Posted by Lieutenant Cara Esmé O’Farrell (Counselor / Education Specialist) in Sometimes a Lunch Break Works Wonders

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Gravel Mardusk (Chief of Security) in Sometimes a Lunch Break Works Wonders

Posted by Lieutenant Cara Esmé O’Farrell (Counselor / Education Specialist) in Sometimes a Lunch Break Works Wonders
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
However long Cara lay there sleeping, it wasn’t enough. =^=Sickbay to O’Farrell. Potlier is waking up and Dr. McGillicuddy doesn’t want to give him more sedatives.=^= Cara didn’t move, but her body was no longer pleasently relaxed in his embrace. She spoke into the air. =^=I’m on my way. O’Farrell out.=^= The com closed and she groaned slightly. “I don’na want ta get up.” But get up she did, after kissing him for a long moment, and got dressed. She kissed him again, “I’ll see ya…soon.” Soon was relative though.

Cara headed back to her quarters…getting turned around, and then with a shower, uniform, and strong black coffee, she stepped out her door headed for Sickbay.

O’Farrell

---

Cara arrived in sickbay and spoke with McGillicuddy and Nurse Vpedk. Potlier’s burns were healed but he was struggling, which was to be expected. Cara spent a few hours with him, helping him piece together and smooth out what had happened in engineering and sickbay. Then Vpedk and a medic took him to a recovery room to eat and clean up. Cara left for her 2300 appointment, and then returned.

Potlier was one of those patients that counselor’s hope for. He was confused by what had happened, but once Cara helped him piece it together, he understood what had happened and why, and most importantly, he was willing to talk about it. They talked until the late morning before Potlier was able to sleep for a couple hours; Cara caught a catnap on the cot at the nurses station. Potlier didn’t sleep long though, and they spent another set of long hours coming up with techniques that helped Potlier deal with the trauma induced nightmares. They talked long into the night. At some point Potlier’s roommate showed up in sickbay asking about him. They had been friends since before they had enlisted in Star Fleet, and out of pure luck had ended up on Atlantis together.

After a lot of talking, much discussion, and agreement with McGillicuddy, Potlier was allowed to return to his quarters, his roommate aware of what warning signs to look for and to contact her and security of anything happened. Cara wrote an update to her report and gave it to the security officer that had been on watch. Potlier was being released from sickbay but was not cleared for duty yet.

Cara returned to her office to a incredulous Shan, “Lt.? No. Go. Home.” Cara was tired, “Yvonne, I ‘ave appointments and I appreciate the concern…” Shan snorted, “It’s covered. I already rescheduled or reassigned your appointments for today. Tomorrow is your day off anyway. You’ve been at it for two days.” She got up and pointed back down the hallway. “Go.” Cara made a face but gave a tired smile. “A’right already. Thanks.” Cara disappeared down the corridor, Shan called security and told them she was on her way to her quarters but was doing a pretty good impression of a sleep walker.

Cara got off the lift on deck 4, following the blue running dots, but the computer kept having to ‘reroute’ her as she passed her door 3 times....

O’Farrell

Gravel stepped out of his quarters, shorts and no shirt on. He watched the obviously exhausted Cara walk past her own door twice (he missed the first one) past him without seeing him, turn around, go past her door again, turned around…

“Ok, sleeping beauty, time for sleep.” and he scooped her up off the floor and went to her door.

Cara slapped him, in the shoulder, impressively for her size. Despite her voice being mumbled from exhaustion it was fierce. “Gravel put…put me…down. “Ya might be feelin’ amorous, but I’m not.”

=/\= Computer, Securiry override Mardusk kilo-indigo-lima-alpha. =/\= There was a chirp and the door slid open. Mardusk walked her inside, straight to her bed and set her down. “Eaay, Cara… look, I’m gonna take your clothes off, okay? Nothing you ain’t shred with me before, so…” and he looked for a response. Nothing. He shook his head and began removing her uniform. Once she was ‘comfortable’, he laid her back on the bed, pulled the blanket over her, and said “I’ll check on you in the morning, gorgeous. Sleep, babe.” and he stood up and turned to leave.

