Posted by Ensign Dradvia (Medical Officer) in One Step at a Time

Posted by Civilian Sisnil Zoi (Intelligence Consultant) in One Step at a Time

Posted by Ensign Dradvia (Medical Officer) in One Step at a Time
Posted by… suppressed (25) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Sisnsil lost the connection and wasn’t able to maintain his presence in the dream. Instead, he rushed across the hall in nothing but boxer underwear and overrode her door. Kneeling by her bed, he shook her shoulder. “Dee. Dee!”

~ Zoi

She screamed, thrashing against nonexistent restraints. She was screaming his name in her dream, but only desperate cries issued from her throat. The touch, the sound of his voice, her name startled her awake. She gasped, crying out, she moved across the bed, backing into a corner. She couldn’t breathe, and the sobs made it worse.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Dee, look at me.” At least she was awake now. She just needed to try to calm down. He waited patiently. “Dee, it’s okay.”

~ Zoi

Wild, unfocused eyes lifted to his and then darted around the room. Stuck in the mix of memory and horror, she didn’t recognize where she was right away. The wheezing of her breath was harshly loud in the quiet room. Dradvia’s eyes landed back on him. A thread of fear pulsated through her; fear that he would disappear again like in her nightmare.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I’m not going anywhere,” Sisnil said gently. “Come on, Dee. It’s okay.”

~ Zoi

Her fingers twitched like she was going to reach for him, but her dream played so vividly in her mind. The more she reached for him the further away he got. Maybe, if she stayed still he wouldn’t disappear again. His name came out a frightened whimper. The s just a breath of air caught on a sob, “Hish…nil.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil reached forward and took her hand. “It’s okay. I’m here, Dee. I promise.” He smiled. “Take your time.”

~ Zoi

Her hand latched on like a vice, her nails digging into the back of his hand. Dradvia tried to breathe slowly but it seemed impossible to make her lungs work. Then she was suddenly moving. She curled onto his lap, her face hidden against his chest, sobs shaking her body, but at least she was taking deeper breaths now. Don’t let go, don’t let him take me.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil hugged her tight. “It’s okay. I’m not letting go. I’m not going anywhere.” He said softly, rubbing her back gently with his free hand. Her nails dug in so hard they drew blood, but he didn’t react. He just let her hold on however she needed to.

~ Zoi

She curled tighter into him, like she could hide inside him. She tucked both arms between them, so his hand that was holding hers was tucked in between them as well. She couldn’t let go, afraid she would be taken away from him again.

It took awhile for the adrenaline to fade from her. She was exhausted after, but still she cried quietly, holding on desperately.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil just held her, breathing quietly with her. “I love you, Dee.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia burrowed closer to him. She couldn’t say it back. She felt it, he could tell, but she was afraid if she spoke it would shatter everything. If she said ‘I love you’ Lokhar would take her away again.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“He’s not here. He’ll never be here.” Sisnil said gently. “And if, somehow he does, I’m gonna get you Dee. I always do. I always will.”

~ Zoi

Her whole body shuddered and fresh tears started. They made his skin damp. She knew Sisnil was right. Lokhar was dead. The officers who rescued her told her so. She saw him shot, and one of them said he was dead. Still she was afraid the Syndicate would find her, but paralyzing terror filled her that somehow, some way, Lokhar would find her again, even in death. “It felt so real.” Her voice was heavily muffled, but she couldn’t move her head, she couldn’t look up. She wanted to stay there and hide.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I know,” he said gently. “But it wasn’t. And I’m here now.”

~ Zoi

She nodded, the movement making her nuzzle in closer. She was quiet, seemed to finally be calming when she realized her nightmares had woken him up. Her heart cracked. Sisnil could feel it like it was his own. She should tell him to leave, she should get away from him to stop him from hearing it. He didn’t like it and didn’t want to know. He said so. Dradvia was too weak and too selfish to give up the safety of his arms, and that shattered her a little more.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil hadn’t just felt it like it was his, he’d seen it. Walked it. He wasn’t sure he should tell her that. “It’s okay, Dee. I love you. I’d do this every single night for you.”

~ Zoi

She swallowed hard, trying to find a way to have the strength to move away from him, but she couldn’t. “But you don’t want to, you said so.” She was a horrible person. She was torturing him, but she didn’t know how to stop it. “How can you love me? I’m horrible.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Dee, I didn’t want to spoil a good night talking about it. This is different.” He looked at her and shook his head. “You’re not. You’re perfect.”

~ Zoi

How was this not spoiling a good night? How could she ever not spoil something? It followed her everywhere. That wasn’t true, but she was too scared, too rattled to see it clearly. And of course it would be right then that the ship slowed, dropped out of warp to alter direction and then take off again. The feel of the change in the engines shot fear through her, making her clamor tighter against him for safety.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil hugged her tightly. “It’s okay, it’s just the ship, Dee. You don’t spoil things. Don’t let yourself think that way.”

