Unity – Part 18 (?) - Just the two of us left
by Commander Chelsea Dunham & Commander Richard Dunham
Post Details
ON:
With Kim on her way to find her parents, Chelsea and Rick were on their own for the first time in ages.
"How unusual is this?" Chelsea commented as she put down one cup of tea and a cup of coffee onto the coffee table and threw herself into the deep cushioned sofa. "No terrorists, no war, no casualties and no-one bleeping on the comm badges wanting to keep us apart.... i can't believe it. It was one thing on holiday but it feels weird here."
Dunham smiled whimsically, remembering the holiday and perhaps a little unconsciously rubbing his gut were the bullet wound had been. He leant forward, picked up his coffee and had a sip. Nodding appreciatively at its flavour. He then leant back in the sofa, putting his arm around Chelsea and smiling, "Not weird, different....unknown. Its the first time we have lived together without someone else here underfoot."
"oooh, can we bear each other domestically, all alone?" she teased, nudging him gently. "What shall we talk about?"
"Life the universe and everything," said Dunham with a smile.
"42" Chelsea replied quoting an ancient book from way back in the 20th Century but which was still on the *reading list* at the Academy even now, as a remarkable piece of far-sighted literature was recommended as an essential piece in the tapestry of everyone's literary education.
"Ok, so now what?" she quipped, referring to the book's conclusion that this was the answer to 'everything' and that was the subject closed.
"How's your little shuttle... ship... thingy?" she asked lightly, now referring to his acquisition of a craft from Yolanthe which he had intended to restore. "Ready to hang on the wall yet?" she deliberately cross-referenced it with his balsawood model planes that he also put together as a hobby and implied this was much the same, even though she knew it was big enough to fit the quarters into about 5 times over.
Stretched out on the sofa, her legs entwined with his casually and a look of complete relaxation on her face, this was a side of Chelsea that rarely surfaced and few could honestly say they'd seen her so laid back in every sense of the phrase.
Dunham enjoyed the moment, smiling happily to the world in general, content with everything in his life. "Oh she's got her problems...." said Dunham with a chuckle. "Nowhere near ready to fly yet, power flow to the plasma coils, have to be to re-aligned to start the quantum filament alignment in the fabric of the phase transition circuit. I'm having problems with the warp core too, think I could reconfigure the flow of gravitons from the isolinear processors, to manipulate a graviton wave to the anti-matter injectors; this in turn would harmonise and re-power the dilithium matrix, at least in the short term.......I think." He smiled realising he was talking 'shop', he scratched the stubble on his chin in thought. "Though what with the new job as acting cag and all I don't think I'm going to get a chance, to get back to work on her for a while. Besides I'd rather spend more attention on you." he said with a another charming smile.
"New job? WHAT new job?" Chelsea's eyes narrowed and she sat up, bolt upright. If Rick hadn't been bigger, taller and heavier than she was, he would have been in danger of ending up tipped on the floor - in fact, the CMO had a good try at making that happen even though she was unsuccessful. In full battle-stations mode and with her attempts to tip him off the sofa thwarted, Chelsea had to think of a new plan of attack. She went for volume and pitch until she was able to employ a better method by stretching out to get her fingertips around a vase of flowers on a nearby ledge just above their heads to the left.
"NEW JOB? AND YOU WERE GOING TO TELL ME WHEN? LIEUTENANT? NOT THAT IT'S ANY OF *MY* BUSINESS!" she finally got hold of the vase and tipped it all over him: delicate red Anorian Tellorias, pretty little blue Terran 'Forget-Me-Nots', ironically named in the circumstances, and bright violet Vesorellian Drailies all contributing to a very fetching new design of Acting CAG headwear, along with about half a litre of viscous flower fluid that slithered down his shirt.
Dunham gave his traditional lop sided smile, wondering to himself that it had become a bit of a tradition in there household to sort there problems by pouring water on each other. He shrugged to himself mentally, thinking it could be worst, she could of thrown the vase at him. He raised his hands in surrender. "Surprise" he said rather meekly, and then in a more serious tone, I only got the confirmation today from the XO. Rianni Monteros-t'Khellian, was taken off duty, and then she quit."
"I'm sorry love, I know you liked her." Chelsea said as she heard the part she knew would have upset him. That bit made her serious again. She picked up a towel that had been thrown aside in the unpacking earlier and used it to dab at the goo she'd doused him in. Picking the flowers out of his hair she couldn't help but smirk at how cute he looked. "Um.... sorry" she said and burst into giggles.
