Chapter 4 - Waking Up Is Hard To Do ... Especially When You're Cozy
The cozy warmth was nice. Amelia couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this content, this relaxed. She instinctively moved closer to the source of the warmth, softly extending and retracting her claws against the fabric beneath her skin.
The soft and steady breathing above her sent streams of warm air over the top of her head, ruffling her fur.
Breathing?
Amelia brought her body out of its contented state and forced herself to focus on her surroundings. The hard, granite floor was still beneath her, but her head was no longer cushioned against the rock, rather it now rested upon the soft linen of a shirt. Still fettered by sleep, she couldn't quite place the familiar scent. She struggled to bring the memory back as the secure arms holding her tightened around her and she ... what ... arms?!
She jerked away quickly, ignoring the sharp pain that lanced through her side and watched as the figure beside her slowly awoke.
Doppler opened his eyes at the sudden absence of warmth which he'd become accustomed to during the night. Amelia was watching him. A bit uneasily in fact, he realized. Best to take it slow and see where he stood.
"Good morning, Captain," he said softly. "How are you feeling?"
Amelia relaxed, just a touch, and thought for a moment. "Remarkably better than before," was her eventual answer.
Doppler smiled in relief. "Well, you needed it," he told her.
"I suppose I have you to thank for that. Your linens were quite, um, comfortable, really." She looked away awkwardly.
"Any time," Doppler informed her.
Amelia gazed at him for a moment before allowing a tiny smile to creep across her features. "Yes. Well Doctor, while I appreciate the sentiment," she coughed pointedly, "I don't suppose I'll be needing the use of your linens in the foreseeable future."
Doppler had the grace to blush. "I, of course, was not suggesting that we, that is to say, you and I ..." He hung his head and finally gave up.
"Oh bother! I don't even know why I try."
It was all Amelia could do to contain her laughter. Really, the man was so easy to toy with and to fluster. Perhaps it was a bit cruel to do so, but she couldn't help. It was too simple. But still.
"I do apologize, Doctor. I fear your bumbling demeanor, which I must admit is, at times, utterly charming, tends to brings out a rather infantile side of me."
"Bumbling," Delbert repeated, incensed. "I take offense at that. While
I may, perhaps, lack a certain finesse in some things ..." He stopped and blinked twice. "Charming, did you say? You find me charming?"
Amelia's eyes twinkled. "On occasion. But if you mention that to anybody, I will, of course, vehemently deny it."
Doppler straightened considerably. "Of course," he agreed. "But thank you, Captain. Thank you very much. And might I say, even though I was a bit put off, at first, by your rough and tough sailor persona," he paused and took in the look Amelia threw his way. "However," he quickly changed tactics, "I would be remiss in not telling you how enjoyable your company has been these past few days."
"Tish-tosh, Doctor. I'm a horrible patient, and we both know it."
"No, not at all. Not at all," Delbert told her earnestly. "Outside of my colleagues in the astronomy community, rarely have I enjoyed someone's company so much."
Amelia laughed. "You need to get out more then, Doctor."
"I am seriously considering it upon our return to Montressor." He hesitated, uncertain as whether to continue. An idea had formed in his mind, but should he? He had only a vague idea of how he felt and was wholly unsure of how she felt ... how she would react. But this was his chance. He'd be a fool not to seize the opportunity. After all, carpe diem. Or in this case, carpe captain.
"Actually, Captain," he edged closer. "I was thinking if you've never seen Montressor before ... that is if you're free ... perhaps when we get back ... possibly ... you'd like to take a few days and explore the planet?
I have a wonderful observatory that allows the most spectacular view of
Luna Septi, and if you'd like -"
"Doctor, you're rambling."
He fell silent.
"But," Amelia confided, "that sounds intriguing. I've heard talk of Montressor's canyons. Are they as lovely as rumored?"
