Patience is not a virtue

Posted on Thu Jan 25th, 2018 @ 5:48pm by Major Hailey Weston & Lieutenant JG Siobahn Fallon

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Quarters
Timeline: July 7th, 2399 0010 AM

Siobahn sat on the floor in Hailey's quarters, legs crossed, book open in front of her and a very large mug of of mocha latte cradled between her hands as she alternated between blowing across the top and sipping tentatively at the liquid, even though it had long since cooled to a temperature that was easy to drink. She had read the same two pages over nearly a dozen times and still couldn't make sense of anything she was reading, a sure fire sign she was well beyond any point of awakeness that made it possible for her to absorb information, but she still didn't want to sleep.

Given that they had only just left the station, she knew that Hailey was going to be especially particular about her bridge shift tonight, so Siobahn had deliberately avoided the bridge but she had specifically wanted to wait to see her and to hear about her day.

The soft swish of the doors opening startled Siobahn from her blank stare at the book in front of her, and she looked up, smiling semi sleepily as Hailey walked in. "Oh darlin, you look exhausted..." she said gently.

"It could have been worse?" Hailey said more as a question than the statement it could have been, "Station keeping watch at a starbase is easy.. Underway, there's a full bridge watch, helm, tactical, science, engineering, ops, the works. I still got all of my paperwork done, but always the reports on the hour. It was a relief when Lieutenant Levine took over." She shed her jacket and sidearm before leaning down to deliver a brief kiss, "It's good to be home, though."

Taking a sip of the mocha latte, Siobahn winced with the cold bitter taste before laughing softly. "I was waitin' for you, I guess I lost track of time..." She stood up carefully, holding the mug so it wouldn't spill and carried it across to the replicator to recycle it. "Have you eaten? Do you want a drink or somethin'?" she asked, looking across at Hailey, the concern on her face obvious.

"Well, it's too late, early? For coffee. Hot chocolate?" Hailey suggested, aill thinking, "And I think just a snack of something, really too late for something major food-wise." She unsealed her boots and kicked them off into a convenient corner. "But it isn't all about me, hon, how was your day? Any more exciting surgeries?"

Recycling the mug, Siobahn abandoned the idea of other food and instead just replicated two glasses of water, handing one to Hailey before sinking down onto the couch, shaking her head. "No, I haven't seen Aurore since Henri's surgery, she's a sweet kid. I spent a large part of today just tryin' to read up on the delta quadrant species we have onboard..." She paused, momentarily before continuing. "You know, some moments I suspect a degree in veterinary science might have been more appropriate for a delta quadrant postin'."

Hailey chuckled lightly, sinking down into the couch next to Siobahn and wrapping an arm around her, gently tugging her into her side, "Might not be too far from the truth. It's definitely varied. We got a comm call from a passing Vorish freighter, one of their customs is to contact anyone that passes within their sensor reach, giving blessings from their god to travellers. They actually look like tortoises that walk on two legs, soft-shelled if I saw it correctly, and rather long tails."

Siobahn rolled her eyes and rested her head on Hailey's shoulder. "Please tell me you're kiddin'?" she said incredulously. "Don't get me wrong, they all seem so friendly, at least, from what I've seen, but from a medical perspective... It's definitely not easy... I had to do a medical on one of the new fighters the other day, he's Ts'Usugi, but because he is totally covered in fur I couldn't clearly see muscle and tendon points and felt like I was constantly gropin' him, so awkward!" She sighed softly.

"That really is, especially since genetalia aren't the same from one species to another. I mentioned that tail, right? Well... I did some research, and it isn't quite just a tail." Hailey shook her head.

Laughing with a mouthful of water, Siobahn spluttered. "Oh Gods, that's it," she muttered. "I quit medical... I'll go find a nice quiet position somewhere... maybe I can be a dabo girl, I hear that pays well!"

"And you have to wear nice little outfits that don't cover much, too." Hailey teased, "I'd be there every day, ogling!"

Setting the water aside, Siobahn reached up for another kiss. "If I were a dabo girl, you could ogle all you like... but it's strictly look but don't touch," she countered, her voice adopting the same teasing tone.

"At least when you're working." Hailey's eyebrows waggled, "After hours, you're a free agent and then I could touch all I wanted, if, of course, you let me." How she knew, she wasn't about to just volunteer.

Raising one eyebrow slightly, Siobahn's mouth quirked. "And you know this from all the time you've spent after hours with dabo girls then?"

Hailey laughed, "Not exactly, but when Ami, your hand to hand instructor, was undercover once, well... We used that technique and with what she was wearing, you could tell... Those spots really DO go all the way down."

Siobahn smiled and pulled Hailey's arms around her. "Mmmmhmmm... Just so long as you remember you're mine now..." she replied softly.

"I only touched them that one time, but only because the targ- Customer wanted to see me do it!" Hailey was having fun this time, "But Ami would have to find someone else now, because yes, I'm yours now and I'm not willing to share you with anyone."

Closing her eyes, Siobahn fell silent for a long moment, just contemplating. "Do you think you'll ever get bored with me?" she finally asked hesitantly, not even really sure why the thought had come to her mind, yet now that it had it bothered her. "Your life has always been so intense... I'm pretty boring in comparison..."

