As soon as Jaye left his office, Duke felt his fury rising over the not so subtle accusation. He looked at the clock and decided to go see Shana quickly, make sure she was still doing alright after her scare. Of course, she probably wouldn't even remember it, he thought bitterly. He exited his office and headed down towards the sickbay.
As he neared, a dark figure stepped out in front of him in the hallway. Duke glared as Snake Eyes blocked his path. He knew the ninja had been the one to rouse suspicion with Jaye and who knows who else. "Move." Snakes eyes were hidden, but he was sure the animosity was mutual.
Snakes shook his head and signed slowly to be sure Duke understood, 'Not until I speak with Jaye and Hawk.' He folded his arms and just stood there.
Duke's jaw clenched in anger watching him, while his hands formed into fists without thought. "You better watch who you accuse of what Snake Eyes. This does not concern you." He attempted to brush by the other man.
Snakes put an arm out to block him and Duke weighed his options. He wanted to slug Snakes very badly, but knew that it wouldn't solve anything, especially because Snakes was more adept at hand to hand combat. Instead, he dropped his voice low, "0900 tomorrow morning, there better either be a written apology on my desk or a resignation. It will be your choice as to which." With that, he turned on his heel and returned to his office. He could feel Snakes burning a hole in his back with his glare but the fury was beginning to dissapate again. He couldn't waste time being pissed off, he needed to make sure Scarlett was still ok.
He closed his office door again, dialing the number to the nurse's station quickly. He received a report on Scarlett's condition and was placated. She was still sleeping off her earlier episode. He made a meeting with Doc to discuss her options in the future for the next day and then hung up the phone as a knock sounded on his door.
"Come in." He sounded tired and felt exhausted. This whole situation was fairly taxing, even without the new complications.
Jaye walked in appearing sheepish and apologetic. "I'm sorry Duke. I should have known better."
He folded his arms, "Yes, you should have. Do you really think that I am the kind of person that would do something like that? Especially to her?" Now a bit of hurt edged into his voice.
"You're right. I'd like to plead temporary insanity due to all the issues around here. Please forgive me Duke? I should have known better on a professional level and a personal level." Jaye's eyes and tone expressed her regret as much as her words.
He nodded, relaxing his shoulders a bit with a sigh, "It's ok. We've all been under huge amounts of stress." He took a deep breath, "No matter what, I was still doing wrong. I shouldn't have a relationship with her. We know that."
"Neither should Flint and I. You know that is the rule that is always broken because of the realities of our unit." Jaye tried to sound reassuring. She couldn't help but sadly notice how Duke always spoke of Scarlett in the present tense, with no indication that he thought she wouldn't come back to him.
"If it doesn't cause problems. And when this reaches Hawk, it will be causing problems. Whatever it is, I'll deal with it." He ran his fingers through his closely cropped blonde hair. "Just, find Snakes and get him off my ass. We almost came to blows earlier in the hall and I want to go see Shana, and I know he won't let me until he speaks with you."
Jaye was now starting to worry about Duke, he sounded very tired and she can't imagine the stress he was under, especially considering his relationship with Shana. Her voice was gentle, "You should have told Flint or I. We would have kept it quiet."
"I couldn't Allie. Shana wasn't been ready to tell people and I feel like shit for having said anything even now."
She nodded, understanding how his code of honor was getting tangled with this situation. She stood and walked around the desk, giving him a light hug, "Get some rest, ok?"
He nodded, "After I see Shana, I'll rest for a while." And of course, after talking to Hawk, and any others who had decided that he was the pervert CO. And the mounds of paperwork he had been ignored. And calling Shana's family again. He just sighed and Jaye walked out, feeling terrible for making his difficult time worse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jaye went directly from Duke's office to sickbay, and much like Duke's experience, Snake Eyes stepped out of a doorway. He noted her agitated posture and waited for her to speak.
Instead of speaking immediately, she harshly grabbed his arm and pulled him into a quiet room. "Who all have you told about your 'suspicions'?" He shrugged and pointed to her, and Jaye sighed in relief. "You haven't talked to Hawk yet?" He shook his head and then motioned for her to explain what was going on.
She sighed, "It's not how it looked Snakes. Scarlett and Duke were involved before this, they just weren't telling people."
'Oh is that what he said? Convenient. And of course we have no one's word except his.' Snakes' hands moved furiously.
"Alright stop it Snake Eyes. Take off the green-colored glasses and look at Duke honestly, would you think he would do something as terrible as what you were thinking? I know you care about her, but Duke isn't there to hurt her." Snakes turned his head away slightly, not wanting to admit he was wrong, "There's security tapes Snakes. He's not lying." She tried to say it as gently as possible.