"God only knows what it will be like if we ever have a proper argument." Said Dunham rhetorically. "Probably end up throwing entire buckets of water over each other." he said with a wry smile. He moved himself out of the wet patch on the sofa, suddenly feeling a little sad.
Chelsea watched as Rick's expression clouded and began to feel very guilty for assaulting him with the flowers. "Aww, sweetheart, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, i was just messing around." She put out her hand and touched his cheek with her fingertips, concern and love in her face.
"IF.... if we ever have a serious argument, we won't be silly and throw things, that's saved for mock arguments and fooling about. If we ever were to find something we couldn't agree on, we'd talk it out, reason with each other, try to understand what each other feels and why we can't meet somewhere in the middle." she searched his face. "Don't you think so? Are you worried about it?"
"Its....It's not that," Dunham smiled, "I love the water, and the mock arguments. I think there one of our first traditions together. And I know if we argue we would talk about it. reason with each other and try to understand how the other person feels. That's what being in a loving relationship is all about.....I dunno what the matter is with me." Dunham rested his elbow on the chair rest and nestled his hand into his chin, he frowned at his own melancholy attitude. "Am I good person?" he asked suddenly.
"Are you kidding?" Chelsea was incredulous. She reached up and kissed him on the forehead with a huge grin. "YOU .....are the most insufferably GOOD person I've ever had the misfortune to have to FAIL to measure up to! You dufus! You're honest, compassionate, thoughtful......." she was ticking his qualities off on her fingers. "...brave, loyal, honourable, trustworthy, strong, open-minded, fair, intelligent, kind, patient, gentle, funny......... " she had run out of fingers a long way back up the list and had grasped his hand, starting on his fingers.
She paused, looked up at him from under long dark lashes with a smirk and added, still holding his fingers up. "and wet........."
Just before he had a chance to reply she quickly added more. "..... and sexy as hell". Grinning she let go of his fingers and nestled into his arms for a hug. "Oh... and pretty fair at the joystick of a plane too....." she shrugged as if that were an afterthought.
Again, just as he opened his mouth to reply she suddenly added more to the list. "oooh and..... you're great as an Elven Lord, wonderful as a Knight in shining armour rescuing damsels with strained ankles, deadly as a Spitfire pilot, inconquerable as an explorer of alien picnic-scapes, cool as a snow-pool splasher totally magnificent as an under-cliff cavern rescuer and capturer of deadly criminals with bear-claws and guns, incredibly good at recovering from near-death experiences ..... BUT... you're a rotten cheat at Pooh Sticks.... so no, balancing that all off - good against bad...... you're clearly a cad of the worst sort!"
"What makes you doubt it?" the most important question came out quietly at the end of the whole pantomime answer she'd given and it was almost missable, but it's seriousness amongst so much laughter made it stand out like calm amongst a storm.
Dunham took in a long breath and let it out slowly. Trying to explain his melancholy demeanour. But after Chelsea's reasoning he couldn't really cone up with a good answer that just wasn't self indulgent. He smiled, holding her in his arms, very appreciative of her company, love and affection. "People keeping leaving me...."
"People? Is this about Rhianni?" she asked gently.
He shrugged, and shook his head slowly from side to side, "I don't know....maybe, yes?" he asked questioningly "I feel sad that she left starfleet, I feel sad that Kim left, and I'm worried you might leave to....."
Chelsea sat very still for an emotional moment then she kissed him softly. "Darling, you're so special. Wild Andorian wolf-targs couldn't drag me away from you. If you leave Starfleet, then I'll come with you... if you'll have me. Or, if you stay then there'll be nowhere in the four quardrants that I'd rather be."
she gently traced his face with her finger tip and let it rest on his lips.
"Kim will be back. Her mum and dad won't stay at home *all* the time and even if they do, she'll still want to visit and stay with her Uncle Rick and his multi-coloured sandwiches......" she smiled fondly at the thought. "And Rhianni wasn't happy in Starfleet so she clearly had another path to follow. Neither of them will forget you or what you have meant to them. Don't be sad, you'll always have a place in both of their hearts and we'll have new friends to make and hopefully new loved-ones who will need you as much as Kimmy did..... and still does."
