Great White Buffalo: Part 2/2

Posted on 04 Dec 2017 @ 7:49pm by Commander Scarlet Blake & Lily Blake & Commander Luke Wyatt
Edited on on 06 Dec 2017 @ 7:23pm

2,182 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Earth: The Blake Residence
Timeline: MD 85: 20:00

ON:

"....but....but I'm not *even* tired...." the young girl was stood on her bed rather than sitting on it, let alone lying on it. Scarlet had managed to coax her into a pair of pink pyjamas, but now her bear was under her arm, she seemed set for a fun filled adventure rather than sleep.

Luke had departed Scarlet and Lily after their ice cream leaving them, more like leaving Lily the promise to return for bed. Standing on the opposite side of their door, he had assumed Lily, Scarlet's daughter would be long asleep but from the commotion, he could hear that she was resisting. Pressing the door chime Luke felt like he was intruding on their personal space but the thought of leaving without keeping his promise hurt him more.

"See!" the girl proclaimed with a wide smile at hearing they had a guest. "Can't go to sleep now!" she kept hold of the bear under her arm even as she launched herself fearlessly from the bed.

Scarlet was used to the game though and caught her easily enough, pulling her close as she held her breath. "You can come and see who it is, but then it's bed for you young lady," she said firmly, carrying her through to open the door. "Luke..."

Luke looked between the two females in front of him and smiled. “Scarlet...” he said mimicking her tone of voice before adding, “it looks like I’ve just interrupted bed time,” he looked to Lily. “You're not giving your mum a hard time are you? You know to be a good dragon capture you must get plenty of sleep!”

Lily shook her head with large, sincere eyes at being asked if she was playing her mother up. She looked wholly believable too. "But I'm not *even* tired....and I might miss loads of stuff if I go to sleep..."

Having to suppress a chuckle Luke spoke using his best ‘obey me or be thrown into the brig voice’. “Now now you really must sleep Lily besides what possibly could you miss? Me and your mum will be doing some talking, and adult talk is boring especially for an adventurous woman like yourself.”

"That's true..." Lily nodded sagely to the last part, clearly having been bored more than once at hearing her Mummy talking work with grown ups. "Well....maybe if I can have just *one* story...." she tried in a sing song voice.

Luke turned to Scarlet, "Would you object to one story?" he asked now slightly beaten by the cuteness of Lily but at least now they've come to a compromise.

Scarlet was smiling with amusement at the negotiation going on. She lifted her hands and shook her head. "Please, go ahead, you're further along than I was..."

Nodding in agreement Luke turned and in one fluid motion scooped Lily up in his right arm. "Come on you," he teased ruffling her hair with his free hand before leading the young girl back to her room. As he passed the threshold he took a moment to glance over his shoulder back to Scarlet.

Scarlet shook her head with a slight chuckle, sighing softly. At least they had a chance of getting her off to sleep now. It had become something of a battleground in recent weeks. And not the type a sniper was used to.

Laying Lily on the bed being sure he left enough room for him. "So what story does the young lady want to hear?" Luke asked smiling.

"Dragons!" Lily grinned as she snuggled in under her covers, her bear tucked under her arm. "No! Pirates....no! Dragons....no! Pirate dragons! Or Dragon Pirates....or...or all of them!"

Luke chuckled. “Dragon pirates it is,” he settled himself next to Lily his hands inter locked in his lap. “Once upon a time in a land far far away,” he began.

Lily watched him, wide eyed in awe as the story unfolded....until, despite her best efforts, she couldn't remain so wide eyed anymore. Try as she might to stay awake, her eyes slowly started to become heavier and heavier, until she couldn't open them anymore. She was able to hear a few more lines of adventure until they merged into dreams.

It was over 30 minutes until Luke turned his head to look at Lily. She looked peaceful, asleep in his mind Luke cursed as he stopped speaking about his pirate dragon adventures. This only meant speaking to Scarlet and he didn’t know what to say!

Scarlet was watching from the doorway, arms folded as she leant against the frame with a small smile. She motioned him out to follow her into the living room, shaking her head. "Am I going to have to hire you for nights?"

Luke had carefully picked himself up off the floor leaving Lily behind him as the lights went from dim to off. Following behind Scarlet he waited until they were stationary to speak again. “I can think of worst jobs to do at night, reading a bed time story would be pleasant.”

"Hm. I'll see if I can pull some strings then," she teased lightly, her eyes shining with it as her lips curled in a half smile. "Who knew how many hidden talents you have..." she chuckled softly, looking towards the small kitchen area as she rested her hip against the counter. "Would you like some tea?"

"Believe it or not Abbey used to love similar stories it's like riding a bike you never really forget how to do it," Luke chuckled following her gaze around the kitchen watching her carefully. "Tea sounds great," he replied to her question.

"Oh, I believe it," Scarlet assured with a soft smile to him as she moved to start some tea brewing in the pot. She glanced across to him as she went through the familiar motions, taking him in. "She was a very lucky young lady, you know," she said gently. "Having you as a father."

