Right kind of TLC?

Posted on Sun Mar 17th, 2019 @ 6:09pm by Colonel Jason "Jack" Frost

1,407 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Emerald Road
Timeline: Returning to Earth

Jack was glad that Dr Patrovski had cleared him to go home, knowing full well that under the watchful eye of Acacia there was no chance of him sneaking away to his office or sitting on the sofa reading reports on the rest of his men.

Hed walked home without her assistance and he was steady enough that she wasn't worried too much. She did see his grey face and his blood covering her uniform when she closed her eyes, so maybe she should be the one worried and asking for assistance. "Can i get you anything?"

"Fresh set of my own boxers would be nice. Just something weird about not wearing something like that, that I don't own." Jack spoke as he sat on the sofa, feeling that, at least for now was the safe option of keeping him out of trouble.

"Think you can get the scrubs off one handed?" She asked as she headed in to the bedroom get him a pair of boxers.

"Yeah, yeah I should be ok." Like a set of scrubs was going to stop him.

"Just try to keep your shoulder still ok?" Acacia called softly from the other room. It was quick enough for her to find a pair of black silk boxers.

"In this brace there is not much else I can do with it." He stood up kicking off the scrubs and landing them on the sofa. "So, I'm told this place has better than hospital food standards?" Everyone knew of hospital food,

"It does have a better looking cook." She teased as she dangled his boxers off of her index finger.

Jack reached up and grabbed then pulling them on and in turn feeling a little more himself. "You know I still remember that morning I called you Coffee and hugged you."

"I remember that too" her fingertips came up to caress his cheek. Shed been quite affected by that.

"You also looked good in my green shirt I might add." He smirked. "Not to mention the boyshorts." Good moments that he clung to in times where things seemed to be against him.

"You just like to see me in your clothes" she shot back with a wicked grin. "Shall i find a uniform shirt with Frost on it? Wear just that?"

"Better looking cook and less dressed." Jack smirked. "I think I could enjoy these medical benefits"

Laughter drifted back to him from the kitchen area. "I can get Xavier." There was a hiss and crackle of a pan with heat below it. The crunch of bread being cut and the sound of a spoon on a glass bowl. The scent of steak began to drift out of the kitchen.

"Too late, you can't shed me off now. I am under your tender loving care." Jack sat down on the sofa slowly so not to jar his shoulder. "So do you think I'll be good by the time of this gala or will I still need some kind of strapping just to be safe?"

That question took her aback "when is the gala precisely?"

"I'll have to check, soon ish, few weeks I think." Jack replied.

"Then yes, definitely. You might not have full range of motion but youll be able to do most things."

"Thats good." Jack replied as he let his head fall back to lay on the backrest of the sofa. "Got any ideas of what you want to do when we get back to Earth?"

"I never spent much time on Earth, except for my academy days. I love San Fransisco though."

"Maybe we can go spend some time off ship, few days on the coast, real non replicated food, actual sun?" He suggested.

"That sounds fun. Where did you have in mind?" Acacia didn't know much about Earth and its leisure activities

"I know of a nice apartment complex that officers upon graduating or recently minted stay prior to deployment. Don't worry, its not one of those last night flings types of thing, its marine run so all kept strictly professional. They views are the stuff of legends at the top floor, can eat at the observation deck that has all round floor to ceiling windows." Jack replied.

"Sounds lovely. Sounds like you've been there before too." Her voice held a tone of questioning as she scraped the pan. Onions she tossed in the pan with a few slices of bacon.

"Didn't get the chance." Jack replied. "Dad was rather insistent I avoid the place when I got my bars, saying that though I've more than a fair share of officers that have gone there and they have all spoken good things about it."

"What reason did he have for you to avoid it?" She wondered aloud as she placed provolone, bacon then onions and sliced steak onto the crispy french bread. She replicated spiced fries and walked out with two plates.

"Didn't want me making the same mistakes he did." Jack spoke. "I didn't ask into it, when ever I even ventured to when I was younger he gave the look, so I stopped trying and accepted it. But....I'm a Colonel now so I figured I'd try it out and see for myself."

She rested the plate on his knee so he could reach the sandwich and the fries. "Eat slowly, because i did have to mess with your stomach."

"Ohhh, weight loss, even better. Might fit into my uniform easier." Not that Jack was that lucky so a sprinkle of wishful thinking at best. He reached and pulled the plate to the arm rest of sofa, something a little more stable than a knee for him at least if he was eating one handed.

Her smile was soft and sad as she settled down beside his injured arm. Her cheek caressed his shoulder.

"What?" Jack saw the face and the change. "Something I said?"

"I cant joke about it yet. " was all she said, nuzzling him and taking a deep breath of his unique scent.

Jack paused for a moment as if trying to work out if that was a good thing or a bad thing attempting to brush off. After a moment Jack slowly started to eat, small pieces at a time which had already tasted great, proper food was just what he needed since before he'd been snacking on what ever he had around at the time....marine food.

She kissed his cheek softly before turning her attention to her food. She hadn't eaten much in the past few days either due to stress.

"You know, when we get to the Dreadnought again we are going to have to see the state our rooms are in, pretty sure they won't room service out places while they put the nacelle back on." Jack was not looking forward to that particular task that lay ahead.

"Then we'll just have to clean up. Most of my things were in storage anyway. I wasnt really that attached to things."

"I had a few things, but yeah not much." Jack spoke between bites, he could only hope they were going back to the Dreadnought at least, assuming it was good to return to and they had removed every last trace of what ever that creature was that swept the ship before.

"Well, most things can be replaced" she shrugged and nibbled a fry. "Ive only got a few things that have sentimental value for me."

"And uh, where do I fit into the bill?" Jack joked. "Antique, collectors item, part of the furniture?" He chuckled to himself, knowing that his greying hair was making him look old at times.

"What makes you think its you that would be fitting in, after all i recall that I barged in on your space not the other way around."

He looked up to the table in front of him. "Hmmm Coffee." Jack grinned recalling the moment again with a broad smile.

Kissing his cheek lightly "why don't you eat and let me think about what to wear to this gala."

"So I should confirm our invitations then?" Jack answered her.

"Absolutely. We'll cause a scene. Itll be glorious." Her grin lit up the room as she cast a glance over her shoulder at him.

"I probably should make sure I still fit into my best dress too. No touch applied a few pounds to my battered visage." Jack said rubbing his stomach.

RSS Feed