Dunham took her hands in his and smiled, "I want all those things with you. You and me for ever, Starfleet or not, wherever we go, what ever we decide to do, we do it together. Our dreams our hopes are one." he smiled again, "Starfleet isn't done with us yet, but it will be, a few years down the line...will be married, kids, and I think a nice cottage on Bajor would be brilliant." He winked "as long its got space for a small landing padd for my ship so family trips out."
Chelsea laughed. "Oooh, why not? Although I think Earth is nice too. I grew up on Earth so it's more like home to me than Bajor but that's only sentimentality. When I was on Bajor it seemed lovely in the wilder provinces, less overdeveloped like most of Earth.... let's take holidays next year and see which one we like most? We might have to do several trips to get the feel of them both... " she enthused, getting way ahead of the present.
"I suppose if we have to consider your ship then we might favour Bajor because the space traffic lanes around Earth are very busy...." she considered. "But I agree. As long as we do whatever it is together, the demographics won't matter!" She nestled back into his arms and nuzzled his neck. "I'm so lucky to have you, Rick. I wake up some mornings and pinch myself because I still can't believe i'm not still asleep and dreaming."
"No" said Dunham with a shake of his head and a smile. "I'm so lucky to have you Chelsea Adams." he said sincerely
"You know, i think you could maybe take me to get introduced to my rival... this ship of yours!" she laughed, putting on a pout. "I might need to assess how much I have to be worried?"
Dunham laughed and gave Chelsea a hug, "The ships name....her name...is Chelsea,"
"It so is NOT" she scoffed and pretended to punch his arm, stopping just short of putting more than the lightest pressure on it.
"Don't you like the name?" Dunham gave her a wry smile, with his dry wit. He had a twinkle in his eye. "Odd that the woman you say I'm having an affair with has the same name as you....."
"VERY odd, but rather convenient, don't you think?" she raised an eyebrow and the humour stakes, a smile curling at the edges of her lips. She was secretly flattered but admitting that would lose the match! Instead, she opened with a new serve by changing the subject less than subtly.
"Have you heard from Rhianni since she joined the Star Empire?" she asked innocently as if it were the most natural question to follow on.
"We had drink together, and chat about the situation, and I get the feeling she is happy in the choice she made, but other than that one time. No I haven't seen her. you?"
"No, I never see her. I don't hang around the hanger bays often enough.... you know... i should take that up.... i have a penchant for flyboys, you know?" she teased, tugging very softly at his shirt.
He leaned in and gave Chelsea a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'm your only fly boy." He smiled "Though I think you should go and see her, she could probably do with a friend about now."
"Not one with red blood instead of green, i doubt." Chelsea replied. ".... and what makes you so sure you're my ONLY flyboy? I might have another love in my life..... " she parried, her face still straight but only with an effort.
Dunham met the straight face with his own, but he still had that twinkle in his eye. "Ok then, better go and get my little black book and tell all the 'ladies' that Dunham is in an open relationship." He paused for a moment. "You know that new archaeologist was flirting with me earlier....."He said matter of factly. But his eyes scanned the room to make sure there were no items holding any water in them.
Chelsea watched him checking the area for potential armaments and her straight face dissolved. She couldn't help but laugh out loud and therefore lost. "Oh really?" she managed a small recovery. "Sounds like she's overdue for a pscyhological screen.... she has to be nuts if she thinks she's moving in on MY territory!" she raised an eyebrow "might as well certify her and have her sent home, one less nutter on the station...." she commented, moving towards the kitchen area, knowing this would put him on his guard.
"hmm, Dunham's in an open relationship is he? Now... i wonder what we should *open* up then?" She turned to face him, her back to the cutlery that was waiting to be recycled. Her expression was one he knew well by now. There was that dark mischievous green sparkle in her eyes that was the only sign he wasn't likely to die. Her body language was like that of a cat, poised about to spring, her face was tilted slightly downwards so that her eyes were shielded by long dark lashes to make sure they wouldn't give away the moment she was waiting for.
The cutlery was a red-herring and as he moved closer she waited for him to be standing with the sofa arm directly behind his knees. She was lighter, shorter and no match for him physically but if she timed it right........
Suddenly, she moved quicky as if to reach for the items behind her but exactly as he was passing the sofa she leapt forward instead and toppled him backwards over the arm and into the deep cushions, snatching up a scatter cushion on the way to landing on top of him, she began to batter him with the soft pad, puffing with the exertion "s....so... I sup... pose... HER... n.... name's .... Ch... chel...sea..... too... huh?" she punctuated the first few words with blows from the cushion but he was too quick and strong to let that go on for long and she soon lost control of it as he grabbed it and wielded it back against her to drive her off his legs and attempt to right himself again.
