Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in Nothing is Guaranteed

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aasrel Izei (Chief Medical Officer) in Nothing is Guaranteed

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in Nothing is Guaranteed
Posted by… suppressed (64) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Finally, finally, they were released from sickbay. Bethany’s 3 times a day walks had been reduced to one very late or very early while the corridors were empty. She would be going stir crazy if she wasn’t so focused on Aasrel. The new meds made her feel better and she wanted to go do stuff. She had finally accepted the risk of being on duty too much, but she hated being confined. The ship was small and that couldn’t be changed.

When Jonan finally left Bethany let out a heavy sigh and flopped into a chair for just a moment.

Bethany

Aasrel had been released the day after his surgery with strict instructions to take it easy and be careful until his head was fully healed. When Jonan left and Bethany flopped down into a chair, Aasrel moved next to her and smiled down at her. “Come on now, I thought you’d pick something we can both sit on.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany opened one eye and looked at him. A wicked grin crossed her face as she opened both eyes and stood. She grabbed his hand, turned him around, pushed him into the chair and then curled up on his lap. “We both can sit here just fine.”

Bethany

Aasrel grinned and laughed as she pulled him down and then sat on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her. “I see I’ve been proven wrong,” he said, and then he tugged on her, pulling her toward him, and kissed her.

~ Aasrel

Bethany laughed softly right before he kissed her. Then she was lost. Nothing else existed but Aasrel and she wanted it to stay that way for as long as possible.

Bethany

Aasrel would give that to her for as long as he could. But eventually, the kiss had to end. He cuddled into her, resting his head on her and tightening his arms around her. “It’s good to be back in familiar spaces, isn’t it?”

~ Aasrel

“It is.” Bethany rested against his shoulder, her arms wrapped around him. She closed her eyes on a soft sigh. She felt warm, she was chilled all the time. Right then she didn’t. “How are you feeling? How’s the pain?”

Bethany

Aasrel had almost forgotten she couldn’t just feel those answers for herself. He didn’t mind answering though. “I feel okay. It’s getting worse as the pain meds are wearing off. We’ll see how it goes.”

“Jonan said you could have a two-thirds dose in a couple hours if you need it. He left the hypo.” She rubbed his neck and shoulders to ease some of the tightness stress was causing. “Well we can take it easy. It’s not like we have anything we have to do.”

Bethany

“I’m hoping I won’t need it.” Aasrel let out a contented sigh as she rubbed his tight muscles. They felt really tight. “We have all the time in the world to lay around and enjoy each other’s company. Sounds like the best kind of day to me.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany chuckled as she kept massaging. “You know what else would help these tight muscles?” She leaned back and grinned at him. “A hot shower and a decent bed.”

Bethany

Aasrel smiled. “You have no idea how good that sounds.” He said and hugged her. “Get back into our habits.”

~ Aasrel

Her soft laughter reached his ear as she kissed his neck and then got up. “Of course it sounds good. I thought of it.” She tugged his hand and walked into the other room.

Bethany

Aasrel followed her, gaze locked on her. He was still keeping his focus on her, trying to ignore the emotional input of everyone else on board. He didn’t even wait for them to get to the bathroom before beginning to strip off layers, smiling at her.

~ Aasrel

Some time later…

Bethany smiled at him in the mirror as she pulled the silken robe up over her shoulders. She pulled her shoulder length red hair loose and it swayed back and forth moment as she turned. She picked up his brush and very carefully combed his hair for him. She infinitely careful of his head and where he’d had several surgeries. She felt incredibly tender and whirling from the way he looked at her.

Bethany

Aasrel sat in front of her to make it easier as she brushed his hair. She was gentle and careful as she worked through his hair. He closed his eyes and let her keep working. She was so gentle the gentle pull of the strands felt nice.

~ Aasrel

Bethany took a lot longer than she needed. Aasrel was relaxed and enjoying so she kept it up. Eventually she put the brush down. “Feel better?”

