DAY 7 – Discussions
Chapter 10 – A Good Thing
He had been very careful in his selection of where to meet.
It needed to be somewhere completely out of view, accessible via tunnels from various directions, easily controllable, and a place where his 'visitors' would feel comfortable meeting together.
In the end, Kolya had decided on a large room just off the bunker complex where they'd held Sheppard. The series of deep chambers were relatively unknown, but being directly under a busy quarter of First City would mean his guests would feel relatively safe.
It had taken almost an hour for all the many parties to start arriving, none of them wanting to be the first or the last to arrive. Each drug clan had sent their own spies and scouts days before to check the bunker and meeting room, each of which had been carefully monitored from a distance by Kolya's most trusted. The scouts had seen only an old and forgotten Military bunker with multiple access and escape points via the tunnels. There was not a single piece of tech in the old chambers, nothing to worry them.
Now the meeting day had arrived, Kolya had made sure he was here well ahead of the scheduled time and had sat patiently in the meeting room with only Kakos at his side and a single guard stationed at each of the two entrances into the room. It was important that he appear open and approachable, and seemingly vulnerable, as his guests arrived. Of course there were plenty of other guards stationed down the tunnels in concealed sections, ready for deployment if required.
He'd even gone to the trouble of having plans of the Genii surface cities drawn up with the new agreed clan territories outlined in various colours. The hologram turned slowly above the table, its small generator the only piece of tech in the room. So far the guests had each kept to the terms of the meeting – no weapons and no tech. Kolya's guards scanned and patted down each visitor as they arrived and, so far, no one had attempted to conceal anything.
Now almost an hour after the intended start-time for this meeting, the final guest had arrived. Fortum; it was no surprise to Kolya that he was last to arrive. Leader of the largest and most aggressive drug clan on the homeworld, Fortum had been particularly useful in helping destabilise Cowen's rule of Second City in the former Supreme Leader's final days.
Fortum, like most of the other clan leaders surrounding the large meeting table, now dealt primarily in Quantum, but also dabbled in anything addictive that his 'clients' might look to purchase. All the clans had expanded their empires tenfold thanks to Kolya's steady supply of large quantities of the latest generations of Quantum, and in return all of them had helped create various public disturbances, whispered stories about how Cowen had betrayed and illegally imprisoned Kolya, and had started small civil disobediences that had helped rock Cowen's grip on power. He'd helped all of them grow rich, but, after Cowen's defeat, the clans had also been promised further rewards, and today's meeting would finalise those agreements.
All watched as Fortum was patted down by Kolya's guard and, clear of any weapons, the final clan leader was waved to the last seat available at the head of the table opposite Kolya. Fortum sidled into the room by himself, going without any 'assistant' like the others, bringing with him only his cocky smirk and a mountain's worth of ego. Fortum reached his chair, swung it round and straddled it. Kolya watched the display silently and patiently.
"Now that we are all here," Kolya began.
"Gotta be careful no one was following us," Fortum interrupted.
"Very wise," Kolya smiled at him, ignoring the muttered complaints from Fortum's competitors. They had all grudgingly cooperated under Kolya's direction for the overthrow of Cowen, but now that common ground was lost, they would soon be warring with each other again.
"As per our agreements," Kolya continued, "I have drawn up your new individual territories." He gestured to the turning hologram barely a metre from him, which cycled through each of the five cities, all the territory borders outlined brightly.
All eyes moved up to the display, except Fortum who picked at his teeth.
"It's not acceptable," Fortum stated without even glancing at the hologram.
"Let me guess," another clan leader responded. "You want a bigger territory, Fortum."
Fortum laid both his thin forearms along the back of his chair. "My people took the greatest risk."
"Lies," someone objected angrily.
"You will all receive what we formerly agreed," Kolya replied calmly to Fortum.
"Well no one had said anything about burning down an Enforcement building at the start of our agreement," Fortum argued.
"Setting fire to a wooden building, that sounded difficult," someone muttered.
"It wasn't wooden," Fortum turned his sharp-featured face towards his known enemy. "My people risked discovery."
"You were in Second City," another replied. "We, here in First City, took a far higher risk working right under Cowen's nose."
"No one did the damage we did," Fortum replied all too pleased with his clearly well rehearsed arguments. "So, I want all of Second City, not just the piddly middle of it."
Hardly a surprise.
"Really?" Kolya asked calmly.
