Icicles 14
Disclaimer: Do not own star trek
Dear god, it's been awhile for this chapter but I did erase entire parts of it and rewrite at least twice...
Marla was awoken by a pounding on the front door. She groggily opened her eyes to find the clock on John's nightstand. The light glowed out that it was one am. The pounding came once more.
"John…" She hissed as she shook his arm slightly. "John."
He grunted and shifted. Marla glanced over as the man sprawled out next to her, resisting waking up, hair disheveled and limbs tangled with her and the sheets.
"John, someone's trying to break open your door." She shoved him with her foot.
"It is your imagination or the heater, go back to sleep." He mumbled back.
The knocking came again.
"Yes, because that's my imagination."
John swore and rolled to the side of the bed and got up, scratching and adjusting himself as he went.
Marla heard the living room lamp click on and front door swing open and voices. She sat up and rubbed at her blurry eyes. She threw off the covers and wandered into the antique white hallway, shivering slightly.
"Get. Out." She heard John rumble.
"John, is everything alright?" She turned the corner to come face to face with Lila Harlow wearing nothing but long coat, a lacy bra and thong, and a pair of stilettos, smelling like she crawled out of a barrel of cheap wine. "What. The. FUCK?" She snarled.
"Oh, you're here." Lila wrinkled her nose. "Really? You stooped so low as to fuck this?" She turned and laughed while pointing her thumb at Marla, hand on her hip. "John, your standards are so low. I thought they were higher since you came crawling to me."
"I said get out of my apartment!"
"Pity, You are a quiet one above my lab, no one tromping around. I'll miss having you there." She simpered to her. "Nice hickey, by the way." She reached out to poke it and Marla slapped her hand away.
"You're still on about getting me fired when you're standing here in your underwear in someone's apartment, sexually harassing them-" Marla snarled.
"I think we should leave that up to Admiral Pike to decide."
"Enough." John interrupted stalked towards Harlow. Harlow quickly darted underneath him and out into the hallway.
"You know, right after you dumped him, Fred Kraft paid me a visit." She taunted, staggering slightly. "Told me how he wanted a real woman, not some cold hearted and disfigured slut. Are your scars really that terrible?"
"Bitch!" Marla snarled and started towards her.
Lila staggered back. She reached for the wall, but Marla quickly kicked her stiletto out from underneath her, breaking the heel and causing the woman to fall. John quickly pulled her back to the door by her waist, her messy auburn hair falling around her face.
"So how is it essentially fucking a reanimated corpse, Commander?" Lila laughed from the floor, her normally lovely blonde hair disheveled around her.
"Go home." John snapped at her.
"Excuse me?" Marla started towards her again as John reached for her arm.
"You heard me you zombie bitch. Did you really think people couldn't tell?" Lila staggered to her feet, kicking off her broken shoes and leaning against the wall, panting.
"Marla." John spoke in a low voice to her. "Go back inside, she is trying to get you worked up."
"Well, she's doing a damn good job."
He eyed the drunk woman. He did not have the patience to deal with this at the moment. He wasn't too concerned about her, it was more of attempting to keep Marla from ripping the woman apart if she continued to mouth off. He would usually consider letting them go at it, but if Marla got arrested…it was not the best idea. Lila observed the pair of them haughtily before beginning to laugh.
"Go home or we are calling the police." He repeated himself. "Marla, we're going back inside." He released her and placed his arm on her shoulder to guide her back inside.
"Fine. Guess I'll just have to go pay Andrew a visit then." Lila sighed as she pushed her hair back with her fingers and pouted.
"Stay the fuck away from my brother you fucking disease-ridden cunt!" Marla whirled around and kicked out, John catching her in time before she connected.
"It's not my fault you're just jealous of the fact I am secure enough with myself and my sexuality to be able to attract men who won't even toss you a second look!"
"I am not jealous of a manipulative, controlling bitch! I don't give a fuck how many men you sleep with, it's what you do to them after! You blackmail them and control them and that is what I have a problem with!"
"Marla-"
"SHUT UP JOHN!"
"Trouble in paradise? Come home with me Commander, I promise no screaming at you except during sex." Lila taunted.
"Go crawl back in the cesspool you slithered out of." Marla hissed as John held her in a iron grip by the waist.
"How about you go back to that little icy grave of yours and stop burdening everyone with your existence?" Lila spoke to her as if she was gently explaining something to a four year old. "No one wants you in this time. Even your brother admitted while drunk that he was more stressed out now you're alive than when you were dead. You're holding him back. Go back into cryostasis and let everyone get on with their fucking lives, okay Marlena? Or what was it Drew-bear called you? Marls? Marbles?" She simpered in an almost baby-voice.
Marla looked as if the woman had punched her in the stomach. He could sense a rising tide of anger from the woman in front of him. She moved to leap upon the woman in front of her. John quickly picked Marla up and pulled her back inside, shutting the door behind him.
He had started locking the door when Lila began pounding on the door again.
"Calm down." He murmured to Marla. "If you hit her, she will press charges and the last thing you need is to spend time in jail."
"COME ON JOHN, I KNOW YOU WANT TO LEAVE HER AND COME FUCK A NORMAL PERSON."
"Marla, call the police." John sighed as he walked to the kitchen and picked up his phone. "Tell them she was trespassing. I'm calling Marcus."
"Don't have to ask me twice." Marla picked up the landline and began dialing. She could hear voices out in the hallway, telling Harlow to shut up and get out. John walked out into the hallway and she could hear sobbing soon after. John re-entered and snapped the door shut behind him as she hung up.
"What did you do?"
"Told her exactly what someone should have told her a long time ago." He responded icily as he resumed dialing.
"FUCK YOU JOHN HARRISON!" Lila screamed as she kicked the door while more people came out of their apartments in the hallway to yell at her to leave. "DAMN YOU TO HELL AND BACK YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"
Marla heard a baby don the hall start crying.
"That's it. You, leave now or I'm dragging you out." Someone yelled from down the hall. The kicking stopped. "Yeah that's right, you better fucking run, you drunk bitch!"
The police arrived much more quickly than Marla even expected and took statements from them and also the neighbors. It appeared one of he neighbors had already called them a good while before Marla had. Marla debated about going home.
"You do not have to leave." John crawled back in bed and lifted the black and blue sheets, motioning her back under.
"I shouldn't have gotten you up." Marla paced slightly around the room, dimly lit by a small lamp on his side. "Maybe she would have left." She had her sweatshirt on to hide the lovebite from the cops, jeans in one hand and her shoes in the other. She didn't know what she wanted. To be sleeping in her own bed or sleeping next to the man whom she considered to be one of her best friends in this strange new time. She shivered slightly from the chill coming form the windows.
