Moving Day

Posted on Fri Oct 2nd, 2015 @ 11:49pm by Lieutenant Riley Sukotav & Lieutenant Raj Amani & Ensign Six of Ten & Ensign Reva Madhava & Desta
Edited on on Fri Oct 2nd, 2015 @ 11:54pm

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Deck 14

When Reva had been released from Piper, she had chosen to go 'home' to Riley's quarters rather than her own, new quarters. Part of her decision was based on Desta - on the idea of making sure Desta felt the quarters were as much hers as they were Reva's.

When Desta was released from Piper as well, just a day after Reva had been, the four: Reva, Riley, Raj and Desta, went to the apartment together. Reva let Desta enter first and was immediately on guard when Desta gasped.

"What? No one should be--"

"No, that was a good gasp, Reva," Desta assured her. "These quarters are enormous!"

Reva followed her in and saw that the living room was a mirror of Riley's. "Which room do you want?" Reva was pretty sure the two rooms were the same. A quick glance into one then the other confirmed that.

Desta headed into one and declared, "This one! This will be my room! Oh! There's a bathroom in here!"

Raj had to laugh at her exclamation. He peeked into the empty room and watched for a moment before checking the other bedroom. “Ops should have everything moved up here within the hour, Reva.”

"Thanks, Raj." Reva wandered into her room and went to the window. After gazing out for a moment, she looked around the room. "Needs a little work to be home," she commented and reached for Riley's hand.

“It’ll get there. Soon as your stuff arrives, we’ll unpack and start settling you in.” He frowned suddenly and looked at Raj. “What about Desta’s room? There’s nothing to bring up.”

Raj considered that a moment and shrugged. “How about I take her shopping and that will give you two some time to unpack?”

A transporter hum started and when it was done, a stack of boxes was left in the living room. "Raj, thank you for getting someone to pack my stuff," Reva said, opening the top box. "Taking Desta shopping would probably be fun, though maybe stressful, too." She shook out a blanket before carrying it to her room and tossing it on the bed. She smiled, realizing that the bed was much larger than the one in her old quarters.

Desta came into the living room. "Could I replicate a blanket? Something for the walls? Can I decorate my room?"

“You can,” Raj answered as he also returned to the living room. “However, since Reva will be unpacking for the next little while, I thought we might hit the Promenade and see what we can find for you. You’ll need clothes and some things here in your quarters. What do you think?”

"Yes, I'd like that," she nodded. "Plus, I'll get to see more of the Station. I'm ready. I don't have anything else to change into."

“In that case, Reva, Riley, we’ll see you later.” Raj turned and opened the door, waiting for Desta to go out first.

“Have fun kids.” Riley smiled. “Leave something in the stores for the rest of us.”

"Bye!" Reva waited till the door closed then stepped close to Riley and hugged him. "Unpack a bit or take advantage of being alone first?"

“You can unpack while I’m on duty.” He kissed her gently. “You can’t take advantage of...huh...I suppose you could but it wouldn’t be as much fun alone.”

"When do you go on duty?" Reva didn't sound pleased about that idea.

“Tomorrow, alpha shift so I’ll be here by afternoon.” Riley stroked her back gently. “You’ll be fine. Raj even offered to do a house call tomorrow instead of having you come to his office if you want.”

Relief that he wasn't leaving her alone now or this evening made her smile. "Good. Help me carry a couple boxes into my room." She stepped away and grabbed a box, then carried it to her room, where she set it on the desk.

Riley hoisted one of the larger ones and followed her in. “So what do you really think about having a roommate for a few weeks?” he asked.

As he set the box down, Reva shrugged, "Is it for just a few weeks? I'm okay with it. I'm more concerned about her - whether she'll be okay and adapt to living after... after what happened." She put her forehead on his chest. "Rye? I don't really want to talk about her." She made it clear what she wanted to do: she unbuttoned his pants and looked up to kiss him.

“You have my attention.” He smiled once more and reached past her to close the bedroom door.

* Later *

They had made little progress on unpacking but both lay happily snoozing beneath the blanket - the one thing that had been unpacked. The door chime sounded and several seconds later repeated. “Reva, someone’s at the door.” He kissed her neck to wake her. “You should see who it is, I’m not exactly in a state for welcoming company.”

She kissed him till the chime sounded again then laughed. "No, you aren't. Especially not now," she whispered as she got up, pulled on pants, a shirt and her now favorite accessory: her bulky cardigan. Leaving her room, she closed the door and hurried to open the main door. She wasn't expecting who it was: "Six! Oh my! How...? Oh, come in."

Six hurried in so the doors would close, then smiled at Reva. “Welcome home, I’ve missed you so much!” She hugged Reva for a moment. “A little birdie suggested you might like to see a friendly face.”

Reva returned her hug, holding onto her for just a moment longer than she normally would. When she released Six, she asked, "A little birdie?" Reva was suddenly wary. "Who?... Oh, Raj?" She laughed. "Sorry. Um... sometimes, worry just crops up. Hey... Riley's here."

