Finding the Time

Posted on Sat Jun 4th, 2011 @ 5:20pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & https://starbase900.info/index.php/personnel/character/23

Mission: The Ties That Bind
Location: Coffee Shop, Deck 67
Timeline: Current

* * *Security Offices* * *

Rubbing her forehead with the fingers of her right hand, Oralia realized she had a headache. Not a huge surprise, considering the volume of reports and the number of personnel she was overseeing, as well as the number of petty infractions and requests for aid that the Starbase's Security department investigated or received. With a start, she realized she hadn't eaten lunch... and it was well past lunchtime now.

Grinning mischievously, Oralia opened a commlink to Connor. "Hey, Connor, think you could meet me for a quick break? Maybe the coffee shop on Deck 67?"

Entering his office and preoccupied, Connor stopped suddenly and looked up at the wall chrono as he hit a key on his desk comm. "Aye, I'll be there...besides...I miss you."

"Stop or you'll cause me to have cavities," she warned him.

"I'll try, but you don't make it crushie", he replied smiling, his face heating up, "See you there." and he quickly turned, heading out of his office and through Sickbay.

Crushie? She'd have to ask him about that, soon as she saw him.... No, first she'd kiss him, then ask. Just as she was about to head out of her office, Gilroy came in, disrupting her plans. "Commander, the report you were looking for...."

"Stop! Give me five minutes, okay?" She held up a hand and dodged around him in the doorway. "I'll be right back!" He watched her hurry out, knowing that her 'five minutes' would more likely be twenty.

* * *Coffee Shop, Deck 67* * *

Oralia quickly walked towards the coffee shop; she hadn't escaped the Security Offices as quickly as she'd wanted and was certain that Connor would already be there. Walking past the area of chairs and tables set out on the promenade, she was just about to walk into the shop when a man grabbed her arm. Instinct kicked in and she very nearly hit him: but it was Connor and she melted into his arms instead, kissing him. "So tell me what crushie means."

"Hmmm..", his arms around her, he feigned needing to think about it, "Okay, with you, this..." he kissed her back in a way that drew attention from those walking past them, "..is crushie." He said after pulling back. "Waiting to spend time with you, not so crushie."

Giggling uncharacteristically, she smiled at him. "I get it now, Dr. McKinney."

Smiling back as he pulled away, he grabbed her hand, and started leading her into the coffee shop, "I have less than an hour before I am due for surgery."

"Well, then you might just need a security escort back to Sickbay," she said and then ordered a coffee, light and sweet, and a chicken salad on a croissant. Glancing at Connor, she asked, "If you're performing surgery, should you be having coffee? Jittery hands?"

"I don't drink coffee..." he said before ordering his own chicken salad sandwich and a lemonade. "Caffeine raises my anxiety levels", he added quietly.

How had she not known that? She frowned and covered it by sipping her coffee. "What sort of surgery are you doing?"

Connor smiled lopsidedly, rubbing a thumb along his forehead. "It's basically a simple surgery, reconstruction. It seems a Ferengi angered a Klingon, 'n'..." he put out hand to emphasize, before picking up his sandwich, ".. she bit him", he raised both eyebrows, and blew out air, "actually she 'mangled' one of his earlobes..."

"Oh," she chuckled. "That must be the Ferengi injured over at 'The Spot'. That Klingon would have done more if some of my guys hadn't stunned her." Dropping her hand to his knee, she lightly squeezed it. "Do you like the starbase so far, Connor?"

"Mmhmm", he nodded, chewing his food, and then after swallowing, he added, "Sometimes it feels a bit too crowded, but there's plenty of spaces to get away when I need to. There's plenty to do in the Medbay to occupy my mind." He laid a hand over hers, and stared back intently, "Are you liking it so far?"

Sipping her coffee, she smiled, somewhat ruefully. "It's a lot more hectic than the Berkeley. On the ship, I didn't have so many civilians to clean up after. I shouldn't complain," she gave him a brighter smile, "but, I will: I miss having the time to spend with you."

He continued to stare for a couple of beats, wanting to say something, one at least partial solution on his mind. Instead his face clouded over, as he remembered her reaction when he first suggested it. Rubbing his forehead instead, he looked away, "Yeah, same here..."

He was easy for her to read, now; when they'd first started this ...relationship, the word made her want to cringe... she hadn't understood him at all. But now, his thought process was practically emblazoned on his forehead. Shifting closer to him, she caught his chin and turned his head to look at her. "Hey, I know... if we were sharing quarters, it'd be easy to see each other, right? I have to tell you that Iggy is a terrible roommate," she smiled at her own joke. "It's not off the table completely, Connor, but just... not right now...."

"Yeah.." he replied quietly, nodding as he pushed his plate away. It took a few days for him to work through it the first time the subject came up, and now he felt another one of his 'battles' coming on.

She backed off the topic; it'd probably remain a sore spot for a while. "Well... maybe we could ease some of our angst by getting together tonight? Or will you be too tired from reconstructing an ear lobe?"

He looked back at her, and looking into her beautiful eyes, reminded himself: this was his problem to work out. There was always the fear in the background that he was going to some how ruin things...

Suddenly grabbing the back of her head, he kissed her fully, leaning his forehead against hers as his lips let go. "Reconstructing a Ferengi earlobe, minor surgery," he smiled. "My place or yours?"

"Yours," she chose easily, recalling that he slept easier in his own bed. Her commbadge chirped; it was Gilroy, telling her there was an issue waiting on her and she grimaced. "Work summons, luv. I'll comm you when I'm done for the day, okay?"

"Okay", and he pushed himself back standing up, "I better go as well...", and reached a hand out to her.

Taking his hand, she walked with him to Sickbay, physically with him but mentally thinking about what she needed to do when she got back to her office. At the doors to Sickbay, she kissed him lightly. "Good luck with the Ferengi."

"Thanks.." and he grimaced, "Have you ever heard a Ferengi scream when they are frightened?", then exaggerating the dread as he walked backwards a couple of feet before turning around to walk away.

Waving, Oralia headed the other way and ended up jogging back to the Security Offices.

___________________________
Lt.Cmdr. Oralia Zeferino

&

Lt. Connor McKinney