snip

“There is no big plan, just us, friends… I wanted us to look nice. We deserve that, after all we have been through, capturing the men hurting the syndicate. We made it out alive… whole. Not everyone can say that puppy. So this is just a celebration, of life, victory… and us.” he said softly as he leaned over and gave her a deep sensual kiss as the driver began to move.

Creed, XO

Celina let Jack kiss her. She let his cologne and touch take her far away from the moment. When he broke it off, Celina was not ready for it to end. Turning in her seat, she at Jack’s lap and looked into his eyes. Jack was right. The past few weeks and months had been hectic. Some days she had felt like her heart never would stop racing. Other days she could barely deal with the bordom. The fights, stakeouts, secret meetings, and endless hours sifting through paperwork had dominated her life. The only thing that was constant day after day during this time was Jack. “What will we do without a big plan,” she said softly. “I love you Jarbroni. I love everything about you.” Leaning forward she put her head on his shoulder and just let him hold her. Childish maybe but the need to be in his arms was so great. “I think I want you to meet my mother,” she said softly. “I know your family is gone and that you are alone but you don’t have to be. You can be part of my family assuming you pass the trial by fire to which my grandmothers will subject you to. It’s just next year I will be up for a transfer and I thought maybe…we could find a place be a dynamic duo again. I like the us I am with you. I just thought you should know.”

“Oh there is a trial? Well… I guess I can’t fail that now can I? That sounds amazing love, and I will spend every minute making your family love me.” Jack said, biting his lip ever so slightly. He had much to inform her. He knew tonight he could let her in on all his secrets, he wanted her to be just a part of her world as she made him a part of hers. She was worth the world to him and he knew he couldn’t ignore a chance to give her all that he was.

She had wanted to tell him this a thousand times. Yes they had had thier silly fantasies about meeting her parents and what they would do after Jarbroni found his parents killers but Jack’s words of this being a victory party had a sense of ending to it and Celina did not want it to end. Jack was on special assignment. He was tight lipped about anything regardling his past. They were both Starfleet personel and could be reassigned based on the Federations needs. She just wanted him to know that she did not want this partnership to end.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez, CTO

Jack looked at her softly, feeling her trepidation and her unease. Sliding her closer into his arms he kissed the top of her forehead. “I know what you are thinking puppy, don’t let those thoughts in your head. I am not going anywhere okay?” he said softly to her as he felt the car stop. He could see their stop, the old stomping ground as it where. “I figured I wanted to start the rest of my life with my friends, and loved ones.” he said as he looked at her, wondering if she had expected some fancy fine dining establishment or something far different than their old bar.

Creed, XO

“This is perfect,” she looked up at him seeing the pinkish building with green trim and the big black letter’s announcing MOE’S tavern. The building had a slightly Caribbean feel to it with the coloring but the inside was all dive bar with few places to sit beside a bar and the iconic dart board. “You just can’t get annoyed when Moe or Barney comment about my legs or hair or cleavage or,” she let her voice trail off. While the men were close friends of theirs they were still men. At times she debated if Moe wasn’t capable of clunking Jarborni over the head with a shovel and claiming Jarbroni took off for other destinations just ot get a date with her. Celina held out her hand as Jack helped her her from the car. As he did the door to Moe’s opened and a patron stumbled out accompanied by the sound of the music inside.

I never dreamed I could love somebody like you filtered into the night air. Celina smiled and wrapped her arms around Jack as they stoon on the pavement. “See it is a sign. This song will play at our wedding one day and become the one thing you always remember about us. It follows us wherever we go and only brings good things.”

Lt. Celina Rodriguez, CTO

“Yeah, it sure does…” he said rolling his eyes as he smiles at her. He didn’t have the most fond memories of the song but her smile made him forget all the horrible events that seemed to plague him. Still, tonight was a great night. “I love you though, so much moosh.” he said as he leaned in kissing her cheek. Entering he saw everyone waiting for them as he asked them all. He beamed, he had made a lot of great friends with Celina, their lives became intertwined.

Creed, XO

“Hey Celina’s here…and Jarbroni,” Moe said from behind the bar drying out a glass. He kept the lights low and the action was just for show. No one ever dared look at the bottom of the glass they were served and after three drinks never thought about it. His voice also did not hold the high pitched almost squeal of happiness when he added the second name.

“Hey Moe, Barney,” Celina said walking up to the bar.

