Fly Me To The Moon - Part One

Posted on Sat Jul 7th, 2012 @ 11:21am by Cassidy Wilde & Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad & Jackson Banning V
Edited on on Sat Jul 7th, 2012 @ 11:35am

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: The Nexus Club

* * * The Nexus Club * * *

Vic’s words from earlier in the night came to pass. It had ended up being a long night. Not only had Jackson left early and upset, but Jan had disappeared right after her set as well. That left her and Vic to close up after chasing the rest of the employees home for the night.

Finally finished, Cassidy stood at the large concert grand piano on stage, letting her fingers drift over the keys, lightly pressing down. The notes she played slowly came together to become You Don’t Know Me. No one was left in the club except Vic and he was making sure the rear entrance was locked up.

The acoustics in the lounge were amazing. She stopped playing, sat down on the bench, smoothing the skirt of her long gown out and started the song over from the beginning, singing the first line acapella in a clear and rich melodic voice.

“You give your hand to me...”

Her fingers started moving over the piano keys effortlessly, coaxing the melody out of the big grand.

“And then you say hello,
And I can hardly speak,
My heart is beating so...
And anyone can tell,
You think you know me well...
Well you don’t know me...”

Vic came walking through from the back and stopped dead in his tracks, staring. He was afraid she’d stop singing if she noticed him standing there. The sound system was off, yet her voice carried easily around the quiet club.

“No you don’t know the one,
Who dreams of you at night,
And longs to kiss your lips,
And longs to hold you tight...
Oooh oh I’m just a friend,
That’s all I’ve ever been,
‘Cause you don’t know me...”

Cassidy sensed someone watching her and looked up, finding Vic standing there in the semi-dark club. Her emotions were still a bit scrambled from earlier, from feeling what Jackson and Oz had felt. Smiling at him, she stopped playing and stood up, taking the time to push the bench under the front of the piano and to carefully close the lid over the keys. She ran her hand over the edge of the big grand lovingly.

“All done?” she asked, coming down off the stage and walking towards him.

“Yeah...I didn’t know you played...or that you sing, too,” Vic murmured. “You sounded...incredible.”

“Thank you,” she replied, truly appreciating the compliment. “Why would ya? I didn’t come ta work here as an entertainer. Eli and Jan have that well covered.” Picking up her small dark gold purse off the table next to Vic, she shrugged a lace covered shoulder. “I wouldn’t mind it, but I’m the hostess...and apparently someone that keeps gettin’ asked ta dance on my breaks now.”

“Can you blame them? Though you haven’t danced with me yet,” he complained.

“That’s because yer workin’ the same time I am.”

“I’m not now.” He held out his hand to her. “Computer, play ‘Fly Me To The Moon’.” While it wasn’t the usual sound system, it was enough. “Come.”

Tilting her head, she narrowed her eyes and smirked. “No, obviously not.” One dance, she told herself. “Oh alright...” Her smirk turned into a smile and she closed the distance between them. Reaching out, she placed her hand in his lightly.

He wrapped his arm around her and they began to dance, Vic moving her across until they hit the dance floor. He was a skilled dancer and light on his feet. “Now this is much better.”

Cassidy was pleasantly surprised by how well he danced and carefully tossed her clutch on top of a table as they floated past. He spun her effortlessly and she couldn’t help it, she laughed, feeling her spirits lifted for the moment from the long day of tension and then the evening’s overwhelming onslaught from Oz and Jackson. It was still there in the back of her mind, but for the moment, she let the music and the dance take her away from it.

“That’s my girl.” Vic smiled down at her. “I thought you could use something to lift your spirits a little. I always loved this song, especially when it’s fitting.”

Her smile slipped a notch, but she didn’t miss a step. He had picked up on how she was feeling? Ducking her head for a moment, she took a deep breath. “I’m just worried about Jackson. He seemed...” Cass bit her lip. Admitting he seemed upset to her wouldn’t exactly give anything away...would it? It had been obvious something was wrong when he lit out of there earlier. “I don’t like to see anyone upset...and he definitely was.”

“Yeah.” Vic hugged her a bit closer as the song segued into Body And Soul. “It’s a rather twisted tale, Cass. And sadly, not a lot I could do but stand by and watch the train wreck.”

The knot in her chest was back. Train wreck. Such an apt term. “I don’t understand why people do that to each other,” she murmured, not really sure she even wanted to talk about this. If they talked about Jackson too long, it might become obvious how she felt about him. Damn her silly heart. Maybe if she didn’t say anything else, Vic would drop it.

“And now? I don’t know what’s up, but I’ll be there for him just as I always am. But right now, no more Jackson, no more Oz or Connor or anything. Just the music, us, and the quiet.” He smiled back at her.

