Posted by Commander Jason Reilly (XO) in Quarters - Cmdr Reilly
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This room had a different feel to it. Private… separate… sanctuary-like. The pieces and items here were obviously more personal. An unopened letter. A cigarette case with a strange burn on it. An odd kind of old Earth cap hanging on the wall. But it was the dresser that held something familiar to Fin. On the top of the dresser was a lipstick case. Brushed silver with a very distinctive gold inlay. She had used it the night they went undercover to a party at the target’s estate… three days before everything went so wrong. Fin had told Jason she had left it and he went back in, but said he couldn’t find it. It was just makeup, so it wasn’t anything to worry about. But here it sat, years later and millions of miles away, in his room.

Reilly

The bedroom didn’t have as many items in it as the living room, so she made the rounds faster. Everything was a curiosity—until the lipstick caught her eye. Standing next to the dresser, Fin reached out and lifted the silver case, feeling the weight of it in her hand. She then opened it and twisted the lip color up over the edge of the tube. A sniff. A swipe of color on her wrist and she was sure it was hers from the job they’d worked together years ago.

But hadn’t she lost it that night? Yes, she was sure of it. Then what was it doing here in Jason’s room? “Its part of his memory, Fin.” She said to herself. “But is it good or bad?” That was a really important question. Still thinking it over, she slipped into the clothes she’d chosen earlier, a kelly green tank top and a pair of grey sweat pants. They were too big, too long and if she moved just right, showed more skin than her own clothes did, but they were clean and comfortable.

With the lipstick still in one hand, Fin tossed the towels in the reclimater and headed to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.

—Fin

“Fin… Fin… wake up. You okay?” Jason asked softly. Fin was asleep… very asleep… on the couch when he came in after his watch was done. He slowly sat down next to her and put his fingers on her shoulder, noticing she was wearing his clothes. “Fin, I jus -” and he stopped and looked at her hand. In it was a lipstick case… the lipstick case. Jason took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He could hear the change in her breathing and knew she was awake.

“Well… I did say you could look around, didn’t I?” he said and looked at her face. He didn’t what to expect as a reaction, but his body tensed up in case he had to move quickly.

Reilly

Her face was relaxed and eyes still heavy with sleep. “Yes, you did.” She yawned and sat up, scooting back toward the arm of the couch so he didn’t have to move. “First of all, thank you for last night. Its all a little cloudy, but I can figure out enough to fill in the blanks. I never planned on telling you about Elba V. No one likes to admit they screwed up that badly.” She felt the lipstick in her closed fist and brought that hand up between them, opening the fingers slowly.

“Today, I found this while I was puttering around. Its mine, isn’t it? But I know I lost it, Jason, so why do you have it?”

—Fin

Jason looked at the lipstick and his brow furrowed. Without looking at her, he said “Yes, it is yours. And you did lose it, yes. But when you said you lost it and I went back, I found it. And, honestly, I was about to give it to you without another thought. But when you turned around and looked at me… you smiled.” and his face rose to look at her. “And all I knew at that moment was that we were almost done, and then you’d be gone… and I just… wanted something of you to stay. So… I palmed it and said I couldn’t find it. And then… well… we ended up here on my couch.” Jason looked at her intently, but made no move to do or say anything else. He just… watched her.

Reilly

Fin studied his face. “There’s a whole lot that happened between that night and today, Jason. Mostly, years where you hated me. So why did you keep it once you thought I’d betrayed you?” She knew they were past that belief now, but there would always be questions.

—Fin

Jason nodded in acknowledgement. “Yeah, a whole lot. But every time… every single time… I tried to throw it away or toss it in a recycler… I dunno… Something told me not to. So it’s stayed with me. I used to think it was a reminder not to let anyone get close, a talisman against being betrayed again. Now? Now I know it’s just because it was yours.” and he shrugged and stood up and took a step towards the bedroom. “I’m gonna go change out of this uniform.” he said and then stopped right next to her. “You’re… I’m gonna have some dinner here after I clean up. You’re welcome to stay, if you’d like.” and he touched her shoulder lightly and then went into the bedroom. A minute later, the sounds of the shower started.

Reilly

Fin sat there, fighting the urge to join him in the shower. Although a good round of sex would ease the pressure both of them were feeling, it just wasn’t a good idea at that moment in time. They were still finding their footing after years of emotional lies. Not lies they told each other, but ones that were told about and to them. It would be best if they both tried to keep their libidos in check for the foreseeable future.

While Jason was in the shower, she returned the lipstick to the top of his dresser exactly where she’d gotten it from, holding her place in his memory, and then sat on the foot of the bed. “So, what do you want to eat? I can get that started if you like.” Her voice carried to the bathroom.

—Fin