“You look prudy,” Barney said letting out a large burp. The man was nice but never seemed to manage more than three sentences before needed to extricate some gas.

“Yeah Celina is in the house,” Lenny said with a grin raising his glass. His action made her roll her eyes.

“Why don’t you get us some drinks and then I can wax the floor with your arse as I destroy you in darts,” she said coyly to Jarbroni. “I will be right back.” Celina knew that the other men would be watching her every step but she only cared about dropping one man to his knees. They hadn’t been together an eternity but she did know exactly how much swagger to add to her walk to torment him.

“Well, now that Lina’s gone. Let’s all go into our suspended state til she gets back,” Moe said watching her six as she walked to the restroom like he was sniper ordered to cover her south forty.

“How you get a girl like her to like you,” Carl asked studying Jarbroni at the end of the bar.

“It’s his smolder,” Lenny replied almost immediately.

“Smolder?”

“Yeah yeah you know like those Disney characters. That look he gets in his eye that says I like you but I am not sure I can stick around,” Lenny responded downing his drink. “All women are a sucker for smolder.”

“Hey…Jarbroni....how is it going with you trying to hok me up with Celina’s thrid cousin from her divorced Uncle’s second wife,” Moe said in a low tone.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez and the crew from Moe’s

“Hey, is everyone upstairs?” Jack asked Moe, he had set up to reserve the top half of the gastro pub, where they held parties and special events.

“Of course Roni, anything for you, extra clean perfect, got Chef Salazar cooking up the perfect meal.” he said as he had the guys close the bar so they could all follow Jack and Celina up.

Jack made the trek up, feeling the weight of the small box in his pocket more and more. It was going to be a wonderful night he knew it. He thought so at least till they made it to the top, and the song played again. He shook his head, this was a perfect day and that song couldn’t hurt them anymore he thought to himself as he took Celina and let her wrap her arm between his.

Creed, XO

Celina walked with her arm in his up the stairs. Moe had tried to upscale the place and did an amazing job. Above the bar, she had come to know and love during her assignment on Orion was a space that catered to the more affluent part of the city. The dark decor of the downstairs was in striking contrast to the upper floor where travertine tile lined the floor and soft white organza fabric lined the windows. The wall fountains and potted plants of all shapes and colors gave the room an exotic garden feel. The establishment was the epitome of life on Orion. The lower levels of most public buildings and the people that frequented them tended to be more industrial-urban while the upper floors refined elegance and manners.

This was not the first time Jack and Celina had been to the upper floors of the establishment. It was one of their favorite places to come for dinner. Tonight, however, the vibe in the room was different. It was filled not with paying patrons but just about everyone Jack and Celina knew mingling about in small conversational groups. Several waiters moved about them carrying trays filled with tapas like snacks and fluted drinks. “Jarboni,” she said drawing his name out a bit as she took in the room. “Are we reception crashing again,” she gave him a small smile.

This was not the first time they had surreptitiously crashed a private event. Several months ago, Jack and she had come for dinner only to find out the room was closed for a private event. Moe told them to go on up. Celina had to admit it was one of her favorite memories with Jack. That night she had been the Baron Von Tellur visiting from Bulgarian Prime. Jack was the Baron there on business. As the night progressed their admittingly bad Bulgarian accents got better as the booze flowed. It was the height of escapism that night with her and Jack being invited to a party following the event at a private estate high above the city to discuss how they dealt with wealth, power, and privilege.

“Zo tonight may I be Zoe the daughter of a fantastically wealthy Denevan gem dealer,” she let out a small laugh. “Or do you have a different play?” That was the one thing she loved about Jarboni. While he was grounded and sometimes hard as heck to get out of sweatpants and off the couch, he also could be amazingly daring. It was a combination she found intoxicating.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez, CTO

“Tonight, I just want Celina… the woman who arrested me… stole my heart… and looks great in high heels.” he said as he leaned back, taking a look at her finely sculpted rear section that the heels brought to attention. “It’s about us, friends and loved ones together, it’s a celebration party. I have you to thank for this all.” Jack said, waving at some of the guests. “You helped in ways I don’t know if you fathom.” he said softly as he kissed her cheek.

