Paris Life—Part VI

Lieutenant Bonhomme was as good as his word. He collected the notes Se'tak had received and promised to investigate further. Other than that there was nothing they could do except wait for the stalker to make a wrong move. Going forward 'Tak held his breath. He received the odd letter here and there which he dutifully reported to the cops but Marie was—surprisingly—left out of it. He was grateful for her exclusion.

2356 Gatlin Street, Paris, France, 2291.116, 1615 hours. They made love once again in her room and were both naked under the sheets. Marie lay on her stomach and Se'tak idly traced shapes and patterns across her back with his index finger.

"I have a favor to ask," she said casually.

"Of course, mon chere*." Se'tak didn't stop, tracing k'diwa and Vaksurik in loops over her pale skin.

"Well my parents are coming to town this weekend to celebrate their anniversary," she began. Turning over on her pillow to face him she added, "And they'd like to meet you while they're here."

'Tak's heart skipped a beat in trepidation, visions of a French Uncle Leonard dragging him through the streets of Paris in nothing but his skivvies dancing through his head. "What?!" he blurted out before quickly adding, "I mean, are you sure? I've never exactly been the parent type. Girls never want to introduce me to their parents; in fact it's usually the opposite…" More flashbacks, this time from his college days, when a rather vivacious brunette named Silvana shoved him unceremoniously in her closet after a surprise visit from her parents. He spent the better part of 3 hours studying her clothes, shoes, and accessories before getting the all clear.

Marie twined her hand with his. "Well I think you are the parent type and I want the people I love to meet one another."

There. She said it. And as much as he cared for her Se'tak couldn't quite bring himself to say those 3 little words back yet. Instead he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it reverently. "Alright, I'll do it."

His Verte Fille des Yeux* drew him to her and kissed him sweetly on the mouth. He felt as though he was just this side of Heaven.

Restaurant Evangeline, Paris, France, 2291.121,1220 hours.They were set to meet Marie's parents at a little restaurant in the heart of the city. It was small, clean, and unpretentious, the kind of place that catered to locals rather than tourists. An attack of nerves forced him out the door and for once in his life Se'tak was early for a meeting rather than 'fashionably' late. As they waited outside he paced the cobblestone streets with his head hung low. He wasn't good enough for Marie and while she had yet to realize this her parents were going to see it from a kilometer away; then they'd tell her to end things with him and that would be the end of that. His anxiety was beginning to skyrocket when Marie rushed up and squeezed his arm.

"They're here. Mamon! Papa!" She waved at the couple coming toward them.

Tak took in the couple strolling arm-in-arm in their direction. Marie had her mother's eyes, cupid-bow lips, and heart-shaped face while she had her father's nose and coloring. Monsieur and Madame Grier beamed at them and waved, helping to settle Se'tak's nerves. So far so good…

He stood a half step back as Marie embraced them each in turn then began chatting away in rapid fire French.

"You look so pretty!" her mother declared. "Oh how I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too! And I love your dress!"

"Thanks, I bought it just for this weekend."

Her father embraced her next. "Hello, Sweetheart. How are things at your shop?"

"Good, and yours? How's Papy?"

"Things are good. Papy's fine, as cranky as ever. He wishes you'd come home."

Marie put a hand on her hip. "Papa, this is my home now."

"I know that," he coolly replied, "I'm just relaying his message, that's all."

Her mother intervened. "Marie, aren't you going to introduce us to your young man?"

His k'diwa blushed. "Of course. Mamon, Papa, this is Se'tak. Se'tak, these are my parents, Helene and Marcel."

Se'tak stepped forward and did an awkward little half bow. "Bonjour Monsieur Grier. Bonjour Madame Grier." He shook hands with both. "C'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer*."

"Et toi aussi*," her mother replied. "And please, call me Helene."

Her father had a most serious expression on his face. "You may continue to call me Monsieur Grier." The smile fell instantly from Se'tak's face. He was stunned.