Bethany

Aasrel nodded. The pain was still getting slowly worse but the shower had helped and her brushing had given him something else to focus on. He stood up and gave her a quick hug, then reached for his close to finish getting dressed. “I do.”

~ Aasrel

“Do you want to eat or something to drink? Hunger and thirst can cause headaches.” Maybe they could go yo the lounge, or she could go get it and bring it back? That was until she remembered she wasn’t supposed to be around people.

Bethany

Aasrel shook his head. “Maybe later. I think it’s just the expected pain as it heals. It’ll be okay.” He smiled at her. “How are you feeling? Okay?”

~ Aasrel

She moved into the living area and sat on the couch, tucking the robe around herself. She was cold. She was always chilled these days. She could put on something else, but she liked this robe, the way it felt. It reminded her she wasn’t just always the job, even when she was on her own. “Yeah.” It was lie. Well not exactly (she had promised not to lie and Bethany kept her word). She was sick, and she could tell. She didn’t feel like herself, but she didn’t feel any worse. The meds seemed to be helping, but she wasn’t how she used to be. So yeah she was ‘okay’, but she also wasn’t.

Bethany

Aasrel moved out to the main living area and sat on the couch next to her, wrapping himself around her. “You’ll be better soon, I promise.” He said softly.

~ Aasrel

Bethany leaned against him. How she felt now could be as good as it got. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a precipice, waiting for it to crumble beneath her. She wasn’t ready to give up, but she wasn’t letting herself hope either. Similar to how Aasrel felt every time she told him the psilosynine donation would work. It was almost like living with her father again. Waiting in silence, pretending at normal, for the next blow to come.

Bethany

Aasrel hugged her quietly. He sensed how she felt, there was no hope, but nor was there the desire to give up. “So, shower is out of the way, what else do you want to do?”

~ Aasrel

Her shoulders lifted slightly. “Forget for awhile.”

Bethany

Aasrel gave her a mischievous, playful look. He tightened his hug so he was pulling her in towards him, then spoke softly. “And how would you like to do that?” Then he kissed her gently.

~ Aasrel

Her black eyes sparkled like obsidian as she smiled. Her arms wrapped around him as he pulled her in. She sighed in delight and kissed him back for long lingering moments. She loved him so much it was shocking.

Bethany

Her eyes were so pretty. He felt her love, deep and absolute. He loved her so much. The kiss broke briefly and he leaned his head against her, still giving her that mischievous look. “That night you were remembering the other day… I’m thinking of having another day like that.”

~ Aasrel

She looked up at him and then kissed him - slow, gentle, and brief. Eyes dancing her hands moved over his shoulders and down his arms. “You can have anything you want, Rel, but not until I check you for hypos. Then you can get as close as you want.”

Bethany

Aasrel studied her, as if taking in every detail. “Go ahead and check.” His look turned mischievous again. “Check as thoroughly as you like, Bethany.” Then he set his arms around her loosely and gently.

~ Aasrel

“Oh have no worries, I intend to be very thorough.” She proceeded to do so, and after a minute she glanced up at him, smirking playfully, “You caught me unaware once, I am quite aware of the effect of your charms now.” She felt along his sleeves, his collar, ran her fingers through his hair, around his sides, checked the cuff of his pants, and his pockets. “Hmmm, you seem hypo free to me, but…” she got up and walked over to the desk where Jonan had left their meds. She opened the small box and looked in. “Everything’s here,” she closed it and then sat back down, “so I’m safe, from a surprise hypo attack anyway.”

Bethany

Aasrel closed his eyes, enjoying her touch as she looked for the imaginary hypo. He watched her as she checked the small medical kit Jonan had left for them. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, letting his hands explore. “From a surprise hypo attack, yes.”

~ Aasrel

Her eyes closed on a soft breathy chuckle. Bethany leaned back, enjoying being in his arms. He was flirting and had an outrageous side. Bethany adored it. She adored him. “Mmmm…so I’m still not safe? Whatever will I do?”