"No chance." Hailey said softly but definitively and without hesitation, "Intense is just another word for dangerous and deadly. I've honestly never really had anything, anyone to live for, always have been a loner with only comrades and friends, never anything more despite a couple attempts when I was younger." She snuggled in more with Siobahn "Now? Now I have someone to live for. At some point soon, I'm going to give up being a Raider. I have someone more important to protect now. But I have to get this team together first, get it ready for what it may have to do."

Siobahn smiled vaguely. "You won't give up bein' a Raider," she replied quietly. "I know how much it means to you... it's in your heart, you can't just switch that off. Just like I know I'll never really leave medical..." With a smile she reached up and rested her hand on Hailey's cheek before leaning up to kiss her softly. "And that's perfectly okay..." she finally finished.

"It means a lot to me, but you mean more. And I can give it up if I want to. It's just too fucking dangerous and I've dodged the odds. I can get out, get my battalion, even a regiment once I get my silver oak leaf, or better yet, that post they're trying to steer me to on one of the new fast hospital ships they're starting to build, maybe bring you with me?" Hailey asked her, not afraid of this answer.

"You know I'd go in a heartbeat if it means I get to stay with you," Siobahn replied quickly. "But if it's in the delta quadrant maybe I should switch my post grad from paediatrics to veterinary sciences, you know, just to be safe."

"Just look at it from my end?" Hailey suggested, "I'm still trying to figure out how I'd treat a Ts'usugi with a shattered bone. In trauma medicine, I have to move really quickly, I don't have any luxury of time!"

Siobahn smiled. "See, if it were me I would just go old school medical, splint, strap, pain relief and wait until you have better facilities or at least more comprehensive equipment. But I'm sure there's a better way to do it, which is why I'm not in trauma medicine."

"Actually, that's the gist of it. Patch 'em up and stabilize them, deal with the worst and save the rest for later." Hailey smiled, "The worst is pretty damned bad, though. But you get used to it."

"I don't know that I would ever want to get used to it," Siobahn replied quietly. "To get used to it would mean that things would always be pretty bad, and that usually means death, destruction and heartache."

"And that's another reason for me to quit being a Raider, otherwise one of those trauma cases might be me." Hailey sighed, "Last time I heard, the odds of a marine raider surviving fifty missions is sitting at around forty percent. I've been on eighty-nine of various sorts, some only a few hours, a handful a couple weeks. Before I met you, I was willing, very willing, to take the chances, face the odds. Now? Not as willing."

Siobahn sighed softly, snuggling in closer, pulling Hailey's arms tighter around her. "One of the first things you ever said to me was that you are who you are, and you could never be anythin' but... which is why there was always the chance you would leave and not come back..." she paused for a moment, tracing small circles on the back of Hailey's hand with her thumb. "I told you then that I would never ask you to change, to be someone other than who you are." She stopped again, taking a deep breath. "I lost my parents and my brother within 6 weeks... the thought of losin' you, it makes me feel physically sick... just the thought hurts... I still won't ask you to change or to give up what you love for me... but, I have to be honest, I wouldn't be upset if you did."

"And it's just how much I care for you that makes me actually want to give it up. For once, I don't feel bad about it. For once, the thought of leaving the Raider business doesn't make me feel I'm failing the Federation. It actually feels like the right choice." Hailey squeezed Siobahn tighter, "I WANT to do this."

Contemplating for a few long moments, Siobahn finally smiled. "Isn't it funny how much things can change in such a short time?" she questioned softly. "Perceptions, life, choices... everything..."

"A month ago? I was going to just form a raider team here when I inherited the Marines, now I'm planning on quitting the Raiders." Hailey chuckled "I never would have guessed."

Siobahn laughed softly. "If you had told me a month ago that I would be here, now, with you, having this conversation I would have thought you were completely delusional, I possibly would have even referred you for a psych evaluation," she said with a smile. "But, here we are..." she paused, biting down on her bottom lip for a moment before smiling again and finishing, "Now I can't imagine anythin' different..."

"Now I wouldn't want anything different." Hailey smiled down at Siobahn, "Not now, not ever. I just never expected anything like this. Not after how I grew up."

While she didn't know a lot, the few teeny tidbits that Hailey had shared with her had left her feeling sad that anyone, especially someone she loved so much, could have endured so much hurt as a child. "Maybe that's why you deserve it even more," Siobahn said gently. "Maybe one day you'll tell me more... when you're ready."

"You really don't want to know." Hailey said quietly, "It's in the past, way in the past."

With a nod Siobahn fell silent, closing her eyes and just listening to the sound of Hailey's breathing. "The past can't change anything now..." she finally said with a small smile. "It's millions and millions of miles away..."

"And it can stay there." Hailey smiled slightly, remembering how she'd helped with keeping it that way, "But, I have you, and I like the present far better than the past."

“Mmmmmmm...” Siobahn replied. “I think I like the present far better too... and the fact that we have a whole lot of future ahead too...”

Hailey leaned back and snuggled Siobahn as close as she could, "But for now, I just want to be close to you and this is comfy."

"Now this I can totally get used to," Siobahn replied with a sleepy grin. "I think I'd like lots more of this..."

OFF:

Ensign Siobahn Fallon
Medical Officer
USS Wellington

Major Hailey Weston
Second Officer / Marine CO
USS Wellington