"Papa!"

Helene nudged him gently in the ribs and rolled her eyes. "Really, mon chere…"

The man grinned broadly. "Just kidding. Call me Marcel, please."

"You know you speak French remarkably well," Helene remarked, steering the conversation back to neutral territory. "Almost like a native."

Se'tak blushed. "Merci. My mother wouldn't have had it any other way."

"Oh? Is she French?"

He grinned and shook his head. "No, she's from Kenya originally, but she studied as a linguist. A xenolinguist, actually."

"Comment incroyable*…"

"Helene, why don't we continue this conversation inside where we'll all be more comfortable?" Marcel guided his wife toward the entrance and held the door open for her just as Se'tak moved to do the same for Marie. The ladies entered arm-in-arm, smiling broadly, and Marcel grinned at his chivalry. "Good man."

Turned out he did know how to make a good impression on parents after all.

Together the 4 of them spent the next 2 hours savoring course after course of fine French food while getting to know one another.

"…and that was just on my second trip to Gideon."

Helene clapped her hands. "How amazing!"

"Truly remarkable," Marcel declared, looking rather impressed.

Se'tak grinned. "It was quite a trip."

Marie nudged him and teased, "You never told me what a troublemaker you were…" Their server walked up to the table bearing a tray of crème brûlées saving him divulging more about his 'devious' past. As they tapped into their desserts 'Tak asked after their trips on or off planet.

"We've been here and there but we're not great travelers," her father replied. It was a curious remark but as 'Tak took a bite of pastry he was content to let the matter drop. Given his parents' positions in Starfleet and then his own post with the Federation Peace Corp he knew he traveled more than most.

"I'm afraid that's my fault," Helene responded to his unanswered question. "I don't trust space travel. My favorite uncle, he died on the Kelvin."

"I'm so sorry."

Helene waved off his sympathy but was clearly getting misty-eyed. Marcel squeezed her hand. "Our Marie, on the other hand, is quite the little explorer. She did a semester abroad on Dorsa Prime." Now it was Marie's turn to blush. "And she's been to Risa twice."

"Really?" Se'tak gave her a good-natured nudge. "I had no idea."

"It was nothing. Just some fun little trips with some girlfriends, nothing important. And I wouldn't call myself an adventurer either, Papa; half the time I got lost simply because I lack a sense of direction."

"Don't sell yourself short, dearest. You…"

As Marcel went on Se'tak leaned in close. "I can't wait to get lost with you in San Francisco."

Her eyes twinkled. "Neither can I."

He was happy sitting there, their foreheads barely touching, when he became aware that the table had suddenly gone quiet. Looking up he saw Marie's parents gazing at them fondly. "Ah, l'amour," Helene exclaimed.

One eyebrow rose in pleasure. L'amour indeed.

Paris, France, 2291.123, 1344 hours. He'd just gotten the official invitation to Selas and Becca's wedding which was coming up fast. Se'tak was happy for his sa-kai but he was also excited about returning to San Francisco with Marie, showing her the sights and introducing her to his family. He had his back to the door and was tugging on his windbreaker so he could head over to the pharmacy and talk with her when he caught the sound of paper sliding under the door. Turning on his heel he looked down and saw a note in the middle of his dorm room floor, identical to the dozens of others he'd received in recent months.

His stalker was right outside.

Se'tak hesitated for a fraction of a second then slapped his palm on the panel so fast he thought he'd leave a dent in the wall. As the door slid back he whipped his head around, taking in both sides of the hall, and saw a girl with her back to him halfway down that he didn't recognize. She was dressed in a large navy shirt and gray trousers and carried a towel over her arm and a shower caddy in her hand.

"YOU!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "STOP RIGHT THERE!"

The girl froze and he darted out into the hall; placing a hand forcibly on her shoulder he yanked her around to face him. Se'tak's face scrunched up in confusion as he recognized who he was dealing with. "Helia?" She nodded, her eyes large as saucers, fear keeping her voice at bay. "What're you doing here?"