"More so," Doppler assured her. "At night, one can see the moon glow of
Canus Lunar reflected along the canyon walls. It's absolutely breathtaking!"
"And better when shared with someone, I'd imagine. Yes?"
The look she gave was not lost on him.
"Far better when taken with the right company," he agreed.
"And are you taken?" A coy smile played along the edges of her lips.
Doppler drew closer. "I'm not quite certain," he admitted. "Am I?"
The answer was lost in the cacophony of laser blasts and blood-curdling yells that echoed throughout the cave. Doppler threw himself in front of Amelia as a flood of pirates poured in from the hatch near the rear of the cave and watched as John Silver made his way to them.
"Doctor, how are you? And Cap'n," he glanced at the sling. "Not as bonnie as before, I see. Looks like you've lost some of your rigging there, lass."
He looked around. "An' Jim? Where be the lad? Not off searching for the treasure by himself, is he?"
Silence met the pirate's questions. Understanding, Silver's mouth tightened into a grim line. "Ah now, Doctor, being quite and all won't do ya' any good." He flexed his cyborg hand. "We can do this the easy way, or we can tie you up, wait for Jim and do it the hard way. Makes no difference to me an' the boys here."
"You'll hang for this, Silver. You and your scurvy scalawags," Amelia snarled.
"I think not, Cap'n. Seein' as how we've got the only ship about here,
I think not." He smiled. "Takin' from your warm reception here, I see we'll be doing this the hard way then." He grinned. "Fine by me."
He walked toward the cave's opening. "Tie 'em up lads and make yourselves comfortable. Looks like we'll be waiting a while."
To be continued ...
Join us next week for the next adventure in what has quickly grown into an out-of-control story. Who knows how many chapters are still waiting in the wings? Not I, that's for certain. Your guess is as good as mine's for next week's exciting installment. But most likely, it'll take place after the good doctor and fearless captain have escaped harm's way and are once again on the RLS Legacy. I admit it, I'm a fluff addict for this story, so don't expect some sudden formation of a real plot. Perhaps next time.
The cozy warmth was nice. Amelia couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this content, this relaxed. She instinctively moved closer to the source of the warmth, softly extending and retracting her claws against the fabric beneath her skin.
The soft and steady breathing above her sent streams of warm air over the top of her head, ruffling her fur.
Breathing?
Amelia brought her body out of its contented state and forced herself to focus on her surroundings. The hard, granite floor was still beneath her, but her head was no longer cushioned against the rock, rather it now rested upon the soft linen of a shirt. Still fettered by sleep, she couldn't quite place the familiar scent. She struggled to bring the memory back as the secure arms holding her tightened around her and she ... what ... arms?!
She jerked away quickly, ignoring the sharp pain that lanced through her side and watched as the figure beside her slowly awoke.
Doppler opened his eyes at the sudden absence of warmth which he'd become accustomed to during the night. Amelia was watching him. A bit uneasily in fact, he realized. Best to take it slow and see where he stood.
"Good morning, Captain," he said softly. "How are you feeling?"
Amelia relaxed, just a touch, and thought for a moment. "Remarkably better than before," was her eventual answer.
Doppler smiled in relief. "Well, you needed it," he told her.
"I suppose I have you to thank for that. Your linens were quite, um, comfortable, really." She looked away awkwardly.
"Any time," Doppler informed her.
Amelia gazed at him for a moment before allowing a tiny smile to creep across her features. "Yes. Well Doctor, while I appreciate the sentiment," she coughed pointedly, "I don't suppose I'll be needing the use of your linens in the foreseeable future."
Doppler had the grace to blush. "I, of course, was not suggesting that we, that is to say, you and I ..." He hung his head and finally gave up.
"Oh bother! I don't even know why I try."
It was all Amelia could do to contain her laughter. Really, the man was so easy to toy with and to fluster. Perhaps it was a bit cruel to do so, but she couldn't help. It was too simple. But still.
