The Admiral held out a glass to Lee, waiting until he had his full attention before saying quietly but firmly, "This doesn't leave this room."
On receiving Lee's somewhat shaken nod of agreement, he lowered himself onto the couch with a deep sigh and took a long drink. Placing his glass carefully on the table, he stared at his ring for a long moment before beginning.
"You saw the rings then I take it."
A nod was his answer, and a whisper of "For Eternity."
"I bought them on my last shoreleave, a matching set. All the plans were made. The ceremony was going to be the day after I retired. Just a small one, a priest, us and witnesses."
"And then ..."
"And then the attacks happened. Everybody's lives changed that day."
"So the ceremony ..."
"Never took place." He twisted the ring on his finger reflectively. "I sat here and I realised that it didn't matter. I had already made the commitment, no matter what happened. So I put it on. My reminder of her."
"Were you going to tell me?"
"Before or after?"
"Before."
"I planned on telling you at the decommissioning ceremony, but you were so angry with me that day, and I didn't want your first impression of her to be clouded by your anger with me. I was going to try again later. She wanted me to introduce you."
Lee winced slightly as he thought of that distant day.
"You told her about me?"
"Of course."
"And after?"
"Why?"
"Who else knows?"
"No-one."
The disbelief must have shown on his face for a second.
"No-one. Saul and Kara knew I was seeing someone, but I hadn't told them about the wedding yet."
Lee drained the rest of his drink and stood somewhat abruptly.
"I'm sorry ..." for so many things, for your loss, for not getting the chance to know her, for being so angry that day. "I'm sorry."
His father nodded in understanding, and he headed for the hatch, turning back to face him before exiting.
"You really loved her." There was a tinge of wonder in his voice.
"Yes, I love her." Lee filed away the change of tense for consideration later.
"What was her name?"
"I called her Rose."