Unexpected Invitation

Posted on Thu Aug 30th, 2012 @ 5:03pm by Cassidy Wilde
Edited on on Thu Aug 30th, 2012 @ 6:09pm

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: The Nexus Club/Lower Observation Lounge
Timeline: After 'Kid Gloves'

* * * The Nexus Club * * *

Vic had been more than a little surprised when Jackson had stopped by and told him he could leave early if he wanted. He had also mentioned Cassidy’s name and now Vic took the hint, and gladly. Once the current list of orders was done and sent out, he turned it over to his relief bartender and stepped out from the bar to find Cassidy.

The evening had been a lot more eventful than expected and not exactly in a good way. First the incident with Ian Bren and then talking to Darwin again. To top it off, the revelation she had belatedly recognized the emotions of the man from the warehouse...after the fact. Mentally, Cassidy was berating herself for not picking up on it at the time. There had been so much happening at once it was all she could do at the time to just brace against the overload of emotional info that had slammed into her when it happened.

Coming back to the present, she smiled warmly at the older couple she had just seated and handed them their menus. “Enjoy yer meal.” After leaving them, she wandered her way through the tables and found a spot to stop watch Jan on stage for a few minutes.

“Hello gorgeous,” a familiar voice spoke at her ear. “Jackson’s letting us go for the night.”

“So I heard.” Turning her head, she found herself looking up into Vic’s dark eyes. “Hello yerself, handsome.”

He slipped his hand around her waist, turning her around and pressing her close. “Shall we get out of here before he changes his mind? You certainly deserve to wrap it up early before anything else happens.”

Resting against him, Cass nodded. “Yes please. I’m past ready ta get outta here.”

Vic smiled and turned, leading her towards the doors and out. “Do you want dinner? Want to get out of these formal clothes, go exploring?”

“Don’tcha like my dress?” she teased.

“It’s lovely. It will look even better on the floor of my quarters...just saying.” He winked at her as they strolled along the Promenade.

”That sounds promisin’,” she agreed. Heat rushed through her at the thought of him getting her out of her dress.

“Perhaps we can do all of the above. Dinner last, I suspect we will need it then.” They stopped as the turbolift opened and he escorted her in, then directed it to one of the lower decks. “Don’t ask, you’ll see.”

The question was already formed so she arched a brow at him. “Don’t ask? Yer funny.” Curious, Cassidy wondered what he was up to. There was nothing to do except wait to find out where he was taking her.

They emerged on a deck near the bottom of the station and he led her along to a little used observation lounge. It was rarely occupied as it was just down the corridor from Saturnalia, and the denizens of the Cherry Pit had little use for such things. He led her to the window that filled the wall and they stood, looking down at the planet that loomed beneath their feet.

The view of Archadia was spectacular, but the memories she had of her time spent there took away some of her appreciation of the scene. In an attempt to shake off the mild downward turn her mood took, she shifted her attention to the stars twinkling in the distance.

Vic wrapped her in his arms as they stood looking out. In contrast to the noisy atmosphere of the Nexus, this lounge was blessedly quiet - something those who worked in such places appreciated more than most people. He propped his chin on her head and sighed contentedly. “Better?”

“A little bit.” The absence of noise was almost complete. All Cassidy could hear was the faint hum of the environmental units somewhere deep within the bowels of the station and the soft sound of Vic’s breathing. A streak of light drew her eyes toward the planet again as a meteorite burned up as it entered Archadia’s atmosphere. Falling stars were not something that could be seen in the depths of space.

“Good. I know tonight was hard on you. You want to tell me about it? Or leave it till later?”

“Which part?” she asked, followed by a slightly bitter laugh. Tension crept back in and she stiffened slightly in his arms. “The part where I was screamed at by a dead woman’s worm, danced with a man drownin’ in so much sorrow he almost pulled me under with him or when I realized that Natalia wasn’t workin’ alone?”

Vic tightened his arms around her as she tensed. “It can wait if you want. Does security know what you figured out about Natalia? If they do, then let it go for now.”

Nodding, Cassidy turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around him. “Security knows now. That’s why I was sittin’ with Lieutenants Darwin and Gilroy at their table, so I could tell them.” She fell silent for several moments. “I think it’s best if we talk about it later. I don’t wanna give my head a reason to start hurtin’ again.”