"Yeah, or maybe some of those fancy Alliance newsfeeds might want to hear how you turned yourself into one of the biggest Quantum manufacturers in the galaxy," Fortum threatened.
Kolya chose not to correct Fortum. He had never manufactured Quantum, just put manufacturers together with dealers and transporters, while ensuring he received a good fee and cooperation for boosting so many in the drug industry. Of course none of these idiots had probably even considered how he had ended up so well placed, and where the former powerful middle men had gone.
"What about all of the Sixth City?" Kolya suggested and all eyes turned to him.
"There is no Sixth City," Fortum explained the obvious.
"I have just authorised its initial foundations," Kolya explained. "It will be out on the old plains on the marsh edges. With some lost trading within the Alliance, it is important that our people begin once again to grow all of our own food and manufacture all our own goods, and Sixth City will focus on that endeavour. And, if you agree to keeping what you were promised in Second City, you can have exclusive rights to the whole of Sixth City."
Kolya watched Fortum's eyes shifting, his brain picturing the fortune that could provide him.
"It'll be a start," Fortum agreed ungratefully.
"Why does he get an entire city?" Someone else objected heatedly.
This was getting boring.
"Sixth City will just be the beginning and you will all have new opportunities very soon," Kolya informed them.
They were all, by their very natures, types who objected to any form of control but it was their own greed that controlled them. However, they were all still Genii and they all understood the tactical and monetary advantage Kolya had provided for them. Working with him had been their saving graces, bringing them fast wealth and concealment from Cowen's justice. They all believed that, without their assistance, he would have struggled in his rise to power, and each clan would look to remind him of that fact repeatedly going forward.
"And if we don't want to wait for further 'opportunities'?" Fortum asked, but his tone implied it was a simple a show of resistance and he was actually pleased with the offer of Sixth City's future territory.
Kakos shifted pointedly in his seat, which probably looked like a threat to Fortum's question, but was actually a prearranged signal to Kolya that the surrounding area and tunnels had been thoroughly checked for clan spies and possible reinforcements.
Kolya smiled at his audience.
He reached forward to the holographic display device and tapped two buttons. The first button shifted the hologram to an overview of the Genii homeworld, the planet turning slowly.
The second button released the gas.
Kolya sat back as all eyes lifted to the turning planetary display. "This world, our world, is going to become the strongest it has ever become gentleman," he explained, "and lady," he added to the one single female clan leader present.
Someone coughed slightly.
"The Genii will become the forefront of military skill and perfection again," Kolya crossed one leg over the other and watched the glorious beauty of the homeworld turn.
Someone else coughed a little harder.
"We will become a force of dedication and might," Kolya stated happily. "And there will be no place for anything as polluting as Quantum or your other dirty substances."
Eyes all turned back to him.
Fortum suddenly spluttered loudly.
The man on Kolya's immediate right collapsed off his chair to the floor, others quickly following as the air filled with a loud cacophony of raking coughs and gasps for breath.
At the far end of the table, and furthest from the gas released, Fortum was able to stumble up from his chair and turn, gasping, towards the nearby exit. Kolya's guards filled the doorway though, all fully immunised against the deadly gas.
Kolya rose from his seat and moved around the table, watching as Fortum's legs finally gave out and he dropped to the floor, but he was still trying to reach the blocked doorway out.
Stepping over the dead, Kolya watched Fortum grab at his own throat as he tried to breathe.
"I am sorry, Fortum, that you decided to turn away from the military life and focus on this disgusting business," Kolya stated. "You served the homeworld well during your youth, and you were very helpful in my rise to power, so I do regret having to do this."
Fortum gasped loudly, his mouth hanging open as he stared up at Kolya, his lips and face turning blue.
"But there is no place for you now," Kolya continued as Fortum's eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed onto his back, arms and legs spread wide.
"The Confederation will be cleansed of Quantum and our people saved from your addictions," Kolya concluded to the dead body.
The deed was done.
Kakos shifted into Kolya's view. "I have a link message from Commander General Reed, he says that our Military Councillor is on link for you."
"Tell Reed I will be returning to the Palace now and will take the link there," Kolya replied.
Kakos nodded instantly.
"And Kakos," Kolya added, "ask the kitchens to make those spiced dumplings for late meal when the Councillor returns."
"Yes, Supreme Leader," Kakos replied as he tapped away on his pad.
"Commander?" Kolya called to the lead guard who had led this off-the-books mission.
