Hey ma, I'm disclaiming!
You know the drill, no infringements intended, fair use, blah blah.
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"And again it gives me the creeps and My hatred of helplessness, it grows and Every time I fear disaster, It makes my heart beat faster." -Bell, Book & Candle, Imagine
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When she returned to sickbay, she was quickly escorted to another section of the base. She took a breath and then walked into view of the room she was told held Duke. She smiled gently, moving over to the area with an intercom so they could speak. "Hey sweetie. I'm sorry." She choked back the tears and placed her hand against the glass. Her words seemed small and petty when she was faced with the reality of what she had set into motion.
"Don't be. This is not your fault," He spoke as if he could read her mind, and after so much time together as friends, he nearly could. He could recognize all the subtle cues her body gave, usually even when she was trying to hide them. "I'm ok, and we'll get this figured out, alright?" He knew she wanted to be in his arms and he wanted to make it a reality as much as she did.
"Stop. You're not allowed to make me feel better. It's my job to make you feel better ok? Please?" She fairly pleaded with him, knowing that having to stay strong for him was the only thing that would keep her from buckling under the pressure of the situation. If he gave her the opportunity to collapse and lean on him, she was afraid she would take it and it was important that she didn't. For him and for herself, she needed to keep on, working towards the goals of getting him home and taking care of the baby. "I brought you some stuff. Not too much, but I am hoping that this will be a short vacation." She couldn't help but laugh suddenly, "I must say, I do feel like I'm visiting in prison though!" She laughed along with him, watching his strong blue eyes, feeling a pain deep within her that she couldn't feel his arms around her and be sure that everything would be ok.
She leaned her forehead against the divider and Duke did likewise. "I love you, ok? No matter what, you need to make sure you keep that in your head." His usually confident demeanor was showing a few cracks with the crisis. They stayed silently like that for several long moments, seeming to rest their heads against each other. Suddenly Duke stood ramrod straight again and reassembled his mask of strength.
Scarlett straightened more slowly, turning to see what caused the change. It was a little strange, seeing Cover Girl dressed as her. And why the hell was she still dressed like that? Instead of snapping at the other woman though, Scarlett just nodded to her, "What do you need?"
"Just checking in on Duke. I just got done with Doc, wanted to make sure Duke was hanging in there," Cover Girl was a little tentative in her speech, able to tell from Scarlett's posture that she was on a hair-trigger. "I'm doing fine, besides being pissed off that I'm in here. Thanks." His voice was gruff and displeased. The three stood there for a moment, looking at each other.
Finally Scarlett broke the quiet, "I'm heading out. I'll go see what other info I can find out. I'll have my phone on me Duke, if you need me."
"No, stay," Cover Girl and Duke spoke simultaneously, though with contrasting tones.
"No. You stay, chat. I can't. I can't stand not doing something." Scarlett's voice had a more gentle edge to it. "I'll be back later." She nodded to them both, feeling too awkward for some reason to say 'I love you' to Duke, married and yet they've moved so fast, little things like that seem bizarre. She exited, heading for the common room to boot up her laptop. Cover Girl looked back at Duke, then the door that Scarlett just used and frowned and mumbled, "Excuse me," and walked out to follow Scarlett.
Duke watched the faux-Scarlett follow the original, then went back to his makeshift bunk and tried sorting through the paperwork that was delivered, anything to get his mind off of this.
~~~~~~~~
Cover Girl finally caught up to Scarlett in the common room, walking in and seeing Scarlett with new eyes suddenly. She was tired looking, ragged, her eyes were red like she had possibly been crying, sitting while staring intently at the computer screen on her lap. Her body was beginning to show more signs of pregnancy, a disappearing waistline, mild swelling in her hands, face and feet. Pregnant women may glow, but they also can look damn rough after a long night. Courtney felt a pang of guilt, seeing her sitting there. Usually Scarlett hid her emotions fairly well from people who were not close friends, and Courtney rarely got to see anything but the confident, well put together martial arts expert that somehow usually made her feel inadequate. But suddenly, watching her work, she could acutely feel the other's pain and what she'd been going through. It made her stomach flip-flop unhappily, wondering how she would be dealing with the same situation. Finally, she spoke, drawing Scarlett's attention back to her. "Hey, I'm sorry."
Shana shook her head, "Nah, it's ok. I needed to get out of there. I was getting too upset." She didn't really look up from the screen at all.
