Reunion

Posted on Tuesday 25 August 2020 @ 14:43 by Major David Scarlet & Commander Save'ena (Sav) Tillatix

Mission: A Whale of a problem (We're going to need a bigger boat)
Location: Sav's Quarters
Timeline: MD2 - 2100 Hours
1319 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

It would only get worse the longer he waited. And while he could work without it, Scarlet realized that would not be fair to assume Sav didn't want or need an explaination or at least closure.

He stood in front of her quarters for an agonizingly long time before depressing the chime and announcing his presence.

Sav was on the couch stretching over it. She had been doing various stretches since getting her insides repaired to ease her body to back to its full flexible self from before being taken on Apollonia. She heard the chime, the shifted off of the couch and headed to the door. Glancing at her reflection at the side mirror near the door, she realized she might not want to open the door in an undressed state. She telekinetically brought her silk robe over to herself and slipped it on. Now presentable, she opened the door. There, before her, was David Scarlet. Her eyes grew wide as her muzzle slightly opened as she churred out in a surprised voice, "David??" She continued in a lilting voice, "You're here.. you're back... you please, come in, what do you remember of us?"

Scarlet walked slowly into Sav's quarters. He stood silently for a moment while digesting her questions.

"Everything." He said finally. "I... left. Shortly before the incident. I went back to the academy to teach for a while." Scarlet barely looked at her as he struggled to deal with his own guilt. "It was there that I'd read the reports about the Merlin getting lost and then returning."

Sav blinked, her body going still, as she processed what David had just said. "You Left? BEFORE the incident? Sooo.. your memories are intact, you weren't in a temporal shift, crazy didn't happen..."

"I should have been here. Or at the very least I should have given you a proper good bye." He said firmly.

Tears welled up in Sav's eyes as she surged forward, gathering David into a hug. She churred, holding him tight, and replied, "I'm glad you left, your safe, your memories intact." She put her muzzle onto his shoulder, then nipped lightly at his hair at the base of his skull. She could smell herself getting lightly aroused and feeling at ease next to him. "I missed you." Memories of what should have been with Melody, David, and her surged through her mind

For a moment he was taken aback by the sudden embrace. He'd been expecting to be punched or yelled at. This was unexpected. He wrapped his arms around her and fell back into the familiar.

Sav gave David a press against her, then stepped back from him. She shuddered lightly, a grimace across her face. She swallowed, then said, "With what happened with Melody... I thought you were lost to me. Melody has a husband now, and a daughter who is a grownup now, and you were gone... I.. umm.. I am dating the XO, Miles, right now. He understands to take it slow due to what happened to me.. uh.. uh... darn it, can you forgive me? I thought, with Melody being caught into the temporal shifts, lost to you with family... that you were lost to me.." Tears started to run from her eyes and down the sides of her muzzle.

Scarlet gave her a slight nod as she explained everything. "It would have been wrong for me to have wanted you to wait for me without any word or communication. Don't apologize for getting on with your life Sav."

Sav's ears were totally focused on David as well as her whiskers out at an angle as she listened intently to him. He meant every word he just said. She took in a breath to steady herself, then managed to unfreeze as she reached up to wipe away her tears. "Thank you, David, thank you." She churred gently and continued, "I had waited a while before finally accepting a date request. I'm.. so glad you're here. I had been wondering what happened to you, especially with everything that happened to Melody."

"Considering the update I got from the Commander I wasn't sure what to expect in coming here." He paused then and searched for the words. "Are you happy?"

Sav snorted out in light humor at his first words, then became thoughtful at his following sentence. She grabbed his hand and led him over to the couch, then sat down upon it near him. She nodded gently, "I think so. I mean, in having lost Melody as a wife with you, and as she was the one to initiate the dating, I was thinking I had lost you too, especially with the craziness of whatever being catapulted the ship and crew into. So, when Miles started dating me, the screwed up one on the ship, it was, is, very nice. I am happy, but now, some regrets, as you are here again. We were close to fiance status. And, I know you and you know me. I.. am now unsure, can you understand?"

Scarlet remained silent. His own mind was whirling as he digested her words. He'd expected anger or even hatred for abandoning her right before the incident. Instead he was faced with uncertainty and sadness.

Sav leaned close to David, taking his hands into hers. She asked earnestly, "Are you still interested in me? Even though Melody is out of the picture?"

"That's not a question you need to ask Sav." Scarlet said finally. He sighed. "You're with someone else. It's not my place to interfere with that."

"You deserve to be happy, after all that you've been through that is the least you deserve." He managed a slight smile, only for a second, but it was there. "I'll always be here for you Sav."

He reached out and put his hand over hers, squeezing it gently.

She breathed in his scent, testing it. "Thank you David. I am so happy you are hear, and still a close friend despite all that has happened." She now blushed, a weird thought occurring to her. "Oh shoot, I didn't ask, I assumed. Ummm, did you find someone, are you a fiance or married now? I... was so overjoyed in seeing you that I didn't ask."

"No." He said firmly. "There is no one." His normal scowl turned to a grimace. "I believe it would be better that way for now."

Sav flinched at his response. She did not mean to hit a nerve, and she had been hoping he had found someone as well. But then again, if he had been waiting on Melody and her, and Melody having had her sudden jump with guy and child happen... she felt bad for him.

Standing up, he looked toward the door. "I have to get back to my duties."

Sav stood up. She led the way to the door. "David, I'm sorry for striking a nerve, I didn't mean to. I was just hoping.. you deserve happiness as well, you know."

"You didn't." He said firmly. "I've got to get back to the armory."

Sav gave him a hug, then a gentle kiss upon his neck, and said, "I'm glad your back, and we are still close friends. It means a lot to me, truly so." She released him and opened the door, smiled, and added, "Anytime you need a place to hang out, need a respite, or just a good cup of coffee and a meal, please, don't hesitate to come by. Take care, David."

"Same to you Sav." He replied slowly, deliberately. "Take care of yourself. "

Scarlet walked out of her quarters and paused after the doors had closed behind him. He clenched his fists and jaw tightly. It would have been easier if she'd been angry. He could handle that and keep his composure easily. Of course, nothing was ever simple in love or war.

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