Chelsea knew she had very little advantage left as he began to regain his balance but having landed on top of him did give her a while before he could gain retribution.
Dunham laughed out loud regaling in the battering he was receiving at the hands of the throw cushion, he had a massive grin on his face, and he was laughing so much that a tear rolled down one cheek. All other worries were forgotten as he took up the cushion with one hand and swung it gently at Chelsea.
"Arc...heol...ogist.....eh? Phil.... ander...er....! Cad.... Monster! .... Flyboys... ALL ..the... SAME!" she could hardly breathe enough to abuse him properly as she wrestled to regain the cushion from a clearly superior strength.
The couple wrestled briefly over control of the cushion, but it was soon back in Ricks control, he swung it about himself, devilishly fending off any blows coming his way, and with almost ninja like reflex's, pressed his opponent back in a flurry of soft blows.
Obviously way too strong for her, it had become Rick's turn to be like a cat, toying with his prey. Precariously balanced over the edge of the sofa there was nothing Chelsea could do to save herself as he leaned her further over the precipice so she resorted to a female weapon, seeming to need to be rescued, in an attempt to disarm him with an apparent victory.
Dunham pinned Chelsea down with the pillow as she lay prone on the edge of the Sofa, she was trapped. Dunham smiled wolfishly, leaned in and gave her a long kiss.
That was all it took. The 'apparent' victory was converted into a complete one as Chelsea stopped struggling and wound her arms around Rick's neck, melting into his kiss.
"i guess even if you're a complete wolf in sheep's clothing, you're still a pretty good kisser.... " she murmored appreciatively as his lips left hers briefly. "Perhaps I'll give you a second chance, dastardly two-timing monster!" she smirked, her eyes letting him know the truth.
"That's not the only thing I'm good at" he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and a wry smile on his face. He kissed her neck. "I love you...."
Chelsea's eyes became moist with emotion as she whispered "I love you too" burying her face in his neck. It was a few seconds later that she emerged with a lopsided grin and added:
"I bet you say that to ALL your Chelseas..... " she risked a dangerous shot for someone who was still the underdog in this situation. ".. and *what* else are you good at?" she added quickly in an attempt to head him off.
"Oh....you know.....stuff" he said admiring Chelsea, and taking in every inch of her with his eyes, as he looked her up and down.
"Oh really? I don't think I recall *stuff* being a term designating any skills that they teach at the Acadamy...... " she pretended to be confused.
"It was an extra curricular activity." he said with a mischievous smile. He kissed her again on the neck. He paused a moment, his head coming up from were it lay, "you know its just the tow of us now," he said in a thoughtful tone. "What do you think about getting married?" he asked out of the blue.
Chelsea was speechless for two reasons, one because he was kissing her neck and she never could trust what she might say when she was *that* distracted, and two because of that last bombshell.
"Um... we did talk about that.... for the future.... do you mean sooner?" she asked a little breathlessly.
He kissed her neck again softly with almost imperceivable contact. A soft and gentle touch, that was both reassuring but also suggestive of more to come. "I'm ready for the next step if you are?"
"I've been ready since the Elven Kingdom" she murmoured and dissolved into his arms, her lips seeking his for a lingering, passionate kiss.
Dunham embraced Chelsea with a long exquisite kiss. He pulled away smiling, "Speaking of elves....." He got off the sofa and knelt down in front of her on one knee, he reached under the sofa cushion and withdrew a small red velvet box. He opened it, presenting the ring inside. It was 'Nenya' a ring from Chelsea's work of fiction. The ring was adorned with a white stone in it's centre. Were Dunham came from they did this sort of thing a bit more traditionally; "you make me happier than I ever thought I could be. And if you’ll let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way. Chelsea, will you marry me?"
Chelsea couldn't believe the thoughtfulness behind the choice of ring. "Rick...... " she breathed. "You .... it's..... " tears welled in her eyes. "I can't believe you went to so much trouble. It's the most beautiful, thoughtful, sweet idea and I love it! ... and I love you too! I wouldn't miss being married to you for all the universe. I know it's going to be the best thing ever." She held out her hand for him to slip the beautiful ring onto her finger and leaned forward to kiss him again.
