waking up

Posted on Wed Jun 22nd, 2022 @ 1:53pm by Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels

Mission: The Lost Brother
Timeline: After "Picking up the Pieces"

Tony really did not want to wake up. The bed was nice and soft and she was cuddling something soft and warm. In her fuzzy not really awake mind she could not make out what that could possibly be but just accepted it as something good.

Soran was slowly pushing through the fog of his hangover, the numbing effect of the whiskey always took its toll. He opened his eyes trying to piece things together. He took a slow deep breath and realized he wasn't the only one breathing.There was a head in the thick of his arm and flesh pressed into his. He was in the quarters, he moved his head it was… Tony?

Now he remembered, 'well this will be interesting.'

"Hmmm." She mumbled clearly not even half awake yet.

"Good Morning Tony," Soran breathed quietly.

At that her eyes snapped open. "What the..." She looked up into Ren's face, way too close to her own. Very quickly she scrambled back to her own side of the bed. "I do apologize." She got out.

Soran laughed out loud. "It's alright Tony, that was some of the best rest I've had in a while."

"I ehm...I didn't do anything inappropriate I hope?"

"No," He stretched his arms and yawned, His left shoulder was stiff, probably from her body weight. He didn't feel need to say anything, the rest was worth it.

"Gosh I did not think I would sleep. I am usually not this relaxed in the company of others." Tony sat up in bed. She actually had slept well.

Soran shrugged, "we were dead tired and took comfort in each other's company."

"Yeah. My subconscious knows you are to be trusted. I haven't slept like this in nights."

"I'm glad you're subconscious trusts me as well," he joked.

Tony snorted as she got up. "It's a huge honour. Can I use your bathroom to freshen up?"

"Of course,"he smiled. He looked at his PADD and that Lt. Jansen he scheduled a session for this morning.

"I do hope nobody will see me leave." Tony said from the bathroom.

"Wait about ten minutes you can walk out during shift change in the corridors should be empty." He smiled, it wasn't the first someone had needed to exit his quarters discreetly. "The Captain will most likely understand you showing up for shift a few minutes late."

Tony raised an eyebrow but did not say anything. She was glad to see that the sleep had done him good as well. "Good plan. And Ren, please you know were to find me if you need my support."

"I know," he said, before entering the bathroom and quickly changing into his uniform.

"I don't want to keep Lt. Jansen waiting." the Angosian nodded.

"Ren I am not sure she is up to seeing you this morning." Tony said honestly. "She was pretty shaken up by what happened. Not your fault, but she may need a day off."

"This wasn't my idea, believe me." He shook his head. "She probably need to talk about last night more than I do."

"She contacted you this morning?" Tony was so not happy with that.

"She must have added the session to my calendar ,it wasn't there last night."

"Shit. I am not sure she should be working."

You don't have must room to there seeing you were willing to stay up all night to watch me sleep when to knew ypu had a swift this morning. You counselor types are terrible at taking your own advice," Soran smiled.

The captain's voice came over the COMM.; "Commander Wagnor, would you be able to come to holodeck three if you are not busy."

"I will be there in a few minutes, Sir." Soran answered.

He turned back to Tony, "I wonder what that's about?"

He shook his head. "I guess I'll be seeing the counselor later."

"Yes. And don't be intimidated by the captain. Remember you did nothing wrong."

"Well I'm definitely not going to keep the Captain waiting." He turned to leave. "If you wait here a few minutes shift change will be in full swing."

"Check will do. And take care of yourself Ren."

+-+-+-

CJ Boucher step off the lift. He moved to his Commander's quarters; he'd come to make sure Soran was alright. He was concerned about the chief but wanted to avoid any questions that could cause trouble. He's still at the front of the door and rang the chime.

At the same time the chime rang Tony had pushed the button to open the door. Otherwise she would have probably ignored it. So she blinked at the unfamiliar officer in front of her.

"Forgive me Ma'am," the officer said with a southern twang. "I was looking for Sor… Commander Wagnor. He's usually at the office five minutes for a shift so I'll make sure things are okay."

Tony was glad she had replicated a uniform and not gone out in her nightclothes. "I ehm, I made sure he was ok. I was a therapist before switching to command track. And you are? And where are you from?"

"Caleb Boucher, people call me CJ." Boucher nodded. "I transferred from the Lister with Wagnor."

"Hi CJ. I'm Tony." She said in response. "Nah, I meant your accent. Where are you from originally?"

"I grew up in Orleans on Alpha II Ma'am." Boucher answered. "They say they wanted to call New New Orleans, but that was a mouthful."

She laughed. "I thought you were a southern boy from earth." She lay on her own accent pretty thick now. "My mother's family is and very proud of it."

The man's face broke into a boyish grin. "Well there's a decent chance you and I have some ancestors in common. Sorry to disturb you, but when Soran wasn't in his office I thought should check on him. Didn't use the computer cause it doesn't look good when the Chief's not at post and subordinates come lookin' for him."

"It was my fault if he was a little late. I insisted on checking he was fine for duty, and he is." She grinned. "The Sorrels are a prominent family in Savannah."

"The Bouchers were from Louisiana before we took to the stars. I've been told I still have family on Earth." He said in conversational tone. He didn't believe the woman's explanation but saw no reason no reason to question further. "It's good see I'm not only one has Ren's back."

"We were at the academy together. Well one year apart and we ran into each other occasionally during our careers." She was not going to tell him that Ren had been her patient, that

"Ren was in the same year as my brother Biff, I didn't serve with him until the Lister though." He paused. "A freshly Replicated uniform is always stiff especially in the collar. If you use a little hot water it softens up nicely."

She actually blushed. "Ehm, nothing happened. I just ehm. When they called me in last night I was already in bed. I did not think it would be wise to leave another officers quarters in my nightgown."

"Not to worry Ma'am, that's not my business," CJ smiled. "Just glad to know he okay."

"He is but it won't hurt to keep an eye on him today, and be kind to him." She said with a smile.

"Of course," Boucher shook his head. "Ren promised my brother he take care of me, lately its been the other way around."

"Oh?" Tony as curious. "Can you say more? Or would that endanger your friendship."

"One of his friend to another, we had fubar with the Klingons. We lost some good people and he hasn't been the same since. He said in low voice. "He's had the same look my Uncle had when he came back from the Cardassian border wars. The shrinkwasn'tmuch help.,fro what I could see."

"Do you think he needs more help?" Tony asked. "Does Lt Jansen know all this. She is good therapist."

"I think it'd be best if he told the therapist about that himself." Boucher said. "I should get back to my shift."

"Ok. I will not tell her then." Tony promised. She was glad Ren had another friend looking out for him though.