"Not just about that," Courtney felt a little awkward, "About everything. Things have been rough between us for a long time." Now Scarlett looked up, drawing her attention fully away from the article on the screen. "Duke kind of came between us."
Scarlett wasn't sure whether to be relieved that this was out in the open, or pissed off that she was blaming Duke for the conflict, deciding to err on the forgiving side. "I'm sorry about that." What else could she say? She wasn't sorry she was the one that ended up with Duke. Her thoughts though flitted back to her earlier run, and an idea began to slowly coalesce in her sleep-fogged brain.
Courtney shrugged, feeling uncomfortable now that it was out in the open, "It's not your fault. It's no one's fault." She sat down in the chair across from Scarlett, feeling the urge suddenly to change her clothes and let her hair grow out back to its natural blonde. "Duke just...He appreciated me."
Shana couldn't help but laugh, "Every guy at the Pit 'appreciates' you. Do you look in the mirror in the morning?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. That's what I hate. Duke is the only one who seems to care that there is a brain inside the body." Her tone was angry. She couldn't help how she looked and she got attention from men yes, but it was all sexual, none went beyond that.
A twinkling of the original redhead's eyes, "Not the only one." Much of her anger and frustration with Cover Girl was beginning to dissapate. She knew what it was like to be only considered a body, nothing more.
"What do you mean?" Courtney's head cocked to the side with curiosity.
A vague shrug, "I just have reason to believe that there is someone else who is not only interested in your body." Shana deliberately looked down at her nails to check for any cracks or imperfections.
A long pause, then Cover Girl said with exasperation, "Well, are you going to tell me?" She looked at Scarlett expectantly.
"Nope, sorry, you don't have clearance for that information." Both women chuckled and the ice that had existed between them began to break up with the laughter. "Don't worry, you'll find out eventually."
Cover Girl huffed. She wanted to know now. Her interest was piqued and she began to run through the possible names of teammates who could be seriously interested in her. Shipwreck, no way; all he wanted was a piece of ass, and he admitted it. Hawk, an intriguing thought; she wouldn't lie, she always was attracted to men with power, but she doubted it was him. She flipped through other names, then sighed in frustration. "Well, it better not be too long. I hate waiting."
You know the drill, no infringements intended, fair use, blah blah.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"And again it gives me the creeps and My hatred of helplessness, it grows and Every time I fear disaster, It makes my heart beat faster." -Bell, Book & Candle, Imagine
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
When she returned to sickbay, she was quickly escorted to another section of the base. She took a breath and then walked into view of the room she was told held Duke. She smiled gently, moving over to the area with an intercom so they could speak. "Hey sweetie. I'm sorry." She choked back the tears and placed her hand against the glass. Her words seemed small and petty when she was faced with the reality of what she had set into motion.
"Don't be. This is not your fault," He spoke as if he could read her mind, and after so much time together as friends, he nearly could. He could recognize all the subtle cues her body gave, usually even when she was trying to hide them. "I'm ok, and we'll get this figured out, alright?" He knew she wanted to be in his arms and he wanted to make it a reality as much as she did.
"Stop. You're not allowed to make me feel better. It's my job to make you feel better ok? Please?" She fairly pleaded with him, knowing that having to stay strong for him was the only thing that would keep her from buckling under the pressure of the situation. If he gave her the opportunity to collapse and lean on him, she was afraid she would take it and it was important that she didn't. For him and for herself, she needed to keep on, working towards the goals of getting him home and taking care of the baby. "I brought you some stuff. Not too much, but I am hoping that this will be a short vacation." She couldn't help but laugh suddenly, "I must say, I do feel like I'm visiting in prison though!" She laughed along with him, watching his strong blue eyes, feeling a pain deep within her that she couldn't feel his arms around her and be sure that everything would be ok.
She leaned her forehead against the divider and Duke did likewise. "I love you, ok? No matter what, you need to make sure you keep that in your head." His usually confident demeanor was showing a few cracks with the crisis. They stayed silently like that for several long moments, seeming to rest their heads against each other. Suddenly Duke stood ramrod straight again and reassembled his mask of strength.
Scarlett straightened more slowly, turning to see what caused the change. It was a little strange, seeing Cover Girl dressed as her. And why the hell was she still dressed like that? Instead of snapping at the other woman though, Scarlett just nodded to her, "What do you need?"