"I do apologize, Doctor. I fear your bumbling demeanor, which I must admit is, at times, utterly charming, tends to brings out a rather infantile side of me."
"Bumbling," Delbert repeated, incensed. "I take offense at that. While
I may, perhaps, lack a certain finesse in some things ..." He stopped and blinked twice. "Charming, did you say? You find me charming?"
Amelia's eyes twinkled. "On occasion. But if you mention that to anybody, I will, of course, vehemently deny it."
Doppler straightened considerably. "Of course," he agreed. "But thank you, Captain. Thank you very much. And might I say, even though I was a bit put off, at first, by your rough and tough sailor persona," he paused and took in the look Amelia threw his way. "However," he quickly changed tactics, "I would be remiss in not telling you how enjoyable your company has been these past few days."
"Tish-tosh, Doctor. I'm a horrible patient, and we both know it."
"No, not at all. Not at all," Delbert told her earnestly. "Outside of my colleagues in the astronomy community, rarely have I enjoyed someone's company so much."
Amelia laughed. "You need to get out more then, Doctor."
"I am seriously considering it upon our return to Montressor." He hesitated, uncertain as whether to continue. An idea had formed in his mind, but should he? He had only a vague idea of how he felt and was wholly unsure of how she felt ... how she would react. But this was his chance. He'd be a fool not to seize the opportunity. After all, carpe diem. Or in this case, carpe captain.
"Actually, Captain," he edged closer. "I was thinking if you've never seen Montressor before ... that is if you're free ... perhaps when we get back ... possibly ... you'd like to take a few days and explore the planet?
I have a wonderful observatory that allows the most spectacular view of
Luna Septi, and if you'd like -"
"Doctor, you're rambling."
He fell silent.
"But," Amelia confided, "that sounds intriguing. I've heard talk of Montressor's canyons. Are they as lovely as rumored?"
"More so," Doppler assured her. "At night, one can see the moon glow of
Canus Lunar reflected along the canyon walls. It's absolutely breathtaking!"
"And better when shared with someone, I'd imagine. Yes?"
The look she gave was not lost on him.
"Far better when taken with the right company," he agreed.
"And are you taken?" A coy smile played along the edges of her lips.
Doppler drew closer. "I'm not quite certain," he admitted. "Am I?"
The answer was lost in the cacophony of laser blasts and blood-curdling yells that echoed throughout the cave. Doppler threw himself in front of Amelia as a flood of pirates poured in from the hatch near the rear of the cave and watched as John Silver made his way to them.
"Doctor, how are you? And Cap'n," he glanced at the sling. "Not as bonnie as before, I see. Looks like you've lost some of your rigging there, lass."
He looked around. "An' Jim? Where be the lad? Not off searching for the treasure by himself, is he?"
Silence met the pirate's questions. Understanding, Silver's mouth tightened into a grim line. "Ah now, Doctor, being quite and all won't do ya' any good." He flexed his cyborg hand. "We can do this the easy way, or we can tie you up, wait for Jim and do it the hard way. Makes no difference to me an' the boys here."
"You'll hang for this, Silver. You and your scurvy scalawags," Amelia snarled.
"I think not, Cap'n. Seein' as how we've got the only ship about here,
I think not." He smiled. "Takin' from your warm reception here, I see we'll be doing this the hard way then." He grinned. "Fine by me."
He walked toward the cave's opening. "Tie 'em up lads and make yourselves comfortable. Looks like we'll be waiting a while."
To be continued ...
Join us next week for the next adventure in what has quickly grown into an out-of-control story. Who knows how many chapters are still waiting in the wings? Not I, that's for certain. Your guess is as good as mine's for next week's exciting installment. But most likely, it'll take place after the good doctor and fearless captain have escaped harm's way and are once again on the RLS Legacy. I admit it, I'm a fluff addict for this story, so don't expect some sudden formation of a real plot. Perhaps next time.