Looking back up at him, she finally found her smile again. “Jackson is blessed to have such good friends in his life like you and Jan. I’ll be there for him as well.”

“He’ll need us all before this is done. So how’s the dance?” The music shifted once more to “Blue Velvet’.

Was she just setting herself up for heartbreak? She refused to think about that right now. Besides...Jackson had enough problems, he didn’t need another one, right? Right. That and she felt invisible.

“You’re a wonderful dancer, Vic,” she answered honestly. “Is it some sort of odd job requirement that ya have ta be a good dancer ta work here?” She could just see it now on a job application. Skills: Good with people, self-starter, dances the waltz, foxtrot, tango...

“Twinkle toes extraordinaire,” she blurted out and started laughing.

“It helps. And I suppose over the years, hearing this type of music all the time, we all just sort of got into it, you know?” He drew her in close and dipped her low. “Good inspiration helps too.”

Cassidy’s hands tightened on him even though her body remained relaxed for the dip. It was just a reflex reaction. Her brows drew together in mild confusion. “Good inspiration? Do ya mean the music? That always helps me.”

“I meant you.” He lifted her back onto her feet and looked down into her eyes. “But it’s been a long hard night. Let’s get out of here.”

“Oh...umm...” She hadn’t expected that, but quickly recovered. “That’s very nice of you ta say that.” Cassidy stepped back, turning to retrieve her purse. Once recovered, she looked up at him. “Thank you for the dance. It was fun, but you’re right. It’s been a long night.”

“And may tomorrow be better.” They crossed to the front doors and he let her go through first, then turned to lock the entrance for the night. Turning, he looked down at her. “You want to go out for a late dinner before you head home?”

Cassidy gave him an apologetic smile and shook her head gently. “Thanks for askin’, but not tonight, Vic. I’m just gonna go home.”

He nodded and smiled. “Alright. Maybe another night?”

“Maybe. That would be nice...”

* * * Cassidy’s Quarters * * *

It took another five minutes of talking to him and a polite ‘no thank you’ when he offered to walk her home, for her to finally be on her way. Vic was a sweetheart and quickly turning into a good friend. He laughed at her jokes and told more than a few of his own.

When she finally made it home, she went straight to her bar. It was mostly for show and guests, since she didn’t bother drinking alone most of the time. She looked at the assortment of high quality scotch, bourbon (including her very own bottle of Banning Reserve that she had brought with her from back home), brandy and a fine, fine cognac and tried to decide what she was in the mood for. Indecision was never a problem for her in most situations, but at the moment, she couldn’t pick her poison.

“Oh hell...” she muttered and rolled her eyes. “Eeny, meeny, miney, mo...” Cass closed her eyes, stretched her arm out and picked one blindly. Opening her eyes back up, she looked at the bottle her long fingers were wrapped around.

Banning Reserve.

“Well, shit. Doesn’t that just figure?” she drawled, her accent strong as ever. Picking up a cut crystal tumbler, she poured herself a double and sat down on the sofa. Lost in the thoughts that were going round and round in her head, she leaned back against the cushions and took a sip. She sat there, nursing her bourbon, and enjoying the warmth flowing down her throat; telling herself she should get ready for bed.

“But I’m not tired,” she mused out loud. “Don’t do it.” Turning her head slowly, Cass glanced at the door. “Cassidy Shelby Wilde, don’t you do it.” Who was she kidding? When did she ever sit back and not do something that was nagging at her so persistently? Never.

Raising the crystal glass to her lips, she tilted her head back and downed the rest of the double. No one was there to see the ‘ooooh weeee, that’s hot’ face she made. Mind made up, she put the empty glass on the cherry wood end table and rose gracefully from the couch.

“Sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”

All evening, after Oz and Jackson’s sudden departures, her normal bright sunny disposition had been somewhat partly cloudy. Aside from Vic, no one (that she knew of) had been able to pick up on her distress. Damned bartenders were too perceptive by far. Hell, they were practically non-licensed counselors part of the time, if you stopped to think about how many people poured their hearts and troubles out to the men and women behind a bar after a few drinks. Tales of woe and of heartache would flow freely and any good bartender worth his or her salt, would have just the right thing to say. They’d offer up some amazing piece of advice, some priceless and profound nugget of wisdom, that would make perfect sense.

Sighing, Cassidy put her own worries aside, left her quarters and headed for Jackson’s. There was no way she’d be able to rest tonight if she didn’t at least try to check on him to see how he was doing. He shouldn’t be alone at a time like this. Not with how he was hurting.


To Be Continued...