Posted by Lieutenant Nathan Harland (Counselor) in San Francisco - Christmas Vacation

Posted by Ensign Chloe Harland (Nurse) in Connecticut - The Winter Masquerade

Posted by Ensign Chloe Harland (Nurse) in Connecticut - The Winter Masquerade

Previously - https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf3/outpost42/posts/110171/

*** Eight Years Later ***

“Come on Kelly, you can just slide me the officer exam notes right? You are training to try and get that promotion, I just need five minutes … five quick minutes, think of it like bad date you had the other day… you weren’t satisfied but you got a new hovercar for just five minutes of work.”

“Hey, I earned that car because that was the longest five minutes of my life.” Taking a long draw on her coffee she thought about the rest of Nathan’s comment. Kelly looked over the lip of her coffee mug eyeing Nathan. “And just because I am your TA for advanced diplomacy doesn’t mean you are getting a free pass because you got a set of baby blues that melt women and a silver tongue.” Setting the mug down, Kelly propped her feet up on the other side of the table opposite Nathan’s pushing back in her chair slightly. “There are two reasons you are not getting a quick peek at the exam notes. One,” she held up a finger, “this is not your major so I have no idea why you are taking the class just for fun. Doctors don’t need diplomacy. You have hypos. Natasha taught me that one,” she said the last part under her breath. “And two,” she held up a second finger, “you have that weird photographic memory thing going on. I have seen you in action. When you want to you can memorize anything you see like some ancient copy machine. You would only need a glance and you have a hundred and fifteen percent going into the finals. You could write your name on the paper, take a nap, and still pull an A so what’s your angle,” she studied him narrowing her eyes playfully.

“No, no. Forget it,” she instantly switched from debating why he should not have the officers exam to he definitely was not getting it. “Besides they would know I was the one who gave it to you then my butt and career are on the line.” Picking up her stylus she went back to studying Xenology which was the reason they were both here. Nathan being a doctor had to eat, sleep, and breathe alien races so he was the perfect study buddy.

” I get that and I can pretend to be going to my home for the holiday.” Nathan said as he sat with his feet propped up on the table. They were in a type of coffee hut/bookstore that a lot of students, Starfleet or otherwise, tended to visit.

“Pretend,” Kelly looked up at him. “Wait you are not going home for Christmas break? Why are you not going home to be with your family? This is like the past year it is a sure thing. Come June we have no idea where we will be placed except at the bottom of the totem pole to request leave.” Dropping her stylus, Kelly put her feet down and looked at him no longer concerned about the exam notes. “Nate, you have to go home. Promise me?”

As his legs hit the floor Nathan shot up as he shook his head. “Look, I’m not like your family… I will try is the best I can offer.” he said as took a deep breath in an almost sigh like heave. “Besides, Christmas has never been my holiday. Just my cousins and the families meeting up together as I am reminded that I spent years alone with my dad being ignored… hell the best Christmas I had in the past decade was trying to track down that mystery girl from Connecticut. Never did find her, though most of the the people in Dansbury where total arsehats…Maybe I missed a bullet?” Nathan said we a chuckle as he brought up from his bag an empty notebook.

“Oh my god you know that notebook takes down your sex appeal even with those eyes of yours right,” Kelly picked up her coffee taking a swig. “Plus whatever you put in there is just going to disintegrate in like fifty years.”

“Hey hey hey, don’t make fun of me. I enjoy writing. This is one of the last beacons of a time before digital footprints took over, a smell that can’t be forgotten, and you love the coffee so don’t act like you hate this place.” he said as he looked at the notebook as he looked up at Kelly with a smirk. “Look, you want a bet? I will step out of my comfort, find someone completely random like you keeping saying I should try… if you ask Ric out.” Nathan said as he grinned knowing she wouldn’t take the bait.

“Fine done.” Kelly crossed her arms over her chest, “but if you aren’t going home you need to stay home with someone. Not a girl a night but one person for the holidays that you genuinely want to meet up with. How you do that is up to you but there has to be a potential future Mrs. Nathan Harland out there. Might as well give it the college try now. See what I did there,” Kelly bit her stylus with a huge grin. The pun was horrible but so was this bet on some level.

Surprise couldn’t be the word that came over Nathan’s face, she took him up on the offer, which wasn’t something he knew how to answer on. “Okay… fine I know you have been avoiding his advances… you at least have someone you like… me… I can customize my target with… tasks.” he said with a smirk, everything an experiment for him. “I write out a series of things I want to see in someone… and see if someone takes up on the task. Leave it on a shelf here, anyone who reads hard copy books already has a huge mark in my mind.” he said, not even remotely thinking this would produce anything of value.

Harland, CNS

“Way way wait,” Kelly held up her hand. “I said met a girl not interview her like some guinea pig is a psyche experiment. You need don’t nee a book you need therapy, doc,” she tossed a chunk of coffee cake at him from the slice she had been picking at next to her coffee. “Stop being so analytical. Use what you got and go saunter up to that table of nurses over there,” Kelly pointed across the room. “Croon out a tune, bat those baby blues and just pick one out. Like a puppy.” Kelly wiggled in her seat overly proud of herself. “While we might be at Starfleet Academy, one holds true as anywhere else. Nurses become nurses to marry a doctor. Natasha told me that.”

Kelly Shultz