"Marla, she is gone and taken care of, come back to bed." He insisted. She relented and put her clothes back in her bag.
"Why the fuck was she even here?" Marla sat on the edge of the bed, giving the side of the mattress a hit with her fist before unzipping her sweatshirt.
"She was drunk, looked up my address from the employee records and wanted to have sex. I told her to leave and she did not listen." He sat behind her and slid the jacket from her shoulders. She discarded it on top of her belongings as he began rubbing her back. She felt her muscles begin to relax under his hands. "Don't you dare pay attention to anything she said."
She felt horrific. As if it was all her fault this trouble even started, even though she knew it was technically his issue she had been dragged into. What Lila had said about her brother…Her stomach churned. He had been more stressed lately, but she had just put that off on being called to the station frequently. Because Kirk wouldn't leave him alone. Maybe because of Lakewood. It hadn't really occurred to her that she was the reason he had been wound up. She had been stupid. Of course it was her, of course it was because of the Bajorans and Tabitha and the mausoleum and her pushing him. It was because of her on the bike. It was because she was back and he was on some type of guilt trip about not driving her over to Lee's to get her stuff when she asked him if he could so she wouldn't be driving while emotionally compromised. Was he hesitating on taking a promotion or something because he felt like he shouldn't leave her?
"What if she's right? What if I am j-"
"No. Marla, look at me." He stopped massaging and turned her chin to look him in the eye. "You are not a burden, you are not a reanimated corpse, you are not holding your brother back. Granted, there has been stressful situations that have arisen, but none of them are your fault. Do you understand me?"
Marla looked away. Napoleon had moved to the bed and was now inching his way to her lap. She picked up the tribble and began petting it. Napoleon purred in contentment.
"She is jealous that I want absolutely nothing to do with her and am with you. She's spewing falsehoods to cut you down. Ignore her. You are a superior woman. She is nothing but a jealous woman who feels the need to have men under her control because she needs the illusion of affection to feel some type of worth.."
"That was harsh."
"It is truth." He stated matter-of-factly as he began massaging once more. "I called and discussed it with Marcus and he agreed to deal with her first thing Monday morning if the police don't have her first."
Marla released a small and quiet noise of contentment as he moved to her shoulders.
"She is gone, she will not be bothering us any more tonight, come back to bed, lay down and we'll go back to sleep." He pressed his mouth against the massive scar on the back of her neck and started massaging her lower back.
"Keep that up and there'll be no sleeping." Marla mumbled and he stopped. She protested slightly as he turned the light off.
"Come on." He yawned before retreating back to his side of the bed. Marla finally relented, set the tribble on the covers and slid back in under the sheets he held out and allowed herself to be tucked in and snuggled like a teddy bear by the man beside her. Napoleon quickly settled on the back of John's neck. "Besides, she must be mad if she was under the impression that there is anyone other than you I would rather have in my arms and bed right now." He grunted and tickled her. Marla squirmed and giggled. He kissed the skin on her shoulder tenderly before resettling.
"You know I can't stay past breakfast, right?" Marla traced a pattern on his hand.
"I suspected. I understand I stole your day away today and as much I desire it, I cannot ask you to because I'm sure you have things to do, people to see, papers to grade."
"I think Dean Klaus is going to shut the class down and give everyone A's at this point. Too much class time missed because of things coming up."
"Blaming Bajorans? He is aware this would not be an issue if he had kept his word instead of running off to Majorca?" He raised an eyebrow. "So instead of claiming his responsibility, he'd rather not handle it. Curious actions for someone supposedly in charge of an entire department."
"Mhmm."
"Light-years away by now and they're still causing issues." He dismissed.
"I wouldn't say trouble. I think I'm probably going to end up in the library." Marla mused. "Probably doing research or something of the sort."
She could see the outline of his smirk in the dark.
"What are you smirking about over there?"
"Nothing."
"Liar."
"Fine, thinking about you, my little chatterbox, as a quiet little librarian."
"I don't talk that much!"
"I tease. Perhaps you will find yourself on a ship instead, documenting history as it is made across the galaxy." He nuzzled her in reassurance.
"Maybe…" She yawned. She closed her eyes. "Right now, I think I would like to sleep."
"Good idea. Goodnight Marla."
"Goodnight John."
Alexander Marcus slammed the back door shut, pulling his robe tighter around him, attempting to ward off the chill of the night. Khan had called him in the dead of night to inform him there was a drunk Dr. Lila Harlow trespassing in his apartment demanding he sleep with her.
He had had reports of this woman before and heard rumors, but hell, now he had to actually do something about her since the police were involved. He set his hands on the cold railing of the deck and sighed. He ought to just tell the Bradbury to leave him there on K-7 for a time to see if that improved the augment's attitude problem. It was no surprise that he heard McGivers in the background with the police.
Well shit.
He had tried to be nice about it. He had tried being fatherly. He could either wait it out and see if the pair broke up on their own with Khan being bounced around the galaxy or he could do a little persuading. Marcus didn't like the last option. Best to see in the next two weeks. If not, there had been reports of some officers in Texas opening their mouths about various Starfleet matters to strippers to try and impress them. He had several other women working undercover in the club where it was suspected the leak was coming from. One more couldn't hurt. It could be time for McGivers to be switched to active undercover duty.
"Alexander, come back to bed." He turned to see Marilee behind him. How he loved his wife for tolerating him over the years. She had given him a beautiful, wildly intelligent daughter and more patience he ever deserved.
"Go on, Marilee, I'll be up in a few."
She turned wordlessly and left.
Marcus coughed and looked up at the night sky. God knows what the hell was out there. All he knew was that war was coming. Did he like it? No. Did he want it? Not particularly, but Earth had to establish themselves as a planet that would not back down or out. The Federation didn't agree with him. They were more interested in exploration and diplomacy than caring whether or not one of their planets fell prey to Klingons.
He had hoped and prayed that the destruction of Vulcan would change the Federation's perspective on adding military elements to Starfleet. They had relented and had added more than just basic self defense and combat training for if they encountered hostile worlds. By the time the new cadets graduated, they would be battle ready.
Marcus cracked his neck. Exactly how much trouble would this fucking Augment end up costing him? Maybe he should have just killed the lot of them. Or all of them except Khan and told him he was the only one they could save in time. Even now, he considered killing the rest of them.