"Just checking in on Duke. I just got done with Doc, wanted to make sure Duke was hanging in there," Cover Girl was a little tentative in her speech, able to tell from Scarlett's posture that she was on a hair-trigger. "I'm doing fine, besides being pissed off that I'm in here. Thanks." His voice was gruff and displeased. The three stood there for a moment, looking at each other.
Finally Scarlett broke the quiet, "I'm heading out. I'll go see what other info I can find out. I'll have my phone on me Duke, if you need me."
"No, stay," Cover Girl and Duke spoke simultaneously, though with contrasting tones.
"No. You stay, chat. I can't. I can't stand not doing something." Scarlett's voice had a more gentle edge to it. "I'll be back later." She nodded to them both, feeling too awkward for some reason to say 'I love you' to Duke, married and yet they've moved so fast, little things like that seem bizarre. She exited, heading for the common room to boot up her laptop. Cover Girl looked back at Duke, then the door that Scarlett just used and frowned and mumbled, "Excuse me," and walked out to follow Scarlett.
Duke watched the faux-Scarlett follow the original, then went back to his makeshift bunk and tried sorting through the paperwork that was delivered, anything to get his mind off of this.
~~~~~~~~
Cover Girl finally caught up to Scarlett in the common room, walking in and seeing Scarlett with new eyes suddenly. She was tired looking, ragged, her eyes were red like she had possibly been crying, sitting while staring intently at the computer screen on her lap. Her body was beginning to show more signs of pregnancy, a disappearing waistline, mild swelling in her hands, face and feet. Pregnant women may glow, but they also can look damn rough after a long night. Courtney felt a pang of guilt, seeing her sitting there. Usually Scarlett hid her emotions fairly well from people who were not close friends, and Courtney rarely got to see anything but the confident, well put together martial arts expert that somehow usually made her feel inadequate. But suddenly, watching her work, she could acutely feel the other's pain and what she'd been going through. It made her stomach flip-flop unhappily, wondering how she would be dealing with the same situation. Finally, she spoke, drawing Scarlett's attention back to her. "Hey, I'm sorry."
Shana shook her head, "Nah, it's ok. I needed to get out of there. I was getting too upset." She didn't really look up from the screen at all.
"Not just about that," Courtney felt a little awkward, "About everything. Things have been rough between us for a long time." Now Scarlett looked up, drawing her attention fully away from the article on the screen. "Duke kind of came between us."
Scarlett wasn't sure whether to be relieved that this was out in the open, or pissed off that she was blaming Duke for the conflict, deciding to err on the forgiving side. "I'm sorry about that." What else could she say? She wasn't sorry she was the one that ended up with Duke. Her thoughts though flitted back to her earlier run, and an idea began to slowly coalesce in her sleep-fogged brain.
Courtney shrugged, feeling uncomfortable now that it was out in the open, "It's not your fault. It's no one's fault." She sat down in the chair across from Scarlett, feeling the urge suddenly to change her clothes and let her hair grow out back to its natural blonde. "Duke just...He appreciated me."
Shana couldn't help but laugh, "Every guy at the Pit 'appreciates' you. Do you look in the mirror in the morning?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. That's what I hate. Duke is the only one who seems to care that there is a brain inside the body." Her tone was angry. She couldn't help how she looked and she got attention from men yes, but it was all sexual, none went beyond that.
A twinkling of the original redhead's eyes, "Not the only one." Much of her anger and frustration with Cover Girl was beginning to dissapate. She knew what it was like to be only considered a body, nothing more.
"What do you mean?" Courtney's head cocked to the side with curiosity.
A vague shrug, "I just have reason to believe that there is someone else who is not only interested in your body." Shana deliberately looked down at her nails to check for any cracks or imperfections.
A long pause, then Cover Girl said with exasperation, "Well, are you going to tell me?" She looked at Scarlett expectantly.
"Nope, sorry, you don't have clearance for that information." Both women chuckled and the ice that had existed between them began to break up with the laughter. "Don't worry, you'll find out eventually."
Cover Girl huffed. She wanted to know now. Her interest was piqued and she began to run through the possible names of teammates who could be seriously interested in her. Shipwreck, no way; all he wanted was a piece of ass, and he admitted it. Hawk, an intriguing thought; she wouldn't lie, she always was attracted to men with power, but she doubted it was him. She flipped through other names, then sighed in frustration. "Well, it better not be too long. I hate waiting."