Chapter 3 - There's No Place Like Home ... And A Cave Just Can't Compare
The cave was atrocious, to say the least. Battered sails hung haphazardly across the room, providing various partitions throughout the cave. Strange etchings covered the walls, which were coated in inch-thick layers of dust, with the occasional tuft of green moss peeking through.
B.E.N. had quickly scooped up a pair of pink, polka-dot bottoms with white lace frills at the bottom served as a temporary tablecloth for an overturned barrel-turned-table and hid them with a sheepish grin.
Doppler had surveyed the room, taking in everything and wondering just how defensible this area was. To be fair, the dwelling was rather high up, so the view was clear for miles around. They'd have ample warning should the pirates decide to try and storm the area.
But now, with Jim and B.E.N. off who knew where, trying to retrieve the treasure map, he was left to fend for himself and the less-than-admirable patient he'd willingly acquired.
He felt simply awful for the thought having even crossed his mind, but the few moments she'd been unconscious after her simple statement regarding his eyes had been a blissful reprieve. That had been, of course, after he'd ascertained she was still breathing and perfectly all right, injuries aside.
It wasn't that he felt burdened by the Captain. Not at all. He just wished she'd be less ... resistant ... to his tending. She was quite stubborn, this spacer. And now was proving to be no less difficult.
"Now, lie back and be still. I realize you're loath to admit it, but I can see the pain you're in."
Amelia gave him a questioning glance.
"Your eyes, Captain. It's evident in your eyes."
"Ah," Amelia gave a small, pained smile. "I see I shall have to work on disguising that better next time."
Delbert shook his head.
"What?" she questioned.
"You," he replied quietly.
"I?"
"You don't have to maintain the infallible Captain façade with me." He reached out and adjusted the coat-cum-pillow behind her head.
"Doctor, I don't know what you're talk-"
"Hush," he ordered. "And you know perfectly well what I'm talking about. The brave soul, show no pain, be in command at all times."
He trailed off as Amelia turned her head and looked away.
"You're not invincible, you know. And it's all right to be hurt.
To show pain."
"No, it's not."
Doppler smiled softly and coerced an errant lock of her hair back into place. Amelia squeezed her eyes shut, touched at the caring gesture.
"Yes, it is, Captain. Whether you believe it or not, it is."
"Doctor, you have no idea what it's like. Showing even the slightest bit of weakness will get you killed out in space."
"Perhaps I don't know all of it," Delbert allowed. "But believe me, I do know what it's like to shut yourself away from everyone, to focus solely on your work and allow no on inside." His features pooled into a sad smile.
Amelia studied him. Yes, perhaps the good doctor did know more than she initially gave him credit for. She had quickly come to realize how consumed he was in his life's work. His fascination and dedication to astronomy was admirable. But, she realized, it had shuttered him from companionship.
Outside of this Sarah, how many friends could the good doctor lay claim to? Not too many, she'd wager.
She gave a low chuckle. "Well, what a pair we make, eh, Doctor?"
Delbert looked at her a moment before breaking into a small grin.
"Yes, well, at least we're together in it."
Amelia searched his eyes. He really did have wonderful eyes, she decided. They were warm and gentle. Caring. Yet filled with trepidation and a touch of uncertainty. It was quite endearing.
"Yes," she replied softly. "Together." She straightened a bit.
"But Doctor?"
"Yes?"
"You're hovering."
"Attending," he corrected.
"Attending," she acquiesced, "me for quite some time. Why don't you sit down."
It wasn't a request and, even in her weakened state, Doppler had a feeling she could and would enforce it.
"Very well," he conceded. He was, in fact, very tired. The adrenaline-filled departure from the ship, subsequent landing and trek across the planet had drained him of his energy, even his reserves.
With a sigh of relief, he slide down and rested against the rock alongside of her.
"Happy?"
"Delighted," was the murmured reply. Moments later, the strain of the day caught up with her yet again, and before Doppler knew it, the injured space had dozed off again, deep into the peaceful oblivion of sleep.
He watched her sleep, her features finally free of pain. The pools that mesmerized him were hidden beneath the long lashes of her closed eyes. He sat, transfixed as she shifted in sleep and moved closer to him. She moved against his arms and he debated for an agonizing moment before giving in and enveloping her within his embrace.
Even as his body reacted out of pure instinct, his mind was screaming, rather loudly in fact, questioning his actions. But, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the contented feline in his arms, who was purring softly. He bent an ear and listened, reveling in the sound.
For a moment, nothing else existed. There were no pirates, no treasure map. Just Delbert and Amelia. He liked the sound of that, he realized with a blush. It sounded ... right. He wondered, would he ever be able to voice that aloud?
His eyes felt heavy. He was exhausted. The journey here must have taken more out of him than he realized, he decided. The cozy warmth of the body nestled against him was making him drowsy. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to close his eyes, only for a moment. He glanced down at Amelia, who had molded her form into his neck. Just for a moment, he decided.
Settling down against the ground, he tightened his hold on her and quickly, before he could reason or rationalize it, he bent down and dropped a chaste kiss on her forehead.
"Goodnight ... Amelia."
To be continued ...
Join us next time for the fourth installment of "Out in the Open.
Our heroes are stranded on a wild, jungle planet with only the clothes on their back. Whatever will they do for laundry service? Frightening to ponder. Fear not, Chapter Four is written. It's short. So what!
There's more. Woohoo! The fifth will most likely be the final chapter.
But tune in next week for Part Four where pleasantries are exchanged, offers are made and pirates crash the party.