“Perfectly understandable.” Six hesitated at the mention of Riley. “How is he? I've been worried about him as I have you.”

"He's okay. He's back on duty tomorrow. You should have seen him," she smiled softly. "He burst in, knocked the guy down and stabbed him. It was glorious," Reva enthused. The scene had shifted in her memories - it wasn't as gory as the reality had been and large amounts of detail were missing.

Six could easily sense Reva’s pride in Riley and she smiled. “I can understand why. He’d do anything for you. That’s always been obvious.” She took Reva’s hand and drew her over to the sofa to sit down. “There’s a certain relief in knowing our men will protect us, as sexist as that may sound. I get that.” Six also decided to skip a few details regarding that sentiment.

"Do you want anything? A drink?" Reva asked. "Do you want to see Riley?"

Six hesitated once more. “I...don’t know. About Riley that is. I’ve not seen him since that day. I do want to see him, so much, but I don’t want him feeling uncomfortable, you know?”

"Yeah, I do. I think that'll happen whenever you two see each other again." She seemed to deflate, lose a touch of the enthusiasm she'd had. "How are you? I haven't seen you since you were in Piper."

“I’m fine. You were gone, I think, by the time I got out. Suresh decided I needed a break from this place and took me down to Archadia for several days. It was nice, but I couldn’t help worrying about you two. You especially. How are you, really?”

Debating how to answer that, and whether she could, Reva looked away. "Physically, I'm fine, Six. Ah... There's a lot I'm going to be working through. He used a pain collar to control what I did." She got up and crossed the room then came back and sat down. "Going to Archadia sounds like a nice getaway."

Reva’s news pained Six greatly and she reached over to take her hand. “I think you should. Have Riley take you down or if he can’t get away, take me. We have a cottage on the hill that overlooks the main city that we use. You can stay there.”

She sniffled, trying not to cry, and nodded. "Thanks, Six. Raj told you I have a roommate now? Her name's Desta. She was on that ship a long time." She smiled and suggested, "Maybe a girls' weekend? The three of us?"

Six smiled and then an idea occurred to her. “You mind a fourth? I’m keeping Falasin with me to keep her out of a...difficult situation at the moment. If you’re curious,” she tapped her forehead. “That will be faster than telling it.”

Reva read Six's thoughts and a flash of anger had her coloring a darker green. "Eli? He hurt Eli? He needs to be stopped," she growled, and it was clear that by 'stopped' she meant killed. It wasn't just that Niro had possibly harmed Eli, but also that he'd so easily replace her - almost before the sheets had cooled from her body heat! "Won't Suresh do something about him?"

“Let’s just say that the matter is being looked into, shall we? On several fronts. You won’t have to worry about him anymore.” Six decided it was time to shift subjects. “So, how soon would you want to go? And is Desta here?”

"Desta is shopping with Raj. As you can imagine, she doesn't have a whole lot to decorate her room." She glanced at her doorway and felt for whether Riley was napping. "I don't want to go till tomorrow, though. Riley has an alpha shift and I need to see Raj. If he okays it, we could leave tomorrow, after noon?"

“That we can do. I’ll let Suresh know and that will give me time to get some food and such delivered.” Six fell silent for a few seconds, then finally spoke once more. “Does he want to see me?”

"Of course," Reva didn't need to read her or ask to know that she meant Riley. "He feels awful about what happened, Six. And he's worried you'll never be his friend again."

“Can I tell you something and keep it between us?”

"Now that I'm not around Niro, yes." Reva ruefully smiled.

“Niro is a sick and twisted voyeur,” Six declared. “But he gets really unsettled when he can’t just wander through your head. I think it actually made him angry. I enjoyed every minute of it.”

Laughing, she nodded. "Yeah. He doesn't like people he can't read." So what's the something?

Suresh is unsure about me meeting Riley. He knows the circumstances but he’s just...worried I guess. I figure it will be better to tell him after the fact than ahead of time, maybe? Once I’ve seen Riley and everything’s okay.

"Look, he's here, do you want to see him?" Reva held Six's hand. "I'm here, if it isn't okay, then...," she shrugged.

"I do, just...I don’t want him to know that Suresh is uncertain about him. I’m sure he feels bad enough as it is. Call him out. I suspect he’s hiding in the bedroom?” She grinned at Reva.

Smiling, Reva acknowledged that with a nod. "Hang on," she disappeared into her room. "Do you want to come out and see Six?"

Riley was dressed when she entered, sitting on the bed. At her question, he nodded. “I do.” He smiled finally. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but you two sounded so excited. I think going to Archadia is a great idea.”

"Come talk to her, Rye," Reva almost whined at him. "Archadia might be fun." Quieter, she admitted as she touched his hair, "I'd like Archadia better if you were there."

“We’ll go but a weekend down there with that bunch should be fun. You’ll enjoy it.” Riley stood and took a deep breath. “I think I’m ready. You coming out too?”

"Yes. I won't leave you to face this alone, Rye," she held his hand and pulled him out of the room with her. She believed it would be easier for both Six and Riley to face each other now rather than later.

