Home Safe
Posted on Wed Aug 21st, 2024 @ 3:28am by Lieutenant JG Jason Williams III & Lieutenant JG T'lenn
2,398 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
What We Do With Second Chances
Location: USS Astrea
Timeline: MD 13, 2300 hours
T'lenn had been working in Science Lab 3 when she felt the blasts from the Ataran vessel rock the Astrea, temporarily cutting power to the lab. Diagnostics showed minor repairs across the science department that would have to wait until after the current crisis was over, prioritized after engineering's needed repairs. With the Chief on the Bridge it was T'lenn's responsibility to begin cutting unnecessary power from the labs, and redirecting resources to astrophysics where they were most likely to be called upon if at all.
She had just begun this process when she received word that Jason's Starfighter team was to be deployed.
A short message had popped up in the inbox of her PADD. When she looked at it, it read:
T-
I wanted you to know as soon as I did...I'm launching with three other starfighters. My orders are to track down the Serenity and, if possible, bring her to a dead stop. I hope you weren't injured in the attack. I got a little bruised is all myself. While I cannot promise anything regarding what the Atarans will do, I will promise to do everything I can to come back.
I love you.
J-
She read the message and thought about whether she should reply as she continued the process of shutting down Lab 3. The last one to leave, T'lenn paused before exiting to type a brief reply.
Jason,
I am well. Try to not obtain any more bruises while you are deployed.
Love,
T'lenn.
The busy task of managing the department kept her occupied. She stayed several hours over her shift, waiting until the Astrea had stood down from Red Alert. The ship had dropped out of warp and no casualties had been reported. Logically that meant that Jason was fine. Logically.
Still something unexplainable nagged at her as she walked back to her quarters alone, still waiting for his return.
***Starfighter Bay #1***
After they landed, Jason focused on all of the post mission checks of his starfighter, then checking over the other three that had flown with him. Thankfully, aside from some minor carbon scoring, there was no damage on any of his birds. When he had a spare moment, he typed our a quick message to T'lenn, then sent it to her PADD.
T-
We're back aboard. No injuries taken. Once I finish all of the post flight and post mission reports, I would like to come see you, if you'd like that as well?
Love you,
J-
When T'lenn returned to her quarters after a slow walk back she noticed an unread message. She opened it at the terminal on her desk. Seeing the message she responded immediately.
Please do.
As Jason continued filing flight and operational reports, he heard his PADD signal that a new message had arrived. When he looked at it and saw T'lenn's reply, he grinned happily. Those two simple words lit a fire inside his core, and he worked a bit faster.
Finally, nearly an hour after he had returned, he dismissed the pilots who had flown with him, and finished submitting all of the after-action reports. He then quickly showered in the locker room and changed into a fresh uniform. He then quarried the computer on the location of T'lenn. When he received the reply a beat later, he smiled again, though this smile had more hunger in it. He made a beeline for her quarters.
Moments later, he was standing outside her cabin, and reached up to press the door chime.
T'lenn had been waiting for him, barely trying to read to pass the time. When the chime sounded she was on her bare feet and standing at the door as she was beckoning the computer to open it. She had showered and changed to stay in for the evening, greeting Jason in a soft pink shirt and silky gray pants.
Her eyes softened at his presence, and she outstretched a hand to pull him inside. "I'm glad you are here."
Jason's ready smile turned even brighter when his eyed finally landed on T'lenn. As he allowed her to pull him into her cabin, he waited for the doors to close and lock behind him, before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him, kissing her deeply.
A tension that T'lenn had not realized she was carrying relaxed when they finally embraced, his kiss a welcome reprieve to the end of a long day. She withdrew her lips from his and looked at him with wide eyes. "Are you alright? Do you need something to eat?" She asked.
He smiled warmly at her as he nodded. "I'm fine. Just a little bruised on my right hip from the initial attack. Their ship wasn't designed for actual combat, so their targeting computers couldn't get a lock on our starfighters." His smile faltered as his eyes filled with concern for her. "What about you? Were you injured when their missiles hit us?"
"I was not. A few of the science labs lost power and there will need to be repairs. It was nothing critical." T'lenn replied. "Perhaps I can assist with your discomfort," T'lenn offered.
He nodded and replied softly. "I would appreciate that, sweetheart." He leaned in and gently placed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as he took in a deep breath. While his eyes were still closed, he said, "This is where I want to always be. You are my safe place." He opened his eyes and lifted his head away from hers, looking into her eyes, he said, "I love you, T'lenn."
"And I love you as well," T'lenn replied. She was still unaccustomed to how sentimental Jason could be, though his overtures had broken through her shell of Vulcan stoicism and she had found herself being more expressive around him than she had been at any other time in life.
She took both of his hands into hers and looked at him seriously. "Vulcan Acupressure for the bruising on your hip. I will need you to remove your overshirt and your pants. Would you prefer to move to the bedroom? A relaxed state makes the exercises more effective."
He nodded, giving her a soft grin. "Okay. I am in your capable and loving hands." He then followed her to her bedroom. "By the way, I like that color on you," he indicated her pink top. "It's very pretty." Once they were in her bedroom, he started by removing his shoes and socks. Then, he pulled off his shirt, revealing his toned and athletic physique. Next, he removed his pants, the bruise could be seen peeking out from under the right leg of his boxer briefs. It looked a bit angry and dark.
T'lenn brushed her fingertips lightly against the top of the bruise lightly. "Either you bruise easily or the impact was more than you let on. You should stop by Sickbay tomorrow," T'lenn stated. "I need you to remove your pants and lay down on your stomach," she instructed.
