XXVII.
Cora continues along the corridor of the Hyperion, stepping carefully around the piles of crates and supplies that are being moved towards the Nexus as quickly as they can. As soon as they'd finally been greeted by the head of Nexus security and taken to see Director Jarun Tann and Director of Colonial Affairs Foster Addison, they had discovered that the situation on the station was even worse than they'd originally imagined. They were running out of supplies, of food, of power, and hope.
The arrival of the Ark Hyperion had been the first, and although fourteen months late it had been quickly been made known that they desperately needed their resources for the Nexus to survive. Scott had soon requested a ship, and Tann had shared their plan to colonise a new world called EOS.
Cora knew they were all eager to get out there, to prove themselves and to start colonising so they could start waking people up, but so far they were still waiting for their ship and she couldn't help but wonder if this was another test too. As if they hadn't already waited enough. But that had been before Scott had messaged her, and asked her to meet him in SAM-node. She steps down the stairs slowly; at least trying not to look too eager to see him as she reaches the door to where she knows Scott has been sleeping since their mission to Habitat 7. They'd decided they would try talking to each other, and Cora was glad he was willing to try and not shutting her out completely. Cora leans towards the door; sure she can hear Scott's voice from inside and wondering who is with him as she can't place the second voice.
"Scott, can I come in?" Cora asks, letting her hand come into contact with the door and gently knocking against it. She pauses, and hears that he goes quiet, wondering if he's on a call with someone and then she hears a giggle she doesn't recognise.
"Yeah, it's open." Cora hears his voice from inside so lifts her hand to activate the door when she steps through she spots Scott stood by the SAM console and that someone is with him. She lets her eyes move to her and recognises the dark har at once. Louisa and she has a comforting hand on Scott's arm.
"Hey.." Cora begins, watching Scott glance over his shoulder at her and give her a smile when he sees her. "It's Louisa isn't it?" She adds and sees Louisa's eyes leave Scott and move to her and her nod in response.
"That's right." Louise sighs and she watches her squeeze Scott's arm, which draws his eyes back to her. "Come and see me later, okay? We can carry on talking." Cora hears her lowering her voice and sees Scott nod which makes her smile.
"Alright." Scott nods and Cora is sure Louisa is trying to keep his attention on her.
"Nice to see you again, Cora." Louisa smiles lightly and Cora watches her lower her hand from Scott and her eyes move to hers, so she nods lightly and tries to give her the best smile she can.
Cora sighs to herself and lowers her eyes for a moment when she hears Louisa walking away from Scott and towards the door, feeling her move past her as she leaves. She can't help but feel the same pang of jealousy that she'd felt on the tram when she lifts her eyes to Scott and sees that he is still stood at the SAM console. She knew she'd caused this rift between them, and had no right to feel jealous of Louisa. But Scott had obviously shared with her how unhappy he was feeling and opened up to her and they did have a past together. She couldn't help but wonder if there were still feelings between them.
"Louisa was just checking in on me.." Scott begins making her sigh quietly, she hadn't even asked and she didn't think she wanted to know. But, she hoped she knew Scott better than that.
"I didn't realise you two were talking again." Cora sighs lightly and just notices that he nods. "I'm glad you've got someone." She whispers and notices that he leans against the console.
"It's usually you." Scott smiles lightly and then lowers his eyes to his feet. "Sara too when she's in the mood." He laughs quietly and she watches him rub his fingers against his chin.
"You said you wanted to talk to me?" Cora asks and feels his eyes on her and then he nods. "Is this work-related?" She adds and sees Scott look like he's struggling to know what to say so she steps closer to him and lowers herself to sit on the rail.
"No, it's more personal." Scott sighs and she feels him move away from the console and sit on the rail next to her. "We said we should talk, right?" He adds and she nods.
"What is this about?" Cora asks and notices he glances at her again.
"I think we should talk about Alec." Scott begins and she is sure his shoulders lower at the mention of his name. "As much as this will be hard.." He continues and she nods lightly.
"We don't have to talk about him." Cora whispers and sees Scott shake his head. "I don't want you to be hurt anymore than you already have." She adds and sees him sigh.
"If we don't talk about him this will always be hanging over us." He adds and she feels his shoulder against hers, something she usually found so comforting but now she was worried where this conversation would go. "I know our relationship is worth saving and we can't do that without honesty." He sighs. "Do you agree?" He asks and sets his eyes into hers.
"Yes, I agree." Cora nods and lowers her eyes for a moment, and she did agree, more than anything. "Where do we even start?" She whispers and sees him sigh and shake his head.
