Interlude – So... Prove It! (part 2)
by Lieutenant Ryan Milarno & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
ON:
Pia watched the CMO leave and then as she looked back she found Ryan watching her. She blushed; trying to think what she'd been thinking and wondering if it showed on her face.
"I'm sorry about that...I hope we haven’t lost much time?" he asked.
“No.... “She fibbed. "I can always stay a little longer, if you like?" she offered, her cheeks still pink, or were they a little more so?
“Sure...I’d like that...if you want too” he said to her.
"Actually, I would.... “she began. "Wouldn’t mind" she finished, her blush deepening. It rather suited her to be pink. "Um... where did we get to?" she stammered, knowing it was her job to know this.
Ryan smirked. "Well you left me shirtless on my bed...but actually it helped a lot, thank you"
Pia took in a short gasp that was partly a stifled laugh and partly choking. "I must ask you Lieutenant, not to let that get about!"
She coughed, getting her breath back. "Well, not in those terms anyway. A girl has to be careful of her reputation" she smiled.
Ryan nodded, smirking. "I won't tell a soul" he agreed. "So what’s on the agenda today?" he asked.
"Well, up to you really" she looked at his padd. "We could talk, or talk, or you could talk and I could listen or I could talk... no, that's not on here.... how about if we talk?" she joked.
"Alright then...we talk" he smiled as he sat back comfortably on the sofa, his mug in his hands. "What do you make of me so far then?" he asked, curious to know.
"I'm not allowed to make things of you. I might make something you didn't like. The general idea is that you develop into what you want yourself to be, and recognising that for yourself is the key. If you want to know my assessment of you as a case, you'll have to speak to the Chief Counsellor for a report. If you want my personal opinion of you, then you'd have to take me out to dinner, off duty, off the record." she smiled, almost challenging him. If she could get him out of his quarters and facing the outside world, she would be able to tick off the next stage of development.
"Hmmm..." was all he could say. "I know what you’re doing Pia...”
"You do?" she asked. "I guess you would, you're a doctor too" she sighed.
"I'm not ready to be in public...I was for a short time, but since i got back, I’ve not been outta these quarters..."
"That's the problem. You can't shut yourself away forever" she replied. "But if you like, we could get dinner in the holodeck? That sort of *public* can be controlled and you only have to go out far enough to get to the suite, so
we both win.... and I get dinner!" she smirked.
"Hmmm...It’s a start...I guess...it’s just scary...everyone will stare..."
"I won't" she said gently, taking his hand softly. "And it's just a short way"
"What about now then...?" he asked.
Ryan stood up too. "If you're there with me, it'll be better than being alone..." he smiled. "Oh and this isn’t an official date...." he smirked.
"Awwww... so I don't get the money that they bet me I couldn't get you into bed, not just on it?" she teased.
Ryan put on a false shocked face and laughed as he walked to the door but hesitated as it opened. "Do I even look ok to step foot out that door?"
"Do I?" she countered.
"Of course" he replied with a nod.
"There's your answer then" she said as she approached him, linked her arm with his and kept going forwards.
"You know, that wasn't an Official attempt to flirt with you. Counselling is all about challenging people to do things that scare them a little bit. So an official date with me, which would be very scary, especially to your street cred if any of your mates found out, is something I'm likely to propose just to make you face your worst nightmares"
"Which program do you fancy?" she added before he could answer that. "Terran? Andorian? Vulcan? Klingon? What sort of food do you like?"
"Terran will be fine, on the notion that my taste buds haven’t changed either" he laughed as they walked along the corridor.
Pleased that he was coping enough to even laugh as they walked, Pia started listing Terran foods. Indian, Chinese, English, Thai.... come on, narrow it down please?"
As they continued to walk, Ryan could see a crewmember walking towards their direction, as she got closer Ryan lowered his head, on purpose so that she couldn’t see, he felt really uncomfortable and he looked it too.