It was decided, the next time Khan got mouthy, McGivers was going back to stripping whether she liked it or not. Granted, he was going to be dealing with a very pissed off genetic experiment, but what could Khan do about it if he was in space working on the new ship? Marcus smirked, pleased with himself.
Now the question was, what else could he possibly get out of Khan? What kind of weapons? Surely, something for the new fleet of battleships would be a good start. New range of phasers would be nice, perhaps upgraded shields. More long distance weapons would be nice too. Maximum damage to the enemy, minimum to the ship and crew. Then again if the ship could be flown by one, then the person in question.
He also wanted smaller ships. Ambassador Spock, as fucking bizarre the situation was, had somewhat reluctantly explained The Jellyfish to him. If he explained it to Khan, then there was a good possibility the jackass could do it.
But the absolute first order of business was to call Klaus in the morning and have him nix McGivers' courses. He hated that the students had to suffer, well, alright they weren't suffering if they were all automatically getting A's for Klaus's unwillingness to do his damn job.
He glanced back up at the sky and inhaled deeply. Not much he could do that night. Marcus turned and returned to the house, locking the door behind him.
Khan once more laid awake. Marla was asleep and had been for awhile. He wasn't entirely sure why he wasn't falling back asleep. He let go of her and gently rolled her to the side, praying it didn't wake her up. He got up and silently trudged towards the bathroom. Napoleon squeaked in protest at the sudden absence of warmth. The Tribble quickly cuddled up next to its owner.
Perhaps he was afraid the unsettling dreams would return if he fell back asleep. Or maybe it was the adrenaline from attempting to keep Marla from killing Harlow. He couldn't lie to himself. He knew it was because he had to call in Marcus to fix something. He had had to rely on the man. The man who was dangling his crew, his family, above him, just out reach. He washed his hands, crept back into the room and crawled back into the now chilly space in the bed. He exhaled as he ran his hands over his face. Marla was mumbling in her sleep, sounding agitated. He turned to look at her. Whatever she was dreaming about, it did not seem pleasant. He gently draped his arm back around her. She became still and calm. She shifted around and nestled against his side.
Khan watched her for a few moments, making sure whatever dream that was agitating her had dissipated. He looked at the way the lights from outside reflected off her face and hair. He was reminded of that night at the bar. The way the street lights had hit her. How was he supposed to know the woman standing behind her brother was going to be the thing that kept him sane? That kept him from going mad and kept him distracted from going on a murderous rampage. He admitted there was absolutely nothing else he could do until they dragged him in for more testing. He had been through the data banks at least five times, searching for the faces of the men who had beaten him, the security guards, the doctors. None had come up and he was forced to resign to the fact that they were not Starfleet employees.
He didn't know what the hell he was going to do once he actually managed to locate the others and devise a plan of escape. He had absolutely no intention of leaving her, but at the same time, the longer he stayed with her, the more danger she was going to be in. If he got his crew back sooner than later, there was no way he could ask her to go with them. Asking her to make a life changing commitment so soon was unfair. Throwing her into a ship with people who wouldn't see her as he saw her was unfair even though he knew they wouldn't dare touch her if he commanded it. They knew better than to invoke his rage. He buried his face into her hair and inhaled the sweet scent of ginger and citrus mixed with sweat form the disturbance earlier. She stirred slightly and he held his breath, hoping she wouldn't wake up. The longer he stayed, he was going to have to tell her eventually and let her know exactly what she was in for.
It was ridiculous to be having these thoughts about someone he had met so soon. For trusting her as much as he did. For feeling as intensely as he did. It was unacceptable. There was no way she was on his level of emotion this soon. Perhaps it was that "honeymoon period' as the doctors had described relationships, although rather cynically. Did that mean he would feel less intensely in a few weeks when they settled in? The doctors had viewed romantic relationships as nothing but trouble. Khan himself had dismissed them almost entirely, preferring to keep emotions out of it when it came to carnal urges. Marla was different. Marla felt right.
He jumped and was ripped from internal musings at what sounded like a gunshot rang out down the road. He mentally swore as Marla jolted awake. He got up and went to look out the window. This wasn't the kind of neighborhood to have that kind of issue. He could see a car down the road and a man standing beside it, examining it.
"What was that?" Marla began sitting up groggily.
"A car backfired." He sighed.
"Ugh…" Marla fell back.
"At least you got to sleep." Khan grumbled.
"Couldn't fall back asleep?"
"No." He looked back outside at the man next to his car, examining it.
"Come on, get back over here." Marla let arm fall on the bed.
Khan scooted back into the warm bed and Marla held her arm out. He lay against her and pressed his lips against the soft skin of her forearm.
Marla exhaled. Khan pulled her face close to his and rested his forehead against hers.
"I don't want to leave tonight." He murmured, feeling her hot breath.
"I know." Marla resumed running her fingers through his hair.
"I don't want to be away that long."
"I know."
He gazed at her and caressed her cheek with his finger.
"I am worried." He breathed, finally breaking eye contact.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Marla whispered back.
"I am worried about various things and you."
"What about me and what kind of things?"
"I am worried about this mission. But more importantly, I do not like the fact that you are being kept track of by Marcus."
"There's not much you can do about Marcus." She closed her eyes and was quiet for a moment. "He has probably been keeping an eye on me because of the whole situation with the Bajorans. To be honest, if I were him, I would be keeping a close watch on me. Look at it this way, I am new, I was unfrozen and there is not much to be known about me, and I was literally chosen out of a hat to escort around an Ambassador from another planet. I can take care of myself."
Khan had to admit she was right in her theory, but he knew the truth. Marcus was watching her because of him. He also admitted she as perfectly capable of taking care of herself in normal circumstances. This situation was not normal. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
"As for the mission, it's just a supply run, you said it yourself. You go, you deliver, you refuel and come home. Captain Abbott is a good man, a good captain. He is not going to piss off the Klingons."
The pair lay in silence.
"It's not Captain Abbott I'm worried about, it's the Klingons and if they decide we're a little too close for comfort getting to the station. The Bradbury is not a ship equipped for engaging in combat. It is a ship mainly used for transporting supplies. Minimal defense." Khan sat up and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Everything will be fine. You'll get the job done and home soon enough in your bed. Or mine. Your choice." Marla sat up on her elbow and stroked his arm.
"You little tease." Khan couldn't help but smirk.
"I'm not teasing." Marla giggled.
"You're teasing me." He insisted as his hand roamed up her thigh.
"And if I am?" She squirmed and giggled again.
