Posted by Lieutenant Corinne Dalton (Scientist) in XO’s Quarters - Sleepover? Slumber Party? No Idea What To Call It

Posted by Commander Dr. Royal Sinclair (Executive Officer) in XO’s Quarters - Sleepover? Slumber Party? No Idea What To Call It

Posted by Lieutenant Corinne Dalton (Scientist) in XO’s Quarters - Sleepover? Slumber Party? No Idea What To Call It
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Royal chuckled. “Opportunity and luck?” he said with a smile. “I mean, I don’t get leave all that often. And when I do, I am usually so far away from there that travel would take up all of my time off. But just the knowing that I have that as a possibility makes things… I dunno… more tolerable… when I have a rough day or get homesick.”

Royal Sinclair

She gave this full consideration but it was hard to wrap her mind around. “I’m trying to imagine something similar for myself, but on a colony, especially outside the Federation core, resources are quite often limited, so it would seem wasteful to have a home go unused so much.” Cori held up a hand. “That’s not a criticism, by the way, just a practicality of being raised where I was. My brain I guess is used to restrictions of all kinds,” she said with a smirk.

~Corinne Dalton

He smiled and then set the cup down and stood up, walked over to her, bent down and kissed her. He held the kiss for a few moments and then stood and went back and sat down. He looked at her as he picked up his tea and smiled. “Just a reminder to your brain that the rules have changed.” and he took a sip.

Royal Sinclair

Her heart was thudding in her chest and her lips still tingled with his warmth. Cori was nothing short of stunned and it took her a moment before the rest of her brain caught up.

She smiled. “Good reminder,” Cori said. “What were we talking about?” Her vivid blue eyes were alight.

~Corinne Dalton

“Homes.” Royal said with a smile. “And how it might be nice to have a place to call that, if you can.” He took a sip of his tea. “Besides… you’re going to need a place to put your stuff… right?”

Royal Sinclair

She gave a lopsided smiled and shrugged. “I guess I will just have to let myself imagine something like that. For now though, I am happy to have quarters I don’t have to worry about having a mobile emitter to get to or leave.” It was such a freeing thing just being able to move about the ship without having to plan every move, unlike the Saracen where she had had to be conscious of whether her emitter was charged, or if she had to stop by Sickbay to pick it up.

~Corinne Dalton

“Nope. No more of that.” He smiled. “It’s weird, not carrying that thing with me. But part of me thought if you ever came back and were somewhere near me, you could find that emitter and use it. That’s why I had it and kept it charged… all the time.”

Royal Sinclair

She held her cup in both hands and shook her head slightly. “I love that you did that even if it surprises me. It shouldn’t, knowing what we know now about our feelings, but it was one of those pleasant surprises. I think, having had some space from the Saracen now, I can see that I was afraid of someone caring about me again, n any way. I was afraid of being left behind again, even though incidentally I was the one leaving people behind.” Cori brought the cup to her lips and sipped carefully.

~Corinne Dalton

Royal stared at her for a long time before finally saying “I have no intention of ever leaving you behind, Cori.... anywhere.” and he took a deep breath and then said “And I won’t let anyone take you away, either. Not again. I can see you.... hear you… feel you… I won’t let that get away.”

Royal Sinclair

There was such an intensity to his words, an earnestness that she knew was based in truth. It made her cheeks warm. She dropped her gaze into her teacup before she took another sip. She should say something, reply in some way. Counter with her own promise, but there was a strange feeling she couldn’t shake. “I’m scared to make promises to you,” she said softly, lifting her eyes to his. “I’ve disappeared twice now, and I just worry that it’s not fair to either of us to make such a promise, because life is strange and we can’t control all the variables. In some ways, the old Cori had it right by living in the moment. You can think about the future, sure, but I’m not sure I can think past each today that arises.”

~Corinne Dalton

Royal set his cup down on the table and stood up and walked over to Cori, standing in front of her. Slowly, he lowered himself down until he was sitting on the floor in front of her. He took her cup, set it aside, and then took her hands in his. He looked deep into her brilliant blue eyes for long moments in silence before he said “I am not asking you for promises, Corinne Dalton. And I do not expect them. I said what I said because it is a fact. Not a promise… a certainty. I am not in charge of you, and I will never tell you what you should and shouldn’t do with your own life. But I will tell you that it is a fact that I will never leave you behind. Not ever. And I’m not looking for ‘fair’, Cori. And I’m not looking for ‘normal’ or ‘controlled’.” He took a deep breath and then said “I am just looking at you. That’s all I have wanted to look at for the past two years… and all I want to look at for the rest.”

Royal Sinclair