Icicles 4
Disclaimer: Do not own Star Trek
Andrew collapsed into one of the chairs in his room. The Enterprise repairs were going quickly now that the right crew was working on her. He pulled out his phone and dialed Marla.
"Hello?"
"Hey sis. Not interrupting anything?"
"No, I have an hour before I have to go teach. Just going through some quizzes right now. How are you?"
"Swamped. Kirk won't leave me the fuck alone."
"Really now?"
"He won't shut up about wanting to know everything that is going on with The Enterprise. I can't even take a shit in peace, Marls."
"I'm sorry and way too much information." Marla cringed and got up and closed the door.
"Anything happen since I last talked to you?"
Andrew was met with silence.
"Um…"
"Marla…what did you do?"
"Nothing. I mean Harrison and I almost got arrested for breaking and entering our old house which is a museum! Did you know Scott became president? That's really something right?"
"MARLENA I LEAVE THE PLANET FOR A FEW DAYS AND YOU NEARLY GET ARRESTED. WHY WAS HARRISON THERE WITH YOU?"
"It was his idea."
"Wait, SCOTT? PRESIDENT?"
"Yeah. Drew, the house is still there and it's exactly how it was."
"Seriously? Ah, I gotta get out there then."
"I wouldn't advise it. They weren't too happy to see me."
"I'm still going out there."
"Hey Drew?"
"What?"
"Can you tell me something?"
"Sure."
"What happened with Lee and Kayla?"
"Marls, don't ask me that."
"What happened?"
Andrew sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hesitated, attempting to find the kindest way to put it. He then figured sugar coating it wasn't going to help.
"They got married a year after you died day after the anniversary of your death. He reused the diamonds off your engagement ring for hers."
Silence.
"Look, David took your death pretty hard. Probably the hardest besides Mom and Dad. He stormed their wedding, drunk, while they were exchanging vows. It was at that little chapel three doors down. He ruined it completely, Marla. He broke Lee's nose in five places, shattered his jaw and was screaming how it was all their fault you were dead, calling Kayla a whore and other things. From what I remember, he ripped her dress. It was horrible. It took all the groomsmen to pull him off. I went after him when I went outside and saw him running towards the chapel. Right as they pulled him off, I remember he jumped on Lee's groin. Blood everywhere. They finished their vows in the ER."
"What happened to David?"
"Nothing. I got him out of there real fast. I drove him to Grandma's in his car and dropped him off. I was driving his car a few days later when Kayla's brothers ran me off the road, thinking it was David and that's how I died. I did some research and they got prison for vehicular homicide. Two of them were killed in prison. Oh yeah and Scott and a few of his friends, Mark, Greg and I think Nina and some others I can't remember destroyed the reception site while David was doing his stunt. Shattered vases, destroyed the cake, broke candles, set off the fire sprinklers. There's been an incredibly nasty feud going on between our two families since from what I've heard through the grapevine."
"Okay then." Marla took a deep breath. "One of the family members from last night gave me a business card and wants me to call her."
"Who?"
"Tabitha McGivers-Williams."
"I think she's head of a few charity organizations. I've heard the name before."
"What should I do?"
"Have you called her?"
"No. I was waiting to talk to you to get your opinion and whether or not you wanted to join me if she wants to meet again. She is technically our 'niece'."
Andrew cringed.
"She looks like Aunt Gina."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Andrew grimaced.
"I don't know, Marla. Um, if she wants you to call her, then call her I guess. Just tell me how it goes afterwards I suppose. We'll figure it out from there."
"I suppose. I mean, they haven't exactly broached this topic at group…"
"Not really. You would think they'd talk about it."
"You would think."
There came a knock at the door. Andrew looked up.
"McGivers! I want to talk with you!" Andrew swore as he heard Kirk continuing to beat on the door.
"Who's that?"
"Captain Kirk." The door opened to reveal the blond man starting towards him. "Please forgive me Captain, I'm on the phone with my sister. Give me one second."
"Alright, duty calls. I'll talk to you later Andrew." Marla gave a half smile at the fact that Andrew was probably resisting the urge to strangle the captain.
"Okay. Bye Marls. Be good, please don't get arrested. Love you."
"Love you too." Marla hung up.
