I'm still exhausted even after sleeping for the greater part of the shuttle ride to the Seattle Galactic Transport station. We're to take another shuttle to the nearby Aldrin Space Stop at the halfway point between the Moon and Earth. From Aldrin, we pick up the shuttle to Caldos.
"Hey," a hand grabs mine and I feel a kiss on my temple. "Beverly," his tone quests me to look at him. I give him a half smile and receive another kiss in reply, "it's going to be alright."
"The Shuttle for Aldrin Station is departing in 15 minutes from gate 14" the cool voice of the computer sounds from the overhead. A hand pulls me out of the warm seat and we make out way to board the shuttle.
Surprisingly, it's quite empty. I remember when I was a student, getting a ticket to Aldrin Station was a hassle in itself. Now, however, more stations have been built due to the high travelling demands. I'm still surprised, though, at just how sparse our shuttle is.
Finding a seat towards the back, we settle in. I'm intent on resuming my nap. And then it hits me; this is the first time in 2 years that either of us has gone into space. I open my eyes and lift my head from his broad shoulder. "Jean Luc," I whisper to him, pulling his attention away from the padd in his hand.
"Hmm?"
"This is our first time back in space." I watch carefully to see his reaction. This whole trip, Jean Luc has been completely focused on us getting to Caldos. We've been single-mindedly set on making sure that Wes has enough supplies for the next three days to take care of Aaron and Saoirse. Jean Luc still has another week of Spring break, but the time that we weren't spending in Labarre he was going to use to grade papers and prepare a new segment of his curriculum. He's left the grading with Wesley who was only too happy to offer his help. The other bits however will have to wait until we get back. And I was preoccupied with making sure the practice would be all right in my absence.
He looks past me out the window, my gaze following his as we admire the change from blue skies to black speckled with silver. "Yes," he whispers wistfully. I wonder if he misses it. Do moments like these make Jean Luc yearn for the stars again? Does he wish that he were among them, stopping at different planets to negotiate treaties or make first contact?
My body language must have shifted and he noticed it. "Hey," my gaze is torn from the viewport back to him. "Beverly," he angles my eyes to meet his own before he lays his forehead against mine. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking about you, about us... about the stars…" I answer quietly.
His head moves back and forth as he stifles a small chuckle, "no."
My mouth cocks and half grin, "no?"
"No. I don't miss it."
"How did you know that's what I was thinking?"
He shrugs his shoulders, "I just knew." His grin fades and he becomes serious, "I'm happy with what we have, Beverly. Stop thinking that I miss space; I told you that night on board the Enterprise that I would give it all up just to be with you; you've made me happier in the last two years than I've ever been. Even the simplest moments in Yakima bring my more joy that I ever had in my most exciting, rewarding moments as captain of the Enterprise." My half grin becomes a full one and I lay my head against his shoulder and resume my previous endeavor of trying to fall asleep. I remind myself that whatever regrets I may have about my relationship with Nana, I'll never have those about Jean Luc.