Posted by Lieutenant Alexandra Garfield (Xenobiologist) in First Date..Or Not —8 Years Ago —

Posted by Lieutenant Christopher Robins (Stellar Cartographer) in First Date..Or Not *** 10 Years Ago ***

Posted by Lieutenant Alexandra Garfield (Xenobiologist) in First Date..Or Not
“It’s so weird,” Lexi said bringing the glass to her lips as she talked to Ian and Chris in a small corner of the patio. The graduation party was about the fifth the trio had attended and there was still about half a dozen more to go before they shipped out late next week for their assignments. By now the graduation parties were not the raucous events celebrating that they had survived their four years at the Academy. It was the in-between stage of the graduation party series where everyone was starting to realize they were Starfleet officers and would be shipped out to God knows where in the coming weeks. Maybe that was why she, Ian, and Chris had found a secluded corner on the patio. Their nights of long talks would be ending. Lexi wasn’t so sure how ready she was for that to happen. “If someone had told me what I would be doing now four years ago I would never have believed it,” she sighed as she took a deep drink from her glass. “I should be reclining back on Noah, not you,” Lexi stated the sentence firmly.

“We thank you… so kind of you… you are a delight too.” Ian said to her, softer than his usual barbs to her. He knew how hard the break up was, the two had been fairly close for the four years but the final run to the door and it all seemed to dissolve. “Hey… look we are here for you… well until someone better shows up.”

“Shut up,” Lexi let out a half-laugh. “You know that we don’t really need a Dartanyan to our Musketeer troupe. No one really wanted Dartayan because if they did their name would have been changed to the Four Musketeers. We don’t need someone else to show up. People are nothing but trouble. I mean look at how many Dartanyan’s Chris has brought around and yet none of them ever made the cut to get a cape and sword. Good thing though,” Lexi let out a weak laugh. “Those costumes I got a few years back are discontinued so Debbie, Dottie, Dixie, Danica, Denise, Darla, Delia,” Lexi rattled off a string of names that Chris had dated as a joke, “will just have to go as the buxom milkmaid instead of someone in our group. It wasn’t ever a problem for someone like that to keep showing up.” While the joke about Chris’ dating habits always was fun for Lexi and Ian, tonight it felt weird to mention it. It felt almost like guilt in Lexi’s tummy. Why she couldn’t say yet if she had a gun to her head, Lexi would state the reason she felt icky about teasing Chris on the subject tonight.

Wiggling a bit, she found her comfy spot in the chaise lounger against Chris. Her body rose and fell with the rhythm of his breathing as she looked at the starry night. “I think I need you to find my North Star,” she requested as her hand moved towards her neck. Her fingers found the pendant on the necklace Chris had given her years before and began to move it back and forth. “I am not sure I know my way anymore.”

Cadet Lexi Garfield

Chris’s eyes glanced over at Ian, he felt himself sweating a little. He had told Ian what that pendant he gave to Lexi had meant, two years ago he had realized just how much he loved Lexi, beyond just friendship. Since then the parade of women had become almost exhaustible, all to ignore what he felt for her. “Look… how about you go get us some drinks, I’ll fix this.” he said as he kissed the top of her head as he moved so she could slide off of him. “Noah loves you… it’s just a matter of time till he figures out how he was wrong.”

“No way. Don’t you dare go look for him? If he loved me he wouldn’t have taken off the first time we could have had something real. Nights with no curfew, PDA in public, heck admitting we plan to be stationed together,” Alexandra rattled off the restrictions they had dealt with throughout her and Noah’s relationship. “First chance he got, Noah showed how much I meant to him. I can’t blame him though for being honest. At least I will always have you two.” Putting her hands on Chris’ legs, she pushed herself upright and slide from the chair. Chris was right. They needed more drinks. Lots more drinks so that she could chalk up the stargazing simpering to copious amounts of alcohol muddying her view.

After three steps Lexi spun around to face Ian in the chair and Chris still on the lounger. “Okay, but if you do find him…don’t make it obvious you are going to talk about me. Just act…casual or don’t find him. I don’t care,” Lexi backpedalled, forward pedalled, and might have even through in a side peddle as she mulled over her desire to get back with Noah.

Sitting up as she left Chris twitched a little, his lips pursing as he squinted before bowing his head slightly as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“You know, you don’t have to find Noah… he messed up, for once you two have a calendar where neither is attached… and yet here you are trying to set her back up with the one guy who has blocked you for four years?” Ian said in a low tone as he pulled next to Chris as he took a sip of the rest of his scotch before letting it down on the table before them.

