Because even an ugly duckling can become a beautiful swan

Posted on 09 Apr 2016 @ 7:01pm by Corporal Abbey St James

1,140 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo, Wintrow/Marika quarters
Timeline: MD80, 0700 hours

Abbey wearing her newly pressed uniform walked with a new spring in her step, she had been slowly integrated into the ships day to day life and was now finally let of her leash, only the crew of the Galileo knew who she was and with a certain someone's help she hoped to gain the trust as she did his. Pressing the door chime repeatedly she waited for Wintrow to show himself.

A somewhat dishevelled and sleepy looking youngster appeared in the doorway. The youth's eyes widened as he spotted Abbey wearing a brand new uniform. "Abbey!" he exclaimed, "you look...different."

Her smile beamed across her face as she pushed her way into his room "I am now officially a member in your little starfleet" Abbey teased. "Were you sleeping?" She asked taking note of his appearance and expression.

Wintrow nodded slowly. "Yes, I was," he replied, suddenly conscious of his lack of proper attire. He blushed scarlet as he fled back into the sleeping area to pull on a robe. He'd only been wearing boxers and a T-shirt and for some reason he didn't feel it was proper for a guest to be met like this. "Little starfleet huh?"

She chuckled "Well the Empire did expand much further than starfleet but I guess 'Little' is a bit of an under-exaggeration. Why are you suddenly all shy and embarrassed?" Abbey flopped onto his bed and stretched out.

"Because..." Wintrow faltered as he sat down on the edge of his own bed. "Because I'm not...dressed. If I'd known you were coming I'd have made sure to be dressed, and I'd have coffee ready..."

Abbey once again chuckled and put her hands elegantly in her lap. "If you had known it wouldn't have been a surprise and I wouldn't have got to see you undressed" She teased eyeing his eyes.

Cheeks turning even darker, Wintrow had no idea what to do or say now. He was utterly flustered and at a loss for words. Just to give himself some posture he went ahead and got dressed. "IF that was your intention..." he murmured, then shook his head. "Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she lay herself down on his bed and starred up at the ceiling "What reason's would I need? Or have you already forgotten our kisses?" Abbey teased further now resting her top half on her elbow facing him.

"No," Wintrow had to admit, "I haven't forgotten. I just..." He hesitated, biting his lower lip as he considered his words carefully. "I wasn't sure where we stand... I mean you had your training and things, and I went to Akkadia with Allyndra, and we never had a chance to speak since...not since your release from the brig." And he recalled he'd seen a good deal of her after the explosion in sickbay, after all he'd given her his jacket to wear. No, he hadn't peeked but her dress code was fairly non-existent before he'd given it to her. "The new uniform suits you," he offered hap-hazardly.

"I dont like it but if I am to fit in here I have to adhere to some of the rules" Her heart ached as he admitted his time with Allyndra "I know where I stand with you" She admitted not giving anything away. "I... I find these things difficult to admit" Abbey admitted.

"What do you mean?" Ever oblivious, Wintrow truely had no idea what she meant. "And you only have to wear that while on duty. In your own quarters you can wear whatever you want."

She shot up, "I like you win" Abbey stated simply. "You've been here for me over the last few months when no one else would and I'm jealous you're spending time with a BAT!" Her anger and jealousy crept out and she blushed as she finished. "I am sorry I shouldn't be racist."

Startled by her outburst, Wintrow scrambled to create some distance and promptly slid down onto the floor. "She's not a bat," he replied defensively, "I was her pilot. Had to fly the shuttle to take her to her homeworld, and ..." He faltered, the sense of jealousty and anger overwhelming.

"AND?" Abbey said biting down on her tongue. She was still getting accustom to non-human interaction and wintrow was her only friend. Her emotions and feelings of which went beyond just friendship and this she hated and loved at the same time.

"And...that was it. We got shown around on her homeworld, me and Doctor Voutilainen and I was invited on a trip on a skyship and I was allowed to pilot. For me it was a great learning experience." He stared up at her from the floor, unable to make much of anything of her emotions which were flying all over the place. It was giving him a headache.

Abbey moved from the bed and sat down opposite and facing him with her hand now resting just inches from him on her knee's. "Wintrow." She started finding his eyes and trying a smile "I'm not good at this" She said shying away with a sigh. In all instances Wintrow was not fully human himself so the fact she had to say how she felt about him was uncomfortable and the fact she had to say it again after just a couple of months hurt her. "You must know my feelings towards you, call me young and dumb and maybe even a little lost in this universe but I do like you and despite all my failing you've always been there for me. If theres something my dad taught me is that if someone is willing to take you at your worst then they deserve your best and I am only at my best when I am with you"

"I..." He shook his head, shifting to be able to take her hand. "You're young, yes but certainly not dumb. I'm the ignorant one..." He smiled uncomfortably at her, not sure at all how to say this. "I thought your feelings towards me were just gratitude," he confessed, "though when that sky captain made a move on me I stopped her..." He hesitated. "I told her there was someone at home...." He wondered if she understood what he was trying to say.

Her stomach dropped as he spoke "And who was that person at home?" She asked allowing herself to hope once again, a feeling, a motion she wasn't used to.

"You..." The single word answer said it all and Wintrow swallowed nervously. He'd never had feelings for a woman before. sure there'd been Nesh but this felt different and he couldn't explain it.


OFF:

Cadet SO Wintrow Paragon
Support Craft Pilot
USS Galileo
pnpc Tyrion

CPL Abbey Wyatt (MU)
Position Pending
USS Galileo
pnpc Luke Wyatt

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