Bethany

“Hmm…” Aasrel kissed her neck gently. “I guess I’ll have to protect you.” He said and grinned at her. He held her tightly.

~ Aasrel

Bethany knew without a doubt that he would…

The breath had been knocked out of her and her back, shoulders, and hips pounded in shrieking protest against the reverberation of hiting the deck plating. She had to concentrate, listen, feel the vibrations for the attack that was coming.she forced herself to breath slowly, relax and wait - to use the discipline that had been molded and honed through years of training.

She felt a thud of knees slamming the deck in haste and the creak of an equipment hinge moving, small, and whiring. And then a dearly loved voice that sent ice down her spine. “Ready the stretcher. We’re taking Lieutenant Gadi to Sickbay.”

Fear paralyzed her. NO he couldn’t be there. Vaec would kill him too. Her eyes snapped open on the glinting of artificial light reflecting off a dirty and rusted blade aimed right for Aasrel’s ribcage. She forced her emotions into lockdown. She couldn’t let the fear overwhelm her.

“MOVE!”. She had shoved him as hard as she could and grabbed Vaec as he lunged down towards her. Skill and luck helped her use his momentum to throw him past her. The knife slashed i to her shoulder and all she celt was relief that it was her and not him. She couldn’t look at Aasrel. She hated herself for it, but she couldn’t allow herself the luxury of making sure he was okay until Vaec wasn’t a threat.

She had never been so terrified. He had risked his life for her. FOR HER. It was crazy. She had known in that moment she couldn’t live without him. She would do whatever she had to, to deserve him.

Bethany turned in his arms and looked up at him. Even with the memory there was still a playful streak in her. “But who would protect me from you?”

Bethany

The memory popped into Aasrel’s head as he picked it up from her, from her perspective. She’d been so scared for him. It renewed his determination not to keep being someone she had to protect. He had to be able to protect himself. He smiled at her and shrugged, “Is there anything capable of such a thing?”

~ Aasrel

Bethany shook her head slowly and quite seriously once. “No. And if anything was I would have to keep ‘accidentally’ stunning it ‘til it went away.” Her arms tightened around his shoulders as she drew closer. She kissed him like she couldn’t survive if she didn’t.

Bethany

Aasrel was lost in her kiss. In the moment like nothing else existed. He held on tightly to her, pulling her into him. When the kiss ended, after long moments interlocked together, he smiled at her and rested his head on her. “Good. Because I don’t think I could be away from you.”

~ Aasrel

She kissed his jaw and her voice teased at his ear. “On a ship this small? You couldn’t even if you wanted.” She kissed his neck, hugging him tightly for a long wonderful moment before kissing him again. I love you, Aasrel.

Bethany

Her love and adoration engulfed him. Her thought rang wonderfully in his mind. How had he lived without this? He couldn’t think about it. It was due to Bethany’s pushing that he had it back. He’d owe her forever. He kissed her back, hugging her tightly. I love you too. More than anything.

~ Aasrel

The words rang in her head, surprising her into stillness. It wasn’t that she’d never had a telepath do that. She had vague memories in her childhood of it. She’d known one or two other Betazoids who had tried and failed. She’d undergone a few mindmelds as well, but that was different.

He really could hear her. It was so surprising and so shocking. It opened very old wounds (made with lies) that were recently raw from recent events. It was wonderful though. She just wanted him to hold her as close as possible, but she couldn’t seem to stop kissing him either.

Bethany

Aasrel was happy either way. He wished he could stay there like that forever. It was his head that caused the moment to end as the pain became unignorable. He broke off the kiss and looked at Bethany with a pained look. “I think I need the hypo.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany slipped one arm down around his waist and turned reaching for the med kit. She checked the hypo carefully to make sure she had the right one and then pressed it to his neck. She set it down and rubbed his neck gently. “There. Should be better soon. Maybe we should sit down.”

Bethany

Aasrel smiled and leaned against her. “Okay.” Right then, he’d have probably agreed to anything. He tugged her toward the sofa and sat down. “The mood on the ship is low today. I can feel it.” He commented softly.