"Yes, Supreme Leader?" The woman asked, her face a long familiar one from his old strike force.
"Clear up this mess for us," Kolya requested as he strode through the doorway and into the tunnel that would provide the quickest route up to the surface.
"Immediately," the Commander confirmed. He knew she would ensure that no trace would be found of the bodies. The clans' leadership would now be thrown into inevitable chaos, but that wouldn't matter, for Kolya already had his security forces bearing down on the clans.
Later today he would publically announce a crackdown on all illegal substance dealers and offer free treatment to any who had been unfortunate enough to be poisoned by the clans. His people would celebrate his swift victory over the dealers and thank him for his actions in cleaning the cities.
His first week in power was going rather well.
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Everything was fine. She was keeping nice and busy, with absolutely no wasted time at all. From waking up to going to bed, Seeal filled every minute of her day.
The project work filled her mornings and afternoons, which were rather frustrated long hours in which the entire team all sat around brain-storming why the small test program still refused to work. She'd given up being annoyed about the program and instead, while the others fruitlessly debated and argued back and forth, she'd been running researches through Dreamstation's scan data. The extra work helping out Halling filled any bored moments, well, looking through ten years' worth of the station's scans wasn't exactly thrilling, but it at least filled time.
Kept her from thinking about a certain male all the time.
During her midday meal breaks from the project, she usually took her meal to the Hydroponics Bay to sit with the still heavily pregnant goat. After that, she'd head back to the project room for her afternoons, after which she'd race for another visit to the goat and a quick late meal before finally heading to sit at Oneakka's bedside.
Her evening shifts were the only time each day that she spent with him.
It was important that she keep to just that set time and, so far, she'd been able to do it.
He was pretty easy to look after actually, though Halling kept insisting it wouldn't last much longer. For now, Oneakka did little more than lay still, occasionally ask for some water, and listen to her retelling of what had happened after she and Inifee had left him and Halling on the rogue Hive. She'd stretched out the retelling to fill the hours, which had actually been rather easy as Oneakka kept drifting to sleep. During his naps, she'd return her attention to her project work or Dream's scan history, and then, when Oneakka woke with a start, she'd simply continue her story from where she'd left off.
It had been working well – when he slept, she worked, and when he was awake, she just plain talked at him.
Because he was her friend and the poor man was clearly weak and uncomfortable.
She owed him and this was what friends did for each other when they were hurt.
Admittedly, it was a little difficult to find the emotional distance at times. She far preferred it when he was all argumentative and difficult – that was an Oneakka she could easily deal with and keep in place. The whole soft, and slightly forlorn, sleepy long blinks he did were a little too endearing and she kept feeling the worrying compulsion to stroke his hair! Not that he had any hair now thanks to them having shaved it all off, but she'd noticed it was slowly starting to slightly grow through. Maybe wanting to reach out and touch him was just some instinctive thing because she was pleased he was alive. Halling and Massa touched Oneakka's hands and arms and even patted him on the chest a lot, but she didn't feel she had that kind of physical closeness with him. In fact, it was important that she didn't.
There was a clear line to keep to, and though some certain silly feelings had rushed over that boundary for a bit, she was determined to drag them back over the line. She'd help Oneakka with his recovery, then, once he was better, he'd head off again on the Sythus to his dangerous life, and she would be able to return to normal life here.
She wasn't sure what she was actually thinking was 'normal' for her, but it was a distant promise that she was clinging to right now.
Once he was well again, he'd be back to his difficult, stubborn, idiocy and she could focus on her work. Then, once the Elite's computer project was finished, she'd be on her way somewhere else anyway. That was her future, and she kept reminding herself of it when her fingers itched to run a soothing hand over his forehead.
She could at least pay soothing attention to the goat, and she was making sure that the creature got the appropriate care while Oneakka was bedbound. The Bay Gardener, Neligan, who had been assigned to look after the goat when she'd arrived in the Facility, was very helpful. He seemed happy to supply her with text link updates on the goat throughout the day, and even attached an occasional picture of the goat for her.
However, the animal specialist was not as easy to deal with and was rather uncommunicative. She'd had to pester him with questions to get anything useful out of him, and had to repeatedly remind him that it was his job to keep a close careful eye on the goat. Just because there wasn't any research on the part-wild/part-domestic Belkan goat's particular hybrid breed, didn't mean he could do less – it meant he should be more attentive and ready for anything to go wrong.