Off:
Richard Dunham
&
Chelsea Adams
by Commander Chelsea Dunham & Commander Richard Dunham
Post Details
| Title | Part 18 (?) - Just the two of us left | |
| Mission | Unity | |
| Author(s) | Commander Chelsea Dunham & Commander Richard Dunham | |
| Posted | Mon Aug 02, 2010 @ 11:33pm | |
| Location | CMO's quarters | |
| Timeline | SD22 |
With Kim on her way to find her parents, Chelsea and Rick were on their own for the first time in ages.
"How unusual is this?" Chelsea commented as she put down one cup of tea and a cup of coffee onto the coffee table and threw herself into the deep cushioned sofa. "No terrorists, no war, no casualties and no-one bleeping on the comm badges wanting to keep us apart.... i can't believe it. It was one thing on holiday but it feels weird here."
Dunham smiled whimsically, remembering the holiday and perhaps a little unconsciously rubbing his gut were the bullet wound had been. He leant forward, picked up his coffee and had a sip. Nodding appreciatively at its flavour. He then leant back in the sofa, putting his arm around Chelsea and smiling, "Not weird, different....unknown. Its the first time we have lived together without someone else here underfoot."
"oooh, can we bear each other domestically, all alone?" she teased, nudging him gently. "What shall we talk about?"
"Life the universe and everything," said Dunham with a smile.
"42" Chelsea replied quoting an ancient book from way back in the 20th Century but which was still on the *reading list* at the Academy even now, as a remarkable piece of far-sighted literature was recommended as an essential piece in the tapestry of everyone's literary education.
"Ok, so now what?" she quipped, referring to the book's conclusion that this was the answer to 'everything' and that was the subject closed.
"How's your little shuttle... ship... thingy?" she asked lightly, now referring to his acquisition of a craft from Yolanthe which he had intended to restore. "Ready to hang on the wall yet?" she deliberately cross-referenced it with his balsawood model planes that he also put together as a hobby and implied this was much the same, even though she knew it was big enough to fit the quarters into about 5 times over.
Stretched out on the sofa, her legs entwined with his casually and a look of complete relaxation on her face, this was a side of Chelsea that rarely surfaced and few could honestly say they'd seen her so laid back in every sense of the phrase.
Dunham enjoyed the moment, smiling happily to the world in general, content with everything in his life. "Oh she's got her problems...." said Dunham with a chuckle. "Nowhere near ready to fly yet, power flow to the plasma coils, have to be to re-aligned to start the quantum filament alignment in the fabric of the phase transition circuit. I'm having problems with the warp core too, think I could reconfigure the flow of gravitons from the isolinear processors, to manipulate a graviton wave to the anti-matter injectors; this in turn would harmonise and re-power the dilithium matrix, at least in the short term.......I think." He smiled realising he was talking 'shop', he scratched the stubble on his chin in thought. "Though what with the new job as acting cag and all I don't think I'm going to get a chance, to get back to work on her for a while. Besides I'd rather spend more attention on you." he said with a another charming smile.
"New job? WHAT new job?" Chelsea's eyes narrowed and she sat up, bolt upright. If Rick hadn't been bigger, taller and heavier than she was, he would have been in danger of ending up tipped on the floor - in fact, the CMO had a good try at making that happen even though she was unsuccessful. In full battle-stations mode and with her attempts to tip him off the sofa thwarted, Chelsea had to think of a new plan of attack. She went for volume and pitch until she was able to employ a better method by stretching out to get her fingertips around a vase of flowers on a nearby ledge just above their heads to the left.
"NEW JOB? AND YOU WERE GOING TO TELL ME WHEN? LIEUTENANT? NOT THAT IT'S ANY OF *MY* BUSINESS!" she finally got hold of the vase and tipped it all over him: delicate red Anorian Tellorias, pretty little blue Terran 'Forget-Me-Nots', ironically named in the circumstances, and bright violet Vesorellian Drailies all contributing to a very fetching new design of Acting CAG headwear, along with about half a litre of viscous flower fluid that slithered down his shirt.
Dunham gave his traditional lop sided smile, wondering to himself that it had become a bit of a tradition in there household to sort there problems by pouring water on each other. He shrugged to himself mentally, thinking it could be worst, she could of thrown the vase at him. He raised his hands in surrender. "Surprise" he said rather meekly, and then in a more serious tone, I only got the confirmation today from the XO. Rianni Monteros-t'Khellian, was taken off duty, and then she quit."
