Never Promised you a Rose Garden 12/?

by Mistress V

Roger held Christine close against him.

"I never dreamed, darling...never. .," he murmured. Then he lifted her chin up and gazed into her eyes, puzzled. "But how did you find me?" he asked.

She took a deep, silent breath and smiled. "One of my colleagues at the university was here on vacation with her husband. She claimed to have seen you, that it really *was* you, so I had to find out for myself. I...showed your picture to a Yiridian concierge here and he recognized you as well, told me where you might be."

"My foolish, lovely woman. You took a great risk. Suppose you had traveled all this way and it wasn't me?"

"You were worth that risk, darling," she replied. "In my heart, I knew you couldn't be lost to me, that somehow, you were alive. And I was right." Wasn't I? she finished silently.

Kirby turned her in his arms and spun her happily. "You look beautiful! Just the way I remember you. But you must have so many questions. And this is hardly the place to answer them." He paused to buy a long-stemmed peach colored Risan rose from a vendor. "For you, my love, I know how you like roses."

Christine inhaled the bloom's sweet fragrance, grateful for something to keep her mind straight. Roger giving her flowers? THAT was new. "You're right," she admitted. "I *do* have questions, Roger. Is there somewhere we can talk, have some coffee, catch up?"

"A crowded cafe is no spot for such a happy reunion," Korby said dismissively. "Come to my home, we can sit on the terrace and talk all day if you like." He held up his hand for a shuttlecab.

"Bingo," Mitchell said from his listening post just down the road from the Korby chalet. "Now we wait."

************ **

From her seat in the back of the shuttlecab, Christine watched the Risan sights speed by. Roger was quick to point out the landmarks and places of interest. His arm rested comfortably around her shoulders, giving a sense of security she desperately needed. But despite the positive start to their meeting, she was still apprehensive of what was to come. She gave a surreptitious flick to her hair, her fingers lightly caressing the earring just below.

"Pierced ears, my sweet? What brought that on?" Roger tilted her head, examining the baubles with a professional eye. "Very nice, did you get them here on Risa?"

"No, I was at a conference with some of the girls in New York City and we decided to celebrate. I took the plunge. These were made by a merchant, just for me." Well, it was the truth. Kind of.

"How is everyone back at the university?"

Relieved at the sudden change of topic, Christine gave a brief summary of what had transpired over the past years: comings, goings, births, marriages, deaths, research discoveries and more. Roger listened attentively, commenting in events now and then. She was just finishing her news when the cab pulled up to their destination.

Korby paid the driver and led his companion up the broad walkway to the chalet's front door. He took Christine's hand and led her inside, then kissed her once more.

"I missed you, my love," he told her when the embrace ended. "So please, let's catch up on everything. You'll find a bathroom just there if you'd like to freshen up. Then meet me out on the terrace. I'll be waiting."

Christine did as she was told. The bathroom was modernly opulent, obviously made for guest use. She steadied herself against the smooth granite counter top and regarded her reflection. "Well," she said, pretending to address herself lest there was some kind of unseen surveillance, "here I am. Now tell me, how do I talk to the man I love after so long?"

"Just like you would to us, honey." The voice in her ear, Sari's, was clear and reassuring. "You're doing fine. We're right behind you."

With a final assessment of her hair, she decided the inevitable needed to be faced. Christine opened the door and made her way out onto the sun splashed balcony where Roger was waiting.