Making Amends, part 3

Posted on Mon Jun 28th, 2010 @ 2:40am by Commander Raven Adams & Commander Ian Casey

1,786 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Silent Steps Of Murder
Location: Casey's Quarters
Timeline: Current

ON

[OLD]

"I think you and I will get along just fine," he said, laughing softly as he stepped into the turbolift.

[NEW]

Raven grinned as she followed him. "Is that because I'm not picky, or because I love dessert?"

"Yes," Ian said with a wink.

Raven laughed merrily. "Touché."

Ian laughed with her. "I thought you might get a kick out of that," he said as the lift doors opened and he stepped into the corridor.

"I enjoy a good play on words," she admitted.

"Here we are," he said, pausing in front of his quarters. He looked at her and said, "Should I be worried about letting a spook into my quarters? Should I go in first and clean up any incriminating evidence?"

"Yes, you should be afraid and no, I'd rather see this incriminating evidence first hand. You never know what I may do with it," she teased.

Ian chuckled again then opened the door and stood aside to allow Raven to walk in.

She walked in and took a quick look around. She had long ago learned to look for things that would tell her about the person who lived there. Telltale signs of his personality and interests. She put her basket and blanket in the replicator to be recycled and turned to face Ian. "Nice place."

"Glad you approve," Ian said, glancing around the room. "I really should decorate a little more. I'm not exactly good at that, though." He paused and looked at her again. "What would you like to drink?"

She'd stuck to juice at the concert, but after her faux pas on the holodeck she was feeling in need of something a little stronger. "Sangria, cold," she said, smiling.

Ian nodded and walked to the replicator. He ordered her drink and a glass of Draylaxian whiskey for himself. He carried the glass to her and handed it to her before walking to the sofa and sitting down.

"Thank you," she said, taking the glass and sipping it slowly. She eyed him speculatively, wondering what he'd look like with his hair loose. It was an odd thought to have.

"Would you like something to eat?" he asked, looking at her again.

"That I will leave to you," she said. "I had a sandwich a few hours ago, so I'm good either way."

Ian nodded then stood up to walk to the replicator. A couple minutes later he returned to the sofa and set a tray on the table. "Try these," he said to her. "They're called jalapeno poppers."

"They sound intriguing," she said, setting her glass on the table and sitting down to try one. She popped it into her mouth and took a bite. She'd expected something hot and spicy and she wasn't disappointed. She ate it slowly, savoring the flavor, then she looked at Ian and grinned. "They're great."

"A friend of mine introduced me to them a few years ago," Ian replied after eating one of them. "I'm addicted to them now."

"I think they'll make my top 10," she admitted, popping another one in her mouth.

Ian looked at her and smiled. "I'm glad you like them," he said to her. "So..." he said, looking at her, "now what?"

Raven turned to face him. "What do you mean, 'now what?'"

"What would you like to do now?" Ian asked her. "I'm not use to having company."

"Neither am I," Raven said, laughing. "People either don't want to associate with a 'spook' or they think I'm too weird for words. What do you like to do in the evenings?" she asked.

"Read," Ian replied, looking at his glass.

"Me, too," Raven grinned. "Reading and music."

Ian drained his glass and sighed. "I'm sorry. You're probably bored to death aren't you?"

Raven picked up her glass and took a sip, watching Ian. "Why do you think that?" she asked.

"I invited you here and now I don't know what to do to keep you entertained," Ian admitted.

Raven set her drink down and put a hand on Ian's arm. "It's okay. There's no pressure to keep me entertained. I'm here because I enjoy your company. If you are starting to feel pressure, I'll leave."

"You don't have to leave," he said to her. "If you have a suggestion for something to do I'd be willing to listen."

Raven downed her drink and set the glass on the table. Then she faced him and shook her head. "Perhaps I should leave." She spent a lot of time playing music, but she wasn't quite ready to do that in front of Ian. She stood up and kissed him gently on the cheek. "I had fun tonight. Let me know if you want to go camping." The last was so he'd know that she was still interested in spending time with him.

"Raven, wait," Ian said, standing up and looking at her. He stepped closer, putting his arms around her and kissing her again.

Raven was taken by surprise. She paused for a moment, then her arms crept around his neck and she kissed him back.

"You don't have to leave yet," he said to her.