“Like our first night in that stakeout,” Celina leaned into his kiss. “I knew you weren’t as unhappy about the front seat picnic as you let on. And thank you for admitting I did help that night contrary to what you said.” Smiling so wide her face seemed to light up, Celina took a moment to enjoy the memory. It was one of her favorites and secretly Celina had always considered it their first date for the simple reason it was at night, food was involved, and they pretty much talked all night. Sure Jack complained she talked a lot that night but it was the first time they actually spent a night talking instead of more carnal pursuits. Their physical attraction was always off the boards but their mental attraction took a few months for them to realize they were just two misshapen jigsaw pieces whose curvy lines seemed to find a way to fit together.

The night moved on with laughter and music, with food seeming to pour all around them. The room could hold far more than Jack invited, with roughly only twelve or so guests in attendance. These faces had all influenced Jack and Celina while they were there, become friends and extended family in many ways. Jack had always been a wandering soul, from ship to ship, lover to lover. For once though he felt calm and settled, and the small weight in his coat pocket seemed light as a feather, ready to come out and surprise the love of his life.

First though, Jack needed to explain some things, about him and his past… who he really was. He couldn’t ask her to marry him without all the news up front. Looking over he pulled Celina’s attention on him. “Hey, we need to talk… good talk I hate that phrase this… I need to just, you did everything for me and I can finally let you know everything…” he said pausing, he felt like his entire body was sweating. How to explain it all he wondered, you just start from the beginning.

Creed, XO

“That you are having an affair with sunglasses,” Celina shot back with a light-hearted quip and a wink. Sunglasses was the nickname she gave to the buxom blonde at Moe’s that seems to always be in her seat when she left to go the bathroom. Jack always moved Sunglasses along or flat out ignored her but that did not stop Sunglasses from giving it her weekly college try. Celina had a hard time faulting the woman in reality. Who wouldn’t want Jarbroni on their arm? He was everything anyone could ever want in a man. “So are you ready to give me her name and social security number,” Celina said not missing a beat.

Jarbroni was acting a bit off right now. Few things rattled her boyfriend but right now he seemed to be a bit anxious about something. Celina knew there were things in his past he didn’t want to share. She thought she had always wanted to know them. Now Celina felt that ignorant bliss might be better than the truth.

Lt. Celina Rodgriguez, CTO

Bump

“Something like that, just… you have been a surprise I never expected. I love you, more than… I think I should at times. I was afraid my love would put you at risk…but it’s all been worth it. Every second I get to spend with you.” he said, feeling himself build up the nerve to tell her more.

Creed, XO

Celina stopped all the jokes and witty banter as she looked at Jarbroni. “How about this for a revelation Hero? From the moment I saw you sitting in my jail cell with the damn smirk and devil may care attitude I decided you were worth the risk. Love is all about taking a risk. Putting yourself out there for someone and saying I am all in and I am all in,” Celina put a hand to his cheek. “There is nothing you can say or do that is going to change that okay. You and I have been through a lot. There is still, however, a lot I want to go through with you. I don’t care what you may or may not have done in the past. The past is the past. We can’t change it and it shapes who we are. The risk I am excited about now is how we are going to tell my grandma that you are not Catholic,” she crinkled up her nose like she didn’t like something with a silly grin.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez, CTO

Jack smiled as he let her words wash over him, he reached slowly into the pocket inside his coat, feeling the small box as he looked past Celina for a brief moment. That was when he first knew something was wrong, as he looked out the window as he saw the bright light begin. It was like time slowed down as he looked around, all these people and it would be all his fault , he knew it.

“The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
It’s strange what desire will make foolish people do

It was then things seemed to click in her mind or maybe it was her imagination. Jarbroni had a dreamy expression on his face. She could not deny that. The was as if he had a far-off gaze as if looking towards the future. Then there was his off-balance behavior. Jarbroni never was fidgety except maybe during a playoff game and that was typically followed but a comment like ‘babe…honey little to the left please’ as he craned his neck around her when she stood in front of the screen. He hadn’t left her side all night and the few fleeting times he had Jarbroni never seemed to have taken his eyes off her. All his talk about the past fit with the words playing to the song filling the room. Strange desires. Jarbroni never indicated he saw a neverending future with her but he never mentioned seeing an end either. The final key was his hand. There was no way Celina missed how it had moved toward the inside of his coat pocket. That was where he always kept his credits to avoid the pick pockets but tonight was an open bar.

I never dreamed that I’d meet somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you”

“Yes baby,” Celina said looking up at him.