"I really don't know.." Scott smiles lightly and she hears him huff. "I think I just need to have some questions answered." He sighs again and Cora watches him scuffing his feet against the floor, showing how worried he is too.
"You want the truth? Even if it what I say hurts you?" Cora asks and feels his eyes on her and nods. "Okay.." She sighs. "If you're sure." She whispers.
"Were you in love with Alec?" Scott asks and she knows he is going straight for the difficult questions, and for the one most difficult to answer. She knew she'd loved Alec, but had she been in love with him? Probably not.
"I don't think I was in love with him. But, I did love him." Cora sighs and sees him nod. "I tried to convince myself that I didn't." She adds and lowers her eyes when she feels his fixed on her. "I tried to stop myself from loving him." She whispers and feels him fidget at her side, clearly feeling uncomfortable with her answers.
"I'm sorry, I know this is hard." Scott whispers. "I want us to get past this." He sighs and she feels him briefly place his hand on her knee. "Why did you sleep with Alec, Cora?" He continues and she glances at him. "Please tell me the truth." He nods and she knows he doesn't want her answer, and she knows he won't like it. She had to tell him the truth, that she'd wanted Alec.
"Because I wanted him." Cora nods and hears Scott sigh at her side. "We couldn't stay away from each other." She adds and lifts her hands to her knees. "At that moment I couldn't find any reason not to." She whispers and glances at Scott who is staring at his feet.
"Not even me?" He sighs and she shakes her head, watching that her reply makes him lower his head. "Did he want you to get back together?" He asks and she doesn't see his eyes leave the floor. "Was there any part of you that was considering leaving me for Alec?" Scott whispers and she sees him look at her.
"He said he wanted to be with me." Cora sighs and closes her eyes for a moment. "Yes, I was considering getting back with Alec." She whispers and feels Scott stand up off of the rail as he has just received an electric shock.
"Jesus, Cora." Scott whispers quietly and she watches him lower himself onto the opposite rail, lifting his arm to wipe his face on his sleeve. Cora feels her heart breaking for him when she watches him place his head in his hands and she can see how upset he is.
"Scott.." Cora whispers but she sees him shaking his head "I'm sorry." She adds but sees him shaking his head again. "You wanted the truth." She whispers and sees him sigh.
"I know." Scott nods and she feels his eyes meet hers. "I just can't believe you made me think you loved me." He adds and she sees him shaking his head and looking at his feet again. "Are you one hundred per cent certain that he loved you?" Scott whispers.
"Scott, I do love you." She whispers. "I'm not certain at all that he loved me." Cora sighs and feels his eyes meet hers. "I have no way of knowing." She sighs and shakes her head lightly. "I never will now and I made a stupid mistake." Cora whispers and feels the lump in her throat.
"But you were certain enough to end it with me?" Scott whispers and she sighs when she hears his question.
"I wasn't going to.." Cora sighs and stands and moves to sit next to him on the opposite rail. "Part of me wanted to believe he wanted me back, and that was the only part that considered being without you." She whispers. "Your right about all of the bad things he did.." Cora adds and feels him looking at her. "But I wanted to believe him and I know I was wrong to keep chasing something I was never going to have with him." She huffs. "Especially when I have it with you." She sighs and notices he lowers his eyes again.
"All I keep thinking is that if he was still here you'd be with him." Scott sighs and she nods lightly. "I don't even feel second best." He adds. "I know how much he hurt you." He whispers and nods. "I saw it for myself." He sighs and Cora lightly lets her knee brush against his.
"You aren't second best." Cora sighs and sees him give her a small smile. "Alec and I had some very confusing feelings for each other.." She nods and hears him sigh. "There was so much hurt and I never knew where I stood with him. I never knew what he wanted." She whispers. "I don't know which parts were real and I know nothing would have ever have been different."
"Cora.." Scott begins and she looks into his eyes. "Are you certain that you love me?" Scott whispers. "I know that he made you doubt that." He nods and she sees him waiting for her answer. "If you don't love me I would understand." He nods. "We can stop this and get over this separately." He gives her a small but sad smile.
"The truth?" Cora whispers and she sees him nod lightly. "Yes, he did make me doubt how I feel about you." She continues and sees Scott lower his eyes. "But it's because I've never felt this for anyone before." Cora sighs and feels his eyes on her. "I did something terrible Scott.." She huffs. "But not because I don't love you." She whispers and sees him nod and smile lightly.
