A/N: so we're skipping ahead in time again, and like always: I have no idea how space travel, space stations, well everything regarding space really works. I do include some fun facts about tiny parts of the astronaut's life up on a space station. Facts I picked up while watching a documentary about the Danish astronaut, Andreas Mogensen.
We're moving into the more angsty parts of this story, slowly with baby steps this chapter.
Thank you to my beta, Jrob64, for helping me beta-read this.
Enjoy.
Chapter 3Three months later: Killian is orbiting the moon
Emma glanced up at the still-dark morning sky, the moon hanging like a thin sliver of silver just above the treeline. Killian was up there, god that was so freaking difficult to understand. She'd said goodbye a week ago, and she knew the crew had arrived safely to the space station Lunar Orbit.
In the months before his launch, they had taken every free moment together they could find. Their relationship grew stronger, and both were more sure of how they would be together once he returned to Earth. Gods, she hoped he would come home safely.
She walked down the halls of her workspace at the Houston NASA facilities. Now that her work with Killian's crew was over, it was time to prepare the new batch of astronauts for the next mission. Mrs Mills had already raved about how good their files were.
"Oh, Miss Swan." Robin Locksley's voice called out from behind her, and when she turned to him he smiled. "Just saw you passing by, I need a word with you."
"Yeah?"
"The emergency contact list for Killian Jones." He explained while she walked towards him.
"Hmm." Emma hugged herself, the memory of one of the last talks she and Killian had shared. He wanted to have her on his emergency contact list along with his brother. All astronauts needed to have at least one emergency contact, just in case. Emma had been an emotional wreck when he'd suggested it. Gods, she didn't want to even think of him being hurt or worse while being on this mission. She wanted him back.
"Come on in and we can complete the papers. Mr. Jones already signed the form, so it's a matter of you agreeing to be on his emergency contact list," Locksley explained while pulling out a piece of paper from his desk.
God, she wished he wouldn't call it an emergency contact list. It felt too much like a prophecy about to come to life. She shook her head, pulling out of her over-imaginative state of mind. She could do this.
"Where do you need me to sign?"
"Right here." Locksley gave her a pen, and she skimmed over the form. It was a standard issue and she'd seen it before in the files of the other astronauts who had gone through the Lunar Orbit missions over the past few years.
While signing, something fluttered deep inside her. She suddenly felt a little queasy and steadied herself on the desk.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just a bit less sleep last night than I wanted." Emma grimaced, recalling how her night had been filled with too many thoughts and restless sleep.
"Take it easy today, yeah?"
"Hmm." Emma knew that wasn't an option, but she gave him a weak smile to ease him off. "When is my first Facetime call with Killian scheduled?"
Locksley pulled out a tablet and tapped a few times, "You have your first one Monday at 2 pm." He put the tablet down. "Remember to come early, so we have time to set you up."
"Yeah, I know the time limit is there." The space station orbited around the moon and there was about an hour of radio silence every other hour while the station was circling the backside of the moon.
"Thank you for taking the time to sign this. I want the paper to be sorted out as quickly as possible for all our astronauts up there."
Emma smiled in return, "I know, and thank you."
"Now you take it easy. You look dead off your feet today. Are you sure you're fit to work?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Emma waved him off and found her way to her office; she'd walked past the staff lounge area and picked up a bottle of water before slumping into her office chair. It was going to be a long day. She rubbed her temple, a headache looming under the surface, and she chucked down the water hoping some hydration would relieve her oncoming pain.
Hours later, she realized things hadn't eased up, and she fought to stay upright for a few more hours until Mrs Mills stuck her head into Emma's office and took one look at her chief engineer. "Go home Emma, and rest. I need you fresh and clear-headed Monday morning when our new astronauts come in. Take the next two days off, and work from home if possible. You still need to look at those last changes the engineering crew suggested."
Emma gave her a weak smile. "I'm sorry Mrs Mills. I don't know what's wrong." She shuffled her papers together, piled them neatly to the side, and picked up her backpack and coat.
"You just said goodbye to your boyfriend, and he flew on a rocket into space." Mrs Mills smiled sympathetically and continued, "No wonder you're a little off."
Emma rushed home, found her bed and crashed for the rest of the day. The next day, she worked a bit at her computer, looking over the new blueprints they had worked on the last few weeks. A few emails were sent to her co-workers, and she took longer breaks and tried to relax during the weekend. Monday, she would speak with the new crew of astronauts and later in the afternoon was her scheduled Facetime with Killian.
Emma settled the headphones over her ears and gave Locksley a big smile. "Ready when you are."
Locksley tapped on the computer, linked up the call to the Lunar Orbit space station, and the screen flickered to life. This was the first Facetime call she would have and her whole body was a live-wire of emotions. Her stomach fluttered when the image of Killian emerged on the screen.
The sound of his voice had her heart fluttering in her chest, and she pressed her hand to her heart. "Hi, Killian." Her voice trembled, and she blinked back the tears forming in her eyes.
"Emma." His familiar voice sounded almost as clear as if he'd been in the room with her. He touched the screen, his blue eyes reflecting in the surrounding lights. It was strange seeing him floating in the air, his hair standing up in the weightlessness.