Those words echoed from the jukebox behind the bar, Ahhh fuc… Jack thought but the blast stopped all words as he put his hand behind Celina and pulled her down. “GET DOWN!” he yelled as blasts began firing into the room, the friends he had gathered running and screaming, a few going down as Jack felt the pit of his stomach tie in knots. I knew I shouldn’t have let them play this song. he said to himself as he pushed the table down for cover with Celina next to him.

Creed, XO

Celina blinked her eyes and shook her head. Large silvery spots filled her visual field and her movements felt thick. Probably because her ears were ringing. If anyone else had grabbed her, Celina would have resisted or pushed off them but it was Jarboni’s hands that were around her. In the middle of the chaos, Celina took the moment to try and clear her head as she fell with her full body weight forward onto Jarbroni. She grunted as her forward momentum turned into a roll with Jarbroni moving her body to the side with his in a tight roll. Opening her eyes, her vision was clearing some but the sounds of the room were still muffled by the blast. “Are you okay,” Celina screamed almost directly at Jarbroni’s face. The louder volume was her way to be heard over the chaos in the room. Screams, crunching glass, boots, and phaser fire erupted in the room masking the music still playing from a corner of the room.

There was only one thing to do right now. Grabbing Jack’s hand with her one free hand she shoved it up her dress to her inner thigh where a phaser was strapped. It was small but like everything, Jack had given her it packed one hell of a punch. She knew Jack always was packing but until they sat up he probably could not reach his weapon in the half second they had but she could reach his. His protective countermeasure had let her escape the hail of fire but she was still on his arm for the moment.

Jack grabbed the weapon and pulled it from her, he looked at it. A normal man may have been shocked his girlfriend was packing at a social event, but the truth was he had been too. “Why do I have to have the ladies weapon?” he said with a smirk as he moved slightly, feeling her reach for his own behind him he knew she would have an easier time grabbing for it.

“Because no self-respecting girl on Orion travels without a little something on a Friday night,” she said wiggling back so they could sit up. “And you gave it to me,” she rolled her eyes thrusting the gun from the back of his pants into his hand taking her own weapon back.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez

“Yes, but that does sad weird things about us always carrying.” he said as he helped move her to the side of him, he heard a crunch of a booth next to them, the men had been moving fast and Jack had to react. Relying on Celina to pop up and fire for cover the second the foot got near him Jack grabbed for the blade that was held in the booth strap.

“Gopher time,” Celina said raising her head over the edge of the table to lay down suppressing fire. Jarbroni had a plan. He always did but the first thing she needed was to clear the perimeter so he had time to tell her about it. With all the resulting chaos, Celina took one side of the bar and began to move from the right to the center finding her targets and taking aim. She did not worry about maiming at the moment. She concentrated on headshots taking out the approaching men like targets at a carnival. She could not cover every target so Jarbroni would have to cover his side for the moment.

The soldier looked down but had no chance to ready his rifle as Jack struck hard in his ankle as the strike tore through the flesh.

Taking the advantage Jack pulled the man off his balance, finishing him quickly with a strike to the throat with the blade as he grabbed him by his vest and pulled him into the cover. The man would have weapons, tools and the means to survive while Celina continued to hold them off. Putting the blade aside he placed Celina’s pistol behind him, pulling off the pistol and grenades from the body he found himself hold onto the rifle as he slid the second pistol Celina’s way. “Can you shoot and run? We gotta get our friends to safety first before we deal with these guys. They won’t hold back for long Moosh. How many we got anyway?” he asked her, he had heard 6 other pairs of boots but he couldn’t be certain with the ringing in his ear if that was correct.

Creed, XO

“We? I got eight. You have one,” she said flippantly reaching down to her side and grabbing the weapon she knew would be there. “There are at least a dozen or so left.” Using the fresh weapon, Celina began to push back the men encroaching on their position in the little amount of time she took to replace her weapon. “And yes I can run but cover me a second,” she said realizing there was no way she could run and shoot in her current state of dress. “Count of three. One…two…three.”

Looking up Jack surveyed the land, “Eight? There is one injured and seven more approaching? Are you seeing spots or something?” he said as he duck back down taking a deep breath as he calmed himself.

Celina immediately dropped behind the table knowing Jarbroni would cover her. Pulling off one shoe she snapped the stiletto off the right shoe and then the left shoe cleanly taking them from stunningly sexy to soccer mom practical flats. She was good in heels but not good enough to sprint. She also was not ready to go Bruce Willis and run through the shards of broken glass. Grabbing the knife out of the man’s throat she spread her legs apart and increased the slit up the front to give her more mobility and a Sheena Queen of the Jungle type appearance. Spying two men flanking their position she found the weapon Jack had placed behind him after taking the man out with the knife and picked off the approaching men with a single shot to each knee.

