She Likes Purple

Posted on Mon Oct 31st, 2011 @ 2:29pm by Jackson Banning V
Edited on on Mon Oct 31st, 2011 @ 2:40pm

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Promenade, SB900

Jackson strolled along the Promenade on his way to the club, letting his mind wander. It had been a few nights since he had seen Natalia home, settled her on the sofa to relax while he got her something to eat. They had talked, mostly avoiding discussing old times yet, then he had shooed her off to bed, barely managing to get back to the Nexus in time for the late show.

The short interlude had been surprisingly comfortable. He knew, however, that eventually, they would have to talk about then. Not that anything untoward had happened, she had been his doctor after all. Or was that investigator? Handler? What did one call the person to whom he was an extended lab experiment? Not that Nat had viewed him as she would any other lab rat. The term made Jackson smile briefly. Nat may not see him that way but there were plenty of others of the female persuasion who did, at least the rat part.

At the time, she had just been following orders. 'Just the usual routine check, Jackson,' was how it had started once a month, always at 900 hours on the third of every month. Without fail. Sulan had always followed him at 1100. For six years.

For six years, he'd tolerated it, watched her go through the motions, watching for some change. There never was. After the first two years, they had all accepted that whatever change had happened that night was permanent and that the checks were simply...maintenance. A 'just in case' meeting. And once that realization had set in, Jackson had watched as her CMO, Dr. Harding, had gotten that look in his eyes. Jackson knew it immediately - that 'you are going to make me famous' look.

He wanted no part of that, and knew Nat wouldn't either. It was what finally made him take off. Jackson knew that with him at large, and with the people he was connected to, Dr. Harding couldn't take the chance that Jackson might run his mouth to someone who mattered. He backed off, leaving Sulan alone and not forcing Nat into helping him. The man had behaved mostly and later, thanks to a few well-placed words in some highly privileged ears by Jackson, that CMO had been reassigned. Dr. Chong had taken over and that had been that, as far as Jackson knew.

Till now. Now, Su was here. Natalia was here. And the old rules no longer applied did they? He hadn't seen her in six years, long enough to sever any doctor-patient ties from the past. He'd been a danger to her then, another reason he'd departed without warning. She was very good at what she did, and didn't need him screwing it up.

And time had passed, but it had been far from uneventful, that was for sure. And now she's here... The thought rose again, bringing with it her words the night as she had reconstructed his nose.

"In time, I could've easily needed you..."

Just how was he supposed to take that? And then the night of Connor's surgery, he had noticed a change in her tone, the way she looked at him. Time seemed to fold back on itself for an instant. Her eyes had held that same expression, but back then he'd recognized it instantly for what it was. This time, not so easily. He was definitely off his game. That was also part of why he'd left then. What he was, was not something she needed. Bad for her personally and professionally.

But now that didn't matter either. Harding was long gone, Jackson was no one's lab rat, and they were on the frontier. That was a lifetime ago.

"So what will you do, Jackson?" he muttered to himself. He had no answer for that. A sweet, heady aroma pulled him back to reality and he saw, with more than a little amusement that he was standing in front of the flower shop. Natalia's expression from the other night when he had so blatantly missed her cue came back to him. Well, what better way to make up for it?

"She likes purple." The sudden voice beside him made him jump. Turning, he saw Kier.

"What?"

"Flowers. You were staring into the window, and I assume it was with a reason." Kier smiled up at Jackson, amused. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out who. As I said, she likes purple."

"Purple. Huh." Leave it to Kier to show up where he was, out of all the places she could be on this massive station. Maybe it was a sign. "How about that orchid, there?" He pointed to the one in the middle, its deep glossy green leaves sprinkled with a mass of small purple blossoms.

"Good eye. I think that will do nicely." She gave him another smile and a pat on the back. "Good luck." She stopped short of saying he would need it.

"Thanks, I'll need it." He said it for both of them, then stepped into the shop.

********

Jackson Banning V
Owner & Man On Shaky Ground
The Nexus Club