Different Dimension, Same Dance

Posted on Wed Feb 6th, 2013 @ 4:01pm by Captain Li Hawke & Suresh
Edited on on Wed Feb 6th, 2013 @ 4:19pm

Mission: The Struggle Within
Location: Promenade - Alternate Dimension SB900

* * * The Promenade - Alternate Universe SB900 * * *

Li watched as Ricky departed, then turned as she heard footsteps approaching. She'd sensed Suresh close by before she saw him so his appearance was no surprise to her. It was easy to pick him out, given the Promenade was deserted, save for her, Ricky, Darwin and him. Now it was just the two of them and she smiled as he stopped beside her.

"Hungry? If so, there's plenty in here we can whip up for you."

"No, I'm alright. I hit a replicator down in engineering after you left. Is everything alright?" He frowned for a moment as he looked down at her. Exhaustion showed in her face and it was no wonder. Aside from the few minutes of sleep she'd had before Isha attacked her, he didn't recall her sleeping...at all. He reached up to touch her cheek gently. "Li, you're worn out. You can't keep going like this. It's not good for you and they need you too badly for you to be slowly cracking apart."

His words brought a flash of anger cutting through her and she pulled away from him, moving several steps out of his reach. It was an irrational anger she knew, brought on from pushing herself far beyond even her usual limits, but she couldn't stop it.

"So now you care about my well-being?" Her voice was sharp as a knife. "This from the man who jumped out of my closet and held a disruptor to my head? Then fired at the Admiral and brought us here? What the hell were you thinking? Those are not the actions of a man who cares for me as you claim to!" Her voice echoed along the deserted promenade as she whirled around, meeting his gaze with fire in her eyes.

The accusations stirred Suresh's own anger and he took a step towards her. "And I suppose that I'm being measured against your husband? Your real one, not the one here who can hardly bear to look at you. And what has he done Li? Besides try to kill you with his own hands? Who seems to value his precious logic more than you? At least I never hurt you in any way! I could never do that! And yet you cling to him as if he holds the very breath of life for you! "

His words lashed across Li like a whip and she growled low in warning. Quick as a cat she sprang at him, her palm conneting with his cheek. The sharp sound bounded off the empty air around them and then they both stood in frozen silence, breathing heavy, both afraid to say a word for fear of going past the point of no return. He knew that he was dangerously close to that and the next moment could break him forever if he wasn't careful. He wanted to take hold of her, pull her close, kiss her breathless but that would likely ruin everything. He wanted her but she had to come of her own free will, not forced. Finally, he spoke in a whisper.

"Stay with me, Li. You're all I've wanted, all I could think about. Our chances of rescue are slim but it doesn't matter. You deserve someone who loves you without reservation, who can give you what your passionate nature needs, who understands you. You know I do." He closed the distance between them, took hold of her and pulled her in to a kiss that carried with it everything he'd felt for her for so long.

She stood frozen as he finally gave voice and touch to the emotions she'd sensed within him for a long time. He was right, the chances were slim. But the rest, where Sakkath was concerned? He just didn't understand the complexities, the depth of her relationship with her husband. And it was something she couldn't explain to an outsider. Vulcans were extremely private about their personal lives with their mates and Li shared that feeling as well. She knew, however, the depth of Suresh's feelings, they wrapped around him like a blinding aura to her telepathic senses. It saddened her that she couldn't give him what he wanted, but she was not who or what he needed. And he wasn't Sakkath.

"I....I can't," she whispered. "Please....understand....Please." She met his gaze, held there for a moment, then shook her head. A second later, she turned and darted away, needing to put some distance between them.

"Li! Come back!" His voice followed her, growing softer as she got farther away. "Please..."

She continued to run, from him, from temptation, from the fear that she'd never see Sakkath again....and didn't stop till she was in the turbolift going up.

Down on the promenade, the comm badge Suresh wore beeped and Darwin's voice came through. =^= Is Li still there? If so, ask her to come up to C&C? She's not answering her comm badge. =^=

Suresh tapped the badge and answered, his voice husky. "No, she's.....gone. But it's my guess that wherever you and the Admiral are is where she's going. Suresh out."

He closed the link, and then following what he'd said to Darwin, decided to get to C&C as well. He wasn't done yet by a long shot.

*************
Commander Li Hawke
Suresh
Still Moving In Different Circles