Posted by Civilian Micah Pikelsimer (Federation Security Agent) in From the Shadows Comes Hope

Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in From the Shadows Comes Hope

Posted by Civilian Micah Pikelsimer (Federation Security Agent) in From the Shadows Comes Hope
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

His eyes flashed and he grinned. “Oh, I’m sure I could whip us up somethin’. But first…” and he slid over next to her and put an arm around her. His metal arm raised up and the lights dimmed to almost nothing. “I really wanna see this.” and he pointed to the approaching storm. Outside, the wind was picking up dropping in temperature quickly. The trees began to move and the smell of storm came in on the wind. A few minutes later, the first of the rain began and soon the thunder and lightning joined it. Micah pulled her close as the storm began in earnest. Loud crashes of thunder and spectacular bolts of lightning created a cacophony of light and sound and the wind blew droplets of rain into the bathroom through the open wall. Micah smiled and closed his eyes, leaning his head back.

Micah

Shara resting her head on her arms. She watched the clouds shift and roll over the landscape, the flashes lighting up her face. The hot water kept her from feeling chilled by the rain but she shivered nonetheless, though his body heat was also soothing. “You know, I think what really freaked me out when I woke up and found out we were married was that I had this magical opportunity to have something special again dropped in my lap and it felt too good to be true.” She turned her ear onto her arm so she could gaze at him. “And then you gave me back my baby girl. I figure at that point there’s no grand gesture in the history of marriage that could spell out our future more clearly. Doesn’t mean some days it doesn’t still scare me, but I don’t feel restless, Pickle. Not with you.” She figured it helped that they were both fo the stars. He understood that about her and would let her have that as much as she needed, and vice verse.

~Shara Calloway, CIO

Micah watched the storm reflected in Shara’s eyes and smiled. “I know ya get scared, hun… I do, too. But no matter what, I know that you and I are just supposed ta be. Everything that happened to us before was prep for this here. We had to live the lives we have in order to appreciate each other for what we are.” He ran his fingers down her cheek. “And what you are is the most exciting woman I’ve ever met.”

Micah

She flashed him a grin, his fingertips creating a cascading warmth over her bare skin. “I’m glad you recognize fun and quality when you find it. I am most certainly never boring, even when I’m idle.” The lightning mirrored the amusement in her eyes. “Actually, that’s when you should probably worry.”

~Shara Calloway, CIO

“I never worry when it comes to you.” Micah said, kissed her cheek, and then let go and slid further down into the water and looked at the storm. “At least, I don’t worry about us. And I only worry about you when you are on the job. Other than that, I don’t think there is a thing in the entire galaxy that you can’t handle.” and he grinned.

Micah

“Well, at least on the job means something a little bit different now.” She watched the storm roll over their valley, the rain nothing bothering her one bit. “And there is one thing I can’t handle and that’s losing you or the kids. Loss hits differently now after everything. But it makes me fight harder, that’s for damn sure.”

“Doll, you ain’t gonna lose s#!t. You got my word on that.” Micah said with absolute certainty.

Shara truly loved that he would promise her that even though both of them knew life was too unpredictable for such vows. It’s what made her love him even more, because a part of him belieeved he could make it true.

She looked over her shoulder at him. “Are you coming back with me to the Pelican? she said, an innocent expression on her face. Yes, she had made the switch back to the ship’s real name, but it was still funny to her.

~Shara Calloway, CIO

He turned his head and looked at her. “Do you want me to come back with you? I know that us working together this last time took some gettin’ used to. But if you want me there… well… that can be a conversation for while we are here, fer sure.” A massive crack of thunder shook the entire house, but Micah didn’t react at all… he just looked at her. “But I will tell ya somethin’ right now… if’n I ain’t with you, I’m gonna be here.” He turned and looked back at the storm. “And I’ll be right here when you come back… no matter how long that is.”

Micah

She smiled at him. “I’m not sick of you yet, so yeah, together it is.”

“So it is.” he said and kissed her while smiling.

They stayed that way for awhile until the storm finished its passage over the valley. Shara pulled herself out of the cooling water with some reluctance but as she dried off and dressed in a loose stretchy black dress, her energy shifted.

Making her way down the stairs, ever silent as she did, Shara wasted no time making her way over to the music room and gathering a kit. Then she moved to the grand piano in the corner. Shara ran a hand over its sleek black surface and whispered, “I’m sorry for neglecting you baby. I know it’s not ideal, but I don’t trust anyone to come out and take care of you.” And then she set about checking the tuning, relying on childhood lessons from a professional that her mother worked with. Yes, most musicians let professional tuners handle this task, but her mother thought it important to understand precisely how the instrument worked as you learned how to coax the sound out of it that you desired.

~Shara Calloway, CIO

From up above came a shout. “Well? You gonna play that thing or just finger it?” and then a laugh.

Micah

“Hey, you have to coax a lady first. Warm her up. Can’t just go at ‘er like that. Besides, it’s been almost a year alone in this place. Don’t want to harm our ears by harsh sounds.”

She spent awhile longer tuning though frankly it was likely only her that would notice the subtle differences. All told, the piano had held up quite well in her absence and that gave her hope for future years in space.

Soon though, they were both both ready. She warmed up a little doing scales, arpeggios and an étude before she started into a full piece, playing Mendelsshon’s Songs Without Words No.1 in E Major. Yes, she had her guitar and it was something special, a way of also losing herself, but it was so different with the piano. It spoke to her in a way she had yet to find an accurate way of describing.

OOC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1uvYdW8MSk (the first 4.5 minutes)

~Shara Calloway, CIO

For the first minute or so, Micah just leaned on the railing that ran along the bedroom’s overlook of the living room. He watched Shara play, and the smile on her face was overshadowed only by his. He walked down the spiral staircase and over to the couch, resting against the back so he was right next to her. When she had finished, he clapped and then yelled “Encore! Encore! If I had some flowers, I’d chuck ‘em at ya!”

Micah

She looked over at him and grinned, her cheeks flushing. “I’m a little rusty but I’m probably the only one who can tell.”

Her fingers began to dance again. “I really should get myself some sheet music. I don’t know if I remember all of this one, but I think I remember enough that it will sound okay.” Shara flowed into another piece that was bright and had a rhythmic cadence and there were some obvious stumbles and once she paused to remember where it was going next, but overall she was happy with it and finished with a smile.

“Expect me to be playing daily,” she said with a laugh.

OOC: Passacaglia by Handel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAIZxaToV2A

~Shara Calloway, CIO