Marla's rage began to boil. Kayla's brothers had killed her brother. Yes, he was alive now, but it was the principal of the thing. The were all dead now anyways. There was no revenge she could exact.
She needed to shoot something. She wondered if Lakewood would know a good shooting range to go to. She might ask the classroom before lecture started. Maybe Starfleet had a range. She glanced up at the clock and began gathering her things she needed. She glanced out the door to see Harrison had his door open, bent over something on his desk. Well, if he was going to be here a while, she didn't need to lock the office. She shut off the lights and closed the door behind her.
It was about a fifteen minute walk to the Academy Campus. The campus was gorgeous in her opinion. Sweeping lawns with beautiful flower beds. She quickly scanned her staff card at the entry gate and hurried along to the lecture hall. There was a lecture before hers in the hall that ended twenty minutes before hers began. They must be going over today. Marla could see that they were still inside.
Marla decided to kill time and went to the small coffee rotunda in the lobby of the building.
"Hey, Professor McGivers." The barista grinned at her.
"Hello Miss Greene. How are you today?"
"Good. Did you grade my test yet?"
"Ah, ah, ah. Not telling you." Marla wagged a finger.
The girl scowled dramatically, clearly joking.
"Fine. Be that way. Tea then?"
"Yes please."
Khan mindlessly went over the plans again for the Klingon ship. It would be so much easier to just go poke around one on a space station near neutral space.
He was going slowly insane. One from boredom and two from lack of sex. He would be content with a hand job at this point. He hated the idea…but he remembered his first week, one of the women downstairs a floor had a private lab she invited him to whenever he needed 'stress relief'. When she said stress relief, she had slapped his ass and winked. Ah fuck it, he needed something. He glanced across the hall to see Marla was working on a stack of tests. She didn't have to go teach for another few hours.
He stood, grabbed his keys, locked the door and left before he could change his mind. He was not happy about having to do this. He found the lab and rang the alert button.
"What?" The intercom buzzed. Yes, that was her.
"It appears I am in need of a little stress relief." He sneered into the intercom. Almost immediately the doors fwooshed open and he found himself being dragged inside, hearing the doors whir behind him, signaling they locked.
The blonde woman was smirking herself.
"Knew it was only a matter of time, Commander. Sit." She motioned to an armless, wooden chair. He complied.
"Shall we? I estimate we only have roughly fifteen minutes." The woman in front of him clothes dropped to the floor. She knelt in front of him and unzipped his pants. He rolled his head back at the sensation of her mouth on his cock. He grabbed her hair as she took his entire length in at once and slowly and tantalizing worked her tongue up his shaft as she pulled back. She continued her mind numbing ministrations until he felt he was ready to burst. She stood up and he glared at her.
"Don't give me that." She teased. She opened the desk drawer and pulled out a condom. "I said we only had fifteen minutes." She unwrapped the condom and threw it at him. He quickly put it on as she began to rub herself, moaning. "You ready?"
With that, she promptly straddled him in the wooden chair and lowered herself onto his cock, which she guided with her hand. Khan let out a groan at the sensation. Without warning, she began riding him, hard. Khan found and matched her rhythm quickly. She let out delighted squeals as he pulled her into another angle on his lap. He felt her walls suddenly clench around him tightly as she let loose a final yelp. Khan allowed himself to finish.
She dismounted him and grabbed a box of tissues to clean herself up before throwing them down a chute labeled incinerator. She got dressed as he removed the condom, threw it down the chute and attempted to clean his pants off the best he could with water from the sink. He zipped his pants back up when he was finally satisfied with their cleanliness.
"Alright, out." She grabbed his arm as she entered the exit code and shoved him out. "Another time perhaps we could do this properly, but this is not it." She shut the door in his face.
Khan sighed. Well, that was over with. He stretched and began to head back to his office, feeling definitely satisfied.
He stopped in the break room for a cup of tea before going back to his office. Marla had her door open and was humming some tune he didn't know. He could hear her scratching away at someone's paper and stopped humming to mutter some obscenities before resuming. He smiled to himself as he unlocked the door and found a file on the other side of it. He picked it up and settled himself back at his desk.
He was content with flipping through them. Apparently, Marcus wanted him to go over Cardassian ships as well. These at least, were much more precise than the ridiculous scribbling that were the Klingon blueprints, which he estimated to be drawn roughly from some idiot's memory. These he could work with.