Newly irritated by thinking about the animal specialist, she stomped across her tiny quarters to pick up a clean top and pulled it on. After a hurried late meal this evening, she'd come back here to shower and put on some fresh clothes before heading to Oneakka. Being stuck in the tense and packed project room all day, and crawling around the grass with the goat, did not leave her feeling all that fresh.
Boots on, a portable cup of fresh Athosian tea ready, and her computer pad in hand, she was ready to go. She was a little early, but she might as well go now. Halling had said something like twelve people had been scheduled in to visit Oneakka earlier today, but he'd messaged her again later that Madesh and a visitor from a military station were late bookings to see Oneakka this afternoon. Seeal knew Madesh had already seen Oneakka, so it was likely that Oneakka was by himself now, so she could turn up early.
Before she left though, she typed a quick text link to Neligan in the Bay, telling him that she was going to be in the Surgical Healing Bay for the rest of the evening should the goat go into labour. That complete, she collected up what she needed, and headed out into the corridors of the Facility.
The place had returned to its more usual busyness following the rogue Hive crisis, and, as it was still only early evening, a lot of Recruits and Elite were clearly heading to the gyms. The main Healing Bay entrance was already noticeably busy as she passed by it, and, as she turned into the Surgical Bay, her pad vibrated with a return message from Neligan. He reported the goat was fine and had attached a picture of the goat settled on a thick bed of dried grass within her hut. The expectant mother appeared contented enough, so it looked like tonight wasn't going to be the night the goat younglings arrived. Neligan promised to keep a close eye on the goat and to let her know the second anything happened.
Good, she could relax this evening. She expected Oneakka would be especially sleepy after all his visitors today, so she'd probably get some more Dream scan searches sorted. And for when he was awake, she had put together a selection on her pad of the Earth music he'd given her. Her heavily detailed telling of the rogue Hive had pretty much concluded last night, so the music would give her a talking point with Oneakka.
Heading through the hallways of the Healing Bay with practiced familiarity, she turned into the corridor leading to Oneakka's room. As she approached his door, she checked through her text links one last time, glancing up to peer through the start of the wide window into Oneakka's room.
Seeal pulled up sharply.
There was a woman in there with him.
And she was definitely not an Elite warrior.
Seeal swiftly took two long steps backwards so she was quickly out of view, but then peered forward just enough to see round the edge of the window.
The woman was stood on the far side of Oneakka's bed, leaning down over him and smiling widely.
And she was holding his hand.
Up on top of his chest.
Like he was holding her hand close to his heart.
Seeal quickly shifted her eyes to his face, which, though turned mostly away from her, she could see enough of his profile to see that he was smiling up at the woman.
Seeal's heart pounded hard in her chest.
She didn't need to be the expert in body language that she was to tell that the two knew each other intimately.
Seeal switched her gaze to the woman's profile, but she couldn't see all of her face due to the thick golden hair that surrounded the woman's head and shoulders like a mane. With even a tiny movement, the curls all danced lightly around the woman's shoulders. Shoulders that were dressed in a dark red dress. The dress was definitely not military standard issue; it clung to the woman's curvy figure and the neckline looked like it was pretty low. The angle at which the woman was leaning down to Oneakka would no doubt provide him with an eyeful, which was probably the intention.
The woman laughed lightly, the sound somehow deep and light at the same time as it floated out through the open door, and Seeal watched as the female's mouth headed down towards Oneakka.
Seeal looked away.
She'd been so stupid.
Of course Oneakka would have a female.
Looking the way he did – all handsome, muscular, and all heroic – he'd have his pick of females. She had just assumed that his whole gruff attitude about things and single-minded focus on being an Elite meant that...
Suddenly everything seemed to shift in perception for her.
Oneakka hadn't mentioned his female to her, hadn't even vaguely hinted at her. The woman clearly didn't live here in the Facility, so Oneakka would be visiting her when he chose. He could have been leaving the Facility every day to visit her for all Seeal knew. It wasn't like he was the most open of males about feelings and things.
Was that why he hadn't mentioned his lover? Because he kept things private, or was it that he didn't consider Seeal that close of a friend. Maybe she had been seeing their friendship as closer than it really was?
In the room, the woman was standing up from having kissed Oneakka, her golden curls dancing around her shoulders again. Seeal watched as one long elegant arm reached out and the woman ran her hand over Oneakka's head. Seeal frowned, hoping the woman was being careful not to touch his still healing scalp wound.
