Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Side sim: Matters of the Heart

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: Matters of the Heart

(snip)

When the turbolift opened Roman hid his symptoms while they resumed their act, “manhandling” Randy into Sickbay. But once they were in the room he lay down without argument. He heard Randy and he shook his head. “She was asleep. I was looking for you… to apologize.” He almost didn’t want to say that’s what he was doing, but it slipped out anyway.

Randy stopped and glared at him, “Don’t you dare go doing that, you’ll shatter the foundation of my whole universe.” He held up the vial so Roman could see the label. It was his cardiac meds and then he slipped it into the hypo and pressed it to Roman’s neck. “You should feel better in a minute.”

“What? I can’t think I was wrong?” Roman pulled away from the hypo out of habit, his normal excuse of It’ll get better on its own, just let it be, nearly coming out, but then forced himself to be still. He wasn’t interested in dying of heart problems right then. Or worse, getting back on the machines.

“Sure you can think it, but uttering it? The universe must have cracked and is coming to an end.” Randy was being sassy and grinning. Nothing made the world right again than arguing with Alden. “Besides isn’t there some unwritten English rule about not apologizing if you weren’t wrong?”

“I’ve never been a very good English,” Roman replied with a little shrug, “So it doesn’t matter what the unspoken English rules are, does it?” He wasn’t usually that defensive when his Englishness was brought up but right now he wanted separated from his family even more than normal. Simply being related to them was getting everyone he cared about in danger. If he weren’t there, he didn’t think these people would even be aboard to attempt to kill Rand or Randy.

He was taking breaths in between his words. “And then I found you… doing that. Like a suicidal idiot. Rand couldn’t live without you, you know. I’m not you. I can’t replace… you for her. Never will.” He spoke quietly and occasionally glanced at Rand to make sure she was still asleep. He wasn’t sure how much she remembered through her confusion, the whole thing would just scare and confuse her further. “I’m ordering security that you’re to stay here, in Sickbay as much as possible. You’re not going wandering around the ship trying to get yourself killed after that stunt.”

~ Roman

Randy crossed his arms and torqued his hip out and tapped a foot. “And I can’t replace you or her. This guy needs to be stopped. Now look this guy is a fanatical he doesn’t think straight. He failed at getting you so he went after Rand. I don’t think he knew she was nobility. He was just going after her to get to you. To get you to come out so he could try again. If he knew she was nobility he would know I was and come after me already. Or if he did already know he didn’t feel me worth it, now I’ve mocked him. So now not only did he fail with you twice because you didn’t take the bait, he failed a 3rd time because he didn’t kill Rand either. So now he has a new target, he can’t fail this time. He’s desperate and he’s going to make a mistake, a major one. The only thing that is solely mine that no one else messes with is my quarters. Kovan is there now, hiding out on deck 3 watching to see who goes into my quarters to mess with things. And he will go now because I won’t be there, I’ve been arrested. I have no intention of wandering back around.”

“Yes, fantastic. If you’re right. If you’re wrong you’ve endangered yourself for nothing.” Roman was starting to feel better, the painful tightness in his chest beginning to subside, but he still needed rest so he stayed laying down, just shifted so he could see Randy better. “You could help her through my loss. I can’t help her get over you because that’s not possible.” In his mind, it would be worse than losing Jay had been for him, Rand and Randy were closer. Actually siblings. If something were to happen to him, she’d be devastated but he (perhaps mistakenly) thought that she’d be able to move on and be happy with someone else, maybe someone with less… Problems than him. “So sit in that chair” he pointed for emphasis at the chair on the other side of Rand’s bed, “comfort your sister, and don’t do anything else intolerably stupid.”

The annoying ex-yeoman shrugged, “If I’m wrong then I made a fool of myself, and that’s nothing new. If I’m right it’s taken the focus off of both of you for the moment and I don’t have to worry he’ll take advantage of you both recovering. And honestly, if I didn’t go rant over almost loosing my sister it would be suspicious.” Randy shook his head. “She wouldn’t get over either of us, but it’s you she needs.” He glanced at Rand and the chair. “She’s sleeping. And you tolerated it just fine.”

“Well I did not!” came the whispered hiss of Morgan.

Roman glared at Randy. “Tolerated it? Hardly! I still think you couldn’t have done anything more self centered or foolish. How worried do you think Rand would be if she found out? She doesn’t need that right now.” Then he shrugged, “Besides, I’m healed enough to walk around the ship, what is there to take advantage of? I can manage on my own.”

Morgan came in at that moment and she glanced at Rand who was asleep and at Alden who looked like he might end up on the machines again and then her gaze landed on Randy. The lower lid of her right eye was twitching. She marched Randy down across the room backing him into a corner. Her voice was so quiet Roman couldn’t hear what she was saying but her whole body vibrated with tension. If this was Greek Mythology she would be Medusa and Randy would now be made of stone. She poked him in the chest, her hands gesturing back out the door. It was obvious she was giving Randy the lecture of his life. Randy had the good sense to look sorry and his gaze softened. He reached up to caress her cheek and Morgan slapped his hand so hard the noise made Rand stir in her sleep, but she didn’t wake.

Randy

Roman was watching them though he couldn’t hear what they were saying. But he had the impression he got the gist of it. Randy deserved it, as would Roman if Roman had done it. Maybe Morgan could make him listen to reason. He looked over at Rand when she stirred but she was still asleep so he turned his attention back to Randy.

~ Roman

Morgan pointed at the exact same chair Roman had. “You sit there and don’t move. I don’t care what the reason is. You will not leave this room for anything until I am positive we’ve caught the person.”

“Aww Tracy come on, I can’t sleep there.”

She spun back on him so fast Randy rocked back, “Then sleep on the cold floor and be glad the floor is cold and not your dead body.” Then she stormed out, well if doors were still old fashioned and on hinges. Of course she wouldn’t have slammed the door out of respect for the sleeping Rand. She hoped Rand could make Randy feel contrite about what he’d done at the very least. But she was not going to be the one to tell Rand what Randy had done.

Randy moved over to the chair and sat, sufficiently chastised at Morgan’s parting shot. He crossed his arms, and legs at the ankles, put his head against the wall and closed his eyes and waited. He knew Roman wasn’t done yet.

Randy

Roman had no plans of telling Rand about it, not right now. He wasn’t sure she’d understand anyway. It was better to let her rest and pretend nothing was wrong. He sat up and grinned at Randy, “You could always sleep on my bed, I’ll sleep in the chair.” He hadn’t really been doing much quality sleeping anyway. He was too worried about Rand, and now he’d have to worry about Randy, too. ‘I’d rather sleep there than you risk going to your quarters and losing you…” He nearly said again. He wasn’t quite sure where that came from. He’d come a lot closer to losing Rand than Randy.

~ Roman