The plans were cleaner and much clearer than the others. If Marcus wanted a war with the Klingons, he didn't know why he was looking at ships from Cardassia. He supposed it was possible that Cardassia would come to the aid of the Klingons. If that was the case, he ought to be looking at Romulan ships too. Marcus had no idea what the hell the was about to start if Cardassia and Romulus got involved.
Marcus was rocking the boat too hard. There was no reason to initiate war with the Klingons. Everything could be sorted out peacefully. But if was a war Marcus wanted, then it was a war he was going to get along with his battleship.
He lost track of time and was jolted from his zone when he heard the phone ring next door. He looked up as Marla closed the door. He cursed when he realized his tea was cold.
It wasn't long before Marla left. He noticed she didn't lock her door. He heard the second door shut and he leaned back in his chair, taking a drink of the cold tea. He waited a few minutes before standing up and reaching under the desk for the gardenia plant.
He swung open the office door without bothering to turn on the lights. He placed the plant on the desk before deciding to poke around. His eyes roamed over the bookshelf. The number of books had vastly increased since he was last in her office a few days prior. Most looked as though they had been cracked open already. The third shelf down was the one he found to e all new books that she hadn't gotten to reading yet. Amongst them were books on Bajor, Klingon cuisine and a book on ancient Chinese tea. There were a few books on Socrates and Plato, a copy of The Odyssey…There were art books on their own shelf. From Monet, Picasso, da Vinci, to Warhol and Banksy. The shelf was so eclectically organized. He resisted the urge to rearrange everything in a logical order. He supposed she had her own system though.
He left the office. He wanted to look around some more, but he felt he was pushing it already being in there that long. He picked up a book from his desk on Qo'noS. He felt as if this would be much more insightful on the Klingons than examining their spacecraft until he could actually physically take a look at one.
He unrolled a foam pad Amanda had given to him and laid on the floor, using his coat as a pillow of sorts after removing the apple he had thrown in his pocket that morning. Amanda had complained at him about how it was bad for his back, laying on those floors and got him something cheap. He admitted it was more comfortable than the floor. He lay reading his book with the door closed, light off, window open and the shade down until he heard the first door slam shut. He paused and listened to Marla swearing incoherently before her office door slammed shut, rattling the wall. He returned to his reading. If she was going to come over there he estimated about ten minutes. If not, he wasn't afraid of the woman across the hall. It would be interesting to see her fully angry. He smirked. He might not wait the full ten minutes.
Marla stormed into her office. How DARE Lakewood? How fucking DARE he touch her in the elevator?
"So you went out with Kraft, but you won't let me take you out for coffee? What's with that my little firebird?" Lakewood had drawled as he leaned against the elevator wall.
"Who I see is none of your business." Marla snapped. "Stop calling me that."
"Why? It's such a pretty name for a beautiful woman." He simpered.
"Because you have no right to call me that."
"Oh come on, Marlena." He put his arm around her, arm dangling and brushing her chest. "Come have coffee with me."
Marla had shoved him away and backhanded him across the face before escaping the elevator and taking the stairs the rest of the way. She was so sick and tired of men at the moment. She threw her bag to the ground and collapsed into her office chair. It was then she saw the plant. It took her by surprise. The smell drifted across to her, confirming what she suspected. The white flowers on the gardenia were huge. She cupped one of the blooms in her hands and inhaled the sweet smell. She found a noted nestled within the leaves and she plucked it out.
"My apologies. Next adventure will not involve police or medical attention. -JH"
Marla snorted and placed the note on her desk. She moved the plant to the corner of the desk and retrieved her bag and the remaining quizzes within to grade. Within minutes she heard the telltale knock. She was waiting for that.
"It's open."
She didn't even have to look up to know it was John.
"Close the door behind you, I don't want Lakewood slithering in here."
"Really now. Is that what has you slamming doors?" Khan leaned back against the edge of her desk.
"Off the desk, I'm grading papers."
Khan dragged a chair around and put it facing her as he sat.
"So what did Lakewood do this time to invoke such rage?"
"Let's just say he got a little too up close and personal."
"You hit him. Your hand is slightly swollen."