Mardusk

His words got no response but his actions did. She pushed his hands away at first, not really meaning it and then gave in. She mumbled something intelligible and then, “Gravel, I love you.” And then she was asleep.

O’Farrell

Gravel looked at her for a long moment and then said simply “I know.” and he turned and left the room and went back to his own quarters.

Sleep was elusive… he was smiling too much.

Mardusk

Sleep Cara did, but quietly…well Cara talked in her sleep when she was really exhausted. Her combadge didn’t go off once. She woke the next morning with a mild headache from sleeping so hard. She laid there eyes closed as she woke up and then stretched to remove the stiffness in her muscles and realized something…”WHO UNDRESSED ME?!?!”

Her eyes snapped open and she looked around. She was alone, she thought. But if she was in trouble shouting wasn’t helping. A quick glance told her she was in her quarters. She sat up and took a deep breath as she tried to remember what happened after she left her office.

O’Farrell

=/\= Lt. O’Farrell, Lieutenant Commander Mardusk requests you call when you are awake. =/\= the computer said as she moved and made noise.

Computer

Gravel....the thought of him brought back a rather pleasent dream she had been having. She’d told him she loved him and then …well it was pleasant and fading now she was awake. She got up moving to the washroom for a very quick shower and then drew on an ankle length satin robe. She found her combadge still on her jacket and picked it up. =^=O’Farrell ta Mardusk. Ya wanted me ta call?=^=

O’Farrell

=/\= So now that you are rested and not talking out of exhaustion, you still love me? =/\= His tone was amused, but not mocking.

=/\= Breakfast. Come over. We should talk. =/\=

Mardusk

It wasn’t a dream. Oh…he wanted to talk. Great Cara what did you do? Other than confess you loved him in your sleep? =^=I need a few minutes.=^= and she closed the com. She changed into soft grey slacks with a green blouse and braided her hair. Then she stepped out her door, turned right and pressed his chime.

O’Farrell

The door slid open and Mardusk stood a few steps back from the door. “Hey, Red. C’mon in. Want some coffee? Tea maybe?” and he smiled at her and beckoned her to the couch.

Cara walked in, she thought she could really use something stronger than coffee or tea. “Tieguanyin oolong tea.” She smiled at him and sat, legs curled under her on the couch.

Gravel ordered the drink and brought it to the seating area. He set the tea near Cara.

On the low table was an assortment of pastries, fruit, cheese, and bread. “Have some. You slept a while, you must be hungry.” and he settled into the couch. “So… do you remember anything about after you left work?”

Mardusk

Cara picked up some type of pastry and took a bite. She hadn’t looked at the time and really had no idea what time she had left her office. Just that it was after her shift was supposed to start. At his question she put the food down and thought. “Remember? Not much. Mostly a haze of exhaustion and blinking blue dots.” She grinned slightly and then sighed and turned, facing him. “I remember Gravel, but I thought I had dreamt it.”
O’Farrell

Gravel nodded and then said “Okay. So now the question becomes: did you mean it? Or were you just talking out of a lack of filter from utter physical and mental exhaustion? I mean,I know you get turned around, sure… but you walked past your own quarters at least three times. Thus… blinking blue lights.”

Mardusk

Cara scrubbed a hand over her face. “Oh that’s a new record…” But that wasn’t the point. She looked at him for a moment, staring at his eyes. Her stomach was churning and she felt flushed. “Lack of filter doesnna make some thing false, usually it means…” Great she was going to psychoanalyze herself. She looked worried for a fleeting moment. “Yeah, Gravel, I do. I love you. It sounds crazy I’m sure. I know this, between us, is a bit of a wild ride, and ya can tell me ta pump the breaks. I didn’t mean…”

O’Farrell

“Cara… enough. Stop.” he said gently. “Just… pump the breaks on the explaining, okay? You said it, you meant it. Thats all we needed to get out there. Now eat, please. Last thing we need right now is your blood sugar being all wonky and stuff, right?” and he smiled at her.

Mardusk