EXETERRPG: REPOST (2 1000) Lieutenant Greta Smith & CFO Lieutenant Ire Williams

[Robbie Gray]

Mission: A new daydawns

Day: 2

Stardate: 2446.01.28





(Earth - SanFrancisco - Starfleet Medical - Lieutenant Greta Smith & CFO Lieutenant IreWilliams - 1000)





Standing in thegardens outside Starfleet Medical, Greta sighed heavily but happily. Sincegetting back to Earth, she had been under intense counselling and medicalevaluation. As Keira had told her, not many had survived to the same extent, avulcan mind meld. Lots of tests and talking had been done but, since beingthere and away from the ship, Greta had felt a lot calmer. 





There had been talkof her returning to duty at some point. She knew that was coming and, whilstpart of her was scared to do so, she wanted to return to some semblance ofnormality. Looking up at the bright blue sky, she closed her eyes and allowedthe warm sun to soothe her soul.





Ire had finished withone more of his many medical evaluations and wanted to see Greta, to find outhow she was doing. He spotted her as he walked across the gardens and walkedover her. She was standing looking up at the sky with her eyes closed. 





“Enjoying thesunshine?”





"It's soothing.Spent too much time in the dark." She replied honestly. Opening her eyes,she looked and saw Ire. Feeling herself blush a little, she looked down for amoment, "I'm sorry for how I was when you last saw me."





“It's not a problem.You had gone through a lot. I am not surprised you were not yourself.”





"I'm better. Notall the way but at least I can speak properly now." She replied with asmile.





“It's going to be along recovery for the both of us.”





"That istrue." She replied simply.





“Do you mind if I sithere with you for a bit?”





"Not atall."





He sat down and layon the grass.





Sitting next to him,Greta glanced at him and then looked away. "Ire, can I ask yousomething?"





“Of course you can.”





"When you were…bad… when did that happen?"





Ire looked up intothe sky letting sun warm his face before he turned and looked at her.





“It was in theholodeck when me and the others had been taken and put on those trials whenthey killed David Clarke and put us through hell. I was forced to fight aholodeck version of you. I think it happened when she stabbed me with herknife. The nanites must have gotten into my system from that wound because fromthat point I was no longer in control of myself.”





"So… when webroke up, that wasn't you? When I slapped you, that was him?" She askedquietly,  still ashamed at the thought of what she had done.





“Yes but you did notknow that.”





"I knew itwasn't you that fought with me. I knew. I don’t see him when I look atyou." She said and smiled softly. Turning her gaze away, she looked at thenearby flower bed and sighed.





Ire nodded as helooked at her. He fought the sadness and pain out of his voice as he spoke butthe flashes of her wounded and bloodied being left in the isolation chamberflashed through his mind. 





“He may not be therebut his ramifications are.”





He picked up a bladeof grass and began to rub it between his fingers.





"You see what hedid, don't you?" She asked. 





He sighed deeply.





“Yes all the time.”





"It's the samefor me. I see what he showed me. Even now, talking about everything with thecounsellor here. I see it, at night."





“You can talk to meabout it if you want to.”




Grrta looked at him,"it was bad, Ire. Your worst nightmares are nothing compared to what heshowed me. A vulcan bad dream. Think about all the emotion they suppress…" she began and stopped. Closing her eyes, a flash of images filtered intoher mind. 





Taking a deep breath,she opened her eyes and looked at him, "Still see them sometimes. Not as much now."





He reached out andheld her hand reassuringly.





“It will be okay. Nottoday and probably not tomorrow but it will get easier.”





Gripping his hand inhers, she sighed, “I hope so.” Looking at his hand in hers, she smiled, “Stillthink there’s hope for us?”





He nodded and smiledback.





“Yes I do. It maytake some time but I totally do.”





 "Time isgood. Ire, I should be honest with you. If it's one thing that counselling hastaught me, it's the need for honesty."





“Honesty is good.”





"I remember itall. Every part of it."





“All of it?”





"But… I don'tblame you. I don't hate you. What happened was not you. It was her. Allher."





He took a deep breathas he screwed his eyes shut and then breathed out slowly. 





“You may not blame mefor what I did but I do.”





She kept silent,knowing he needed to talk.





“I know it was herbut it was done with my body. I also remember everything that I did to you andeveryone else.”





"This will taketime. But we have each other. Just promise me something?"





“Anything.”





"Don’t shut meout. I couldn't do that again."





Ire nodded.





“I lost you once. Iam not losing you again.”





She smiledweakly,  "Been lost… don't want to be that again. "





He looked over ather.





“You are the mostimportant person in my life. I never want to put you through that again.”





"We go slow. Wedon't rush. Learn to trust again. "





“Yes, that soundslike a good idea.





Sitting next to him,she sighed and looked at him for a brief moment, leant forward,  kissedhis cheek gently and lay her head on his shoulder.





“Thanks.”





"I have to stay.For a little while longer. I should be able to come back on the Exeter though.If that is okay with you?"





“Of course it is.Just as long as you feel ready for it.”





"I need normal.They have been talking about helping me sleep. But I think I might be ready togo back soon. Will you be there?'





“Of course I will. Iwill be here for as long as you want me to be.”


Greta smiled and closed her eyes, her head still resting on his shoulder."I want to start again. From the beginning. No messing about thistime."





Ire smiled.





"If that'sokay?"





“I really like theidea of a second chance and a fresh start.”





Looking up at him,she smiled, "this does not count as a first date."





He smiled back ather.





“I think we can workout a better first date than this.”




He gave her hand asqueeze and he looked back into the sky.





(Reply None)





(Posted by Jackie andRobbie)

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