"Yes, I did." Marla sighed as she glanced over the paper in front of her. "What?" She paused and reread the response on the paper. "No, Jake. Lincoln did NOT lead the French army into victory at Bunker Hill."
"What?" Khan reached over and grabbed the paper despite her protests.
"Dear Professor McGivers, I have a concussion from combat training forgive me goodnight please." Khan read the bottom of the paper before handing it back to her.
"Lovely." She sighed. "Retest for him then. Have to appreciate his dedication to going to class though." She wrote 'See me after class and a medical exam' at the bottom before flipping it over to see a drawing of a tree on the back.
"Nice tree." Khan commented dryly.
"Thanks for the plant, by the way."
"Mhmm." He pulled the apple out and ripped it in half. Marla glanced over as he held out half of it. "Not poisoned, I promise."
Marla gave a half smile before taking the half he offered.
"Where do you manage to find these apples, John? Most of the apples I've been getting lately are crap."
"You just need to know how to pick them out."
She hesitated.
"What smells like a French whore in here?" She wrinkled her nose. "Dear God, is that you?" She leaned over. "Ugh! Who the hell have you been near to get that all over you?"
"One of the women downstairs sprayed it as I was walking by." Khan lied.
Marla made a face as she bit into the apple in her hand.
A piece of her hair fell from her bun and into her face. Khan resisted the urge to brush it back. Marla neatly tucked it behind her ear and continued on with the paper in front of her, pen in one hand and apple in the other.
"What exactly did that idiot do?"
"Which idiot?"
"Lakewood."
"Tried to cop a feel in the elevator."
"So you are going to file a complaint."
"No. He technically outranks me. It's my word against his and they will take his over mine. You have to pick your battles in situations like this."
It seemed Khan's list of reasons to murder Lakewood grew every day. Fortunately for Lakewood, Khan's situation would not allow it.
"John, if you throw him down the hallway again, there will be hell to pay with Admiral Marcus." Marla warned, as if she sensed his murderous intentions. "He also keeps calling me 'his little firebird.' The neighbor kids called me that growing up. It's just creepy that he calls me that."
Khan remained silent as he ate his apple and let her rant about Lakewood while she wrote notes on her students' quizzes.
"How has your day been thus far then?" Marla sighed, having finally run out of steam.
His mind wandered back to the quickie in the lab.
"Boring." He pulled out the lesson plan from that day from the edge of the folder and began flipping through it. "When is your brother due back?"
"He said three more weeks, but if the repairs are done quickly, before that. The captain of The Enterprise won't stop breathing down his neck long enough for him to use the toilet apparently."
"Captains can be rather overprotective of their vessels."
"So I've been informed."
Andrew laid hands on Spock's shoulders.
"Get. Him. Out. Of. My. Hair." He stared into the Vulcan's eyes, desperation and pleading clear as day in his voice. "I NEED SLEEP. I NEED A SHOWER. I NEED TO TAKE A PISS IN PRIVATE. PLEASE."
Spock gently removed Commander McGivers hands from his shoulders.
"It appears that the Captain is distressing you."
"YOU THINK? HE WON'T EVEN LET ME EAT WITHOUT INTERROGATING ME. I AM READY TO BEAT THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF HIM."
"I will handle it, Commander McGivers. Go rest."
"MCGIVERS!" Kirk jogged towards the pair. McGivers gave a strangled noise as he reached them. Spock reached out and gripped Kirk's shoulder, dropping him instantly.
"Just a nerve pinch. He will be out of your way long enough for you to have time to yourself to recover." Spock assured him calmly.
"Thanks." Andrew backed away from the Vulcan and walked away quickly. He escaped to his room and locked the door. He quickly showered and dove into bed, passing out almost immediately.
Kirk groaned as he woke up. The first thing he noticed was he was handcuffed to a bed and Spock lounging in a chair, reading some book.
"HEY! SPOCK! WHAT THE HELL?"
Spock looked up without moving his head.
"It has come to my attention that you have been harassing the repair crew and Commander McGivers. You are in lockdown while the Commander rests."
"Spock, I will cut the points off your ears." Kirk seethed.
"Mhmm." Spock turned the page.
"So, I'm in time out then, is what you are saying?"
"If that is what you wish to compare it to, then affirmative."
"DAMMIT SPOCK, LET ME OUT."