Snakes didn't respond, just stalked away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Duke was finally back at Scarlett's beside. Jaye had stopped him and told him that she had spoken to Snakes and he hadn't told Hawk yet. Small favor, but he was sure it would get around soon enough, and he supposed he wanted it to, with the other rumors. With that thought, he went and took Scarlett's hand while she slept. He rubbed his thumb gently on the smooth skin of her hand, watching her sleep peacefully.
After a while of quietly sitting with her, she woke up, looking at Duke. She smiled a little and said, "Good morning," still sleepy. His heart jumped a little, hoping that this meant she knew who he was. Her eyes opened a little more and then she looked confused and scared, pulling her hand away from him.
His heart fell again, he really needed to stop getting his hopes up with every little thing. He handed her the small computer and her notebook, letting her read over the notes she was collecting. Finally, she looked over at him and spoke, "Conrad...?" Testing the name out to see if it fit him. He nodded, a lump forming in his throat. "Ok. Ok." She looked down at her notes again, "This is all so overwhelming."
Conrad nodded with a sad smile, "It's overwhelming to watch you have to go through it every time."
"How often do I have to do this?"
Very quietly, "Three or four times a day at least." He looked down, knowing she wasn't happy with that answer. It's not fun to know that you are spending most of your time awake just trying to catch up to what you have done in the past.
She nodded pensively. Then she looked at him curiously, "Are you always here when I wake up?"
"Not always, no. I have to work too. But there will always be a friend nearby if you need it." He reached over and touched her wrist gently. "You have that if you ever need it too."
She examined the bracelet, "Who does it call? You?" He nodded to her again and her eyes turned a little more guarded, "You're just my commanding officer?"
Duke was taken off-guard by that question, "Um. Well. No. Not really. I'm a close friend as well." He paused and then continued very quietly, "We were seeing each other."
She frowned at this and typed some things into her computer, "Why didn't you tell me this before? I don't have any notes on it."
"It was awkward. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable." He was the one who looked uncomfortable, but she put her hand back into his.
"Thank you. I don't remember you, but my heart says to trust you. So I will listen to it." She gave him a shy smile and squeezed his hand. He couldn't do anything more besides squeeze back for a moment.
Finally he found his voice and tried to sound normal. "Thank you Shana." He leaned down and kissed her hand tenderly. "I have to go again and get some work done, but just remember the bracelet. I'm only ever a phone call away." He stood and kissed her cheek and then walked out.
As he neared, a dark figure stepped out in front of him in the hallway. Duke glared as Snake Eyes blocked his path. He knew the ninja had been the one to rouse suspicion with Jaye and who knows who else. "Move." Snakes eyes were hidden, but he was sure the animosity was mutual.
Snakes shook his head and signed slowly to be sure Duke understood, 'Not until I speak with Jaye and Hawk.' He folded his arms and just stood there.
Duke's jaw clenched in anger watching him, while his hands formed into fists without thought. "You better watch who you accuse of what Snake Eyes. This does not concern you." He attempted to brush by the other man.
Snakes put an arm out to block him and Duke weighed his options. He wanted to slug Snakes very badly, but knew that it wouldn't solve anything, especially because Snakes was more adept at hand to hand combat. Instead, he dropped his voice low, "0900 tomorrow morning, there better either be a written apology on my desk or a resignation. It will be your choice as to which." With that, he turned on his heel and returned to his office. He could feel Snakes burning a hole in his back with his glare but the fury was beginning to dissapate again. He couldn't waste time being pissed off, he needed to make sure Scarlett was still ok.
He closed his office door again, dialing the number to the nurse's station quickly. He received a report on Scarlett's condition and was placated. She was still sleeping off her earlier episode. He made a meeting with Doc to discuss her options in the future for the next day and then hung up the phone as a knock sounded on his door.
"Come in." He sounded tired and felt exhausted. This whole situation was fairly taxing, even without the new complications.
Jaye walked in appearing sheepish and apologetic. "I'm sorry Duke. I should have known better."
He folded his arms, "Yes, you should have. Do you really think that I am the kind of person that would do something like that? Especially to her?" Now a bit of hurt edged into his voice.
"You're right. I'd like to plead temporary insanity due to all the issues around here. Please forgive me Duke? I should have known better on a professional level and a personal level." Jaye's eyes and tone expressed her regret as much as her words.
He nodded, relaxing his shoulders a bit with a sigh, "It's ok. We've all been under huge amounts of stress." He took a deep breath, "No matter what, I was still doing wrong. I shouldn't have a relationship with her. We know that."