~ Aasrel

Bethany nodded. “I know. It has been for awhile. It’s the waiting. Especially for those who have never done this work before.” She looked at him, her finger traced his face gently. “I would send you away if I could. I hate seeing you in the middle of all this darkness, knowing what’s likely to come next.”

Bethany

Aasrel leaned his forehead against hers gently. “I could never leave and let you stay out here, knowing what might happen.” He hugged her tightly. “Besides, I took this mission, I’ll see it through.”

~ Aasrel

“I know.” The conviction she heard in his voice did funny things to her stomach. So did the fact he would choose to stay there with her, when she could, in fact, get him out. He was good person. He shouldn’t be there in the darkness and ugliness. He should be working in some bright pristine hospital where patients always got better. He should have a wife and children. But the idea of another woman in the place broke her heart.

Bethany

Aasrel chuckled. Curse his strong telepathy. That was a thought he hadn’t had in a while. “Not everyone can work in a nice hospital on a base or a colony,” he said, smiling at her. “Besides, would you want to do security somewhere like that?” The idea of being with anyone but Bethany broke his heart too. He could never. He wondered briefly what he would do if she died… But no. He wasn’t going to think about that.

~ Aasrel

“Yes.” Bethany said it without hesitation. She was ready to be done with this type of work. She wasn’t supposed to be doing it again. She was here because she was expendable. She would without hesitation take a posting like that. “I could even maybe use my counseling degree instead.”

Bethany

Aasrel smiled. “That would be nice.” He was here for the same reason. Starfleet didn’t care whether he made it out of this mission alive. He was just some schmuck medical officer to them. Some schmuck medical officer with a believable reason to hate starfleet. “I don’t care where I am so long as it’s with you.”

~ Aasrel

There were reasons Bethany was there. Horrible ones. She was expendable but she had something they needed. It made sleep even harder. It triggered her paranoia and her PTSD, and d@mn Pikelsimer. He knew it and pushed anyway, hoping for a reaction. “I’d like a nice quiet assignment. Not sure I would fit, but I’d like it.” She said softly. Bethany looked up at him, “I won’t go anywhere.” At least not by choice.

Bethany

Aasrel hugged her tightly. “Maybe we should request that. A nice, quiet assignment somewhere.” He said, looking at her.

~ Aasrel

Bethany sighed. “We could, but you know how that goes. There is no guarantee they would move us to the same place. There are always civilian jobs.” Bethany wouldn’t mind that … she didn’t think. Not all civilian jobs were as secure as Star Fleet. Then again they weren’t very secure now. “When this is over, one way or another, then we can decide.”

Bethany

Aasrel nodded. “A civilian job wouldn’t be the end of the world. There are plenty of places that need doctors.” He leaned against her with a sigh. “I don’t know.”

~ Aasrel

“You don’t need to know. Not right now anyway. Until we know how this mission ends we can’t make a whole lot of plans.” She kissed his cheek and then rested against his chest. She was getting cold, but would feel warm to his touch. The meds worked, but as time for a new dose came closer and they wore off, she would get a spike in her symptoms. Mostly the fever.

Bethany

He held her to him. “You’re getting warm.” He said softly, looking down at her. “Almost time for your evening dose.” Aasrel smiled then, “Then we can go to bed.”

~ Aasrel

“I feel cold.” Bethany leaned against him heavily. “I’m always cold. I can’t seem to get warm. The medicine makes me disoriented and groggy.”

Bethany

Aasrel hugged her tight. “It’s because of the fever.” He looked at her with a frown, “Are the side effects worse than before?”

~ Aasrel

Bethany shrugged. “I guess. Th’rethiss insisted I lay down before he would give me the dose and stay there for an hour. Before as long as I sat for 20 minutes I didn’t notice the light headedness. Now, even lying down everything seems wobbly and like it spins.”

Bethany

Aasrel nodded. “Does it still wear off in about an hour?” He asked, looking at her with concern.