Spock ignored him. Kirk let out an agitated snarl.
Spock considered knocking him back out.
"Have you seen Uhura lately?"
"Yes. She sends her regards."
"Tell her she's dating a psychopath."
"So you have reverted to challenging my psychiatric and mental state merely because I refuse to allow you to terrorize our repair crew?"
Kirk laughed.
"DAMMIT SPOCK LET ME OUT."
Spock rose and promptly knocked him back out before returning to his book.
Fred took a deep breath as he knocked on the office door.
"It's open." He heard Marla call.
Fred pushed the door open.
"Oh, Harrison. You're here."
"Yes, it appears I am." Khan looked up from the lesson plans he had rifled through Marla's folders to look at.
"Marla, can I have a word with you. In private?" He stared pointedly at Harrison who stared back.
"Yes, here we'll go out in the hall." Marla got up and followed him out. Fred shut the door behind him.
"I was wondering…um…"
"Yes, Fred?"
"Look, I was wrong. I do want a girlfriend and I want to do this right. I realized that when I saw you and Harrison leave the bar together. If you two aren't an item, I was wondering, can I take you out for dinner on Saturday night? Just dinner." Fred went bright red.
"Oh. Erm…look Fred…"
"I understand." He muttered dejectedly.
"No! Fred, John and I aren't dating or anything. He's just a co-worker. I would like to go to dinner with you on Saturday."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"I'll pick you up at seven?"
"Sure."
"Great! I'll see you then" Fred grinned and walked out.
"What did Kraft want?" Khan questioned as Marla came back in.
"Date on Saturday."
Khan felt a surge of something he couldn't quite identify. He definitely didn't like it though.
Marla resumed her work. She was unsure of this entire thing. If things worked out, hen they worked out. If they didn't, they didn't. Maybe she just wasn't ready to pursue another relationship at the moment. After all, things still felt a bit raw with the Lee and Kayla situation, even if it was almost two hundred and fifty years ago.
"So I take it you accepted."
"Yes. It's just dinner." She glanced at him. "Does it matter?"
"No. You do not seem so certain of it though, nor enthusiastic."
"Well, you so kindly reminded me of my last relationship going down the crapper so forgive me for being a little apprehensive." She replied coolly.
"And I reminded you he was an inferior idiot."
"Apparently they got married. He reused the stones off my engagement ring I threw at him for hers, according to my brother. Married the day after the first anniversary of my death. I was surprised they went for the chapel next to the house instead of on top of my dead body." She finished the last test and slammed the folder shut.
"Come have tea with me."
"What?"
"You heard me Marla. There's a café next door that makes an excellent cup of tea. Come have tea with me. God knows you are some need of it right now."
Marla laughed.
"What? What is so funny?"
"You are so British." She snorted before getting up and putting her folders into her bag. "And sorry, I actually can't today. I have some business to attend to. Perhaps tomorrow."
She waved him to get up so she could put the room back together as she swung her bag on her shoulder.
"I can, however, accompany you out." She offered as she locked the door.
Marla waited in the hall as he quickly gathered his things and locked his office.
Khan noticed as they walked out, they received many odd looks from people. He could practically hear them muttering to each other.
"Goodnight Rebecca!" Marla gave a small wave to the secretary in the lobby who gave her a sympathetic look.
"Marlena, come here." She quickly called.
"One second." She muttered to Khan before trotting over to the secretary.
"Marlena, what are you doing?" The graying secretary hissed. "That is Commander John Harrison."
"Yes?" Marla looked rather confused.
"Did you hear what he did to Adam Lakewood? The poor man. He assaulted him in the hallway upstairs."
"Yes, I did hear about it and trust me, Adam deserved it with the way he's been behaving."
Rebecca gave her a stern look.
"You be careful, honey."
"We're just walking out together. Our offices are next to each other for gods sake. We're co-workers, nothing more. And you tell that to whomever starts some stupid rumor that I know is going to start."
"Alright, but just be careful."
Marla nodded and walked back to Harrison.
Tabitha sat staring at the phone, pen tapping anxiously against her desk. It was almost five o clock. She wasn't going to call. Maybe she didn't want to be in contact after the previous night. Was that man with her Andrew? No, it wasn't. Didn't look a damn thing like Andrew. Maybe she was busy and thought it was too late to call.