Trembling a little and still at a loss for words Helia pointed to the shampoo and conditioner she carried as well as the damp towel on her arm. It was a convenient excuse for being on his floor but he wasn't buying it. "I…I live one f-floor up," she explained, pointing to the ceiling. "The s-showers b-broke. Main…maintenance t-told us…to use t-the ones d-down here…until-til t-they were f-fixed."

It was possible, and her fear was genuine, but it could easily be because she never expected to get caught. Still eying her with suspicion Se'tak furiously waved the unopened note in front of her face. "Why are you harassing me?!"

Helia looked confused. "Harassing you?"

"The notes!" he spluttered. "The posters!" When she continued to look lost he added in a slightly less-hysterical tone, "The pictures?" Helia just shook her head. "Oh come on!" Se'tak cried. He was well and truly going crazy but maybe that was part of her plan all along. "You've been stalking me for months!"

Helia now vigorously shook her head from side to side. "It's not me," she told him, at long last reclaiming full use of her voice, "I swear."

She was too calm in her refusal for him to dismiss her so easily, but there was still that nagging voice of doubt in the back of his head. "How can I take your word for it when this was just slipped under my door and you were the only one in the hall!?"

"I don't know, but it wasn't me and I didn't see anyone else out here." She peered at the missive clutched tight in his hand. "And that isn't my handwriting."

"Oh yeah?" Se'tak shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "Prove it!"

Helia looked about helpless for a couple of seconds before having a sudden burst of insight that left her patting her pockets and pulling out a napkin. It was from Café Julien and had notes scribbled on both sides. "Ideas for my thesis," she offered.

He compared the handwriting on the front of the note with that on her napkin. There was clearly no comparison but instead of feeling a rush of relief Se'tak was left feeling crushed and vulnerable. All the color drained out of his face as he handed her the note and took a step back from her to lean against the wall. "I'm so sorry, Helia." Se'tak blinked owlishly and looked her square in the eye. "I really am. I shouldn't have grabbed you like that, I thought…"

"You thought I was your…" she gestured distastefully at the note crushed in his grasp, "stalker." She looked at him as if for the first time and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You must be under a lot of stress."

Se'tak let loose a mirthless chuckle. "Understatement of the year."

"I'm sorry," she replied, "I had no idea."

"There are few that do," he added. "It's…it's not exactly something I go around advertising."

"I'm sorry." Leaning forward Helia hesitated then wrapped her arms around him in awkward hug. "You're a good guy, Se'tak, and a great tutor, even if I'm not the best student. If you ever need help…"

Slowly returning to his senses he patted her back. He was ashamed by his earlier actions but glad to know he had an ally in her. Helia may not have looked like much on the outside and lesser people might've easily dismissed her but he knew she was a friend worth having and he was grateful for her support. "Thanks."

They parted ways and Se'tak slunk back down the hall to his room feeling totally deflated. Helia wasn't his stalker but whoever it was she was still out there and that scared him. He was 1.93 meters of almost pure muscle trained extensively in the art of suus mahna but this was one threat he couldn't protect himself and his loved ones from and that thought alone made him break out in a cold sweat.

Once safely back in his room Se'tak unfurled the note clenched between his fingers. It was a picture of him and Marie with her parents at the restaurant and all of the faces had been scratched out save for his. Underneath in bold, capital letters was the question, "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME LOVE YOU?!"

Se'tak sank to the floor and hugged his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth for some time before regaining his composure enough to call Lieutenant Bonhomme and inform him of this latest development.

* mon chere = French, "my dear"

* Verte Fille des Yeux = French, green eyed girl

* "Bonjour Monsieur…" = French, "Hello Mr Grier. Hello Mrs. Grier. It is a pleasure to meet you."

* "Et toi aussi" = French, "And you as well."

* "Comment incroybale" = French, "How incredible."