"I'm sorry love, I know you liked her." Chelsea said as she heard the part she knew would have upset him. That bit made her serious again. She picked up a towel that had been thrown aside in the unpacking earlier and used it to dab at the goo she'd doused him in. Picking the flowers out of his hair she couldn't help but smirk at how cute he looked. "Um.... sorry" she said and burst into giggles.
"God only knows what it will be like if we ever have a proper argument." Said Dunham rhetorically. "Probably end up throwing entire buckets of water over each other." he said with a wry smile. He moved himself out of the wet patch on the sofa, suddenly feeling a little sad.
Chelsea watched as Rick's expression clouded and began to feel very guilty for assaulting him with the flowers. "Aww, sweetheart, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, i was just messing around." She put out her hand and touched his cheek with her fingertips, concern and love in her face.
"IF.... if we ever have a serious argument, we won't be silly and throw things, that's saved for mock arguments and fooling about. If we ever were to find something we couldn't agree on, we'd talk it out, reason with each other, try to understand what each other feels and why we can't meet somewhere in the middle." she searched his face. "Don't you think so? Are you worried about it?"
"Its....It's not that," Dunham smiled, "I love the water, and the mock arguments. I think there one of our first traditions together. And I know if we argue we would talk about it. reason with each other and try to understand how the other person feels. That's what being in a loving relationship is all about.....I dunno what the matter is with me." Dunham rested his elbow on the chair rest and nestled his hand into his chin, he frowned at his own melancholy attitude. "Am I good person?" he asked suddenly.
"Are you kidding?" Chelsea was incredulous. She reached up and kissed him on the forehead with a huge grin. "YOU .....are the most insufferably GOOD person I've ever had the misfortune to have to FAIL to measure up to! You dufus! You're honest, compassionate, thoughtful......." she was ticking his qualities off on her fingers. "...brave, loyal, honourable, trustworthy, strong, open-minded, fair, intelligent, kind, patient, gentle, funny......... " she had run out of fingers a long way back up the list and had grasped his hand, starting on his fingers.
She paused, looked up at him from under long dark lashes with a smirk and added, still holding his fingers up. "and wet........."
Just before he had a chance to reply she quickly added more. "..... and sexy as hell". Grinning she let go of his fingers and nestled into his arms for a hug. "Oh... and pretty fair at the joystick of a plane too....." she shrugged as if that were an afterthought.
Again, just as he opened his mouth to reply she suddenly added more to the list. "oooh and..... you're great as an Elven Lord, wonderful as a Knight in shining armour rescuing damsels with strained ankles, deadly as a Spitfire pilot, inconquerable as an explorer of alien picnic-scapes, cool as a snow-pool splasher totally magnificent as an under-cliff cavern rescuer and capturer of deadly criminals with bear-claws and guns, incredibly good at recovering from near-death experiences ..... BUT... you're a rotten cheat at Pooh Sticks.... so no, balancing that all off - good against bad...... you're clearly a cad of the worst sort!"
"What makes you doubt it?" the most important question came out quietly at the end of the whole pantomime answer she'd given and it was almost missable, but it's seriousness amongst so much laughter made it stand out like calm amongst a storm.
Dunham took in a long breath and let it out slowly. Trying to explain his melancholy demeanour. But after Chelsea's reasoning he couldn't really cone up with a good answer that just wasn't self indulgent. He smiled, holding her in his arms, very appreciative of her company, love and affection. "People keeping leaving me...."
"People? Is this about Rhianni?" she asked gently.
He shrugged, and shook his head slowly from side to side, "I don't know....maybe, yes?" he asked questioningly "I feel sad that she left starfleet, I feel sad that Kim left, and I'm worried you might leave to....."
Chelsea sat very still for an emotional moment then she kissed him softly. "Darling, you're so special. Wild Andorian wolf-targs couldn't drag me away from you. If you leave Starfleet, then I'll come with you... if you'll have me. Or, if you stay then there'll be nowhere in the four quardrants that I'd rather be."
she gently traced his face with her finger tip and let it rest on his lips.
"Kim will be back. Her mum and dad won't stay at home *all* the time and even if they do, she'll still want to visit and stay with her Uncle Rick and his multi-coloured sandwiches......" she smiled fondly at the thought. "And Rhianni wasn't happy in Starfleet so she clearly had another path to follow. Neither of them will forget you or what you have meant to them. Don't be sad, you'll always have a place in both of their hearts and we'll have new friends to make and hopefully new loved-ones who will need you as much as Kimmy did..... and still does."