The phone rang and Tabitha lunged at it.
"Tabitha McGivers."
"Um yes. This is Marla McGivers."
Tabitha sighed in relief. THANK YOU GOD.
"Yes, yes. We did not have a chance to talk last night. I would very much like it if you came to my home for dinner tonight."
"Alright then."
"Good! I'll give you the address and we will eat at six-thirty."
After Tabitha had relayed the address, she hung up with a smile on her face. This was all so exciting! Of course she was going to have to integrate Marlena into high society as a proper, modern day McGivers. No, the diamond in the rough was going to be cleaned up until she gleamed with the reputation that preceded the family name for almost two hundred and twenty five years.
She left her home office and went down to the large kitchen. Oh, what to have for dinner? Oh, why did she send the maid home early? She whipped out her phone.
"Gerald. It's Tabitha. I need a huge favor for tonight. Yes, I know you are coming over tomorrow night to plan the menu for the fundraiser next month. No. I have a very important family member coming over for dinner and I need help. Immediately. What do I want you to cook?"
She racked her brain, trying to think back through the countless home videos she had sat through of Grandfather Scott's. There was one video where they surprised Marlena after she had gotten out of the hospital for a bad UTI…what was it they fixed for her?
"Chicken carbonara with strawberry shortcake for dessert. Simple and easy enough to make in a hurry? Oh thank you so much, yes I'll be giving you a bonus." She hung up as she rushed to get everything in the dining room ready.
She checked her watch as she finished setting up. Five thirty. The doorbell rang. No, couldn't be her. Tabitha jogged to the front door.
"Gerald. Oh thank god." Tabitha hugged the portly man in front of her who had grocery bags in hand.
"I rushed over as soon as I could." Gerald made his way into the kitchen.
"I would have done this myself, but, I'm afraid I'm much to nervous and would end up burning something." Tabitha shook her hands in the air.
"My darling Tabitha, Gerald has you covered." Gerald began laying out the food. "Who exactly is this family member anyways?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?" Gerald looked rather offended.
"Because you will open your mouth to everyone and I want it a secret."
"Well, I never."
Marla felt mildly stunned when Tabitha had given her the address. She knew the street. It was in the rich part of the town. Now she really wished she had just gone for tea with John. Napoleon purred on her shoulder.
She picked the large tribble up and cuddled it, earning trills. She was nervous and scared. She carried Napoleon with her into the bedroom to change out of her work clothes.
She left her hair down as she examined herself in the mirror. Surely, it was suitable enough. She picked Napoleon back up and placed it in the ferret cage.
"Be good, I'll be back soon."
Marla's heart was racing as she pulled up to the large house. House was an understatement. Marla immediately felt embarrassed about the little apartment and the old farmhouse looking at the home in front of her.
She hesitantly rang the bell. She heard a flurry of footsteps before the door flew open to reveal Tabitha.
"Hi." Marla faked a smile.
"You actually came! Come in, come in!" Tabitha waved her in, leaving Marla confused. "Dinner is ready."
Marla awkwardly sat at the large dining room table. There were several dishes out.
"Well, have at it." Tabitha encouraged,
As Marla and Tabitha sat and ate, Tabitha's mind whirred.
"So how long have you been unfrozen?"
"A few weeks. I'm working at Starfleet."
"Really now?"
"Yes. I am a history professor at the Academy and a member of their history department. When the semester is over, I will be assigned research."
"Does that pay well?"
"I suppose."
"How often do you see Andrew?"
"Often. He calls a lot since right now he's off planet supervising repairs on the USS Enterprise."
"The Enterprise, eh? Isn't that the newest ship in the fleet?"
"I'm not sure. All I know is the Captain won't let him rest until the ship is done."
"Where are you living now?"
"The cryogenics department provides housing unless we decide that we want our own place."
"I see." Tabitha gazed at Marla, attempting to figure out how to bring it up.
"Um…is there something on my face?" Marla became very uncomfortable with the woman in front of her.
"I want to bring you into the family. After all, because of Grandpa Scott, we wouldn't even be where we are. After all, he always accredited following his dream to you, Andrew and David."
"Bring me…into the family?" Marla repeated slowly.
"Why yes. The McGivers family is among the great presidential families. The Kennedys, the Obamas…" Tabitha leaned in. "It's only right that you are included in that."