"Chinese..." he replied after lifting his head back up.
Noticing his discomfort, Pia stood taller, looking proud to be walking beside him. She slipped her hand in his and when he shot her a glance she poked her tongue out at him. "Hey, give a girl a break, when else do i get to walk about with a stud on my arm? Allow me to milk this... please?" she said, half serious.
"Go on then" he smiled. "I'll let ya"
Her grin spread and her eyes sparkled. "Really?"
Ryan laughed a little. "Yeah...of course". It wasn’t long before they came to the holodeck, it was free and they walked in and then stood wondering about a program. "Any ideas?"
"Later, when you feel better about it, can we take a trip via Security? I have a friend down there who's drop dead bloody gorgeous. She can get any guy she wants and usually takes the one I fancy just because she can. I'd so love to wave you past her nose... like, look what i got, beat that! oh... um... well, if we're eating Chinese why not do i authentically? In China?" she chattered on.
"Yeah sure we can, gets me out" he smiled. "Anddd...China it is"
"Seriously?" Pia was sure he was kidding. She looked away so he wouldn't see how much she really had meant that and covered herself by putting in a program from the templates, entitled Ancient China. It was the only one she could find quickly.
"Yea...whoaaa...ermmm" as the hologrid fizzled into life, Ryan chuckled. "Did you get the wrong program? Are we hunting for our meal?" Ryan couldn’t help but laugh as he looked around at the ancient site.
"Oh... er... " Just at that moment a Samurai army appeared on the horizon heading their way. Pia backed away, holding onto Ryan's arm tightly. "Um... Computer end program" she squeaked, closing her eyes.
The holoprogram faded away. "It's alright, we can hold off becoming someone else’s food, it's gone" he smiled.
"Computer, give us a program of 21st century China..." he requested.
Pia didn't want to open her eyes yet, in case the 21st Century was just as dangerous. When she finally did peer out she saw a beautiful countryside and felt much more relaxed again. "Phew, that was scary" she breathed.
"You weren't getting your own back on me for telling you that you had to face something that scares you, were you?"
"If I was the one looking for the program i would have....but im afraid you did that all by yourself..." he smiled as they walked to the restaurant. "Don't worry about it"
Pia shrugged. She had to admit he was right, well inside her head. She was admitting nothing out loud. She smirked. "Ah yeah, but you distracted me!" she objected.
Ryan raised his eyebrows and gave her a cheeky look as they sat down. “Yeah yeah...” he smirked.
"You SO did! You promised to let me one-up Alexia and that went to my head" she pouted.
Ryan sat back looking around the scenery. "Looking around at this place, some could say it relaxes you more than a massage..." he tried his best to look serious.
"Whoever this *some* person is, they ought to be more grateful. Massage is more tiring than it seems to the receiver." she was still enjoying having a good pout. Sparring with him wasn't only fun, it was having a positive effect on his spirits too. Pia knew she'd thrown the rule book out of the window but as far as she was concerned the end justified the means. The only trouble was that having taken down the safety net, so to speak, there was a danger in her recklessness, but at this moment in time, she didn't see that.
A while later Ryan and Pia had finished their meal and ended up walking it off, just walking aimlessly to wherever they ended up. Ryan was quite full and he guessed Pia was too. Before they realised it, they were heading up a hill and when they got to the top they were in awe at the view and the sunset covering the valley.
"Wow..." Ryan said as he sat down on the grass. "Don't think I've seen anything like it...even if it isn't real..."
"Somewhere, on Earth, it *is* real... "Pia sighed, sitting down beside him, tucking her legs up under her. "Most things have somewhere in the universes that they're at home, no matter how strange they might seem when they're far away from where they started out."
She was almost talking about herself. There was loneliness in the way she said it that took even her by surprise to hear. She blushed and fell silent, picking at the grass, blade by blade, lost in thought.
Ryan was very perceptive of someone’s feelings; he looked at her and watched her for a few seconds as she picked the grass. "Are you ok?"