~ Aasrel

Bethany didn’t answer right away. Her mind tripping over the last few days. Then she said quite honestly, “I don’t know. It seems to, but then I still get light headed or lose my balance with Jonan’s exercises. Was the seizure that bad, am I more sick than you’re telling me, or is it lingering effects of the meds? I can’t tell anymore.”

Bethany

Aasrel felt her uncertainty. He hugged her tightly. “I wouldn’t lie to you. I think it was the seizure.” He rested his head against her. “You will get better.”

~ Aasrel

“I’ve never had seizures in my life. They can cause brain damage, Aasrel. What if I don’t get better? I mean like I was. A security chief who can’t run or pass hand to hand combat training, can’t stand at the tactical station?” She curled up more, pulling her robe tighter as she shivered. Her fever was going up. It made her feel tired and sick. What she would do for a job was so minor compared to whether or not she survived.

Bethany

“What about that civilian job we were talking about?” Aasrel asked softly. “All I care about is you living. Then we can figure out what we’re going to do. Okay?” He hugged her tightly. “I don’t care if I have to resign to be with you.”

~ Aasrel

There was always staying with him as a civilian while he served, but that meant… Bethany paused that thought. It was far too soon and the situation far too intense to go there. “Something will happen. Choices and decisions will be made. I can’t change them, I can only wait and see and decide how I react to them.” A shiver went through her, and her skin was clamy from the fever. It bothered her how quickly it rose as the meds wore off. What if it went high again and she had another seizure? The fever sapped her energy and the chills made her muscles ache.

Bethany

A few days later, Aasrel was allowed back to duty so long as he was careful and took breaks. He was still getting used to his empathy and telepathy again and it wasn’t going as smoothly as he thought it would, being back in Sickbay. He went back to Bethany’s quarters on his breaks and his lunch to check on her.

~ Aasrel

Bethany was happy to see him go back to duty. Not that she was tired of his company, far from it. However, it meant that he was better, he was healing, and he was really going to be fine. Also, being away from her probably helped his mood. She was having trouble emotionally. Her usually calm and flippant approach to things was gone. She was struggling to get decent sleep, getting suddenly and severely sick twice a day was wearing on her. She didn’t have much of an appetite. That was because she was stressed.

Aasrel came and saw her on breaks and stayed with her every night. While he was gone, she worked. At her desk or from a PaDD. She couldn’t do more than review reports and watching training reviews, but it was something. She tried to fiddle with some programming and found she couldn’t concentrate enough for that.

Her walks were almost nil. Going early or late had become a problem because if she fell asleep no one would wake her up. After a couple of days she was too tired to miss it. She worried about not doing the exercises though.

So she did something about it. Bethany was trained in a few diverse styles of martial arts. Klingon Mok’bara was slow, gentle, no impact, and focused on balance and coordination. Jonan said the exercises were important, so as long as she was careful, and stuck to things similar to what he gave her, she would be fine. Nothing that would exacerbate her illness.

She did that for a few days, in the morning after he left. She had the most energy and concentration then. Until she lost her balance very suddenly and fell. Her side caught her weight on the edge of the chair as she went down. She was glad Aasrel wasn’t there to see that. After that she sat and tried watching one of her collection of old movies.

Aasrel was with a patient, sitting in a chair when he paused suddenly. Bethany was in pain. She’d fallen. He’d need to check on her but he couldn’t just up and abandon his patient.

She was curled up in bed when Aasrel came back. She looked very pale and clammy. She looked like she was in pain.

Bethany

Bethany was in pain, Aasrel could tell empathically. Was something wrong? Or was he just adjusting? It was so hard to tell. He took a break once he was finished with that patient and headed to her quarters.

When he opened the door he knew something was wrong. She was pale and clammy and he could still feel her pain. “Why didn’t you call me?!” He asked, concern filling his voice as he pulled out his medkit and sat next to her on the bed, scanning her with a tricorder.

~ Aasrel