“Good enough. And tomorrow, sickbay.” He fell silent for a moment before he spoke again. “I am glad we got a little time off before it being so late though. You needed it, and I needed to be here with you.”

“My appointment is at 1100 with Dr. Harding.” Ugh. It was odd to think she was willingly going to see that particular doctor. Tilting her head back, she looked up at him. “You needed ta be here with me?”

“Because I think you needed me.” With a gentle hand, he stroked her back. “And away from work to decompress. To be honest, Cass, I need to be with you anytime I can be.”

Did he have any idea of what he was saying? How it sounded? Hell, was she reading too much into things? Breathing normal became difficult. Licking her lips, she forced herself to ask the question she needed the answer to. “Why do you need to be with me?”

“Because you blew me away the first time you walked in the Nexus. Jackson thought I had lost my senses because I couldn’t focus, all I could think of was you. I was afraid to say so, then that night we stayed after and danced, I knew I wanted this....you. And still, I had no idea how to say so.” A smile lit his face as he remembered that night. “I went home feeling so stupid because I didn’t say anything to you.”

Cassidy remembered that night. It had been difficult on so many levels, but for a short while, after everyone had left for the night and it was just the two of them, she had felt her worries and cares fade away. Jackson had mentioned Vic to her a few times, but she hadn’t listened. Not at the time. She had originally thought Vic was crazy about Jan.

“I didn’t know.” She had sensed something from him that night, yet hadn’t wanted to analyze his emotions at the time. In the semi-dark of the observation deck, her eyes glittered. “You have nothin’ to feel stupid about just because ya didn’t say anythin’. Openin’ up and tellin’ someone how ya feel can be frightenin’.”

“And then wasn’t the right time, Cass. Now is.” He buried his hands in her long hair, tilting her head back for a long, slow kiss.

Melting against him, she gave in and responded. Sliding her hands under his jacket, Cassidy held him close and deepened the kiss.

Finally he gasped for air and pulled back enough to speak. “Remember what I said about seeing that dress on the floor?”

“Mmmhmm...how could I forget? Why?”

“That door can be locked you know.” His voice whispered at her ear. ‘But first I have a question.”

She shot a glance at the door before meeting his gaze again. Here? The very thought sent an unexpected thrill through Cass. “What question?” she asked in a breathy whisper and ran her fingers along the edge of Vic’s jaw.

“Stay with me, Cass, please? I don’t want to be without you. Now that you’re here, in my life, I don’t think I can.” His dark eyes held hers, the longing within them so very clear.

Pulling back slightly, Cassidy bit her lower lip. “What exactly are ya askin’ me?”

“Your promise. Your presence in my quarters....whatever you will give me Cass.” He stopped speaking, surprised that those words had actually come out coherently. They’d been far more jumbled in his head, and belatedly, he realized that if he’d communicated via thought his intentions might be more clear.

Whoa. That was not what she had been expecting. Hell, she didn’t know what she had expected him to say. And here she had been wondering how he felt about her. Feeling a little overwhelmed, she was at a loss for words. “Vic...I...are you askin’ me to move in with you? You barely know me.” They barely knew about each other, but they knew each other...and Cassidy wanted to know him more.

“Will you?” Say yes...

“I didn’t even live with the man I was engaged to.” Yet another thing Vic didn’t know about her.

“From what I heard, that’s a good thing. He didn’t deserve you.” That guy deserved a lot of other things, Vic thought, none of which were pleasant.

“No...he didn’t,” she murmured quietly. “Philip didn’t deserve anythin’ I gave him.” Shaking off negative thoughts of the past, she looked back up at Vic.

“A precious gift squandered, Cass,” he whispered. A fierce protectiveness rose in Vic, making it hard to form more words. The wave of emotion passed through to Cass and he kissed her once more, this time with a fierce, unrestrained passion.

Swept away by the powerful emotions and undeniable passion, a throaty moan escaped her as she clung to him. She held nothing back, kissing him with complete abandonment. Aside from her family, no one had ever been protective of her and it tugged on her heartstrings in a way she never could have imagined.

“Say yes...” he whispered, echoing his previous thought.

It would have been so easy to just say yes, but in between kissing him, Cassidy smiled, the expression sweet and seductive at the same time. “Convince me,” she whispered back, letting her lips brushing against his enticingly.

“Computer, lock the door.” His voice was husky as he reached around to the back of her dress.

************
Vic
Taking A Big Step

Cassidy Wilde
Getting Convinced