Jason smirked playfully. "I knew you just wanted to get my pants off." He winked at her, but did as instructed. "Meh, I've had worse bruises after flying combat sorties in atmosphere. It looks worse than it it feels. If you have a dermal regenerator, I'll be fine." While his words could be mistaken for bravado, his tone indicated that he was being honest and open with her.
"I am not authorized to have a dermal regenerator checked out for personal use," T'lenn replied. "However, I believe you will find some relief from pain, not only from the injury, but acupressure is known to relieve tension and decrease recovery times."
T'lenn crawled onto the bed to the left of Jason, and postured herself on her knees facing his lower back. With her left hand she traced the lumbar vertebrae, with her right hand she gently passed over the bruised area, pausing to feel the subtle heat from the inflammation.
"You will feel some gentle pressure," T'lenn warned.
Jason felt a gentle zing of energy run up his spine when T'lenn touched him. As he trusted her completely, he did not move when she touched him and the bruise. When she told him about the pressure, he turned his head to look at her and grinned softly as he responded. "Go ahead, sweetheart."
T'lenn worked the area expertly, simply pressing into specific pressure points to take tension out of the nerves in the area and increase circulation, the heat of the inflammation dissipating with the increased blood flow.
As it began to work T'lenn commented, "You should be able to feel a difference, especially as you get up to walk. Even though your left side is uninjured, for symmetry, I should use a similar technique on that area as well."
Jason nodded slightly as he replied. "It does feel a bit better. Go ahead, I trust you." He then looked at her, love in his eyes. This woman was so far above his league, he still found it amazing that she had chosen to spend her time, and begin to join her life, with him.
T'lenn crawled to the other side of the bed, first by straddling Jason's legs with her knees, then sweeping her leg around until she was in the same position on the other side. Without an injury to focus on, she placed her hands again on his spine and hip, pressing her fingers in again toward nerve and circulation points, worrying less about aggravating a tender area and focusing more on relaxing the tension in area.
When she was done, she nudged him on the shoulder her head angled toward his. "You were more tense than you realized. When one side of your body is injured, the other compensates and you do not realize - - " She trailed off focusing instead on his features.
When she nudged him, Jason rolled over onto his back fully exposing himself to her, though he was not uncomfortable doing so, nor was he lewd about it either. He just looked up into her eyes, as he listened to her speak. He felt a tingle run up and down his spine as he felt her look over him. Lifting his right hand to her gently caress her left cheek, he spoke softly, tenderly, "Thank you for taking care of me, T'lenn. I love you so much."
T'lenn lay down on her side next to him as she traced the muscles on his chest with her hand. She froze at his words, an intensity growing in her eyes as her breaths grew heavy, deeper.
"Show me," she requested. Her eyes bore into his, waiting.
Without another word, he leaned over, wrapped her in his strong arms and spent the next few hours, showing her every way that he knew how, physically, how much she meant to him.
Later, when they were laying there, wrapped up in each other, only a sheet covering their sweaty bodies, as they slowly started to come down from their euphoria, he gently took hold of her right hand, and placed it over his heart. Looking into her eyes, he said, "My body is only for you, my heart beats only for yours," he moved her hand up to his face, nodding to her slightly as he continued, "Enter my mind, you will see fully how much you mean to me, and how truthful I am, when I say, I love you, T'lenn."
T'lenn took her hand and gently moved it to brush against his hairline, looking into his eyes with tenderness. "I do not need a mind meld to trust you. You have nothing to prove to me. I fear it is I who am more likely to disappoint you."
Jason looked deep onto T'lenn's eyes, there was a look of complete trust and devotion for her in them as he responded. "I doubt that, sweetheart. So long as you stay true to who you are in your core...that's the woman I love."
"I lack emotional maturity compared to you," T'lenn admitted. "It is a balance that few Vulcans are able to successfully achieve.
He smiled softly as he reached up and gently caressed her right cheek. "Well compared to you, I lack the logical maturity. Together, we make a great pair, both bring strengths to the relationship that bolster each other's deficiencies."
T'lenn lay her head down on Jason's shoulder, nestled in the crook of his arm. "And what if you ever feel as though I am inadequate at providing you the same emotional affections that you give to me?"
Turning his head to gently kiss her forehead, Jason replied to her question. "I know how we display affection will be different, sometimes a little one-sided. However, I know what my heart is telling me, T. And it is telling me that you are the person I want to share my life, my pains, my joys, my everything with."
"As long as the one-sidedness does not leave you feeling less than satisfied," she responded softly. T'lenn was starting to feel chilly now that they had been laying there for a few minutes. The blanket out reach, she pulled she sheet up around her shoulders and nestled in closer.
Feeling her shiver some, Jason wrapped his arms around her, sharing his body heat with her. "I could never feel that way with you in my life." He paused, then said, in near perfect Vulcan, "Nash-veh ashaya du, T'lenn."
"And I love you, Jason," she whispered back, letting her breath start to slow. She listened to his heartbeat and his own steady breaths, a relaxing rhythm that stood out in the quietness. She closed her eyes taking in the moment.
As they lay there, holding one another, Jason knew that this was where he was meant to be. All of the obstacles he had overcome, all of the joys he had celebrated, everything he had experienced...had made him who he needed to be, to find this woman, and share the rest of his life with her.
~Off~
Lieutenant T'lenn
Science Officer
USS Astrea
NPC - Johansen
Lieutenant JG Jason Williams III
Starfighter Squadron Commander
USS Astrea
NPC - Spello
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