“What’s the plan,” she yelled followed by, “what did you do to these guys? You really know how to piss people off. You do know that Jarbroni don’t you.” The quip was meant more to try and calm her some. As long as she had time to speak that meant they had a chance to survive however she was starting to doubt they might make it out of this one. The men seemed to keep coming from every corner, window, and stairwell.

Lt Celina Rodriguez

Looking over at her he eyed her up and down. “What on Earth are you doing to yourself?” he asked as she finished the adjustments to her dress.

“How easy do you think it is to run in something like this,” she half yelled. “If I knew we were fighting the syndicate I would have shown up in a sports bra running shoes and spandex,” she snapped.

“And I didn’t anything.... WE arrested two high ranking Orion Syndicate members, remember? So don’t go pinning this all on me.” he said, he looked to his right and saw several of their friends hiding, behind them the balcony.

“Look, we need to get there and get these people out of here, then we can handle these guys.” he said as he looked down at the gear he had taking from the guy, there was two grenades he palmed into his coat but one other flash bang, “Okay… we improvise…” he said as he grabbed the flash bang and pulled the pin as he rolled it out to the middle of where the guys, as he did he turned his position around as he placed his rifle at the wood of the table and fired directly through it to keep fire down as he protected his eyes.

“GO!” he ordered Celina, their priority as officers was always to recuse civvies first, and he wasn’t about to forget that duty.

Creed, XO

Celina acted on instinct and ran diagonally across the room towards the table where several of her friends were huddled. “Close your eyes,” she yelled closing her eyes and further shielding them by burying her face into the crook of her arm. The sound of the grenades was deafening but she had been trained in situations like this. Now that she knew what to expect and when her reaction time increased. There was only one way Celina saw to get out of this. They were boxed in with no access to the stairs so she was going to have to make an entrance to the area below them herself.

Rising to her knees Celina drew her weapons and began shooting at the floor around her huddled group of friends. “What the hell is wrong with you? Roni your girl is drunk and armed. This is why I don’t allow weapons in my bar,” Moe yelled as Celina rapidly fired holes in the wooden floor.

“What are you doing!?! The Balcony!” he shouted as he pointed at the curtains, he shook his head as he kept the men at bay firing at a few of them, before hearing the small click of his rifle overheat. Tossing it back he reached for his pistol, these men had been using the grenades they brought, but Jack was feeling little recourse right now. Grabbing one of the two energy grenades he pulled the pin as he placed it in the far corner where the men were at. As they scrambled to move out of the way he took a few shots before taking cover himself, hitting one guy and injuring the other.

“Fine but this would have worked,” she yelled at Jarbroni.

Using the precious seconds Jarbroni gave them, Celina was already gesturing her friends towards the balcony.

“How you expect us to get off this thing?” We don’t have wings,” Homer gestured to the open air around him.

“So instead of trying to kill us with phaser fire you are going to kill us by free falling? We are three stories up!”

His words hung like a weight in the air. Moe, Apu, and for the first time in his life a sober Barney mulled about the small space looking for her and Jarbroni to fix the situation. The flutter of something white gave Celina a thought. Moving to the edge she peered over the side of the balcony making a quick calculation. “We climb down,” she said moving quickly to the sheer silk fabric fluttering through the doorway from the balcony to the entrance of the room. Pulling the fabric off the rod she pulled the two pieces of material onto the balcony.

“A curtain is going to hold us,” Apu said staring at her.

“No, but silk will. Its tensile strength is almost that of steel. It will hold,” Celina said as confidently as possible. She was more worried that the fourteen feet of fabric were not long enough to reach the ground. Tying it off to a marble ballister she threw the loose edge over the side. “Climb over. Drop if you have to. I have to help Jarbroni,” Celina said moving from the relative safety of the balcony back to the ballroom. She had given her friends a possible escape route. Now it was time to find Jarbroni. Nothing in the universe could make her leave him behind.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez, CTO

Jack used the time he bought to roll over his way to Celina as he fired a couple shots behind the table he held as cover before coming towards her, looking to his left he found the bar which had a steam line for their hot drinks, pulling it he came to her as it made a smoke screen to prevent the men from getting to them too quickly. Before the men could notice one of the men came barreling through only to have flesh melting steam blast his face.