"Sure" she smiled, realising what she was doing and leaving the grass alone. "I'm going to make a daisy chain" she announced and got up, moving around picking the little flowers. They weren't technically *daisies* but they did the job. Collecting up enough she brought them back and sat beside Ryan again, carefully slitting the stems and making a chain.
"Are you ok?" she asked, seemingly randomly.
"Hmmm..." he sounded as he lay back a little. "Yeah I think so..." he replied.
"But you're not sure?" she continued to make the chain of flowers longer as she spoke.
"No...I'm sitting here and to anyone who walks in this could be seen as a romantic setting...which in a way it is...but..." he sighed. "Oh ignore me"
"I will *not* ignore you." she was adamant. "Even if it weren't my job, I’d still not ignore you” Pushing the unfinished chain onto the grass she turned towards him and sat up on her heels. "What could be more romantic than a sunset and a fabulous view?" she asked, not yet understanding what he was getting at.
"No it’s not that...what I’m trying to say is...is that I won’t experience romance again, why would anyone want to with me?" he asked. "It's just never gunna happen and it's sad to think...but the quicker I realise it the better"
"WHAT?" Pia was horrified. "Why ever not?" she spluttered, totally confused. "Are you saying you're giving up love?"
"No I’m not but nobody’s going to want to be with me now...I’m a Cardassian and to put it bluntly I look a freak"
"You can't think that way... you mustn't!" she protested. "You don't look like a freak. You look.... “She knew she shouldn't say it but the hesitation that the *rules* forced on her made it sound like she was searching for the words. That sounded like she was trying to be tactful. She began to get upset with herself.
"Go on...off the record...I look?" he asked.
tbc..
A JP between:
Assistant Councellor
Ensign Rimmec, Pia
(NPC'd by jools)
and
Lt Ryan Milarno
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
by Lieutenant Ryan Milarno & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
| Title | So... Prove It! (part 2) | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | Lieutenant Ryan Milarno & Commander Chelsea Dunham | |
| Posted | Wed May 26, 2010 @ 7:55pm | |
| Location | Lt Milarno's Quarters | |
| Timeline | Backpost |
Pia watched the CMO leave and then as she looked back she found Ryan watching her. She blushed; trying to think what she'd been thinking and wondering if it showed on her face.
"I'm sorry about that...I hope we haven’t lost much time?" he asked.
“No.... “She fibbed. "I can always stay a little longer, if you like?" she offered, her cheeks still pink, or were they a little more so?
“Sure...I’d like that...if you want too” he said to her.
"Actually, I would.... “she began. "Wouldn’t mind" she finished, her blush deepening. It rather suited her to be pink. "Um... where did we get to?" she stammered, knowing it was her job to know this.
Ryan smirked. "Well you left me shirtless on my bed...but actually it helped a lot, thank you"
Pia took in a short gasp that was partly a stifled laugh and partly choking. "I must ask you Lieutenant, not to let that get about!"
She coughed, getting her breath back. "Well, not in those terms anyway. A girl has to be careful of her reputation" she smiled.
Ryan nodded, smirking. "I won't tell a soul" he agreed. "So what’s on the agenda today?" he asked.
"Well, up to you really" she looked at his padd. "We could talk, or talk, or you could talk and I could listen or I could talk... no, that's not on here.... how about if we talk?" she joked.
"Alright then...we talk" he smiled as he sat back comfortably on the sofa, his mug in his hands. "What do you make of me so far then?" he asked, curious to know.
"I'm not allowed to make things of you. I might make something you didn't like. The general idea is that you develop into what you want yourself to be, and recognising that for yourself is the key. If you want to know my assessment of you as a case, you'll have to speak to the Chief Counsellor for a report. If you want my personal opinion of you, then you'd have to take me out to dinner, off duty, off the record." she smiled, almost challenging him. If she could get him out of his quarters and facing the outside world, she would be able to tick off the next stage of development.
