Posted by Civilian Jal’na of House Duroc (Head of Physical Therapy - Sacred Heart Hospital) in Eela’s Apartment- Tipping Points

Posted by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice-Commander, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) in Eela’s Apartment- Tipping Points

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Eela’s Apartment- Tipping Points
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Eela blinked. “You miss me?” She shook her head. “I was right there, Cory! For years after the accident. And you pushed me away time and time again. So I went on assignment more, and then you got more frustrated. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t win.”

“I know, I made it so hard for you, and I’m truly sorry for that,” he said. Cory almost moved out of his seat to sit next to her but he didn’t want to ruin the chance for conversation.

It wasn’t that he was lying, he wasn’t. He was sorry. But he also didn’t fully understand what had happened between them, how his actions had impacted her day in and day out. She had made so many excuses for him in the name of the benefit of the doubt, knowing it was a difficult situation they had found themselves in. But something in her couldn’t forgive that final fight, his cruel insult, that ultimatum. His words did not move her.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said finally. “Hard for me? Your actions made me feel like I was unworthy of consideration, that any difficulties between us were my fault because of my brain, or my rehab, or my grief and depression. And yes, they all played a role, but I never once felt like you were on my side, Cory. That you wanted to do any of the hard work to make our relationship better. Why should I believe that anything is different now?”

Eela rose to her feet, moving away from the living area, needing space. This was so surreal. A part of her mind understood that from a psychological perspective Cory was unable to take responsibility for his actions, that he had this idealized version of them in his head where he was the hero and here he was swooping in to make everything better again. But the problem was she didn’t need him to rescue her. She had done that for herself, thank you very much.

“I know. I wasn’t my best self,” Cory said, following her into the hallway and then the foyer.

She turned to face him. “Neither of us were, Cor, but the fact is that I’m in a very different place in my life. I don’t want to go backwards.”

He smiled at her. “I don’t want you to either.”

Eela blinked. “So… what, you want to move to Oed and be here and be my partner all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know, maybe.”

It was such a simple question and maybe it was a leading one, but Eela already knew he hadn’t thought of the implications for both of them. “I’m the Lieutenant Governor, Cory. I’m in the public eye and I don’t have the same sort of privacy I once used to. Anyone in my life has the potential to have their lives more public than they might prefer as well. And what you do would have an effect on me.”

He gave her a sideways glance. “You make it sound like I’m a child going to misbehave and make the parent look bad.”

Eela sighed. “It’s not meant to make you defensive, Cory. It’s the reality I live in now. This job is very different than when I was in Starfleet, or in the Corps. Everything I do is analyzed, reported, scrutinized. I’m getting used to it, but it’s not something everyone will be willing to deal with.”

“Are you asking because you want me to consider it, or because you want to scare me off?” he asked.

It was a good question and the answer was rather simple. Eela shook her head. “No, I don’t want you to consider it, because I’m not interested in starting over with you, Cor. I know it’s not what you want to hear but I’m happy here, as I am. I don’t think I could say the same if you were here. I’m tired of struggling and fighting.”

“El, it wouldn’t be like that.”

She smiled sadly. “Yes, it would be. We’re not kids anymore Cory. You can’t just flirt and charm your way into a first date, and we can’t just restart a romance. There’s too much history between us and I can’t ignore what’s happened. Our marriage was toxic at the end and that is why we separated. It’s why we are divorced. I’m happy here because we’re not together. I don’t know what’s been happening for you, but I can’t be involved with you that way. It’s not fair to either of us.”

“Is this about Roger? Are you with him now?” Cory asked, his gaze piercing.

Eela jerked back in shock. “What? No. Why would you even say that?” But it was oh so clear as feelings of jealousy filled the space between them.

“There’s someone else then?”

Eela sighed. “Whether my answer is yes or no, is one, none of your business, and two, has no bearing on whether I’d give us as a couple another chance. The simple fact is that I have not changed in a fundamental way. I don’t want monogamy, Cor. Our arrangement from before wouldn’t work because I’m here in one place now. And if you were to be here then I know that you would have expectations of me I can’t fulfill. And more than that, and I really am not trying to be cruel, but I don’t love you anymore. I’ve moved on. You should too. Go live your best life, Cor. Go find someone who wants to be in your life the way you want and need them to be. But it can’t and won’t be me.”

“El, don’t say that. Think it over. I can come back tomorrow and we can talk again. Just don’t say no. Not yet at least.” Confusion played over his face, like this was not how he imagined this conversation going and he was scrambling to turn it around.

“I’m sorry, Cor. I really am, but we’re done.” She turned away. “I trust you can let yourself out,” Eela said as she took a step away from him.

He reached out, his frustration overwhelming. “El, wait, please!”

Eela let out a small cry of pain and she turned back to him. She looked down at her left arm, his fingers gripping her bare skin tightly. Her eyes flicked to his, and both stared at each other in shock. Breaths passed between them and neither said anything for several seemingly long moments, not entirely sure how they found themselves in this situation.

But inside Eela’s mind, she was raging. How dare he invade her home, her life! How dare he bring all his crappy maladaptive behaviour and dump it on her yet again. “Cory Fletcher, remove your hand before I do so for you. I might not be on active duty, but I most definitely can still defend myself.”

He flung his hand back as if her skin had burned him. “El…” he whispered. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean-”

She waved her hand, cutting him off. “I don’t give a shit what you meant! How dare you come into my home and try to make me feel like yet again I am the problem. Leave, Cory. And do not ever come back. We are done you and I. There is no space in my life for you anymore. Go before I have security escort you out,” she said, not even holding back her hostility.

“El, please. I know I crossed a line, but we have a family together-”

Always the excuses, always the reasons why she should give in and just go with it. Well, no bloody longer. Her rage was so intense at this man that she barely registered her hand wrapping around the vase of fresh flowers. “LEAVE!” she screamed. She threw the vase down on the floor between them, the glass and water scattering all over the foyer floor, shattering the last shred of care for the man she had spent so much of her life with.

~Eela & Cory

The door slid open and not two, but four CCDA officers in tactical gear walked in like they owned the place. One of them was a very large and menacing Cardassian known quite well to Eela- CCDA Senior Agent Hasid V’ter… who also happened to be one of the select few personally tasked with the Lieutenant Governor’s well-being. And someone she knew was not on duty right then.

Hasid ignored Cory as if he simply didn’t exist. “Ma’am. We heard a crash. Is everything alright?” He then looked at Cory and his face read plainly, as did the subdued anger wafting off of the Agent: Just say the word, and he leaves without the elevator.

CCDA Security

The lift swished open and a very annoyed Jal’na stepped off the lift. This protection guard contingent thing was 2 days old and Jal’na was not happy. At least Herb, her Naussican guard was quiet and understood she had to protect her patients privacy. Which was why he and only he, so fat, was allowed to go with her. They had checked in downstairs and while they were in the lift, apparently all he’ll had broken lose. She didn’t even make it to the door before Herb slammed her up against the wall and stood in front of her like a brick wall and walked her backwards down the hall. She cursed and it made the man grin. “No Lady Jal’na you will stay right there.”

“Why?”

Because he was in charge of her safety. But he supposed he would explain before she took one of the weights in her bag and hit him with it. “There are four CCDA agents in full tactical gear. We will stay right here out of their way. If I say move you move.”

Jal’na, Lady Duroc