"And what does that entail?"
"Well, you would move in with me, you attend various social and charity events, make appearances, and so on and so forth. We would need to clean your look up a bit, get you prim and proper. The family isn't as close as we'd like to be, but we are all very busy, I'm afraid." Tabitha continued staring. "I'm sure everyone would make time to at least meet you."
Marla stared back, unnerved.
"I should go now." She rose from her seat.
"Oh, no! Please don't go! I'm sorry, I moved too fast, didn't I? I don't want to scare you off, please! Please stay." Tabitha pleaded.
"I think it's best I go." Marla practically ran out of the house and swung herself up on the bike. She frantically started the engine and took off.
What the hell was this woman's problem? What was wrong with her 'look'? Prim and proper? She was classy. The memory of the smoke filled rooms, the red lights, the feel of the cold metal in between her legs, her hands, rough feeling of money against her skin, the pounding music and the foreign touch of strange men. She shook.
Self doubt had set in in as she turned down the street to the apartment. She parked the bike and headed inside.
The apartment felt tiny after the huge home. Napoleon trilled in the cage. Marla opened the cage and scooped up the tribble, holding him tight. She jumped as she heard the bell ring. She looked through the peephole to see Amanda .
She opened the door.
"Amanda, what are you doing here?"
"I was across the street and decided to stop by before going home." Amanda shuffled in.
"I just got home."
"I can see. I can also see you're upset, dearie. What's wrong?"
Marla sat on the couch and explained the night to Amanda.
"How rude." Amanda tutted. "Saying that to you. You are a lovely woman and so polite and gentle." Amanda patted her hand. "You are in no need of 'cleaning up'. You are a prim and proper lady"
"I hit Lakewood today."
"As would any proper lady."
Marla looked down.
"You are a wonderful young woman, and don't you let anyone tell you different." Amanda gently placed both hands on Marla's face and beamed at her.
"If I tell you something, will you do your best to not judge me?"
"What?"
"I am not classy or proper. I used to be a stripper. I took my clothes off to pay for school."
Amanda's eyes widened slightly and she cleared her throat and Marla looked down at Napoleon on her lap.
"Well, it's in the past now. One does what one needs to do to get by. You have grown from that. My opinion still stands. Sitting in front of me, right now, at this time, this very moment, is one hell of a Class-A top notch, woman."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Everyone does what they have to do. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You had men eating out of the palm of your hand. Empowering actually."
"Oh. Um, I've never thought of it that way, honestly."
"Oh yes. People often think women are weak, but we have the power to drive even the most powerful men to their knees. Unless they're gay of course, in that case the power of the vagina has no effect."
"Power of the vagina?"
"Mhmm."
"Alright then."
"Look throughout history, Ann Boleyn, Helen of Sparta, Cleopatra…"
"Are you comparing strippers to historical figures?"
Amanda shrugged.
"Just saying. You have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, working the pole is a show of physical strength and control. It takes a lot of core strength."
"Yeah, it does."
Khan surveyed the contents of the refrigerator in front of him. He had already opened it twice trying to decide what he wanted to eat. The ham Amanda had brought over was gone, there wasn't much in the fridge, he had already gone through whatever was in the cabinets.
His stomach growled, reminding him that while he was an Augment, he was still human and humans needed to eat.
He could get take out. He was dressed and Chinatown was a short bus ride away. Yes, Chinatown sounded decent.
Khan felt noticeably more conscious of the people around him on the bus. A pair of teenagers got on. A teenage couple judging by the fact they appeared to be attempting to suck each other's faces off. A few other people made noises of disgruntlement. An old Vietnamese woman muttered to herself as she snapped her paper up. The teenagers broke apart, faces red. They got off two stops late and briefly shared an Eskimo kiss before entering a coffee shop.
"Kids." The old man beside him chuckled and shook his head. "I remember being that age…taking my girl for a night on the town before our curfew hit with whatever pocket money I got from doing the dishes..." The man fell silent, a smile and a distant look in his eyes.
Khan's eyes diverted and looked out the window, watching the buildings rush by. Finally, the Chinatown stop arrived. Khan turned up his collar as he walked under the green arch.