“I bought us some time…” Jack said as he stood in front of Celina, putting himself between her and the men as he looked down, the last of the men getting to safety down below. “Okay, you’re gonna be next okay?” he said softly, he knew she would protest but before they could even say anything a random shot came through the mist hitting the silk curtain as he took a piece of the railing with it.

Instinctively, Celina ducked but pulled her weapon out firing behind Jarbroni into the mist. She couldn’t see him but that also meant they could not see them. That simple fact would make them proceed with more caution buying her and Jarbroni time to escape.

Without hesitation, Jack turned and let Celina pull out her weapon and take out the guy. There was not many left but they had little to run at this point, and he knew more would be on the way. Jack paused as he took a deep breath thinking of their chances. They are after you, not her… it was always about you. Why did you ever think you get a happy ending? Jack heard the voice in his head blare to him as he closed his eyes.

“Okay Hero what is the plan,” she said holding up her personal communicator. While she and Jarbroni were unscathed the device was not. “Hey…hey,” she snapped her fingers before letting her hands pat his body. Jarbroni was a man of action. He did not just stand around waiting for something to happen. He made things happen.

“You remember that little cafe’? The one with crappy coffee but great service?”

“Yeah but I,” Celina started to speak but was cut off again.

I… you need to take them there. Okay? Take them and keep them safe Moosh.” he said as he opened is eyes, his dark brown eyes looking deep into her own as he smiled softly. “I love you… always.” he said and before she could say a word pushed her in the chest with all his might, forcing her off the balcony. He knew the pool under her would break the fall, but he needed to get her gone before she ever could talk him out of this.

Celina reached her hands out but the impact was too hard and to fast for her to react. Her fingers just brushed the tips of his when she felt her feet leave the ground and her body sail backward in the air. She gasped waiting to see him leap over the rail after her but the moment never came. One look at the peaceful expression on Jack’s and Celina’s gut clenched in knots. He said he was never going to leave her. He said they were a team yet here Jarbroni was sacrificing himself for her. He was not coming after her. Celina clawed at the air as she fell desperate to get back to Jarbroni.

“Jah,” she screamed but the impact into the water silenced the shouting of his name. Water filled her mouth producing only a gargled choking sound as Celina kicked for the surface of the water.

Hearing the men approach, Jack went into his jacket once more finding the last grenade, pulling it he flung it back as he came behind cover of the bar, feeling the floors creak from the shots Celina had done and the fighting.

As her face broke the surface of the pool, Celina heard the explosion. Small bits of debris fell to the ground creating a rain lie sound as smoke poured through the opening Jack had once stood in. “No. No,” she screamed not caring who heard. “No you are not doing this to me,” she yelled so loud her throat hurt. Celina had no idea if Jarbroni was alive or dead. She just knew she had to get to him. Not wasting a second, Celina began to kick hard for the pools edge. She was not going to leave him like this. Death would be a blessing for him if the syndicate wanted to take him back alive.

Jack waited as held his phase pistol in hand, hearing the blast he heard then men recover, three, four he wasn’t sure but he looked at his surroundings, there was exposed wiring under him, the energy supply was right under the bar it seemed. He heard a shot fly past him as it hit the jukebox, and as if fate cursing him the song… that terrible rotten song played again.

“The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
It’s strange what desire will make foolish people do…”

“Lina,” Moe helped pull her from the pool. “We got to go,” he said firmly wrapping a hand around her waist and dragging her towards the front road where sirens were beginning to be heard. “They will help him. Come on,” Moe fought Celina as she struggled in his arms.

“No I am not leaving him,” she yelled swinging at their friend. “He is not dead. I saw him on the balcony. He needs me. Let me go,” she grunted as Moe pulled her back. “Go…go get help but I am not leaving him!” Celina’s voice was firm and demanding. Nothing was going to stop her from entering the building and getting to him.

Jack looked down at his pistol, began inputting the sequence to overload it as he placed it deep in the power unit. He knew this was the only chance, take them all out and give the rest time to run… his last great sacrifice. Still, as time seemed to slow Jack couldn’t help but think back on all his time with Celina, and smile… even if it was bittersweet.