He nodded having now walked over from where he was stood and found himself leaning on the counter next to Scarlet. "And now I found myself with a daughter who has literally lived in a different universe and the Abbey I raised is, well I'm sure you've seen the mission files." He paused for a moment watching as Scarlet made the brew. "I guess now I'm getting a little old the opportunity of having another child is perhaps beyond me. So looking after Lily is... Refreshing besides I get to spend all this lovely time having tea to drink with you."

Scarlet looked to him with surprise, her hand pausing mid movement before lowering to rest on the counter. "It's never too late, Luke," she said softly but firmly, tilting her head to meet his eyes. "There's plenty of children out there in need of decent parents. Not all of them infants either."

Luke wanted to look away but couldn't move away from her gaze. "I usually have something to say but to that I don't," he mused. "Then again if I have a nightly duty of telling bedtime stories I won't have any time for anyone else, is that tea ready now or do you just enjoy making me beg for things?" His tone of voice was light and full of humor.

"Well it *is* a glorious sight," Scarlet teased in return, pursing her lips with amusement before relenting and sliding his tea over to him, taking a hold of her own as she moved to settle on one of the stools at the counter. She looked into her tea, avoiding his gaze for a long moment, silent, unsure if she would find the words. "No one wanted me," she finally said, quietly.

Luke sipped his tea the silence had fallen around them until she broke it with a simple yet concerning statement. "I find that hard to believe... I..." Luke stopped for a moment his eyes dropping to his drink "Wanted you but I doubt you're on about that." He looked up trying to find her eyes but she too was not wanting to make eye contact. He for the second time tonight was left speechless.

Scarlet gave a soft smile to his response, taking a deep breath before finding the strength to look at him again. "You're right. I meant when I was younger. Don't get me wrong, I understand it. I was 14, well past the cute stage. Came from a risky background. I didn't even speak," she shrugged awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck for a moment. "I suppose I'm just saying...families come in all shapes and sizes. A decent parent is a decent parent, no matter their age. And not all children that need them are babies that require starting all over again."

“You turned out just fine, I mean your a fantastically beautiful woman who is successfully raising a delight of a daughter even if she does wind you up the wall sometimes.” He knew exactly where she was coming from and he appreciated the fact she thought he was strong enough to raise a child again but by himself, Abbey was pretty much an adult herself and Miraj, he wasn’t sure she would take to the idea. “I don’t know if I could be as strong as you and raise a child solely by myself even one slightly older,” he gathered his thoughts for a moment sipping at his brew. It was not like he was feeling uncomfortable, it was actually the opposite in fact he was feeling extremely comfortable like he was always meant to be here drinking tea with Scarlet having put Lily to bed but who was he to come back into her life and for that matter who was she. He’s happy with Miraj, perhaps having doubts about how far and how serious their relationship should be but at least he was happy.

The words actually made a slight flush of colour touch the cheeks of Scarlet's usually calm and cool features. She shook her head with a soft laugh, taking a deep breath, straightening up with it. "I'd forgotten what a charmer you can be," she said with just a little mock accusation. "I'll be honest, I didn't know that I could raise a child by myself either. Not until I had to get on and do it," she chuckled softly, giving a slight shrug. "Listen, I'm not saying you should go and sign up to adopt tomorrow, just...don't dismiss it entirely. You never know how things might turn out. Just...let it hover in the back of your mind for a while."

Finishing his tea he placed the cup down watching his hand as he did the cup making a small noise as it hit the counter surface, he faced Scarlet before speaking again. “You’re right, as you ever was. I’ll give it some thought.” He looked to a window and sighed he didn’t really want to leave, in all honesty he could find himself conversing with Scarlet all night. “Well Lily is asleep and the teas all gone,” he said stating the obvious but not really saying the words that he should leave.

"I was about to get something sensible to eat," Scarlet hopped off the stool, stretching with a soft sigh to get the crick out of her shoulder. "You're welcome to join me if you want to?" she asked, a genuine offer, not just politeness. "Of course, if you're busy, I won't take offence. This once," she added with a small but playful smile.

Luke toyed with the idea of leaving, his stomach rumbled as if to answer the question for him. “I suppose staying for a little food wouldn’t hurt only of course if you're sure you want me to?” he replied finding the situation similar in most ways but left him feeling completely different to what spending time with Scarlet was like before she left.

"Have I ever said anything I didn't mean?" she replied with a pointed look, but her small smile and the way her eyebrows lifted in an almost mirthful expression softened the words up.

Luke's eyes rolled. “You do have a point,” he chuckled now readying himself to help Scarlet in the cooking. “So what’s for dinner master chef,” as he teased he rubbed his hands together warming them up ready to help.

"Well, I was just going to use the replicator," Scarlet admitted as she pointed to it, her other hand resting on her hip as she shifted her weight onto it. "But if you'd like to cook for me, then please, go right ahead, I'm not about to stop you...”

“Well let’s see what I can rustle up,” he said as he walked over to the fridge opening the door and went on his way to cook something to eat.

[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Luke Wyatt
Chief of Security/Tactical
USS Galileo

Commander Scarlet Blake
Instructor
Starfleet Academy

Lily Blake
Civilian Child
[PNPC Blake]

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