Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: Lost in Thought

(snip)

Rand was more than happy to let Roman hold her close, even let him banter with Randy. As long as she didn’t have to move or look at them. They couldn’t see her face get brighter, but she didn’t think Roman kissing her would help with her confusion…make her confused maybe. She went stiff when Roman told Randy what was wrong. Not upset with Roman, she knew he was just worried.

Roman had meant his confusion, because of his head, but hers worked too. He felt her stiffen and immediately felt bad. He’d be upset too, if she went and told Randy something without his say so.

If Rand had known he felt bad she would have told him it was because she knew Randy was going to ask and she didn’t want to talk about it. She wasn’t upset with him saying anything. She knew he wasn’t telling to hurt her.

Randy nodded, long days, longer nights, giving her the sedative…wait…been having? Rand sat knelt down and tugged her hand. “Rand? How long?”

She only turned her head slightly, “Off and on for a couple months. You said it would happen sometimes.” Randy nodded, “Yeah, but not constantly. Why didn’t you tell me?” Rand shrugged, “It’s not keeping me awake or waking me up. Only twice.” The thing with Rand was if you didn’t ask when it happened she tended to get immersed in everything else and she didn’t think about it the rest of the day. Unless it set her off all day. “What were you dreaming about?”

Rand suddenly stood up pushing Randy so hard he rocked backwards. “Leave me alone Randy!” And she went the only place she could get away from him - the bathroom.

Rand stood suddenly, tearing herself away from Roman, pushed Randy, and locked herself in the bathroom. He wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but as with earlier that morning, the moment he stood the dizziness forced him to sit back down or fall down. He chose sit down and plopped back onto the bed as the room began to spin once more.

Randy sat on the floor and dropped his head into his hands. Only one thing made her react like that. “Our grandfather.”

Randy

“What?” Roman asked. He remembered the photo in her bag, but he didn’t know anything about him or why it would be so upsetting to Rand. He put a hand to his own head, but for a different reason than Randy - all this was really making his headache worse. Something he wouldn’t tell Rand, he didn’t want her to feel bad.

~ Roman

Randy shook his head and stood up, grabbing his tricorder to give Alden a once over. “You seem okay sitting up, but standing is making you dizzy?”. Randy grabbed a chair and set it in front of him. “Try standing holding onto the chair. Slowly.” He probably needed food and water too.

“Our grandfather. It’s not my story to tell, and I would tell you, but I don’t know what to tell you. She told me once, that she has nightmares about what happened to him, but she won’t talk about it. I know what happened to him, but not her point of view. If I ask, push at all…” he waved at the bathroom door, “well you see what happens. I think…Rand and I have always been together. But I wasn’t there with her when it happened. I think she’s angry at me for that. Like I abandoned her, and she won’t tell me.”

Randy