”…I’d never dreamed that I’d meet somebody like you
And I’d never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you”

Celina glanced over at him. They had spent the past 12 hours cramped up in a vehicle surviving on bad coffee and surrounded by burger wrappers as they staked out the building the syndicate was occupying. Her hair was a mess. A sloppy ponytail held it off her face. The conversation had not been about the stakeout or the success of the mission. It had been more personal. Setting her cold coffee into the drink holder Celina leaned over the armrest between them. “You know Jarboni you picked the craziest time to tell a girl you love her.”

Smiling she pressed her lips to his. “Just so you know. I have loved you since you said “Officer Celina come on… there has to be bigger fish in this sector than some guy with a Starfleet tricorder and a jerry-rigged type 2 phaser,” she quoted him. “And there has never been anyone more interesting.”

“No, I don’t want to fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don’t want to fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)…”

Jack heard the feet coming, why did they have to be so slow he wondered, he wanted this to all be over… he wanted to taste Celina one last time… why didn’t he kiss her?

”…With you
With you (this girl is only gonna break your heart)”

“Oh come on Jarbroni, my brother is not into petty theft,” she threw up her arms. “I am not saying you are lying but I doubt that he is the head of a maruani gummy candy ring. Now are you gonna tell me the real reason you both ended up in my jail or are we going to do this all night” she crossed her arms and waited for his response

…
“It’s negative,” she said with a weird expression. “This is for the best right? I mean we are so not ready for that, Celina asked him looking for an answer

“What a wicked game you played to make me feel this way
What a wicked thing to do to let me dream of you…”

Jack saw the men in front him, the first fired quickly, there was no more hesitation. The force made Jack fall back and as he did he felt the crack beneath him as the floor gave, his blood pouring as he fell what felt like hours. The men had little time to prepare, as the blast went off, the heat traveling down as Jack fell.
…
“…What a wicked thing to say you never felt this way
What a wicked thing to do to make me dream of you”
…
“What do you mean my Abuela needs to shave her upper lip? She does not have a mustache!”
“That is was your first thought after meeting my grandmother! Seriously Jarbroni,” she said walking away and locking the door to their bedroom.
....
Lying in his arms Celina looked up as him as he held her in his arms. “If this was the last day of my life, I would want to spend it right here like this for all eternity.” The day was one of the longest she and he had participated in. The syndicate was taken down. Jarbroni’s parents killers found and their future was wide open.

“The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
It’s strange what desire will make foolish people do
I’d never dreamed that I’d love somebody like you
And I’d never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you..”

The song, it still echoed… was it in his head Jack wondered, or did it somehow still play

No, I don’t want to fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don’t want to fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)
With you (this girl is only gonna break your heart)
With you (this girl is only gonna break your heart)…”

“What do you mean the lyric is not Rise up . Of course the guy is singing Rise it up not Risa. I mean who would sing a song about Risa like that.”
“Val Halen,” Jack looked at his girlfriend with an incredulous look. “Why would you think he would be singing rise up. It’s not a rebellion song babe.”
“No it is a song about a party animal and that is why he is Rising up. Rising uh huh huh huh up. Rye eye eye eye eye eye sa,” sounds stupid,” she rolled her eyes at Jarbroni
“Not any stupider than whatever the hell you are thinking. Face it love you are wrong. Admit it.”

”..No, I (this girl is only gonna break your heart)
(This girl is only gonna break your heart)
Nobody loves no one:”

Jack let those last words echo in his head as he felt the darkness surround him, he choked on his blood as tears fell down his face. He could feel the darkness taking him and he knew he wouldn’t wake to ever admit he was wrong again.

Creed, XO

The blast shot out of all the building’s windows throwing Celina and Moe across the patio as he struggled to get her to safety. The impact on the concrete was hard but that was not what made Celina silent. The site of thick, acrid smoke billowing out of every possible exit stunned her into silence as she watched the end of the explosion escaping from the second floor she had just occupied. For several seconds she stared at the charred remains of the marble balcony. Holding her breath until her chest burned like the splintered wood lying scattered about waiting to see any sign of Jarbroni. Any second from now she would see Jarbroni’s hand grip the rail as he threw himself over. Any second from now Celina would be running over to him kissing him and cursing him simultaneously. Any second he should be emerging from the smoke but it never happened. As the seconds past, her anger began to dissolve into fear then panic then desperation. Too much time had passed. The idea that Jarbroni might not be coming crashed over her like a wave at the ocean.