"Well, maybe I can stay for a few more minutes..." she teased.

"Hopefully more than a few minutes," Ian said, grabbing her hand and pulling her back to the sofa. "Would you like another drink?"

"I think I could handle another sangria."

Ian nodded and moved to the replicator to get another drink. He walked back to the sofa and handed the glass to her before sitting down again. "Where are you from?" he asked as he sat down again.

"Bajor. How about you?" she asked.

"Earth," Ian replied as he sipped his drink again. "Did you like it there?" he asked, putting his hand on her leg.

Raven smiled at him. She was a tactile person and enjoyed his touch. "Yes. It shaped what I did with my life and who I am now," she replied. "I'm only 1/4 Bajoran, but I have very strong Bajoran sentiments."

"It's always good to have a connection with your home," he said to her. "Do you ever talk to your family?" he asked, gently rubbing her leg.

"Yes," she said. "I talk to them from time to time. And I keep in touch with some of my friends." She finished her drink and set it on the table. She reached up and took the band out of his hair, letting it fall around his shoulders. "I've wanted to do that all night," she confessed.

Ian looked at her and said, "If you wanted my hair down you could have just asked."

"True. I could have," she admitted. "But I liked doing it myself." She ran the fingers of one hand through his hair and smiled.

Ian closed his eyes, enjoying her touch. Emboldened by her actions, he moved closer and kissed her again softly.

Raven's fingers again ran through his hair and she sighed. "That was nice."

"Yes, it was," Ian replied, putting his arm around her and pulling her close, enjoying the feeling of being close to someone again. "Do you still want to leave?"

Raven chuckled. She wasn't going to play that game. "I'm not staying just because you kissed me, Ian."

"That's not what I meant," he said to her.

"I know. But you haven't really said what you mean yet, either." She'd spent far too much time with word games and veiled meanings.

Ian looked at her for a moment then nodded. He sipped his drink again and tried to calm his nerves. He was confused by his nervousness. He could fly a fighter into a combat zone and smile the entire time and yet he was nervous around her. He looked at her again and said, "I'd like for you to spend the night."

She looked at him seriously for a minute. "I'm attracted to you, Ian. I'm tempted. I'm really tempted." She paused, afraid he was going to be upset with her, or not want to see her again. "But... I think it's too soon." She leaned forward and kissed him, trying to show him that she wanted to be with him -- just not yet. She wasn't the type to rush into things. To her, two 'dates' on the holodeck was rushing.

Ian looked at her for a moment and nodded. "You're right," he said to her. "I think I need to go to sickbay. I don't know if I can get my foot out of my mouth on my own."

Raven's heart sank. "No, Ian, please." She gently caressed his cheek. "It's the best offer I've had in a very long time. I'm just... cautious by nature. I don't jump into things. Even when I want to. And I can assure you, I want to." She looked away for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I would like to spend more time with you. If, after a few more dates, you still... Well..." She blushed, not sure how to say what she was feeling. She wasn't doing very well.

"I understand," Ian said to her. "I don't mind taking things slow."

Raven smiled warmly. "I'm glad." She tangled her fingers in his hair again as she leaned forward and kissed him again.

"Would you like to have dinner tomorrow night?" Ian asked her a moment later.

"I'd like that very much," she said, smiling.

Ian looked at her and smiled again. "Guess that means I didn't make a complete fool of myself," he said with a wink.

"Not at all. I'm flattered," she said, chuckling. "I also hope the invitation is still open after a few more dates."

"Let's see how dinner goes," he said to her, trying to give her his most serious look. "I'll decide if I want another one after that."

Raven nodded and stood. "I'll say good night, then." His comment hurt, but she wasn't going to let him see that. Then again, if all he wanted was a warm body, maybe it was best if she left. "What time would you like me to be ready tomorrow and where would you like to meet?"

"1900 hours?" he asked as he stood up. "I'll meet you at your quarters and we'll decide where to go from there," he suggested.

"All right. I'll see you tomorrow at 1900." She turned and headed for the door. Perhaps her bad luck with men was, indeed, still in full effect.

Ian watched her leave then sighed and sat heavily on the sofa, mentally berating himself for being such a fool.

OFF

Commander Ian Casey
Air Group Commander
Starbase Typhon

Commander Raven Adams
Chief Intelligence Officer
Starbase Typhon

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