She should have known. So much for her skills of reading people!
Of course Oneakka would have a lover. How could he not?
Glancing away from the display inside the room, she made herself take a breath.
This was actually a good thing. She'd wanted emotional distance and here it was. She hadn't wanted the stupid feelings anyway.
If only her heart would stop banging loudly against the inside of her ribs.
This was a good thing.
Glancing back into the room, she saw that the woman was leaving, moving around the end of Oneakka's bed and would be looking this way any second.
Taking a long stride backwards to take her back out of view of the window, Seeal froze. Should she head back down the corridor? Move into another room and wait until the woman left? Or-
The woman abruptly strode out of Oneakka's door, not looking where she was going and Seeal had only a second to pull her tea aside before the woman collided with her.
"Oh!" The woman exclaimed as she pulled up quickly. "I am so sorry, I-" she started to explain, only to stop and her eyes narrowed at Seeal.
Seeal held her ground, holding the woman's suddenly assessing stare.
"You would be Seeal?" The woman asked.
Seeal hadn't expected that, and it clearly ruined her preferred option of having just been an innocent passerby in the corridor. Well, the option was gone, but she wasn't about to just go lying and sneaking away.
"I must be," Seeal replied firmly.
The woman smiled, which was a slightly surprising response. "Oneakka has mentioned you to me," she reported.
It wasn't lost on Seeal that the woman hadn't used Oneakka's official title of 'Honoured Elite', which had presumably been on purpose to make a point.
"I am Pampata," the woman added, as if that was any explanation.
"He hasn't mentioned you," Seeal found herself instantly replying as she considered the woman.
Pampata was considerably shorter than her, but the hair added a few extra inches and there was something about the woman that made her seem larger.
Seeal knew this type of female; there had been plenty of them working on the lower levels of Dream. Women who seemed to naturally ooze sex, being so at home in the sensuous nature of their bodies that they moved differently to others.
Pampata had wide shoulders and wide hips, with a narrower waist so that she had an overly emphasised curved feminine outline. The dress' neckline was as low as Seeal had suspected, and it was obvious that the woman's breasts were assisted upwards to have that height and shape. Above the plump cleavage, Pampata's eyes seemed about twice the size of an average woman's, and her lips seemed dark red without any obvious colour having been applied to them. Yes, she was a familiar breed to Seeal.
Seeal had never minded these types of women before – she had no issue with those who wielded sexual power. If you naturally had that kind of influence, why not use it to your advantage? The women on Dream had certainly used it and used it effectively. Seeal's job had been to make sure they were protected from violence and overly obsessive males.
However, she'd never felt quite so self-conscious around such a woman before; she felt rather lanky and muscular in comparison to Pampata's soft, petite curvaceousness.
Well, she had her own powers, all of which told her that Pampata was very curious about her in turn.
Seeal realised that they'd not said anything for a bit.
She wasn't entirely sure what she should say though.
"I'm not surprised he hasn't mentioned me to you," Pampata picked up the former discussion. "We both know what he's like."
"I wouldn't know what he's like," Seeal returned quickly. "I'm just here to check on him."
"Of course," Pampata replied while noticeably straightening her expression.
Seeal frowned at the clear sign that Pampata was finding this amusing. Surely that wasn't the right response. Was it a power play of some kind?
"Do you live in the Facility?" Seeal asked, knowing that wasn't the case.
"Oh, no," Pampata replied instantly, all casual and relaxed. Seeal sent the order to her own shoulders to relax a bit.
"I have rarely visited this place before," Pampata added. "I live and work on Mil Hub. Do you enjoy living here, Seeal?"
It seemed an attempt to start a conversation...or was she trying to find out something?
"It has its good points," Seeal replied simply.
Pampata nodded, her eyes doing that intense study again, like Seeal was some new form of foliage she'd found while out walking.
Except...perhaps Pampata had a right to find out about her. Pampata was Oneakka's lover after all, perhaps even a life-long partner for all Seeal knew.
Which meant that she was the outside here, not Pampata.
Perhaps also a threat?
But, of course, there was no threat here.
She was more than happy that Oneakka had a female; it made everything easier.
Maybe he had loads of them.
Seeal forced herself to smile at Pampata. "Did you want to sit with him for longer? I can come back later," she offered, working hard not to say it through the gritted teeth of her fake feeling smile.