The cave was atrocious, to say the least. Battered sails hung haphazardly across the room, providing various partitions throughout the cave. Strange etchings covered the walls, which were coated in inch-thick layers of dust, with the occasional tuft of green moss peeking through.
B.E.N. had quickly scooped up a pair of pink, polka-dot bottoms with white lace frills at the bottom served as a temporary tablecloth for an overturned barrel-turned-table and hid them with a sheepish grin.
Doppler had surveyed the room, taking in everything and wondering just how defensible this area was. To be fair, the dwelling was rather high up, so the view was clear for miles around. They'd have ample warning should the pirates decide to try and storm the area.
But now, with Jim and B.E.N. off who knew where, trying to retrieve the treasure map, he was left to fend for himself and the less-than-admirable patient he'd willingly acquired.
He felt simply awful for the thought having even crossed his mind, but the few moments she'd been unconscious after her simple statement regarding his eyes had been a blissful reprieve. That had been, of course, after he'd ascertained she was still breathing and perfectly all right, injuries aside.
It wasn't that he felt burdened by the Captain. Not at all. He just wished she'd be less ... resistant ... to his tending. She was quite stubborn, this spacer. And now was proving to be no less difficult.
"Now, lie back and be still. I realize you're loath to admit it, but I can see the pain you're in."
Amelia gave him a questioning glance.
"Your eyes, Captain. It's evident in your eyes."
"Ah," Amelia gave a small, pained smile. "I see I shall have to work on disguising that better next time."
Delbert shook his head.
"What?" she questioned.
"You," he replied quietly.
"I?"
"You don't have to maintain the infallible Captain façade with me." He reached out and adjusted the coat-cum-pillow behind her head.
"Doctor, I don't know what you're talk-"
"Hush," he ordered. "And you know perfectly well what I'm talking about. The brave soul, show no pain, be in command at all times."
He trailed off as Amelia turned her head and looked away.
"You're not invincible, you know. And it's all right to be hurt.
To show pain."
"No, it's not."
Doppler smiled softly and coerced an errant lock of her hair back into place. Amelia squeezed her eyes shut, touched at the caring gesture.
"Yes, it is, Captain. Whether you believe it or not, it is."
"Doctor, you have no idea what it's like. Showing even the slightest bit of weakness will get you killed out in space."
"Perhaps I don't know all of it," Delbert allowed. "But believe me, I do know what it's like to shut yourself away from everyone, to focus solely on your work and allow no on inside." His features pooled into a sad smile.
Amelia studied him. Yes, perhaps the good doctor did know more than she initially gave him credit for. She had quickly come to realize how consumed he was in his life's work. His fascination and dedication to astronomy was admirable. But, she realized, it had shuttered him from companionship.
Outside of this Sarah, how many friends could the good doctor lay claim to? Not too many, she'd wager.
She gave a low chuckle. "Well, what a pair we make, eh, Doctor?"
Delbert looked at her a moment before breaking into a small grin.
"Yes, well, at least we're together in it."
Amelia searched his eyes. He really did have wonderful eyes, she decided. They were warm and gentle. Caring. Yet filled with trepidation and a touch of uncertainty. It was quite endearing.
"Yes," she replied softly. "Together." She straightened a bit.
"But Doctor?"
"Yes?"
"You're hovering."
"Attending," he corrected.
"Attending," she acquiesced, "me for quite some time. Why don't you sit down."
It wasn't a request and, even in her weakened state, Doppler had a feeling she could and would enforce it.
"Very well," he conceded. He was, in fact, very tired. The adrenaline-filled departure from the ship, subsequent landing and trek across the planet had drained him of his energy, even his reserves.
With a sigh of relief, he slide down and rested against the rock alongside of her.
"Happy?"
"Delighted," was the murmured reply. Moments later, the strain of the day caught up with her yet again, and before Doppler knew it, the injured space had dozed off again, deep into the peaceful oblivion of sleep.
He watched her sleep, her features finally free of pain. The pools that mesmerized him were hidden beneath the long lashes of her closed eyes. He sat, transfixed as she shifted in sleep and moved closer to him. She moved against his arms and he debated for an agonizing moment before giving in and enveloping her within his embrace.
Even as his body reacted out of pure instinct, his mind was screaming, rather loudly in fact, questioning his actions. But, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the contented feline in his arms, who was purring softly. He bent an ear and listened, reveling in the sound.
For a moment, nothing else existed. There were no pirates, no treasure map. Just Delbert and Amelia. He liked the sound of that, he realized with a blush. It sounded ... right. He wondered, would he ever be able to voice that aloud?
His eyes felt heavy. He was exhausted. The journey here must have taken more out of him than he realized, he decided. The cozy warmth of the body nestled against him was making him drowsy. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to close his eyes, only for a moment. He glanced down at Amelia, who had molded her form into his neck. Just for a moment, he decided.
Settling down against the ground, he tightened his hold on her and quickly, before he could reason or rationalize it, he bent down and dropped a chaste kiss on her forehead.
"Goodnight ... Amelia."
To be continued ...
Join us next time for the fourth installment of "Out in the Open.
Our heroes are stranded on a wild, jungle planet with only the clothes on their back. Whatever will they do for laundry service? Frightening to ponder. Fear not, Chapter Four is written. It's short. So what!
There's more. Woohoo! The fifth will most likely be the final chapter.
But tune in next week for Part Four where pleasantries are exchanged, offers are made and pirates crash the party.