"How was your trip?" Emma asked.
"We had no problems. It was smooth and with no hiccups."
"So you settled in nicely?"
"Aye, I have. Things are good up here." He blinked and floated closer to the screen, "How are you, Emma?"
God, she hated that he could see her emotions so clearly through the screen. She gulped, "I miss you."
"I miss you too, love." He rubbed over his face. "It's going to feel like an eternity, but it's just four months, love and then I'm back on earth with you."
"I know, but it feels like forever." Her hand dropped to her stomach. Gods, she needed him here right now. It was selfish she knew, but she couldn't wait for him to be back so they could start a new future together.
"Promise me something, Emma?"
"Yeah?"
"Look to the sky every night, you know where the moon is even when it's cloudy, and remember that I will come back. Know this in your heart, aye?"
"I know. I love that you got this chance to go to space like you always wanted. I'm just being a little selfish here I guess." She gave him a weak smile.
"I don't consider that selfish. This is a new adventure for me, and knowing that my beautiful and super clever genius of a girlfriend helped build this space station makes me so bloody proud of you." He grinned when she placed her hands over her heated face.
"Stop it," Emma laughed and shook her head. She never was good at receiving compliments about her brilliant mind. She knew with her engineering mind that the things that could go wrong were so minuscule that it was a rare freak chance of anything happening on this mission, but worry still gnawed at her insides.
"You are bloody brilliant," Killian countered and tapped the screen, his eyes turning wistful. "I wish I could reach through this screen and touch you. Gods, I miss feeling you in my arms."
"You've only been away for a week," Emma sighed, "But I know what you mean. I love waking up in your arms." She winked at him and looked down at her clasped hands, recalling the last night they spent together. It was late before they had had their fill of each other. They had taken this next huge step in their relationship only a few weeks prior. Ever since that day, they had barely stayed apart for one night. "Move in with me?"
"What?" Emma laughed. "I'm not sure Mrs Mills will allow me on the next provision launch so I can live on the space station with you."
Killian rolled his eyes. "When I get back home let's look for a place to live, together."
"Are you asking…"
"Bloody hell no… I want to ask that in person face to face, when I can kiss the living daylights out of you."
Emma laughed, "Good to know."
"We've got this. I know we can live through this and still come out strong at the end. Once I'm back home, we'll begin our life together." Killian shifted forward, his legs floating up behind him. Gods, that looked so strange.
"I want that," she said, then giggled.
"What's so funny?"
"It's just so strange seeing you float around like that." She moved her hand in a circle.
Killian laughed, pushed away from the computer and did a full somersault. The smile on his face had Emma grinning and shaking her head. He was such a goofball when he wanted to be, but so damned focused on his work as an astronaut. Her head had spun when he listed the stuff he would work on while being up there. The list of experiments he and the rest of the crew would work on was endless and quite exciting, as some of it would be for her team to work with once they got back to earth.
Killian floated back to the screen and grinned, "Want me to do more tricks? Did you know I sleep on the ceiling in my sleeping bag?"
"I know," Emma laughed. "I'm so proud of you." She reached out and touched the screen. "Come back home safely."
Killian touched the screen too and smiled wistfully. "I miss you, and I will come back to you, love."
"I know."
A tap on the door made her look up. Locksley motioned at his wristwatch and mouthed, "It's time."
"We need to say goodbye," Emma sighed. "Locksley just came in to let me know." She looked up again and saw that the man had closed the door, giving her a few more moments to say goodbye in private.
"Bloody hell, this won't be easy." He rubbed over his face. "I'll be counting the days to our next Facetime meeting, love."
"Me too." Emma sighed, "I love you."
"Love you."
"I'll look up at the moon tonight. I know you won't see me waving, but I will."
"I'll wave back." Killian gave one last smile and sent her a finger kiss, "Love you."
Emma finger kissed him back, "Love you. Talk to you soon."
"Aye." Killian pressed a button on the computer and the screen went blank.
Emma pushed her fingers through her hair. Damn it, this was going to be so freaking difficult speaking with him like this for the next four months. He would miss out on so much down here that she could not share with him to the fullest, but she wanted to start the moment he returned to earth.
"You okay, Miss Swan?" Lockley's voice sounded from the door, pulling Emma out of her musings.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just… you know." She waved her hand aimlessly in the air as she rose.
"Miss him?"
"Yeah."
"I know, and believe me you're not the first loved one who feels a little helpless the first time they speak with their significant other up in space." Locksley took a seat at the computer and looked up at Emma. "You sure you feel okay?"
"Yeah, just a little tired. It's been a long day with the new crew being introduced and now this call." Emma sighed and picked up her coat. "I'll have to get used to it I guess."
The rest of the day, she still felt a little off-kilter, and she hoped the feeling would subside before going back to work the next day. There was so much she needed to have sorted out now with the new crew. The endless loop of training, and educating the new astronauts about how the newly designed Lunar Orbit space station worked. At least the work would somehow help keep her mind off missing Killian too much.