"Neither should Flint and I. You know that is the rule that is always broken because of the realities of our unit." Jaye tried to sound reassuring. She couldn't help but sadly notice how Duke always spoke of Scarlett in the present tense, with no indication that he thought she wouldn't come back to him.
"If it doesn't cause problems. And when this reaches Hawk, it will be causing problems. Whatever it is, I'll deal with it." He ran his fingers through his closely cropped blonde hair. "Just, find Snakes and get him off my ass. We almost came to blows earlier in the hall and I want to go see Shana, and I know he won't let me until he speaks with you."
Jaye was now starting to worry about Duke, he sounded very tired and she can't imagine the stress he was under, especially considering his relationship with Shana. Her voice was gentle, "You should have told Flint or I. We would have kept it quiet."
"I couldn't Allie. Shana wasn't been ready to tell people and I feel like shit for having said anything even now."
She nodded, understanding how his code of honor was getting tangled with this situation. She stood and walked around the desk, giving him a light hug, "Get some rest, ok?"
He nodded, "After I see Shana, I'll rest for a while." And of course, after talking to Hawk, and any others who had decided that he was the pervert CO. And the mounds of paperwork he had been ignored. And calling Shana's family again. He just sighed and Jaye walked out, feeling terrible for making his difficult time worse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jaye went directly from Duke's office to sickbay, and much like Duke's experience, Snake Eyes stepped out of a doorway. He noted her agitated posture and waited for her to speak.
Instead of speaking immediately, she harshly grabbed his arm and pulled him into a quiet room. "Who all have you told about your 'suspicions'?" He shrugged and pointed to her, and Jaye sighed in relief. "You haven't talked to Hawk yet?" He shook his head and then motioned for her to explain what was going on.
She sighed, "It's not how it looked Snakes. Scarlett and Duke were involved before this, they just weren't telling people."
'Oh is that what he said? Convenient. And of course we have no one's word except his.' Snakes' hands moved furiously.
"Alright stop it Snake Eyes. Take off the green-colored glasses and look at Duke honestly, would you think he would do something as terrible as what you were thinking? I know you care about her, but Duke isn't there to hurt her." Snakes turned his head away slightly, not wanting to admit he was wrong, "There's security tapes Snakes. He's not lying." She tried to say it as gently as possible.
Snakes didn't respond, just stalked away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Duke was finally back at Scarlett's beside. Jaye had stopped him and told him that she had spoken to Snakes and he hadn't told Hawk yet. Small favor, but he was sure it would get around soon enough, and he supposed he wanted it to, with the other rumors. With that thought, he went and took Scarlett's hand while she slept. He rubbed his thumb gently on the smooth skin of her hand, watching her sleep peacefully.
After a while of quietly sitting with her, she woke up, looking at Duke. She smiled a little and said, "Good morning," still sleepy. His heart jumped a little, hoping that this meant she knew who he was. Her eyes opened a little more and then she looked confused and scared, pulling her hand away from him.
His heart fell again, he really needed to stop getting his hopes up with every little thing. He handed her the small computer and her notebook, letting her read over the notes she was collecting. Finally, she looked over at him and spoke, "Conrad...?" Testing the name out to see if it fit him. He nodded, a lump forming in his throat. "Ok. Ok." She looked down at her notes again, "This is all so overwhelming."
Conrad nodded with a sad smile, "It's overwhelming to watch you have to go through it every time."
"How often do I have to do this?"
Very quietly, "Three or four times a day at least." He looked down, knowing she wasn't happy with that answer. It's not fun to know that you are spending most of your time awake just trying to catch up to what you have done in the past.
She nodded pensively. Then she looked at him curiously, "Are you always here when I wake up?"
"Not always, no. I have to work too. But there will always be a friend nearby if you need it." He reached over and touched her wrist gently. "You have that if you ever need it too."
She examined the bracelet, "Who does it call? You?" He nodded to her again and her eyes turned a little more guarded, "You're just my commanding officer?"
Duke was taken off-guard by that question, "Um. Well. No. Not really. I'm a close friend as well." He paused and then continued very quietly, "We were seeing each other."
She frowned at this and typed some things into her computer, "Why didn't you tell me this before? I don't have any notes on it."
"It was awkward. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable." He was the one who looked uncomfortable, but she put her hand back into his.
"Thank you. I don't remember you, but my heart says to trust you. So I will listen to it." She gave him a shy smile and squeezed his hand. He couldn't do anything more besides squeeze back for a moment.
Finally he found his voice and tried to sound normal. "Thank you Shana." He leaned down and kissed her hand tenderly. "I have to go again and get some work done, but just remember the bracelet. I'm only ever a phone call away." He stood and kissed her cheek and then walked out.
