Restless

Posted on 25 Nov 2023 @ 11:36am by Commander Scarlet Blake & Petty Officer 2nd Class Leon Inaros

2,053 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 7, Gym
Timeline: MD 15, 02:20hrs

[ON]

The lights were dim in the gym, the only occupant having lowered the lights to try and keep the 'night time' feel. Because for Scarlet Blake, it was the middle of the night.

Her daughter was tucked up in bed, sleeping sound with Lt. Patch keeping watch on the end of her bed. But Scarlet had only managed about half an hour before waking from a dream that had left her cold. Not even looking in on Lily had helped, and lying in the dark unable to sleep only tightened the anxiety coiling in the pit of her stomach.

So she'd finally made her way to the gym to try and exhaust herself. It was a familiar pattern for the ex-marine at times. Especially with no alcohol to warm the night up. At least it had been empty with the strange hour. No explanations needed. No niceties. No 'can I just check's.

Scarlet caught her breath before throwing another punch at the bag. Boxing was one of her go tos when she couldn't sleep. Whether she needed to vent frustration, quiet her mind, warm her body or just simply exhaust herself, it was a good bet.

Her long dark hair was tied back, but strands had escaped with the vigorous punches, and sweat plastered them to her face. She'd thrown on black leggings and a vest, and as she sent a flurry of relentless hits at the bag, it was easy to see the contour of her muscles along her arms and shoulders, betraying she was no stranger to a hard work out.

Leon hadn't been able to sleep either, but his tossing and turning had quickly become him sneaking out so not to disturb anyone. He had headed to the gym and was about to ask for the lights to be turned on when he saw her. Blake, and a punching bag. He let out a breath as he stepped further in, watching her form. "Some things never seem to change," he said, his voice gentle as he studied her. She would still use exercise to exorcise her demons.

Scarlet hopped back from the bag, stopping to catch her breath as she rested her strapped hands on her hips. She drew in a deep breath as she watched him, summoning a half smile as she pressed the back of her arm to her forehead. "If we close our eyes, maybe we can both pretend we're back in green."

He watched her, his eyes calm as he walked over to the equipment hanging on the wall. "Would you have wanted to?" he asked, his back turned to her, meaning he couldn't see her face. He saw the skipping rope and smiled. Random. But fun.

Scarlet caught hold of her towel, pressing it to her face as her breath evened out. "Under different circumstances, yes," she looked to him with knowing eyes. Even back in the marines he'd been able to read her pretty well. "There's no going back though."

He turned to face her, watching her for a long moment. "For either of us," he said and gave her a small nod. "You need to burn some energy, Blake? Or something to fight?"

"Maybe both," she chuckled weakly, making her way over to see what he was doing. "I'm not sure I can think of anything worse than a dry ship."

"To be honest, neither can I," he said and put the skipping rope down, now she was coming to him. "Want to spar?" he asked instead. It would fulfil the energy and the fighting requirements. "And you can ell me what's on in your head?"

Scarlet nodded, moving to the mat and rocking back and forward on her feet, hitting her fists lightly together, as if testing the strapping out. "Can't sleep. You know what it's like...lying in the dark getting frustrated about not being able to sleep. May as well just get up."

He didn't wrap his hands up, but flexed his fingers for a moment. "I know the feeling. Usually happened just before we got sent somewhere," he said as he watched her closely. "Or coming back from a mission."

"That was the one for me..." she shook her head with an arched eyebrow, bringing her hands up in front of her in a guard, starting to shift on her feet as she anticipated him. If she tried really hard, she could almost pretend they'd gone back in time. Almost.

He watched her, a small smile on his lips. He moved to try and land a hit, knowing she would deflect it. She had been well trained, they all had. And she could tell by how she moved she had kept it up since leaving the Marines. "I always discouraged the close combat training before missions. I have a theory that the body remembers hurts, even if technology heals it. The mind almost knows it wouldn't be healed that quickly."

"Ancestorial memories..." she agreed, her arm deflecting his fist before she jabbed her own at him, towards his face, as a distraction for the follow up with her other fist aimed at his side. "But that pent up energy has to go somewhere...."

He knocked the one coming at his face to the side, his arm going low to try and deflect the one at his side. It connected, but not at the force she had aimed at. "Which is why we're here, sparring, I suppose. I find it helps clear my mind a bit too."

"The last vanguard of hope when you're on a dry ship," she shook her head with a whistle before catching her breath, her leg pushing forward to move in closer to him.

He moved forward to, reaching out to grab her as his knee came up to her midsection. She'd block it and he wasn't doing it at full strength anyway. "I am still getting used to that. Not even the synth stuff."

