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

(snip)

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

Cara finished the pastry and then some of the fruit, giving the tea time to cool just a bit. Then she picked up the tea that was still hot and blew across the surface sending the steam dancing and took a sip. The heat and flavor was bracing and helped her fully wake up.

O’Farrell

“Good. Now then… I know things have moved really fast between us. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing… but I also don’t want to have either of us in a position where one or the other feels obligated or pressured to move faster to keep up with the other one and end up feeling uncomfortable or trapped, ya know? I mean, truth be told we both probably should discuss where we see this going and if we even think it has the depth and strength to move forward and maybe maintain something I love you too for a long oeriod of time and maybe become something even more. Now don’t get me wrong, I like spending time with you and seeing you laying on me is one of the hottest things I’ve seen in ages and I want that to see that a lot more going forward…” and he looked at her for a moment.

Mardusk