"Then I can make you pay." He tickled her and she squealed. She quickly kissed him and he ceased as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He laid her back down, body weight pressed against her. He took advantage of her taking a quick gasp of air to invade her mouth, exploring every nook with his tongue.
"I deeply regret letting you know I am ticklish. What happened to going to sleep?" Marla teased as they surfaced for air.
"One cannot sleep without kissing the other goodnight, am I correct?" Khan inhaled and slowly exhaled, forcing his body to calm down enough to sleep.
She curled up beside him and wrapped the blankets tightly about her.
"Cold?"
"A little." Khan scooted closer and lay back down, providing body heat.
"Better?"
"Yes. Goodnight, again."
"Goodnight."
Andrew sat at the piano, playing a piece from memory. The small clock on the piano lid told him it was six am.
He couldn't sleep. He had given up and instead gotten up, ate and now played. Too much stress from the day and the impending trip back up to the station had to be the cause.
He switched keys and began tinkling out an arrangement he had written in college of London Calling. Andrew supposed he could sleep on the shuttle up and take a nap before meeting with Montgomery Scott. The was, if he could avoid Kirk that long. Knowing the young captain, he would sniff him out within a half hour of Andrew's arrival. A part of him wondered what the hell the man was doing on his missions for the Enterprise to need repairs so often. From what he had been told, the damage was mostly phaser damage from an encounter with some less than friendly folk.
Andrew switched over to Clair de Lune. Mom had often asked him why he didn't go to college for music and be a piano teacher. He smiled to himself as he remembered his mother. She had been so heartbroken when Marla died. She barely ate, hardly slept and when she did sleep, their father had told him it was often in Marla's old bed that Marla had been sleeping in for two weeks before she died. He hated to think how it affected her after he died. How he missed their mother. Her tombstone said she had outlived Dad by a few weeks. Perhaps three was too much for her poor heart to handle. It was almost as he could feel her presence whenever he sat at the piano to play.
Perhaps it was time to move up to the station. He did want to wait to be absolutely certain Marla was settled in before he put in for the transfer. He didn't want to leave her floundering about in this new world and time like he had the first six months. He could clearly remember the confusion, the chaos, the absolute uncertainty of it all. He had to admit she was doing a little better than he did. Maybe he should have kept going to the support group meetings.
His doorbell rang. Andrew stopped suddenly, bewildered. No one was supposed to be here. He cautiously got up and silently moved towards the front door. He looked out the peep hole to see Lila Harlow looking a complete mess on his doorstep. Oh dear god. He started to move away from the door when the bell rang again and he noticed she was crying.
He cursed himself as he opened the door.
"Andrew! Thank god you're home."
"What do you want, Lila?"
"It's John…John Harrison."
A red flag went off in his brain.
"What about John?" Andrew leaned against the door.
"Well, I saw Marla on her run. She's got bruises on her neck. Like someone's grabbed her throat. I think he slapped her around."
Andrew stared at the woman in front of him before slamming the door in her face and locking it. He did not have time for this bullshit. He walked to the kitchen and pulled his phone out of his coat pocket and dialed Marla.
It rang a few times before she picked up.
"Hello?" She sounded groggy. Good to know he didn't interrupt anything. So it was a lie. If Marla had been on her run, she would be sounding chipper, not like he roused the dead.
"Marla, why is Lila Harlow on my doorstep claiming John is abusing you?"
Silence. He assumed what he had just said was registering in her sleepy brain.
"Oh my god… John, wake up." He could hear Harrison's grumbles in the background.
"Two nights in a row, Marla? Really?"
"Shut up, he's going off planet tonight. She was over here in the dead of night, pounding on the door trying to sleep with John and pick a fight. Well, at least now we know the cops didn't get her." Marla sounded rather upset.
"She what?"
"I promise you, John is not hitting me, I am not hitting John, no one is abusing anyone."
"What is this now?" He heard John sound alarmed.
"Harlow's still causing shit. Andrew, if she's still there-."
"Okay, I do not have time for this. I am done with this shit, Marla. God. What is it with you and attracting drama? Is it a stripper thing for you to attract people who seriously disrupt other people's lives? Explain that to me. Looks like she's sitting on my porch still. I'll call the cops and get this cleaned up because contrary to what you said, you obviously do not have it under control. I'm leaving in a few hours and I can't believe I have to deal with this shit! God, Marla, I wish for once, you would actually have something under control instead just saying you do and leaving it for me to clean up!"
"I'm sorry, okay?" She spoke quietly into the receiver, sounding hurt and ready to cry. Andrew groaned. Fuck.
"Marla…" He sighed. Too late, she had hung up.
Andrew began dialing the police when something caught his ear.
"HOW DARE YOU? HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON ME WHILE I'M CARRYING YOUR CHILD? WITH MY OWN MOTHER NO LESS!"
Andrew swore as the operator picked up.
Khan laid holding a shaking Marla. She was stressed and upset. He didn't blame her. Napoleon had nestled in the crook of his neck.
"Well, she was right about Andrew." Marla gestured with her hand and let it fall back on her thigh.
"Marla." Khan spoke sternly. "You know that is not true."
"Why won't she just leave us alone?" She hung her head. Khan traced small circles on her lower back.
"Because she's mental." He replied dully.
"So why is still employed by Starfleet? Don't they screen for psychos?"
"She logically and most likely has slept with a higher up and has leverage." He stroked her hair. "She is not going to be employed for very much longer, I assure you."
Marla didn't respond. He could sense her silent frustration and hurt.
"Harlow is not going to be causing any more issues." He restated as he sat up and pulled her into his lap. "Everything will be fine. Andrew is just frustrated with being disturbed."
"You're still able to receive emails on the ship, right?" Marla asked, chewing on her lip, looking him in the eyes.
"Yes. I am also able to send and receive transmissions." Khan responded. "I am not sure about you though. Transmission wise, that is."
"PADDs don't have that capability, do they?"
"No, they don't. You need a computer that's compatible with the system. I'll check yours before you go."
"Hm…I thought I was dating a science officer, not an engineer."
"I am a man of many talents."
Marla considered him. His blue and gold eyes almost seemed reptilian in the darkness of the hours before the break of dawn. His face was weary from the night of interrupted slumber. Marla recalled the night she had dragged him home. The gashes on his face had looked so deep, yet here, within inches of his face, her eyes could find no traces of there ever being any type of cuts ever made to his face in his life. Not even a thin white line.
"Marla, you are staring."
"I am looking." She responded lightly, tracing the line of his cheekbone with her finger. He closed his eyes.
"Pray tell me, my darling, what do you see then?" He breathed.
