Reunited

Posted on Wed Jul 13th, 2016 @ 7:28pm by

1,138 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: New Faces and Terror Beyond
Location: Kyle's Quarters
Timeline: Current

ON:

Charlotte put her things away in her quarters and settled back in. There was one stop that she needed to make. She'd been gone a few months and missed Kyle terribly.

She got ready and left but not before she found out where he was. Once she had the info, she went to surprise him.

Kyle had just finished a routine in the Gym, he'd been putting it off for a few days with the whole change over of command, new recruits joining the ship and he got saddled with showing a few of them how things were done on board. Dressed in Gym workout shorts, loose shirt and suitable footwear he was now heading home to freshen up.

A ship this size of course meant Turbolifts took a little longer than usually expected but he was fine with that. His towel over his shoulder he patiently waited.

Charlotte made sure that he didn't see her and quietly stood behind him, "Hello stranger."

Turning round he was deeply surprised to see Charlotte, she had gone and he didn't know where. Hardly in a position to go around asking questions too. "Charlotte, wha...where...how have you been?" His smile broad and happy as he saw his friend again. "I'd wondered if I'd see you again."

Charlotte frowned, "I'm so sorry for leaving so abruptly but my mother's health had deteriorated and I had to go help my dad take care of her. I didn't have time to say anything to anyone."

The Turbolift arrived and the doors opened. "I was just heading to my Quarters, care to join me?" Kyle offered. Her reason given was sound and understandable, such things are sudden and often don't leave room for anything else bar a swift departure. "Can talk there if you like instead of here?"

She nodded, "I would." She followed Kyle to his quarters. She was feeling a little depressed from her mother's passing but she was trying her best to keep it together. She hated looking weak in front of anyone, especially in front of Kyle.

The walk home was a short one but when the doors opened that familiar home feeling came back to him bringing a smile. It was good because he didn't much like sharing a room with a dozen or two of marines. "Make yourself at home, can I get you anything to drink?" Kyle offered.

"Thank you. I could use a glass of iced tea." She sat down and glanced around the room, "So have you been?"

"Oh you know, same really. Everything has been up in the air with getting everything ready for the new CO. Also had a bunch of new recruits arrive so fitting them in no doubt caused some issues but I think it was managed." He walked to the replicator, iced tea and water for himself. "Here you go."

He took a seat on the sofa. "I bet Commander Bawden will be glad to have you back again."

Takes the glass, "I feel so bad about leaving so abruptly but I had no choice. I'm glad I did though. I got the chance to tell her I loved her before..." She started to choke up, "before she...died." She took a sip of her tea.

"Why did you come back, you could have spent some time to yourself, settle things?" Kyle asked. "Family always comes first."

"Her last words to me was, 'Promise me that you'll go back.'" Charlie took a breath and exhaled slowly, "So, that's what I did." She thought for a moment, "She's right you know. I would have stayed and believe me, it was hard for me to leave my dad like that. But knowing that you were here, it made it a little easier to return to the Dreadnought."

Kyle smiled, didn't think he held that high an opinion to her. "So what you going to do now, stay as you are or take on another role?" Maybe easing into things again would help or for some just leaping both feet in was the cure.

Charlie thought for a moment with a serious expression on her face, "When I decided to come back, I thought about that. In fact, I thought about a lot of things including my career here on the Dreadnought. I realized that I like being in Security and being on the Dreadnought." She nervously smiled at Kyle, hoping that she wouldn't scare him off, "I also realized that I really like you and I was hoping that you felt the same about me. If not, that's okay. I could live with just being friends."

Wow, Kyle didn't expect her to straight up come out with it. He liked her, he wouldn't deny it but just expected that he'd be the one to share his feelings towards her first. Initially that was dashed when she suddenly upped and left but she was back now and seemed to not only want to patch things up but push forward with it. "Are you sure you can live with me being a Marine though, I mean, we often get sent into the most dangerous situations, it's what we are trained for. We don't know if the next deployment could be our last, especially with this ship."

Kyle wanted to lay it all on the line for her, at least then she could make an informed choice to continue this pursuit or walk away and remain friends. He hoped for the former option but wanted to give her the final choice. "I um.....should point out that I....have um.....never been in a relationship before."

Charlie smiled, "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you." She nervously giggled, "But seriously, when my husband died, it affected me greatly. And now, I've lost my mother but I'm realizing that it isn't the quantity of time but the quality of time." She sighed as she moved closer to Kyle, "In other words, I know the dangers of your job and that anything could happen to you but it doesn't matter. A day, a week, a month a year or more, at least I was able to spend it with you. Am I making any sense?" She put her hand on his.

"Yeah." Kyle spoke. "You are." Kyle took hold of her hand with a smile. "Just.....have to guide me in this. A phaser rifle I can handle in my sleep, a..a..a" He stuttered. "Woman however, not a clue."

She tried to reassure him, "With the amount of time I've spent with you so far, I think you know more than you think you do. Just be yourself. I promise I won't try to change you in anyway, shape or form."

Kyle smiled. A first step, but a good one.

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