JPL ~ Cmdr Waterhouse & MCPO Caine ~ "I Didn't Mean To Take Up All Your Sweet Time" Part II of III

Posted on Sun Jan 25th, 2015 @ 1:55pm by Commander Amelia Waterhouse & Master Chief Petty Officer Rik Caine

2,142 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: A Spot To Kill

=/\= Continued from Part I =/\=

"Well, if there are threats of fireworks less than metaphoric, you may want to find some protective gear, and not just from the fire," she insisted with a laugh. "Though I'll take it as a kindness if I still have a kitchen when you're done with it." Her eyes locked with his, and she grinned at him.

Rik paused for a moment as he let the look of affection linger like the smell of a freshly baked pie in a country kitchen. Her words about the Syndicate ringing true. He could never forgive them for what they did. "Those hoods took me to the brink of hell, I did things that still make me sick to the pits and even after all that it was nearly worthless - some no good snitch one of their Starfleet officers on the payroll - ratted me out; blew the op and left me as the prize. A lot of my badges are from them".

Her hand moved up to meet his jaw, and she turned in his arms. As she came to face him, her other hand joined the first on the other side of his face, leaving his face cradled in her hands, and the purple hooch in his grip alone. She wanted to ask if the snitch got his in the end, or express sympathy and frustration with the syndicate, but she kept quiet, watching him.

Shaking his head Rik lowered it to rest it slightly on hers "took another year before we got them - I even did three months in a penal colony to get back in - former Starfleet Narc goes rogue - went in with two options. They bought it hook line and sinker... Or gutted me where I stood. Well; here I am to tell the tale. Sadly some kids I felt responsible for... Didn't make it" he concluded lowering his tone for those fateful last few words. That assignment had been his longest and most dangerous; despite everything it had also been the most rewarding. Whatever it was, it left a bitter taste.

"I am glad that you're here, so very glad, but I'm sorry for those who were lost," she all but whispered to him, one hand finding the back of his neck. She took a deep breath, trying to decide what, if anything else, could possibly be said. Any effort to find the words was chased away as the oven chirped at her to tell her the lasagna was due to be pulled out. "Excuse me," she said softly, followed by a quick kiss as she slid out of his arms to head into the kitchen.

He smiled at the comment, sadness of the past mixed with a bright glimmer of what the future had to offer and what this dame did to his mind and senses. "Me too" he commented softly as she broke away from the moment to tend to the dinner. There was little that could be said to stories like that; Rik had heard his fair share from people darkening his door with tales of hoods and sorrow. What could you say without sounding like a cliché? He inclined his head in acknowledgement of the transition and followed her slowly to the kitchen looking around the main room that they had hidden away in for the early morning like pirates in a cove with a treasure well worth guarding.

Rik frowned slightly and called out to the redheaded dame "hey doll? Has that bat'leth always been hanging in your joint just so?" He questioned having not noticed the blade either that morning or the night before. Had his sharp eyes dulled or had he just been blinded he didn’t notice anything but her? It didn't matter - this wasn't work. Lady luck had sent him spiralling dizzy into the arms of trouble and for as long as possible he planned on holding on even if it meant not noticing oversized Klingon weaponry hanging on the wall.

"I hung it right next to the painting when I moved in. I haven't had a chance to play with it since I arrived, so it hasn't moved since, sadly," Amelia answered, reaching into the oven with green mits. Out came a pan full of bubbling goodness that smelled of cheese, garlic, mushroom, onion, and chicken. She set it down on one of the burners on top of the stove. Her fingers flicked at the panel above the stove, setting the timer again to let the lasagna rest, and turn the oven off. "Am I that distracting?" She came up behind him, resting her chin on his shoulder, and her arms wrapping around him.

Feeling as comfortable as being under the softest sheets he sighed as her arms wrapped around him and her head lowered to his shoulder. He smiled as he leaned his head back a little so it rested on hers and brought his hand up to lightly caress over her hand. "It's a beautiful piece and a beautiful painting; I'd suggest a spar sometime but I don't fancy my chances against a dame like you. Sadly it passed me by, you really are" he said kissing the side of her head in response to her comment about being a distraction. "So what masterpiece have you been cooking up in there? Smells divine" he added as the scent wafted into his nostrils like a pleasant breeze.

"That is my first attempt at my gram's chicken alfredo lasagna." She smiled. It smelled right, which meant chances were good she'd managed to follow the recipe. It'd been put together and made ready for the oven the day before, but she'd gotten side tracked when it'd been time to make dinner that night; he who'd prevented it now stood in her kitchen waiting to taste the results. She was half tempted to accuse him of planning it that way.