"Hmmm..." was all he could say. "I know what you’re doing Pia...”
"You do?" she asked. "I guess you would, you're a doctor too" she sighed.
"I'm not ready to be in public...I was for a short time, but since i got back, I’ve not been outta these quarters..."
"That's the problem. You can't shut yourself away forever" she replied. "But if you like, we could get dinner in the holodeck? That sort of *public* can be controlled and you only have to go out far enough to get to the suite, so
we both win.... and I get dinner!" she smirked.
"Hmmm...It’s a start...I guess...it’s just scary...everyone will stare..."
"I won't" she said gently, taking his hand softly. "And it's just a short way"
"What about now then...?" he asked.
Ryan stood up too. "If you're there with me, it'll be better than being alone..." he smiled. "Oh and this isn’t an official date...." he smirked.
"Awwww... so I don't get the money that they bet me I couldn't get you into bed, not just on it?" she teased.
Ryan put on a false shocked face and laughed as he walked to the door but hesitated as it opened. "Do I even look ok to step foot out that door?"
"Do I?" she countered.
"Of course" he replied with a nod.
"There's your answer then" she said as she approached him, linked her arm with his and kept going forwards.
"You know, that wasn't an Official attempt to flirt with you. Counselling is all about challenging people to do things that scare them a little bit. So an official date with me, which would be very scary, especially to your street cred if any of your mates found out, is something I'm likely to propose just to make you face your worst nightmares"
"Which program do you fancy?" she added before he could answer that. "Terran? Andorian? Vulcan? Klingon? What sort of food do you like?"
"Terran will be fine, on the notion that my taste buds haven’t changed either" he laughed as they walked along the corridor.
Pleased that he was coping enough to even laugh as they walked, Pia started listing Terran foods. Indian, Chinese, English, Thai.... come on, narrow it down please?"
As they continued to walk, Ryan could see a crewmember walking towards their direction, as she got closer Ryan lowered his head, on purpose so that she couldn’t see, he felt really uncomfortable and he looked it too.
"Chinese..." he replied after lifting his head back up.
Noticing his discomfort, Pia stood taller, looking proud to be walking beside him. She slipped her hand in his and when he shot her a glance she poked her tongue out at him. "Hey, give a girl a break, when else do i get to walk about with a stud on my arm? Allow me to milk this... please?" she said, half serious.
"Go on then" he smiled. "I'll let ya"
Her grin spread and her eyes sparkled. "Really?"
Ryan laughed a little. "Yeah...of course". It wasn’t long before they came to the holodeck, it was free and they walked in and then stood wondering about a program. "Any ideas?"
"Later, when you feel better about it, can we take a trip via Security? I have a friend down there who's drop dead bloody gorgeous. She can get any guy she wants and usually takes the one I fancy just because she can. I'd so love to wave you past her nose... like, look what i got, beat that! oh... um... well, if we're eating Chinese why not do i authentically? In China?" she chattered on.
"Yeah sure we can, gets me out" he smiled. "Anddd...China it is"
"Seriously?" Pia was sure he was kidding. She looked away so he wouldn't see how much she really had meant that and covered herself by putting in a program from the templates, entitled Ancient China. It was the only one she could find quickly.
"Yea...whoaaa...ermmm" as the hologrid fizzled into life, Ryan chuckled. "Did you get the wrong program? Are we hunting for our meal?" Ryan couldn’t help but laugh as he looked around at the ancient site.
"Oh... er... " Just at that moment a Samurai army appeared on the horizon heading their way. Pia backed away, holding onto Ryan's arm tightly. "Um... Computer end program" she squeaked, closing her eyes.
The holoprogram faded away. "It's alright, we can hold off becoming someone else’s food, it's gone" he smiled.
"Computer, give us a program of 21st century China..." he requested.
Pia didn't want to open her eyes yet, in case the 21st Century was just as dangerous. When she finally did peer out she saw a beautiful countryside and felt much more relaxed again. "Phew, that was scary" she breathed.
