Surprises Part 1

Posted on Mon Jul 12th, 2010 @ 3:56pm by Captain Anna Johnson & Commander Ian Casey

1,900 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: On Typhon Station
Location: Various
Timeline: While Jana was with Raven.

Anna had made everything in the basket herself. Chicken salad sandwiches, some hot wings, potato salad, slaw and she had some lemonade and a bottle of wine as well. She had the holodeck reserved and moved to Ian's quarters and rang the chime hoping he wasn't busy.

Ian paused in his effort to move the sofa to its new location and looked at the door. "Enter," he said, trying to figure out who had stopped by.

"Hi there," Anna said as she stepped through the doors. "Jana is staying over at a friends house this evening and I remembered you talking about usually being alone. I thought we could go have some fun. I even brought something to eat." Anna said showing him the picnic basket.

"Hi, Anna," Ian said, smiling brightly. "I could use a break," he said, indicating the room and the furniture in disarray. "What did you have in mind?"

"A picnic perhaps in a park seen or on the beach at sunset." Anna suggested, "I have chicken salad and hot wings in here as well as some sides so I hope you're hungry."

"I'm starving," Ian said. "I sort of worked up an appetite," he added, glancing at the sofa he'd just been moving. "I'm ready when you are," he said.

"Great! Do you have a preference for a location?" Anna asked.

"The beach sounds nice," he said with a smile as he walked to the door and stepped into the corridor.

Anna was going out on a limb here. She hadn't had much luck in the area of relationships. She blamed it on how her father had treated her. For her to reach out to Ian like this meant she trusted him. "I'm glad you agreed to come with me. I was afraid you wouldn't come." Anna said.

"Why would you think that?" Ian asked as he waited for her to step into the turbolift.

"Just how I think. As I have said every time someone seems to be interested they just sort of disappear on me after a while." Anna said then stepped through the doors of the lift when they parted.

"I'm glad you stopped by," Ian said with a smile as the turbolift started moving. "I really do enjoy spending time with you."

Anna returned the smile, "Good because I enjoy spending time with you too." She said.

Ian smiled at her and reached for her hand as he stepped off the lift and began walking to the holodeck. "One of these days I'll have to give you a tour of the flight deck."

Anna took the offered hand, "I would love to see it up close by someone who works there. I have to coordinate them with all the other ships coming and going all the time."

"Any time you want a tour just let me know and I'll arrange it," he said with a smile as he stopped in front of the holodeck. "Do you have a program in mind?"

Anna nodded and let go of his hand to input the program she waned. There was a pier that went out into the water with picnic tables on the area out in the water. In the distance you could see a fair with the Ferris Wheel spinning just far enough away that you could see it but not hear it. Once it beeped that it was ready she took his hand once more and walked through. "What do you think?"

"It looks incredible," Ian replied, looking around. "Is this place real?" he asked as he moved onto the pier.

"It's based off a place my grandparents took me to near their house one year when I stayed with them for a few weeks one summer. Its not exactly like it but as close as I can remember it." Anna said.

"I see nothing wrong with it," he said, looking around again.

"You can actually visit the fair over there too but I thought this would make the better place for a picnic." Anna said as she moved toward the table and pulled out the cloth to put on the table.

Ian nodded and moved to help her with the table cloth. "I'd rather have a little privacy right now," he said with a smile. "We can go over there later if you're up for it."

Anna nodded, "That was why Jana encouraged me to ask you out when she was going to be with her friend tonight."

"This was Jana's idea?" Ian asked, sounding slightly disappointed.

"Not completely," Anna said, "I mentioned it she encouraged it. I wasn't sure you would say yes and she convinced me it was worth the risk."

"You're a beautiful woman and you're a pleasure to be with," Ian said to her. "Why wouldn't I say yes?"

"I just don't have much self esteem in this area. I'm not sure how to act when someone is interested especially early in the relationship." Anna answered.

"Just be yourself," Ian said to her.

"Being myself is what got me into trouble when I was younger." Anna answered.

"Oh?" Ian asked her. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Anna said. "He's dead and can't do anything else to me anyway." She added as she started setting out the food. The waves were gently rolling in and could be heard splashing on the sides of the pier.