Breathing in Chris shook his head slightly as he looked up, tense smile across his face as he looked over at Ian. “Yeah, not that easy… I told you never want to ruin this… I can ruin this, she is unspoiled by every screw up sarcastic playboy antics I have ever done. How many relationships have I imploded on cause it felt a little too real? When, not if, but when I do that to her then I loose my best friend next to you, and quite frankly she smells better than you.”

“Oh grow up, this is your one chance… stop putting every made up road block in front of you two. Look in three months we all fly out to different locations, if there was ever a chance to seal the deal with her it is now, I rag on her because she is like a sister to me, but you protect her like she is a lover to you. You have from day one, so stop pretending she is anything else and ask her out. Least I can finally stop being a damn third wheel… I can’t keep meeting up when you two wanna hang out to try and be a buffer.” Ian said as he noticed Lexi coming back, standing up he smiled at her then looked back at Chris. He could see in his friends eyes the fear, he knew what he was about to do it before he said anything.

“Hey doll, I am gonna bounce, Kylie called,”

“No, you can’t go. We are having fun here,” Lexi started to plead. “It’s not like you are planning to move with her after graduation so what’s the point?”

”… yeah I know I shouldn’t keep playing these games but I am gonna take off, you two can finish up the night without me.” he said as he leaned in kissing Lexi’s check before he moved out of view from Lexi as he stared Chris down as he mouthed the words ‘Ask her out’ before leaving the two alone.

“There goes poor Aramis,” Lexi let out a snort-laugh as she handed the drink to Chris. “Kylie is nice enough but I really don’t see the point. It’s like they are friends with benefits who never let each other out of the friend zone unless t was time for a touchdown.”

“He… they are quite the pair Ian and Kylie, and thank you.” he said as he accepted the drink from her as he stood up, not wanting a chance to things to get comfortable he took a deep breath, lowering his head. He could feel every nervous jittering feeling coursing through him as he hands began to get cold and palmy.

“So now that we are flying as a duet instead of a trio what should we do? I am kinda ready to leave to but we can’t make it a stampede to the door,” Lexi took Ian’s seat instead of her spot on the lounger.

“Hey… how about we go out, let me… let me show you what a real date should have been like. Forget Noah, just you and me… something you can remember today fondly on… better than being dumped the day of graduation…” Chris said to her, his words seemed to come out as if they were not even from him, sounding weird and foreign as he seemed to smile almost painless as he waited for the reaction, he was letting the chips down and he had to wait to see where they landed.

Cadet Christopher Robins

“I’d like that,” Lexi said reaching out to squeeze Chris’ hand. Their relationship was a mystery to the entire campus and at least one group of students clicked due to disbelieving that Lexi and Chris had never slept together. She had Chris had gone to dinner alone a million times over the past four years. His request wasn’t odd but the tone was. It was as if Chris had another personalty and that personality wanted to give Lexi a glimpse at what could have been. If she thought for a half-second this was going to be an official date, Lexi would have been less cryptic and more descriptive in her response to him. Only knowing what she knew about Chris meant her long-time friend was just explaining badly that he wanted to give her a night out. Over the years, Lexi had toyed with the idea of pursuing something on a more romantic level. What stopped her was the chance things could end badly and then shwe would not lose just a boneheaded boyfriend but her best friend. “Let me go change and we can grab some dinner,” she asked in a questioning tone. “We can go anywhere but Vito Provolones. That place is cursed with the ability to ruin any relationship that is not food-related. Noah and I broke up three times after eating there yet Vito’s cheesesteak has never made me cry.”

“What Francesca loves you, but I think I have something better in mind.

Standing up Lexi began to walk back to the residence to say her goodbyes to the cadet hosting the event. Turning around slowly, she walked back to Chris. Rising on her tiptoes, she put her arms around his neck and gave him a hug. “You are a good man Charlie Brown. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise,” she said inhaling deeply so that she could remember the scent of his cologne, deodorant, and laundry soap. Until this moment, Alexandra Garfield never thought about spending a day without seeing her best friend.

Cadet Lexi Garfield

Chris took a deep breath as he took in her scent as he closed his eyes as she wrapped her arms around him. He was nervous, but she had said yes. It was up to him now, he needed to proof to himself he could be the man she wanted. He had hidden this feeling for so long, but in this second she agreed and that was all that mattered as he let her slide of as he held a goofy yet playful smile as he looked her over. “Go, I will send you a message for the place, there was a new location I heard about… I think it’s just the place for this evening.”

As he watched her leave Chris stood pondering for some time the evening and this very moment. He couldn’t help but feel his sappy smile staying firmly on his face as he turned around heading to his apartment. Knowing Lexi she would need exactly 45 mins to get ready, which if he timed it right was all he needed.