"I see a man of many talents." It didn't seem natural. Perhaps medication had advanced to heal that quickly? There had to be a reason for it. There just had to be.
He chuckled.
"Why do you heal so fast, John?" Marla brushed his hair out of his eyes.
"That is a discussion for another morning. Do not look at me like that."
"Why put off tomorrow what you can do today?"
"Because it is another discussion for another day." He replied firmly before rolling over on top of her. "Hm, it appears I have found a nice pillow. Goodnight."
"John!" Marla laughed. "I can't breathe! You're squishing me!"
"Ah, my pillow speaks!" He teased as he readjusted himself. Marla reached up and gently pulled his face down for a kiss.
"I'm going to miss you." Marla finally spoke softly after he pulled away for air. "But I suppose this is to be expected with an enlisted officer…" She grimaced.
"Unfortunately." He sighed as he sat up beside her, bringing his knees up and resting his forearms upon them. Marla followed suit and leaned against him.
"At least we got to spend some time together." She traced aimless lines into the hair on his thigh.
"Yes, that is what is important." He kissed her temple. She smiled a small smile, a contented smile. "Now, I have to get rid of the food I bought the other night, so I will make breakfast. Fortunately, I bought solely breakfast items so I could go get groceries today, but clearly that is not happening."
"I see." Marla stretched and moved away to the edge of the bed, stood and began hunting for her tote bag. Khan yawned and watched as she bent over, finding her deodorant and clean clothes, which she tossed on the bed. She cracked her shoulder before walking towards the bathroom. "I'm surprised you want to fix breakfast so early." She called as the toilet flushed and sink ran. "I did say I can't stay after breakfast."
Khan swung his legs over and scooted to the edge of the bed where Marla approached him. He grabbed her hips and looked up at her, a wicked smile on his face.
"If that is the case, suppose I never do make breakfast…"
"Uh-uh. Your butt has to be up on the station and Andrea's and my butt has to be in a seat in Tabitha's car at eleven."
"Why is Andrea going to Tabitha's?" Khan looked up at her with mild confusion.
"Amanda asked me to ask Tabitha to help take her shopping since she only has two pairs of pants, four pairs of underwear, a bra, and four shirts. All of which are from 2010." Marla sighed as she pushed his hair back away from his forehead.
"I see."
"And Andrea has an important job interview coming up plus maybe a university interview if she ever calls them back."
"She talked to you about all this?" Khan was under the impression the teenager was rather quiet and withdrawn.
"Andrea told me bare minimum details and Amanda filled me in more." Marla shrugged. "Amanda thinks that Andrea only opens up to us and this Peter kid and is not talking to her counselor."
"You certainly are doing a lot for this girl." Khan commented as he gave her butt a small squeeze.
"Eh, she's like the little sister I never got." Marla gave a tiny half smile. "Always wanted a little sister I could do girl stuff with. Instead I got two younger brothers to wrestle and to take fishing."
"Little sisters can be annoying." Khan's hands slid down to her thighs.
"I know. I was one." Marla smirked as backed away and walked around the bed, picking up her deodorant and began getting ready.
"So eager to leave?"
"You still have to look over my computer, remember?" Marla reminded him as she took off her shirt and shorts.
"That should not take terribly long." Khan's eyes flicked over her naked body as she stood, rolling her eyes at him. "Your laptop is simple enough a toddler could figure it out."
"Oh shove it." She pulled on her underwear and bra before chucking her shorts at him. He laughed.
"See now, I don't know if you're going to get these back." Khan sneered.
"Going to wear them in space on the bridge, are we? I'll look forward to seeing that picture at the Starfleet Christmas party."
He scowled and chucked them back to her.
"Thought so." Marla smirked as she caught her shorts.
"You could go get me your laptop and get back in bed for a little while." Khan suggested. "It is six-thirty in the morning, you have a few hours."
Marla looked at him in consideration. He did his best to look innocent, failing.
"Alright, you win." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Only because you're leaving tonight." She threw over her shoulder as she dug for her laptop.
Dr. Burton sighed as she flipped through her paperwork. It was too early in the morning for this, but she did have an narcotics group coming in an hour. Once upon a time, there had been such things as Narcotics Anonymous and such, but it had fallen through when she was a child. It was rare to hear of the few churches who still kept it going. Now, it was mostly hospitals and rehab clinics who ran them. Perhaps it had become more of an underground movement type thing. It had become so publicized to he point members no longer felt safe going.
She hoped that none of her groups fell like that. Especially the Cryostasis group. They were a category of their own. It was refreshing to see a lively group opposed to the somber yellowed and sinking faces of the addiction groups.
Dr. Burton scratched her nose before taking a gulp of coffee as her PADD made a tiny tinging noise. She glanced down, recognizing that noise. She opened the memo to see the familiar note stating they were bringing another batch out of stasis. She frowned. Usually they started those on a Monday so it coincided with the support group meetings. She swiveled her chair around and opened her laptop. She quickly opened her email and her fingers flew over the keyboard. She was determined to find out why they were doing this a few days early. Were they 'At Risk' bodies? Perhaps the tubes were shaky. She hit send and leaned back, fingers steeptled in front of her.
Dr. Burton grunted as her back cracked while reaching for her large coffee cup. As she waited for a response, her eyes fell on her family vacation photos to Thailand. Her birthplace. She smiled gently at the image of her two children. Her son, skinny and tall and her daughter, also a skinny, but tiny girl.
Her laptop made a noise signaling new messages. She opened the email. Tubes of questionable stability. Ah. That was a good reason to start a few days early. A second email was directly below it in her inbox. She opened it.
"What?" She muttered as she read it. They were getting some transfers in from New York in a few weeks due to a company move. Not frozen bodies, but people for the support group who were moving out to San Francisco and wanted to continue in group. She scrolled down the names before freezing at one.
Leland Gallagher.
She quickly flipped through her notes and grunted. She picked up her phone and began dialing an extension. She was surprised to get an answer.
"Leon Sharp."
"Leon, it's Phiyada Burton. I need to know something and I don't know if you can help me or not."
"Well I'll try to. You do know about patient confidentiality though, right?"
"Yes. I need to know something though and it is important. In the case of Marla McGivers-"
"I'm going to stop you right there Phiyada." Sharp interrupted. "She hasn't been in yet. Her appointment is Monday evening. She hasn't said anything about stopping attendance-"
"Will you let me finish, Leon?" Dr. Burton huffed. "I need to know the name of her former fiancé. I have a handful of people transferring from New York City due to a company moving out here to the city."
"What does that have to do with the prices of apples in China?"