Riley emerged from the bedroom and stopped in his tracks. Six looked just as always,as if nothing at all had happened. He reached out, mentally sensing her mood and was relieved to see that she was very happy to see him. He breathed out a sigh and with it came her name in a whisper.

“Riley,” she answered, then dashed around the sofa. When she reached him, he swooped her up in a tight hug.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I don’t know how I--”

“Shh,” Six cut him off. “It’s okay. I promise.”

He nodded and hugged her tighter. “I’m so glad you came.”

“Me too. Everything will be alright.” Six laughed finally. “I need to breathe, Riley.”

“Oh. OH! Sorry.” He set her down and laughed too. “Gosh it’s good to be home.”

If Reva weren't part Betazoid, she would have been jealously angry. As it was, she had a flash of jealousy anyway. Rikey was hers. Smiling without feeling it, she watched them and unwittingly put a hole in her sweater.

“Now that you’re both back, things can return to normal.” Six slipped her arm through Reva’s. “I’m carrying your woman off for the weekend, by the way, along with two others. We’re going to invade the city. Tell him Reva.”

"I did. He knows," Reva nodded and smiled at Riley. "I don't know about normal, though. Normal might not be in my grasp. Not for a while, at least."

“We’ll get you there, honey. Somehow or the other. You have us, you know.” She smiled at Reva, then Riley, whose eyes had widened as he looked at her. “Riley?”

“What? Oh..umm...wow.” Riley rubbed his eyes. Congratulations. He glanced to Reva and raised his eyebrows.

Six’s eyes widened and she blushed a deep red.

Reva glanced from Riley to Six and back as the knowledge Riley had just picked up was confirmed by Six's thoughts. Dropping Six's arm, her reaction was not the best: "You married him? Are you crazy? Six! He's a... he's... awful and ...I can't believe you would do that! What about Vic!"

“No, he isn’t. You just have to trust me on that.” Six’s voice was quiet. “Please.”

Thinking that her friend was blind to the evils of the handsome Romulan, Reva shook her head. An impotent rage hit her; she choked on it and went into her room. Rye, I'm sorry. I can't....

He watched her go, then looked back to Six. “I’ll talk to her. Don’t worry.”

“There’s just….a lot of things about him she doesn’t see or understand. Please make her understand.” Six backed towards the door. “I’ll check with you two later.” She turned and hurried out.

Riley grumbled and ran his hand through his hair. The ever-present lock dropped instantly back down onto his forehead. “Reva?” he called out.

"Come in, Riley." Reva was lying on her bed, crying. "I know, I'm terrible. How could she, though!?"

Riley sat down beside her, gently resting his hand on her back. “Maybe she’s right and there’s a lot we don’t know about him.You know Six and you’ve always trusted her judgment. She wouldn’t do something if it was so bad would she?”

She sat up, turning to hug him. "I don't know. I don't like him. And now, it'll be worse: you've hurt Six, he's going to want to hurt you. It's how his world works."

“I think if that were the case, she would warn me, yes?” He hugged her close. “We should give her the benefit of the doubt, Reva. As for Suresh, well, I have never expected him to be thrilled by what happened but I’ll deal with it.”

"I'm scared. I...," she laughed through her tears, "I find myself wishing Robart were here. I've known him all of five minutes but I want him here to protect you. Six said that Suresh wasn't sure about her seeing you. I'm glad she didn't let that stop the two of you from talking."

“Being unsure and planning murderous revenge are two different things entirely. Married or not, Six would tell us if he were that angry over the situation. Try not to worry. You have more important things to deal with now.” Riley smiled at her, then kissed her gently. “And don’t lose your best friend over appearances.”

"I'll try not to." She held him tighter. "I don't want to see him. Or go to the Pit. That'll make seeing Six tough."

“She seems to come and go all over the station, so try not to worry about that. Suresh has never limited her that I’ve seen.” Riley took her face in his hands, meeting her gaze. “Go down to Archadia with the girls and have fun. Don’t worry about me and Suresh.”

"I'll always worry about you. I love you. But I know you can handle yourself, I saw that with Fisher." She frowned and took his hands. "Marriage? That's crazy. She hardly knows him."

Riley laughed. “Perhaps better than we think. I can understand being sure of what you want. I knew that the day I met you and I didn’t know you at all either.”

"And look at the hurt I've brought you," she said softly.

“Doesn’t matter,” he answered. “I wouldn’t have missed any of it, though I might wish for a better few weeks than you’ve had. But we’ve survived and need to look forward, not back.”

"Marriage? Kids? Retiring from the Fleet when we're old and grey?" She smiled, knowing that everything he said was true.

“We’ll see.” He grinned. “Maybe the first at least. And I like the idea of living long enough to be old.”

"So do I," she kissed him. "Want to practice making the second? Before Raj and Desta return?"

“I’m all yours. Besides, you’re going to be off with the girls for the next two days. I’ll enjoy the time while I have it.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and once more, closed the door.

**************
Desta
Ensign Reva Madhava
Ensign Six of Ten
Lt. Raj Amani
Lt. Riley Sukotav