"You weren't getting your own back on me for telling you that you had to face something that scares you, were you?"
"If I was the one looking for the program i would have....but im afraid you did that all by yourself..." he smiled as they walked to the restaurant. "Don't worry about it"
Pia shrugged. She had to admit he was right, well inside her head. She was admitting nothing out loud. She smirked. "Ah yeah, but you distracted me!" she objected.
Ryan raised his eyebrows and gave her a cheeky look as they sat down. “Yeah yeah...” he smirked.
"You SO did! You promised to let me one-up Alexia and that went to my head" she pouted.
Ryan sat back looking around the scenery. "Looking around at this place, some could say it relaxes you more than a massage..." he tried his best to look serious.
"Whoever this *some* person is, they ought to be more grateful. Massage is more tiring than it seems to the receiver." she was still enjoying having a good pout. Sparring with him wasn't only fun, it was having a positive effect on his spirits too. Pia knew she'd thrown the rule book out of the window but as far as she was concerned the end justified the means. The only trouble was that having taken down the safety net, so to speak, there was a danger in her recklessness, but at this moment in time, she didn't see that.
A while later Ryan and Pia had finished their meal and ended up walking it off, just walking aimlessly to wherever they ended up. Ryan was quite full and he guessed Pia was too. Before they realised it, they were heading up a hill and when they got to the top they were in awe at the view and the sunset covering the valley.
"Wow..." Ryan said as he sat down on the grass. "Don't think I've seen anything like it...even if it isn't real..."
"Somewhere, on Earth, it *is* real... "Pia sighed, sitting down beside him, tucking her legs up under her. "Most things have somewhere in the universes that they're at home, no matter how strange they might seem when they're far away from where they started out."
She was almost talking about herself. There was loneliness in the way she said it that took even her by surprise to hear. She blushed and fell silent, picking at the grass, blade by blade, lost in thought.
Ryan was very perceptive of someone’s feelings; he looked at her and watched her for a few seconds as she picked the grass. "Are you ok?"
"Sure" she smiled, realising what she was doing and leaving the grass alone. "I'm going to make a daisy chain" she announced and got up, moving around picking the little flowers. They weren't technically *daisies* but they did the job. Collecting up enough she brought them back and sat beside Ryan again, carefully slitting the stems and making a chain.
"Are you ok?" she asked, seemingly randomly.
"Hmmm..." he sounded as he lay back a little. "Yeah I think so..." he replied.
"But you're not sure?" she continued to make the chain of flowers longer as she spoke.
"No...I'm sitting here and to anyone who walks in this could be seen as a romantic setting...which in a way it is...but..." he sighed. "Oh ignore me"
"I will *not* ignore you." she was adamant. "Even if it weren't my job, I’d still not ignore you” Pushing the unfinished chain onto the grass she turned towards him and sat up on her heels. "What could be more romantic than a sunset and a fabulous view?" she asked, not yet understanding what he was getting at.
"No it’s not that...what I’m trying to say is...is that I won’t experience romance again, why would anyone want to with me?" he asked. "It's just never gunna happen and it's sad to think...but the quicker I realise it the better"
"WHAT?" Pia was horrified. "Why ever not?" she spluttered, totally confused. "Are you saying you're giving up love?"
"No I’m not but nobody’s going to want to be with me now...I’m a Cardassian and to put it bluntly I look a freak"
"You can't think that way... you mustn't!" she protested. "You don't look like a freak. You look.... “She knew she shouldn't say it but the hesitation that the *rules* forced on her made it sound like she was searching for the words. That sounded like she was trying to be tactful. She began to get upset with herself.
"Go on...off the record...I look?" he asked.
tbc..
A JP between:
Assistant Councellor
Ensign Rimmec, Pia
(NPC'd by jools)
and
Lt Ryan Milarno
Assistant Chief Medical Officer