"Because I need to double check some records here to make sure this isn't a coincidence."
She could hear him sigh.
"I am conflicted about this."
"I just need a double check, you're not disclosing anything private because she's already talked about him here."
"Fine. Lee Gallagher."
"Is that short for Leland possibly?"
"Yes it is."
"Okay."
"You don't think it's the same person?"
"I can't say until I get his file from New Yor- wait." The email dinged. She quickly opened it to find all the files ready to download. "They really are efficient out there." She muttered.
"Phiyada, call me back in a few, I need to go run to the bathroom."
"Alright. I need to read over this."
She hung up and quickly opened his file and began scanning through. Her stomach dropped when she read the birth date. She continued reading. Various notes included he was divorced after six months of an unhappy marriage, to a Kayla Wright, committed suicide and wished to be frozen in cryostasis for science.
Legally, if it was him, she couldn't say anything. She couldn't give Marla a heads-up, she could not tell Andrew, she could not tell Amanda. Leon could not legally tell Marla. Dr. Burton shut the laptop. The woman was going to be blindsided. It wasn't so much as whether or not the two were going to have at it in the middle of group and cause an incident like the one between Jimmy and Tyrone, but an issue of their hearts. Their physical hearts.
She picked the phone back up and began dialing once more.
"Dr. Marcus." Marilee sounded absolutely exhausted.
"Marilee, it's Phiyada. You don't sound too good."
"Late night last night. What can I do for you?"
"I need to ask you a question."
"Alright."
"Icicles. How much shock can a body handle after being recently defrosted?"
"It depends." Marilee started slowly. "How long are we talking and what kind of shock?"
"Um…hold on…almost three months and about four years?"
"Three months? That's a little hard to say. Their heart would not be absolutely one hundred percent, but I would say if they can make it past the initial shock of being woken up, it might be fine, but still something to keep a close eye on. Four years, they'll be fine. What is this about, Phiyada?"
"I can't go into specifics. But say if a person one party thought was dead and had a history with, say former fiancé that cheated on them and caused issues, were to suddenly show up unannounced at what we call a 'safe place'?"
"I can't answer that without details of the one party. I know of some who have gone into cardiac arrest over less than that." Marilee sighed into the phone. "It would be easier if you told me who we are talking about since they are likely a patient of mine if it was the three month batch so I can look at their file."
"I cannot."
"Then I cannot answer your question properly, Phiyada. If you are concerned about the safety of a patient you need to tell me right now."
Dr. Burton hesitated.
"Marlena McGivers."
"Thank you. Give me one moment. I am going to put you on hold." A click signaled she had hit the button.
She finished off her coffee and threw it in the trash.
"These two are going to run into each other at group, aren't they? Alright, her heart looks to be relatively healthy according to her chart. I say she'll be fine since she survived seeing her brother the first day she was awake. But to be safe, I would recommend that when these two did meet though, to have someone on standby."
"Alright. Thank you Marilee. Have a nice day"
"Mhm. You too."
Andrew coughed as he skulked down the street. Marla wasn't home yet. Was a waste of gas to ride down on the bike. He had decided to leave the bike and walk to a café for breakfast. He harrumphed as he shuffled into the coffee shop and got in line. They had arrested Lila. He coughed again before ordering. Stupid sinuses. Soon he would be in space and they would clear up.
He got his coffee and a bagel and walked back out to the street. It was chilly and he was disgruntled. What a lovely fucking day it was turning out to be.
"Andrew? Andrew McGivers?" Andrew froze as he heard the familiar voice behind him. He turned and dropped his coffee as he stared into the face of Lee Gallagher.
Marla laid panting, naked and sweating on top of John. He held her close and kissed her cheek. She felt oddly satisfied at the knowledge she had managed to repay the favor of a decent sized lovebite on his side. He kissed her deeply and she could still faintly taste herself. She rested her head against his still rapidly rising and falling chest.
"Good?" He asked drowsily.
"Excellent." She responded. He rolled her over and laid his head on her abdomen. Marla began playing with his hair. "You?"
"I don't think I could have asked for a better send off."
"Good." She inhaled deeply and exhaled. She knew she would have to get up and go pee soon as she didn't want to get up. "John?"
"Hm?"
"Our relationship isn't going to revolve around a bed, is it?"
"No, why do you ask that?" He sat up on his elbow.
"I don't know…I guess I'm just…" Marla shook her head before covering her face with her hands.
"Just what? Marla, surely you don't think I entered a relationship with you just for that reason?"
"NO, I don't. I don't know. I think I'm just a little paranoid."
"Why?"
"Because it's happened before." She sighed. "I guess everything is just happening so fast, I'm not used to that."
"Marla." He looked her in the eye and spoke sternly. "If you want to take things slower, all you need to do is say so. Do you want to take things slower?"
Marla was quiet for a moment.
"Yes."
"Marla, listen. I am willing to go at whatever pace you are comfortable with. We are going to take it easy and hopefully you will feel more comfortable and I am sorry if I have anything to make you feel uncomfortable."
"You did nothing wrong, John, it's like I said, I am not used to taking things this fast at all." Marla sat up and touched his arm. "Please don't think it is."
Marla's phone rang on the bedside table. She ignored it as she squeezed his hand. He leaned forward and kissed her as it went to voicemail. A few moments passed before it started ringing again. She pulled away.
"Who wants to get a hold of me that badly?" She mumbled as she reached over and answered the phone.
"Marla." Andrew spoke.
"Oh ,call to yell at me some more?"
"Marla, I'm sorry, but I need to talk now."
He didn't sound right. He sounded shaken up.
"Andrew? What's wrong? You don't sound like everything is alright." A feeling of panic began to creep in.
"Marla, he's alive. He opted for stasis."
"Who Andrew? Who's alive? Is it David, Scott?" Hope began to creep in amidst the panic. She wanted to see them. She wanted to hug them and tell them how much she loved them.
"No." He responded hollowly. "Marla, I hope to hell you're sitting down. Marla, Lee is alive."
Her heart felt like it crashed into her stomach. All hope was gone. She felt as if she was having an out of body experience. Like the entire world around her had frozen in time. Her blood ran cold.
"I just ran into him on the street. He committed suicide after I died while living in New York. His company just moved out here and he's looking for an apartment. He wants to see you. He says he still loves you and regrets everything. He killed himself because that mistake and all the consequences following it. Marls-" Marla hung up the phone and started shaking. Her heartbeat began going erratic. Scarily erratic. She attempted to breathe.
"Marla." John grasped her gently. "Marla. You're pale."