Dunham took her hands in his and smiled, "I want all those things with you. You and me for ever, Starfleet or not, wherever we go, what ever we decide to do, we do it together. Our dreams our hopes are one." he smiled again, "Starfleet isn't done with us yet, but it will be, a few years down the line...will be married, kids, and I think a nice cottage on Bajor would be brilliant." He winked "as long its got space for a small landing padd for my ship so family trips out."
Chelsea laughed. "Oooh, why not? Although I think Earth is nice too. I grew up on Earth so it's more like home to me than Bajor but that's only sentimentality. When I was on Bajor it seemed lovely in the wilder provinces, less overdeveloped like most of Earth.... let's take holidays next year and see which one we like most? We might have to do several trips to get the feel of them both... " she enthused, getting way ahead of the present.
"I suppose if we have to consider your ship then we might favour Bajor because the space traffic lanes around Earth are very busy...." she considered. "But I agree. As long as we do whatever it is together, the demographics won't matter!" She nestled back into his arms and nuzzled his neck. "I'm so lucky to have you, Rick. I wake up some mornings and pinch myself because I still can't believe i'm not still asleep and dreaming."
"No" said Dunham with a shake of his head and a smile. "I'm so lucky to have you Chelsea Adams." he said sincerely
"You know, i think you could maybe take me to get introduced to my rival... this ship of yours!" she laughed, putting on a pout. "I might need to assess how much I have to be worried?"
Dunham laughed and gave Chelsea a hug, "The ships name....her name...is Chelsea,"
"It so is NOT" she scoffed and pretended to punch his arm, stopping just short of putting more than the lightest pressure on it.
"Don't you like the name?" Dunham gave her a wry smile, with his dry wit. He had a twinkle in his eye. "Odd that the woman you say I'm having an affair with has the same name as you....."
"VERY odd, but rather convenient, don't you think?" she raised an eyebrow and the humour stakes, a smile curling at the edges of her lips. She was secretly flattered but admitting that would lose the match! Instead, she opened with a new serve by changing the subject less than subtly.
"Have you heard from Rhianni since she joined the Star Empire?" she asked innocently as if it were the most natural question to follow on.
"We had drink together, and chat about the situation, and I get the feeling she is happy in the choice she made, but other than that one time. No I haven't seen her. you?"
"No, I never see her. I don't hang around the hanger bays often enough.... you know... i should take that up.... i have a penchant for flyboys, you know?" she teased, tugging very softly at his shirt.
He leaned in and gave Chelsea a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'm your only fly boy." He smiled "Though I think you should go and see her, she could probably do with a friend about now."
"Not one with red blood instead of green, i doubt." Chelsea replied. ".... and what makes you so sure you're my ONLY flyboy? I might have another love in my life..... " she parried, her face still straight but only with an effort.
Dunham met the straight face with his own, but he still had that twinkle in his eye. "Ok then, better go and get my little black book and tell all the 'ladies' that Dunham is in an open relationship." He paused for a moment. "You know that new archaeologist was flirting with me earlier....."He said matter of factly. But his eyes scanned the room to make sure there were no items holding any water in them.
Chelsea watched him checking the area for potential armaments and her straight face dissolved. She couldn't help but laugh out loud and therefore lost. "Oh really?" she managed a small recovery. "Sounds like she's overdue for a pscyhological screen.... she has to be nuts if she thinks she's moving in on MY territory!" she raised an eyebrow "might as well certify her and have her sent home, one less nutter on the station...." she commented, moving towards the kitchen area, knowing this would put him on his guard.
"hmm, Dunham's in an open relationship is he? Now... i wonder what we should *open* up then?" She turned to face him, her back to the cutlery that was waiting to be recycled. Her expression was one he knew well by now. There was that dark mischievous green sparkle in her eyes that was the only sign he wasn't likely to die. Her body language was like that of a cat, poised about to spring, her face was tilted slightly downwards so that her eyes were shielded by long dark lashes to make sure they wouldn't give away the moment she was waiting for.
The cutlery was a red-herring and as he moved closer she waited for him to be standing with the sofa arm directly behind his knees. She was lighter, shorter and no match for him physically but if she timed it right........
Suddenly, she moved quicky as if to reach for the items behind her but exactly as he was passing the sofa she leapt forward instead and toppled him backwards over the arm and into the deep cushions, snatching up a scatter cushion on the way to landing on top of him, she began to batter him with the soft pad, puffing with the exertion "s....so... I sup... pose... HER... n.... name's .... Ch... chel...sea..... too... huh?" she punctuated the first few words with blows from the cushion but he was too quick and strong to let that go on for long and she soon lost control of it as he grabbed it and wielded it back against her to drive her off his legs and attempt to right himself again.