"It's driving me mad," she admitted easily with the adrenaline that was starting to drive through her. She grabbed at him, twisting to shove past, rocking his balance.

He stumbled but recovered, smiling as he turned to her. Never turn your back in a fight after all. "Especially since it's been...a bit of a traumatising time by the sounds of it. Just from what I saw in sickbay."

"It always is around here," Scarlet muttered, ducking from his fist with a swift, sharp breath to keep her cool. "But recent events haven't helped," she conceded, finally lifting her foot to flick out at his knee.

He shifted to grab her foot, the impact stinging his hands. "And now you're back, you've not had the chance to catch your breath, or spend any real time with your daughter."

She pushed back away from the grip with frustration, letting out a long, shaking breath, lifting her arms just in time to guard against his swipe. "I'm surprised she still recognises me..." her voice was tighter with that.

He looked at her even as he pulled his hand back. He lashed out again, trying to avoid her guard, moving closer. "She loves you," he said, with a small smile. "And there will always be times when your duty pulls you away. But you will be back to her, focusing all energy you have left on her. You're a good mother. And a good officer. It's not an easy balance."

"When it's just me, I'm not sure I can be both," Scarlet finally said, grabbing him as she rocked forward, her leg hooking to his as she threw him down, breathing hard, her usually pale skin flushed.

He groaned as he hit the mat, grinning despite the shock on his body. "It's not perfect, but not everything beautiful is," he said, watching her. "Your family might be small, unconventional with everything going on in Starfleet or just on this ship. But it's beautiful."

Scarlet just watched him with dark blue eyes, catching her breath before pressing the back of her arm to her forehead. She finally offered a hand down to him. "There are worse ones out there, we both know that."

He took the hand and used it to pull himself up. "There is," he said with a small smile. "She is strong, like her mother. And this is temporary. And if it gets too much for you both, Scarlet...you make the call. Do you get a transfer somewhere else, or do you stick with it. It isn't a choice you have to make now. But it is a possibility one day, should you need it. An exit plan."

"Another one," Scarlet let out a long, shaking breath, her head dropping tiredly before she reached for a towel to press to her face. "Let's find a tropical paradise, claim it as a pirate port and drink Old Fashioneds for the rest of the decade."

He laughed at that, his eyes shining. "Always took you more for a dry martini sort of officer," he said teasingly and got a towel as well. "Look, it's...hard. And I'm not a parent, so I will never understand just how hard it is. But I was raised in Starfleet, and there were times I spent more time with whoever my parents could get to sit me than with them...and it didn't hurt me. I get on with people, I adapt quickly and the stuff I go into Counselling for is the stuff that happened after I left home..." he met her eyes, holding them. "I knew I was loved. It was all that mattered."

Scarlet out a long, heavy breath, her shoulders slumping as she nodded wearily. "I know...I know," she assured softly, shaking her head slowly. "But seeing all of this time slip away from us...knowing all she has is me and I'm spending less and less time with her because of these new ridiculous and unnecessary demands being put on us? The guilt is crippling..." she sighed and hooked her towel around the back of her neck. Had thinking she could be both a single and working mother just been a pipe dream built on stubbornness?

He watched her, seeing the way her shoulder slumped...the visual clues. But he also just listened, taking in the words she had said. "Right now, we don't have a choice," he said, his voice quiet. "Being stuck out here, we...do what we have to. I...can never understand, the guilt, everything that goes with it. But if there is ever anything I can do, Scarlet..." he gave her a quick, small smile, his hand going to touch her arm. "Besides, I have met Lily. She is an amazing child. And she got it all from you."

Scarlet looked to him with surprise before she smiled softly, the tension melting a little from her body as she patted the hand on her arm. "Well then, look out world, another little freight train is coming through, and it's probably painted with sparkly purple paint..." she finally chuckled, shaking her head at herself. She gripped his arm in return, using it to pull him in close to nudge her shoulder to his. "I must have done something right, for fate to have you posted here of all places."

He chuckle at that, shaking his head before he took a breath. "When they said they needed new people for a deep space mission, I thought...why not. If nothing else, it was something new," he met her eyes, holding them for a long moment. "I am glad I am serving under you again. And that we can talk, like this."

"I can't see how there's much in it for you," she admitted, but with a soft chuckle to show she didn't really mean it, reaching for her water bottle.

For a moment, he just watched her before he smiled. "A friend doesn't need to get anything specific out of it. And that's what we are as well...friends."

Blake smiled softly at that. It was refreshing to be around someone so sincere. "Come on...let's go again...I might even let you win..."

[OFF]

PO2 Leon Inaros
Nurse
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Rice]

&

PO2 Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo-A

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