~ Zoi

She tried to relax, she really did. She never thought adjusting to chipboard service would be so hard. The first time she’d met Sisnil he’d made fun of her for being afraid of space travel. She was still afraid every time the engines changed. “I thought I’d be better by now. But every time it still makes me afraid. Not knowing where we are and what’s about to happen.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“We’re passing the Alpha Morae system. Nothing should be happening, we’re days from our next destination.” Sisnil said softly. “It’ll take time.” He gave her a look, “More time.”

~ Zoi

She was starting to think maybe she wasn’t fit to serve shipboard. But what else would she do? If she left Star Fleet she had no where to go. Being on a ship, constantly moving was a form of protection she needed.

Dradvia nodded at his words, face still hidden against him. The tone of his voice finally made her lift her head slightly to look at him.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“You’re one of the best doctors I’ve ever seen, Dee. You’re fit to serve. The Fleet would be worse without you.” He said, looking down at her.

~ Zoi

That wasn’t true and she knew it. At least about the fleet. Sisnil hadn’t had access to decent health care very often. “I would have been happier as a nurse. They are the ones that get to be with the patients, take care of them, know them. But… but they don’t know how to treat and diagnose as much. The doctor tells them. So… so that’s what I did.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“That doesn’t make you a bad doctor.” Sisnil said with a shrug. “You’re good at what you do.” He hugged her, “but if you’d be happier as a nurse, you should decide what you want to do and commit to it.”

~ Zoi

“I am a good doctor,” she knew she was. She just knew she wasn’t the best. “I don’t regret it. I like helping people.” She shrugged self-consciously, “I can save people, or at least ease their suffering.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“There’s not a better cause if you ask me,” Sisnil said. He hugged her again and grinned, “Even if it means you’re going to bug me nonstop about my health.”

~ Zoi

She smiled, but she didn’t laugh. Instead her gaze held care, comfort, longing, and undying love. “Someone has to make sure the Best Pirate in History doesn’t lose his title.” Dradvia wanted it to be her. She wanted it so much it hurt.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“If I’m the best pirate in history, then you’re the best doctor in the fleet,” Sisnil said and grinned at her.

~ Zoi

She laughed softly then. “I never claimed to be the best doctor. You claimed to be the best pirate. Or are you saying you’re pulling my leg?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I got caught, didn’t I?” Sisnil said, shrugging, still looking playful.

~ Zoi

She didn’t quite giggle, but it was close, but also sounded exhausted. “I won’t tell. Besides you’ll always be the best to me.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil laughed. “You make me a legend then. Tell everyone about the great pirate Sisnil. Embellish if you have to,” he said and laughed. He rubbed her back slowly and gently, wanting her to fall asleep.

~ Zoi

Dradvia shook her head stifling the beginning of a yawn. “I don’t need to embellish. The reality is better than anything I can create.” Her head dropped back to his shoulder, eyes closing as his hand moved up and down her back. The movement created waves of soft warmth that relaxed her now that the panic had subsided. Her mind wandered a bit. She was right though, that’s why he was in her dream because he was the best pirate. He could stop anyone.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil kept still and sat with her even after she was asleep. He just wanted her to get rest. Eventually, he dozed off too.

~ Zoi

Eventually her body relaxed, uncurling from the small ball she held herself in. She stretched out beside him, her head pillowed on his shoulder, one arm hugging him. Dradvia slept for a long time. Her mind quiet and peaceful. Sisnil had never sensed it that way before.

Dradvia didn’t even wake when her stomach growled softly. She only muttered softly and sifted. When her body finally decided it had actually rested she slowly began to wake up. She was warm, comfortable, and safe. She had no desire to give in and wake up.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil was laying beside her, curled around her, and snoring.... loudly. He didn’t wake as she did, instead, he was still deep asleep.

~ Zoi

At first her brain thought his snoring was static from the radio, or maybe that annoying outdated gardening equipment Old Man Fry’ee had. She groaned and tried to pull her pillow over her head. Except her pillow wasn’t light and fluffy. It was warm, hard, and… muscular?? Her eyes flew open to see only very defined, toned, and shirtless muscles. Dradvia tried to sit up, but a heavy strong arm over her waist kept her in place. She froze, even her breath, until her brain could catch up. She laid back down, hoping she hadn’t disturbed Sisnil while she tried to figure out … everything.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil curled his arm further around her and stirred, but took a moment to wake up. He blinked and stretched, and then closed his eyes again without moving, not wanting to get up or be awake.

~ Zoi

Dradvia held her breath as he stirred and then it rushed out as his arm tightened and pulled her closer. She waited for the inevitable panic to take her, but it never came. Just the feeling of safety and comfort urged her to close her eyes again.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Finally he snorted and woke up. “Dee?” He asked groggily, looking up at her.

~ Zoi

She bit her lip, afraid to answer or move. Her stomach flopped but not with fear. Anxious but not fear. Finally she opened her eyes and peeked at him before closing them nervously. How did they end up like this? “Sisnil?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

He sat up and smiled. He still looked groggy and sleepy. “Did you sleep well?”

~ Zoi