"Smells mighty tasty. Genuinely can't wait to try your Grandmama's recipe" Rik paused, turning his head slightly into hers "almost as good as you" he said with a small wink and a kiss. He looked back to the painting on the wall and the Bat'leth that accompanied it. "Looks dangerous - but kinda fun". To say Rik loved danger was about as obvious as saying fire was hot. It wasn't that he looked for it either; but like a boomerang to an inexperienced user it always seemed to come back and hit him square in the jaw.

"I can play nice if you really want to see me from the end of the blade. And I'll kiss any boo boos you get." She giggled softly.

Rik made an approving noise before turning in her arms to face her, noses almost touching, ice blues locked on hers as - like a child in a maze - he was lost with that excited anticipation. "Sounds inviting, and you promise to kiss the boo boos better?" He asked chuckling, that roguish grin spreading across his newly clean shaven jaw.

She smirked and shook her head. "As long as you're actually trying, and not just letting me have my way so that I have to play nurse after."

"As very tempting as that sounds doll - I promise, hand on heart, I will not let you win just so you can play nurse" Rik said with a grin and a small wink. Try or not, looking at the painting he couldn't help but accept he didn't stand much of a chance.

Another kiss — she just couldn't resist his lips, especially when he was so close — and she only drew far enough back to rest her forehead on his. It felt so comfortable to stand like that. "Did you intend for the hooch to accompany dinner, or is that for our nightcap?"

Rik sighed, content as he kissed her back; addictive like the strongest drug. For the first time in longer than he could remember he felt like he was exactly where he wanted to be and not where he was needed to be. It was a strange feeling; like the first night in the dream home, but one he could get used to easily. He let his hand slowly rub her arm softly as he leaned his head to half face hers. "Well; you won the bet baby, you tell me - would it go with dinner or best saved until later?" he teased with a smile and quick kiss on the tip of her nose. He smiled again turning back to the painting of exceptional talent. "So, the younger redhead I recognise unmistakably... but who are ya fighting?" he asked with interest "from the same fiery red hair and trill spots - a relative?"

"That is my mother," she answered the simple question as she pondered the other. "She laid the foundation of my combat skills starting when I was pretty young. As she did so, she and I were Noah's favorite subjects when he practiced his craft." As she spoke, Amelia tried to remember the flavor of the purple nectar and weigh it against the wine her Gram had recommended to pair with the lasagna. She wasn't sure if the notes were right, but she remembered it pairing well with dark chocolate. "I think we should save the hooch for our nightcap, I've got some dark chocolate truffles left over from Christmas that should be a treat with it."

Rik nodded with interest as she explained the paintings origin. "He's very talented - you have a lot of resemblance to your mother. And from the looks of it... She trained you damn well in combat" he said thankful that she'd made it out of her past with her life intact and nothing more serious than a lasting badge of that moment. "Nightcap it is, and the truffles sound a gem" he commented after another comfortable pause getting lost in the painting. He turned in her arms to face her, those beautiful eyes, those ruby red lips, that fiery hair - this dame was prettier than any oil on canvas. "Maybe you can teach me how to be better with a blade? Lord knows it could come in handy" he asked with a grin.

"If you really are masochistic enough to face me with a bat'leth in hand, I'll happily teach you what I can," she promised. As she paused, intending to explain that her mother had learned in Klingon school yards and bar brawls, and thus he should find her technique of interest, the timer chirped again to say the lasagna was ready to serve. "Can you grab the wine?" She asked, her hand finding his jaw, smooth as an android's bottom, and pulling him into another kiss. As their lips parted, and she drew away to take the lasagna to the table, her hand lingered just long enough to point his icy blues towards the wine chiller cradled a bottle of Riesling among others in her collection.

Rik let out a content sigh, it had been a long time since he had a place he felt as if he belonged and was something more than a Lone Ranger riding into a dusty town to uphold the law and hunt down those that didn't like a rabid wolf seeking prey. It was nice, it was more than nice. This dame was something special. "As long as you don't go easy on me doll - but maybe no hits in the button, doubt it will be favoured if I turn up with a goog for duty. Maybe we can take the gat and burn some powder too? - we never did get to that; mighty glad we didn't" he said winking and miming a kiss at her as she tended to the dinner. Smelt good. He moved to where she had directed his head and opened the chiller "which bottle ya wanting doll?" He asked turning to face her, a twinkle in his ice blues and a warming smile on his lips.

"The Riesling with the black and blue foil label, cork screw should be sitting out." She set the lasagna on the trivet in the middle of the table, and pulled the cloth napkin off the salad bowl that sat to one side. "Hopefully we can find time to hit the holodeck soon, be it for the gat or the bat'leth. Not sure how much time I'll have once we make it to Atlantis Prime though," Amelia said with a soft sigh as she turned to watch Rik with the bottle of wine. "I know Rochelle isn't looking forward to this, and I'm not either."

=/\= Continued in Part III =/\=

Commander Amelia Waterhouse
Executive Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

Master Chief Petty Officer Rik Caine
Security Investigator/Chief of the Boat
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

 

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