." Looking over at Brian, who had suddenly gone suspiciously quiet, "Don't you agree, Brian? Men ain't nothing but trouble?" She gave him a crooked grin that indicated she was ready to pounce on whatever his answer was.

Brian closed his eyes, wishing as hard as ever he could for something, anything, to interrupt just at that moment - a comedy act, a fire alarm, a page to rejoin the ship urgently…

...but interruption came there none.

What was he supposed to say? Agree and he looked like a wuss. Disagree and goodness knows where that would go. Point out that the sentence contained a double-negative and… yeah, that kind of response always went well, didn’t it.

He opened his eyes.

“Little brothers are notoriously so,” he ventured, only really going on anecdotal evidence, neither having one nor being one himself.

[Quamie]

[Amanda Rose]

[Brian Pendragon]

Brian breathed out heavily - until then unaware that he had been holding his breath. Trying to look nonchalent, he took a sip of his drink. An unexpected remnant of ice cube hit the back of his throat, triggering a violent coughing fit.

tag - Tegau

So much for nonchalence...

"Thank you," he gasped. "So..." he coughed again, but on purpose this time, intentionally clearing his throat. "You come from a large family?"

[Quamie]

Brian breathed out heavily - until then unaware that he had been holding his breath. Trying to look nonchalent, he took a sip of his drink. An unexpected remnant of ice cube hit the back of his throat, triggering a violent coughing fit.

Tegau watched the Captain go, returning to her own thoughts and worries a bit gloomily. She had a feeling.... But then Brian almost choked on his drink. She tensed, but it soon became clear he needed no help. Once he got it under control, she smiled at him, teasing, "Need to go to SickBay?"

So much for nonchalence...

"Thank you," he gasped. "So..." he coughed again, but on purpose this time, intentionally clearing his throat. "You come from a large family?"

She nodded. "Two older brothers, a twin, a younger brother, and two young sisters. I was going to see them tomorrow, but.." She shook off the worry and forced a smile. "You were an only child, right?"

<tags>