Locals bantered with each other in Cantonese as he walked by. A couple meandered their way down the street in front of him, walking painfully slow, their hands clasped together, laughing and playfully running into each other. He walked past them, not bothering to excuse himself. He rolled his eyes at the idiocy. Blocking a path.
"Roses for your sweetheart?" A man stood on a corner, a barrel of roses in various shades of red and pink next to him.
"No." Khan continued walking briskly.
What was with everything today? It wasn't Valentines Day, that was a month ago.
He reached his destination, got his food and made his way back to the bus stop.
"John!" Khan turned to see Coore waving at him. He swore mentally. How did these people keep finding him outside of work? He nodded at him, hoping he would go away.
Coore approached him, brown paper bag in hand.
"Hey, getting some dinner?"
"Yes."
"Me too. The wife told me to go get some. She's pregnant and been having some crazy cravings. She's been craving Dongpo pork tonight." Coore chuckled. "Last week it was peanut butter, crab seasoning and coconut." Coore cringed.
"Together?"
"Yeah." Coore cleared his throat. Khan cringed. "Disgusting, I know, but anything for my wife. Her sister, Nyota has been helping though since her assigned ship is on repairs. Ah, there is the bus. Let us get home before both our food goes cold and I am in the dog house."
Coore sat next to him without much else to say and got off a stop before him.
"I will see you at work." Coore nodded.
"Yes." Khan nodded back as Coore got off the bus.
Khan was pleasantly surprised to find his food still hot when he started opening the containers. He decided to flip on the barely used television. He had only turned it on once before, He found it quite stupid. He flipped through until he found a nature documentary and settled on watching a lioness ripping apart a zebra. Better than some show with rich women screaming at each other while drinking or a slow husband with a bossy wife and a smartass father or mother in law.
"And so, the hyenas lay in wait, eager to move in for whatever the lions have left after gorging themselves."
He sighed and flipped the channel again before finding a cooking show. Might as well. Perhaps he'd pick something up and not have to rely on takeout whenever there wasn't anything already made in the fridge.
The man was cooking what appeared to be lamb over a grill. He was getting a bit irritated by how the man spoke as if the lamb he was cooking was not dead but a sentient being who needed care love and affection.
Three hours later and Khan found himself still stationed in front of the television, watching a woman talking the camera through how to make a vegan friendly seafood chowder. He shut the television off and dumped the trash in the trashcan and shoved the leftovers in the fridge.
He decided to call it a night and head to bed. He laid down in his sleep shorts he had found his last trip to buy socks since his seemed to disappear in the dryer. He at least figured they would come in handy if Amanda ever stopped by in the morning unexpectedly again. He fell asleep almost instantly.
"Khan…"
His eyes opened. Marla sat naked, straddling him.
He couldn't move.
"Khan…" Her hands ran up his bare chest as she leaned forward, her weight pressing against his torso, eyes glowing like embers in the dark.
He couldn't speak.
Her fingers ran through his hair before her lips met his and she ground her crotch against his. It was like pure ecstasy.
He still couldn't move.
She yanked her hair tie out. Her hair fell around him, washing him in the scent of citrus and ginger and it burned like fire. Like a hot rash on his face. The most unpleasant stinging sensation.
He tried to move to no avail.
Marla began giggling as she pulled away and began drawing small circular patterns on his chest with her finger.
"Khan Noonien Singh…King of the Augments…At the mercy of an inferior, little, BITCH." She murmured teasingly, before placing her hands around his throat and leaning in with all her weight, choking him as she continued to gleefully giggle, the giggling turning into a full on demonic laugh as he attempted to breathe, push her off, but found he could not move. He closed his eyes tightly.
Khan yelled as he sat up, breathing hard and covered in a cold sweat. He rubbed his throat and he felt as if he could still feel the weight on his chest and neck.
"Sleep paralysis. That's all it was." He muttered to himself, attempting to calm down. But god, it had felt so real. It wasn't real. Marla did not know his name. There were no scars on the Marla on top of him from the accident. She certainly had no desire to sleep with him, her eyes did not glow red and granted she might have a few reasons to strangle him, but a hallucination brought on sleep paralysis is all it was.
Khan fell back to find his sheets were soaked in sweat. He got up to throw the fitted sheet in the dryer and grabbed his pillow and blanket to sleep on the couch.
No more Chinese food for dinner.