"I'll see you home," he says.
You shake your head. "You really don't have to do that. You've done enough,"
"I'll see you home," he says again and you understand that he's not asking, he's simply telling you what's going to happen. And truthfully you like the idea of this man seeing you to your work station and home lest you encounter Marcus again. You have no idea what you're going to do. Ask to be sent back to San Francisco you suppose.
Harrison walks quietly next to you as you go to your work station to get your bag and coat. The halls are quiet, empty as you make your way outside into the cool London evening. The streets are wet, it had rained earlier but is now just misting and you realize that Commander Harrison doesn't have a coat on. You are about to stop, to tell him that you are fine and to go back inside out of the cold and damp evening. As if he knows that's exactly what you're about to do, he takes hold of your arm just above your elbow and maneuvers you through the rush hour crowds of people.
The temporary housing that you're staying is only a few blocks from the Archive so it only takes a few minutes to reach it. You pull out your key card for the front door. It enters your mind to tell Commander Harrison good bye at this point but you know that he won't go for it. You walk up a flight of stairs and down a hallway to your unit. Here, here's where you'll say goodbye and good night but Commander Harrison isn't going to just leave you here either. He takes the key card out of your hand, opens the door and ushers you inside.
The apartment is small and he is taking up all the space behind you. It would be unnerving had you not been assaulted from behind by a man not an hour prior. Without looking behind you, you walk to the far end of the apartment, a whopping 7 feet away. You turn to face him and the thought enters your mind that he is currently blocking the only way you have, besides the fire escape in your bedroom, out of the apartment. If this man means you harm there isn't going to be a thing you can do to stop it.
"How afraid of you should I be?" you can't believe after everything that you actually asked that question out loud.
"You shouldn't," his response is nearly a whisper. That he places emphasis on "you" suggests there are others who should be.
"What about Admiral Marcus?" you ask. The commander moves toward you so fast, you react by trying to back away only to hit the loveseat, lose your balance and fall on it. Commander Harrison is crouched before you, his arms on either side of you effectively pinning you in place. His eyes are intense and for a second you'd swear you saw panic in them.
"You can not go back to the Archives. Do you understand me?"
"I can't just not go back. What about..." he cuts you off, he takes your face in both hands and once again you are reminded how much larger, stronger he is than you.
"I'll arrange for a transfer immediately for you back to San Francisco. But no matter what happens you must promise me that you won't go back to the Archives after tonight." You don't respond. You have to get some space from him. He's too overwhelming...too much. You pull away from his touch and he takes his hands from you and stands, allowing you space to take a few steps from him. You hear him say your name but it's soft enough that you aren't sure he really spoke it.
"What's going on?" you ask turning around again to face him.
"How do you mean?" You roll your eyes - playing clueless doesn't really suit him.
"I mean what's going on between you and the Admiral? I might not be the brightest blub at the Academy but I'm not a total idiot. You're just this side of insubordinate when you're around him and he seems to have a lot of disdain for you. You hate each other."
"I don't like him but I have to work with him. I don't have a choice..." his voice trails off at this and he walks toward your window, hands behind his back, looking out.
"You could leave," you say.
"No, I couldn't," he responds. "I have no choice. I have to stay." There is a desperation there in his voice that makes you shiver because of everyone who've met in Starfleet he is the last person you'd expect to ever be helpless. He doesn't move from his spot by the window and you don't quite know what to do next. What you really want is a shower and your coziest pajamas.
You shrug out of your coat and drape it across a chair on your way to the kitchen. You make two cups of tea and bring them into the living room. Harrison still is at the window, hands still behind his back, looking out at the city. You walk slowly over and hand him one.
"I have sugar and milk in the kitchen." He hesitates just a bit before taking the mug out of your hands looking from it to you and back again. You have to say something to break the tension that's building before you have a panic attack again.
"You act like no one's ever brought you a cup of tea before," you say lightly.
"No one has," you realize he's not joking, not trying to be funny or match your poor attempt at humor with an equally poor one of his own. You think that Commander Harrison is a man with one hell of a story he's not up for sharing and as you sip at your tea, you have a horrible feeling his story's not going to have a happy ending.