Pampata blinked her ridiculously long and perfectly curled eyelashes. "No, it was just a quick visit to see him before he becomes unmanageable," she pulled a face that was intended to include Seeal in the joke of their mutual knowledge of how Oneakka could be.
"Yes, Honoured Elite Halling mentioned he would become more difficult," Seeal replied, for some reason not wanting to play along with the 'don't we both know Oneakka so well' front.
"Cuddly Bears of Moor," Pampata nodded knowingly.
Seeal's stomach dropped. Had she stupidly thought herself unique in sharing in Oneakka's recovery?
"Good luck with the Bear," Pampata continued. "I won't be visiting the Facility again, so I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet you, Seeal."
It had seemed an honest statement, but then it was always important to check out one's threats and possible competition.
No, she wasn't any competition.
This was a good development.
"I'm sure you'll be allowed to visit him again if you want," Seeal told her, because it was important that Pampata see it wouldn't bother her.
"Halling says he will keep me updated and I'll stay in links contact with Oneakka," Pampata replied, not appearing upset at the prospect of not visiting. Seeal noted that she'd not used Halling's title either, which would make sense. As Oneakka's lover, she would of course be friendly with Oneakka's closest friend and brother-in-arms.
Seeal realised that Halling hadn't mentioned Pampata to her either, nor had Massa. Was that because they didn't think she had a right to know?
She probably didn't.
This was a good thing.
Silence settled oddly in the corridor, the two of them watching each other.
Seeal wasn't sure what exactly to say or do now. She wasn't used to playing the less powerful one in a confrontation. She was far more used to being the one threatening some scum to behave themselves or warn someone not to start a fight with her.
Pampata didn't appear even slightly inclined to start a fight, even a verbal one, in fact the woman continued to look at Seeal like she was something newly fascinating to study.
Pampata abruptly grinned. "It was good to meet you, Seeal." It seemed a very honest conclusion that seemed to communicate that she clearly didn't see any threat here.
Good.
"Nice to meet you too," Seeal replied awkwardly.
"Take good care of him," Pampata added as she started moving forward around Seeal's shoulder and away.
That hadn't sounded like a threat or a demand, but rather an almost emotional request.
Seeal turned on the spot and watched the woman walk away down the hallway. As expected, Pampata's hips rolled dramatically from side to side as she floated down the corridor. Seeal kept her eyes on the woman, tracking her right up until Pampata's golden hair disappeared around the corner out of view.
This was a good thing.
It really was.
Seeal turned back towards Oneakka's doorway a couple of metres up from where she and Pampata had stood. He wouldn't have been able to see or hear the conversation, and suddenly it felt very important that she not mention it. It had just been a passing meeting, and if Oneakka was keeping Pampata private from her, well that was fine. He was a private man.
Which was a good thing.
Moving forward a couple of steps, she peered back into his room through the window. He was fast asleep, his head turned to the side, one pale cheek against his thick layer of pillows, and one hand slightly draped off the side of the bed.
She had desperately wanted to find emotional distance from him and here it was.
That line drawn between them had turned out to have a name: Pampata.
Or, perhaps, there was a chance that she had been misreading him before now. Maybe the attraction she had thought she'd felt between them had just been him being friendly. Or simply an acknowledgement of some respect and his just plain enjoying arguing with her about things?
That would be very him.
At least she knew now.
She headed forward, moving quietly into his room so not to wake him. She'd been able to drop things and talk to people without him waking the last couple of evenings, but she made sure now to move particularly quietly as she entered.
About to move around the bed to her customary chair by his left shoulder, she paused. It was stupid, but she didn't want to go sit on that side where Pampata had been, where she'd be able to smell that thick artificial scent that the woman had been wearing. So, instead Seeal moved to his right side and set her pad and tea down on the side table. She reached for the control for the small lamp this side of his bed and triggered it on, before stepping away to reach for the switch to turn off the bright overhead light. The room dropped into the usual lower evening light level and she headed back to his side, quietly settling down in the chair.
By sitting this side of him, his face was turned towards her as he slept, and she considered his softened handsome features. It was strange how one moment meeting a complete stranger could change so much.
And feel quite so painful.
Still, it was a helpful arrival, and now she could move forward without worrying about that line anymore. She wanted to just be his friend and now she had all the permission she needed to throw herself into that role.
No more confusion.
She knew where she stood, and that was always a good thing.
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TBC