She leaned against the counter in the kitchen, still not entirely sure how she got there after their lovely, distractingly pleasant kiss and greeting. She watched him pull out items from the cooling unit. She was pretty sure that they were not replicated (but there was a replicator subtly situated in the wall, thank goodness). As he pulled out a bottle of wine, he stopped, placing it on the counter, still holding it by the neck.
After a pause, he tentatively glanced over to her. "We don't have to eat. Would you rather go hiking? I hear there are some lovely trails and paths close by. Or if you'd like to rest-"
"Let's open up that bottle of wine and catch up." She smiled at his willingness to let her set the pace. And to be honest, she wanted nothing more than a glass of wine (it would most certainly be a wonderful vintage if he selected it) and conversation. Standing in the same room as him was comfortable. She remembered how comfortable it had been all these years.
"I'll be right back," she told him, and went back and grabbed her swingpack, intending on changing out of her travel clothes. She peeked around the corner of a hallway and found a lovely, spacious bedroom. As she entered, she appreciated the minimal decor - simple, dark forest green bedding, two chairs beside the window, and an entryway into a spacious bathroom with a generous soaking tub. She changed clothes, leaving her swingpack by a chair, and went into the bathroom to freshen up.
She wondered how many bedrooms were in the cabin, and decided not to worry about it at that particular moment.
She stepped back into the kitchen, feeling much more comfortable, and he looked up from the counter and a pile of fruit, his gaze sliding down and then up her figure. She was very glad that she had packed the violet dress; it was her favorite, but she never wore it back on the Pasteur for some reason, even when she was alone in her quarters. The fabric was soft and light and yet warm and she liked the way it felt upon her skin.
He looked pleased. "You look lovely. As always." he smiled and looked back down at the counter, where he had begun separating bunches of grapes. She went over beside him, took a block of cheese and a knife and began to slice. Their silence was restful.
He moved the grapes to a bowl, then picked up two apples and plunged them into the sink basin, underwater. How traditional, she thought. Methodically, he began to slice them, the two of them standing side by side in the small kitchen. And he began to speak.
"There was an alternate universe…" And as she sliced the cheese and then moved onto the fruit, she listened as he told her about his experience - awakening in Sickbay, meeting Jack, then her counterpart coming to him, seemingly to say goodbye, and then - he stopped.
"What did she do?" She looked at him and saw the tension in his shoulders, wondered what happened in that universe. He looked over at her then, and she steadily met his eye, mentally praising herself for not shaking in nervousness.
"She kissed me. And told me to go back home. To you." He drew in a breath, still holding her gaze. "These past few years, you and I have drifted apart. Once I was on the new Enterprise, I realized that I missed you more acutely than I ever expected. I tracked the Pasteur, you realize. Kept watch on where you were."
He blinked, and then she was shocked to see his eyes become rimmed in red. "But after the experiences in the alternate universe, I realize that I could certainly survive without you, but it wouldn't truly be living. I want to be beside you, in this life, if you'll have me."
He turned back to the counter, then. "And so I acknowledged my fears and sent you the message. And here we are." He set down the knife. "I'll be right back - I'm going to go collect some more firewood before it gets dark."
And he left the kitchen, and she heard him in the other room, putting on a coat, and then the main door shut, and she stood there beside the counter in shock, still holding a piece of slice of fruit in her hand.
In hindsight, she was somewhat relieved that he had given her a moment alone to process, to simply be. He had always been patient with her, and she had always pushed him, which was one of the reasons why what they had all these years worked so well. But sometimes she needed time alone.
She slowly began arranging the fruit on a platter. She had wondered whether he had had an experience in an alternate universe, whether it had been similar to hers. But even guessing about his experience had been a challenge. Too many variables, too many possibilities, no way to predict what he had experienced - or how he would react. And the fact that he had simply left the cabin revealed his conscientious care for her, yes, but it also revealed his own insecurities.
Perhaps he was as nervous as she was. And that realization made her smile.