"I need to go." She heard herself say as she got up and rushed to get dressed.
"Marla. What happened?"
"I need to go. I need to leave." She heard herself muttering over and over again. John pulled on a pair of pants while he quietly swore.
"Marla!" John grasped her firmly when she turned from putting her sweater on. "Tell me what is wrong!"
John started going fuzzy. She felt dizzy. Her body felt cold, but her face felt hot. Her chest felt tight. She couldn't breathe.
"Marla. MARLA!" She felt weak. So weak.
That was the last thing she heard before her world went dark.
She awoke to a paramedic leaning over her.
"Hey there, sunshine. Welcome back." From what Marla could gather, she was on John's couch.
"What happened?" She tried to sit up. The woman quickly helped her. "John?"
"Looks like you just had a bit of a panic attack and passed out. He's in the other room with another medic, we kicked him out because he wasn't being much of a help. Let me just take vitals and blood pressure. So you're a defrost, huh? Second your boyfriend out there said it, we had to check your heart. Everything looks normal. I just need to check your sugar level. Are you diabetic?"
"No."
"April, is she awake?"
"Yeah. You can come back in now."
Marla felt a bit more relieved when John and another medic came back in and was by her side in almost an instant.
"She'll be fine." The paramedic removed her gloves and began packing up her bag. "Go eat something, drink something and take it easy. No more panic attacks." She pointed at Marla.
"Got it. Thanks."
"Thank you." John muttered to them as they left. He sighed deeply as he tightly wrapped both hands around hers and brought them to his mouth, eyes closed. She felt incredibly embarrassed as she felt his hot breath on her knuckles.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and caressed his cheeks. "I'm sorry."
"Marla, what happened?"
Marla swallowed hard.
"Marla, tell me. What caused this? What did your brother tell you?"
"Lee is alive and in town." Marla's voice shook. "And he wants to see me."
"Lee. Your former husband-to-be."
"It doesn't make sense. He's supposed to be dead! Not here! Our living wills were written while I was in the Army and he wanted to be taken off life support. Not put in cryostasis!"
"Obviously he changed his mind."
"Obviously. But how the fuck would he even know? Oh god, my emergency medical contact."
"Calm down."
"I can't. Not after what Andrew told me."
"Talk to me Marla."
Marla looked away.
He rose and walked away. Great. She could hear him moving around in the kitchen. She stood on her own, a bit shaky still. She walked back to the bedroom and continued gathering her things. Napoleon rested on the headboard. She plucked him from her perch and placed him at the top of the tote bag. She slipped her shoes on and walked back out to the living room. She glanced at the clock. Nine thirty. How long had she been unconscious? It would take her fifteen or twenty minutes to get home pending on lights and traffic. Wait, no longer because of the car. Alright, twenty five minutes to get home, wait for Andrea, then wait for Tabitha and do laundry and drop off the rent in the meantime.
"And where do you think you're going?" John came back with toast and tea.
"I have to get going."
"Marla, you passed out and I had to call paramedics." He responded sternly. "I'm driving you home."
"John-"
"No arguing. I'll take the train back. Now eat something."
Marla harrumphed as she sat down on the couch and picked up a piece of toast. Napoleon began creeping out of the bag at the prospect of food. She ripped off a piece and fed it to the tribble.
"I don't think you should go out with Tabitha today."
"John, I'm fine. Besides, we finally convinced Andrea to do this and if she changes her mind, then we're never going to get her to go."
"What else did Andrew say?" John redirected.
"John…"
"Marla, if this relationship is going to work, I need you to communicate with me. What did he say?"
Marla took a deep breath and pulled her hair back.
"That he still loved me and he killed himself because he still loved me." She gave a slight laugh of disbelief.
"I think you should talk to him."
"No."
"You would have closure." John stated as Marla devoured another piece of toast.
"He's caused too much damage for me to ever forgive him or want to speak to him." Marla shook her head.
"Care to elaborate?"
"He is the reason my brother died." Marla growled. John stared at her,. "When he couldn't keep it in his pants, I moved out for two weeks to my parents place to sort my head out. I went to go get some stuff from the apartment, found Kayla on the couch naked and decided that was that, called off the wedding, broke up with him and left. Then I died. A year later, he married Kayla. My little brothers crashed the wedding and ruined it and probably destroyed any chance of Lee ever reproducing. Kayla's brothers ran Andrew off the road where the car rolled down a hill while he was driving David's car."
"I would say her brothers are the reason your brother died. He did not call them and tell them to do that Marla." John spoke sternly.
"None of this would have happened if I didn't take that job in Oakland." Marla moaned.
"But alas, I would be without you." He said quietly, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "From what I understand your death and Andrew's was the push your brother Scott needed to pursue his political career. It would be a very different place if he did not take office. It would seem to be destined by fate."
Marla was silent, her face unreadable. John sighed and picked Napoleon up and placed the tribble in her bag. He scooped her up and set her in his lap. She faced him and rested her hand on his cheek, face suddenly full of sadness before resting her forehead against his, eyes closed.
"Do you still love him?" He asked.
"What kind of question is that?"
"I need to know, Marla. Does he still have your heart?"
"He does not have my heart or my love. Now, I think it's time to go."
"As you wish." John quickly kissed her and allowed her to get up.
Leland Gallagher paced around the lobby of the apartments. He had followed Andrew back to the apartments and saw the bike. He knew Andrew was never one to ride, therefore it must be Marla's. He would wait here all day if necessary. He had already tried to find a buzzer and found none. He looked at the mailboxes to see if he recognized her handwriting on a slot. They were all typed. He knew this had to be her building.
Lee ran his hand through his brown hair. He caught himself in a reflection. His mother had always told him to muscle up. He had found himself often grunting and panting when changing a water cooler while some of his other coworkers did it with ease.
He nervously swallowed. What if she didn't want to see him? What if Andrew didn't call her immediately like he knew he would? What if she didn't come home today? He needed to be on a flight back to New York in the morning. God, he didn't even know what the hell was wrong with him when he had given in to Kayla's advances. Lee knew she was going to ask. His only explanation he could come up with was he was a male, Kayla had huge tits and often practiced her pole dancing on Marla's home pole, and Marla was hardly home with her new job in Oakland. He was stupid to have married the bitch. He didn't even know why he married her. Maybe it was because they both realized how badly they fucked up and bonded over their grief? Of course, he had really realized how big of a mistake he made when Andrew died because of her brothers. He suspected it was a mistake when David made mincemeat out of his testicles.
