The Athosians on the mainland were hosting one of their festivals again, and Dr. Weir had been kind enough to send all non-essential personnel off to have some fun, promising the essential personnel that they could go next time. Fortunately for them, Dr. Carson Beckett and Laura Cadman were among the 'non-essentials' and were currently relaxing on the beach.
The moon was out, and its beams lit up the water, reflecting this way and that. Laura was sitting close enough to the edge that the water licked at her bare toes. She had a cup of Athosian-spiked tea in the sand next to her, but she hadn't had a sip. Her idea of relaxing had never been to party hard, and she knew she'd be on duty tomorrow morning, so it was there just to be polite. Her mother had always taught her to be polite, even when she didn't want to.
Ah, her mom. Laura looked up at the starry sky and tried to blink away her tears. She laid down and wiped them away. She took several deep breaths and allowed the peacefulness of the moment sink into her skin. There she was, on a completely alien beach, completely alone at night. She was so far away from home and anything that was familiar. She was a soldier, and would go where ordered, but she was still a little girl on the inside. She still missed home, her parents' house and her own apartment. She missed the cute male barista that made her coffee every morning, and the flower shop owner who'd become her friend after years of walking past the same shop. She missed Earth, but she couldn't go back. Not yet. There was still so much for her to see in the Pegasus galaxy.
Laura sighed as she stared up into the stars, and didn't bother to look away when she heard someone's footsteps. Whoever it was silently sat down next to her, but it was too dark to see who it was, even though he (it was a he; she could smell the masculine cologne) was within her view.
"How have you been, Laura?" Carson's familiar brogue identified him immediately.
It brought a pang to her heart. She had broken up with him only a few weeks earlier, and considered it one of the greatest mistakes of her life. He was getting too close, and that scared her. He was almost too perfect that she wondered when he'd become some evil ogre, but it was Carson after all. She was starting to like him far too much, and when she got to this point where being away from him made it hard to breathe, she had to cut off all ties. But Carson Beckett wasn't someone you pushed away, and she missed him.
She hesitated before answering, but forced a few words out anyway. "I've been alright. How about you, Carson?" She smiled up at him.
"I've missed you, love." He murmured as he laid down next to her, their elbows touching.
A moment of complete silence hung between them when all that could be heard was the sound of the waves lapping against the shore and the distant partiers having a good time. She bit her bottom lip. "I've missed you too." She whispered. "Look, I'm sorry…"
"You don't need to apologize, Laura." Carson cut her off softly, and in the way that was completely his; he didn't make it seem like he was interrupting.
She shook her head, and turned her head so her cheek was on the dry sand. He turned to look back at her and she was overcome with the desire to kiss him. He was the most loving person she had ever met, and all of that love was burning in his eyes for her. He looked so handsome with his face illuminated by the moon, and she couldn't remember what had made her break up with him. She tentatively reached over and laid her hand on his cheek, brushing her thumb over his chin, and she smiled faintly.
He returned her smile and covered her hand with his. "Laura, I want to be with you, because I've experienced being without you, and it's simply not worth it. Give me one more chance." He asked, meeting her eyes with a simple honesty that reminded her why she loved him.
"I made a big mistake when I broke up with you, didn't I?" She asked with a wry grin.
"Yeah, I'd say you did, love." He smiled and moved closer to her to press his lips to hers in a gently possessive reminder. "One more chance?" He whispered a mere breath from her lips.
Laura responded by slipping her hand around his head and threading her fingers through his hair and thoroughly kissing him until the innocent Scot blushed.
Carson managed to pull away before he was tempted to take things further, and slipped his hand into hers. She responded by squeezing his hand, and he gave her a half-smile. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, so much he wanted to experience with her. Three words that might seal his fate lingered in the back of his mouth; now was not the time to speak them, but the time would come, and until then, he would help her overcome whatever had prevented her from staying in their relationship for too long. For now, lying in the sand, staring up at the stars, was enough for him.
"Laura," He caught her attention from the stars and she turned her face to look at him. "You are so lovely."
"Thank you." She said, and moved to lay her head on his chest.
Carson smiled into her hair and wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled into his warmth, and he could feel her smile into his shirt.
Carson Beckett had learned so much about medicine, people and life in his time in the Pegasus Galaxy, but if there was one thing that would stay with him throughout his years, it would be how it felt to hold Laura Cadman and know she was his, and to know he might have finally found his future in the midst of death and despair, on a starry night on a foreign beach.