"I've never felt like this before either." Scott begins and she raises her eyes to his face. "I love you, Cora." Scott continues making her sigh. "You know what? If we are telling the truth.." He adds. "You did break my heart and I am hurt." He sighs quietly and Cora looks at him.
"I know I did.." Cora sighs. "You have no idea how sorry I am that I hurt you." She whispers and sees Scott give her a small smile and shake his head.
"I hate that it was Alec and that you still defend him despite how he treated you." He huffs quietly. "But I can't be without you and I don't want to even think about my future without you in it." He nods and she feels his blue eyes meet hers.
"I know." Cora nods and returns his gaze. "I feel the same but I know I don't deserve you to forgive me, Scott." Cora whispers. "I know it will take time until you can trust me again." She sighs.
"I just wish it hadn't been him." Scott nods and sighs. "Anyone but him." He laughs sadly. "I don't know how I can bring myself to miss my dad when he hurt the one person I love more than anything." He adds. "I doubt he had any remorse at all for what this has done to me."
"No, he didn't." Cora whispers and sees Scott nod, he deserved to know the truth. "I wish I'd never dragged you into all of this." Cora sighs and feels his eyes on her.
"Don't say that." Scott sighs.
"I've caused you nothing but pain, Scott." Cora whispers and sees him shake his head. "I ruined things for you with your dad, I almost lost you, Sara, I've betrayed you.." Cora sniffs, feeling annoyed that her eyes feel they have any right to cry when she's hurt him.
"Please don't cry." Scott whispers and she feels him turning his body towards her and notices that he lifts his hand to her cheek. "You've made me so happy, Cora." Scott sighs and she feels him trying to get her to look at him. "Those things aren't your fault." He adds and lifts his other hand to her face. "You've given my life an actual purpose and a reason to want to get up every day." He whispers and she feels him resting his forehead against hers.
"You've made me happy too." Cora nods and sees him giving her a small smile and lower her eyes when she notices her crying is upsetting him. "But you don't deserve this." She sighs and feels his thumbs stroking her cheeks.
"I deserve to be happy and that's with you." Scott sighs. "As much as we are hurting now.." He nods. "We can have a fresh start." He nods and she feels him pressing a kiss against her forehead and then wrapping his arms around her and drawing her into a hug.
Cora sighs and slides her arms around his waist, holding him tightly and wishing none of this had ever happened, wishing she had never let herself get so caught up in Alec and just let her lovely, kind, and too forgiving Scott be the only one she trusted with her heart.
"I'm so sorry." Cora sighs against his shoulder and feels him stroking his hands on her back. "For everything." She whispers and feels him squeezing her tighter.
"l know." Scott sighs. "I'm sorry for making you cry." He whispers and she feels him loosen his hold on her and take hold of her hands in his. "We need to help each other through this." Scott nods and glances at her.
"We've both lost such different things." Cora smiles lightly and sees him nod in agreement. "I think it would be too much to expect us to understand how the other one feels." She adds. "But as long as we are together." Cora sighs and feels him rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand.
"We will always be together." Scott smiles and she feels his eyes on her. "Come here.." Scott whispers and she feels him gently placing his hand on the back of her head and leaning towards her to press a soft and tender kiss on her forehead. "Do you think we could start with being friends?" He smiles when he leans back.
"We've never been friends before." Cora smiles at him and she sees him laugh and then nods. "Alright, let's be friends." She whispers leans against his chest, feeling him engulf her with his arms and wrapping them around her until all she can think about is him. "I'm supposed to be helping in the loading bay." Cora whispers and notices it makes him hold her tighter.
"Wouldn't you rather hang out with me, your best friend, in SAM-node?" Scott smiles and feels him loosen his hold on her and fix his eyes into hers. "I know it's not very comfortable." He adds and she sees him smile.
"I'd much rather be here with you." Cora smiles. "But I need to make sure everything gets transferred from the loading bay onto your new ship." Cora adds and sees his grin. "Not that I don't trust the Nexus staff.." Cora whispers and hears Scott chuckle.
"Yeah, they are an interesting bunch." Scott smiles. "Why don't I come with you?" He asks making her nod lightly and smile; glad he was as keen as her to spend some time together. "Then maybe we could check out the ship together." He adds giving her another smile.
"That sounds great." Cora nods and sees that her answer makes him happy. "Is this going to be weird?" She adds and sees him lower his eyes and nod slightly before looking back at her.
"Us?" She hears him asking so she nods. "Oh yeah, this is going to be very weird." Scott smiles at her. "But, we'll see how it goes and where we end up?" He asks making her sigh quietly.
"Okay." Cora nods and climbs to her feet, noticing that he does the same.