*** Thirty Miniutes Later - Northstar Cafe’ ***

Chris sat at the table for two, feeling the nerves growing even more as he knew any moment Lexi should arrive. The cafe’ wasn’t anywhere they had ever been before, but the sentimental connection alone was enough to want to make their first magical. He sat in his chair, black suit with deep red shirt, no tie with his top buttons undone. It was both formal with a hint of his style that always seemed to keep things just a bit causal and playful. The cafe’ wasn’t large but the story he told them made them go the extra mile, as the table had pansy’s all around with candle’s burning and wine on ice between them.

Feeling his pulse pounding he looked up from his chair and felt like he could see the top of her head as he smiled and stood up from his chair. As the sounds of Lexi came more into ear shout the sight of her made his heart drop, as she wasn’t alone. “Noah…” Chris said as his stomach sank and felt as if he needed to throw up as he looked around. His only saving grace was no one knew him here at all. His embarrassment and rejection would be so much lesser right now as he scanned around wide eyed.

Motioning for the waiter to come over, who seemed to be piecing it as Chris did he nodded for him to get by the table as he leaned in and whispered in his ear. As he did he handed over his credit chip as he patted the man on the back. His heart sunken and feeling of dejection Chris began to move out the back attempting to avoid all contact with Lexi in this moment as he just dodged the back door as he heard Lexi and Noah entered moments before.

“Welcome to Northstar Cafe’” the waiter said as he looked at the couple as they entered, his smile seemed a bit forced. He didn’t know this Chris, but his approach to this seemed to be one of an utmost gentleman and respectful sort. It was a shame he had to have been crushed but this lovely woman. “You must be Lexi and…” Pierre paused, Chris said the name but in such a rush he drew a small blank before it came to him “Norm.” he finished with a wide smile.

“Please have a seat you two, wine is ready and your orders are all set and will be coming shortly. My name is Pierre and if you need anything, just ask.”

*** Two Hours Later - Robins Apartment ***

A room had never been packed so fast as he heard the door behind him, Ian came in eyes wide at the sight before him. “Did you get an early deployment? I thought we had three months till we both went to the Starbase.” Ian said looking at his roommate with a sense of confusion as he looked around at all the bags of Christopher.

“Change of plan, I asked to go to Memory Alpha, research and… it’s… ” Chris choked back a bit as he held back the smallest of stinging moisture from his eyes. “She didn’t pick me … ” he blurted out as as he choked back as his eyes darted, feeling a sense of vulnerability in this moment. They may have been bros but next to Lexi, Ian was the one person he shared everything with.

“What… what do you mean she didn’t pick you… how could she not pick you? She’s been just as in love with you for years as you have been with her.” Ian replied, feeling like something was missing as he stood looking at Chris with a sense of bewilderment in what his friend was telling him.

“I had the Cafe’ ready… Northstar Cafe’… I …” he paused before telling the story, every moment he felt his heart drop as he retold it it. Somehow telling it didn’t make it any easier.

“Dude… no no no… she… she must not… that’s not our Lexi she would never do that to you.”

“Well… she did… and I am not going to stay here to see her again… I can’t… I won’t.” he said as he looked around the room, explaining the bags in the room. “I got the transfer request approved as quickly as I could, that Captain Calin you so bad mouthed seemed to like me, got me an approval to take me tomorrow from the USS Odin as the drop by supplies. ” Chris paused as he bit his lower lip, he loved Ian like he was one of his brothers. Hell his brothers and Ian has meet several times, they had seen each other in both Louisiana and Australia, the same was true of Lexi and her family. All three became one big happy family over the last four years.

“I’m sorry we are not going to meet up at Starbase 13, I know that was what we wanted… but that… I can’t be here for three months with her as she gets back together with Noah, I can’t get crushed over and over now that I opened those flood gates.” he said, hoping Ian would understand as he waited.

“I… I’m gonna miss you man.” Ian said, that was all he could say. He told Chris to go for it, he got his best friends heart broken tonight. Putting his arms around Chris he gave him a hug and pat on the back before looking around, the apartment was looking much smaller now that all his items had been packed.

“You need help? How are you taking all of this in one go?” Ian asked looking at the four boxes and three bags he had.

“Crewmen from the Odin will load the shuttle up for me, the’ll be by in an hour, I am heading now though… if Lexi comes by… I… just… tell her I’m sorry for misunderstanding.” Chris said as he the solitary tear fall as he tried his best to choke back the emotions as he grabbed the bag and put it around his body. Moving past Ian he patted him one last time on his shoulder, knowing very well this maybe the last time her ever sees any of the two.

Cadet Christopher Robins