Chelsea knew she had very little advantage left as he began to regain his balance but having landed on top of him did give her a while before he could gain retribution.
Dunham laughed out loud regaling in the battering he was receiving at the hands of the throw cushion, he had a massive grin on his face, and he was laughing so much that a tear rolled down one cheek. All other worries were forgotten as he took up the cushion with one hand and swung it gently at Chelsea.
"Arc...heol...ogist.....eh? Phil.... ander...er....! Cad.... Monster! .... Flyboys... ALL ..the... SAME!" she could hardly breathe enough to abuse him properly as she wrestled to regain the cushion from a clearly superior strength.
The couple wrestled briefly over control of the cushion, but it was soon back in Ricks control, he swung it about himself, devilishly fending off any blows coming his way, and with almost ninja like reflex's, pressed his opponent back in a flurry of soft blows.
Obviously way too strong for her, it had become Rick's turn to be like a cat, toying with his prey. Precariously balanced over the edge of the sofa there was nothing Chelsea could do to save herself as he leaned her further over the precipice so she resorted to a female weapon, seeming to need to be rescued, in an attempt to disarm him with an apparent victory.
Dunham pinned Chelsea down with the pillow as she lay prone on the edge of the Sofa, she was trapped. Dunham smiled wolfishly, leaned in and gave her a long kiss.
That was all it took. The 'apparent' victory was converted into a complete one as Chelsea stopped struggling and wound her arms around Rick's neck, melting into his kiss.
"i guess even if you're a complete wolf in sheep's clothing, you're still a pretty good kisser.... " she murmored appreciatively as his lips left hers briefly. "Perhaps I'll give you a second chance, dastardly two-timing monster!" she smirked, her eyes letting him know the truth.
"That's not the only thing I'm good at" he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and a wry smile on his face. He kissed her neck. "I love you...."
Chelsea's eyes became moist with emotion as she whispered "I love you too" burying her face in his neck. It was a few seconds later that she emerged with a lopsided grin and added:
"I bet you say that to ALL your Chelseas..... " she risked a dangerous shot for someone who was still the underdog in this situation. ".. and *what* else are you good at?" she added quickly in an attempt to head him off.
"Oh....you know.....stuff" he said admiring Chelsea, and taking in every inch of her with his eyes, as he looked her up and down.
"Oh really? I don't think I recall *stuff* being a term designating any skills that they teach at the Acadamy...... " she pretended to be confused.
"It was an extra curricular activity." he said with a mischievous smile. He kissed her again on the neck. He paused a moment, his head coming up from were it lay, "you know its just the tow of us now," he said in a thoughtful tone. "What do you think about getting married?" he asked out of the blue.
Chelsea was speechless for two reasons, one because he was kissing her neck and she never could trust what she might say when she was *that* distracted, and two because of that last bombshell.
"Um... we did talk about that.... for the future.... do you mean sooner?" she asked a little breathlessly.
He kissed her neck again softly with almost imperceivable contact. A soft and gentle touch, that was both reassuring but also suggestive of more to come. "I'm ready for the next step if you are?"
"I've been ready since the Elven Kingdom" she murmoured and dissolved into his arms, her lips seeking his for a lingering, passionate kiss.
Dunham embraced Chelsea with a long exquisite kiss. He pulled away smiling, "Speaking of elves....." He got off the sofa and knelt down in front of her on one knee, he reached under the sofa cushion and withdrew a small red velvet box. He opened it, presenting the ring inside. It was 'Nenya' a ring from Chelsea's work of fiction. The ring was adorned with a white stone in it's centre. Were Dunham came from they did this sort of thing a bit more traditionally; "you make me happier than I ever thought I could be. And if you’ll let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way. Chelsea, will you marry me?"
Chelsea couldn't believe the thoughtfulness behind the choice of ring. "Rick...... " she breathed. "You .... it's..... " tears welled in her eyes. "I can't believe you went to so much trouble. It's the most beautiful, thoughtful, sweet idea and I love it! ... and I love you too! I wouldn't miss being married to you for all the universe. I know it's going to be the best thing ever." She held out her hand for him to slip the beautiful ring onto her finger and leaned forward to kiss him again.
Off:
Richard Dunham
&
Chelsea Adams