Celina struggled to stand but hands were suddenly surrounded her. Muffled voices asked questions as sirens blared but Celina could not tear her from staring, still in a daze, at the only place Jarbroni could emerge. A bright light cut through the night blinding her as a medic shined a penlight into her eyes checking her level of consciousness. This snapped her back into the pain of reality. Remembering to breathe she sucked in a large gulp of air releasing it in a single word. “Jarbroni,” she screamed fighting to stand up. “He hasn’t gotten out yet. We have to go in and get him,” her voice barked out orders as the hands tried to push her back down. Celina fought but could not push through them to get to the smoking entrance to find Jarbroni.

“Jarbroni,” she screamed in the high pitched voice one only attains when they are desperate. “Jarbroni,” she shrill screaming pierced the night over the sound of the sirens from the emergency vehicles now arriving. Her hands began to swing and claw at anything and everything trying to restrain her. She had to get up. She had to get to him. Celina pushed past the man in front of her before her world collapsed into a miasmic blackness.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez

present day

Jack paused, he had been telling the story… the one story that mattered most. The letters painted what happened after the attack, but in these past six months had never once explained his thoughts, and in all this story telling the greatest confession of all had been revealed to her. The why they had been there, he never once got a chance to ask her, time seemed to take away any chance but time seemed to give it back.

“I woke up, I think six weeks latter… I really do hate this song.” he said softly as he went back in his mind to that day.

Six weeks post attack

The slow steady beep played on, the tell tale sounds of a hospital as Jack lay in the bed. He was being monitored but looked far better than he deserved. He was shot point blank, fell three stories and had a serrated piece of steel go through his leg as burning rubble fell on top of him. Starfleet Inteligence made certain he made it, he was an asset after all and the a key piece to their case against the syndicate. It was for no more than practical reasons Jack survived at all, but his eyes began to open as he took in the sights and sounds.

A familiarly haunting sound came over him, he felt a groan inside him. *Not this crap again, what did he do to piss off Allah to have this music follow him to and from the grave.

“The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
It’s strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I’d meet somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you…”

“You’ll never leave me right? You’ll come back?” Celina said softly, Jack was reading to enter the compound they captured his men, him and half dozen operatives prepped and ready. This was a pinnacle moment for Jack, but he remembered that tone of her voice haunt him.

“I am always coming back Moosh… always.” he said as he kissed her, knowing she hated being relegated to perimeter. Someone had to watch their six, not everyone could always be the hero. Those words stuck with him, he had for the first time a reason to come back, he hadn’t felt that in such a long time.

“Okay Hero, go get them.” she said, smiling as she blushed red from the kiss, the men turning their gaze. It said a lot for him to show this affection on official business. She believed those words, would hold him to them.

”…No, I don’t want to fall in love
No, I don’t want to fall in love
With you.”

Jack felt himself notice more around him, he could see on his nightstand a small charred black box, it was the one he held so protectively in his coat pocket. He felt his throat tightening as he remembered it all. He had to get back, in this moment he felt nothing but a desire to find his Celina once more. It was in this moment he realized he wasn’t alone.

The silhouette seemed familiar, it was feminine and light. He smiled, maybe his dreams were not so haunting he thought. Sometimes good things happened, sometimes you could win. As his eyes focused the shape took form. “Moosh…” he said wearily, only to feel his throat catch. His vision focused on the face, it was indeed familiar but it was not his Moosh.

“Sister…” he said softly, confused as to her presence. How did she get to Orion so fast, nothing felt right in this moment.

“Ardashir… I have to talk…” she said, her voice soft. The next moments Anahita spoke softly to her brother as he took in her words. He had been gone six weeks, the doctors and Starfleet thought the news would come best from a face he knew. Maz Jarboni had died, she told him. This meant for his cover to stay intact and the friends he knew to stay safe he had to let Maz stay dead. Holding her brother as he cried he knew deep down what this all meant, and so did she as she took the small box and placed it in his hands. Jack couldn’t have his happily ever after, and Anahita reviled Starfleet for making her do this to him. Of all the moments the two had shared growing up this one would go down as the worst, even more than their parents funeral. She was forced to crush her brother, the only family she had left in the world.

Jack held onto his sister for a long time before asking to be alone, holding the box in his hand, tears flowing down his face he knew what it had all cost him. He found the truth, but lost everything in the end. You knew you couldn’t keep it all. the voices said to him, his inner demons feeding on his fears. He had not felt whole for sometime, and now the place Celina had filled seemed gaping and bloody, and nothing could change that.

Present Day