Ian looked at her for a moment then nodded. "What are we having?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"I packed chicken salad sandwiches, hot wings, potato salad, coleslaw, tea and some wine. I'm saving dessert for later as a surprise." Anna said now setting out the plates and things.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ian asked, looking at the food as it was placed on the table.

"I think we are about ready to open all the containers." Anna said handing him one of them.

Ian nodded and grabbed the container. He opened it and set it on the table then turned to look out at the water. "Do you ever swim here?" he asked her.

"I have before but not at night. I'm sure the water gets pretty cool after sunset." Anna answered.

"I think it would be fun," he said, looking at the water again before moving to sit at the table.

Anna set out plates and put spoons and forks in the food for serving it. "Help yourself to whatever you want."

Ian nodded and helped himself to some of the food, then waited for her to serve herself before eating.

Anna fixed her plate and poured some sweet tea, "Did you want tea?" She asked.

"Yes, please," Ian said with a smile. "This smells great. Did you make it?"

"I did in fact.: Anna said, "The wings are hot but if you think they are too hot then I made the chicken salad."

"I'm not afraid of a little spice," he said with a wink as he ate some of the food. "This is delicious," he said a moment later.

"Thank you." Anna said with a smile taking a bite of a chicken salad sandwich.

"How is Jana?" Ian asked.

"She's fine. Making friends and adjusting to the move." Anna answered. "She's a good kid."

"Yes, she is," Ian said with a smile as he ate more of the wings. "I really admire you for doing your job as well as taking care of her."

"It's what family is about." Anna said, ~or should be.~ she added in her mind.

"Have you thought about starting your own family?" he asked.

"Not anytime soon. I'd have to be in a relationship for a while before I think about that. I don't want to jump into bed with anyone that comes along. It's too easy to get your heart broken that way." Anna answered.

"That's understandable," Ian said with a nod. "I would love to find someone to settle down with before it's too late."

"It's never too late to find love." Anna said then tasted a bite of coleslaw.

Ian looked at her for a moment before saying, "My line of work has a tendency to shorten the time available."

"How so?" Anna asked.

"I can get called out at any time," Ian replied, eating another wing. "And there's no guarantee I'll come back. Although, I try my best to make sure I do. I have a feeling dying on a mission will hinder my chances for advancing my career."

"Anytime you go on a mission off station there is a chance you won't return. Fighter pilot or anyone else for that matter." Anna said, "There could be a malfunction on the starbase that kills you on the job as well. It's not worth dwelling on."

"My point exactly," Ian said with a nod. "That's why it's a good idea to make the most of every opportunity."

"But if you are afraid to be in a long term relationship then you may miss out on something. I don't want to get too close to someone unless I know that they would be at least interested in a long term thing." Anna said.

"I'm all for long term relationships," he countered. "In fact, I would like to start a family soon. I want to know the joys of being a father."

"Good to know." Anna said then took a bite of a hot wing.

"You know," Ian said, after eating another wing, "I've actually considered changing to another line of work."

"Why and if you did what would you change to?" Anna asked.

"I think it may be time to find a desk job," Ian replied. "I enjoy flying but I think I'd prefer something a little less.....life threatening."

"You could try it but I'm sure you would miss it." Anna said as she she continued eating while they talked.

"I'm sure you're right," he said after a moment. "Flying is in my blood."

Anna nodded, "I would go crazy if I was on a planet for long. Even here I'm getting the urge to travel a bit." She said.

"Where would you go?" he asked, pushing his plate away and drinking more of the tea.

"I don't know." Anna answered, "The only place that would be close enough to be back after some leave time really is Tiberius V."

"I've never been there," Ian said. "What's stopping you from going?"

"I don't know. Maybe the fact that it only takes four hours to get there in a shuttle and that doesn't exactly give me much time to enjoy flying. And nothing exciting between here and there either."

"Who says you have to go straight there?" Ian asked, looking at her. "Why not fly through the system before landing?"

"I might consider it." Anna said.

Ian looked at her for a moment and smiled as he said, "Would you like to go for a walk?"

"Sure," Anna said returning the smile.

Ian stood and moved around the table. He extended his hand to her to help her up.

Anna took the offered hand and stood. "Do you want to walk towards the fair?" She asked.

"That's fine with me," he said, gently squeezing her hand and walking down the pier.

[To be Continued]

Commander Anna Johnson
Chief of Operations/Second Officer

Commander Ian Casey
Air Group Commander

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