Temporary Taming Of The Shrew

Posted on Tue Jul 14th, 2015 @ 10:11pm by Lieutenant Riley Sukotav & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Ensign Reva Madhava

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Piper Medical Center / Reva's Quarters

*Piper*

Awake and well aware that she was pretty damned lucky, Reva was ready to head home. Piper personnel, however, were making her wait for an escort. Not even Riley's presence was enough to convince them to let her go. "I just hope it isn't Darwin. I've had enough of him lately," Reva grumped at Riley.

Riley had to fight back a laugh. “He’s just doing his job and they are taking this incident seriously, sweetheart.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “If he’s grumpy, though, cut him some slack. He was up all night dealing with this. Okay?”

"For you, Rye, I will," she kissed him and smiled slightly. "All things considered, I feel pretty good. 'Course, Harding did give me a good dose of pain meds."

“He’s a magician I’d say, to look at you. You didn’t see you when you got here.” He hugged her close, taking a moment to thank Harding, the medical staff and some woman named Bella who’d found Reva and raised the alarm.

"Bella? She's one of Seyla's girls," Reva said as she hugged him back.

"Ensign Madhava," Darwin spoke from the doorway eliciting a groan from Reva, "Doctor Harding tells me you're ready to be discharged." He seemed almost chipper, despite his long night. He nodded in greeting at Riley.

"I am. They've made me wait for an escort, though," she frowned at Darwin, suspicious of the box he held.

He caught what she was looking at and grinned. "The escort home isn't for your safety. It's because you're confined to quarters, except for your duty shifts, and this little device is going to make sure you behave."

Reva nearly shouted, "What!? I'm the one that was attacked!"

"Before that, though, you assaulted a civilian and demonstrated questionable conduct unbecoming of a Starfleet officer. Put your leg up here," Darwin instructed.

"I will not," she said, getting argumentative.

Riley sighed inwardly, knowing this was not going to go well. “Reva.” He kept his voice calm. “It might be a good idea to stop shouting at Security. He can extend your stay as long as he wants if you continue to antagonize him.”

She looked at Riley, at first fiercely, but then calmed down. She took his hand; she had, after all, promised him she wouldn't antagonize Darwin. Still, she glared at Darwin as she brought her foot up onto the biobed.

"Sweet trick, Lieutenant," Darwin said to Riley. He chuckled and pulled the ankle bracelet from the box. As he worked to fasten it - tight, but not too tight - he said, "Actually, this comes from Chief Jenkins, Reva. Not me... well, not directly. I convinced her to go with two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Reva whined. "The only places I can be are work or home for two whole weeks? What am I going to do?"

Darwin lifted one brow and resisted looking at Riley. "Read?"

Riley kept his expression neutral by Herculean effort. “Can she have visitors?” he asked.

"Yeah. Seyla is on the no-go list, though." He knew that'd bring a tantrum, so he cut it off, "She's gotten you in enough trouble, Reva and you need to find some other things to do."

Darwin looked at Riley, "I debated giving her rights to be at your place... but didn't."

“Understood, Darwin.” Riley glanced to Reva, knowing she was ready to blow. He squeezed her hand and mentally complimented her on maintaining her composure. “What exactly does this bracelet do?”

"Notifies Security if Reva goes somewhere she shouldn't. That means that if you stray off course on the way home, Gilroy will come find you."

Reva grimaced. "Gilroy?" She knew he didn't like her. "Lemme guess, he'd take me to the brig?"

"Yup. And he'd enjoy it," Darwin tested the bracelet then, pleased with it, said, "Okay, we can head to your quarters."

“Let’s get you home, Reva, and out of here.” He looked to Darwin a moment. I give her about two minutes…

"Ah." Darwin paused and regarded Reva. He could see the dark cloud over her. "Easy way," he tapped his commbadge and called for a site-to-site transport. For just the two of them. He felt a little bad that Riley would be the one dealing with Reva's temper. But, then, Riley was getting to sleep with her, too. He left Piper, whistling softly.

*Reva's Quarters*

"That coward!" Reva shouted and growled. "Two weeks, Riley!"

“It will go by before you know it, as long as you don’t continue to stew about it.” He brushed back her hair from her face and smiled. “Besides, you can have company, we’ll all come to entertain you.” Except Seyla, apparently.

She smiled at him and let him calm her. "Will you stay with me some nights? I have a smaller bed than you do."

“Of course,” he answered with a smile. “You know that a smaller bed just means us being closer. You won’t be stuck with your replicator either. I can bring in dinner from wherever you want. We’ll get through it.” And with Reva in one piece, which was a bonus.

"Thank you, Riley," she hugged him and kissed his cheek. "I've behaved poorly, but you've been here for me." He was more than she deserved, she knew that much.

He let out a slow breath at her words. “I understand your need to see a little of what’s out there, aside from your usual job. I’ve been there myself and the lure is strong. However, and I say this because I care so much for you…..the places you’ve wandered of late are destructive. This attack...you were lucky. I’m lucky you are still with me. But you can’t keep that up. The Pit is not a place to play. Next time…there may not be someone to find you.”

"It isn't that bad...," she started, then nodded, "I get it, though. Suresh rules that area. I'll bet Darwin won't even find anything to use against him." She was suddenly shaky, worse than the night Marcus had carried her out of Iapetus. "Oh boy, Rye, I think I better nap. Or something," she said and started to cry.

He wrapped her in his arms, not surprised when Reva’s bravado finally broke. He murmured some soft, comforting words, then led her through to her bedroom. “You need to kick back, get comfortable and sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up, I promise.”

"Keep me company for a few minutes?" She pulled her hospital-issued outfit off and slipped into her bed.

“Absolutely.” He tucked her in, then leaned down to kiss her. “You have nothing to worry about at all.” Reaching over to her desk, he took hold of her chair and rolled it to the bed, then sat.

She held his hand and tried not to recall the sight of the spanner as it came at her or the pain of the impacts. Instead, she tapped Riley, mentally, for a happy memory, one like their dinner at the Arboretum. Comforted, she fell asleep fairly quickly.

****************
Lt. M. Darwin
Antagonist

Lt. Riley Sukotav
Tamer

Ensign Reva Madhava
Shrew