He watched as a blonde teenager shuffled in and to the elevators, brushing into him. She glanced at him and hurriedly jammed the button.
"Excuse, miss!" He approached her. The girl squeaked and darted into the elevator, the doors closing behind her.
"No. Excuse you." Came the familiar voice behind him. Even when her voice was filled with ice and disgust, it gave him butterflies to hear it after so long. He turned and saw her. He couldn't help but smile. It seemed as if there were no one else in the world. She looked exactly as he remembered, minus the murderous look on her face. He barely registered the man behind her.
"Marla…baby…" He found himself running towards her before she held up her arm.
"Don't you 'baby' me! What the fuck are you doing here?" She hissed. It felt like a punch in the face. His heart dropped. Of course. He had been stupid to expect any other reaction.
"I needed to talk to you."
"That's not what I meant. Why are you alive?" Anger flashed in her brown eyes. He had never seen that type of anger directed at him from her. Well except once. That night she died. "Your living will said to unhook you, not freeze you!"
"Babe, can we take this up to your apartment?" He pleaded.
"I'M NOT YOUR BABE! You cheated on me! You married someone else!" Marla yelled.
"Can you keep your voice down? I want to talk, please." Lee held his hands up.
"I don't think that is a particularly good idea." The man behind her stated smoothly. His eyes locked on the stranger. Big, muscular, attractive. Dark hair, pale skin, bright eyes. He felt suddenly self conscious of his own slightly doughy body, dull brown hair and grey eyes.
"John…" Marla rounded on him. The man called John held his hands up.
"Marla, let's go discuss. Please. At least let me explain." He pleaded once more.
Marla looked at him. He felt as if she was looking into his very soul. He hated it when she did that.
"Fine. You have ten minutes." She started walking towards the elevators, bag swinging on her shoulder. John glared at him before following. Lee took a deep breath before following suite. Once inside, he stared as the strange man muttered into her ear. Marla smelled different than he remembered. Her perfume was not the one he was accustomed to. Her hair smelled different from where he stood. There was another faint musky smell that hung around. He could see and feel she was upset.
As the doors opened, they turned down the hall and Lee saw the blonde girl hanging out in front of a door.
"You're early, Andrea." Marla smiled as she embraced the girl.
"I wanted to get here early. I was afraid I'd be late." She spoke shyly. "Good morning, Commander."
"Good morning to you, Andrea. I hope you are well?" The man seemed slightly surprised.
Andrea nodded furiously.
"You. In." Marla snapped at him.
Lee shuffled into the apartment. Marla pulled a purring furball out of her bag and placed it in a ferret cage.
"Andrea, I hate to do this, but could you go into the bedroom please? The remote for the tv is on the nightstand. I need to have a serious conversation with this one." She gestured to him. Andrea began to look fearful as she nodded and scurried off. He heard the door close gently and the tv turn on.
Marla took a deep breath and exhaled.
"Your ten minutes start now." She stated coldly as she sat down, pulling off her jacket and scarf. His eyes fixated on a fading hickey on her neck.
"Um..well where do I start?"
"You now have nine minutes."
"Okay, okay. The hospital called me because I was listed as your emergency contact and I was in the hall when the representative from the military was discussing cryostasis with your parents. I changed my living will after the funeral because I wanted the hope of a chance of being able to see you again. Marla, I love you. What I did was unforgivable, but please, if there is any love left for me in your heart, I was hoping for you to find it in your heart to forgive me and forgive the worst mistake I have ever made in my entire life."
Marla closed her eyes and sighed.
"How dare you." She finally breathed.
"I…"
"How dare you come into my apartment and ask for forgiveness? You betrayed my trust. You shattered my heart. You do not love me. If you loved me, you would have never have slept with Kayla. If you loved me you wouldn't have used my engagement ring to create hers. If you loved me, you wouldn't have married her!" Marla spat in disgust. Lee felt as if he were shrinking in his seat.
"I'm not perfect, I never said I was. I told her multiple times to leave me alone. I told her to not come over while you weren't home and she wouldn't listen to me, you know what she's like. I tried baby, I tried."
"You should have tried harder." She breathed.
"We got drunk, Marla. It was a stupid drunken mistake."
"One you made again and again and again over the following two weeks? I found her passed out naked on the couch with cum stains on the cushions!"
Lee closed his eyes, he felt like he was going to cry from shame.
"What can I do for you to forgive me? Please? Tell me! If I could go back into time and stop myself I would! But baby, I can't."
"She desecrated my grave over and over and over again!"
"Because she was jealous! Because she knew I could never love her the way I love you."
"Then why did you marry her?" Marla's voice cracked from emotion.
"Grief brought us together. Marla, I love you with all my heart and soul. I realize that now. Please, one more chance." Lee moved to her and started to kneel in front of her when John stepped in between.
Lee looked up at the man. It dawned on him what the unidentified smell was. Sex. He could faintly smell it on the man in front of him. It wasn't strong, but it was there. It clicked in his brain. The hickey, the fact he was there with her in the morning. He felt sick. His heart and world was shattering around him. He was going to vomit. Was this how Marla felt when she found the two of them? Then, anger. He stood up and brought his fist around as hard as he possibly could into the man's jaw. He felt his knuckles splinter. The man merely stared at him, unfazed, amused even.
"LEE!" Marla stood.
"You're sleeping with him?" Lee ignored the blinding pain in his hand.
"He's my boyfriend, so yes, I'm sleeping with him!" She snarled.
His stomach dropped further. The only thing he knew was his hands wrapping around John's throat, Marla screaming and suddenly flying backwards. Andrea ran out of the bedroom. Lee groaned from the floor.
"It's time for you to leave." Marla stated shakily. "Get out."
Lee stared as he shakily stood up.
"You heard her, get out!" Andrea screamed before retreating back into the bedroom.
Lee gave Marla one last pleading look before John took a step forward. Lee ran out, waiting before he got to the elevator before allowing the tears to run freely.
"John, are you okay?" Marla turned to him. Khan rubbed his throat.
"Yes."
"I need to go check on Andrea." She turned and he grasped her arm.
"Marla, are you okay?" He looked at her, concerned.
"I'll be alright. I need to go check on her. You should probably head out." Marla crossed her arms in front of her.
"I suppose so." Khan murmured. "Marla, be careful."
"I will be." She assured him.
"I will get in contact when I can."
"I know."
Khan gave a small smile before kissing her.
"Be safe." She hugged him.
"I will be."
"Good." Khan kissed her temple before finally releasing her. She walked him to the door and waved slightly as he backed away and turned to take the stairs.