Stepping Backward Before Stepping Forwards

Posted on Thu May 16th, 2019 @ 7:34pm by Dixoho Saa (*)
Edited on on Thu May 16th, 2019 @ 7:37pm

Mission: Mission 8 - Shattered
Location: Deck 3 - Senior Officer Quarters
Timeline: MD05 0100 Local
1507 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

As soon the ship was in normal space, Dixoho excused herself from the HELM, handing it over to Eden without so much as a word other than 'take it'. She quickly moved past the Captain, who was barely keeping himself awake, past Selina who stood in the rear of the bridge, looking so confused it nearly made her stop and give the woman a hug. But, she didn’t stop until she got to her quarters. She stepped inside before her knees came out and then fell to deck, the exhaustion both mentally and physically came over her.

A few moments later, Micheal arrived at Dixoho's quarters. There was still much to do, now that they had escaped back to their home universe, however, he didn't care. The only place he wanted to be was right here.

As his biosigns had been listed as authorized, the doors to her cabin slid open to allow him entrance. The instant he saw Dixoho, sprawled out on the deck, the Texan hurried over to kneel next to her. "D! Sweetheart! Are you okay?!" He carefully turned her over to face upwards and then pulled her closer to him, cradling her head and torso with his arms and chest.

The woman didn’t say anything, too stunned to say anything, plus she just wasn’t sure what to say. Finally she moved a little closer, enjoying the comfort. “Been weeks since I’ve seen you.” She mused, thinking back to shore leave before everything had gone wrong.

Realizing that she was beyond exhausted, Micheal simply nodded as he looked down into her beautiful eyes. "I know," he replied in a whisper. "I am so sorry, my love. I had no idea that it wasn't you. Your doppleganger was very convincing."

"She would have killed you if she thought for a second that you suspected that she wasn't me." Dixoho thought back to meeting the woman and how alike they had been. "She's killed for less, according to her husband." She revealed that she had met the woman and her husband.

Micheal nodded slowly, realizing the danger he had been in. He suddenly felt very guilty. His face mirrored his thoughts as he tried to tell the woman he loved something he felt was horrible. "Di....I...we...she and I..." He was finding it quite difficult to tell Dixoho that he and her doppelganger had been together. It didn't matter to him that he had been hoodwinked, he still felt that he had betrayed the woman he loved.

"I already know." The woman said softly as she closed her eyes. "She's quite devious. Master of poisons." The woman said in the same tone. The thought of that woman being in her room, being with the man in front of her, made her angry and hurt, but, it wasn't like he knew it was her.

"I am so sorry, Di. I hope you can forgive me for my weakness. I should've known that she wasn't you! I simply assumed that, following what we went through, perhaps you felt an invigoration of sorts just to have survived. I know I did. I can't apologize enough to you. I am sorry and I love you, deeply."

"How would you have known it was the real me?" She wondered with a small shrug as she made a move to pick herself up from the floor. "Isn't the first time she's done this type of mission or seduced men for the purpose. I heard all about her in the other universe. My guards used to tell me about her and all the awful things she has done."

Micheal quickly moved to his feet and then helped Dixoho finish standing. He still looked miserable. "I...I just..." He was having a very hard time with his guilt.

Dixoho sighed softly and brushed a thumb along his cheek. "Just what?" She wondered softly, trying to work out what he was thinking.

Feeling her soft caress, Micheal broke down and began to sob softly. "I don't ever want to betray your trust again, baby." Slowly, tears began to fall down his cheeks as he found it difficult to look into the eyes of his beloved.

The redhead shook her head. She couldn't handle a man crying at the moment, she could barely keep herself intact enough to handle everything that had happened. "Look, now isn't the time for this conversation at all." She whispered softly as she stepped away from him. "It has been a month since I've been in my own bed. Let's just go to bed and we can talk about all of this over the next few days. I am sure Gregnol will have plenty of questions himself that I will need to anwser."

Finally realizing that Dixoho wasn't angry with him, Micheal quickly tightened up his emotional control. More than likely, it was the overwhelming relief of the tremendous stess that he had been under that was more the reason for his breakdown. Drying his eyes with his sleeves, he quickly followed the young Trill into her bedroom.

The woman knew she was a little cooler than normal but she had been through so much without much time to second guess herself or think about it. She hadn’t slept properly since she had woken up to be confronted by the doppelgänger of Selina. “Are you staying?” She wondered.

A soft smile started to cross Micheal's face. "Yes. I'm going to stay for as long as you'll have me." He started to get undressed. "I need a shower." He started towards her bathroom, then looked back over his right shoulder at her, after peeling his soiled undershirt from his toned, and scarred, torso. "Care to join me?"

The woman took a stepped back and shook her head. "I can't." She admitted softly, realising that he had taken a step in their relationship that she hadn't yet and it left them unlevelled.

Micheal nodded slowly, realizing that Dixoho was uncomfortable. Stopping his movement, he turned to fully face her. "I'm sorry. I've overstepped myself. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable. Perhaps I should go, allow you some time to come to terms with everything that has happened?"

"No... This is just super awkward. You've taken a step in our relationship that I haven't taken yet Micheal." She murmured softly blushing brightly at how ridiculous it sounded. She wasn't exactly new at having a relationship but it felt odd. "Go have a shower and then come to bed." Dixoho didn't want to be alone. It had been horrid in the cell all by herself for nearly a month.

Micheal nodded, then made his way into the bathroom. A few minutes later, the sound of the shower running could be heard. Twenty-eight minutes later, clean and slightly refreshed, he exited the bathroom, wearing a towel around his waist, his chest bare. Moving over to the reclimator, he dumped his soiled clothing into the chute, recycling them. He then moved over to the replicator and ordered a pair of dark blue boxer briefs, a pair black athletic shorts and a black tank top. Moving out of Dixoho's sightline, in an effort to not make her uncomfortable, he then quickly got dressed. Afterwards, he dumped the wet towel into the reclimator as well. He then moved towards the bed. "May I join you, Di?"

The woman was barely awake when the man returned. She was enjoying the warm feeling of it being her bed and smelling just like home. She tried not to think about the fact that her doubleganger had slept in this bed more than likely with this man. "Sure," She said sleepily, not wanting to discuss the mess right now, she just wanted to sleep safely knowing she was home.

Carefully, Micheal slid in next to Dixoho. Not wanting to crowd her or make her uncomfortable, he laid on his right side and gently ran his left hand over her back, applying soft pressure to any spots where her muscles felt tense.

The woman appreciated the connection and touch. "This feels so strange. I've been so far away for a month." The woman sighed a little before snuggling down a little more into the bed covers.

Micheal continued his massage as he responded softly. "However long you need to get your feet back under you, take it. I promise that I won't push you. I'm not going anywhere, unless you want me to, Di." His eyes rested on the back of Dixoho's head as he spoke. All he wanted in the whole of creation, was to take all of her pain away and protect her. He knew that the road ahead for the two of them would be rough at times. However, he was resolute to stick it out and give her all the support that she needed, or wanted.

OFF::

Dixoho Saa
Chief Navigator
SS Mary Rose
(PNPC Gregnol)

Michael Robertson
Chief Armory Officer/Bounty Hunter
SS Mary Rose