It's All The Little Things

Posted on Thu Mar 10th, 2016 @ 9:42pm by Lieutenant Commander Nicolao & Petty Officer 1st Class Drusilla Dupree

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Nico & Dru's Quarters

* Nico & Dru’s Quarters *

Nico had slept hard, no dreams, which was a great thing considering what his past two weeks had been like. He stretched as he woke, sensing it was late morning. Finally, he rubbed his eyes and opened them. Dru’s side of the bed was empty but he smelled coffee and it was exactly what he needed. Finally pulling himself out of bed, he pulled on a pair of shorts and wandered out to the living room.

“Dru?” he called out. Given what Jackson was going through watching Oz be reclaimed from the Borg, and Li dealing with the loss of Sakkath, he had the sudden panicked urge to grab Dru, hold her tight and convince himself she was still here.

“In the kitchen!” she called out. “How many eggs do you want?”

Eggs? It took Nico’s addled brain an instant to process. He felt as if he had been on this Borg mission forever and being back among normal, everyday things hadn’t quite registered yet.

“Umm..two?” He wandered into the kitchen and kissed the top of her head on the way to the coffee pot. “Though I suppose it matters what sort of eggs. Normal ones? Or one of those from that giant bird out on Queral? If it’s that, one will be enough for us and all the neighbors.” He poured his coffee, then did exactly what he’d intended to do - pulled her into a tight hug. He settled into her thoughts, busy and bright as usual, and finally felt like he was home.

She enjoyed being in his arms and fell into him like he was a big, comfy sofa with strong arms that enveloped her. With a sigh of content she hugged him back tightly, but her attention turned back to the eggs on the skillet behind her. Her eggs, and she didn’t like them burnt.

“Chicken eggs from Earth,” she said, turning around and grabbing the spatula. “I’m assuming you want them sunny side up. If no, speak up because they’re about to in.” She slid her two eggs out of the pan and onto her plate and waited a moment for him to reply.

“That’s good.” He reached for his coffee and had a sip. “You could feed me a cardboard box and I’d eat it this morning.” He grinned over the mug, then took another drink. “Feed me then you can tell me how much you missed me while I was gone.”

“I think you know how much I missed you,” she said, grinning over his eggs. “I wasn’t more than two inches from you last night. It felt like you had been gone for years. I don’t like that, but I guess it’s something I’ll have to get used to.”

Nico’s expression sobered and he nodded.”It did feel like years. This particular mission was a hard one for a lot of reasons, physical and mental, and I despise crew losses. Especially this one. Don’t get me wrong, the Marine losses matter too.” He stopped and frowned. “Has Li been in to see Robin yet? Or am I not supposed to ask that?”

“You know I can’t discuss patient information, including who has or hasn’t seen a counselor.” Sliding his eggs onto the plate, along with his toast, she carried both plates out to their table where she had already placed some milk, juice and coffee along with a large plate of bacon. “I figured you could help yourself to the bacon, if you wanted any. I made extra. I’m planning on a BLT for lunch.”

“You are assuming there will be any left.” He grinned at her and began piling it on his plate. “Yeah I know, I’m just worried, that’s all. I am going to sickbay today to see the crew and then I might track her down. She’s had a few days for everyone else on the station to mob her, so maybe things are settling down a little.” A sudden thought occurred to him. “Have you heard from Niro lately?”

“No.” Her answer was short and quite full of anger toward Niro, despite it only being two letters.

Nico’s eyebrows shot up. “So….what did I miss while I was gone? Do I need to go wring someone’s neck after I eat?”

“I’m just still upset with him after what he pulled. And sitting there in the brig like he owns the place, asking to see me and several others for who-knows-what--probably conjugal visits, knowing him.” She sat and stabbed her fork into the egg, bursting the yolk. “I don’t know if I’m upset at myself for actually thinking he was a decent guy, or if I’m upset at him for what he did and how he’s acting now.”

“The brig?” Nico stopped to calculate exactly how long he had been gone. “Did they have a trial or something while I was gone? I figured they would ship him out.”

She nodded. “It looks like he’s going to be housed here, for some reason. I heard the Admiral wanted him off the station and is going to try and flex his Starfleet Command muscles to make it happen.”

“Interesting.” Nico took another bite of his breakfast as he considered the news. “I suppose I should go see him...once. Have they locked down his ship? Considering the modifications, I sure would. I suppose that falls to me to deal with now, huh?”

“His former ship,” she said, “is right now out and about with a Starfleet crew at the helm. I don’t know their mission parameters, but I can only assume the ship was seized and is now property of Starfleet’s Starbase 900.”

“Considering what was done to it, it will make a good Intel ship, don’t you think?” He stretched his leg out beneath the table and nudged her leg with his toes. “How soon do you need to get to your office?”


“Twenty….four minutes,” she replied as she stuffed bacon down her throat. “If you have something better than bacon on your mind, you need to speak up.” She winked at him.

“Not in twenty-four minutes,” he laughed. “I will, however, come take you to lunch if you like? I should be done in sickbay by then and can take a break before I check in with Leto. I’m still off-duty another few days but I need to see her about some things in the meantime.”

“Lunch would be nice. I’ll let you know when, exactly, that will be as the day goes on. Robin has a full plate today so it might be earlier or later than usual.”

“Just call.” A slow smile spread over his face as he looked back at her. “I promise no interruptions tonight. Anyone ringing the chime can go to hell. I don’t care who it is.”

“You realize we can do that every night, right?”

“Well most every night,” he agreed. He had already received a briefing on the looming Krenim issue, but he didn’t bring it up. It was, in fact, carefully hidden away in his head, for Dru’s sake. “More coffee?” He rose with his mug in hand.

She shook her head and finished her last bite. “I’ll just get some at work. I really should be going or I’ll be late.”

Standing, she removed the used plates and silverware and placed them in the replicator for reclamation then back to the table to kiss Nico on the cheek. “So, what are you doing today?” she asked as she walked to the bedroom to change into her uniform.

“Well, after I see Dae in sickbay, then Leto? I’ll likely go see Niro and get it over with before I meet you for lunch.” He followed her and leaned against the door frame, coffee in hand as she got ready to go. “Sakkath’s memorial is this afternoon too. Are you and Robin closing up to come to it?”

“Of course. It would be awful if we didn’t. He was such a well respected person in the Fleet, and a good friend to so many.”

“I’ll wait for you here then.” Nico stepped forward and adjusted the pips on her collar. “Until lunch….”

She winked and kissed him again before heading to work.

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PO1 Drusilla Dupree
Lt. Commander Nicolao
Glad To Be Home